Design, It’s Not What It Looks Like!

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to explore the different ways in which materials are used to deceive, the reasons behind these practices, and what they say about society. Starting off from the premises that by choosing a medium one also implies a message due to the inherit personality of the materials, we will first take a swift look at the history of deceiving through artistic practices. Further on we shall take into consideration the shift in paradigm noticeable in contemporary design as we explain the motivations and the strategies behind creating objects that seem made out of plastic and yet they are not. Touching on subjects such as sustainable design and commodification, we will try to conclude whether the eco-friendly design is indeed working or if it is just another successful marketing strategy.