The article below from today's Times explains how fashion designers are using the Web to design new collections. I imagine the same could be said of home goods and tableware designers. When more and more people spend time online instead of in front of a television or reading, how could the Net not be an increasing influence? This same trend extends to pre-shopping habits. When people plan to pay $300 for a tabletop setting, they go online first and Google the brand and/or keywords. What comes up first 'wins.'
New York Times September 8, 2008 Designers of High Fashion Enter the Age of High Tech By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER Early this summer, Gianfranco Zani, director of trend and concept at the women’s clothing retailer White House Black Market, was looking for ideas for the company’s fall 2009 collection. He logged onto Stylesight, a subscription-based trend forecasting Web site for the fashion industry.
Mr. Zani browsed through photos, articles, color swatches, fabric samples and sketches and concluded that next year’s shoppers would probably favor a “moody” color palette of gray-greens and purples with a shot of pink, the return of the hourglass silhouette and fabrics printed with faux textures. White House Black Market, owned by Chico’s FAS, started designing the fall line based on these trends.