The Industrial Revolution was an era of new opportunities and technologies, bringing fresh stability to a previously distraught world. Livelihoods shifted from slower handicrafts to quicker, standardized products. This phase brought convenience and affordability to the smallest households around the globe. My point being, the era we live in today is defined by what we can produce, in addition to what was surplus during the Industrial Revolution (functionality). As we navigate through the Information Age, it becomes apparent- the power of good design. In this post, we contemplate the impact that good design has had on a large scale. 

Power is the impression left behind by one's capabilities. Capable entities leave stronger impressions. The field of Industrial Design is one such entity, whose multifacetedness has left the world of production with an impression strong enough to make it a vital step in the process of making. 

In what way is design powerful? 

1. Accumulative power: Products that are simple yet useful in everyday life. Some everyday products were once a luxury, later made accessible to commoners, leaving their impression on a mass scale.  |
   
   Example:  

   Originally developed by NASA in 1966 to improve seat cushioning and crash protection for astronauts, memory foam—then known as viscoelastic foam—was a high-tech material far removed from everyday life. It wasn’t until the 1990s that memory foam entered the consumer market, initially used in hospitals and high-end mattresses due to its ability to reduce pressure points and improve sleep quality. The high cost kept it firmly in the luxury category, with premium mattresses priced well over $2,000. But the real transformation came in the 2010s, when direct-to-consumer brands like Tempur-Pedic, Casper, and Purple disrupted the industry. By leveraging vacuum-compression technology and selling online, they cut prices dramatically—some models dropped below $500—and made ergonomic sleep both affordable and stylish. Today, memory foam holds over 60% of the U.S. mattress market share, according to industry reports, and has sparked a broader cultural movement around sleep wellness.  

   What began as space-age technology is now a nightly comfort for millions, thanks to the power of industrial design to humanize innovation. 

2. sychological power: Design that exerts emotional influence on users, such as pride, warmth, and joy, creates a lasting impact, making it stand out beyond mere functionality. 
   
   

   Example:  

   When Vespa launched its first scooter in 1946, the market was dominated by clunky, exposed-engine motorcycles designed purely for function—loud, greasy, and largely inaccessible to anyone outside of the male working class. But Vespa, with its sleek, enclosed engine, step-through frame, and wasp-like silhouette, introduced a radically human-centered design that prioritized elegance, ease, and approachability.  

   The result? A cultural and commercial phenomenon. By 1950, Vespa had sold 100,000 scooters; by 1956, over a million. To put that in perspective, rival British brand Lambretta took nearly a decade to reach similar figures, and even Harley-Davidson—an iconic name in motorcycles—sold fewer than 30,000 units per year in the early 1950s. Vespa’s aerodynamic, stylish design not only made scooters fashionable, especially among urban youth and women, but turned them into symbols of freedom and modernity.  

   Featured in films like Roman Holiday, the Vespa became more than a machine—it became an emotion on wheels, shaping personal identity and redefining urban mobility on a global scale. 
   
   

3. Adaptive power: unlike the rigid old times where products came from a one-size-fits-all culture, design enables opportunities to enhance products with changing users/contexts, thereby making the product more suitable and timeless for users. 

   Example:  

   Launched in 2017, Billie quickly disrupted the women’s shaving market by designing razors that actually considered women’s real needs—ergonomic handles, optimized cartridge shapes, and no inflated prices tied to gender. In a space long dominated by legacy brands like Gillette, which relied on pink, overpriced versions of men's razors, Billie flipped the narrative with inclusive, body-positive branding and a bold rejection of the “pink tax.” Within just a few years, Billie amassed over 1 million subscribers, offering a direct-to-consumer model that made personal grooming more accessible and empowering. Their rise was so impactful that Procter & Gamble acquired Billie in 2021 for a reported $310 million, signalling a clear shift in how design—when led by empathy, adaptability, and modern values—can outpace even the industry giants. 
   
   Design today is not just about how something looks or functions—it’s about how it fits into people’s lives, how it evolves with them, and how it makes them feel. From space-age foam to stylish scooters to everyday razors, design has proven itself to be a powerful tool for transformation. It brings inclusivity to the mainstream, turns luxury into daily comfort, and converts emotion into experience. In a world constantly shifting, it's not just what we build—but how we design—that defines what lasts.