Chapter 1: The Nature of Fashion The Importance of Fashion ...
Chapter 1: The Nature of Fashion The Importance of Fashion - Increased in the interest of fashion, people want to keep up with trends The Fashion Business Fashion industries – businesses that are engaged in manufacturing the materials and finished products used in the production of apparel and accessories for men, women and children Fashion business includes the industries and services relating to fashion – design, manufacturing, marketing, retailing, etc Marketing - To identify consumer needs: develop good products, price, distribute and promote to sell Fashion Marketing and Merchandising - Fashion marketing- satisfying consumer’s needs to develop products and services that provide superior customer value, prices, distributes to make it sell Merchandising: sales promotion as a comprehensive function – market research, development of new products, advertising and selling 5 Rs of merchandising: - Right time - Right place - Right quantities - Right prices - Right sales promotion for target market Misconceptions About Fashion 1. Is that designers and retailers dictate what fashion will be in but consumers decide what the fashion is which influences designs 2. Fashion acts as an influence on women only. Fashion is the force that influences different behavior: skirt lengths, wide/skinny ties + children demands 3. An unpredictable force. Direction can easily be determined by those who study the fundamentals of fashion The Terminology of Fashion Style - In general, style is a characteristic expression/presentation - In apparel, style is the characteristic or distinctive appearance of a garment; the features that makes it different from other garments - A specific style always remains; personal styles (MJ’s gloves, Snooki’s pouf) - Some styles are named after a period of history (flapper in 1920s)
Fashion - A fashion is a style that is accepted and used by the majority of a group at any on time, no matter how small that group is - The result of social emulation and acceptance (miniskirts, square-toed shoes) - High fashion- a new style accepted by a limited number of fashion leaders who want to be first to change in fashion if it is accepted by more people, they get mass produced and sold at lower prices while the leaders move on - Mass fashion/volume fashion- styles that are widely accepted; sold at large quantities at low prices & has most sales in the business Design - Design: a particular/individual interpretation, version or treatment of a style - Ex: a sweatshirt has variations (different necklines, pockets, etc) - Style number: manufacturers and retailers assign a number to each individual design produced – identifies it for manufacturing, ordering and selling purposes Taste - Taste refers to prevailing opinion of what is and what is not appropriate for a given occasion – what is appropriate for a specific situation - A new style: gradually accepted, widely accepted, gradually discarded - Fashion cycle has been shorter lately and repeated quicker Classic - Classic is a style or design that satisfies a basic need and remains in general fashion acceptance for an extended period of time - It is characterized by a simple design that keeps it from being easily dated - Ex: Chanel suit Fad - Fad: a fashion that suddenly sweeps into popularity, affects a limited part of the total population then quickly disappears - Starts by being quickly accepted then imitated by others in a short time - Because of the overwhelm, it fades quickly - Follows the same cycle as fashions but everything is shortened – called “miniature fashions” Trend - Trend is a general direction or movement - Marketers always want to know whether it’s going to be a trend or a fad to cash in on trends but avoid getting burned by fads Components of Fashion Design Silhouette - Silhouette of a costume is its overall outline/contour; referred to as shape or form - Fashion experts include 4 forms: slim, rectangle, wedge and A-line Details - Details: individual elements that give a silhouette its form or shape: trimmings, length and width, etc
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Evolve gradually from each other; when the trend reaches an extreme, a reversal of the trend takes place Texture - Texture is the look and feel of material, woven or nonwoven - Can affect the appearance of a silhouette w/ bulky or slender look - Influences the drape of the garment - Affects colour of fabric by causing surface to reflect/absorb light Colour - A major consideration for women and men in apparel - Historically, colour was good to denote rank and profession - No limits to colours today; different season different colours The Fashion Cycle Fashion cycle refers to the rise, wide popularity and subsequent decline in acceptance of a style; it is represented by a bell-shaped curve Stages of the Fashion Cycle Introduction - Usually introduced in higher-priced merchandise & produced in small quantities to test target market - The test period ends when it has been either accepted/rejected by customers - Promotional activities (designer appearances, charity shows) Rise - When new original design is accepted by an increasing number of customers - Knock offs: versions of the original designer style duplicated by manufacturers – prices are lower - Adaptations: designs that have all the dominant features of the style that inspired them, but do not claim to be exact copies Culmination - The period when a fashion is at the height of its popularity and use – mass produced with low price range - If fashion becomes classic, it settles into a fairly steady sales pattern - If new details are always introduced, interest may be kept longer Decline Stage - Boredom that results in decrease in consumer demand - People still wear it but no longer buying at regular price; only discounts - Production stops immediately Obsolescence - Lack of interest for a style and can no longer be sold at any price Lengths of Cycles - Speed of cycles are becoming faster; rapid technological developments - Consumers immediately accept/reject; new fashions are always ready
