The idea to create an international body representing the interests of industrial designers was first presented by Jacques Vienot at the Institut d’Esthetique Industrielle’s international congress in 1953. A more formal commitment on the part of his colleagues and counterparts at other national design associations was made at a further international meeting in 1955. But it was not until June 29, 1957 at a special meeting in London that Icsid was officially founded, under the name of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Designers. This name, coupled with the fact that the twelve founding members were all national professional design associations, demonstrates the spirit with which Icsid was established – to protect the interests of practicing designers and to ensure global standards of design. The individuals that were elected to the first Executive Board therefore did not act upon personal conviction, but rather they represented the voice of their own society members and national design community.

Soon after this meeting, the organisation was officially registered in Paris and the Secretariat was set-up at 17 Quai Voltaire. Icsid’s early aims were to raise the status of industrial designers, to raise the standard of industrial design by setting standards for training and education, and to encourage cooperation between industrial designers.

In September of 1959 the first Icsid Congress and General Assembly were held in Stockholm Sweden. The Congress was the first of what would become the largest world event in Icsid’s calendar – one that still continues to this day. The Congress and GA were restricted solely to Icsid members, which had already grown to 23 societies from 17 countries. It was on this occasion that the Icsid Constitution was officially adopted, along with the first definition of industrial design, which read as follows:

This was the beginning of Icsid’s role in shaping industrial design. The General Assembly also voted to change Icsid’s name from the International Council of Societies of Industrial Designers to the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. The change would allow the future growth of the organisation beyond matters of professional practice.

Icsid continued to grow quickly and by the end of the 1960s included over 40 members from more than 30 countries. Icsid had turned its outlook to the world as a whole and in its first ten years had hosted Congresses in Venice, Paris, Vienna, Montreal and London. By 1973, the Congress in Kyoto attracted 2000 delegates. 

During this time there was a great deal of work carried out in the development of industrial design education. Icsid organised three seminars to examine the issues at stake with defining academic standards for a new profession and to make recommendations for the future. In 1968 a fourth seminar was held in Argentina. This particular seminar dealt with the issue of industrial design education in developing countries. The work from each of these seminars was instrumental to Icsid’s ability to counsel and advise its members on industrial design education standards.

The 1960s also witnessed a growth within Icsid’s membership to include a number of non-capitalist countries of the time. This changed Icsid’s outlook from being somewhat insular to being an inclusive and truly outward-looking organisation that transcended political boundaries. In this sense, Icsid became a bridge between two worlds, where industrial designers from all backgrounds could meet, exchange and learn from one another. Icsid members relished in the spirit of collaboration that was inspired by the inclusive nature of Icsid’s work.

Icsid also continued to work on matters of professional practice during this time, adopting and revising the definition of industrial design, which read as follows:

The structure and focus of Icsid was becoming much more diverse. Commencing in 1963, Icsid was granted special consultative status with UNESCO, with whom Icsid would subsequently work on many developmental projects, using design for the betterment of the human condition.  In 1969, a third definition of industrial design was proposed by Tomas Maldonado, it read as follows:

By 1971, however, Icsid had removed any definition from the constitution in a motion passed at the Ibiza General Assembly. The motion symbolised a fundamental shift in the outlook of the organisation.

Also, in 1971 an idea was put forward to create a new type of seminar that would bring together industrial designers from around the world in a host country to study a problem of both regional and international significance. The idea came as a response to a feeling amongst designers that they should break with the narrow concept of product-oriented design. That idea, combined with the objective of the Icsid working group on education to expand its activities beyond the needs of design students, resulted in the first Icsid Interdesign seminar. These seminars were unique in their ability to provide opportunities for professional development of mid-career practising designers, and focus their abilities on resolving issues of international significance. The first such seminar was held in Minsk (former USSR) in the spring of 1971. It dealt with two projects: design proposals for the systems and devices required for the mechanisation of processes for loading, handling, transportation to and marketing of all kinds of bread in self-service, and design proposals for street furniture and associated items which were to be applied to one of the important streets of Minsk. This Interdesign would be the first of many such workshops that would take place through Icsid’s history and consolidate Icsid’s position as a driving force of international collaboration.

In 1973, international collaboration reached a new high for Icsid with the Kyoto Congress and General Assembly, hosted by the Japan Industrial Designers’ Association. The event, based on the theme ‘Soul and Material Things’, was revolutionary for Icsid as it brought the western and Asian design worlds together for the first time on Asian soil. One of the more innovative elements of the congress was the involvement of the city and community of Kyoto. The organisers implemented a programme where 1000 bicycles were provided for use by participants to commute from the hotels to the congress Hall and to discover for themselves the way of life of the Japanese people. From this time onwards, Icsid’s place as a worldwide voice for industrial design was solidified.

In 1974, the Icsid Secretariat moved from Paris to Brussels, at 34 avenue Legrand.

Collaboration was a prominent theme during the 1980s, when the first joint Icsid/Icograda/IFI Congress was held in Helsinki in 1981. This event was the direct result of the recommendation made by Icsid members to explore closer ties with other world design organisations. At their respective General Assemblies, unanimously approved a directive to investigate options for a closer working relationship in the future.

In 1985, a groundbreaking Interdesign was held by Icsid and UNESCO and in coordination with Icograda. The issue under investigation was the design of basic medical equipment for developing countries. The seminar brought together 4 doctors, 14 industrial and graphic designers, and 7 assistants to develop designs for basic furniture for rural health centres, packaging, transport, refrigeration, and injection of vaccines and the design of data collecting devices for field use. This Interdesign served as further evidence of the power of design as a tool for development in developing countries, and the role that Interdesign play in this.

Through the 1990s Icsid continued to develop its role on the international stage, hosting congresses in Slovenia, Scotland, Taiwan, Canada and Australia. Interdesigns were held on themes as broad as design strategies for regional development, transportation for the future and sports and leisure in Europe, Asia and Africa.

In 2005, the Icsid Secretariat left Europe for the first time in its history, settling in Montreal in May of that year. The move followed an extensive bid process, in which over 30 cities made an application to become the host country of the organisation. Still today, Icsid receives international recognition for its work and generates support on a global scale.