Monday, December 8, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Mini Diaper Bags - Big Convenience
http://home-and-family-practice.blogspot.com/2008/09/mini-diaper-bags-big-convenience.html
There are times when a large bag of diapers or every day is simply too much and you need a smaller version to handle some necessary items. The mini diaper bag is just the thing for you. Smaller versions of newspapers, every day diaper bags, diapers mini bags hold only enough elements for a short trip outside the bags home.Mini see diapers as well as newspapers, bags of diapers every day, some of them with built-in changing pad and pockets for creams and powders, however, that only have a 1/4th of what the larger diaper bags hold. This option is ideal for quick trips to the store or the library when you're going to be away from home for a short time, but there is a possibility that might need a quick change diapers or a bottle of formula or juice.Mini bags of diapers can be used for newborns and premature babies because their diapers are much smaller than regular diapers. And usually, newborns and babies preemie sleep much so a quick trip to the store or somewhere where they know there is a good opportunity not wake up or you need to change, is a good idea to put the diaper mini verses bag large, regular, daily diaper bag to take less to operate during its day.Mini diaper bags can also be used for the older child who is almost potty trained but could have an accident. Bring a mini diaper bag with a pair of underpants, a package of wipes and a pair of cleaning or shorts and ready to go. This works well especially if they are not carrying a large bag to put on these issues. A mini diaper bag can save room and a lot of problems with just the right amount of room and only the quantity of items for either a baby or babies child.Most only need one or two diapers, a change of clothes only one encasode accidental overflow diapers, wipes, powder and / or cream and a toy or two. All this fits very well in a mini diaper bag and is easily stored in a stroller bottom basket or being carried around your shoulder without too weight.Mini diaper bags and work with the umbrella strollers because they are compact. Umbrella strollers are used for short trips and so are the mini bags of diapers. They make a perfect pair.Some parents who both bigger every day bag of diapers and mini-bag of diapers if you have several stops to make. And when they reach where they are, mini diaper bag filled with what they need from the biggest bag of diapers. This is not saddled with a large amount of supplies each time the run in a shop or a friend's house, but they have everything they need in the car in case of unforeseen issues.Mini diaper bags can also work as purses when mom was leaving a party where they invited babies. There are some stylish mini diaper bags with enough space for the keys to mom, lipstick and cell phone - all small items - in addition to the baby's diapers, bottles and cream or powder. No need to lug around a purse and a diaper bag.Mini diaper bags are ideal for quick and short trips and trips are a great addition to your baby.
Synthesis: There are many new innovative ideas being created for baby bags. Some of the ideas are created for a new generation of mothers who want an "on-the-go" bag. New ideas help these mothers to have a bag that is stylish but still has the necessary pockets and compartments to fit the needs of the baby and the mother.
http://home-and-family-practice.blogspot.com/2008/09/mini-diaper-bags-big-convenience.html
There are times when a large bag of diapers or every day is simply too much and you need a smaller version to handle some necessary items. The mini diaper bag is just the thing for you. Smaller versions of newspapers, every day diaper bags, diapers mini bags hold only enough elements for a short trip outside the bags home.Mini see diapers as well as newspapers, bags of diapers every day, some of them with built-in changing pad and pockets for creams and powders, however, that only have a 1/4th of what the larger diaper bags hold. This option is ideal for quick trips to the store or the library when you're going to be away from home for a short time, but there is a possibility that might need a quick change diapers or a bottle of formula or juice.Mini bags of diapers can be used for newborns and premature babies because their diapers are much smaller than regular diapers. And usually, newborns and babies preemie sleep much so a quick trip to the store or somewhere where they know there is a good opportunity not wake up or you need to change, is a good idea to put the diaper mini verses bag large, regular, daily diaper bag to take less to operate during its day.Mini diaper bags can also be used for the older child who is almost potty trained but could have an accident. Bring a mini diaper bag with a pair of underpants, a package of wipes and a pair of cleaning or shorts and ready to go. This works well especially if they are not carrying a large bag to put on these issues. A mini diaper bag can save room and a lot of problems with just the right amount of room and only the quantity of items for either a baby or babies child.Most only need one or two diapers, a change of clothes only one encasode accidental overflow diapers, wipes, powder and / or cream and a toy or two. All this fits very well in a mini diaper bag and is easily stored in a stroller bottom basket or being carried around your shoulder without too weight.Mini diaper bags and work with the umbrella strollers because they are compact. Umbrella strollers are used for short trips and so are the mini bags of diapers. They make a perfect pair.Some parents who both bigger every day bag of diapers and mini-bag of diapers if you have several stops to make. And when they reach where they are, mini diaper bag filled with what they need from the biggest bag of diapers. This is not saddled with a large amount of supplies each time the run in a shop or a friend's house, but they have everything they need in the car in case of unforeseen issues.Mini diaper bags can also work as purses when mom was leaving a party where they invited babies. There are some stylish mini diaper bags with enough space for the keys to mom, lipstick and cell phone - all small items - in addition to the baby's diapers, bottles and cream or powder. No need to lug around a purse and a diaper bag.Mini diaper bags are ideal for quick and short trips and trips are a great addition to your baby.
Synthesis: There are many new innovative ideas being created for baby bags. Some of the ideas are created for a new generation of mothers who want an "on-the-go" bag. New ideas help these mothers to have a bag that is stylish but still has the necessary pockets and compartments to fit the needs of the baby and the mother.
2008: year of the rug rat; No pregnant pause for our favourite stars as they share their joy in the spotlight.
Christine Sams
Entertainment Reporter
IT IS a celebrity baby boom that has gossip magazines in a lather. Some of the world's best-known celebrities are leading the trend of being happily pregnant and proud of it - with two of the biggest names, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Richie, reportedly giving birth in the same Los Angeles hospital yesterday.
Richie and partner Joel Madden had a girl, Harlow Winter Kate Madden, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Aguilera and partner Jordan Bratman are believed to have had a son, as yet unnamed.
Unlike women who can focus on a healthy pregnancy and birth out of the limelight, the world-famous mums-to-be have to deal with media attention and bidding wars over photos of their offspring.
"It is no longer career death [in Hollywood] to have a baby ... the biggest stars are now proving that it's possible - they can have lives and schedule their films around it," said Michelle Endacott, editor of New Idea. "It is such an exciting time."
Enhanced Coverage Linking
Nicole Kidman who last week announced she was having a baby with her husband Keith Urban, is just one of the Oscar winners expecting in 2008. Cate Blanchett is due to have her third child, while American star Halle Berry is also pregnant.
The list of celebrity pregnancies doesn't stop there: Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, UK singer Lily Allen, Britney Spears's younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears and Australian actor Sarah Wynter are also expecting.
As if having a celebrity mum wasn't advantage enough, children born from next month onwards come under the Chinese year of the rat. Being the first sign of the zodiac, "rats" are supposed to have an above average chance of becoming wealthy and successful.
Kidman plans to stay in Australia for her pregnancy, but insiders say she might return to the US if the paparazzi become problematic.
"If the paparazzi go stupid, obviously she'll have to go overseas ... which would be a shame. But obviously the safety of her baby comes first," said a source close to Kidman.
"This is quintessentially an Australian baby - conceived in Australia, while she was working on Australia - so she would like to stay here. Of course they [Urban and Kidman] would like it to have an Australian passport and be born here."
At this stage, Kidman appears likely to give birth in Sydney. "It is unusual for a big star to come back down here to give birth, but in Nicole's case she's very close to her mum and dad and she's very close to her sister Antonia," Endacott said.
Friends of Kidman said she was thrilled by the good wishes she received after announcing her pregnancy. She has been inundated with congratulations and flowers.
"It was a happy announcement for me," said Wendy Day, Kidman's long-time publicist. "I'm very thrilled for Nicole and Keith."
Last week, actor Toni Collette gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Sage Florence Galafassi.
The celebrity pregnancy boom has prompted renewed interest in celebrity baby names.
"I think the biggest feedback we ever had was when Gwyneth Paltrow called her baby Apple," said Endacott. "But there have been a lot of traditional names of late - we're really tipping Nicole will go for a traditional name for her baby. I don't think it'll be a Suri or a Shiloh."
Blanchett, who already has two young sons, Dashiell and Roman, is working with her husband Andrew Upton as the co-director of the Sydney Theatre Company in 2008.
She is expecting her third child in April and will remain in Australia for the birth. (Her boys were born in London).
In the US, the spotlight is on Jennifer Lopez, who is believed to be expecting twins next month, Halle Berry, who is seven months pregnant, and Jessica Alba, who announced her surprise pregnancy with boyfriend Cash Warren. Australian actor Sarah Wynter is expecting a baby any day.
Synthesis: In todays society celebrities have a huge impact on how new mothers want to be percieved. People want to look cool with their new borns a change from past generations. This new style is a huge positive for the baby market who has a larger target market to work with.
Christine Sams
Entertainment Reporter
IT IS a celebrity baby boom that has gossip magazines in a lather. Some of the world's best-known celebrities are leading the trend of being happily pregnant and proud of it - with two of the biggest names, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Richie, reportedly giving birth in the same Los Angeles hospital yesterday.
Richie and partner Joel Madden had a girl, Harlow Winter Kate Madden, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Aguilera and partner Jordan Bratman are believed to have had a son, as yet unnamed.
Unlike women who can focus on a healthy pregnancy and birth out of the limelight, the world-famous mums-to-be have to deal with media attention and bidding wars over photos of their offspring.
"It is no longer career death [in Hollywood] to have a baby ... the biggest stars are now proving that it's possible - they can have lives and schedule their films around it," said Michelle Endacott, editor of New Idea. "It is such an exciting time."
Enhanced Coverage Linking
Nicole Kidman who last week announced she was having a baby with her husband Keith Urban, is just one of the Oscar winners expecting in 2008. Cate Blanchett is due to have her third child, while American star Halle Berry is also pregnant.
The list of celebrity pregnancies doesn't stop there: Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, UK singer Lily Allen, Britney Spears's younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears and Australian actor Sarah Wynter are also expecting.
As if having a celebrity mum wasn't advantage enough, children born from next month onwards come under the Chinese year of the rat. Being the first sign of the zodiac, "rats" are supposed to have an above average chance of becoming wealthy and successful.
Kidman plans to stay in Australia for her pregnancy, but insiders say she might return to the US if the paparazzi become problematic.
"If the paparazzi go stupid, obviously she'll have to go overseas ... which would be a shame. But obviously the safety of her baby comes first," said a source close to Kidman.
"This is quintessentially an Australian baby - conceived in Australia, while she was working on Australia - so she would like to stay here. Of course they [Urban and Kidman] would like it to have an Australian passport and be born here."
