Quantitative Data Strategic Plan

Question: How do we capture the hidden momentum to develop innovative products for 2010?

I. Data Gathering
Now that we have the qualitative data of the macro-environment, we will be focusing on the end user for the Butler Bags. We want to find out how these men’s lifestyles, preferences, and passions translate into their purchasing habits and needs. What are the competitors doing in order to have a share in the market? What are the men responding to as indicated by sales? In order to gather some quantitative data, we are going to conduct a brief survey on men’s bag preferences and unfilled design elements. This information with get done by Monday the 3rd.

Continue to find the beat of momentum of 2008: (Lokelani Lee)
-2009 fashions
-Willingness to pay- perceived value
-Observe/ take pictures
-Magazines- arts- TV- Movies- Pop
-Why consumers buy what they buy

Who is Butler Bag: (Jessica McCorkle)
-Look at website
-Look at product lines and price points
-Look at colors
-Look at sales: items, colors and PP
-Identify 3 direct competitors

Target Market: (Lara Ward)
-Demographics
-Characteristics
-Psychographic
-Behavioral
-Social
-Political
-Cultural
-Potential growth

Developing the forecast: (Devin Hendrickson)
-Product
-Color lines
-Fabrics
-Design

Micro Environment/Context: (Brianne Holden-Boushey & Elizabeth Lange)
-Identify Color Cycles: 1978-2006
-Research fro 2008
-What has been predicted in 2009
-Identify Clusters/ Products and their color:
-Accessories
-Cosmetics- Interior design/paint/outdoor paint
-Auto Industry- Food Industry
-Names and their sources of Inspiration:
-Life Span of colors:

II. Data Analysis
After gathering customer, product, and competitor data, we need to look beyond the obvious dominating trends and find the underlying pattern that will continue into the future. Then we will compile the outcome into a visual format. This information will be done by Sunday the 9th.

Finding Hidden Currents
-Sorting out what is relevant
-Identifying correlations between different factors of the
microenvironment

Product Development
-Pinpointing the needs of the end user
-Designing a product that is aesthetically pleasing to the visual and
emotional senses of the target market

Review Initial Line:
-Develop Prototype- Sketch

Develop a Color Board: 2010 Forecast- Online
-Inspiration/Them/Photos
-Names for Colors/Shades/Tints/Tones
-Palette of 6-7

III. Data Interpretation
We can now connect the macro-and micro-environments from the past and the present into a written synthesis. The final conclusion of the Butler Bag line of 2010 will reflect the research through the colors, fabrics, designs, and price points that the target market will embrace. This information will be due November 14th.

-Combine macro and micro environment
-Forecasting the Butler Bag line of 2010
-Testing the forecast

Color for the soul

Color for the Soul Poster
feedback form

Observations

I went to the Moscow mall to do some research on consumers. My first stop was at Macy's where I asked the sales person to point out some purses that were top sellers and others that didn't sell as well. She quickly pointed out Fossil as being the #1 brand, mentioning that they were the most purchased and least returned. The Fossil bags she pointed out were made of neutral-colored leather and most had two straps. I also learned that many customers loved the Lucky purses, but rarely bought them. My first thought was, "check the price tag." As I suspected the Lucky purses were over $100, while the Fossil bags were $30-$60.

My second finding came from talking a middle-aged woman customer who was shopping for a purse. She was looking for a smaller purse because she complained that the current trend of large bags are a hassle getting in and out of the car. She also prefered having a bag with compartments.

My third discovery was made at Maurices. There was a bag on display that a customer had designed and won the purse competition that the company had sponsored. It was interesting to see what bag had won since obviously the company had done research on what is popular. However, when I asked the sales lady how the customers had responded to the bag, she did not give an enthusiastic response. As shown in the pictures below, the design is quite boxy. This differs from the masses of oversized or pouch like bags that dominate the market. Perhaps the judges of the competition are aware of a growing trend...?

The Minimalistic 1994

Wear Cu-Tees to Save Lives by Willette Francis

Betcha didn’t know wearing a polo shirt could save lives. I’m not talking about any old polo shirt, so don’t even go searching your closet for that sweet little crocodile (or is it an alligator?). I’m talking about the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer polo designed by Ralph Lauren for the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America began the FTBC campaign in 1994 as the fashion industry’s response to breast cancer. The initiative has created public awareness and continues to support breast cancer research, education, screening and patient care. This year, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer has teamed up with Ralph Lauren to design a polo shirt that raises money for the cause in addition to making fashionistas for the cause look cute. The polo shirt, available for $75.00 exclusively at Net-A-Porter.com, will be the first item to launch the global retail partnership. Sixty-five dollars (close to 90%) of each purchase will be donated to Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Worldwide to support local breast cancer charities around the world. Since the inception of the program, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer has raised over 40 million dollars for breast cancer charities in 13 countries.

