Fashion Marketing 101

When I was in fashion marketing classes about six (!) years ago, no one really paid attention to low end fashion. Everyone was mainly concerned with opening boutiques that carried Sevens and Juicy...because most of the time people who go into fashion marketing (to be a buyer, or open up a store, or manage a chain, etc.) think of themselves as very trendy.

Being trendy did not include needing to know about low end retail stores. They mainly included Target, Walmart, Kmart, Old Navy, some mall stores...anyone remember DEB? Or Rave? Rave underwent a makeover to try to capitalize on the new popularity of stores like Forever 21, and is doing much better now. These were places that trendy people did not need to pay attention to, because they catered to shoppers too concerned with bargain to understand fashion.

No one ever thought of low end retail as being part of the trend cycle. In my opinion, not only are stores like Forever 21, H&M, and Topshop a part of the cycle, they are major catalysts in fashion in general now. Because of the cheap labor and quick turnaround process for their lines, they are able to pick up on designer trends much sooner than a midrange brand could. Also, they aren't afraid of losing a customer base who could be frightnened of those wacky high end designer trends. Abercrombie and Fitch, for example.

There are good and bad aspects of this new industry force, I would highly recommend the documentary on the subject "Made in L.A.". It follows three Latina immigrants who work for Forever 21 and the struggle for them to receive basic working rights. Many people have actually boycotted the chain.

http://madeinla.com/