At this stage, Kidman appears likely to give birth in Sydney. "It is unusual for a big star to come back down here to give birth, but in Nicole's case she's very close to her mum and dad and she's very close to her sister Antonia," Endacott said.
Friends of Kidman said she was thrilled by the good wishes she received after announcing her pregnancy. She has been inundated with congratulations and flowers.
"It was a happy announcement for me," said Wendy Day, Kidman's long-time publicist. "I'm very thrilled for Nicole and Keith."
Last week, actor Toni Collette gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Sage Florence Galafassi.
The celebrity pregnancy boom has prompted renewed interest in celebrity baby names.
"I think the biggest feedback we ever had was when Gwyneth Paltrow called her baby Apple," said Endacott. "But there have been a lot of traditional names of late - we're really tipping Nicole will go for a traditional name for her baby. I don't think it'll be a Suri or a Shiloh."
Blanchett, who already has two young sons, Dashiell and Roman, is working with her husband Andrew Upton as the co-director of the Sydney Theatre Company in 2008.
She is expecting her third child in April and will remain in Australia for the birth. (Her boys were born in London).
In the US, the spotlight is on Jennifer Lopez, who is believed to be expecting twins next month, Halle Berry, who is seven months pregnant, and Jessica Alba, who announced her surprise pregnancy with boyfriend Cash Warren. Australian actor Sarah Wynter is expecting a baby any day.
Synthesis: In todays society celebrities have a huge impact on how new mothers want to be percieved. People want to look cool with their new borns a change from past generations. This new style is a huge positive for the baby market who has a larger target market to work with.
THEIR SUCCESS IS IN THE BAG.
Baby's dirty diapers inspire couple to deliver fast-growing product line; ' It's not going to be a hobby '
The Daily News
PHYLLIS FURMAN
When Ellen Diamant couldn't find a practical diaper bag for her son, she looked past her frustration - and saw a business opportunity.
After her son Spencer was born, the Upper West Side art director went hunting for a bag that fit her urban style. The best she could find was a quilted navy sack that looked ugly hanging from Spencer's stroller.
Diamant was sure she could do better. She told her husband, ex-Internet exec Michael Diamant, they should design their own sleek, unisex, messenger-style bag that would move easily from stroller to shoulder.
"I wanted to do it and sell it to my friends," Ellen Diamant, 42, recalled. "Michael said, 'If we're going to do it, it's not going to be a hobby, it's going to be a business.' "
The couple not only made the bag, they launched a product line that's bringing baby chic to style-starved parents.
Launched in 2003, their company, Skip Hop, is growing faster than a toddler can smear chocolate across his face, taking in $10 million last year, double the total of 2006, and expanding its payroll to 22 people out of its W. 29th St. offices.
Skipping far beyond their original cool bag, dubbed the Skip Hop Duo, the Diamants now sell an array of streamlined items for parents and their babies, such as striped bottle bags, denim diaper changers and an industrial-looking plastic bottle drying rack created by award-winning product designer Scott Henderson.
There's not a tacky pink bunny or clown face in the bunch.
The line can be found at large chains like Buy Buy Baby and Babies "R" Us, and in smaller upscale specialty stores like Giggle. The preschool-aged company even scored a deal with Target, which sells a lower-priced, scaled-down line of Skip Hop products called Spark.
"There's a real change in what parents expect," said Michael Diamant, 40. "Demand for that today is being picked up by companies like Skip Hop."
Just five years ago, the couple knew nothing about the baby business. But Michael Diamant, who has an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, had experience building companies from scratch.
An entrepreneur during the go-go Internet era of the late '90s, he pocketed several million dollars from the sale of T3 Media, a Web design company. But his next Internet venture, a YouTube precursor called iClips, went bust in 2002.
"For eight to nine months, I was floundering around," he said. "The babysitter thought I was a bum."
He got busy again pursuing his wife's diaper bag idea. The couple paid a designer $5,000 to create a prototype, then asked friends to test drive the bag on their strollers.
After getting multiple thumbs up, they found a manufacturer in El Salvador to make a first run, spending more than $10,000 to produce about 400 bags. They set the retail price for the Duo at $50, wedging it into the market in between designer and mass market bags.
Skip Hop debuted at a trade show in 2003. Soon after, orders from retailers starting flowing in. First year sales hit $1.2 million.
"You can't go past a stroller without seeing a Skip Hop stroller bag," said Upper East Side mom-to-be Nicole Arslanian, who owns accessories company Talene Reilly.
The Diamants said they've put little of their own money - less than $100,000 - into the business. Early on, they secured a $200,000 loan from Citibank and favorable credit terms from suppliers.
Last year, Skip Hop raised $1.6 million from investors, including showbiz exec David Friedensohn. The Diamants still own 70% of the company.
The new money, which they are investing in top-of-the-line manufacturing equipment, will allow the Diamants to keep adding new twists to old-line baby products. A recent example is a foam play mat with removable geometric shapes, rather than letters of the alphabet.
"Nobody had innovated them for years," Giggle founder Ali Wing said. "They said, 'Let's make it cool and make it more aesthetically pleasing.' "
The Diamants don't always have the magic touch - the company has turned out some clunkers, too.
One idea that didn't work was a sippy cup designed to be attached to strollers. But the cup kept slipping off, and the project was scrapped.
Will they try again? Probably not, Ellen Diamant said.
Synthesis: In todays society mom's want to look "chic" due to a fast growing generation of celebrity mothers and high fashion leaders. Due to this an outgrowth of new products and innovative ideas are being created to help deal with this new growth.
Baby's dirty diapers inspire couple to deliver fast-growing product line; ' It's not going to be a hobby '
The Daily News
PHYLLIS FURMAN
When Ellen Diamant couldn't find a practical diaper bag for her son, she looked past her frustration - and saw a business opportunity.
After her son Spencer was born, the Upper West Side art director went hunting for a bag that fit her urban style. The best she could find was a quilted navy sack that looked ugly hanging from Spencer's stroller.
Diamant was sure she could do better. She told her husband, ex-Internet exec Michael Diamant, they should design their own sleek, unisex, messenger-style bag that would move easily from stroller to shoulder.
"I wanted to do it and sell it to my friends," Ellen Diamant, 42, recalled. "Michael said, 'If we're going to do it, it's not going to be a hobby, it's going to be a business.' "
The couple not only made the bag, they launched a product line that's bringing baby chic to style-starved parents.
Launched in 2003, their company, Skip Hop, is growing faster than a toddler can smear chocolate across his face, taking in $10 million last year, double the total of 2006, and expanding its payroll to 22 people out of its W. 29th St. offices.
Skipping far beyond their original cool bag, dubbed the Skip Hop Duo, the Diamants now sell an array of streamlined items for parents and their babies, such as striped bottle bags, denim diaper changers and an industrial-looking plastic bottle drying rack created by award-winning product designer Scott Henderson.
There's not a tacky pink bunny or clown face in the bunch.
The line can be found at large chains like Buy Buy Baby and Babies "R" Us, and in smaller upscale specialty stores like Giggle. The preschool-aged company even scored a deal with Target, which sells a lower-priced, scaled-down line of Skip Hop products called Spark.
"There's a real change in what parents expect," said Michael Diamant, 40. "Demand for that today is being picked up by companies like Skip Hop."
Just five years ago, the couple knew nothing about the baby business. But Michael Diamant, who has an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, had experience building companies from scratch.
An entrepreneur during the go-go Internet era of the late '90s, he pocketed several million dollars from the sale of T3 Media, a Web design company. But his next Internet venture, a YouTube precursor called iClips, went bust in 2002.
"For eight to nine months, I was floundering around," he said. "The babysitter thought I was a bum."
He got busy again pursuing his wife's diaper bag idea. The couple paid a designer $5,000 to create a prototype, then asked friends to test drive the bag on their strollers.
After getting multiple thumbs up, they found a manufacturer in El Salvador to make a first run, spending more than $10,000 to produce about 400 bags. They set the retail price for the Duo at $50, wedging it into the market in between designer and mass market bags.
Skip Hop debuted at a trade show in 2003. Soon after, orders from retailers starting flowing in. First year sales hit $1.2 million.
"You can't go past a stroller without seeing a Skip Hop stroller bag," said Upper East Side mom-to-be Nicole Arslanian, who owns accessories company Talene Reilly.
The Diamants said they've put little of their own money - less than $100,000 - into the business. Early on, they secured a $200,000 loan from Citibank and favorable credit terms from suppliers.
Last year, Skip Hop raised $1.6 million from investors, including showbiz exec David Friedensohn. The Diamants still own 70% of the company.
The new money, which they are investing in top-of-the-line manufacturing equipment, will allow the Diamants to keep adding new twists to old-line baby products. A recent example is a foam play mat with removable geometric shapes, rather than letters of the alphabet.
"Nobody had innovated them for years," Giggle founder Ali Wing said. "They said, 'Let's make it cool and make it more aesthetically pleasing.' "
The Diamants don't always have the magic touch - the company has turned out some clunkers, too.
One idea that didn't work was a sippy cup designed to be attached to strollers. But the cup kept slipping off, and the project was scrapped.
Will they try again? Probably not, Ellen Diamant said.
Synthesis: In todays society mom's want to look "chic" due to a fast growing generation of celebrity mothers and high fashion leaders. Due to this an outgrowth of new products and innovative ideas are being created to help deal with this new growth.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Materials
Categories for 2008
Irradiate:
· Luster
· Holographic
· Mirrored
· Glow
Thermal:
· Molten
· Charred
· Melt
· Blistered
· Waxy
Anatomical:
· Skin
· Hair
· Viscera
Transitory:
Irradiate:
· Luster
· Holographic
· Mirrored
· Glow
Thermal:
· Molten
· Charred
· Melt
· Blistered
· Waxy
Anatomical:
· Skin
· Hair
· Viscera
Transitory:
· Barely There
· Temporary
· Blurred
· Dust
Contoured:
· Ordered
· Random
· Crumpled Sheared
· Temporary
· Blurred
· Dust
Contoured:
· Ordered
· Random
· Crumpled Sheared
Pictures: (Top to bottom): Luster, Blistered, Viscera, Random, Ordered, and Barely There
2008 Spring Summer color vs. 2009 Spring Summer color
Working closely with the WGSN ThinkTank colour palette (early inspirational colour analysis for all design-related industries), this palette has been compiled to reflect the most important colours for the spring/summer 2009 season for the accessories industry.
We have updated the way we work for the spring/summer 2009 season and arranged the palette by colour levels.
Neutral
Neutral tones take on a more warmly shaded, yellow-tinged caste this season.
Orange/red
A newly emerging level developed from autumn/winter 2008/09. Creamy vanilla- and apricot-influenced pastels through to more exotic coral and tomato reds are imbued with an orange-red glow.
Pink
Pink shades take on a natural, powdery complexion or alternatively are deliciously fresh, sugary and edible, in the form of tangy sorbet and jelly through to candied artificiality.
Brown
Browns take on mellow, sun-ripened amber and golden castes, from tannin-infused biscuit and tea shades through to more rich and aromatic coffee tones.
Blue
A concise level of purple-influenced blues evolve from autumn/winter 2008/09 with a cool ultraviolet intensity.
Blue/grey
Crisp blue shades are permeated by cool grey for a chilled aqua caste, from the palest misty tones through to the deepest slate, indigo and pitchy darks.
Yellow/green
Yellow-influenced green shades continue from autumn/winter 2008/09, becoming more fresh and verdant or bright and acidic in tone. Yellow infuses the palette rather than making a standalone colour statement.
Neutral tones take on a more warmly shaded, yellow-tinged caste this season.
Orange/red
A newly emerging level developed from autumn/winter 2008/09. Creamy vanilla- and apricot-influenced pastels through to more exotic coral and tomato reds are imbued with an orange-red glow.
Pink
Pink shades take on a natural, powdery complexion or alternatively are deliciously fresh, sugary and edible, in the form of tangy sorbet and jelly through to candied artificiality.
Brown
Browns take on mellow, sun-ripened amber and golden castes, from tannin-infused biscuit and tea shades through to more rich and aromatic coffee tones.
Blue
A concise level of purple-influenced blues evolve from autumn/winter 2008/09 with a cool ultraviolet intensity.
Blue/grey
Crisp blue shades are permeated by cool grey for a chilled aqua caste, from the palest misty tones through to the deepest slate, indigo and pitchy darks.
Yellow/green
Yellow-influenced green shades continue from autumn/winter 2008/09, becoming more fresh and verdant or bright and acidic in tone. Yellow infuses the palette rather than making a standalone colour statement.
• The fundamental neutral palette underpins this season’s colours.• Grey is diffused throughout the palette and also appears as an influential tonal group with a warm cast.• Rich and deep, succulent, dark summer colours are trans-seasonal and practical or delicate and luscious. Important are Treacle, Lapis and Marron to replace black.• A return to soft purple and violet levels.• Yellows are sunny, buttery and warm.• Pinks are less synthetic with a more natural, realistic flavour.• Sea blues have mood and depth, while briny, kelpy greens suggest underwater plant life.
Analysis: There are subtle changes within a year for color. The neutrals are remaining close to the same in color. The reds seem to be a little subdued in 2009 compared to 2008. The blue colors seem to intensify from 2008 to 2009. Overall the colors don't change much, a slight change in the tint or shade is noticeable. The main difference is the name. For example Oxblood of 2008 is very similar to Plum of 2009. Other colors that are similar are Wasabi-2008 and Lemongrass-2009 as well as Verdigris-2008 compared to Absinthe2009.
Information found at WGSN-EDU.com
Forecasting Automobile Colors
Spirit-of-time-teams forecast individual and vibrant shades for the future
“The new DuPont OEM Coatings Color Show, “Winning with Color”, joins trend-setting
ideas with innovative development of worldwide OEM colors. Six teams with substantial
trend potential are entering the race: Classic, Adventure, Racing, Esprit, Vogue and Eco
are representative of current driving forces as well as consumer needs.
Multicolor iridescent variants, sparkling mica particles and unusual effect combinations
are among the stylish innovations to open up the conventional color concepts. The result
comprises mixed hybrid colors and shades that fulfill the demand for purity and
individuality. The triumph of colorful but also subtle shades is clearly crystallized in this
case. Colors are interpreted individually depending on the team orientation and thus
personalized for tomorrow’s market.
Tomorrow’s automobile colors must attract attention but should not be obtrusive; they
should be sophisticated and elegant. The important point here is to use the great range of
effect possibilities confidently and harmoniously. This color concept actively addresses
the future language of automobile shapes. The industry is deliberately playing with
accents and clearly defined edges internationally. Round shapes contrast with austere
lines. Tomorrow’s automobiles gain excitement, originality and modern charisma when
combined with the right color outfit.”
Information found at: http://www.dupontrefinish.eu/dupontrefinish/com/en/PDF/Color_Popularity_2007_MR.pdf
“The new DuPont OEM Coatings Color Show, “Winning with Color”, joins trend-setting
ideas with innovative development of worldwide OEM colors. Six teams with substantial
trend potential are entering the race: Classic, Adventure, Racing, Esprit, Vogue and Eco
are representative of current driving forces as well as consumer needs.
Multicolor iridescent variants, sparkling mica particles and unusual effect combinations
are among the stylish innovations to open up the conventional color concepts. The result
comprises mixed hybrid colors and shades that fulfill the demand for purity and
individuality. The triumph of colorful but also subtle shades is clearly crystallized in this
case. Colors are interpreted individually depending on the team orientation and thus
personalized for tomorrow’s market.
Tomorrow’s automobile colors must attract attention but should not be obtrusive; they
should be sophisticated and elegant. The important point here is to use the great range of
effect possibilities confidently and harmoniously. This color concept actively addresses
the future language of automobile shapes. The industry is deliberately playing with
accents and clearly defined edges internationally. Round shapes contrast with austere
lines. Tomorrow’s automobiles gain excitement, originality and modern charisma when
combined with the right color outfit.”
Information found at: http://www.dupontrefinish.eu/dupontrefinish/com/en/PDF/Color_Popularity_2007_MR.pdf
PPG consists of a group of experts who have forecasted the North American color automobile trends for 2009-2010:
"Blue: The color blue will increase in popularity, with updated rich classic blues featuring sparkle effects for a unique iridescence and some shades featuring green and red casts. Medium-valued blues with silver highlights also add new dimension to the palette.
"Blue: The color blue will increase in popularity, with updated rich classic blues featuring sparkle effects for a unique iridescence and some shades featuring green and red casts. Medium-valued blues with silver highlights also add new dimension to the palette.
Green: Nature-inspired textures and patterns will expand the range of greens, especially with continued consumer interest in the environment and “green” products. The color will be enhanced with a light, almost translucent hue on one end of the spectrum, while a combination of green with brown will create a new dark khaki on the other.
Naturals: The metallic looks seen in fashion, packaging and product design are strong influences on the natural color family. Medium values will showcase subtle tones of copper and bronze, while special-effect pigments will help create contemporary and luxurious browns influenced by wood and leather products.
Red: This classic color palette will be highly influenced by interior design, resulting in deep burgundies and bright, saturated reds. With new effect pigments, the depth and brilliance of red can be expanded.
Neutrals: Comprised of silvers, blacks and whites, the neutral family has strong ties to fashion. Blacks with metallic effects will be the new focus. Tonal whites and pearl colors will continue to become established. Silvers will continue to develop with the addition of metallic flake and effect pigments, while a move to darker graphite colors with slight tints of brown and green will add new interest."
Information straight from the website: http://www.pcimag.com/Articles/Industry_News/faa17b36eddbe010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____
The CNW Marketing Research Company links car color and personality
Emerald Green Car – calming and refreshing (positive outlook drivers)
Red – most intense color (drivers tend to be aggressive)
Black – sign of power and elegance (submissive/downbeat drivers)
White – A light and neutral color
Blue – creates a calming effect
Information found at: http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/archives/2008/06/what-your-car-color-may-say-about-your-psyche-mood-outlook.html
According to the Dupont Car Color report and Forbes Auto…
- Automobile color experts derive inspiration anywhere from street wear fashion to cell phones
- White, silver, and black dominate the automobile industry globally
- The most popular color on the market is silver
- Car enthusiasts worldwide are beginning to look toward more blue treatments
- 2009 Dodge Ram will be offered in new and inventive colors including
- Deep Water Blue Pearl
- Austin Tan Pearl
- Finishes will be more liquid, metal like and shift towards metallic
- Violet blues will begin to emerge
- Gold and green are predicted to reemerge as popular automobile colors
- Luxury colors will reach towards neutrals such as brown and grey
- 2008 - Uncertainty in economics has led North Americans to seek more traditional/conservative colors such as red and white
- Some believe that consumers will seek an olive green color for the automobile in the future
Information found at: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS162529+10-Jun-2008+PRN20080610 and http://www.forbesautos.com/news/features/2007/car-color-trends.html
*Making the decision on what car color to buy can be a long term investment as well as a way to express your personality. Car colors, much like colors in apparel and accessories shift according to a variety of factors including economics, environment, and trends. Ultimately from the research I have done regarding automobile color, the future trend seems to be breaking away from the traditional popular color of silver, and leaning toward blues and greens. The finish will change as well to more of a metallic, metal like finish.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
History Repeating: Accessories At Lakme Fashion Week
"When it comes to Indian accessories, everything old is new again. Two designers who presented collections as part of a special accessories showcase at LFW are turning tradition on its head with bold statement pieces that utilize antique techniques and textiles. Little Shilpa designed by Shilpa Chavan, has been on the Indian style scene for years and Chavan has apprenticed with Philip Treacy. This season she sent out a series of necklaces that encase gold-and silver threaded brocade sari pieces in Plexiglas, along with a host of inventive headgear. Malaga, designed by Malini Agarwalla, recreates splendor of Mughal-era handicraft with stunning pieces that incorporate rubies and emeralds, along with semiprecious stones like turquoise, into exquiste evening bags that Leiber fans will be dying to get their hands on. "
-Sameer Reddy
Recession Spending
1. Ann Demeulemeester: 'Bold shots of color, glittery crystal embroideries, and bunched and wrapped toga dresses, as well as cool, drapey jackets and waistcoasts for her rock 'n' roll fans."
2. Balenciaga: "Nicolas Ghesquiere pushed fashion further into the future with a collection that explored Balenciaga codes via matte and shiny textures. His tissue-fine metallic pleated jackets worn with covetable motocross pants looked like sci-fi armor for a twenty-first-century style-bot."
3. Chanel: "In uncertain times, a name like Chanel is something you believe in. Karl Lagerfield rolled out all of the house signatures and then some, including tweed, done for Spring in a painterly blown-out check. Result: Fashion that's 100 % impervious to a shaky economy."
4. Dolce and Gabbana: "Leave the S&M and bondage to the amateurs. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana avowed experts in the subject, abandoned their trademark corsetry to make the season's most convincing argument for languid, louche pajama dressing."
5. Dries Van Noten: "Fashion's most artful realist had another hit on his hands with a mostly black and white collection of shifts, suiting pieces, and one fabulous gold Lurex skirt that was less exuberant than his last two efforts, but never, ever boring."
6. Givenchy: Riccardo Tisci knows his fan base. This season, he gave them plenty of the drop-dead sexy fare they've come to love: expertly cut yet utterly feminine suits, bondage detailing, and Spring's must-have nudes."
