Women Designers You Should Know: Design Dialogues – Designing for Human Connection (w/ Ti Chang)
Hosted by Amber Asay | Released on February 11, 2025

Introduction

In the episode titled "Design Dialogues: Designing for Human Connection", Amber Asay delves into the intricate relationship between design and human emotions with guest Ti Chang, a pioneering industrial designer and co-founder of Crave. Ti Chang has revolutionized the realm of pleasure products through her innovative line of pleasure jewelry, blending luxury with intimacy to empower individuals and enhance personal connections.

Early Creative Beginnings

Discovering Industrial Design

Ti Chang shares her unconventional path to industrial design. Growing up in a small town in Georgia, her high school lacked resources or information about design. Initially aspiring to be an artist, financial constraints steered her towards Georgia Tech, where she explored various degrees before finding her true calling in industrial design.

Ti Chang [04:02]: "I switched to industrial design, blindly not knowing what it was. By luck of the draw, it completely just clicked with me. It was like my calling."

Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry

Challenges Faced

Amber and Ti discuss the predominance of men in the design industry, highlighting the gender imbalance both during Ti’s academic years at Georgia Tech and the Royal College of Art in London, and in the professional sphere. Ti emphasizes that the scarcity of female industrial designers isn’t due to educational environments but rather the workplace dynamics post-graduation.

Ti Chang [08:47]: "The male to female ratio was definitely on par. But the issue is what happens after school, like who are actually getting the jobs."

Recognition and Representation

Ti points out the lack of comprehensive education on female designers, noting that many contemporary women in industrial design remain unrecognized. She actively contributes to addressing this gap by updating resources like Wikipedia to include notable female designers.

Creating Pleasure Jewelry: A Groundbreaking Concept

Inception of Pleasure Jewelry

Ti recounts the inception of her pleasure jewelry line at her first job, where she designed the Ouchless Hairbrush Collection. A pivotal moment came when she received heartfelt feedback from a mother whose morning routine was simplified thanks to her design, solidifying her commitment to human-centered design.

Ti Chang [07:08]: "That was the moment that completely clicked for me, like, oh, this is what it's all about."

Pioneering Pleasure Products

Transitioning to Crave, Ti explains her motivation to create aesthetically pleasing pleasure products that transcend the traditional, often awkward designs. Her vision was to design products that integrate seamlessly into daily life, promoting self-love and removing the stigma around pleasure.

Ti Chang [11:03]: "I want to take the shame out of pleasure; it has to fit effortlessly into your life."

Iconic Designs and Cultural Impact

Ti highlights the success of the Vesper Vibrator Necklace, now an iconic symbol within sex-positive communities and mainstream culture. High-profile endorsements from celebrities like Janet Jackson and Madonna have amplified its visibility and acceptance.

Ti Chang [14:31]: "Our vibrator necklace has become this iconic symbol that people recognize and support."

Designing for Emotional Connection

Emotional Resonance in Design

Ti emphasizes that effective design goes beyond functionality and aesthetics; it must resonate emotionally with users. She believes that the emotional investment in design is crucial for creating meaningful and impactful products.

Ti Chang [21:15]: "You cannot make great work if you don't give a shit or you don't care about it deeply."

Balancing Emotion and Functionality

Integrating user feedback is a cornerstone of Ti's design process. She describes a rigorous iterative process where products undergo multiple rounds of user testing and refinement to ensure they meet both emotional and practical needs.

Ti Chang [24:36]: "Every single product, before it becomes designed for manufacturing, it is sent out for user feedback multiple times."

Overcoming Industry Roadblocks

Marketing and Regulatory Challenges

Ti discusses the hurdles of marketing pleasure products in an industry often viewed as taboo. Social media has played a pivotal role in shifting perceptions, providing platforms for education and destigmatization. Additionally, she addresses the challenges posed by unevenly regulated advertising policies.

Ti Chang [21:03]: "What we do for pleasure... tech companies... they view this as some type of vice."

Entrepreneurial Resilience

Building Crave required Ti to confront and navigate these obstacles, from securing distribution with mainstream retailers like Goop and Ulta Beauty to ensuring product quality and discretion. Partnering with a co-founder who complemented her skills was instrumental in scaling the business.

Ti Chang [19:19]: "I met my now co-founder who has very different skill sets than I do, and together we were able to build Crave to where it is now."

Impact and Future Directions

Positive Influence and Community Support

Ti expresses immense gratitude for the positive impact her designs have had on individuals' lives. Hearing personal stories of how her products have empowered users reinforces her dedication and passion.

Ti Chang [16:22]: "I feel incredibly honored to be able to have a great team where we make products that promote love and not more."

Evolving with the Industry

Looking ahead, Ti is committed to expanding Crave’s offerings in pleasure jewelry and bedside products, continuously innovating to meet the evolving needs of consumers. She remains focused on fostering a better conversation around pleasure and sexuality through design.

Ti Chang [31:03]: "We have a lot more happening [in pleasure jewelry]. We also have really exciting bedside products that we're working on."

Conclusion

Amber Asay wraps up the episode by highlighting the profound insights shared by Ti Chang. The conversation underscores that design is a powerful tool for fostering human connections, evoking emotions, and enhancing the human experience. Ti's journey exemplifies how thoughtful, emotionally resonant design can challenge societal norms and create meaningful change.

Amber Asay [31:59]: "Keep designing with heart. Keep creating meaningful connections. And as always, let's redesign history by celebrating women."

Key Takeaways

• Human-Centered Design: Effective design transcends aesthetics and functionality, aiming to create deep emotional connections.

• Gender Representation: Addressing the gender imbalance in industrial design is crucial for fostering diverse and innovative solutions.

• Stigma and Empowerment: Ti Chang's pleasure jewelry line illustrates how design can destigmatize and empower individuals by integrating intimate products seamlessly into daily life.

• Iterative Process: Incorporating continuous user feedback ensures that products meet both emotional and practical needs.

• Cultural Shifts: Social media and mainstream retail acceptance are pivotal in changing perceptions and increasing the accessibility of sex-positive products.

Further Information

To learn more about Ti Chang and Crave, visit the links provided in the show notes. If you found this episode inspiring, subscribe to Women Designers You Should Know, leave a five-star review, and share it with someone who might benefit from it. Connect with Amber Asay on social media at WomenDesigners_POD or @AmberAC to share your thoughts on designing for human connection.

Designed by Amber Asay to celebrate women who are transforming the world through design.