Millennial Fashion
Concept

Theory & Methodology

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The basic structure of this project follows the linear progress of The Double Diamond, a process model created by British Design Council in 2005. The model visually represents a process, which in this case is the development of a fashion concept.

The Double Diamond illustrates two diamond looking figures – the first one initiating purpose in the design process and the second generating solutions. Each half of the diamond opens a stage of either divergent or convergent manner of thinking and working.

1. DISCOVER – OR ALSO CALLED IDENTIFY, SETS GOALS OF RESEARCHING THE CULTURE OF GENERATION Y AND
IDENTIFY THEIR UNIQUE FEATURES.

2. DEFINE – ORIGINALY THE STAGE OF LIMITING AND CLEARING OUT MAIN PROBLEMATIC FACTORS. FOR THE
PURPOSES OF THIS PAPER THIS IS THE MOMENT OF NARROWING DOWN THE BROAD KNOWLEDGE TO A SINGLE
UNIFIED PROFILE OF MILLENNIALS.

3. DEVELOP – PUTTING FOCUS ON TESTING AND PROVING THE SUGGESTIONS CONCLUDED PREVIOUSLY AND GENERATING FURTHER IDEAS.

4. DELIVER – EVALUATING IDEAS AND RESULTS TO DESIGN A READY CONCEPT FOR PRODUCTION AND LAUNCH.

The following methods and models are chosen to complement each other and form a logically connected approach in answering the main research question:
 

BUZZ REPORT
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A
structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)

For the purposes of this paper The Buzz Report is used to describe specific events and trends that provoked reactions in representatives of Gen Y. Knowing what makes millennials excited is crucial in understanding their fashion and cultural preferences, but also provides the knowledge of how they perceive and process selected information.

POPULAR MEDIA SCAN
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)

By using Popular Media Scan the researcher can expand their topic investigation and follow patterns of communication amongst millennials. The goal is to gather elaborate knowledge about millennials’ cultural currents and select opportunity areas to influence the initial statement of intent, through deeper exploration and discussion.

INTEREST GROUPS RESEARCH
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)

For the purposes of this paper an Interest Group Research is conducted to absorb and apply on field information about millennials first-hand from representatives of the generation. Diving in their culture and capturing genuine knowledge expands the point of view of the researcher about Gen Y’s culture and supports their general persona portrayal.
The process in this case involves activities with pre-prepared kits of cultural artefacts and image sorting, which aim to set a direction towards what do millennials think about certain concepts, trends and offerings, how do they interact with them and why.

STORYWORLD
(L. Kimbell and J. Julier, October 2012, Fieldstudio Ltd, London, United Kingdom, The Social Design Methods Menu)

The outcomes of using the method are developed understanding of Gen Y representatives, their social connections and touch points with organizations and things as independent factor.

CONVERGENCE MAP
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)
 

Different areas of our daily life, including industries and individual factors (work-life, home-life, communications etc.) are beginning to overlap more nowadays and our behaviours are emerging as an outcome. Convergence map is a tool that could visually follow this dynamic and help to bring focus on how people’s activities are changing.
 

The method is used to identify segments of the lives of millennials and trends together with innovations within. Further this information is distributed in topics, building a Venn diagram showing overlapping regions of the lives of millennials.

FROM… TO EXPLORATION
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)

Listing the key aspects of this project is starting point, then identified trends are filled related to each aspect, forming a table of topics. This creates space for elaboration on current perspectives based on conventions to be compared to new ones based on trends.

By implementing the method, the researcher can follow how did millennials pushed a change of conventionally accepted behaviours to current innovations. Exploring the differences can inspire or detect other shifts to be used for answering the main research question.

OFFERING ACTIVITY CULTURAL MAP
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)
 

This mapping method uses three ways to look at innovation opportunities. The “offerings” (in this case fashion design products and services) with their function and features, the “activities” millennials do with those offerings and the “cultural context” they use those offerings. In this way the method provides opportunity to think about how to create connection between a brand and their users. What does Gen Y do and how they live can provide better knowledge on how to affect their consumption consciousness on a cultural level.

MENTAL MODEL DIAGRAM
(Kalbach, J., Mapping Experiences: A Complete Guide to Creating Value through Journeys, Blueprints, and Diagrams, 2016, published by O'Reilly Media, Kindle Edition.)

This method is used to structure the process of millennials selecting their fashion choices and follow the process of purchase and usage, completed with personal thoughts and traces. Moreover, the diagram allows the researcher to also reflect on each box and tower with personal notes of ideas and opportunities.

PRINCIPALS OF OPPORTUNITIES
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)

The method is used to structure the ideas and opportunities from the previous Mental Model Diagram and explore them, generating simple offering, system and strategy opportunities. All data is filled in a table form allowing the researcher to logically follow the process and have a systematic overview.

OPPORTUNITY MIND MAP
(2013, V. Kumar, J. Wiley & Sons, Ink., Hoboken, New Jersey, Canada, 101 Design Methods: A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization)

The Opportunity Mind Map is used to expand the possibilities about potential concept
opportunities and explore their eventual application.

BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS
(2010, Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., In Clark, T., & Smith, A., Business model generation: A handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers.)
The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management and lean start-up tool that helps develop new or documenting existing business models. It presents a visual chart with elements describing value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. For the purposes of this paper the canvas assists with aligning the different concepts generated previously in activities by illustrating potential trade-offs.