7. Lanvin: From beginning to end, love-at-first-sight clothes that truly have it all: gorgeous color, voluptuously sexy volumes, and, best of all, an easy, no-corset-necessary construction that makes them a joy to wear."
8. Louis Vuitton: If Marc Jacobs has it right -and when has he not?- the sagging economy will leave women hungrier than ever for that special piece. Louis Vuitton had them in spades, from tres parisienne forties shoulder jackets and 'spangly' sweaters to feather minis, and don't forget the eye-catching bags and tribal-art jewelry."
9. Marc Jacobs: He may call Paris home, but the good old U.S.A. is Marc Jacobs' first love,a nd his ode to Americana, complete with bustled prairie skirts, glam motorcycle jackets, a nod to his own grunge movement, and much, much more, just might be his most genius collection ever."
10. Ralph Lauren: "Harem pants at Ralph Lauren? Believe it. With North Africa as inspiration, the designer produced a savvy, beautiful collection that delivered the trends - there were also camp shirts and safari jackets - without jeopardizing the polish and pragmatism that are the hallmarks of his American style."
New Designers & Trends
William Rast is the New L.A.M.B."Most stage-to-street trends are regrettable: Hammer pants come to mind. But sometimes a savvy pop start manages to capitalize on his or her look with a legit fashion line. Take Gwen Stefani, whose rock/rasta mash-up, L.A.M.B., grosses close to 100 million annually. Now, Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala, who were childhood pals in Tennesse, are hoping for similar success with William Rast, a denim collection that's been expanded to include men's and women's ranges designed by Johan and Marcella Lindeberg. Expect Southern staples with a Hollywood edge."
Nicholas Kirkwood is the New Christian Louboutin
"What makes us think Nicholas Kirkwood is ready to step into the maestro's shoes? For one, the Rodarte sisters have chosen the London cobbler to craft their Spring footwear. And for another, he's landed a gig making shoes for Pollini, where the appointment of Jonathan Saunders as ready-to-wear director has made it one of Milan's must-see shows. Then there's all the front-row types- Leigh Lezark, Daisy Lowe, Selma Blair - who've been spotted in his high-and-mighty architectural stilettos and cantilevered platform heels."
Goth is the New Grunge
"Starting on September 5, the Fashion Institute of Technology will present Gothic: Dark Glamour, an exhibit exploring the aesthetic from the perspective of both the catwalk and the streets. This, clearly, is a trend that won't be going away anytime soon."
-Designers such as Ann Demeulemeester, Rick Owens, Alexander Wang, and Rodarte have been a few designers to already reveal somewhat gothic pieces
-From Style
Best Collections Deemed by In Style:
* Proenza Schouler: In colors like deep violet, emerald, and bronze. The collection is sporty and sensual. Coats with dramatically draped backs, slouchy wide pants, and sequins, sequins, sequins.
*Narciso Rodriguez: The convincing case for neo-minimalist simplicity, with super-shapely jackets and skinny pants.
*Rodarte: Tulle ballerina dresses speak of sweet fairy tales, but those mohair knits, not to mention the tough girl shoes, give this collection a razor-sharp edge.
*Prada: The leaner, longer silhouette leads to grown-up glamour, yet the look enters a new realm with couture like, bourgeois-with-an-erotic-twist Swiss lace.
*Marni: The three step method for the perfect fall: Forgo sleeves, color-block in delicious, imaginative combinations; and belt boxy coats and jackets over neat skirts.
*Balenciaga: Luxury worthy of the cyber era, with superherolike seamed jackets, intricately paneled pants, draped velvet tops, magnificent costume jewels, and embroidered rubber.
Trends:
*Long and lean
*Velvet
* Evening Shimmer
*Bold Jewelry
* Sculptural Accessories
* Boots 24/7
* Embellishment
More Trends From Fall:
*Bell Curves
*Country Life
*Minimalist Tendency
* Superhero Worship
Jewelry:
* Big, Bold, and "Costumey"
* Inspired by nature, "Earthy Delights"
Technology:
*Apple
* I-phone
* Blackberry
* Blue-tooths
Runway Eye Catchers - Handbags & Accessories
Eye Catchers From the Shows:Hit List From Paris:
* Space Age Wristlet
* Stripped Pep Toe Wedge
* The Logo Bag
* The Ruffle Front Shoe
* The Simple Sandal
* The New Platform Pump
* The Mirrored Sandal
* The Western Bag
* The Artful Mix
* The Slouchy Tribal Bag
* The Edgy Heel
* The Neon Accent
* The Price Conscious Shopper
* The Patchwork Shoulder Bag
* The Punk Pearl Necklace
* The Oversized Shades
* The Chain Mail Wristlet
Hit List From Milan:
*The Drum-Shaped Wristlet
* The Jewelry-Like Handbag
* The Canvas Tote
*The New Exotic
* The Pastel Shoe
* The Heritage Bag
* The Detailed Shoe
* The Platform Pump
*The Graphic Heel
* The Waterproof Bag
* The Metallic Leather Clutch
Recent Movies About Pregnancy
Each movie has a positive tone about pregnancy. These humorous and lighthearted movies attract moms and dads to be and show viewers all the trials of pregnancy but in an upbeat way making it very appealing and almost seem easy.
Pregnant Celebrities
Mom and Dads to be
• Louise Redknapp
• Ashlee Simpson
• Emma (Mark Owen’s partner)
• Michelle Monaghan
• Dawn Barlow (Gary Barlow’s wife)
• Natasha Shishmanian (Chris Evans‘ wife)
• Jennifer Garner
• Melanie Chisholm
• Dolores Fonzi (Gael GarcÃa Bernal’s partner)
• Alison King
• Jenna Jameson
• Tameka Foster (Usher’s wife)
• Brooke Mueller (Charlie Sheen’s wife)
• Jools Oliver (Jamie Oliver’s wife)
• Alyson Hannigan
• Jordyn Grohl (Dave Grohl’s wife)
• Christine Baumgartner (Kevin Costner’s wife)
• Holly Willoughby
Recently Gave Birth
• Samantha Morton
• Stella McCartney
• Toni Collette
• Nicole Richie
• Christina Aguilera
• Jennifer Lopez
• Javine Hylton
• Halle Berry
• Kerry Katona
• Cate Blanchett
• Kate Thornton
• Tanya Haden (Jack Black’s wife)
• Jessica Alba
• Ulrika Jonsson
• Tori Spelling
• Edith Bowman
• Jamie Lynn Spears
• Tamzin Outhwaite
• Nicole Kidman
• Camila Alves (Matthew McConaughey’s girlfriend)
• Angelina Jolie
• Ryan Shawhughes (Ethan Hawke’s wife)
• Ceren Alkac (Jason Lee’s girlfriend)
• Luciana Damon (Matt Damon’s wife)
• Gwen Stefani
• Kirstie Allsopp
• Minnie Driver
• Rhea Durham (Mark Wahlberg’s partner)
• Lisa Marie Presley
• Gillian Anderson
• Billie Piper
• Amy Poehler
• Tina O’Brien
• Jo Whiley
It seems today celebrities are constantly becoming pregnant. With so much publicity these celebs are being tracked through each stage. There are websites dedicated to pregnant celebrity watching. Since there seems to be such a mass media coverage of pregnancies and celebrity babies one might think our culture in America is becoming obsessed with the creation of life and that a future baby boom may arise.
Aquired Soucre: http://celebritypregnancy.com/
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Job Loss Lasting Into 09
As automakers dropped their latest batch of awful sales numbers on the market on Tuesday, reinforcing the gloom spreading across the economy, the troubles confronting American workers seemed to intensify.
The New York Times
Plummeting home prices have in recent months eliminated jobs for hundreds of thousands of people, from bankers and real estate agents to construction workers and furniture manufacturers. Tighter lending standards imposed by banks in the wake of huge mortgage losses have made it hard for many Americans to secure credit — the lifeblood of expansion in recent years — crimping the appetite of consumers, whose spending amounts to 70 percent of the economy.
Joblessness has accelerated, and employers have slashed working hours even for those on their payrolls, shrinking the size of paychecks just as workers need them the most.
Now, add to that unsavory mix the word from automakers that sales plunged in June — by 28 percent for Ford, 21 percent for Toyota and 18 percent for General Motors — a sharp sign that consumers are pulling back, making manufacturers more likely to cut production and impose more layoffs. Until recently, the weak labor market has been marked more by the reluctance of employers to create new jobs than by mass layoffs.
Among economists, the sense is broadening that the troubles dogging the economy will be stubborn, leaving in place an uncomfortable combination of tight credit and scant job opportunities perhaps well into next year.
“It’s a slow-motion recession,” said Ethan Harris, chief United States economist for Lehman Brothers. “In a normal recession, things kind of collapse and get so weak that you have nowhere to go but up. But we’re not getting the classic two or three negative quarters. Instead, we’re expecting two years of sub-par growth. Growth that’s not enough to generate jobs. It’s kind of a chronic rather than an acute pain.”
Mr. Harris expects tepid economic growth and a shrinking labor market to persist through the fall of 2009.
The national unemployment rate climbed a full percentage point over the last year to 5.5 percent in May, according to the Labor Department. That does not include people who are jobless and have given up looking for work, or people who have been bumped to part-time jobs from full-time. Add in those people and the so-called underemployment rate rises to 9.7 percent, up from 8.3 percent in May 2007, according to the Labor Department.
Goldman Sachs forecasts that the unemployment rate will peak at 6.4 percent late in 2009 before the picture improves, meaning that the painful process of shedding jobs may be only half-way complete.
“The labor market is clearly deteriorating, and it’s highly likely to keep deteriorating,” said Andrew Tilton, an economist at Goldman Sachs. “It’s clear that the housing downturn and credit crunch are still very much under way. Clearly, there are more jobs to be lost in housing, finance and construction — hundreds of thousands of more jobs to be lost collectively.”
On Thursday, the Labor Department will release its snapshot of the job market for June. Economists generally expect the report to show 60,000 more jobs lost, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline.
But many anticipate the unemployment rate will nudge down a little bit, swinging back from an abrupt climb that could have been exaggerated by survey glitches in the previous month, when the rate jumped by half a percentage point — the sharpest one-month spike in 22 years.
If the unemployment rate were to hold steady or rise, that would likely spook markets, underscoring the impact of the economic slowdown.
“Slowing wage growth and falling employment is absolutely toxic if your business is selling anything to consumers,” said Ian Shepherdson, chief United States economist for High Frequency Economics.
