High Street - The term "High Street" is used to describe stores found on a typical
high street to differentiate them from more specialised, exclusive and
expensive outlets (often independent stores) — for example, "High Street
banks" (instead of the less-common private or investment banks) or "High Street shops" (instead of boutiques).
Haute couture (/ˌoʊtkuːˈtʊər/; French pronunciation: [ot ku'tyʁ]; French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking" or "high fashion") refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture
is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from
high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail
and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often
using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques.
Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter (pronounced: [pʁɛ.ta pɔʁ.te]; often abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for factory-made clothing, sold in finished condition, in standardized sizes, as distinct from made to measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a particular person's frame. Off-the-peg is sometimes used for items which are not clothing, such as handbags.
Ready-to-wear has rather different connotations in the spheres of fashion and classic clothing. In the fashion industry,
designers produce ready-to-wear clothing intended to be worn without
significant alteration, because clothing made to standard sizes fits
most people. They use standard patterns, factory equipment, and faster
construction techniques to keep costs low, compared to a custom-sewn
version of the same item. Some fashion houses and fashion designers
produce mass-produced and industrially manufactured ready-to-wear
lines, while others offer garments that, while not unique, are produced
in limited numbers.
Charles Frederick Worth:
Christian Dior:
Fast Fashion
Designer Typology:
Mavericks:
Low market responsiveness, low concern with what people think
Lead rather than follow, set the tone for other design houses
Leaders: low concern for what peers think, high market responsiveness
Interpreters: high concern for peers, high market responsivenes
Reproducers: low concern for peers, high market responsiveness
Research and Idea Generation
Market analysis and research
Trade shows
Fabric and thread shows
Comparative shopping
One
of the major difficulties in coming up with a good catalog of color
psychology is the influence of cultural difference, both international
and interpersonal. For example, in modern western cultures, red is the
color of the devil. However, in the Middle Ages, the devil was often
represented with yellow or green. Green is also believed to be very
lucky in the Irish culture. I prefer the Blue Devil.
We see that things can get mixed up pretty easily. For this reason,
I’ll try to stick to the more universal interpretations, with the
disclaimer that I am a male U.S. citizen living in the 21st century.
Black: Black
often symbolizes power or control. It’s widely regarded as a formal
color (e.g. black-tie affairs). In contexts, it can mean mourning or
death (funerals), or submission (priests). For our purposes, black is a
weighty color that signifies power and commands respect.
White: White
represents light, purity, and innocence. It is notably clean and light
in weight. Other connotations include simplicity and reverence. Very
much considered a summer color (via the “rule” don’t wear white after
Labor Day), though it can also be very formal (especially when paired
with black) as in weddings, or from the fact that the most common shirt
worn with a suit/tuxedo is white.
Red: Red
is likely the heaviest of the hues. Its color is very bold to the eye,
though not necessary displeasing. A range of meanings include love,
anger, fire, power, respect and leadership. One of the most noticeable
colors, even a small amount of red is easily noticed. Photographers are
rumored to carry red soda cans with them to add a flash of red to
pictures. Studies have shown that red actually has a physical effect,
increasing heart rate and breathing rate.
Blue: Blue
is one of the most popular colors, both in and out of the fashion
world. Important meanings include calm, cool, cold, confident, and
loyalty. The last of these is an oft-cited reason to wear blue to job
interviews. Blue can, however, be interpreted as cold (in a
sad/emotional way), so we should be careful to ensure that enough energy
is present in the color to avoid this (if we wish to avoid it, that
is).
Yellow: We
often think of yellow as a happy color, associated with sunlight and
optimism. However, its hue is the most “annoying” to our visual system.
This may be the reason that yellow is actually the color which makes
people angriest. In general, this effect can be tempered by reducing how
striking the yellow appears by choosing lower values and saturations.
Green: Conversely,
green is the easiest color for the eye to accept, likely due to the
abundance of it in nature. This color is associated with growth,
relaxation, fertility, and vigor. Of course, we also know it can
symbolize jealousy, though I think this is more figurative than literal.
Purple: Often
symbolizes royalty, ergo, wealth and success. Can also refer to
delicacy in light shades (high value), or sensuality in darker shades
with high saturation. Given its relatively infrequent appearance in the
natural world, which accounts for its connection to wealth and rarity,
purple can also seem unnatural or artificial.
