Chapter 1 Summary

• Target Vocabulary: compile, convention, data,

forecast, intuition, optimistic, stick, survey

• Reading Skill: Skimming for the Main Idea

• Reading passage Summary: This passage

discusses how fashion color trends are
determined by color marketing companies
several years in advance. These predictions,
however, are not always in line with consumers’
behavior.

• Vocabulary Skill: The Root Word dic/dict

Answers will vary.
 Reading Skill
Skimming for the main Idea

Sikmming is one way to look for the main ideas

in a reading. When we skim, we read over parts
of the text very quickly, and focus on the first
and last paragraphs, and the first sentence of
the other paragraphs. We don’t need to read
every word or look up words we don’t
understand; we just need to get a general idea
of what something is about.
Answers will vary.
The Color of Fashion
How do fashion trends begin? Some people assume
fashion ideas come straight from designers or from large
companies like LVMH (owner of luxury brands like Louis
Vuitton). Others believe trends are born on the streets in
the form of fashionable individuals. In fact, these
designers and well-dressed people, whether they know it
or not, are partly influenced by an association that is
little- known outside the fashion industry—the Color
Marketing Group (CMG).
The sole responsibility of CMG is to decide the “hot”
colors for the future. This global association is made up
of more than 1,100 contributors who research and
predict color trends. The data developed by CMG is so
influential that it affects not only fashion. Industries like
design and architecture or car manufacturers are also
involved, as they need to know what the “in” colors are
for their products, like wall paint and new cars. Stylist
and color expert Kate Smith says that she thinks of
CMG as “an invaluable resource when it comes to
understanding the direction for design and color for
years to come.”
CMG’s members are always collecting data, information,
and samples that will help inform them about future
trends. Participating designers consider many aspects of
culture when surveying color trends, such as movies,
music, travel, politics, and the economy. Members of
CMG then meet for conferences to compile their
findings into a report that designers can use as a guide
for future seasons’ fashion. These reports are used by
textile manufacturers, where designers and artists
create fabrics and materials that feature the predicted
tones. Fashion designers then attend fabric
conventions to consider the direction they will take with
their designs in the upcoming seasons.
CMG is not the only group of its kind, however, and
other color analysts have come to different conclusions
about which colors will be popular in coming years. In
2012, CMG declared Boyz-N-Berry, a bold purple, to be
its “Color of the Year.” In contrast, CMG’s main
competitor Pantone selected Tangerine Tango as its
top color for 2012. A strong red-orange color, Tangerine
Tango was chosen for its energy and strength at a time
when the economy was down, and many people wanted
to cheer up and feel more optimistic. “There’s the
element of encouragement with orange,” said Leatrice
Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color
Institute. “It’s building on the ideas of courage and
action, that we want to move on to better things.”
Of course, color forecasts are not always perfect. As
the great difference between Boyz-N-Berry and
Tangerine Tango suggests, predicting color and fashion
trends may be more of an art than a science. Designers
may have advice and direction from organizations that
study color, but they still need to use their own intuition
when deciding which advice to follow. In the end,
consumer purchases dictate the trends that will stick,
and it’s hard to predict how people will act two years in
the future.
Fashion blogger Peter Lappin has pointed to some
surveys that claim U.S. fashion retailers lose as much as
$200 billion dollars a year because of sales forecast
errors. This problem could result from a number of
factors: perhaps designers focused on the wrong trends
or there wasn’t enough promotion of the trend. Maybe
retailers made bad decisions with regard to the trends
and styles they were presented with. As Lappin admits,
“nobody knows for sure what’s going to happen
tomorrow, whether it’s in economics, politics, or fashion.”
But next time you notice an abundance of a certain color
on the catwalk or on the streets, you’ll know it’s down to
decisions made years in advance by organizations like
CMG.
 (lines 13–16)

(lines 25–26)

(lines 41–43)
(lines 31–33)

(lines 69–71)
 V
V
V
V
V
V

Answers will vary.

