DESIGNING PLEASURE:
FOR WOMEN BY WOMENMargaret Cabanis-Wicht
Sex is central to life as a human being, yet, of the many areas of our lives which are relentlessly designed and re-designed it has received remarkably little serious design attention. Even less consideration has been devoted to the supposed target user of the vast majority of these products--women. How different would these objects be if feminine sensuality were better understood? If the design approach was less male-dominated? How different would the cultural perceptions of such objects be if they were simply a tasteful and functional part of any healthy lifestyle, not novelties or a vice?
This thesis attempts to answer some of these questions by creating Bijou, a concept brand of high-end sensual products for women.
Margaret Cabanis-Wicht received her Bachelors in Film Production from Elon University with a minor in Environmental Policy before working in New York and China in various aspects of the filmmaking industry at companies such as IFC Films and National Geographic. After several years focussing on production and set design she wanted to begin creating for the "real" world and turned to industrial design to bring together her love of building, storytelling, and striving to have a positive impact in the world.
Advisor: Andrew Schloss