Recent indications lend credence to the view that the job market is in the grip of a sustained downturn. Three weeks in a row, new unemployment claims have exceeded 380,000, a level generally associated with recession. Construction spending fell in May. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey, which tracks attitudes about business and personal finance, has dropped to a depth last seen in 1980.
On the factory floor, a weak dollar has been fanning export sales. The I.S.M. Manufacturing Index — a widely watched gauge of factory activity — nudged up in June to 50.2 from 49.6 in May, entering barely positive territory, which indicates a slight expansion.
But that mostly reflected a buildup of inventories and higher prices for raw materials, and not an improvement in orders for factory goods, said Stuart G. Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Service Group in a note to clients. If business stays weak and orders do not materialize, factory layoffs could accelerate. Indeed, the employment component of the index declined to its lowest level in five years.
The slide in the labor market has become both symptom and cause of a weak economy, pulling many families into a downward spiral. Back when housing prices were still rising, Americans borrowed exuberantly against the value of their homes to finance renovations, vacations and shopping sprees. But that artery of finance has constricted considerably along with access to credit cards, forcing a reversion to the traditional limits of household finance. Millions of American families must now confine their spending to what they can bring home from work.
With job losses growing and working hours shrinking, many paychecks are eroding, prompting millions of families to cut their spending. Soaring prices for food and gasoline are overwhelming modest wage gains for most workers, leaving households with even less money to spend. All of which deprives struggling businesses of sales, prompting them to shed more workers, sending the cycle down another turn. Starbucks announced on Tuesday that it would close stores and eliminate up to 12,000 jobs, about 7 percent of its work force.
The fear of a downward spiral prompted the Bush administration to unleash $100 billion worth of tax rebates in the hopes that recipients would spend money and spur sales. The Treasury has already dispensed more than $78 billion, and the money appears to be finding its way into cash registers, with consumer spending climbing by 0.8 percent in May, according to the Commerce Department.
Economists expect the rebates will continue to help retail sales through the summer, fueling modest economic growth that spares some jobs and prevents an outright contraction.
But few expect these rebate-laced sales to expand the job market, because businesses understand that the one-time surge of money will wear off later this summer.
Many experts expect the economy to then be pulled back into the weeds by the same forces that have led the downturn — declining home prices, tighter credit and leaner paychecks.
“It’s going to be very hard to overcome those headwinds,” said Mr. Harris, the Lehman economist.
Synthesis: This large slash in jobs means less money for consumers to spend. Since the housing market is so low Americans can’t borrow money against their house for large shopping sprees, meaning they cut unnecessary spending. If consumers are spending their money conspicuous then what will they splurge to spend on? How can we create a bag that people out of work would still feel the need to buy? How can Butler Bag provide the only purse a consumer will need for a season?
The New York Times
Plummeting home prices have in recent months eliminated jobs for hundreds of thousands of people, from bankers and real estate agents to construction workers and furniture manufacturers. Tighter lending standards imposed by banks in the wake of huge mortgage losses have made it hard for many Americans to secure credit — the lifeblood of expansion in recent years — crimping the appetite of consumers, whose spending amounts to 70 percent of the economy.
Joblessness has accelerated, and employers have slashed working hours even for those on their payrolls, shrinking the size of paychecks just as workers need them the most.
Now, add to that unsavory mix the word from automakers that sales plunged in June — by 28 percent for Ford, 21 percent for Toyota and 18 percent for General Motors — a sharp sign that consumers are pulling back, making manufacturers more likely to cut production and impose more layoffs. Until recently, the weak labor market has been marked more by the reluctance of employers to create new jobs than by mass layoffs.
Among economists, the sense is broadening that the troubles dogging the economy will be stubborn, leaving in place an uncomfortable combination of tight credit and scant job opportunities perhaps well into next year.
“It’s a slow-motion recession,” said Ethan Harris, chief United States economist for Lehman Brothers. “In a normal recession, things kind of collapse and get so weak that you have nowhere to go but up. But we’re not getting the classic two or three negative quarters. Instead, we’re expecting two years of sub-par growth. Growth that’s not enough to generate jobs. It’s kind of a chronic rather than an acute pain.”
Mr. Harris expects tepid economic growth and a shrinking labor market to persist through the fall of 2009.
The national unemployment rate climbed a full percentage point over the last year to 5.5 percent in May, according to the Labor Department. That does not include people who are jobless and have given up looking for work, or people who have been bumped to part-time jobs from full-time. Add in those people and the so-called underemployment rate rises to 9.7 percent, up from 8.3 percent in May 2007, according to the Labor Department.
Goldman Sachs forecasts that the unemployment rate will peak at 6.4 percent late in 2009 before the picture improves, meaning that the painful process of shedding jobs may be only half-way complete.
“The labor market is clearly deteriorating, and it’s highly likely to keep deteriorating,” said Andrew Tilton, an economist at Goldman Sachs. “It’s clear that the housing downturn and credit crunch are still very much under way. Clearly, there are more jobs to be lost in housing, finance and construction — hundreds of thousands of more jobs to be lost collectively.”
On Thursday, the Labor Department will release its snapshot of the job market for June. Economists generally expect the report to show 60,000 more jobs lost, marking the sixth consecutive month of decline.
But many anticipate the unemployment rate will nudge down a little bit, swinging back from an abrupt climb that could have been exaggerated by survey glitches in the previous month, when the rate jumped by half a percentage point — the sharpest one-month spike in 22 years.
If the unemployment rate were to hold steady or rise, that would likely spook markets, underscoring the impact of the economic slowdown.
“Slowing wage growth and falling employment is absolutely toxic if your business is selling anything to consumers,” said Ian Shepherdson, chief United States economist for High Frequency Economics.
Recent indications lend credence to the view that the job market is in the grip of a sustained downturn. Three weeks in a row, new unemployment claims have exceeded 380,000, a level generally associated with recession. Construction spending fell in May. The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey, which tracks attitudes about business and personal finance, has dropped to a depth last seen in 1980.
On the factory floor, a weak dollar has been fanning export sales. The I.S.M. Manufacturing Index — a widely watched gauge of factory activity — nudged up in June to 50.2 from 49.6 in May, entering barely positive territory, which indicates a slight expansion.
But that mostly reflected a buildup of inventories and higher prices for raw materials, and not an improvement in orders for factory goods, said Stuart G. Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Service Group in a note to clients. If business stays weak and orders do not materialize, factory layoffs could accelerate. Indeed, the employment component of the index declined to its lowest level in five years.
The slide in the labor market has become both symptom and cause of a weak economy, pulling many families into a downward spiral. Back when housing prices were still rising, Americans borrowed exuberantly against the value of their homes to finance renovations, vacations and shopping sprees. But that artery of finance has constricted considerably along with access to credit cards, forcing a reversion to the traditional limits of household finance. Millions of American families must now confine their spending to what they can bring home from work.
With job losses growing and working hours shrinking, many paychecks are eroding, prompting millions of families to cut their spending. Soaring prices for food and gasoline are overwhelming modest wage gains for most workers, leaving households with even less money to spend. All of which deprives struggling businesses of sales, prompting them to shed more workers, sending the cycle down another turn. Starbucks announced on Tuesday that it would close stores and eliminate up to 12,000 jobs, about 7 percent of its work force.
The fear of a downward spiral prompted the Bush administration to unleash $100 billion worth of tax rebates in the hopes that recipients would spend money and spur sales. The Treasury has already dispensed more than $78 billion, and the money appears to be finding its way into cash registers, with consumer spending climbing by 0.8 percent in May, according to the Commerce Department.
Economists expect the rebates will continue to help retail sales through the summer, fueling modest economic growth that spares some jobs and prevents an outright contraction.
But few expect these rebate-laced sales to expand the job market, because businesses understand that the one-time surge of money will wear off later this summer.
Many experts expect the economy to then be pulled back into the weeds by the same forces that have led the downturn — declining home prices, tighter credit and leaner paychecks.
“It’s going to be very hard to overcome those headwinds,” said Mr. Harris, the Lehman economist.
Synthesis: This large slash in jobs means less money for consumers to spend. Since the housing market is so low Americans can’t borrow money against their house for large shopping sprees, meaning they cut unnecessary spending. If consumers are spending their money conspicuous then what will they splurge to spend on? How can we create a bag that people out of work would still feel the need to buy? How can Butler Bag provide the only purse a consumer will need for a season?
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Part I
Research Color, Graphic, and Textiles and the Average Life Span of the Cycles For Each: Researched By Katie Bennett and Alyssa Harris
*Examine Past Colors and Cycles (1978-2009)
*Graphic Design (1978-2009)
*Popular Weaves (1978-2009)
*Popular Textures (1978-2009)
*Automobile Colors
*Architecture/Interior/Exterior Designs
*Every Day Products: laundry detergents, tissue boxes, and other packaging
*Take Pictures, products and people
Continue to Find the Beat for 2010 with: Research by all members
*Social: Alexandra Hanner
*Cultural: Alyssa Harris
*Political: Annaliese Moergeli
*Economic: Alexandra Hanner
*Color: Alyssa Harris & Katie Bennett
*Fabric Fiber & Finish: Katie Bennett
*Major Designers and Competition: Chelsea Hobbs
*Related Accessories: Chelsea Hobbs
*Geographic: Nick Martin
*Behavioral: Katie Bennett
*Demographics: Annaliese Moergeli
*Environmental: Alexandra Hanner
*For Further Detail Refer Earlier Strategically Plan
Explore Butler Bag: Research by Chelsea Hobbs & Alexandra Hanner
*Companies Colors, Do they have a signature color?
*Current Bag Styles
*Look at sales items, what isn’t selling? Why?
*Who are they marketing towards?
*Who could they market to in order to increase clientele?
*Current Price Points, do they have different levels?
*Develop a way to increase sales in a new innovative way
*Look at available accessories and trends among them
Part II
Identifying Costumer’s Needs and Wants: Research by: Nick Martin
*Develop target market
*Get email addresses of desired costumers for focus group
*Taylor wants of costumers to create a successful survey
*Look for ways to incorporate diversity
Develop Survey: Research by: Alexandra Hanner
*Sketch Prototype
*Incorporate color, texture, style…
*Create Test Products
*Test different prices compared to products quality
Competition: Research by Annaliese Moergeli
*Popular colors
*Successful styles
*Signature designs
*Find out what customer like and why?
*Why are costumers loyal to company?
*How can we attract other competitor’s loyal costumers?
*What do they have that Butler Bag doesn’t?
*What products are not selling for them?
Part III
Develop the Winning Product: Research by all members
Creating a new innovative product for Butler Bag, using past and present research from color, material, finishes, price points, target market and competitive analysis.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Qualtative Analysis Template
feedback form
To see out Template of all of our qualatative informtaion click here https://teamsite.oue.wsu.edu/progeval/amt/Shared%20Documents/gaudesoftrend.pdf
To see out Template of all of our qualatative informtaion click here https://teamsite.oue.wsu.edu/progeval/amt/Shared%20Documents/gaudesoftrend.pdf
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
The Arms Race
Why are Fashion Designers Suddenly Obsessed With Sleeves?
