Design Darlings

We are two dorks with degrees in design and we wax poetic about everyday objects, fashion, interactions, and all things designed in the world. Our conversations run the gamut from examining that pen in your pocket to questioning whether pressing or percolating coffee produces a better brew. Part persnickety and part pop culture, our hosts keep things keen. So join us as we incite deep dives and invite expert perspectives about all things design, darling.

Design Darlings is a arts podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 13 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Design Darlings, a arts show with 13 episodes published.

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  Episode #113

  Design Codes: From Louis Vuitton Trunks to Cheesecake Factory Interiors to Coca-Cola Red

  Aug 28, 202648 minS1

  From the iconic red square of Coca-Cola to the curvilinear geometry of midcentury furniture, codes define the objects, environments and systems around us. Design codes are what make us instantly recognize a blue box as Tiffany's, or associate a gargantuan menu and a cacophony of interior design choices with The Cheesecake Factory. In this episode, we dive deep to define exactly what a "code" is. How does it differ from a brand? An aesthetic? A vibe? Does design literacy help us apply design codes to our own work with greater nuance (I'm looking at you, Tomato Girl Summer!)? We end with some introspection, discussing how design codes make up our personal visual languages. Key words: brand codes, design literacy, fashion history, semiotics, luxury branding, visual signals, identity, aesthetic, belonging, Chanel, Hermès, Coca-Cola, mid-century modern Allie Miller is a designer, researcher, and strategist who believes in the power of design to foster understanding and facilitate meaningful change. She holds a Master’s of Industrial Design from Georgia Tech, bringing human-centered thinking and a system lens to every conversation—and your podcast feed. Robyn Richardson is an experience design strategist, tech consultant, TEDx speaker, and Graduate Professor at Georgetown University. She holds an MFA in Design Management from SCAD and has spent her career making design thinking accessible, opinionated, and a little bit fun. Disclaimer: This podcast was prepared in their personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, opinion, or position of their employers.

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  Episode #112

  Lights, Camera, Design: Production and Costume Design

  Aug 13, 202655 minS1

  This week we’re getting stitched into the world of theatre with CS Fergusson-Vaux, a theatre and installation artist whose work moves fluidly between costume, set, and performance art. We start with Shakespeare and trace the histories hiding in every hemline and well-placed pearl. Fergie talks to us about world building and character creation, down to the details that make stories feel real. Can a costume really set the stage (pun intended) to impose tension, restriction, and atmosphere before an actor says a word? Objects, intention, makeup, and codes: we get into all of it. Grab your historically accurate finery and settle in. Maybe you’ll even reconsider how you costume for the theater of everyday life. Stuff We Referenced: https://csfergusson.wixsite.com/website Reconciliation Education Canada Council Malvolio in Twelfth Night Act 3, Scene 4 Bugsby Berkley Ziegfeld Girl (1941) Ghost Light Ron Mueck Jim Henson's The Storyteller Keywords: theatrical design, costume design, research, Shakespeare, ethical practice, stage production, historical accuracy, world building, creative process costume design, authenticity, visual storytelling, theater, film, internet literacy, fashion, culture, costume construction, audience perception About Your Hosts: Allie Miller is a designer, researcher, and strategist who believes in the power of design to foster understanding and facilitate meaningful change. She holds a Master’s of Industrial Design from Georgia Tech, bringing human-centered thinking and a system lens to every conversation—and your podcast feed. Robyn Richardson is an experience design strategist, tech consultant, TEDx speaker, and Graduate Professor at Georgetown University. She holds an MFA in Design Management from SCAD and has spent her career making design thinking accessible, opinionated, and a little bit fun. Disclaimer: This podcast was prepared in their personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, opinion, or position of their employers.

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  Episode #111

  Design Culture Catchup: The Odyssey, Couture Dressing, Political Design and World Cup Iconography

  Jul 30, 202653 minS1

  This summer has been scorching, and the design discourse has been no cooler. In this episode, we're serving up a menu of design tapas: an artistic amuse-bouche, a cinematic charcuterie board, and a little bit of everything in between as we catch up on the biggest design stories of the past few months. This episode has it all — from the runways of Paris Haute Couture Week, to the mysterious islands of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, to the campus of the Obama Presidential Center, and — yes — even the world's sudden, unshakeable love affair with Hidden Valley Ranch and Haaland's Hair. Bon appétit. Stories Referenced: The Odyssey Filming Scapirelli Couture Hermes Hand Drawn Site Robert Wun Couture Milan Design Week Ikea PS 2026 Collection Obama Presidential Center Roosevelt Presidential Library Mamdani’s Campaign Type Herlings Hair Ties Allie Miller is a designer, researcher, and strategist who believes in the power of design to foster understanding and facilitate meaningful change. She holds a Master’s of Industrial Design from Georgia Tech, bringing human-centered thinking and a system lens to every conversation—and your podcast feed. Robyn Richardson is an experience design strategist, tech consultant, TEDx speaker, and Graduate Professor at Georgetown University. She holds an MFA in Design Management from SCAD and has spent her career making design thinking accessible, opinionated, and a little bit fun. Disclaimer: This podcast was prepared in their personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, opinion, or position of their employers.

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  Episode #110

  When did Summer get Branded?

  Jul 16, 202657 minS1

  The postwar ‘50s saw TVs proliferate into every American home—and the ad dollars followed. As media flooded American living rooms, ad dollars poured right in after them — advertising spend nearly quintupled from the 1950s into the ’60s. Branded summers and ideal living were packaged and purchased writ large. These pop-color-soaked styles have stayed with us as the quintessential American summer. Throw in America’s birthday party and you’ve got a recipe for sweet celebration. Join us as we take a road trip across the decades and explore some of the iconic summer themes and designs that are endlessly reinvented for the modern world. Hot girl summer, feral girl summer, or Neil the Seal summer—whatever your vibe, get inside and let’s ride! About Your Hosts: Allie Miller is a designer, researcher, and strategist who believes in the power of design to foster understanding and facilitate meaningful change. She holds a Master’s of Industrial Design from Georgia Tech, bringing human-centered thinking and a system lens to every conversation—and your podcast feed. Robyn Richardson is an experience design strategist, tech consultant, TEDx speaker, and Graduate Professor at Georgetown University. She holds an MFA in Design Management from SCAD and has spent her career making design thinking accessible, opinionated, and a little bit fun. Disclaimer: This podcast was prepared in our personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are our own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, opinion, or position of our employers.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #110

  When did Summer get Branded?

  Jul 16, 202657 minS1

  <p>The postwar ‘50s saw TVs proliferate into every American home—and the ad dollars followed. As media flooded American living rooms, ad dollars poured right in after them — advertising spend nearly quintupled from the 1950s into the ’60s.</p><p><br />Branded summers and ideal living were packaged and purchased writ large. These pop-color-soaked styles have stayed with us as the quintessential American summer. Throw in America’s birthday party and you’ve got a recipe for sweet celebration. Join us as we take a road trip across the decades and explore some of the iconic summer themes and designs that...

  ListenShow Notes

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