The idea is to unify design in terms of both shapes and materials, so that shoes from one company match in color and material to a jacket or shirt from another company.
Where there is cohesion between how design elements are described and applied. It could be possible to reduce a design object to a sheet of style code.
A Language of Design
As opposed to a single design language. Terms and eventually style code potentially in multiple languages, that produce the same kinds of things.