WIPO has published its figures for design filing in 2013. You can check them out via the WIPO press release here. In short:

Following three consecutive years of double-digit growth, 2013 saw a modest 2.5 % growth in the number of industrial designs contained in applications (i.e., design counts). The slowdown in worldwide filing activity is due to a sharp slowdown in filings in China, which accounted for 53% of global total in 2013 [while this might sound a bit disappointing, a 2.5% growth rate is still higher than the rate at which most national economies are expanding, so it's still pretty positive].

In 2013, applications containing around 1.24 million designs were filed worldwide, comprising 1.06 million designs from residents and 180,000 from non-residents [this is a little troubling, since it suggests that design registration is not greatly associated with an international or export-driven business plan].

After seven consecutive years of growth, designs contained in registrations declined by 3.3% in 2013. The fall in global registrations is mainly due to a 12% fall in registrations in China [What might the other reasons for the decline be? Readers are invited to make their suggestions].