Blog 1
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CPS Activity #1
“Title”
Learning Community #
Student Name 1
Student Name 2
Student Name 3
Student Name 4
Department of Design, Housing, & Merchandising
Oklahoma State University
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Table of Contents Page No.
1. Problem Statement 3
2. Literature Review 3
3. Methodology 3
4. Challenges 4
5. Assumptions 4
6. Target Market 4
7. Design of Jeans 5
8. Rationale 6
9. Takeaway 6
10. Conclusions 7
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Problem Statement
When women go shopping for jeans, If you are not shaped like the ideal women - skinny
with just the right amount of curves, tall but not too tall - finding jeans that fit right is almost
impossible. Sacrifices have to be made and you end up settling for the next best thing. We
decided to design a line of jeans that would be suitable for all body types using inspiration from
an apple and an elephant. Whether your tall like an elephant or round and curvy like an apple,
you’ll find your fit.
Literature Review
Cite any literature that you read about a problem that you are pursuing
Methodology
We started out trying to find inspiration for the project through brainstorming. We were
seeking combinations, and bouncing ideas off of each other. We also used force-fitting. We
decided on two final ideas one more literal and one abstract after going through initial ideas
(refer Appendix A). The literal concept was a chair shaped like an elephant, the base of the
chair would be the body of the elephant and then the back of the chair would be shaped like the
elephant’s trunk forming to fit the natural position of the spine. The abstract idea was creating a
line of perfectly fitting jeans, inspired by body types and whether you are shaped like an apple,
more curvy and petite, or an elephant, taller than average. We decided on the jeans would be
perfect not only because it fits our majors better but because it is something desperately needed
in the industry. We also used a fish-bone diagram to identify causes to the sizing problem for
jeans (refer Appendix B). Our first design was very basic, sketching jeans that perfectly fit two
very different body types. From there we expanded the idea, such as what materials we would
use, the wash of the jeans, and the details. We decided we could do different vintage washes,
which represents the older look of the elephant’s skin. We also thought it would be interesting to
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incorporate details such as, pockets that will be shaped like apples or elephants, based on your
body type.
Design of Jeans
After coming up with the idea of perfectly fitting jeans, we decided we would have to use
a fabric that would stretch, and still form to the customer’s body. In our initial sketch we just
designed a quick, simple jean for two different body types (shown in Figure 1). Since our
inspiration of the elephant and apple, is more involved in the behind-the-scenes of the design,
we thought we could symbolize it through details (shown in Figure 2). The skin of the elephant
would be represented through the different washes of the jeans. Due to the fact that elephants
are out in the sun their skin is wrinkled and almost have a bleached effect, this would translate
into the jeans by having a distressed, vintage feel, with lighter undertones in the coloring. We
also would incorporate the apple and the elephant ear into the pockets by having the trim on the
pocket be shaped like the ear or the bottom of an apple.
Figure 1. Initial Sketch
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Figure 2. Final Sketch
Target Market
The intended market for this specific line of jeans is young women who are left out of the
thought process that goes into production for every other pair of jeans. These women are
shaped differently than the societal standard for beauty. The basic design would be perfect for
any occasion so the consumer will not feel constricted in their purchase. They can be worn to
class with a t-shirt and sneakers or dressed up with a pair of heels for a night out. The basic
design also means a lower retail price making them affordable for all. We would also like to
target companies and individual influencers who could make an impact on the industry.
Rationale for Design
This line of jeans would be well received because so many women have trouble finding
the perfect fitting pair of jeans. Providing these jeans would allow women of “apple or elephant”
shaped body types to have that favorite pair of jeans they are always on the lookout for. We
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would design our line with the customers’ needs at the highest of importance which would most
likely lead to a well-received audience. Our affordable price point would also allow them to be
accessible to different economic classes.
Assumptions
The main assumption that we made when utilizing problem solving skills was that the
line of jeans would have a fit for every body type and no matter what your size or height, the
jeans would fit. We assumed this would provoke the emotion of self-confidence and comfort
within one's appearance. The logo on the jeans serves as a reminder of our slogan and always
gives reassurance to the consumer. You always deserve to feel beautiful in the clothes you
wear.
Lessons Learned
Our group has learned a lot from this project, not only did we learn more about each
other, but we learned how to combine other ideas and create a design. We learned that coming
from different backgrounds and having different ideas does not hinder the creative process but
enhances it. Through brainstorming and seeking combinations we were able to identify a
problem in our industry, and come up with a unique solution.
Summary
As we drew our idea from the apple and elephant, we would engineer our jeans to be
perfect for body types inspired by these. We would offer these jeans at a reasonable price and
would always have our customers’ needs and wants as our top priority. Above all, the main
focus of our line would be to make women feel beautiful and comfortable in their own skin, only
amplifying this with our product. We should hope that our jeans would make our customers feel
just that.
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References
List References in APA format
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Appendix A
List of Ideas
Include a list of all ideas generated
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Appendix B
Fishbone Diagram