FIDM Student Blog: Hallie Fisher

Just Design It Product Concept

Judging has commenced and the scholarship winners are in.  Students brought forth innovation, ingenuity and immense creativity as they presented their products for this spring’s Cotton Incorporated activwear competition.  Students won a total of $21,000 in prize money for their efforts; winning sports included:

1^st place: Triathlon for $12,000,

2^nd place: Cycling for $6,000 and

3^rd place: Climbing for $3,000. 

My team, The Cycling Team, was ecstatic to be recognized for our idea and feel very grateful to Cotton Inc. for the experience.   The Cycling Team’s strategy was based on the mission of our sponsor: to increase the demand for cotton.  Hence we chose a sport that represents $5.9 trillion in retail sales and promises huge growth, especially with these high gas prices! BELOW: Our proposed version of a cycling logo

Our market research survey focused on the San Francisco biking community, one of the biggest U.S. bike friendly metropolitan areas with high per-capita bike trails and bike lanes. The results clearly stated that biker's need gear that is comfortable, visible to cars and has storage their everyday needs, like keys, phones.  It also reveled that the consumer has an appetite for new product performance features.

These conclusions were the basis for our product concept: The Cotton Cycling Team.  An opportunity to launch cotton into the activewear market through ameticulously designed product and expertly planned interactive marketing campaign. During the product development process, no detail was overlooked, providing a thoughtfully designed, aerodynamic & compression fit comfort, ample storage, visible safety and a variety of innovative bells and whistles.  

To the left: Cycling teammate, Melissa De Luna demonstrates the solar panel and nanotechnogy aspect of our product that allows charging for any device such as ipod or cell phone as the rider commutes or rides for long periods of time.  The final product also featured high intensity reflective tape, LED lights, UVA/UVB protective, anti-microbial silver spun yarns and wicking windows moisture management technology.  Our goal was to make a product that worthy of the tour de france where it would have a world stage to create buzz and publicity around the unique features.  Most importantly,  the chance to put the spotlight on the inherent comfort and high performance features cotton provides for cycling and many other sports. We imagine a sporting event like this as the launching pad for cotton into the activewear industry.  

 

Who Would You Vote For?

Room 500 on FIDM's Los Angeles campus oozed creativity into the halls and floors below as it showcased the submissions for this quarter's Cotton Inc. scholarship competition.  Awaiting judgment from industry professionals to determine the winner, below are the original designs submitted by the talented students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fencing team made a masterpiece complete with intricate hand made crochet detail while the triathlon team made a futuristic and streamlined design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From left to right: Rock Climbing, Fishing, Hip Hop Dancing are posed for a win.  Setting the bar high, the Rock Climbing team made visual product booklets outlining the details of their design. Below right: The Motocross Team designed a fierce and protective ensemble for the adventurous moto-living woman.

Last but not least, above: The Cycling Team, designed by Scooter Reyes, Melissa De Luna Ribiero and myself. The winners are judged in closed judging sessions and evaluated on innovation, consumer research and marketability. The judges have a tough decision when they pick the winner, more posts to come with the results!