Orange: One
of the least used colors, orange is a tempered red in terms of
intensity from a purely physical perspective, but its rare use also
makes it easily noticeable. Similar ties as red; anger, desire, fire,
danger, autumn, earth. People often connect “brown” most closely to
orange.
Brown: Element
of the earth, related to nature, stability, simplicity and tradition,
and dependability. A very nonoffensive color, making it a common safe
choice for fashion, especially with men.
Pink: Despite
being technically red, pink, which is just red with very high value, is
viewed very differently. Often represents femininity, softness, spring,
flowers. Emotionally can represent love, admiration or gratitude. A
very peaceful color, unlike the powerful and sometimes angry “red.”
Gray: Often
viewed as a lack of color like black, when in reality it is just a lack
of saturation. Commonly, gray will actually be a red or a blue with
very low saturation. The difference is noticeable in some cases if you
hold up the gray to some red or blue items. Depending on the underlying
color, there are additional “readings” of the gray, but in general it
represents wisdom, respect, neutrality, formality, or balance. Also
interpreted as dull or boring." - From the fashionablemathmetician
Retailing is the service business of selling products directly to the consumer.
- Retailing is America's second largest industry, both in number of establishments and number of employees.
- if the retailing is not effective, all levels of the soft goods pipeline are effected, because products are not sold.
-
To encourage sales, the presentation of items in the store must educate
the consumer on how to wear and buy articles of clothing.
BASIC STEPS OF RETAILING
1. Planning the types and quantities of goods to sell
2. Buying the goods from suppliers (vendors)
3. Receiving the goods
4. Arranging the goods to sell
5. Selling the goods to consumers
FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF FASHION RETAIL
• Merchandising
• Financial Control
• Store Operations
• Personnel
• Sales Promotion
MAIN TYPES OF APPAREL RETAILERS
• General Merchandisers
ie Sears
• Specialized Merchandisers
ie William Sonoma
Department Stores
• large scale general merchandisers, often with a variety of catagories and price points
Branch Stores
• branches off one main or "Flagship" store. i.e. Saks Fifth Avenue
Chain Stores
• Chains with no main store. i.e. JC Penney
Discount Stores
• sell merchandise at lower than market level prices, i.e. Target, Walmart "Wheel of merchandising" • frequently force down prices in conventional dept. stores • offer minimal services, minimal setting • high volume buying and low profit margins reduce cost
Off-Price Discounters
• Focus on high fashion goods at reduced prices • do not place advance orders, instead sell production overruns, surplus stock, discontinued items and seconds
Factory Outlets
• manufacturer owed and operated discount stores
• stocks overruns, cancelled orders and discontinued items
• sometimes located in malls in outlying areas so as not to compete with full price retailers selling the line
Warehouse Wholesale Clubs
• often 20-40 percent less than discount store prices
• volume sales
• membership fees
• bare-boned warehouse type buildings
• little customer service
Dollar Stores
• very low prices, excitement but limited stock
Specialty Stores
• carry large selections of limited classifications of merchandise - i.e. children's, maternity, books
Specialty Chains
Boutiques
• small, stand alone stores that sell unusual or few-of-a-kind items
• strong editorial presences and personalized customer service
Licensed Merchandise Stores
• sells branded items - sports teams, movie, industry i.e. Sports Authority, Disney Store
Airport Retailing
Non Store Retailers
Kiosks
Mail Order Retailing
• merchandise through catalogs (direct mail marketing)
• sometimes dual merchandising - both catalog and store i.e. Victoria Secret
Stylists, Art Directors, Photographers, Make-up and Hair Stylists, Merchandisers, Models
1. Stylists - Very hot job in fashion today
2. Photography team - work with stylists, models, make-up and art director to create editorial stories or ad campaigns
3. Models - are the vehicle for displaying the garments in photographs or on the runway
Stylists
What:
Stylist, personal shopper, fashion editor, art director, creative director, merchandiser
Degree or study: Art school, liberal art degree, internship
Skills: to generate the desired image through fashion, hair, makeup and props, clever, versatile and stylish
Workspace: Closet or wardrobe
Get Ahead: Apprentice with the best
Best Jobs; Stylist to TV shows, Celebrities, fashion editor at magazine, in-house stylist at fashion house
Get to know: Editors, Celebrities, other stylists, models
Compensation: Start for little or free, potential to make substantial living
How to become a Stylist:
Although some schools have certificate programs, most come through liberal arts school and then apprentice
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