In the upcoming months, the website will feature limited-edition merchandise by other internationally renowned designers, all available at the “FTBC store” on the Net-A-Porter website. In another partnership to raise funds and awareness, look for a quilted ballet slipper with the FTBC bull’s-eye logo inside from Scoop beginning in October. Currently, Scoop offers a different style flat that has raised over $30,000 since 2006 available at select Scoop boutiques.

For more information, go to http://www.fashiontargetsbreastcancer.org/ and http://www.net-a-porter.com/ to purchase a polo (available in white and neon blue, green, red and yellow) to support this emergent problem that affects nearly 1.5 million women annually. Show some love for your fellow sisters, now.

www.beautynewsny.com

Models wear matching purple,orange and fuschia dou...

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Models wear matching purple,orange and fuschia double coats during the Bill Blass Fall 1994 fashion collection, 08 April 1994, in New York. The shows will run through 13 April. (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

Models wears matching purple and green plaid coat...

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES: Models wears matching purple and green plaid coats during the Wellman Fall 1994 fashion collection, 10 April 1994. All the outfits were made from Fortrel EcoSpun, a fiber made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

ritish model Naomi Campbell presents this fake fu... PARIS, FRANCE: British model Naomi Campbell presents this fake fur jacket in pink and green over matching, leather-like vests, a stretch black minidress and leather boxer belt, with a coordinated Siberian-like hat, for the Chanel 1994/95 Fall/Winter ready to wear collection 10 March 1994 in Paris. (Photo credit should read PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images)

A model displays a transparent black chiffon bodic...

PARIS, FRANCE: A model displays a transparent black chiffon bodice top with a high multicolor floral skirt 16 January 1994 in Paris for Christian Lacroix 1994 Spring/Summer haute-couture collection. (Photo credit should read GERARD JULIEN/AFP/Getty Images)

*Although the colors of 1994 were particularly dull, somber or too
neutral (or too black) there are clear statements within these
minimalistic designs that blend bright and bold splashes of color.

www.gettyimages.com

1994 showcased:

• Narrow, lean silhouettes
• Fitted bodices
• Low V's, round, high, or shawl collar necklines
• Long sleeves with no pads
• Mini, calf-length, ankle, figure hugging skirts
• Woven, knitted wool, silk, cotton and stretchy fabrics
• Clear, bright/shiny, subdued,
  
• muted colors: black, gray, navy, blue
• Knee-length boots, high spiked heels,
  
• pointed toes, shoulder bags, chunky jewelry, leggings in all colors
• long blazers with multi-colored blockings
• "the transparent look"--layered over lace bodysuits
• bustiers
• bras
  
• rise of extreme sports and marketing of brand names:
  
• Stussy,Quiksilver, Louis Vuitton, Escada, etc.
  
• T-shirts were iconic for sexuality or minimalism--
• Calvin Klein and other logoed shirts like Lacoste, Ralph Lauren
  
• Rising designers from Paris, London, etc. i.e. Helmut Lang
  
• ("new casual" in workplace), Gianni Versace
  
• (defining figure of '80s & '90s), Prada (new "bad taste" styles),
  
• Lawrence Steele (known for feminine, sexy designs stemmed from riotous/radical ideas) etc.
  
• took new directions in their designs through the meshing
  
• extreme styles and radical, unconventional ideas and tastes
  
• California's Long Beach unified school district:
  
• the launching of school uniform since 1994 involving about 60,000 students in uniform and is said to significantly decrease violence
  
• the minimalist look was very popular:
  
• dark, deep and somber colors matched with simple and lean silhouettes and designs
• "the diffusion theory"
  
• as fashion trends spread throughout the populations and become more mainstream, it influences people in different ways and as a result evolves
• post modernism and post subculture: "new age"
• the 'supermarket of style', "those who frequent the supermarket of style display...a stylistic promiscuity which is breathtaking in its casualness. 'Punks' one day, 'hippies' the next, ...converting the history of street style into a vast theme park.." (Polhemus, 131) Ted Polhemus was an anthropologist, his insight was provided in the text that I researched in [Streetstyle: From Sidewalk to Catwalk" London: Thames and Hudson, Inc. 1994
  
• the "youth market" or "teenage fashion"
• became more popular to a broader market, extending into the 20's, 30's + age group and targeted the female preteen also was characterized as a broad cultural appeal

Taken from "Fashion since 1900--the complete sourcebook" by John Peacock (1993, 2007) London & "Encyclopedia of Clothing & Fashion" Thomson & Gale, Inc. (2005), "Fashion: Examining Pop Culture" (2003) Green Haven Press, Gale Group Inc. & Thomson Learning, Inc.

