Brief brief.

Considering this blog was intended to document my work process through out development, here is the beginning of my brief.

We were asked to get into a group and create a trend consultancy who would predict four trends for 2012.Even within a group of six, none of us were completely into 'fashion' itself, so we took it the opposite way and created a lifestyle consultancy which took inspiration from 'anything and everything'.

Here are the trends we came up with and a small explanation of as to how we got there.

Consultnacys USP:

Magpie trend concultancy aims to bring accurate predictions to a wide range of brands. Magpie works primarily as a brand consultancy and takes inspiration from anywhere and everywhere. We strive to be different from other trend consultancies by creating offbeat ideas that give the brand oppertunities to stand out from its competitors.

We create an accurate, clean, solid base, which allows you the freedom to play and bulid upon tailored to your own brands philosophy. Magpie presents trends int he simplest form, creating a new aesthetic breaking away from traditional trend consultancy books.

Mind Your Manners: It is essential for her majesty’s country to portray the correct etiquette during the Olympics of 2012. Taking inspiration from Beijing’s etiquette book of the 2008 Olympics and progressing from heritage trends of 2011, Mind Your Manners is a tongue and cheek play on Britain’s stereotype.

The images we have taken inspiration from are classically British, but with a saucy undertone. The trend will work particularly well for English brands who are prepared to have fun and not appear too serious.

Bespoke: As the country begins to recover, the consumer will be spending wisely and looking to shop as an experience. The Bespoke trend recognises that the individual does not always follow trends, but makes them. Brands need to cater to this and listen to what the customer wants. One size fits all no longer applies.

Developments in technology give consumers the power to buy what they want rather than what the brand tells them they should want. Shops will become more personal and there will be a rise in tailoring services.

The Bespoke trend can work for brands at either end of the ladder, in particular, designer, high-end street and vintage boutiques. This will be brands opportunity to put their stamp on every aspect of the shop and cater to exactly what their key market want.

Who’s to blame?: In a country of deceitful politicians and millions being spent on the Olympics during a recession, we look for a protagonist to lead the way.

Youth are exercising their freedom of speech in art and music movements all over the world. The world’s medias attention will be on England, giving artists a massive platform to exhibit themselves on.

Possible collaborations between brands and artists could benefit both as the brand can reach a new market and the artist’s work will be mass communicated.

Attack Of The Frones: Science and women are constantly evolving alongside each other. As stem cell research has developed and advances, sensationalist theories have emerged surrounding the idea of ‘froning’. Stem cells are pluri potent, which means they can be used to develop any organ with in the human body. ‘Froning’ is a theory that one day, people will be able to create an exact replica of oneself, frozen for when organs are needed.

Woman now have the ability to make extreme life choices and have gained power at work amongst all sections including fashion, media and corporate. We recognise that women’s empowerment will be a big trend during 2012 and have turned the idea on its head. What if women have too many choices and have become too powerful? Could this lead to an alien attack from the inside?

Although this trend is not to be taken literally, we cannot be naive to the fact that these are real possibilities. Creating a trend that is so abstract can let brands choose if they want to make a statement, or play it safe?

This was pitched to our tutors; we absolutely smashed it!

All four of them being in the industry themselves, none of them had a bad word to say about what we had produced.

(So chuffed and smug)