 forecast
optimistic

data
stick
convention
survey
intuition
compiling
 Vocabulary Skill
The Root Word dic/ dict

In this chapter you read the verb dictate,

meaning to tell or command. This word is made
by combining the root word dict, meaning to say,
tell, or speak, with the verb suffix –ate. Dict,
sometimes also written dic, is combined with
other root words, prefixes, and suffixes to form
many words in English.
verb to tell/command
noun a ruler with total control
noun way of speaking
noun a book that gives the
meanings of words
verb to say that the opposite of
another’s statement is true
verb to show or mark out
verb to state what will happen in
the future
noun a decision or judgment that has
been made on a serious matter
 dictator
verdict
dictionary
predict

indicates
contradict

diction
dictate
 Chapter 2 Summary
• Target Vocabulary: cautious, collaborate, episode,
glamorous, hesitate, mislead, momentary, pursue

• Reading Skill: Identifying Main and Supporting

Ideas

• Reading passage Summary: This passage

describes fashion design reality shows and
discusses why they’re popular with viewers but may
not be well respected by the fashion industry.

• Vocabulary Skill: The Prefix mis-

Answers will vary.
 Reading Skill
Identifying Main and Supporting Ideas

Supporting ideas are used to explain or give

more information about the main idea of the
paragraph. They tend to follow the main idea
which usually appears in the first or second
sentence of each paragraph. Different types
include examples, facts, statistics, reasons, etc.
S
S
M
 Most contestants do not become as famous and
successful as they had hoped.

Not many companies have put their

name together with contestants.
The fashion industry has not shown much
interest in the programs.
Reality TV: Good or Bad for Fashion?
“That’s fierce!” Does that quote make you think of
designer Christian Siriano? Siriano, who made the word
“fierce” a wellknown phrase, has become one of the
most successful stars of reality television since winning
the fashion contest show Project Runway in 2008.
However, he isone of very few designers to find real
success after appearing on a fashion reality show. With
so few success stories to speak of, many people are
wondering if these shows are actually helping designers’
careers. What’s more, many fashion professionals
question if the shows are a good thing for the industry.
Fashion reality shows have become very popular
among a wide audience. Some shows—such as Project
Runway or The Fashion Show—have been running for
several seasons, and fans follow each episode and
even create fan blogs and write in online forums about
the show. Supporters of these shows say they see how
professionals work, from sketching ideas to choosing
fabric to fitting and accessorizing models. These shows
are like a backstage pass to a runway show. Jennifer
Minnitti, chairwoman of the department of fashion at the
Pratt Institute, agrees that such reality shows have
stimulated interest in fashion. As a result of this
increased popularity, more and more students pursue
studies in fashion and design, and these departments
in universities are growing ever larger.
While inspiring students is a good thing, Minnitti points
out that some students might be misled by fashion
reality shows. “You get a lot of students who just want to
participate in this program because they want to be on
TV, or be a celebrity,” says Minnitti. “This is a tough
business.” Minnitti’s concern is that these shows make
the fashion industry look glamorous without giving
a true picture of the amount of work involved. Fashion
consultant Fern Mallis agrees. She says that reality
shows give people the idea that it can be easy to find
fashion success and create their own brand; both
extremely rare and difficult things to do. While many
contestants from these shows do find work in the
fashion industry—as designers for clothing brands,
costume designers, etc.— most do not achieve the level
of fame or prestige they are seeking.
The management at clothing brands also seem
cautious about working with the shows and their former
contestants. Brands such as H&M, Macy’s, and Saks
Fifth Avenue have sponsored TV fashion shows and
have offered representatives from their companies as
judges. But very few brands have been willing to put
their name alongside that of a fashion reality show
contestant. This, you might argue, says a lot about the
amount of faith companies have in the winners of TV
fashion shows. Brand managers know that
collaborating with a designer or a celebrity can add a
new look to their products, make the brand more
appealing to consumers, and sell a lot of clothes. But
putting out a new clothing line is risky, as it takes a lot of
money to produce and promote.
This is why brands prefer to work with established
designers, like Marc Jacobs, or celebrities, such as
Jessica Simpson, who can draw their fans to the brand.