Culture (1994)

Rituals

Winter Olympics Popular With Viewers

Zoglin, Richard. "The Olympics That Came In From the Cold." Time 143.10(Mar1994): 65. Academic Search Complete. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 13 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

The 1994 winter Olympic games in Norway drew a larger audience than any previous games. Ratings had been struggling for a number of years with the Olympics. But prime-time viewership nearly doubled between these 1994 Olympics and the previous 1992 summer games. Though the events were canned, viewers were kept at the edge of their seats. In fact, 48.5% of all American households tuned-in for the women's short ice skating program. Editing was provided to enhance dramatic effect, adding suspense and interest. For the first time in many years, Americans found heroes in the games. Americans watched, in awe, as countless Americans took gold at these winter Olympics.


Woodstock Makes a Comeback

Morse, Steve. "Woodstock '94 is BIG." The Boston Globe (June1994): 8B. LexisNexis Academic. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 13 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

Woodstock 1994, designed to commemorate the original festival, was larger than anyone could have anticipated. Making between $25- and $30-million, Woodstock spanned two stage venues a half-mile apart, each more than 100 acres in size. It also had 600 shuttle buses, two 52-bed mobile hospitals, 425 doctors and nurses, and an on-site newspaper. This 1994 event was too large to be held at the original location: Bethel. The legend of Woodstock 1969 was cause for such an overproduction the second time around. The 'Surreal Field' was a tent village built between the two stage venues so that participants did not have to leave throughout the weekend. Interestingly, no alcohol could be consumed or sold during the festival. Later, the concert series could be bought on pay-per-view. And although it was a cultural tradition with a strong legacy, Woodstock 1994 could not quite capture the momentum of Woodstock 1969. Society and social upheavals were very different. In 1969, concert-goers were interested in not only the music, but the message as well.

Culture (1994)

Values

O.J. Simpson Arrested

McCarthy, Phillip. "Live On TV, An American Hero Falls From Grace." Sydney Morning Herald. 20 June 1994. LexisNexis Academic. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 12 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

O.J. Simpson, considered one of America's greatest football stars, found himself battling both the nation and its law during the summer of 1994. One weekend in late June, Simpson was charged with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. But before they could arrest him, Simpson fled the scene. A car chase ensued; the five-hour extravaganza videotaped by news helicopters and broadcast nationwide. Americans were glued to their television sets, watching the American hero's life unravel. He was often considered not only a hero on the football field, but a role model for all young African-Americans. Upon his capture, Simpson was sent to a maximum-security prison to await trial. Lawyers pleaded innocent by means of temporary insanity. The 1994 murder case was one of the most watched events in American history. Americans were both appalled and fascinated with the crime, Simpson's attempt to flee, and the proceeding trial. It became a national obsession.


Supreme Court Limits Abortion Protests

Hall, Mimi, and Tony Maruo. "Abortion Clinics Win Protection / 'Protest-Free Zones' Ok'd By High Court." USA Today(Jul1994): 3A. LexisNexis Academic. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 12 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

The supreme court ruled that abortion clinics had the right to "protest-free zones" outside of their buildings, keeping aggravated antiabortion protesters from blocking patient access. The court said that the 36-foot bugger was sufficient under the constitutional First Amendment. Some protesters were adamant that the ruling would be defied, however. It was intended that the Supreme Court ruling would help women exercise their right to an abortion by keeping unruly protesters from frightening, or even physically harming, them. Violent protests caused some women to turn away from needed abortions and a few dozen doctors to quit. President Clinton also signed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances bill which solidified the Supreme Court rule. Questions were raised about the 36-foot barrier, believing that in some location that could seem like miles away. Others were nervous that it would place further restrictions on free speech. In general, the court ruling was determined so that protesters were free to speak and believe what they wished, but must protest with discretion as to not take it too far.

Puga, Ana. "Court OK's Limits on Antiabortion Protesters." The Boston Globe. 1 July 1994. LexisNexis Academic. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 12 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

A Florida state judge determined that protesters had to demonstrate quietly as well as 36-feet from the entrance of a local abortion clinic. The ruling was taken to the Supreme Court where it was decided that this judge was not in violation of any constitutional rights. The high court did rule, however, that a 300-foot limit from both the clinic and homes of clinic staff was unnecessary and illegal. Forty abortion clinics nationwide would benefit from this ruling as they were in court battles of their own. Threats, bombings, and shootings were amongst the issues facing abortion clinics. Surgery and recovery periods are burdened when noise and violence become issues, Supreme Court judges decided. Women have the legal right to an abortion and should not be hindered by extremist antiabortion protesters. The vote was 6-3 in favor of passing the rule. Opposing judges felt it hindered free speech. Antiabortion groups felt betrayed by the Supreme Court while abortion rights activists were elated.

