Today I had a chance to speak with Patty, Jennifer and Mary.
Through their suggestions I will begin to:
1. Define what luxury goods are, how people view luxury goods, discuss why luxury goods would be a vehicle for change and development of socially responsible business practices.
2. Look at SROI (Social Return on investment) and plan out what the inputs vs the output of working with artisans would be.
3. Document the level of transparency these kinds of products would promote.
4. Develop a concrete relationship with WSDP.
5. Use my observations from my lesson plan to guide the product development one of two directions: A. strictly as products that benefit the artisans and the brand while promoting appreciation and awareness for things that are handmade OR B. involve the consumer in the finishing stages of the product to promote education on handmade items, allow for an element of customization and develop an appreciation.
6. Get in touch with Tibetan weavers and artisans of Nepal.
7. Continue to make and sketch ideas of potential products and ways of integrating artisan crafts into modern brands.
4 comments:
hey girl! nice boards!
Hi Patricia, I have read through all of the thoughtful material in this post. Your ideas are very clearly expressed, and you are moving in a good direction, however, I believe that you need now to focus on describing how the products that you are imagining will look and feel. Since you are proposing a new way to think about luxury goods, you have to make some samples or renderings or other tangible demonstrations of what you mean.
Now I have some questions for you that I hope will help you to focus your thinking. I mean for these questions to be provocative, not because I don’t agree with your premises, but because I want you to hone your thesis arguments further.
1. You have selected traditional handicrafts made by an women as the focus for your investigation. If your intention is to incorporate weavings or other hand made elements in items that are marketed as high-cost, high-status products, then it is not too soon to begin visualizing what these are. The market for luxury goods, it seems to me, is driven by consumer perceptions (and often misperceptions); in order to convince people to buy something that is more expensive then its mass market counterpart, you have to participate in the game of positioning your product as status-conferring. It will be necessary to convince high-income shoppers that buying your items will come with an added boost in the esteem in which other people hold them. Therefore, rich people would have to want to brag to their friends that poor Tibetan women made the covering of their new very expensive messenger bag. Do you imagine that happening?
2. One trait that sets apart luxury items now is their use of expensive materials and lavish finishes. Are you arguing against meticulous, sophisticated craft in these products? Or, are the materials produced by Tibetan women weavers very high in quality, precision and workmanship? What do they feel like? I think that one important trait of very expensive goods is that designers consider the tactile and sensual experience of using an item. In the pictures you posted, I didn’t really get a sense of what the woven material looks or feels like.
Will you actually be making samples of the garments and accessories that you are proposing? I would say that, in order to make a convincing argument that these products will appeal to those used to luxury brands, you will have to make really, really nice prototypes. Do you plan to do that? If so, I would start making things now.
Steven
Samta-
Thank you for your comment!
Steven-
Thank you for your questions.
In regards to your first question, I don't particularly imagine women bragging to their friends about the bag, but I hope that they will purchase the item (possibly a hangbag) and feel that they not only find it aesthetically please but they're also contributing to a community in need. It would be great if they feel the need to brag about it (possibly to reassure themselves that it was a good purchase) but as I do my research, people who are buying luxury goods right now aren't looking to brag- they're looking to get items that are discreet (sans monograms) or socially responsible (eco-friendly, etc) and what I'm intending to design would be discreet, well made, aesthetically pleasing and a vehicle for change within the industry.
In regards to the second question, the quality of the weaving is extremely impressive and I have a sample of a bag I was able to purchase from a great store on Sullivan Street called Modern Tibet. The bag was woven by women in Nepal through the Women Skills Development Project. Most aspects of the purse are neatly woven and perfectly assembled, but certain elements do lack refinement and that is where the luxury brand comes in.
I'm looking forward to making samples (I've been doing minimal sewing thus far) and I've been sketching ideas throughout this past week. I plan on working closely with a skilled tailor on developing patterns for the products and assembling prototypes. I've made purses and belts before, but I'd like to work with an expert to ensure the result of well crafted items.
Thank you again,
Patricia
Patricia, thanks for your clarifications, you answered my somewhat annoying questions skillfully. that's good practice for when you will have to defend your work at reviews!
see you tomorrow.
steven
Post a Comment