The teen population is expected to expand until 2010, when there will be almost 34 million in that group, according to Census projections. And then there's the booming economy. At this stage, parents are still paying the bills, so they must also fall for the styles. You have to catch the parents' eye too. But try getting something into a kid's closet, or on their walls, that they don't really like.
Children do make their voices heard.
At Ikea, which is known for its colorful, youth-oriented home furnishings, parents and children often shop for furniture together. We want to make kids' furniture affordable. Often, products are designed around a theme, targeted to kids in the age of mass media who have grown up with theme living, from Thomas the Tank Engine crib bumpers to Barney sheets to Lion King desk accessories. Danielle Brand's parents, Marci and Rich Brand, don't quite know what to make of their budding consumer. Although Marci Brand is a designer, she and her daughters don't shop that much.