Aging Baby Boomers want Practical over Fashionable

Fashion Relearns Its Darwin: Be Adaptable or Be Extinct
By: Constance C. R. White and Jennifer Steinhauer
Fashion Relearns Its Darwin: Be Adaptable or Be Extinct

The fashion business has been slow to recognize the changes in many American women's attitudes toward clothes. Women, particularly aging baby boomers, have recently wanted something less extreme -- clothes that were stylish yet practical enough to wear at the office, a business dinner and a P.T.A. meeting. And if they don't find what they want, they are happy to spend their money on things that now seem far more worthwhile, from vacations to home furnishings to plastic surgery. During the early 90’s many designers that failed to see the changes in women’s fashion simply went out of business from lack of sales. Some caulities were I. Magnin, Petrie Stores and Merry-Go-Round. Perry Ellis and Adrienne Vittadini, two other well-known American sportswear labels, also shut down their designer businesses.
Growth stalled at companies that were leaders in career apparel, like Liz Claiborne and Leslie Fay.
And stores that once seemed invulnerable -- Ann Taylor Stores, Charivari, the Limited and Casual Corner, among them -- are deeply troubled. Women's apparel stores had their worst Christmas in nearly a decade in 1995.

But other retailers, including Searle, the Gap, Target Stores and Sears, Roebuck, have found ways to endear themselves to the female shopper, with an assortment of more practical clothes, reasonable prices and more convenient layouts.
A number of the most promising designers -- all creating expensive fashions, often formal career clothes -- have been forced out of business since 1990. The list includes Charlotte Neuville, Christian Francis Roth, Gordon Henderson, Stephen Sprouse, Mary Ann Restivo, Eleanor Brenner, Gloria Sachs and Carolyne Roehm.

''In the late 80's and early 90's, the industry didn't realize it could all come to an end,'' Mr. Mori said. ''People got wise to the fact that their lives didn't revolve around the way they dressed. Fashion didn't realize what was happening. We found ourselves with overdone fashions.''

But with the change in fashion came came dozens of copycats that imitated hot sellers quickly and sometimes more cheaply.

Winners Letting Shoppers Dictate Style
A new crop of designers like Anna Sui, Tommy Hilfiger, Cynthia Rowley and Max Azria's BCBG are creating fashion houses offering more casual styles that cost from $50 for a knit top to $400 for a jacket, a sharp departure from the current sovereigns of fashion, who built their kingdoms selling $2,000 suits.
A moderate resurgence of luxury goods like handbags, jewelry and perfume has also helped sales at upscale department stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks.
But many retailers are succeeding also by recognizing that the female shopper has changed, and the stores have begun offering a more appealing mix of merchandise, lower prices and an atmosphere friendlier to shop in.
One standout is the Gap. Once a purveyor of very casual fashions that seemed most appropriate for a college class -- striped T-shirts, sweatshirts, loose jeans -- the Gap began offering casual but much more fashionable separates.
Sears, Roebuck is perhaps the best example of a mainstream, moderate-priced retailer that has responded to three of its customers' desires: affordable work-and-weekend dressing, snazzily packaged cosmetics and a better-organized store.
Target Stores, owned by the Dayton Hudson Corporation, is a winner here. Target takes a look from the Milan runway and, rather than trying to cheaply emulate it, translates it into something hip and wearable.

Getting to know Tonya Hawkes the designer

Bag Lady -- Seattle-Area Native's Success Designing Handbags In New York City Is The Result Of Long Hours, Hard Work And Dedication
By Robin Updike

In 1994 Tonya Hawkes was a successful bag designer. The seattle native finally find her place after working all around world. She is most known for her creative shapes she uses in her bags.
Hawkes says she is greatly admired the top innovative designers of that time such as Issey Miyake, Isaac Mizrahi, John Galliano, Romeo Gigli and her top boss, Donna Karan.
Hawkes was one of two handbag designers for DKNY, Donna Karan's highly successful bridge label that includes a full line of accessories. Though her name wasnt on the bags she designed, some of her signature touches included innovative hardware that she designs herself - one of the backpacks she created for spring closes with a tiny, silver-toned clothespin - and shapes not traditionally associated with fashion handbags and totes. Another of her spring totes was a denim tool bag with a wealth of accordion pockets suggestive of the useful pouch pockets built into work belts for gardeners.
"I try new shapes all the time," says Hawkes. "I like to mix fashion with function and I always have ideas. I do have a very strong imagination."
Hawks put in about 55 hours a week designing bags, though she wasn’t complaining: "I love the satisfaction of the models at Bryant Park bookin' out on the runway with my bags," she says referring to the seasonal fashion shows for the fashion media and store executives.

