March 2007 - French | West

IQONS is the first social network devoted specifically to the fashion industry. Launched at the end of February, IQONS serves as a platform for indie designers, retailers, makeup artists, photographers, editors, publicists and financiers to display their work and connect. The site also offers opportunities for appropriate brands and retailers to sponsor on-line design competitions known as IQONS Projects.
Trendetta is the new online game created by teen television network "The N," to test the trend knowledge and promotional skills of teens. A combination of chatting, multiplayer gaming, and user-generated content, Trendetta allows users to choose the fashion styles, brands, celebrities, musicians, and general trends that they believe will have significance in the future and then promote their favorites using virtual marketing. Ultimately, the players' goal of the game is to have their trends make it to the game's "50 Hottest Trends" list and the "Trendetta Hall of Fame."
Nintendo's new Wii system may be taking the "exertainment" craze to the next level. Nintendo has partnered with Traineo.com, a website which offers community support and tools to support weight loss, to launch a Wii fitness group. The site is even holding a competition encouraging users to post motivational videos on YouTube.

Starting March 15^th, IKEA will begin charging customers for plastic bags in hopes of completely eliminating plastic bag use from all of its stores. The five cents charged per plastic bag will proceed American Forests, a non-profit conservation organization. IKEA expects the number of plastic bags used by its U.S. customers to be reduced by 50% in the first year - from 70 million to 35 million.
Hanger Network has developed an alternative to traditional wire dry cleaner's hangers - 3.5 billion of which are tossed into landfills every year in the U.S. EcoHangers are cheap, sturdy dry cleaner's hangers made entirely from recycled paper and covered in full-color advertising. Advertisers gain valuable entry into consumers' bedrooms, and in return, dry cleaners get EcoHangers for free.
The consumption of bottled water has more than doubled in the last decade, and plastic bottles are piling up all over the planet. Now there's a solution. Biota Spring Water - on sale at US supermarket Publix - looks and feels like it comes in a plastic bottle, but surprisingly the container's actually made from corn. The new, high-tech material is just as effective as plastic but it's biodegradable. Next up, the British mineral water company, Belu, is working on making containers made from a biodegradable plastic consisting of rice, potato sugars and beetroot.

Neiman Marcus has opened the third of four specialty concept Cusp stores in D.C.'s Georgetown neighborhood. The hip, casual stores target fashionable 25-to 45-year-old women and pair dresses with accessories and denim with matching tops. The Georgetown store follows Tyson's Corner in McLean, Va. and Century City in Los Angeles, the fourth location is planned for Northbrook Court, near Chicago. Cusp may undergo a larger rollout after the concept has been evaluated.
Payless is expanding its designer partner program this year to include three fashion-forward, yet affordable designer brands. Laura Poretzky, designer of the hugely popular Abaete for Payless designer brand first launched in September of 2006, will be joined this fall by Lela Rose. Lela Rose for Payless will be the designer's first-ever shoe collection. Famed costume designer Patricia Field is also designing an exclusive Payless capsule collection, expected to hit stores for the 2007 holiday season. Payless' designer partner program is a key strategy in the retailer's mission to deliver the latest runway trends at affordable prices.
Kylie Minogue is the latest celebrity to team up with fashion retailer H&M. The Australian singer will be the new face of the company's swimwear line called, "H&M loves Kylie," which will debut in mid-May. In addition, Madonna's new clothing and accessories line, "M by Madonna," is scheduled to arrive in all H&M stores this month.

ABC is looking to an unlikely place to find the next big television show: Geico TV commercials. The network is developing a half-hour Internet comedy based on the cavemen characters from the popular insurance ads.

Hachette Filipacchi has announced plans to launch PointClickHome.com, a website centered around home buying and remodeling. Mixing resource tools and e-commerce, content for the site will come from Elle Décor, Home and Metropolitan Home. The new site will also house several interactive tools to provide amateur interior decorators the means to decorate virtual rooms using images of real-world products, along with interactive floor plans. The site will launch later this year.