“As a home textile designer, you should identify consumers’ aesthetic needs and establish a spiritual resonance with them through your designs. After all, a product is not merely a physical entity—it’s also a medium for designers and consumers to engage in a heartfelt dialogue. The foundation of effective communication lies in discovering what kind of design consumers truly desire.”

　　The two-day Design Innovation Competition awards ceremony and forum have come to an end. Some of the remarks made during the event still resonate in my ears. Although the theme of this competition was “East Wind Spreads West”—focusing on how to bring China’s original home textile designs to Western markets—the issue of how to effectively communicate with consumers remained one of the central themes of the conference. And this communication extends beyond just the design stage; it also plays a crucial role in the subsequent brand-building process. Specifically, brands need to engage with consumers from two perspectives: first, through pattern design at the product level, and second, by taking into account social and cultural factors at the brand level—both of which are tailored to align with consumers’ psychological motivations and purchasing behaviors.

　　Mr. Huang, a professor at Soochow University and currently the Design Director of Jiangsu Jintaiyang Home Textiles, is a veteran in the home textile industry. At this forum, he was specially invited by the Home Textile Association to deliver an inspiring speech to all the designers. He said, “As home textile designers, we should strive to identify consumers’ aesthetic needs and achieve spiritual resonance with them through our designs. The works created by designers are not merely physical entities; rather, they serve as vehicles for engaging in heartfelt dialogue with consumers.”

　　“The prerequisite for effective communication is to identify what kind of design consumers actually need. If our designers spend all day sitting in the office, they’ll never be able to create designs that consumers truly love. The real artistry lies beyond the poem itself—designers should step out and go directly to consumers, observe their preferences firsthand, and find design inspiration right in the midst of everyday life.”