The 90's

1990 Events

• After a number of years fighting between Iran and Iraq , Saddam Hussein needed additional funds and invaded neighboring oil rich Kuwait, The UN showed it's strength and a coalition force fully backed by the United Nations first bombed and then a month later mounted a ground attack to send the Iraq army back to Iraq and retook possession of Kuwait . ( This was known as The Gulf War )
  
• In Rwanda and other countries in Africa including Zaire Ethnic Conflict between the majority Hutu and minority Tutsi caused upwards of the death of 500,000
  
• In the early 90's from 1990 - 1995 many in the UK were effected by the boom in house prices coming to an end and house prices falling which left many with negative equity. House prices suffered sharp falls, particularly in southern Britain. The causes for house prices falling were due to a number of factors including, high interest rates, 1990 an inflation rate of over 10%, and the previous house price boom making many believe that property prices would continue to be the best form of investment and borrowers ending up with mortgage payments that were difficult to service.
  
• The 90's saw a world wide increase of the use, production, and smuggling of the drug trade, with the drugs becoming more addictive and destructive. Many initiatives were tried to stop the growth and production but at this point in time it is still an increasing problem in our society . Possibly still the best chance of stemming the growth is through education .
  

Technology in the 90's

• The 90's saw the growth of the World Wide Web and the Personal Computer PC, In 1991 when the WWW first became available for the public it grew dramatically with users multiplying at the rate of about 3500 times a year , by the year 2000 there were an estimated 295 million users on the Internet. This in turn caused a continuing revolution in communication and business.


• Cloning is the ability to clone one animal from the cell of another animal. A sheep later called Dolly which was cloned from the cell of an adult Ewe and was fused with an unfertilized egg cell from which the nucleic DNA had been removed.
  

Popular Culture of the 90's

• Seinfeld – which has often been voted as the best show in the history of television – began and ended its nine seasons during the 1990s. In a way, Seinfeld redefined the sitcom genre by its seemingly pointless plots and unwavering characters.
  
• Television in the 1990s also created a great deal of controversy. Beavis and Butthead – an animated program on MTV – was blamed for a young boy burning down his family’s mobile home. South Park also continued to push the envelope with child characters who were sassy and rebellious against their parents and teachers


• Children also benefited from the available programs of the 1990s. The Tiny Toons Adventures was a different take on the characters made popular by the Looney Toons. The Animaniacs, Family Guy, and King of the Hill also redefined animated television with wittier dialogue that was meant to entertain adults while still being appealing for children to watch.
  

Toys From the 90's

• Roller blades saw a particularly heavy rush in the early 90s after their creation in 1990. Similar to skateboards, roller blades found mass appeal very quickly, growing beyond the bounds of simple children’s toys.


• Beanie Babies were such an incredible craze that the prospect of children owning them soon died away because of the prices they garnered, induced by their rarity and mass demand.


• Tickle Me Elmo hit the kinds of epic mass appeal for children that Cabbage Patch Kids did before it, selling out weeks before Christmas, and today the descendants of Elmo are still alive and kicking (and still hard to find).

90's Sports Heros

• A very famous athlete in the 90's was Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was a famous basketball player who played for the Chicago Bulls. He retired from playing the sport in 1998. Michael now lives in a big house with his wife and three kids. In his backyard he has his own golf course which he also plays.


• Two of the most famous sports heroes in the 90's were Mark McQwire and Sammy Sosa. Mark and Sammy are famous baseball players. They plaed against eachother in many games as they were fighting for the same title: "Most Home Runns Ever In One Season." McGwire reached 62 home runs first, beating Roger Maris's record of 61.


• Wayne Gretzky, known as the "Great One," was a record breaking hockey player. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis, then retired from the New York Rangers. He was voted the National Hockey League "Most Valuable Player" nine different times and the league's leading scorer ten times. He holds 61 records in hockey. Gretzky scored more goals in one season than any other player. He put up his stick in 1999, retiring as a true legend.


• Finally, Tiger Woods continues to amaze all golf athletes and spectators with his magnificent shots. He began breaking and setting many golf records at the young age of eighteen. He is still a champion of golf today.

Source: http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1990s.html

1994 Consumer Demographics: Wealth

In the Table of Mean and Median Net Worth there is steady increase in net worth from 1962 until the 1990s. The 90s starts a trend of decreasing net worth.

In the Table of Total Net Worth Held by Position in the Wealth Distribution, the data shows that there is a inequality of wealth because there is an upward trend of the share of total wealth by the top 1% of wealth holders.

Resource: Annual Review of SociologyVol. 26: 63-81 (Volume publication date August 2000) (doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.26.1.63)

Consumers' Motivations

This table shows what makes a brand or product considered "luxury" in the minds of consumers. If Butler Bag's new line is to continue to be perceived as a luxury line, it is important to that we use this as a standard for upholding the current image. People aren't going to pay high-end prices unless they perceive the bag to have more value than just functionality. They may desire it because of the status symbol, uniqueness, quality, social connections, or emotional satisfaction.

