THE MOVEMENT OF FASHION
UNIT 2
Fashion Cycle: The rise, widespread popularity and
then decline in acceptance of a style
Fashion cycles are like waves: Some are short;
some are long.
Success is being able to recognize and predict the
different stages
INTRODUCTION STAGE: New styles
must be priced high enough so that
those that succeed can cover the
losses on those that don’t succeed.
Buyers purchase a limited amount.
RISE STAGE: The design is accepted by an
increasing number of customers.
Fashion buyers reorder in quantity for
maximum store coverage.
During rise stage, retailers will offer line for line
copies or knockoffs.
Line for line copies or knockoffs – copying of an
item at a lower price.
Adaptations – designs that have all the dominant
features of the style that inspired them, but do not
claim to be exact copies.
Faux – Fake
Faux pearls, faux fur
CULMINATION STAGE – Plateau stage – A fashion is at
the height of its popularity. At this stage the fashion
can be mass-produced, mass-distributed and sold at
reasonable prices.
The culmination stage can be extended if fashion
becomes accepted as a classic or if new details of
design, color or texture are continually introduced.
Ex: Running Shoes
DECLINE STAGE – The decrease in consumer
demand because of boredom resulting from
widespread use of a fashion.
Production slows; markdowns
LENGTHS OF FASHION CYCLES
Declines are fast, and a drop to obsolescence is
almost always steeper than a rise to culmination.
OBSOLESCENCE STAGE – When strong distaste for a
style has set in and it can no longer be sold at any price.
“YOU CAN’T GIVE IT AWAY”
More new fashions are always ready to push existing
ones out of the way. Fashion cycles are becoming
shorter and shorter.
In Trendy World Of Fast Fashion,
Styles Aren't Made To Last
The normal flow of a fashion cycle can be broken or
interrupted by outside influences.
Ex. Unpredictable weather, war, Depression.
The cycle can resume when outside influences
disappear.
Ex. Availability of man-made fibers was
interrupted by petroleum shortages in 1973.
WHEN FASHION IS IN A CYCLE BREAK,
INTEREST IN COSMETICS USUALLY PICKS UP.
Long-run fashions: a fashion that takes more
seasons to complete its cycle than what might be
considered its average life expectancy.
Short- run fashions: a fashion that takes fewer
seasons to complete its cycle than what might be
considered its average life expectancy.
Fashion Trends of 2009
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000142405274870486930457
4596251783557242
CONSUMER BUYING CYCLE AND CONSUMER USE CYCLE
Both the consumer buying and consumer use cycles
tend to rise at an equal rate, but once a fashion has
reached its peak, the consumer buying cycle declines
much faster than does the consumer use cycle.
Business
Is Denim On The Decline? Jean Makers See Sharp
Drop In Sales
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/08/12/is-denim-on-thedecline-jean-makers-see-sharp-drop-in-sales-pants
Consumers are still wearing fashions even though
stores are not longer stocking them
Ex. Swimwear is no longer in stores in August,
however, consumers are still using them.
If managers see the buying cycle begin
to drop, they must take immediate
steps to reduce stock with early and
deep markdowns.
ACCELERATING FACTORS THAT SPEED UP A
FASHION CYCLE:
• Increased buying power
• Increase leisure
• More education
• Improved status of women
• Technological advances
• Sales Promotion
• The changes of seasons
Increased buying power – There are more
people with money to flock to a new fashion
reaching culmination stage quicker.
Increased Leisure – more time to buy
and enjoy fashions such as casual
clothes, sports apparel, travel clothes.
More Education – more educated people
are earning more money to buy more
fashions
Improved status of women – more
women in the workplace earning income
to buy more fashions.
Technological Advances – New fibers and materials
are improving qualities.
Computer technology has improved production
keeping prices down, therefore, more people can
buy.
Sales Promotion – sales promotion can help speed
up acceptance by telling and showing people that
fashion exists.
Seasonal Change – as the seasons change,
so does consumer demand
RETARDING FACTORS THAT SLOW
DOWN FASHION CYCLES:
• Habit and Custom
• Sumptuary Laws
• Nature of the Merchandise
• Reductions in Buying Power
Habit and Custom
• Habit is a loyalty to an established style slowing
fashion cycle.
•
Customs continue keeping past fashions in
modern dress.
They are on the left side for women who
tend to hold babies on their left side and
can conveniently use the right hand for
buttons.
Sumptuary laws
• Laws that regulate what we can and cannot
purchase.
Ex. Children’s sleepwear must be flame-retardant.
Nature of the Merchandise
• Men’s fashion cycles move more slowly
than women’s
Reductions in Consumer’s Buying Power
• People make do with clothing they have, buying
only necessities.
•Women’s fashions have tended to concentrate mainly
on different ways to convey sexual appeal
Erogenous – portions of the body that are newly
exposed. Ex. legs
• Men’s fashions have been designed to emphasize
such attributes as strength, power, bravery, and
high social rank.
Predicting the movement of fashion trends
1.Distinguish what the current fashion trends
are.
Fashion trend – a direction in which fashion is
moving
2.Estimate how widespread they are.
3.Determine when these fashions will appeal to
the firm’s target customer groups.
Fashion forecasters keep a sharp watch for
prophetic styles.
Prophetic styles – new styles that are still in the
interesting introductory phase of the fashion
cycle.
The 7 biggest trends from New York
Fashion Week fall 2015
http://www.aol.com/article/2015/02/19/the-7-biggest-trendsfrom-new-york-fashion-week-fall-2015/21144690/
4.Collect data: sales by price, style and color
5.Observe what people are wearing