Fashion & The Fashion Industry

1. Fashion & The Fashion Industry

2. Learning Targets • Define fashion terms. • Describe a fashion cycle. • Explain how the textile industry operates. • Describe the manufacturing process for clothing. • Explain what’s involved in fashion merchandising.

3. What is fashion? • Fashion: particular style that is popular at any given time. • Clothes, hairstyles, accessories, etc. • Style: characteristics that distinguish one particular clothing item from another. • Skirts: Straight, A-line, Circular • Sleeves: Set-in, Raglan, Kimono

4. Fad vs. Classic • Fad: a fashion that is very popular for only a short time. • “here today and gone tomorrow” • Colors, accessories, looks • May return in another generation • Classic: styles that stay in fashion for a long time. • Simpler and less innovative • Basic style never dies

5. Examples of Fads

6. Examples of Classics

7. Other Terms to Know • Avant-garde: a French expression that means being ahead of fashion. • Daring and unconventional • Don’t appeal to most people • Old-fashioned: any style that is no longer in fashion. • Retro: style of an earlier time that are fashionable.

8. The Fashion Cycle • Introduction Stage • A fashion is born when someone begins to wear it. • Garment introduced to the public • Small quantities & higher prices • Growth Stage • Interest builds & people accept it • Variations at lower prices • Maturity Stage • Many people wear the fashion • Reaches the peak of its popularity • Large quantities at affordable prices • Decline Stage • People do not want to wear it any more • Sales rapidly decline

9. Why Fashions Change • Communication • Travel & Trade • People & Events • The Fashion Industry • Social Trends • Historical Events • Economics • Desire for Change

10. Did you know? • The United States produces enough fabric to stretch to the moon and back 23 times! How is this possible? The Textile Industry

11. What is the Textile Industry? • Fiber and fabric producers • 40% of the textiles manufactured in the U.S. goes into clothing • Fibers are spun into yarns then made into fabrics in textile mills • Apparel manufacturers buy finished fabrics then use them to cut and sew into garments • Fiber companies research and develop new fibers and equipment for making them • Forecasting services predict color, fabric, and fashion trends 2 years or more in advance

12. Locations • 70% of textile employment is located in the southeastern US • Related businesses such as mills, converters, and showrooms are located in NYC • Other showrooms • LA • Dallas • Atlanta • Chicago

13. The Apparel Industry • This segment accounts for more companies, employees, and sales volume than any other segment • Apparel manufactures buy fabrics then design and produce a clothing collection or line, andsell the finished garments to stores • Today clothes are mass-produced • Many garments are produced at the same time with machines doing most of the work • 3 main categories: women’s wear, menswear, and children’s wear

14. Types of Manufacturers • Garment • Handle garment’s production from design, to production, to shipping • Produce two lines of clothing per year at least 6 months ahead of season • Contractors • Specialize in sewing certain garments for a certain price • Many oversees • Accessories • Shoes, hosiery, jewelry, watches, scarves, ties, gloves, hats, belts, handbags, and small leather goods

15. The Manufacturing Process • Designing the Line • Making Samples • Establishing the Costs • Taking Orders • Ordering Materials • Creating Production Patterns • Creating Layouts • Cutting Fabric • Assembling Garments • Finishing Garments • Inspection • Distribution

16. Fashion Centers • Heart of the garment industry is in NYC • Seventh Avenue Garment District includes over 4500 showrooms and factories! • Market Week • Store buyers come to the garment district to purchase merchandise • NYC hosts 5 market weeks each year • Other headquarters and apparel mart locations • LA • Chicago • Dallas • Atlanta • Miami • San Francisco • Seattle

17. Fashion Merchandising • Retail means the sale of goods in small quantities to consumers. • Retailers sell clothes and accessories. • Retailers decide what styles, fabrics, colors, and sizes to sell and at what prices. • Retailers display, advertise, promote, and sell the clothing items.

18. Retail Stores • Fashion Leaders • Feature newly introduced styles that are usually expensive • Ex: Nordstrom & Neiman Marcus • Traditional Retailers • Offer many fashions at moderate prices • Ex: Macy’s & Dillards • Mass Merchants • Carry widely accepted styles at moderate to lower prices • Ex: JC Penny , Sears, & Walmart • Chains • Large retail company with many stores in many cities

19. Fashion Promotion • Efforts to inform people about what’s new in fashion and to convince them to buy. • Marketing: developing, promoting, and selling products. • Methods of Promotion • Advertising • Publicity • Visual Displays • Special Events • Fashion Publications • Trade Publications