Forums: Design:

For those of you who design for a high school and/or college target market, where do you go to get ideas for the latest trends in design?

And another questions: I really dig the ornamental grunge illustrative style, but is it still current or is it passé. I'm okay if it's just "5 minutes ago."

Originally posted by: birdless
For those of you who design for a high school and/or college target market, where do you go to get ideas for the latest trends in design?

this is highly subjective and depends on the full spectrum of demographics for the target audience. I would look at completely different resources for say a high school target market in the Bronx than I would for the same population in say Cheyenne, Wyoming.

What is the scope for the audience? All U.S., one state, etc?

Originally posted by: BOBBYLOVEVILLE
this is highly subjective and depends on the full spectrum of demographics for the target audience. I would look at completely different resources for say a high school target market in the Bronx than I would for the same population in say Cheyenne, Wyoming.

What is the scope for the audience? All U.S., one state, etc?

Oh, I meant to mention that I work at a state university, so pretty much all of the U.S.

But right, it is subjective, which is why I want to make sure I get a broader sense of who I'm designing for as a whole.

Look at fashion magazines catering to streetwear from about 2 years ago, especially sporty stuff like snowboarding or skateboarding. That's mainstream for your market now. Talking very broadly, anyways.

Cool, Arigato. Thanks for the tip. Why do you specify about two years ago? Just because that's the way it is? Also, where do you get your information that that's mainstream/current? Is it just observation or do you have children? My own child is only 18 months, so he's not too attentive to mainstream fashion at the moment, and my nieces and nephews are not quite old enough.

Two - Three years is usually how long it takes a trend/fad to make it from the runway/skate park/punk club/rave/etc onto the sketch pads of designers at major retailers (Gap, Abercrombie, whathaveyou).

In my line of work (garment & accessories) I deal with graphic trends for a wide variety of market segments. Basically, what's cutting edge with the cool kids becomes filtered into the mainstream about 2 years later - it has to do with season shifts and buy cycles - it generally takes one cycle for a trend to register with mainstream and another cycle for them to respond. Because they're very market driven they only go with "proven" trends so it's pretty consistent, and is always responsive, not creative. Guessing which trends are the ones that will make it to mainstream is harder, though after first cycle it's a lot easier to guess.

Ah, cool, I see. Well, we do publications for everything (specific departments, recruiting, requests for donations, annual reports... the whole she-bang). Our last viewbook was very well done, but it was done before I came, and I want to make sure I keep up with current trends. At my previous job, it wasn't so much a requirement for the target market (stodgy rich people).

Fortunately for marketing weasels, stodgy rich people have liked pretty much the same shit for the last 200 years.

Originally posted by: arigato
Fortunately for marketing weasels, stodgy rich people have liked pretty much the same shit for the last 200 years.

And thank fuck for that. Makes my job EASY!

Originally posted by: arigato
Fortunately for marketing weasels, stodgy rich people have liked pretty much the same shit for the last 200 years.

Originally posted by: rogue_designer

Originally posted by: arigato
Fortunately for marketing weasels, stodgy rich people have liked pretty much the same shit for the last 200 years.

And thank fuck for that. Makes my job EASY!

Ain't that the truth!?