By Josh Patner
Posted Friday, June 20, 2008
Observers of fashion have watched hemlines rise and fall for decades. And when hemlines aren't news, attention often shifts to an eye-catching bust. But as fall fashions begin arriving in stores this month, be on the lookout for remarkable sleeves. Designers have not focused on sleeves with such intensity since Helmut Lang cut them extra-skinny in the early '90s and Consuela Castiglioni reacted a decade later with an extra-loose fit for Marni. But the most important designers showing in Paris in February shifted attention from breasts and legs to wings. Women's arms—yes, arms—are the new body part of choice.
Nicolas Ghesquiere, designing for Balenciaga, cut barely-there sleeves that revealed the shoulder. At Lanvin, Albert Elbaz made ballooning sleeves from yards and yards of silk ribbon. Alexander McQueen made gargantuan, romantic sleeves. Marc Jacobs' collection for Louis Vuitton took the overbuilt shoulder of the early '80s and deflated it. Stephano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent offered leotard-tight sleeves under Robin Hood-style tabarads. Jun Takahashi made free-flying sleeves slashed to the wrist, and Junya Watanabe did away with sleeves altogether: His cocoon dresses bound the arms to the body.
Why the sudden obsession? Some observers hold that all changes in fashion are ultimately about sex. Historian James Laver once famously argued that designers respond primarily to the shifting erogenous zones in the Freudian recesses of men's minds, raising skirts to keep up with their fantasies. It's a plausible explanation for changing hemlines, but it's hard to see how the theory applies to the cloth women cover their arms with.
Others contend that fashion trends correspond to the economy: In the 1920s, when hemlines rose to the midcalf, analysts pegged the show of legs to exuberance about the booming economy and have seen shorts skirts as a positive indicator ever since. Unfortunately for economic forecasters, the advent of extravagant sleeves has not really indicated overstuffed coffers since the Renaissance.
Whatever sleeves represent to the casual observer, they represent something else to the designer: virtuosity. Setting a sleeve—dressmaker parlance for sewing the sleeve to the armhole—vies for position as the zenith of the craft with the hand-done pleating of a plissé dress. Some designers, most notably the late Yves Saint Laurent, even built their reputations, in part, on their definitive sleeves. To say a designer has executed a "Saint Laurent sleeve"—shoulders raised and broadened, stopping just this side of exaggeration; armhole shaped through the back to allow for movement and the perfect drop of the sleeve to the wrist—remains one of the ultimate compliments in dressmaking.
The sleeve as we know it has been around for more than 600 years. The armhole is an invention of the Late Middle Ages, when men's and women's clothing first became distinct and tailoring and dressmaking were born. Previously, everyone in the West—man, woman, king, gruel carrier—wore essentially the same tunic, which was made of two pieces of cloth cut in a T-shape, the loose sleeves and body all-in-one. Once dressmakers learned to control the armhole at the joint, they could cut closer to the torso as well, and the fitted bodice appeared.
Freed from the tunic, dressmakers began to experiment. In late-15th-century court dress, sleeves screamed wealth: They became outrageously long, sometimes trailing precious fabric and fur trim behind the wearer like a train. Such vulgarity was condemned by the clergy as ungodly. During the Renaissance, when skirts became fixed over cone-shaped petticoats and could only be decorated, sleeves became a spectacle, elaborately cut with heraldic-looking slashes. In the 18th century, when heaving, corseted bosoms and voluminous, Watteau-back gowns became sexually alluring, sleeves became short and simple to balance the grand silhouette, maintaining a lady's dignity with a sweet ruffle of lace above her elbow. Today, the Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion defines 32 varieties of sleeve, with "rhumba" and "kimono" among the most familiar, and "bagpipe" and "imbecile" among the most obscure.
Why, then, did designers take up sleeves this season? Valerie Steele, the director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, quickly dismisses the sex theory. "Heterosexual men always like the same things on a woman: breasts, hips, legs," says Steele. "There is no evidence that men who like breasts get tired of breasts. I think it's total bunk to look at this as shifting erogenous zones." Steele suggests that the reason designers played with sleeves is, in fact, about the economy—or, at least, the marketplace: In this era of fast fashion, when budget companies like Zara reproduce runway looks within weeks of the shows, complicated sleeves are hard to knock off. (It's one thing to get a factory in Whereverstan to churn out a simple trapeze dress; it's another to make a good copy of Elbaz's ribbon sleeves on the cheap.) Essentially, Steele says, designers are attempting to distinguish themselves by presenting consumers with feats of dressmaking. It's true that designers may simply have grown tired of skirts, which they've been toying with for several seasons. But the profusion of sleeves may, at heart, be a defensive move.
I think Steele is right, for the most part. But there's still an element of courtship here. Fashion's first seduction takes place in the dressing room, when clients go to shop. That's where the virtuoso work of a designer who is likely miles away first takes hold of a woman with a credit card in hand. Which is why the surfeit of sleeves is good news for retailers. In front of a hundred department store mirrors this summer, women will fall in love with clothes they hope to fall in love in. Paris has delivered the card up its sleeve.
By Josh Patner
Posted Friday, June 20, 2008
Observers of fashion have watched hemlines rise and fall for decades. And when hemlines aren't news, attention often shifts to an eye-catching bust. But as fall fashions begin arriving in stores this month, be on the lookout for remarkable sleeves. Designers have not focused on sleeves with such intensity since Helmut Lang cut them extra-skinny in the early '90s and Consuela Castiglioni reacted a decade later with an extra-loose fit for Marni. But the most important designers showing in Paris in February shifted attention from breasts and legs to wings. Women's arms—yes, arms—are the new body part of choice.
Nicolas Ghesquiere, designing for Balenciaga, cut barely-there sleeves that revealed the shoulder. At Lanvin, Albert Elbaz made ballooning sleeves from yards and yards of silk ribbon. Alexander McQueen made gargantuan, romantic sleeves. Marc Jacobs' collection for Louis Vuitton took the overbuilt shoulder of the early '80s and deflated it. Stephano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent offered leotard-tight sleeves under Robin Hood-style tabarads. Jun Takahashi made free-flying sleeves slashed to the wrist, and Junya Watanabe did away with sleeves altogether: His cocoon dresses bound the arms to the body.
Why the sudden obsession? Some observers hold that all changes in fashion are ultimately about sex. Historian James Laver once famously argued that designers respond primarily to the shifting erogenous zones in the Freudian recesses of men's minds, raising skirts to keep up with their fantasies. It's a plausible explanation for changing hemlines, but it's hard to see how the theory applies to the cloth women cover their arms with.
Others contend that fashion trends correspond to the economy: In the 1920s, when hemlines rose to the midcalf, analysts pegged the show of legs to exuberance about the booming economy and have seen shorts skirts as a positive indicator ever since. Unfortunately for economic forecasters, the advent of extravagant sleeves has not really indicated overstuffed coffers since the Renaissance.
Whatever sleeves represent to the casual observer, they represent something else to the designer: virtuosity. Setting a sleeve—dressmaker parlance for sewing the sleeve to the armhole—vies for position as the zenith of the craft with the hand-done pleating of a plissé dress. Some designers, most notably the late Yves Saint Laurent, even built their reputations, in part, on their definitive sleeves. To say a designer has executed a "Saint Laurent sleeve"—shoulders raised and broadened, stopping just this side of exaggeration; armhole shaped through the back to allow for movement and the perfect drop of the sleeve to the wrist—remains one of the ultimate compliments in dressmaking.
The sleeve as we know it has been around for more than 600 years. The armhole is an invention of the Late Middle Ages, when men's and women's clothing first became distinct and tailoring and dressmaking were born. Previously, everyone in the West—man, woman, king, gruel carrier—wore essentially the same tunic, which was made of two pieces of cloth cut in a T-shape, the loose sleeves and body all-in-one. Once dressmakers learned to control the armhole at the joint, they could cut closer to the torso as well, and the fitted bodice appeared.
Freed from the tunic, dressmakers began to experiment. In late-15th-century court dress, sleeves screamed wealth: They became outrageously long, sometimes trailing precious fabric and fur trim behind the wearer like a train. Such vulgarity was condemned by the clergy as ungodly. During the Renaissance, when skirts became fixed over cone-shaped petticoats and could only be decorated, sleeves became a spectacle, elaborately cut with heraldic-looking slashes. In the 18th century, when heaving, corseted bosoms and voluminous, Watteau-back gowns became sexually alluring, sleeves became short and simple to balance the grand silhouette, maintaining a lady's dignity with a sweet ruffle of lace above her elbow. Today, the Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion defines 32 varieties of sleeve, with "rhumba" and "kimono" among the most familiar, and "bagpipe" and "imbecile" among the most obscure.
Why, then, did designers take up sleeves this season? Valerie Steele, the director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, quickly dismisses the sex theory. "Heterosexual men always like the same things on a woman: breasts, hips, legs," says Steele. "There is no evidence that men who like breasts get tired of breasts. I think it's total bunk to look at this as shifting erogenous zones." Steele suggests that the reason designers played with sleeves is, in fact, about the economy—or, at least, the marketplace: In this era of fast fashion, when budget companies like Zara reproduce runway looks within weeks of the shows, complicated sleeves are hard to knock off. (It's one thing to get a factory in Whereverstan to churn out a simple trapeze dress; it's another to make a good copy of Elbaz's ribbon sleeves on the cheap.) Essentially, Steele says, designers are attempting to distinguish themselves by presenting consumers with feats of dressmaking. It's true that designers may simply have grown tired of skirts, which they've been toying with for several seasons. But the profusion of sleeves may, at heart, be a defensive move.
I think Steele is right, for the most part. But there's still an element of courtship here. Fashion's first seduction takes place in the dressing room, when clients go to shop. That's where the virtuoso work of a designer who is likely miles away first takes hold of a woman with a credit card in hand. Which is why the surfeit of sleeves is good news for retailers. In front of a hundred department store mirrors this summer, women will fall in love with clothes they hope to fall in love in. Paris has delivered the card up its sleeve.
