Product Development 1 Syllabus*
MDSE 2350-001: MWF at 1000-1050am in Business Leadership Building 070.
MDSE 2350-003: TR at 200-320pm in Wooten Hall 322.
Instructor: Mrs. Kristina Bruder
Office: 342A Chilton Hall
Phone: 940-565-2709
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Tuesday 4-6pm; Wednesday 2-3pm; Thursday 10-Noon; or by appointment. Please
email to make an appointment.
Course Description: Comprehensive overview of apparel product development, including researching
and interpreting fashion direction, analyzing comparable market offerings, and developing color, style, and
fabric trends. Customer conversion, revenue optimization, global collaboration, and selling innovation
will be explored.
Course Objectives:
1. Identify current merchandising trends and analyze the direction of fashion change.
2. Examine the impact of the economic, social, and political environments on fashion change.
3. Synthesize contemporary trends and develop merchandising strategies for relevant companies.
4. Recognize the breadth and depth of the fashion forecasting process.
5. Compare and contrast the methodologies used for short term and long term forecasting.
6. Recognize color forecasting as a coordinating factor in the apparel supply chain from fiber
producer to retailer.
7. Examine the methods for conducting consumer research for new fashion products and marketing
initiatives.
8. Prepare a color, fiber, and merchandise forecast for a future season.
9. Identify the stages involved in product development and apparel manufacturing.
10. Outline the cycle of merchandise distribution, and include the responsibility of wholesaler,
jobber, retailers, and ultimately the consumer in this process.
Required Texts:
 Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). (2010). Washington,
DC: American Psychological Association.


Rousso, C. (2012). Fashion forward: A guide to fashion forecasting, New York, NY: Fairchild.
Garner, M. & Keiser, S. (2012). Beyond Design: The Synergy of Apparel Product Development,
3rd Ed. New York, NY: Fairchild Publications, INC. ISBN# 978-1-60901-226-7.
 Additional readings will be posted on Blackboard.
Required Supplies:
 Binder with pockets in which to organize ideas, inspiration and observations.
Week
Dates
Topic and Lecture
1
8/25 – 8/29
Class Begins
2
9/1 – 9/5
(Closed 9/1:
Labor Day)
3
9/8 – 9/12
4
9/15 – 9/19
5
9/22 – 9/26
6
9/29 – 10/3
Social/Cultural
Influences and
Consumer Markets
7
10/6 – 10/10
Market & Sales
Research
8
10/13 – 10/17
9
10/20 – 10/24
Creating & Presenting
a Forecast; board
creation
Color; HF visitor/Dr.
Brandon
10
10/27 – 10/31
1
11/3 – 11/7
12
13
Introductions/Areas of
Interest; Syllabus;
Intro to PD: A
Practical Timeline for
Fall; APA; Trend
Journal; PD overview;
Role of Product
Development;
introduce Final
Project; Resources
Business Planning
Intro to Fashion
Forecasting; Final
Project discussion &
Group assignments
Movement: Fashion
Cycles & Adoption
Assigned
Readings
(before class)
Kaiser 1
Activity#1; ; ‘feed’ Trend Journal
Kaiser 1
Activity#2; ‘feed’ Trend Journal
Kaiser 2
; Bring Trend Journal; Activity#3
assigned;
Activity#4 assigned & due in class
9/18 & 9/19; Quiz1; ‘feed’ Trend
Journal
Rousso 1 - 2
Rousso 3;
Kaiser 4 (pp.
101-112);
www.thefashi
oncycle.com;
Rousso 4,
Kaiser 3
Rousso 5;
Kaiser 4 (pp.
114-118)
Rousso 10
Rousso 7,
Kaiser 4
(pp.118-120)
and 5
Theme, Ideas, Story,
Mood
Materials
Rousso 6
11/10 – 11/14
The Look, Design,
Lookbooks
Rousso 9;
Kaiser 4 (pp.
123-127)
11/17 – 11/21
The Look, Design,
Lookbooks
Rousso 9;
Kaiser 4 (pp.
123-127)
Rousso 8;
Kaiser 4
(pp.120-123)
Assignments
assign Activity#5; bring Trend
Journal; Class Evaluation
Quiz2 (Rousso 1-3, Kaiser 4 pp101112); assign Activity#6; ‘feed’
Trend Journal; Identify 4-5 Trends
for Final Project;
Activity#7; ‘feed’ Trend Journal;
Quiz 3 (Rousso 4, Kaiser 3)
Assign Activity #8; ‘feed’ Trend
Journal; bring colors from Trend
Journal next week
Bring Trend Journal & Show
collected color palettes from Trend
Journal (20 points); Assign Board
1: Color ; Quiz4 (Rousso5, 10;
Kaiser 4 pp114-118)
Assign Activity #9; assign Board 2:
Theme/Mood; Board 1 due
Quiz5 (Rousso 6-7; Kaiser4 pp 118120); assign Activity#10; assign
Board 3: Materials ; Board 2 due
Assign Activity 11 (Bonus?); assign
Board 4: The Look; Board 3 due;
SETE; bring Trend Journals for
final review (30 points)
Final Project including Board 4 +
script due on 11/20; Final
Presentations begin 11/21
14
15
16
11/24 – 11/28
(Closed 11/2711/28:
Thanksgiving)
12/1 – 12/5
(Pre-Finals
Week) (12/5 =
Reading Day,
no class)
12/8 – 12/12
(Finals Week)
Presentations
Final Presentations continue; assign
Interview Question
Presentations
Final Presentations continue;
Interview Question due 12/1 or
12/2; SETE



