Seth Godin on Tribes (TED Talks)
I haven’t read Seth Godin’s Tribes yet, but I really enjoyed his TED Talk on tribes and leadership.
Posted: May 29th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Fashion Fails Fourteen+
Photo by Kimberlyfaye on Flickr
An open letter to clothing designers & retailers
Dear fashion folk,
I want to give you money. If only you would let me.
(Did that get your attention?)
Recently I went shopping for new clothes: I’d heard about some great jeans available on Main Street in Vancouver. Unfortunately, like so many other occasions, the store was out of stock in anything resembling a size large enough to fit me. In itself this is not so tragic of course. But, we’re talking fashion here, so please bear with me.
Main St., if you’re unfamiliar, has a stretch of stores selling wonderful indie designers’ fashions and vintage stuff. Stuff I really, really like in many cases.
Unfortunately, that store with the skinny-only jeans was not unique among it’s competitors. None of these stores had much in a size Large. Most had no designs in Extra Large. Don’t even get me started on how many of the designs were styled for twiggy bodies to begin with, as if flat-chested women with narrow hips are the only ones who want interesting clothes.
Did I mention that I want to give you money? I’m not alone.
According to a report on the plus-size apparel industry in Canada:
- roughly 30% of women in Canada wear size 14 and over, and
- we are one of the most under-served markets in the fashion industry.
My experience that day was, sadly, not unusual. At size 14 I am continually frustrated while seeking clothes that fit. Many “normal” lines do not go large enough, or are not cut to flatter a curvy figure. (Like, if I can get a shirt or jacket zipped up at all, it’s “Hello, monoboob!”)
Yet if I do find a section of “plus” sized clothes, these are typically too big or cut to hide figures more than I’d like.
So, I keep heading back to Reitmans who are in the minority of Canadian retailers who understand there’s both an underserved and (with the aging of the boomers) a growing market in plus-sized fashions. They have it so figured out, in fact, that their regular line has sizes large enough to accommodate me with room to spare. Their website is even useful (gasp!) with a sizing chart that goes so far as to include bicep measurements. (Since I’ve been lifting weights, biceps are another problem area for jackets. *sigh*)
There is a point, and that is this:
Get away from the runways. Leave your studios. SQUISH whatever it is that’s making you design as if women will look like teenagers throughout adulthood until they suddenly fit the grandmother niche (oh, excepting of course the profitable maternity phase of course). Have a look around. Notice all the beautiful, curvy women who want to give you money. Design cool, flattering clothes for us. Get ‘em out there. Then tell me about them. I’ll not only buy some, I will sing your praises from the rooftops and help you spread the word.
And I promise you, I’m not alone in that.
Thanks for reading.
- Tzaddi
Posted: May 20th, 2009 under Activism, Design, Life.
Comments: 1
Why should I blog?
In which I am oddly, publicly introspective and still try to say something of value to someone other than me. Skip to the end for some useful links if you’re not into this and are asking YOURSELF questions about blogging.
In my case, to some degree, “Why should I blog?” is a rhetorical question. As someone who pretty much lives and breathes WordPress development & design these days, I shouldn’t even be uttering this question aloud.
“It’s good promotion.” “It’s good for SEO.” “It allows potential clients to become more comfortable with you.” All of these things are true. But. Read more »
Posted: April 3rd, 2009 under About this site, Activism, Computers & Tech, Goofy, Fun & Cool, Life, Web Tips, WordPress Tips.
Comments: 7
The Ivy Project at Stanley Park
Sharon Kallis does wonderful sculptures from natural materials: dresses sewn from leaves, life-sized animals sculpted from twigs and so on. Lately she’s been engaging the community in constructing even more ambitious works.
You’re invited to join her for The Ivy Project this Saturday Feb 28th (and the last Saturday of each month until Nov/09) at the Stanley Park Nature House. There’ll be much weaving of ivy and joining of previously woven pieces. Read more »
Posted: February 25th, 2009 under Activism, Art.
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I have a sordid love-hate relationship with marketing
Had a great, jam-packed day at Northern Voice today. The opening keynote by Stewart Butterfield was very engaging and I had a bit of Sunshine Coast pride to learn he spent his early years in Lund on the Sunshine Coast.
I also enjoyed Chris Heuer’s session on “Death of Advertising” which Ruth Seeley covered better than I could at this late & tired hour. The most memorable thing for me was discovering Blentec’s Will It Blend campaign. It’s mainly videos of their CEO in a “lab” testing their blender’s ability to make “smoothies” out of iPods, lightsticks, and so on. Apparently since this campaign launched their blender sales have gone through the roof and they even get paid to do blender demos as entertainment at events.
On the one hand I want to cheer them on – way to go! Leverage new media creatively! Make it work for you!
On the other, I was so sad to see the toxic waste-filled innards of the iPod mulched and fuming into the atmosphere for the purpose of selling more stuff.
This is at the root of my discomfort around so much branding and advertising: the despair I feel for our overtaxed planet and our underfed souls… some of us at times spending and spending to fill an emptiness that traditional advertising has worked so cleverly to enlarge.
So I guess I have to give Blentec kudos for this campaign; regardless of my conflicted feelings they have created something remarkable.
**OK, so it’s not really sordid, but that sounds catchy doesn’t it?
Posted: February 20th, 2009 under Computers & Tech, Marketing.
Comments: 4