Resource: http://www.amsreview.org/articles/vigneron01-1999.pdf

Demographics and Geographics (1994)

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the median family income in the U.S. was $39,700 and the median home price was $112,000. The housing opportunity index indicated that there were favorable opportunities in the midwest and south, while the west and northeast dominated the least affordable conditions. However, the median incomes in the west and northeast were also much higher. This means the coasts provide a higher market for luxury goods. Also, if the jobs are higher paying on the west and east coasts, then the consumers probably have needs pertaining to luxury goods and leisure.

Source: "Housing Opportunity: Where Can You Afford?" on the Academic Source Complete database

Culture (1994)

Shared Beliefs

Kurt Cobain Suicide Influences a Generation

Blumenfeld, Laura. "The Suicide That Spoke To a Generation; For Fans of Nirvana Singer Kurt Cobain, It's a World of Anger and Anxiety." The Washington Post (Apr1994): B1. LexisNexis Academic. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 7 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

Generation X was one of angst and desperation. The suicide of Kurt Cobain in April of 1994 spoke directly to them. Cobain, apparently, understood the turmoils teens faced. Some said that they should be called the "Angry Generation". Nirvana's music was the only thing that got their message across. Nirvana, unlike anything else, understood them. Like Cobain, these restless teens excessively worried about life's potential and unexpected problems: jobs, relationships, disease, poverty. Cobain's legacy seemed to be synonymous with his death. In leaving this world, he left a message to his fans that escape was necessary. Generation X felt desperation and isolation, their thoughts exemplified by Cobain's suicide.

Delvaux, Martine. "The Exit of a Generation: The 'Whatever' Philosophy." Midwest Quarterly 40.2(1999): 171-186. Academic Search Complete. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 7 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

Kurt Cobain, with all his misery, seemed to be the icon of Generation X. They were a group of youth who wanted something to care about, but seemed to be lost to the world. A mixed-up jumble of passion and desperation. It was as if they had no true direction in their lives. Cobain symbolized a life of isolation, deprived of happiness. This appealed to Generation X who thought themselves to be in the same situation. They were a dark, unmotivated group of individuals. It seemed angst would be their defining quality; unable or unwilling to do anything about it. Cobain's suicide has been considered the "bullet that shot through a generation". He became a legend with his suicide. A violent, disturbed idea that Generation X gave tribute to.

Color Fashion Mood Boards for Autumn
2008

Reds/Oranges Fashion Mood Board
The main fashion trends for Autumn 2008/9 hinge on a good strong fashion color palette, which is rich and earthy. Such beautiful hues mean there is no better time to buy winter coats in colors that suit every complexion.
Fiery red with the tone which is found only on the ripest tomatoes is one of the more joyful new autumn fashion trends for colors of 2008. Red is a base for footwear, shoes and handbags as well as leather, satin and folkloric rose embroidery. It's perfect for party dresses to wear in the holiday season and looks wonderful when set against ruby red gemstones, garnets or Swarovski crystals.

Purple Aubergines Mood Board
The main colors for autumn concentrate on rich moody hues. In 2008 we are seeing the berry tones of reds and damson infused purples, plus the Renaissance artist palette of raw umber. Tones of red and purple are often paired together to create a vibrant color scheme that sings 'look at me'. Jewel colors also mean gems like amethyst, tanzanite and iolite make perfect accessories to lift garments in these colors .

Inky Blues Mood Board
The blues are rich, and range from blue black ink, royal sapphire, iris, and deepest kingfisher teal to soft turquoise. The glorious blue stone earrings shown centre below are from Dior.

Sea Greens Mood Board
Jewels such as emerald are a strong influence in the green range of fashion mood boards. You will also see turquoise and teal merge with sea green, at the softer end of the tonal range are watery citrus greens and yellow toned olives and avocado greens

Apricot Golds Fashion Mood Board
The golden apricot fashion mood boards feature citrus greens, melt creamy banana, and rust. Animal skin prints highlight the importance of the rich ginger and tortoise tones. This season watch out for shoes and bags in golden toned leopard prints. To find out more about the different exotic skin types see the page on animal fashion trends.

Winter White Cream, Taupe & Cocoa Mood Board
The classic fashion mood board for winter features light shades of tangerine orange and crushed brown sugars. What you also get is a warm earthy palette that soon meets cappuccino, taupes and pink based cocoa. As winter is the coldest season, these colors often are so watered down and pastel they become a tint of winter white.