Marc Jacobs
NY Magazine
Monday, October 13, 2008
Poverty Hits 1992
Percent of Selected Poverty Rates
4.5% in just one month on average
21.2% in two months or more
4.2% all months
Percent of people with selected characteristics that were poor
14.6% all people
22.3% under 18
12% between 18-64
10.2% 65 years or older
3.8% employed full time
12.4% employed part time
40% unemployed
37.8% people in female-householder families
Percent of People Who Were Cronically Poor
4.3% all people
8.3% under 18
3.2% between 18-64
4.9% 65 years or older
0.5% employed full time
1.6% employed part time
9.6% unemployed
8.5% people in female-householer families
Aquired Source: http://www.census.gov/prod/2/pop/p70/p70-55.pdf
1992 Census of Retail Trade of Automotives
This video is from a Honda commercial aired in 1992.
Sales Based (1,000)
Automotive dealers 395,147,88
New and used car dealers 333,801,36
Used car dealers 16,031,345
Auto and home supply stores 28,565,320
Auto parts, tires, and accessories stores 26,949,262
Home and auto supply stores 1,616,058
Miscellaneous automotive dealers 16,749,848
Boat dealers 5,537,133
Recreational vehicle dealers 6,313,817
Motorcycle dealers 4,162,684
Automotive dealers, n.e.c. 736,214 3
Acquired Soucre: http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/rc92h55x.html
Banana Republic
Banana Republic gained ground with their classier, more upscale clothing and became an alternative to The Gap's casualness. Originally focused on more safari inspired clothing, the store went under remodel during the early 1990's. New clothing featured bright colors and focused on apparel for various occasions, including weekend wear, professional attire, and dressy casual items made of more luxuriant fabrics such as cashmere and suede. Aside from their clothing turnaround, was the introduction of their bath and body care line which included cologne and undergarments; later to be followed by home accessories, such as bedding, pillows, candles, and picture frames.
The Dream Team
1992 was a special year for the Olympics because both a Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics were held. 1992 will forever be remembered for the first Dream Team in Olympic basketball. 1992 was the year that the Olympics were opened to professional athletes, and the United States basketball team, made up of NBA starts, dominated every team they played on the way to the gold medal.
Final Standings
1. United States (8-0)
2. Croatia (6-2)
3. Lithuania (6-2)
4. Com. of Ind. States (5-3)
5. Brazil (4-4)
6. Australia (4-4)
7. Germany (3-5)
8. Puerto Rico (3-5)
9. Spain (3-4)
10. Angola (2-5)
11. Venezuela (2-5)
12. China (0-7)
Tommy Hilfiger
In 1992, the company made a public offering on the New York Stock Exchange at $15 a share, which proved to be to their advantage. Within a few months, the stock was selling at $25 and Hilfiger continued to excel in the stock market. These earnings allowed for the company to expand into in store shops and develop new outlet stores. "There were close to 500 Tommy Hilfiger sections within department stores by the mid-1990's. About half of the company's revenues came from sales at major department store chains. Another 15 percent of sales came from the discount chains which sold the outdated stock at lower prices." In addition, Hilfiger began opening its own freestanding shops as well. "No longer limited to his men's line, the mid-to late 1990's Hilfiger began expanding clothing lines to include products for women, children, and teenagers. His company also manufactured its own clothing and was able to keep marketing and distribution costs down. Because of this, Hilfiger was able to offer high quality clothing, comparable to Polo, but at prices more accessible to the American public. He also added a range of accessories, bedding, and other home furnishings, cosmetics, and fragrances. Many of these additional product offerings were made possible through licensing agreements. For example, Tommy and Tommy Girl colognes were manufactured by Aramis, to whom he licensed the Tommy Hilfiger name."
"Hilfiger kept his hand in promoting his designs as well. He hosted fashion shows and autograph sessions, and conducted briefings for sales personnel via satellite. He educated retailers about Hilfiger products and how to display them. Hilfiger also solicited feedback directly from consumers and used that to influence future clothing lines. He was quick to incorporate changes to make his line attractive to teens, African Americans, and Hispanics. Noticing that these young people liked to wear oversized clothes, Hilfiger designed garments in 'extra-extra-extra' large sizes. (A trend evoked within the Hip Hop community) Billed as a "cross over" artist, Hilfiger's designs were seen on everyone from Bill Clinton to Snoop Doggy to the Spice Girls."
"Tommy Hilfiger has been referred to as the Ralph Lauren of a new generation, but he has clearly come unto his own in the world of fashion. With successful lines of men'sclothing, women's clothing, home furnishings, and a unisex fragrance, Hilfiger becaem the fashion guru of the 1990's and the biggest thing to hit the fashion industry in a decade. An enticement to a wide variety of consumers, his designs are casual while his prices remain moderate. Hilfiger's most praiseworthy achievement, however is his brand execution. Alan Millstein, editor of The Fashion Network Report trade magazine, described the method behind Hilfiger's success to USA Today: 'It's a combination of great marketing, merchandising, and hype."
An All American Look:
"Although he is not readily acknowledged as a true designer, Hilfiger is incessantly compared to fellow American designers Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. He has admitted to redesigning and updating clothes rather than creating brand new fashions... "
Minneapolis Star Tribune wrote, "His clothes are classic, comfortable, high quality garb that appeals to young and old and are priced in the upper-moderate range. It's really that simple. Hilfiger consciously eschews the virtuoso fashion-designer image, following the lead of mainstream retail stores like The Gap and Banana Republic, which provide stylish, well-made clothing at reasonable prices."
Mini Housing Market Crash
The 1990s saw the end of a housing bubble and a serious house price crash in the year 1992. Leading up to the housing market crash of 1992, there was a period of economic boom, and corresponding boom in house prices (especially in London and South East). Economic growth reached over 5%, but, at this rate the growth caused inflation to rise to 10%. Therefore, the government felt compelled to start reducing inflation. They felt the best way to reduce inflation was to join the ERM (exchange rate Mechanism). To cut a long story short, the inflation of 10% and membership of the ERM required interest rates to rise very high to 15%. At 15% mortgages became incredibly expensive and so there was a record rise in defaults and home repossessions. People stopped buying and house prices fell by 15% (More in London and South East).
Acquired Source: http://www.mortgageguideuk.co.uk/blog/house-prices/housing-market-crash; New York Times,Feb 18, 1992. Kenneth N. Gilpin
Average Cost of Living
Coffee was $2.39 lb.
Grapes were $.93 lb.
Gas was $1.40 gal.
Grapes were $.93 lb.
Chicken was $.89 lb.
Potato chips were $2.84 lb.
Bread was $.75 lb.
Major Headlines for Wallstreet 1992
Jan. 1 Dow's back to future Wall Street investors set record high
Jan. 5 On Wall Street, Paychecks Pack a Punch
Apr. 9 Wall Street Is Down Again, Politics a Factor in Europe
May 4 Wall Street Apt to Stay Bullish in Spite of Riots
May 24 Wall Street; Congress Stops, the Dow Goes Up
Jun. 16 Dollar Rises Sharply as Wall Street Moves Ahead
Jun. 22 WALL STREET BOOM FAILS TO BOLSTER REGION'S ECONOMY
Jul. 31 Tokyo's Stock Dives After Critical Report Health
Aug. 2 Stocks Surge, And Wall Street Is Surprised
Aug. 9 Wall Street; Picking the Worst Stock Pickers
Aug. 26 Fall in Consumer Confidence Adds Pressure on Wall Street
Oct. 4 Wall Street Seems to Be Ignoring the Recession;Despite Recent Losses
Oct. 18 Five Years After the Crash, Wall Street and Main Street Again Seem out…
Oct. 10 Dow Tumbles 39.45, a New Low for Year Wall Street: A flurry of
Nov. 2 CHAOS HITS WALL STREET--THE THEORY, THAT IS
Nov. 15 Wall Street's Fortunes May Fall as Rates Rise
Dec. 25 Real Estate Executive Turns To Wall Street for Money
Acquired Source's: New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Post, International Herald Tribune,
Home Furnishings, Popular Textiles, & Introduction of Lyocell
Textiles involved in home furnishing
- 991 million square yards of fabric were produced for draperies,
upholstery, and slipcovers
- Average cotton usage per upholstery mill was 3,352 bales
- The U.S., Canada, and Mexico had a total of 210 mills producing upholstery, as stated in Davisons Textile Blue Book
- 358 mills in the three NAFTA countries produced fabrics for sheets, towels, and bedding for home fashion
- Chenille yarn was not actually recognized as a separate category in Davison's Textile Blue Book
Information found at: http://www.cottoninc.com/TextileConsumer/TextileConsumerVolume18/?Pg=3
*From these charts we see a jump in production of household furnishing from 1992 to 1998. This increase in production shows that in 1992 people had less disposable income to spend on household textiles. We can see a correlation between where the economy stood and how much people were willing to spend on household textiles. Ultimately, household furnishing was less of a concern in 1992, where people had to focus their money elsewhere.
Popular fibers/fabrics of 1992
“At Premiere Vision, the large fabric exhibition in Paris in October, softer fabrics, more expensive fabrics, prints and brighter colors were the major trends.” “Precious fibers like angora, cashmere and mohair were blended with wools, which provided a new texture of luxury with a combination of softness and strength. The fabric's softness enables the designers to create flowing drapes and folds around the body without adding bulk. Other important fabrics were corduroy with a fine rib, abundant iridescent fabrics and a lot of colored denim. The newest fabrics to watch are quilted knits and crepes.”
- Angora
- Cashmere
- Cotton
- Mohair
- Wools
- Corduroy
- Iridescent fabric
- Colored denim
- Knits & Crepes
Information found in the article Colorful adventure fall/winter 1992-1993. (forecast for fashion at 1992 Premiere Vision Paris fabric exhibit; forecast for cosmetic colors) (Color Forecasting) (Column)
*From these charts we see a jump in production of household furnishing from 1992 to 1998. This increase in production shows that in 1992 people had less disposable income to spend on household textiles. We can see a correlation between where the economy stood and how much people were willing to spend on household textiles. Ultimately, household furnishing was less of a concern in 1992, where people had to focus their money elsewhere.
Popular fibers/fabrics of 1992
“At Premiere Vision, the large fabric exhibition in Paris in October, softer fabrics, more expensive fabrics, prints and brighter colors were the major trends.” “Precious fibers like angora, cashmere and mohair were blended with wools, which provided a new texture of luxury with a combination of softness and strength. The fabric's softness enables the designers to create flowing drapes and folds around the body without adding bulk. Other important fabrics were corduroy with a fine rib, abundant iridescent fabrics and a lot of colored denim. The newest fabrics to watch are quilted knits and crepes.”
- Angora
- Cashmere
- Cotton
- Mohair
- Wools
- Corduroy
- Iridescent fabric
- Colored denim
- Knits & Crepes
Information found in the article Colorful adventure fall/winter 1992-1993. (forecast for fashion at 1992 Premiere Vision Paris fabric exhibit; forecast for cosmetic colors) (Color Forecasting) (Column)
* Instead of focusing solely on one fabric, designers experimented with blends in 1992. The blend of fibers and fabrics during this year allows us to see that designers and people were more open to new fashions and trying new and exciting things.
