http://www.trendwatching.com

Global Consumer Trends, Ideas And Insights.

Anticipating what consumers want is critical for taking a brand into the future.  Forward­thinking designers can then plan and develop innovative products that strike the right chord with consumers.  But how do you predict future trends?  Saturate yourself in a variety of media – read, listen, and observe – and then try to make connections between all the disparate pieces of data.  The Amsterdam-based firm, trendwatching.com, has provided five trend watching tips in their free monthly briefing for September:

1. Know why you're tracking trends: Are you doing it for inspiration, or to help you think of new products, services, and experiences for your customer?
2. Have a point of view: Being curious, open-minded, and willing to experiment will help you put trends into context.
3. Weave your web of resources: Devour newspapers, magazines, web sites, and blogs; talk to your friends, family, colleagues, and librarians; and visit shops, cafes, museums, exhibitions, and festivals.
4. Fine-tune your trend framework: Build your research on existing trend reports, such as those provided for free by trendwatching.com, and add your own observations. You will be able to spot an emerging trend when it doesn't fit into your framework.
5. Embed and apply: Start your own trend group and use the trends to influence your company's vision, come up with a new concept or brand, create a new product or service, or communicate with your customers through marketing and PR.

No matter what industry you're in, whether it's fashion, interiors, beauty, automotive, media, or education, trendwatching.com can help you develop future opportunities.  Of course, they do have products for sale, such as their $649 2008 Trend Report, but much of their research is provided for free on their site.  They believe in sharing and “contributing to the collective wisdom,” so don't hesitate to tap into this vast source of consumer trends information.

Reviewed by Library Staff Member - Kirstie Harless - S.F.

In this age of consumption, the psychology behind shopping has been critically analyzed in order to enhance the buying experience.  From Fiorucci to the Guerilla Stores examines “Through successive waves of expansion – each more extensive and pervasive than the previous – shopping has methodically encroached on a widening spectrum of territories so that it is now, arguably, ‘the defining activity of public life’.”  There is a great desire for designers and architects to translate brand identities through creative retail spaces.

From designer stores in the 80's bearing semblance to art galleries, to the practice of minimalism and feng shui in the 90's, the millennium continues to bridge the marriage of fashion, architecture, and art.  Contemporary luxury brand strategies from designer profiles are collaborating with global architects that are also celebrated for their museums and libraries.  As with these public access spaces mentioned, fashion retail imitates to be viewed also as a cultural epicenter.  Elio Fiorucci institutionalized the concept of lifestyle in order to combat, in his words, “authority and boredom.”  For more in depth understanding of the evolution of shop display aesthetics, read this book for details.

Reviewed by Library Staff Member - Glenda Ronduen