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Fast fashion – keep fashion fresh (Zara, H&M) allows retailers to develop ways to manage Breaks in the Cycle - Can be stopped by outside influences (weather, war, economic, natural disaster) - Manufacturers believe broken cycle usually picks up where it has stopped when conditions return to normal Consumer Buying and the Fashion Cycle - Consumer buying cycle and consumer use cycle - Curve of the buying rises in direct relation to use; when it reaches its peak, buying tends to decline than use - While each group is different in using it, the retailers are moving on to something new The Intangibles of Fashion Group Acceptance - People want to express their individuality but at the same time be accepted by their group; one group may accept while another may not - Acceptance is expressed in the way we dress Change - Fashion changes: ideas about politics, religion, leisure, age change, etc - Mass media spreads fashion news in hours/seconds - Coverage shows what they are wearing (celebrities at parties) also through social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook) - Environmentally conscious consumers demanding eco-friendly products – advance of technology helps satisfy need Alpha Ecos: commited to saving planet Eco-Centrics: concerned about environmental products Eco-Chics: understand the cachet of being seen as “green” (social media) Economically Ecos – less concerned about saving planet, want to save $ Eco-Moms: interest in cost-effective products, emphasizing on kids The Futility of Forcing Change - Fashion expresses the spirit of times - Changes are initiated but many failures as there are successes Meeting the Demand for Change - Christian Dior designed a freer line for women which achieved instant success - Did not change the course of fashion, but quickened it by recognizing women’s need for free and feminine ones A Mirror of the Times - Fashions are social expressions that document tastes and values of era - Ex: flappers in 1920s expressed bare legs Social Class - Certain fashions were restricted due to class structures
- Today, people choose to wear what they like Lifestyle - Fashions mirror the times by reflecting the activities in which the people of an era participate Principles of Fashion 1. Fashion is established by consumers by accepting/rejecting the style - Customer is the potential purchaser of goods/services - Manufacturers choose what will be successful; more rejected than chosen 2. Fashions are not based on price - Successful fashions are offered at every price level; upper-income will like low prices, etc 3. Fashions are evolutionary in nature; they are rarely revolutionary - Fashion change comes about as a result of gradual movements from one season to the next - Consumers usually buy things that fit with their wardrobe from last year’s purchases 4. No amount of sale promotion can change the direction in which fashions are moving - Cannot force people to buy what they do not want - Cannot renew the life of a fading fashion 5. All fashions end in excess - Once the extreme of styling has been reached, fashion is nearing its end
Fashion - A fashion is a style that is accepted and used by the majority of a group at any on time, no matter how small that group is - The result of social emulation and acceptance (miniskirts, square-toed shoes) - High fashion- a new style accepted by a limited number of fashion leaders who want to be first to change in fashion if it is accepted by more people, they get mass produced and sold at lower prices while the leaders move on - Mass fashion/volume fashion- styles that are widely accepted; sold at large quantities at low prices & has most sales in the business Design - Design: a particular/individual interpretation, version or treatment of a style - Ex: a sweatshirt has variations (different necklines, pockets, etc) - Style number: manufacturers and retailers assign a number to each individual design produced – identifies it for manufacturing, ordering and selling purposes Taste - Taste refers to prevailing opinion of what is and what is not appropriate for a given occasion – what is appropriate for a specific situation - A new style: gradually accepted, widely accepted, gradually discarded - Fashion cycle has been shorter lately and repeated quicker Classic - Classic is a style or design that satisfies a basic need and remains in general fashion acceptance for an extended period of time - It is characterized by a simple design that keeps it from being easily dated - Ex: Chanel suit Fad - Fad: a fashion that suddenly sweeps into popularity, affects a limited part of the total population then quickly disappears - Starts by being quickly accepted then imitated by others in a short time - Because of the overwhelm, it fades quickly - Follows the same cycle as fashions but everything is shortened – called “miniature fashions” Trend - Trend is a general direction or movement - Marketers always want to know whether it’s going to be a trend or a fad to cash in on trends but avoid getting burned by fads Components of Fashion Design Silhouette - Silhouette of a costume is its overall outline/contour; referred to as shape or form - Fashion experts include 4 forms: slim, rectangle, wedge and A-line Details - Details: individual elements that give a silhouette its form or shape: trimmings, length and width, etc
