In the post-millennial frenzy, a new design direction is emerging based on simpler, more fundamental forms, reflecting a desire to create more refined minimalist designs. This new direction is in part a reaction to the extravagant computer-generated shapes of the '90s. There is a new desire to rid ourselves of superfluous clutter and to refine or simplify an object to its functional or emotional essence.

These minimalist forms place an even higher importance on materials - demanding sophisticated and refined textures, hues, and effects. From hot cars to "gotta-have" cell phones to the most successful handheld computer organizers, companies are gaining the edge in the marketplace by developing and using new materials with visual qualities that help products stand out and provide increased brand equity.

In the language of marketers, this is segmentation-driven product differentiation. In everyday language, these are the products you want to touch and own.

According to GE Plastics, as consumer lifestyles have become more diverse and consumers demand a wider variety of products to fit their tastes, manufacturers have turned to color and texture and other visual effects as critical product attributes for attracting customers.

For instance, multidimensionality, optical shifting, veiling, frosting, layering and sheer high-gloss effects are expected to set standards for quality and value in the coming years. It seems obvious that the success of colorful translucent computers, for instance, can be traced to recognition of these emerging trends by the leading companies in the industry.

Transforming Tomorrow

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported, "The Birth of a fad: Plaster casts of pregnant bellies." According to the article: Maura Connolly, said, "I was shocked," when recalling the gift her husband, Matthew, bought her for Mother's Day. The Westport woman, who gave birth to her fourth child in June, was expecting flowers and dinner out. Instead, Matthew bought a belly casting kit. With the help of their kids, ages 2 to 7, he made a plaster cast of her swollen frontal from the top of the chest all the way down to the top of the thighs."

The Wall Street Journal reported that belly casting is climbing in popularity nationwide, becoming the latest fad in baby showers.

What do they do with them, you might ask? The article reports, "Some women paint their casts or have friends decorate them for use as home accessories or toy receptacles." One woman who recently had twin boys wants to paint her cast to look like the planet earth. A professor at the University of Maine said her cast looks like a nice piece of artwork and she will be hanging it on the wall. Other women report that their cast will be for the eyes of immediate family only and not open to public scrutiny.