The YouDesign Movement

I just finished reading this fantastic article by the NY Times on (what Trendwatching calls out as a key trend in our 2010+ decade) The YouDesign Movement.

The movement consists of companies who draw their inspirations and dollars from crowdsourcing designs. For example, you can create a T-shirt and publish it on one of these sites and see if people want to buy it. If they do, the company will produce it!

This “community” business model has been very successful in many different areas and is now taking off in the world of fashion. Here are some examples:

http://www.threadless.com/ Is a Chicago based T-Shirt business that started in 2000 with $500. In 2005  the company was worth $6.2 Million.

http://www.dreamheels.com/ Is a Canadian shoe company that asks consumers to submit designs that can be printed onto a standardized white high-heeled pump.

http://catwalkgenius.com/ Is an Irish Web site that asks fashion fans to buy shares in up-and-coming designers, is all for crowdfunding but its designers keep creative control of their work (picture featured of their homepage).

Full article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/fashion/27iht-rcombo.html?pagewanted=1&src=twt&twt=nytimesfashion

Read it. Go.