An article in the New York Times (January 20, 2011, E2) describes designers like Donna Karan, JNBY and Calvin Tran who have developed designs that can be worn as “a poncho, a dress, a kimono or a hooded cape” as Mr Tran is quoted in the article. The article mentions that while these designs are versatile, they lack the “hangar appeal” because their success requires the customer to drape or fold to achieve the look. Will such versatile designs, that permit customers to leverage their spend over a wider assortment of looks, become the trend in these frugal times ?  Or will the “hangar look” tradeoff doom such designs to niche markets ?