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Evolve gradually from each other; when the trend reaches an extreme, a reversal of the trend takes place Texture - Texture is the look and feel of material, woven or nonwoven - Can affect the appearance of a silhouette w/ bulky or slender look - Influences the drape of the garment - Affects colour of fabric by causing surface to reflect/absorb light Colour - A major consideration for women and men in apparel - Historically, colour was good to denote rank and profession - No limits to colours today; different season different colours The Fashion Cycle Fashion cycle refers to the rise, wide popularity and subsequent decline in acceptance of a style; it is represented by a bell-shaped curve Stages of the Fashion Cycle Introduction - Usually introduced in higher-priced merchandise & produced in small quantities to test target market - The test period ends when it has been either accepted/rejected by customers - Promotional activities (designer appearances, charity shows) Rise - When new original design is accepted by an increasing number of customers - Knock offs: versions of the original designer style duplicated by manufacturers – prices are lower - Adaptations: designs that have all the dominant features of the style that inspired them, but do not claim to be exact copies Culmination - The period when a fashion is at the height of its popularity and use – mass produced with low price range - If fashion becomes classic, it settles into a fairly steady sales pattern - If new details are always introduced, interest may be kept longer Decline Stage - Boredom that results in decrease in consumer demand - People still wear it but no longer buying at regular price; only discounts - Production stops immediately Obsolescence - Lack of interest for a style and can no longer be sold at any price Lengths of Cycles - Speed of cycles are becoming faster; rapid technological developments - Consumers immediately accept/reject; new fashions are always ready
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Fast fashion – keep fashion fresh (Zara, H&M) allows retailers to develop ways to manage Breaks in the Cycle - Can be stopped by outside influences (weather, war, economic, natural disaster) - Manufacturers believe broken cycle usually picks up where it has stopped when conditions return to normal Consumer Buying and the Fashion Cycle - Consumer buying cycle and consumer use cycle - Curve of the buying rises in direct relation to use; when it reaches its peak, buying tends to decline than use - While each group is different in using it, the retailers are moving on to something new The Intangibles of Fashion Group Acceptance - People want to express their individuality but at the same time be accepted by their group; one group may accept while another may not - Acceptance is expressed in the way we dress Change - Fashion changes: ideas about politics, religion, leisure, age change, etc - Mass media spreads fashion news in hours/seconds - Coverage shows what they are wearing (celebrities at parties) also through social networking sites (Twitter, Facebook) - Environmentally conscious consumers demanding eco-friendly products – advance of technology helps satisfy need Alpha Ecos: commited to saving planet Eco-Centrics: concerned about environmental products Eco-Chics: understand the cachet of being seen as “green” (social media) Economically Ecos – less concerned about saving planet, want to save $ Eco-Moms: interest in cost-effective products, emphasizing on kids The Futility of Forcing Change - Fashion expresses the spirit of times - Changes are initiated but many failures as there are successes Meeting the Demand for Change - Christian Dior designed a freer line for women which achieved instant success - Did not change the course of fashion, but quickened it by recognizing women’s need for free and feminine ones A Mirror of the Times - Fashions are social expressions that document tastes and values of era - Ex: flappers in 1920s expressed bare legs Social Class - Certain fashions were restricted due to class structures
- Today, people choose to wear what they like Lifestyle - Fashions mirror the times by reflecting the activities in which the people of an era participate Principles of Fashion 1. Fashion is established by consumers by accepting/rejecting the style - Customer is the potential purchaser of goods/services - Manufacturers choose what will be successful; more rejected than chosen 2. Fashions are not based on price - Successful fashions are offered at every price level; upper-income will like low prices, etc 3. Fashions are evolutionary in nature; they are rarely revolutionary - Fashion change comes about as a result of gradual movements from one season to the next - Consumers usually buy things that fit with their wardrobe from last year’s purchases 4. No amount of sale promotion can change the direction in which fashions are moving - Cannot force people to buy what they do not want - Cannot renew the life of a fading fashion 5. All fashions end in excess - Once the extreme of styling has been reached, fashion is nearing its end
