Haute Couture data visualisation.
Drawing inspiration from fashion.
Fashion might not be the first source of inspiration you look to when it comes to data visualisation, but The Assassination of Gianni Versace has got me thinking about what data-led designers could learn from the fashion powerhouses. I’ve come to the conclusion that everything revolves around one dress. Not just any dress, but the dress (and no, not that dress). I’m talking about the dress that takes you from supporting actress to leading star — all in the flash of a paparazzi’s camera.
I believe data visualisation creators have much in common with fashion designers.
- They both want people to see their work and talk about it.
- They both embed messages and meaning into their designs.
- They both create iconic pieces that make people want to explore the rest of the collection.
For me, the dress is a perfect analogy for the effect we should aim for with our data visualisations and a scene in The Assassination of Gianni Versace perfectly illustrates the power of the dress.
In episode 8, Donatella Versace needs to establish herself as Versace’s face and creative director. To achieve this aim, the siblings design an extraordinary dress that Donatella wears to Vogue’s 100th Anniversary Party at the New York Public Library. The episode depicts the ensuing media frenzy and celebrations at Versace HQ as reviews and debates about the dress fill column inches and draw people into their stores. Some people loved the dress. Others hated it. But it didn’t matter what people thought because the dress had put the spotlight firmly onto Donatella Versace and the company she represented — just as the Versace siblings intended.
Just like Donatella’s dress, an exceptional, extraordinary data visualisation is the perfect showcase for its underlying data and the team behind its creation. In the same way Versace uses its Haute Couture collections to create an image that people buy into with purchases of perfume and handbags, platforms like Global Forest Watch entice people to explore satellite data and learn about forest loss.
When it comes to getting your designs noticed, a little bit of controversy goes a long way. Donatella was neither the first nor last woman to capture attention and ignite debate with a dress. Remember when Elizabeth Hurley wore that dress to the premier of Four Weddings and a Funeral and everyone had an opinion on whether it was lewd or a celebration of the female form? That dress catapulted her overnight from ‘Hugh Grant’s girlfriend’ to a sought-after actress in her own right. And the designer? Versace.
Beneath every design are layers of meaning. As you explore them and consider their intended impact, you begin to appreciate that a dress is more than just a piece of clothing. Versace’s dresses are made for powerful women. Women who fear nothing. When they wear a Versace dress they are expressing who they are. It’s a statement that says, ‘I am here. This is who I am. I will show you what I can do.’ Data visualisations do this too. They’re designed with a specific audience in mind, they convey messages, and act as an invitation to take a closer look and explore the data behind them.
No matter what your business is, for-profit, non-profit, government or academic, we can learn something from the example set by fashion’s creative directors. They show us how to channel the vision of an entire company into one design, using all of their creativity and talent for spotting emerging trends to create one incredible piece that people talk about forever more. They know it only takes one dress to draw people into their shops to explore the rest of the collection, and they aren’t afraid to court controversy. We can do the same with data and data visualisations. If we think in bold and fearless ways like Gianni and Donatella Versace did, we too can create designs that make people debate, examine, explore and use our data.
If you found this interesting, maybe you’d like to read about the future of data portals.
