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Liz Barnes – Unit Co-ordinator

Room C51j SSB

liz.barnes@manchester.ac.uk

� Unit specification & handbook

� What is product development?

� Preparation for assessment

� Group organisation

� Field trips

� Questions

� Read it!!!

� Copies available on Blackboard

� Definitive handbook & guide for this unit

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� Where do new products come from?

Technological

activities

Balance of

activities

Industrial products

Pharmaceutical

industry

Electronics

industry

White goods and

domestic appliance industries

FMCG

Food and drinks industries

Technical textiles

Medical TextilesPerformance Textiles

Fashion & Clothing

Source: Trott (2008)

Marketing

activities

Internal sources External sources

Marketing Surveys

Customer suggestions

Competitors

Customer needsanalysis

Research departments

Suggestions from staff

Concept generation

Source: Trott (2008)

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� Creativity is intrinsic to product development in all

categories

“One of the

advantages of being

disorderly is that one

is constantly making

new discoveries.”

A.A. Milne

“Creativity requires

the courage to let go

of certainties.”

Eric Fromm

� Theoretical models of

product development do not

necessarily apply in the

fashion industry

� Product development and

idea generation are focused

on trends

� Trend prediction is very

important in fashion product

development

Formal Informal

BuyersSpecialist websites

& magazines

Trade fairs

Specialist forecasting

company

Designer & street fashion

Social & cultural elements

Trend Prediction

Source: Trott (2008)

In-house designers

Designer collections

Comparative shops

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� Trends provide the basis for everything in fashion

product development

� Fundamentally

trends are used

to determine

which products

a company will

sell

� All aspects of fashion product development

� Semester 1 lectures

� Trends

� The fashion calendar

� Project management

� Product development stages

� Range planning

� Fabrics, colour, trim etc.

� Semester 2 workshops

� Trend and design board development

� Assessment is focused on understanding trends &

translating trends in product development

� Semester 1

� Trend Analysis Fact File (individual)

� Semester 2

� Trend Boards (group)

� Range Board (group)

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� You will work in the same groups in this unit and

in Applied Fashion Marketing

� As a group you must agree on:

� Your brand

� Your trend

� Your group should contain around 6 people (try

not to have more than 6 in your group)

� In the week 2 lecture you should submit:

� The names of the people in your group

� Your chosen brand

� Your chosen trend

� To help you with your assessment two field trips

have been arranged for you

� London, 1st-2nd November – fact file development

� V&A Museum, fashion walking tour, visit to Westfield

shopping centre & the Fashion Textiles museum

� Includes travel, local transport, accommodation,

breakfast & insurance

� Cost approximately £135

� Must be paid by Friday 30th September, cheques

preferred payable to University of Manchester

� Premiere Vision, Paris, 16th February 2012 – trend

& design board development

� Europe’s most important trade show – fabrics, colours, trend forecasts, trims etc. for Spring Summer 2013

� You make your own travel arrangements we will provide you with your entry ticket in Paris

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