Result For My Bachelor Of Industrial Design (B.i.d.)

[WinterBear]

Looks sharp Edvin. Is the company planning to expand any to sell overseas? I think your bag would be a smash hit at some of the universities and with some of the professionals that don't want to lug around a briefcase.

[particle]

Edvin - I sorta agree with Art, and I agree with your comments about cultural differences in the design appeal. The bag looks great, but I was initially wondering where the "frilly" (some might say girly, or feminine) design came from on the front flap. Obviously, it came from the shoe designs. For some reason, the design works on the shoes, but in a society (maybe just an American society) where men often get harassed by their coworkers for carrying a murse (male purse, man bag, etc.), anything that can make a bag more masculine, the better.

You mention the result came from your "audience and market analysis". I'm sure you hit the nail on the head with your local audience and market.

All that being said, I think you could simply remove the decorative "shoe" pattern completely, and widen the buckle straps to double what they are now, perhaps triple the width of the carry strap and pick a more rustic/masculine color and you'd be good to go for the American market (in my humble opinion). I think subtle changes like this are exactly what you attempted to achieve in your endeavor - to come up with a product that's easy to produce, and easy to adapt to a given market base to fine-tune the product quickly and easily.

[whinewine]

Edvin - I sorta agree with Art, and I agree with your comments about cultural differences in the design appeal. The bag looks great, but I was initially wondering where the "frilly" (some might say girly, or feminine) design came from on the front flap. Obviously, it came from the shoe designs. For some reason, the design works on the shoes, but in a society (maybe just an American society) where men often get harassed by their coworkers for carrying a murse (male purse, man bag, etc.), anything that can make a bag more masculine, the better.

and pick a more rustic/masculine color and you'd be good to go for the American market (in my humble opinion).

Just a curious observation: So a man riding/sitting on a saddle covered with lots of floral, swirly, Sheridan-style acanthus-type designs in a natural color is considered riding something that is 'masculine', and yet a guy carrying a simple bag (most probably carrying a small laptop, or a Tablet, or notebook) in the same color with a minimalist bit of design on the flap is 'girly'? IF the bag were covered in the above noted, swirly floral/acanthus designs, would it then be masculine, like the saddle?

Just wondering...lol

[Art]

I would carry a pair of pink saddle bags over my shoulder. I have demurred to the point that I will put one arm through a backpack/bookbag of reasonable color (prefer leather though). I carry a laptop in a bookbag or a brief. I ain't carrying no purse.

I'm old, I'm American, I'm a man.

Art

Just a curious observation: So a man riding/sitting on a saddle covered with lots of floral, swirly, Sheridan-style acanthus-type designs in a natural color is considered riding something that is 'masculine', and yet a guy carrying a simple bag (most probably carrying a small laptop, or a Tablet, or notebook) in the same color with a minimalist bit of design on the flap is 'girly'? IF the bag were covered in the above noted, swirly floral/acanthus designs, would it then be masculine, like the saddle?

Just wondering...lol

[particle]

Just a curious observation: So a man riding/sitting on a saddle covered with lots of floral, swirly, Sheridan-style acanthus-type designs in a natural color is considered riding something that is 'masculine', and yet a guy carrying a simple bag (most probably carrying a small laptop, or a Tablet, or notebook) in the same color with a minimalist bit of design on the flap is 'girly'? IF the bag were covered in the above noted, swirly floral/acanthus designs, would it then be masculine, like the saddle?

Just wondering...lol

I didn't say it made sense - but you don't see men getting made fun of for sitting on a floral saddle (I assume - I'm not really in the equestrian circles of friends), but you do see them getting made fun of for carrying man-bags. The more manly, the better. Perhaps it's just the execution of the floral pattern on the bag.

[WScott]

Loving the design work and fabrication of these gorgeous leather products.

If I could go back in time and chose another profession I would love to do graphic design or architecture over my science background stuff

The wing tip shoes are all sweet. I am a size 9 1/2..... hint hint

[whinewine]

I would carry a pair of pink saddle bags over my shoulder. I have demurred to the point that I will put one arm through a backpack/bookbag of reasonable color (prefer leather though). I carry a laptop in a bookbag or a brief. I ain't carrying no purse.

I'm old, I'm American, I'm a man.

Art

Actually, that would make good song lyrics: 'I'm old. I'm American. I'm a man...'

So, Art: then what you're saying is that IF you were asked to dress in Period garb as an 18th Century reenactor, you would refuse to wear a possibles bag (with fringe? or without fringe?) because it would be (in your words) a "PURSE"... Interesting, because a possibles bag is also American (and is found in other cultures as well)...

[Art]

Are you trying to put words in my mouth? If I were dressing in period garb, I would be dressing in period garb with all of the attendant frills, bows, fringe, knee high nickers and stockings, or whatever.

I guess we know now on what level we disagree.

Art

Actually, that would make good song lyrics: 'I'm old. I'm American. I'm a man...'

So, Art: then what you're saying is that IF you were asked to dress in Period garb as an 18th Century reenactor, you would refuse to wear a possibles bag (with fringe? or without fringe?) because it would be (in your words) a "PURSE"... Interesting, because a possibles bag is also American (and is found in other cultures as well)...

[electrathon]

Just a curious observation: So a man riding/sitting on a saddle covered with lots of floral, swirly, Sheridan-style acanthus-type designs in a natural color is considered riding something that is 'masculine', and yet a guy carrying a simple bag (most probably carrying a small laptop, or a Tablet, or notebook) in the same color with a minimalist bit of design on the flap is 'girly'? IF the bag were covered in the above noted, swirly floral/acanthus designs, would it then be masculine, like the saddle?

Just wondering...lol

I am not a cowboy. I grew up in Alaska and ended up as an aduly in Portland Oregon. The area around here is not cowboy land at all, but overfilled with wacko liberal types (lots of guys carrying purses).

The number one question when I do tooling and people see my work is that it is a shame that there are no design/styles for men. I have had a number of people see my work and comment it is great, but they do not like the girly designs. I know guys that would absolutly never park their butts in a brokeback mountain saddle (have heard those exact words).

I like the purse. Awsome looking actually. I would consider buying it for my girlfriend, but you would not ever see me carrying it.

Aaron

[whinewine]

Are you trying to put words in my mouth? If I were dressing in period garb, I would be dressing in period garb with all of the attendant frills, bows, fringe, knee high nickers and stockings, or whatever.

I guess we know now on what level we disagree.

Art

I'm just joshing with you, Art. Relax! (And I don't know on what level we disagree, if at all...- it's just that you seemed to get a touch uptight when mentioning 'PURSE' )

I really love the bag, but I likewise would give it to my wife (as per the next post, by Aaron), but wouldn't wear it myself... except with my renfaire and leather demonstrating garb.

Edited October 13, 2011 by whinewine