Why is Design still so unknown in France, despite its ubiquity? This is what the French industrial designer Christopher Santerre wonders.
'Design shapes our daily lives—objects, interfaces, public spaces… Yet, as a discipline, it remains largely unfamiliar or even unknown to a significant portion of the French population, despite being a key driver for improving our living conditions and creating economic value for businesses.
Fermob Chairs.
There are three reasons behind this paradox:
1. Confusion with Aesthetics
In France, design is still often reduced to a matter of style or appearance in the collective imagination. Many associate it solely with making products "beautiful," while it actually encompasses much broader aspects such as ergonomics, function, accessibility, feasibility, and sustainability.
This distorted perception is reinforced by certain industries (fashion, high-end publishing, furniture and lighting, automotive, etc.), which sometimes value design more as a means of distinction than as a tool for user-centered creation.
2. Invisibility Due to Its Effectiveness
Good design goes unnoticed. When an object or service is well-designed, users are unaware of the design work behind it—it simply works. Conversely, it is often only when we encounter a poor experience (a complicated app, uncomfortable furniture) that we recognize the importance of design. Its impact is therefore underestimated precisely because it blends seamlessly into everyday use.
3. Lack of Institutional Recognition
Design is not taught in general school curricula, unlike subjects such as mathematics or visual arts. The media rarely cover it in depth, and there is no strong "design culture" in France as there is in Scandinavia, Japan, the UK, Germany, or the US. This lack of visibility keeps the discipline in the shadows, leaving it to a select few insiders who constantly have to remind others that "design" is not merely an adjective.
In my view, making design more visible and understandable to as many people as possible requires early awareness in schools, with daily applied arts courses allowing students to familiarize themselves with these concepts from a young age. Additionally, dedicated spaces—similar to The Design Museum in London or the Danish Design Center in Copenhagen—could help promote and spread French design culture while also reinforcing the recognition of this discipline's contribution to our daily lives and economy.'
Source: LinkedIn Christopher Santerre