A Normal Fashion Cycle

Fashion Cycle

The introduction, Rise, Culmination, Decline, and Obsolescence of a given style over a period of time. Introduction: the beginning of a new style, trend Rise: gain in popularity and familiarity Culmination: the highest point or peak of the trend Decline: the end of a style or trend

Fashion Cycle

Introduction Stage

Designs and styles previewed at major design centers

Limited acceptance by consumers Fashion leaders Higher prices Small quantities produced

Rise Stage

Manufacturers adopt designs and styles to produce with less expensive fabrics or less detail

More affordable and more availability Acceptance by more people Adaptations and changes Mass production

Peak Stage

Fashion most popular and accepted Variety of fashion versions Variety of price levels Length at this stage determines if fashion

becomes a classic

Decline Stage

Decreasing demand for the fashion Fashion has “oversaturated” or flooded the

market Consumers won’t pay high price for the fashion Retail markdowns occur

Obsolescence Stage

Consumers no longer interested Low price Retailers not restocking Manufacturers not producing

Lengths of fashion cycles

Cycles have no specific lengths. Recurring fashions: Styles which have been in

fashion at one time, gone out of fashion, and come back in fashion again. Fashion trends seem to recur about every generation or every 20 to 30

years.

Fashion cycles are less distinct now than in the past.

Stages of the fashion cycle

The style may have a long or short stay at this stage. Short-run fashions: Styles that are popular for a brief

period of time. Fads, usually lasting only one season Accepted and rejected quickly Teenagers’ fashions change the fastest and have the most trends. Styles are easy for the manufacturer to produce and are relatively

inexpensive to the consumer. Styles typically have more details than seen in classics.

Stages of the fashion cycle

Long-run fashions: Styles that take a long time to complete the fashion cycle.

Classics, basics, and/or staple fashions Slow introduction, long peak, slow decline Styles have simple lines, minimal detail.

Recurring cycle in skirt lengths

Cyclical Nature of Fashion

This Jim Beam ad illustrates the cyclical nature of fashion.

Factors that accelerate fashion movement

Communications and mass media Good economic conditions Increased competition Technological advances Social and physical mobility More leisure time Higher levels of education Changing roles of women Seasonal changes

Factors that decelerate fashion movement

Bad economic conditions Cultural and religious customs Laws or other governmental regulations Disruptive world events

Fashion Leaders

Fashion leaders: Trendsetters who have the credibility and confidence to wear new fashions and influence the acceptance of new trends. The first to purchase new styles Desire distinctiveness and uniqueness May be innovators and/or influencers. Royal families, first families, movie stars, television personalities,

athletes, singers, musicians

Fashion Innovators and Motivators

Fashion Innovators: Some fashion leaders actually create fashion. They try to find unique fashion in small boutiques or vintage clothing stores or they design their own clothes. They may be referred as Avant Garde.

Fashion Motivators: Also called as Role Models. A few fashion leaders have the beauty, status and/or wealth to become fashion role models. Designers often lend their new styles to celebrities to get publicity.

Fashion Victims and Followers

Fashion Victims: These are those people with too much money to spend who become slaves to designer brands. Fashion Victims are people who blindly and stupidly follow a brand without any discernment and without any analysis.

Fashion Followers: Those who accept and wear a fashion only after it becomes acceptable to the majority. They tend to imitate people whom they admire. They are busy with their jobs and families and think that fashion is unimportant.

Types of Adopters

Adopting Innovations

Laggards: People who are slow to pick up new products.

Late Adopters: Consumers interested in new things, but do not want them to be too

new. They deliberately wait to adopt an innovation. Early Adopters:

Share many of the same characteristics as innovators, but an important difference is their degree of concern for social acceptance, especially with regard to expressive products.

Innovators: The brave souls who are always on the lookout for novel developments

and will be the first to try a new offering.

Diffusion of Innovation

LAGGARDS

LATE MAJORITY

EARLY MAJORITY

EARLY ADOPTER

INNOVATORS

S-CURVE Form

Terms that keep designers in business..

Fashion Fad Classic Style Design Trends Fashion Cycle

Fashion

The currently accepted prevailing style.

Fad

A fashion with a sudden burst of popularity

Style

A characteristic or distinctive form of dress that exists independent of fashion

Each person develops their own over time.

Classic

A fashion that retains general acceptance over a very extended period of time

Design

Refers to a specific version of a style

Trend

The movement of a fashion into and through the marketplace

Differences Within the Fashion Cycle Classics – Never become completely obsolete,

but remain accepted for an extended period Fads – Short lived fashions, come and go, lack

the character to hold consumer attention for very long

Cycles within cycles – Design elements (color, texture, silhouette) change as the style stays popular

Classic and FAD

Comparison of Acceptance Cycles

High Fashion vs. Mass Fashion

High fashion looks are created by designers and exclusive stores. Fashion leaders buy these

looks during the introduction and growth stages.

The goods are expensive but exclusivity is what fashion leaders crave.

Mass fashion is made by manufacturers and retailers at many prices. Fashion followers (most

people interested in fashion) wear mass fashion.

Fashion laggards want good value;they buy late.

A fashion year

Two main seasons Spring/Summer Autumn/Winter

Both require a different fashion look and a new range of colors and fabric designs for the time of year. Lightweight fabrics in summer Heavier fabrics in winter

Sociological Models of Fashion Trickle-Down Theory: There are two conflicting forces that drive fashion change

First: Subordinate groups adopt the status symbols of the groups above them.

Second: Superordinate groups look at subordinate groups to make sure they are not imitated.

Trickle-Up: Fashions that originate with the lower class first. Trickle-Across Effect: Fashions diffuse horizontally among members

of the same social group. Mass Fashion: When media exposure permits many groups to become

aware of a style at the same time.

Trickle-Down Theory

Movement of fashion starts at the top socioeconomic status of consumers

Fashion then accepted “down” to the general public

Oldest and most accepted theory

Fashion trendsetters

Fashion adopters

Trickle-Up Theory

Fashion movement starts with lower socioeconomic levels

Acceptance by consumers with higher incomes Athletic apparel style Jeans Hair style Punk style

Fashion adopters

Fashion Trendsetters

Trickle-Across Theory

Fashion acceptance begins among several socioeconomic groups

All price levels at same time Quality and lines vary Most prevalent in 21st century - technology