Post on 11-Dec-2015
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc. Chapter 2The Nature of Fashion 1
Which best depicts FASHION?
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc.
The Nature of Fashion
Key Concepts• Marketing and
merchandising in the fashion business
• The stages of the fashion cycle
• The intangibles of fashion
The terminology, components,cycles, and principles of fashion.
chapter two
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc. Chapter 2The Nature of Fashion 3
A. The Fashion Business
C. Terminology
D. Components
E. The Fashion Cycle
G. Principles
The Nature of Fashion
B. Misconceptions
F. The Intangibles of Fashion
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc. Chapter 2The Nature of Fashion 4
FASHION BUSINESS
Is defined as all the fashion industry and services in total
FASHION INDUSTRY
Is defined as solely the production of garments, accessories or shoes
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc. Chapter 2The Nature of Fashion 5
Marketing and Merchandising
• Identify consumer needs
• Develop good products
• Price, distribute, and promote for an easier sell
• Goal: Know and understand the customer so well that the product or service sells itself
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• The fashion business was slow to adopt marketing techniques that were successful with other consumer goods.
• Until recently, time and money was spent trying to convince consumers that what the industry produced was what the consumer wanted.
• Since adopting modern marketing principles, the fashion business has become much more responsive, designing products based on actual consumer needs.
Marketing and Merchandising
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FASHION MERCHANDISING is the planning required to have fashion-oriented merchandise at the:
• Right time
• Right place
• Right quantities
And with the right sales promotion.
• Right prices
Marketing and Merchandising
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Misconceptions about Fashion
• Designers and retailers dictate fashion and force it upon the hapless consumer. This is the most common misconception.
• Fashion influences only women.
• Fashion is a mysterious and unpredictable force of nature.
There are three widely held misconceptions concerning the fashion industry:
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc. Chapter 2The Nature of Fashion 9
Style is the characteristic or distinctive appearance of a garment…the combination
of features that makes it unique and different from other garments
FashionStyle accepted and used by the majority at one time.
High FashionNew styles accepted by a limited number of fashion leaders who want to be innovative.
Fashion Terminology
2008 Fairchild Books, Inc. Chapter 2The Nature of Fashion 10
Mass/Volume FashionRefers to styles that are widely accepted.
DesignInterpretation of a style.
TastePrevailing opinion of what is attractive and appropriate.
Using your own fashion sense, would this be attractive and appropriate for you?
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ClassicStyle that remains in general fashion for an extended period of time.
FadA style that suddenly sweeps into popularity, but disappears as quickly as it arrived, i.e., the ‘Nehru’ collar.
TrendA general direction or movement.
The classic Chanel suit adapted for the 21st century
Even in 2008, the experts were unsure whether the ultra miniskirt was fad or a trend
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Components of Fashion
• DETAILSDetails of the garment consist of: trim, buttons, length, width, waist, shoulder, sleeve treatment.
• SILHOUETTEThere are 3 basic forms:Bell, bustle, straight (slim, rectangular, wedge, A-line)
• TEXTURERefers to the look and feel of the garment and affects the color of a fabric by causing the surface to either reflect or absorb light.
• COLORSymbolizes many things, and is important in apparel selection for both men and women.
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The Fashion Cycle
Introduction:
Fashion
Innovators
purchase
from the
Retailers who
“lead” fashionRise:
Fashion leaders
purchase from
traditional
retailers in
their “better”
department
Acceleration:
Fashion followers
purchase from
traditional
retailers in
“moderate priced”
departments
Decline:
Fashion followers
may purchase
a few items
at greatly reduced
prices from
discounters
Obsolescence:
No one is buying!
“You can’t
give it away!
Sal
es
Time
INNOVATION STAGES CULMINATION STAGES DECLINE STAGES
Mass
Acceptance:
Fashion
followers
purchase
from mass
merchants
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Breaks in the Cycle
• In fashion there are always ups and down, stops and
starts
• The normal flow can be broken or abruptly interrupted
by outside influences
• The influence can be simply unpredictable weather or
a change in group acceptance
• Or it can much more dramatic and far-reaching – war,
worldwide economic depression or a natural disaster
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Intangibles of FashionA fashion itself is intangible. A style is tangible made up of a definite silhouette and details of design.
BUTFashion is shaped by such powerful intangibles as…
• Group Acceptance
• Change
• The Social Forces important during a certain era
• People’s desire to relate to specific lifestyles
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Intangibles of Fashion
Group acceptance• Basically fashion is acceptance. Group
acceptance or approval is implied in any definition of fashion. To dress in the latest fashion means that they are trying to be individual yet also to belong
Change• Fashion is subject to change both rapid and gradual. Mass media spreads
fashion news across the face of the globe in hours. New technology is constantly producing new fibers and blends of fibers. Each seems to offer more than the one before and encourages the discarding of the old
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Mirror of the Time
Fashions mirror the times by reflecting the degree of rigidity in the class structure of an era. Certain fashions have also been used as indications of high social standing and material success.Today, social classes are far more fluid and mobile than ever before. People are free to choose their own values and lifestyles and their dress reflects that choice.
Social class
LifestylesFashions also mirror the times by reflecting the activities in which people of an era participate. The importance of court-centered social activitiesin the 17th and 18th century Europe was an evidence in men’s and women’s ornately styled apparel.
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Five Principles of Fashion1. Consumers establish fashions by accepting
or rejecting styles offered.
2. Fashion is not based on price alone.
3. Fashion is evolutionary, not revolutionary.Exceptions: 1789 French Revolution
1947 Dior’s “New Look”
Designers must give expression to silhouette, color, fabric and design that the majority of consumers want.
Successful fashions are found at all price points.
Christian Lacroix’s pouf skirt from 1987
John Galliano’s pouf skirt from 2008
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Five Principles of Fashion4. Direction cannot be altered by sales
promotion.
Development of French doors in the 18th century to accommodate hoopskirts that ballooned to 8 feet in width.
Promotional effort cannot renew the life of a fading fashion.
5. “All fashion ends in excess”. Paul Poiret
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Which best depicts FASHION?