Source: http://www.fashion-era.com/trends_2009/moodboards-colour-autumn-fashion-2008.htm

Society (1994)

Lifestyles

Flavr Savr Tomato

McFarling, Usha Lee. "Look On the Shelf, It's Super Tomato: FDA OK's Gene-Aided Fruit." The Boston Globe: 1. 19 May 1994. LexisNexis Academic. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 6 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

The FDA approved genetically engineered food in the spring of 1994. Specifically, a tomato called Flavr Savr. The tomato was just the start of a genetically engineered food "movement". The tomato was created to resist rotting, and at the time, a potato was also being researched that would absorb less oil when fried. Scientists hoped to design a whole line of produce that would resist both herbicides and viruses. The Flavr Savr had a much longer shelf life than regular tomatoes. Rather than rotting or greening, grocery stores could sell the product many days after a normal tomato would last. Though the tomato had to endure safety testing, critics questioned if the testing was rigorous enough. Genetically engineered foods were required to be sold with a label such as "grown from Flavr Savr seed". And organic food organizations were quick to boycott the genetically engineered produce. The first set of tomatoes were placed on grocery shelves in the Midwest and California, just days after FDA approval.

Hager, Mary, and Laura Shapiro. "A Tomato With a Body That Just Won't Quit." Newsweek 123.23(June1994): 80-83. 7 Oct. 2008. Academic Search Complete. Terrell Lib., Washington State University. 7 Oct. 2008 http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu.

The Flavr Savr tomato took ten years and $25 million for its completion in 1994. The makers of Flavr Savr, Calgene, had to be cautious about the development of their product. With Flavr Savr being the first genetically engineered food product, Calgene faced harsh criticism. Fortunately, their development was successful. Many consumers said the tomato tasted homegrown and, impressively, lasts days longer than a normal tomato. Though it had a strange skin texture, the technology was quite remarkable. The FDA approved these tomatoes to be sold in stores, agreeing that the genetically engineered tomato was safe. The question still remained, however, what would happen in future years. While Flavr Savr labeled its product, there were no laws that declared genetically engineered products had to be. most biotech produce is developed with herbicide resistance in mind, but critics questioned what other modifications could be developed. With new technology comes uncertainty and reservation. However, makers of genetically engineered foods predicted that by 2004, all tomatoes, if not all produce, would be a biotech product.

1994 Color and retro grunge .

1990's Color Combinations
Color Palettes with CMYK Formulas

Color trends of the nineties are harder to classify with so many trends, retro color schemes, and new fads. The color combos shown here fit no particular mold but contain combinations of shades popular throughout the 1990s and on into the new millennium.

C50M60 C100M20K20 C15M50Y55 White
This peachy palette includes a mild purple and medium blue.

C90M50K30 C70K25 C10K40 C100K40 C100M90Y90
These blues and gray create a dark, conservative look.

M10Y20K15 K45 M40Y40K70 White
Neutrals combine for an unusual look. Make the gray a splash of metallic silver ink and it's not so dull a combo as you might think.

A modern mix of peach, orange, yellow, and dusky purple.

M27Y100K6 C100M43K18 White
Opposites attract - blue and yellow - while white adds light to this slightly dark palette.

C40M5Y30 C100M15Y80 C50M30 C67M75Y10K13 C80M55 C40K100 White
Opposites of purple and green make an attractive match with black and white added to the party.

C10M100Y100 C100M5Y100 M10Y100 C40K100
A red and green combo. Use lots of black and a bit of yellow to create an eye-popping look.

C100M75 C80M5Y10 C65M3Y10 C15Y5 M40Y75 C100M50 C40K100 White
Brighten this combo of shades of blues with a dash of orange.

Y65 C10M45Y45 C40M30Y30 White
This washed out combo of pale yellow, pale pink, gray, and white would usually be considered a bad combination but when anything goes...

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/colorpalettes/l/blcpcurrentrave.htm

When you thing of 1990’s fashion, one may think of GRUNGE: baggy, denim, cropped tops, plaid flannel, short hair -- “androgynous.” Women began to wear more ‘trousers’ as men wore their baggy pants. The color palettes of the ‘90s are better represented as less vibrant but prominent colors were:

• BLACK
• purples
• wine reds
• forest or hunter greens
• different shades of browns (nude/neutral colors that were reflected within the shifting trends in make-up)
• dull greys
  
  Therefore, primary fabrics (reflected in the grunge style as well):
  
• Leather
• Flannel
• Denim (white and blue, overalls/shortalls/shorts)
• Wovens/crochet
• lycra (for a more enhanced look)
• fleece
• knits
• linen
• silk
• cashmere
• velvets
• microfibre polyester
• Softer fabrics--less color

