In order to get into a certain "mood" for a design, a designer needs inspiration. Sometimes, only thoughts are not enough. A designer needs to go out to the World, he needs to feel, to touch, to interact, but to mostly intake the visual. Visual inspiration or an "inspiration-board", is fundamental for a good communication between the client and the designer. Not because we think about the same style-direction or trend, instantly means, that we have the same view or vision of it. Bringing the design-concept or idea to paper before we start our design project, brings clearness to the idea of the final product and can save you precious time.
Providing the end-consumer with a trend inspirationboard with already existing products, can be as crucial for the market as the moodboard for the designer. The conscious trend-shopper, wants to know, where the trend is heading and being up-to-date, is even more stimulating for such consumers.
"The creative mind plays with the object it loves." - Carl Gustav Jung