Final Exam MDSE 2350-001: MWF 1000-1050am in Business
Leadership Building 070 = Friday, December 12, 800-1000am.
Final Exam MDSE 2350-003: TR 200-320pm in Wooten Hall 322 =
Thursday, December 11, 130-330pm.
2 parts: Comprehensive + Rousso 8-9 and Kaiser 4:pp120-127.
*Not binding and subject to change.
Activities will be due on the following Thursday if not due in class on same day.
Mrs.
Bruder's
Schedule
800
900
1000
1100
Noon
100
200
300
400
500
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
PD1 lecture
BLB070
PD1 lecture
BLB070
PD2 lecture
(1200-150)
Chil 345
PD2 lab (1200150) Chil387
Office Hour
PDI (200320pm)
WH322
Office Hour
Thursday
Friday
Office Hour
Office Hour
PD1 lecture
BLB070
Office Hour
PDI (200-320pm)
WH322
PDI Course Requirements*
Quizzes (5@ 10 points each): covering assigned readings, lectures, APA, knowledge
of Final Project, guest speakers and activities.
Trend Journal (1): a place to collect items of inspiration including tear sheets, fabric
swatches, trims, colors, articles (at least 3), drawings and notes; must be a
combination of all sources; this will provide items for trend boards; remember to note
historical eras; 3-ring binder with pockets; bring to class to show frequently during
first 8 weeks. (bring 3 times; first time is free, next two times are work 20 points and
then 30 points at final)
Interview Question and/or Professional Development (2).
 Interview question: a short written essay answered as if being interviewed for
a ‘dream’ position at a trend service or retail organization; the question is
TBD but will challenge you to consider how the skills and knowledge learned
in this class may be applied in a career setting. It will be offered at the end of
the semester. (15 points)
 Professional Development: attend at least one opportunity (see below for
details and an immediate opportunity). (10 points)
Application Activities and Class Participation (assigned only in class) (10): from book
or guest speakers; throughout the semester you will be given opportunities to
complete assignments in or outside of class that will help expand your knowledge of
the topics covered during lecture. These assignments will only be available in class.
Class participation will come in the form of discussion boards on Blackboard, class
activities, or questions posed in class.
Digital Trend Boards (4): Color, Materials, Mood, Look (includes short essay for
each, will be used for creating the script).
Final Presentation (digital trend boards + script/boards + paper with boards) (1)
Final Exam (1)
Total Possible (determines final grade)
*Not binding and subject to change.
Points Available
50 (10%)
50 (10%)
25 (5%)
100 (20%)
100 (20%)
75 (15%)
100 (20%)
500 (100%)
Professional Development Opportunities:
Industry partnerships with retail companies such as Ross, Target, JCPenney and others support professional
development events for UNT merchandising students. These events include activities such as the Executive in
Residence (EIR) Lecture Series, Highway to Success, Merchandising Expo, Creating Consumer
Experiences Symposium, and other professional development events. Detailed information and requirements for
these events will be distributed throughout the semester. See below for an immediate opportunity.
You may attend and swipe your UNT Student ID (to prove you attended) and write a short essay which includes
the main points of the presentation and your opinion regarding both the speaker’s ability to present and the
content of the presentation.
The first of three presentations in the Executive + Scholar Lecture Series for 2014-15, presented by the Global
Digital Retailing Research Center, will be Geoffrey M. Rappaport, co-founder of the hair salon franchise
Supercuts. He will discuss how he is applying the Supercuts business model to dental care during the Executive
+ Scholar Lecture Series for 2014-15. He will be joined by Soo-kyoung Ahn, a visiting research scholar in UNT's
Global Digital Retailing Research Center. Rappaport is "passionate about the creative mind, and the intersection
of creativity and innovation in the digital age," Last said, adding that the college is fortunate to have Ahn "join
Geoffrey in this creativity journey."
o When: 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 10 (Wednesday)
o Where: Ballroom in UNT's Gateway Center, 801 North Texas Blvd.
o


Cost: $50 for the general public and $25 for non-UNT university and college students. UNT
students will attend for free. Tickets must be purchased
by Sept. 8 (Monday).
o Contact: Lisa Wallace, director of development for the College of Merchandising, Hospitality
and Tourism, at 940-369-7051 or [email protected].
Also, Jamie Nordstrom, president of Nordstrom Stores, speaking Nov. 11 (Tuesday) on
"Pioneering the Digital Rush", 10:00am-Noon.
There will also be a few guest speakers in class and there are many other opportunities
available for professional development. Feel free to look around and suggest them to the
instructor. Approval is required before attending opportunities not listed above.