The Introduction of Lyocell
- 1992 was the first year Lyocell was produced commercially in the United States
- “organic solvent” mixture of organic chemicals and water
- 1992 was the first year Lyocell was produced commercially in the United States
- “organic solvent” mixture of organic chemicals and water
- Very environmentally friendly process
- Comfortable fabric with rich colors
- Very durable and long lasting
“The solvent spinning technique is both simpler and more environmentally sound, since it uses a non-toxic solvent chemical that is recycled in the manufacturing process. The solvent-spun cellulosic fiber lyocell was first produced commercially in the United States in 1992 by Courtaulds. The company used the brand name Tencel. The fabric was given the generic name lyocell in the United States in 1996. By this time, there was one other major lyocell producer in the world, the Austrian company Lenzing AG, which had acquired patents and research on lyocell from American Enka when it bought that company's rayon operation in 1992. (FTC May Allow New Name "Lyocell" For Washable Rayon Fiber)
From the article FTC May Allow New Name "Lyocell" For Washable Rayon Fiber
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1995/11/cort2.shtm
*Although the environment was not neccessarily the largest concern in 1992, the introduction of Lyocell sparked a new, fashionable way to be eco-friendly. Introducing an environmentally fibers and fabric was only part of the beginning of a generation of eco friendly products.
End User: Geographics consumer expenditures
From this graph as you can see from Jan of 1958 through Jan. of 1968 there is a decline in consumer expenditures due to the conflict in Vietnam. But starting in around the 1980's we see an incline in consumer expenditures as a percent of gross domestic product.
http://www.census.gov/statab/www/img/expends.gif
This graph shows how consumer expenditures in 1992 realted to every day life needs compared to other items. Only 27% of total expenditures compared to 73% of necessity items. This means that out of the average $29,846 expenditure only $8058.42 can be spent on other items.
This link will take you to the Bureau of Labor Statistics where it shows a graph of consumer expenditures by region in the year 1992.
This link takes you to an aricle which talks about how bond prices are falling due to an increase in retail sales and how this affects the economy in 1992
Sunday, October 12, 2008
1992 Behavioral Elements
Shopping Behavior
- Mall of America opened in 1992 in Minnesota
- Mall of America opened in 1992 in Minnesota
- Americas largest mall spreading over 78 acres(APCTH)
- Toy Sales were increased to 15 billion dollars in 1993, showing us that there was less disposable income in
--> Analysis: With less disposable income, mall developers and store owners needed to think of a way to not only sell their products, but attract patrons as well. Less disposable income means less money to use on shopping. The mall of America was a great innovation because a shopper is more willing to travel and shop at a mall that is an architectural achievement as well. Any patron can get there shopping done all in one place and see all of the attractions the mall has to offer. A mall of this size has something for everyone. The mall is four stories high and is complete with an amusement park. For an average family that might not have as much disposable income as they used to the Mall of America can be a very cost efficient way to spend a day. The Mall of America is the definition of one stop shopping, which attracted people from all around.
Technology Advancements
- Internet made public in 1992, use throughout the decade increases exponentially
- “The increase in the internet during the decade was staggering. Largely made public in 1992…” (APCTH)
- Id software a videogame company founded by John Romero begins business and creates the first ever first-person shooter video game Wolfstein 3D. (APCTH)
- Video games became more popular and started consuming more time. In 1992, Sega released first CD Driven consol “early step in technology that would revolutionize not only electronic games, but computer operations in general.” (APCTH)
- First video telephone produced by AT & T for $1,499 http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1992.html
-->Analysis: Internet was with out a doubt the year’s most influential innovation. This display of forward thinking was just a sign of what the future would hold. In my opinion the internet is one of the most notable behavioral changes in 1992. Information that was hard to dig for became right at the fingertips of many businesses and families. Technological advancements in the videogame industry brought out the inner fantasy. People can now play interactive shooting games from their homes. The first video telephone is just another sample of the communication gap closing throughout the world.
Family Time
- High school drop out rate of less than 6% (APCTH)
- $1.05 for gas, road trips are popular http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1992.html
- More concerned about health, first nicotine patch is created to help stop smoking. People began to do more outdoor activities: hiking, camping, and backpacking.
- Sportswear became more easily accessible and more fashionable
-->Analysis: The high school drop out rate shows us how important education was, and how determined the average family was to graduate their children. This family bond of 1992 can also be seen with road trips. A road trip brings families together during this time.
Gas prices also allows for more outdoor adventure. Outdoor sportswear is more accessible and fashionable. This advancement give people who our outdoor enthusiasts a more practical clothing option. The advancement of health and the family staying together is also seen with the creation of a nicotine patch. People realize smoking can cause disease and want to keep themselves healthy for their family.
Activities
- Georgia Superdome in Atlanta, Georgia is completed. The dome has the worlds largest cable supported fabric roof. http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1992.html
- Tae-Bo was created as a new, and foreign way to exercise, and began with only a few followers
- In television, Real World debuted and became one of the longest running reality TV shows, now on its 21st season (APCTH)
-->Analysis: Based on the out-of-the-box advancements in 1992, such as Tae Bo, the internet, and the Real World, you can tell that people began to try new things during this year. Although Tae bo would have been deemed weird before, people began to dip their feet in the water and attempt new and exciting ways to see the world.
Internet Sources Used:
http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/1992/
http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/i_love_the_90s/76714/episode_about.jhtml
http://www.bea.gov/scb/pdf/NATIONAL/Inputout/1998/0798ied.pdf
http://www.census.gov/epcd/www/92result.html
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1992.html
http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US7/REF/popsport.html
Books Used:
“American Popular Culture Through History: The 1900’s.” Oxoby, Marc.
United States Bureau of Labour Statistics
Unemployment Rates of Nine Countries in 1992
United States 7.5
Canada 11.3
Australia 10.8
Japan 2.2
France 10.2
Germany 4.6
Italy 7.3
Sweden 5.6
U.K. 10.1
All countries were at high rates compared to past decades except for Germany and Japan. The United States unemployment rate hadn’t been that high since 1984, It peeked at 7.5 and started to recede with the following year.
Acquired Source: http://www-old.itcilo.org/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/seura/usunemp.htm
United States 7.5
Canada 11.3
Australia 10.8
Japan 2.2
France 10.2
Germany 4.6
Italy 7.3
Sweden 5.6
U.K. 10.1
All countries were at high rates compared to past decades except for Germany and Japan. The United States unemployment rate hadn’t been that high since 1984, It peeked at 7.5 and started to recede with the following year.
Acquired Source: http://www-old.itcilo.org/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/seura/usunemp.htm
Baby Steps for Banks
At the beginning of 1992 the economy was at a low. This caused the national commercial banks to create a discount rate causing a direct effect on savings returns. “In terms of what Americans were paying for rates, by midwinter of 1992 it was estimated that bank rates that low had not been seen since 1966.” The lowering of these interest rates were to help 92’s faltering economy. The federal budget deficit was at a soaring high of $352 billion which amounted to a gross national product rate of about 6 percent just shy of the post world war II rate of 6.3 percent. As the year progressed the uphill fight against regression seceded. Banks profited 31.5 billion over 1991’s 14 billion. The return of equity also increased sharply. Banks were able to preserve a large portions of earnings that strengthened their capital. Real gross domestic product improved 3 percent and inflation remained low. “Apparently, stubborn expectations of inflation, election uncertainties, and deficit fears limited the decline in longer rates, tilting upward on an already steep yield curve.” Only 100 federally insured commercial banks failed as opposed to 1991 in which 108 failed and more than 200 failed in each year from the year 1987-1989. Overall the commercial banks had a postivie effect on the economy for the year of 1992.
Academy Awards Powersuit
Power suits were very big in the 1980’s because of the transformation of the role of women, Shoulder pads were everywhere. By the early 1990’s the tailored suit had began to tone down a bit with softer fabrics. Designers began to lessen the intensity of the shoulder pad. The line of the suit also changed as well and instead of following a masculine rigid line it followed the curves of the female body. Celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg helped to instigate this style. Her masculine style with a dollop of femininity became very popular. Some women even started going to men’s shops for this look. This video is from the Academy Awards and you can see the power suit not only on Whoopi but also on other guests in the surroundings. Whoopi had won an academy award the previous year and returned to crown the new winner. Events like this with such large publicity, definitely gave a key role into promoting many of the trends including the power suit.
Acquired Source: History of the 20th Century, Elizabeth Ewing, Costume and Fashion Press, New York, NY; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17dYIDqy0Do
Acquired Source: History of the 20th Century, Elizabeth Ewing, Costume and Fashion Press, New York, NY; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17dYIDqy0Do
Haute Couture Dwindles
The end of the greed decade of the 1980’s came to a close and the consumers of the early nineties wanted fair pieced clothes in relation to quality. Conspicuous consumption was less common great problems were expected for haute couture labels because the shows were taking place during a great wartime. Americans made up 40 percent of the haute couture market and the American economy began to weaken. Pierre Cardin even made a white Peace Dress written in 14 different languages. At this time there were 40,000 workers in the haute business. Women started to wear what they felt right in and weren't as governed by rules as they had been in the past. Many designers started to create ready to wear lines and they also started licensing accessories and perfumes to help from bankruptcy
Image from Oscar De La Renta winter collection 1992
Acquired Source: History of the 20th Century, Elizabeth Ewing, Costume and Fashion Press, New York, NY
1992's Colors
The colors and prints of 1992 came in a large variety.
Through researching many articles it seems that animal prints were coming into style, all types including; leopard spots and zebra stripes. These prints were combined with bright colors intensifying the effects of the items in standing out.
Floral prints, plaids and checks also stood out among the fashions of 1992.
Colors were to stand out in brighter and lighter colors.
In handbags red, green and blue were the most abundant colors, followed closely by fuchsia, plum, purple, cognac, and gold.
Red and Sooty Blacks were quoted as being the power colors of the fashion season in clothes, accessories and makeup.
These bright and colorful patterns were used to brighten up the consumer, add excitement, get them shopping, anything to get the minds off of the disappointing economy and to get the money flowing.
Colors were also affected by world events;
Rich oranges, reds, and yellows were present influenced by the summer Olympics in Barcelona. Warm hues and matching patterns that were native to immigrants of the middle and far east seemed to celebrate America’s “Melting pot.”
Dolce & Gabba Autumn-Winter Collection 1991-1992
Info from: Nytimes.com, "Call of the Wild From Jeans to Handbags, the Animal Look Is Roaring Back" Los Angeles Times, Greensboro News and Record, Miami Herald, and Cosmetics and Toiletries (found using accessmylibrary.com)
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