Major brands have shown that so far they don’t believe

in the star power of reality show contestants. Fashion
legend Calvin Klein is among those in the industry
who openly do not respect reality fashion shows, and his
comments might explain why brand managers hesitate
to work with unknown designers. “To really have
success
and to really make it you need staying power. That’s not
an accident. These designers work at it all the time, they
never stop,” says Klein. “A TV show about fashion?
That’s a momentary thing.”
 (title, lines 8–12)

(lines 20–24)

(lines 40–44)

(lines 62–63)

(lines 65–69)
Answers will vary.
Answers will vary. Possible answers include:
1. People may imagine they can also accomplish
the feats shown on the program.

2. Examples include: Stella Mc Cartney for

Addidas, Zac Posen and Rodarte for Target,
Nanette Lepore for JC Penny. All have been very
successful, with customers waiting for hours to
buy them. Collaborations are often popular
because consumers can buy clothes by famous
designers at very low prices.
Answers will vary.
 Vocabulary Skill
The Prefix mis-

In this chapter, you learned the word misled.

This word is formed by adding the prefix mis- to
the verb led or lead. The prefix mis- has a
negative meaning and can mean wrong or ill, or
it can simply be used to make the word an
antonym (e.g., mistrust). It can be added to
various parts of speech.
A:
• mismanagement: not doing things properly
• misinformed: given the wrong information
• misguided: silly, not thought-out
• misunderstanding: mistake
• misconception: wrong idea
• miscalculated: added up incorrectly
• misspelled: spelled incorrectly
miscalculated

misguided
misconception

misspelled
misinformed

misunderstanding
mismanaged

Answers will vary.

 Real Life Skill
Understanding Clothing Sizes

Countries all over the world have different ways

of measuring clothing and shoe sizes. If you
plan to visit another country, or are interested in
shopping online for yourself or others, becoming
familiar with some international clothing sizes
can help you to make the right choices.
Answers will vary.
14.5 7

8 8

39 27.5

50+ 39
Chapter 1
Vocabulary
 compile
v. to put information together into a logical
order, especially so it can be analyzed

Population censuses compile information on

the residents of a country.
 convention
n. a formal meeting for people with the same
interests

There are many comic book conventions

around the world.
 data
n. information or facts

Computer hackers often try to access

personal data.
 forecast
n. a description of what is likely to happen in
the future using information

currently available: Let’s check the news

channel to see the weather forecast for this
weekend.
 intuition
n. the ability to understand or know
something because of a feeling and not
because of facts

Dogs seem to have good intuition.

 optimistic
adj. believing that good things will happen in
the future

Doctors say that being optimistic is good for

your health.
 stick
v. to become permanent or lasting

Many new trends come into fashion but

don’t stick.
 survey
v. to look at or think about something
carefully, usually to make an opinion

Let’s survey the venue first before deciding

whether to hold the concert there.
Chapter 2
Vocabulary
 cautious
adj. careful to avoid danger or risk

Cautious people don’t always succeed in

business.
 collaborate
to work together as a group

The best teams know how to collaborate to

make a project work.
 episode
n. one part of a television or radio show
series

These days it’s very easy to record an

episode of your favorite show so you don’t
miss it.
 glamorous
adj. attractive or exciting

Movie stars often have very glamorous

lifestyles.
 hesitate
v. to pause before saying or doing
something because you are nervous or not
Sure

People who hesitate too much often don’t

get what they want.
 mislead
v. to make someone believe something that
is not true by giving them false or
incomplete information

The government has banned advertisements

that deliberately try to mislead consumers.
 momentary
adj. lasting for a very short time

There was a momentary silence when

we saw the beautiful view.
 pursue
v. to continue doing an activity in order to
achieve a goal

If you want to pursue a career as a doctor

you have to study hard.