Welcome to the esthetic economy. Meanwhile, we're getting richer and demanding a more esthetically pleasing environment. More beauty is a natural product of increased affluence.
Good design is an important source of economic value and competitive advantage.
Those needs aren't limited to such niches as fashion, cosmetics or entertainment. Starbucks, for instance, built its brand not just on coffee but on a distinctive style that echoes the precise lines and luxurious textures of high-end office design. If you've got the cute Graves toaster, you'll want the matching mixer, tea kettle and can opener. And only Target stores will have them. That's the good-news scenario.