"Plain fabrics or subtle weaves and the novelty of computer generated abstract prints replaced floral chintz like prints throughout the nineties. Georgina Von Etzdorf a textile designer produced hand printed deeply luxurious velvet accessories and scarves in the 80s and 90's"
http://www.fashion-era.com/the_1990s.htm

"Mad About Plaid"

While I often lament that I was only a child in the 1980s, I should more often lament being a teenager in the 1990s. To this date, I'm not quite sure that there was much "Good" that came from 90s fashion, or nothing noteworthy (other than grunge), and I'm not positive I want to remember grunge.

http://www.mischiefmydear.com/2007/12/mad-about-plaid.html

Grunge was also highly influenced and inspired by the alternative form of music of the ‘90s, in correlation to this style trend, leather fabrics were also a prevalent trend:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/1990s-fashion-trends.html
www.gettyimages.com

Also, looking back on the the early `90s, "retro"--demonstrating very bold, "highlighter" colors (the Fresh Prince of Bel air) was associated with the 1990's, depicting that year in fashion as edgy/trendy. Below is a 2007 cover for Missbehave magazine featuring a growing pop artist, M.I.A., dolled up in retro fashion of the 1990's. Here are some major forms of the retro look of the early `90s below: in footwear, make-up, style trends, etc.

Do You Rock the Early 1990's Like No One's Business?

http://www.missbehavemag.com/

Reebok Colors 2nd Series Collection

Reebok will release the second series of the Kolors Collection and just like the previous collection some fitted caps will match featuring NFL teams. Different combinations of materials are used like patent leather and the colors bring up a 1990s feel. The Fitted hats are nice as well featuring a array of colors. Expect to be able to purchase them in June. Via HB.

www.sneakerfiles.com

"Extreme ganguro fashion": a style of Japan that occurred in the early 1990's to represent the trend of a vibrant color palette of that time.

http://glauser.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/yamambas.jpg

A snippet of 1994 car history:

- Car and Driver Ten Best - 1994

Top 3 Cars of 1994

Institution of the 2.5x price cap, now at $43,000.

Fastest car tested: Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, 179 mph

Top-selling cars:

1. Ford Taurus
2. Honda Accord
3. Ford Escort

http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Car_and_Driver_Ten_Best_-_1994/id/4899281

90`s technology consumers could not live without:

• laptops
• mobile phones
• electronic organizers
• essential accessory: pashmina scarf
  

Defining a decade: Designers differ on trends of the '90s

December 23, 1998
Web posted at: 10:25 p.m. EST (0325 GMT)

From Style Correspondent Elsa Klensch

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Designers have differing ideas on what was the major fashion trend of the 1990s. It could have been the color black, dressed-down Fridays, an urban edge, low-slung pants or the long skirt.

But there is some agreement: It's been a decade of minimalism -- simplification of clothes, ease and comfort of separates dressing and freedom of choice. Designers say it's now the women who make the decisions and not the designers.

In Paris, designer Martine Sitbon cited minimalism as a major trend -- with a plus.

"Women don't have to show they're very strong in the '90s compared to the '80s," she says. "They feel very comfortable with themselves."

Oscar de la Renta says the sheer simplicity of dressing in an easy manner was the major trend.

London's Nicole Farhi agrees that simplicity was key -- and says that it is time to move along.

"We are getting now to the end of the '90s where we practically have created a uniform," she says. "I think there should be a really big change. We can't be any simpler than we've been."

Giovanna Ferragamo says that while minimalism was a thread throughout the '90s, the decade was a bit fickle.

"The characteristic of the '90s is that there were a lot of changes, fast changes," she says.

New ideas of beauty

Designer Mark Jacobs says the '90s gave women a wider choice in fashion and in beauty as well.

"I think that people's eyes have been opened up to accepting a lot of different types of women as being beautiful," he says.

Milan design team Dolce and Gabbana describes the decade's major trend as a new freedom.

Marcel Marongiu says that new freedom spilled over to designers, giving them the resolve to break with tradition.

"It enabled us ... to have a new approach to fashion," he says.

And for New York's Michael Kors, the most important trend in the '90s can be summed up using one word:

"Comfort, comfort, comfort," he says. "I think each decade stands for something and this one for sure is about comfort."

http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9812/23/trend.yearender/index.html

Future Consumers, Lifestyles, and Online Communities

This was such an informative video on the consumers of the future. One theme that was repeated over and over was that companies need to connect with the consumers emotions. Because people behave irrationally under pressure and today's society is so impatient, their decisions will often be based off of how they feel. However because online communities are radically changing the way products are rated, it is vital that a company not only initially capture the customers emotions, but capture their passion by delivering on the promises your company has made. In addition, consumers don't want convergence of products and services, but rather divergence that meets real needs.

Demographics Today and the Future

This video talks about the upcoming generation of consumers, primarily in India. It also focuses on the growth in urban living.