Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Mon, Mar 9 1992 Date: Mon, 9 Mar 92 05:46:24 EST Message-ID: 03-09 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update March 9, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network PATRIOTISM HITS THE POCKETBOOK: Simply buying something has become the latest everyday act to become burdened with cosmic responsibility. Since President Bush's trade trip to Japan, patriotism has become a pocketbook issue for Americans. A USA TODAY poll Feb. 26-27 finds 37% of those polled by Gordon S. Black Corp. have become more likely in the past month to check labels for origins. Margin of error was plus or minus 4%. (For more, see special USA package below.) BUSH OFFERS A GERMAN AD: President Bush's ad encouraging British tourists to come to the USA has sparked strong interest in the Unite Kingdom. So Saturday, a new Bush ad for Germany was unveiled in Berlin. Since Bush's ads began Jan. 8, nearly 23,000 British tourists have called the U.S. Travel and Tourism office in London. That's up 57% from 1990 before the gulf war put the skids on international travel in 1991. LAW FIRMS UNLOADING PARTNERS: A recent survey by Hildebrand Inc. found that 60% of law firms have dumped partners in the past 18 months. In the past, firms unloaded support personnel and associates in tough times. Now partners - a law firm's owners and top managers - are losing jobs. Recession prompted corporate clients to trim legal fees, forcing firms to cut costs, says Steven Brill of The American Lawyer. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Harley-Davidson, who kick-started the biker fashion trends, has introduced a line of swimwear, in stores in May. Styles include biker bikinis, halters, tanks and push-up bra suits. Logos include the "Live to Ride, Ride to Live" slogan. Harley influence can't be ignored. Major designers from Karan to Klein borrow from bikers, including designs in their collection or to sell their images. HARLEY HONORED IN FASHION: Harley-Davidson recently was honored for providing "50 years of inspiration" at the Council of Fashion Designers of America fete in New York. And biker boots and leather jackets have in recent years become must-haves in collections. Harley's hottest new swimwear looks include a tattoo bikini and a wet-leather-look suit. COLUMBUS GOES TO THE OPERA: This year is the 500th year of Christopher Columbus' 1492 voyages to the New World. And amid controversy over who "discovered" what, his feats are being celebrated at least in song. The explorer financed by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella is the subject of at least four operas being heard onstage or in recordings. KARAN BRINGS OUT THE BASICS: American designer Donna Karan is bringing out a line of clothing called Essentials that she hopes will become wardrobe staples for women. Among the items are seasonless classics such as double-breasted blazers, full trousers, white cotton shirts, sarong skirts, blanket scarves and leather accessories. The line is selling above predictions in major retail stores. DUMP THE FLOWERED TIES: Hugo Boss and shoemaker Kenneth Cole have put out some trend tips for men, suggesting that fantasy and floral print ties are out. In: Stone-washed or seriously subtle silk ties. Boxy, oversized shoulders are out. Small, round elegant shoulders now are favored. And blue jeans are out; night jeans in red, green or metallic blue overdyed with black are hip. IMPERSONATE A COP - NOT: The hottest leather jackets in Chicago are cop hand-me-downs. Mark Thomas of hip clothing store The Alley is buying up what he says are outworn, outgrown black- and blue-leather Chicago Police Department jackets. He cuts off the emblem and sells them as fast as they come in for $200-$250. Paul Gilbert of rock group Mr. Big wore one on "Late Night With David Letterman" recently. ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE: At a time when all network fortunes are shaky, shows have been known to last less than even one season. But "Northern Exposure," CBS' runaway Monday-night hit, has gotten a commitment for two more seasons, 50 episodes. The move is not unprecedented. But it's quite an endorsement in these shaky times. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON USA: INDIVIDUALS MAKE A DIFFERENCE: The recent sniping between Japanese and Americans over quality has strengthened the buy-American movement. A Gordon S. Black Corp. poll for USA TODAY finds that 18% avoid buying products made in Japan. In follow-up interviews, dozens of the respondents say all the Buy American talk has made them more aware that individual decisions add up to national consequences. Margin of error: 4%. ANTI-U.S. MOVEMENT DIES: There's evidence the '80s-style attitude making it fashionable to reject U.S. goods has waned: 85% of those surveyed say they make an effort to buy American whenever possible. And 57% say they will consider only U.S. cars next time they buy a car. But the surge has raised confusion about how to define and identify U.S.-made goods. Some products that sound American are made by foreign subsidiaries. MAJORITY FAVORS FOREIGN-OWNED: Faced with a multinational product, 52% favored one U.S.-made but foreign-owned, vs. 38% who favored U.S.-owned but foreign-made. "That shows a lot of sense," says economist Robert Reich. "It's far more important to the future which country has the high-paying manufacturing jobs." Only 40% agreed that the best thing for the U.S. economy long-term is to buy only U.S. goods. (End of package.) Trends & Marketing Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM