The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word GRAPHICS
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More clues leading to the result GRAPHICS
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "designs" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case designs = graphics.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does GRAPHICS mean?
GRAPHICS noun- The making of architectural or design drawings.
- The graphic arts.
- The pictorial representation and manipulation of data; the process by which a computer displays data.
- The art or visual representations displayed by a computer.