The case of Chanel and WestWood - Essay Example

?Fashionability and Exclusivity: The case of Chanel and WestWood Introduction Fashion designing industry is a complex and competent area of the business world. The competence level in fashion designing is high and the consumers’ bargaining power increases with the increasing number of entrants in the industry. However, the distinction is mainly dependent on the exclusivity, fashionability and distinct status of the designer. Exclusivity refers, generally, to a limited number of items being produced for the consumers in order to maintain the uniqueness of the design or a particular style. Mass-production is the basic factor which affects exclusivity negatively. Exclusivity to consumers is a way to show their individuality and independence on the choices of products. Fashionability, broadly speaking, is the choices made by individuals in a particular time period in the fashion designing products specially. Fashionability refers to the ideas which are in line with the current trends like creative ideas and designs were welcomed for miniskirts in 1960s (Bye 2010, p. 24). Since these concepts attract more customers and retain them to a particular brand, fashion designers tend to use these ideas in their marketing and products continuously. Fashionability and Exclusivity in the Fashion designing Industry Exclusivity and fashionability are the two concepts which may be directly related in the context of fashion designing. The exclusivity strategy is directly aimed at creating branding opportunities for the business. Branding concept is often reliant on the competitive advantages that a company or a business holds. These branding traits are created rather than adopted from a particular industry. The brand distinction is developed using the strategies which give a unique, new or fashionable product to the consumers in the fashion designing industry. People are often attracted towards the clothing and other accessories which are produced for a limited number of people with a unique idea and suitability with the current trends (Tate 2004, p. 364). These unique products are identified normally with the fashion designers’ name. Their marketing is placed in a way that gives an impression of uniqueness and exceptionality of the product design and quality. Hence, exceptionality of a product design should also be accompanied by fashionability of the product in order to attract consumers. An exceptionally expensive item with good quality does not attract customers until it is according to the current fashion and trends in the society. Some distinct businesses which are recognized by their names in attaining the exclusivity in their relative industry include Harvery Nichols in the retail industry, Ferrarri in the automobile industry, Rolex in the watch making industry and so on. Coco Chanel and Vivien Westwood are the two leading names in the fashion designing industry which make use of the exclusivity concept keeping fashionability as their core value and meeting consumer expectations as their aim. The goodwill and trademarks of fashion designers play a vital role in the success of their products. They launch new variety and people go for it as their distinct position in the market assures reliability of their materials and designs. Fashion designing industry is highly demanding and requires continuous changes in designs. Creativity is the main factor in the success of fashion designing career. The well known fashion designers use a number of marketing strategies to increase their sales as well as to maintain their goodwill. Their reputation is a factor which assures their success. Their unique ideas accompanied by creativity of using them in their products make the products distinct from others (Dickerson 2004, p. 296). Their marketing techniques involve ideas which promote individuality of their designs and uniqueness of their products. The use of Chanel’s logo in the products it offers motivate the consumers to buy it. Consumers of fashion designing industry are highly status and brand conscious. Their trademarks and logos are the first and foremost factors of attraction for them (Colussy, 2000). However, the marketing of fashion designing products goes beyond just selling their trademark. They capture consumers’ attention by the brand name but urge them to purchase the product showing the exclusivity of their products and the fashionability of their ideas. The acceptation of the product for its quality and other traits and the esteem it receives due to the customers’ likeness associate it with the designers’ or company’s name and logo. The brand name or logo then becomes the motivating factor for consumers to purchase and repurchase products from a particular designer (Manlow 2009, p.114). The distinct marketing ways of Chanel may be helpful in understanding them. As far as the garments of Chanel are concerned, the logo with intertwined Cs, are either used as a repetitive pattern on the fabric or imposed on the button, zip or some other part of the clothes (Steele 2010, p. 484). The marketing of the product using the logos is an efficient way of attracting consumers who want to expose their branded clothing and stuff to others. This branding concept is highly associated with their prestigious position in the society. Similarly, Vivienne Westwood Gold Label Propaganda Scarf may be seen as a way of communicating fashion in clothing. The scarf consists of slogans about Westwood and their values. This incorporates the elements of distinct fashionability with exclusiveness as the idea is limited to the company’s own status. Westwood’s T-shirts and other clothing stuff is also abundant with logos and such creative ideas to develop fashion with marketing communication appropriately (Hervia.com). Figure 1: Vivienne Westwood Gold Label Propaganda Scarf Fashion designers outlets and distribution channels are restricted in order to avoid the negative concept of commonality of their products. They target a limited audience and distribute using a limited channel for distribution. Chanel is the brand which has the expertise to target a limited group with such an excellence that keeps the business running and developing its goodwill. Their distribution channels are also limited. Chanel sells its products using its individually owned distribution channels normally. This strategy keeps the ideas hidden form the market to some extent. The counterfeiting opportunities are minimized using personally owned outlets to sell their products. Celebrity endorsement and use of famous artists and characters in the advertisements are another way of promoting products of all times. The use of cricketers, singers, actors and even the cartoon characters are common these days in the marketing campaigns. The nature of fashion designing industry is such that the use of models is more common in the advertisements made by them. The famous actors and actresses along with singers and other famous personalities is also a target of marketers in the fashion designing industry to grab the attention of prestige seeker customers and those who are highly impressed by the glamorous exposure of the media industry. Fashion designers have another advantage of producing clothes for these famous personalities in order to increase publicity. Since the events like award ceremonies and other parties are highly exposed in the media, the designers get a chance to promote their name and work by designing for the artists and other famous personalities who are to attend such events. Westwood designed clothes and outfits for ‘Sex Pistols’ which was a punk band and became famous for their music qualities. Westwood designed exclusive outfits with the punk factor added to the designs. Her incredible ways of promoting fashionability by offering chains, razors, safety pins and blades as accessories should also be appreciated in the early stages of her career. This newness of her products was highly regarded by teens of that era and this gave rise to her name in the fashion industry. She also designed a wedding gown for the famous TV show ‘sex in the city’ which further illuminated Westwood’s name in the fashion industry (Grinstead 2010). People are highly motivated to wear and purchase products which are being used by the famous TV characters and this concept is well understood by Westwood which continuously uses celebrity endorsement in its advertisements as well as designing for the famous personalities to promote the brand name. Chanel also uses this technique and the names which should be highlighted in their efforts to promote sales using celebrities in the advertisements include Candice Bergen, Ali MacGraw, Lauren Hutton, Nicole Kidman, Marilyne Monroe, Greta Garbo, Venessa Paradis, Kristen Dunst, Lindsey Lohan and a lot others (Stamelman 2006, p. 359). Figure 2: Krinsten Dunst-White Chanel Dress Limited edition clothing is another way of promoting exclusivity and fashionability. Westwood uses this concept often by making limited edition jewelry, bags, shoes or clothes. The political stance of Westwood allows her to design products with slogans promoting or restraining certain political issues. The limited edition T-shirts and baby clothing with slogan ‘I'm not a terrorist please don't arrest me’ may be taken as an example of this strategy (Stanyer 2007, p. 163). The use of current affairs and slogans which match the current trends of political, social or cultural issues, hence, forms a strategy of Westwood to promote fashionability as well as exclusivity. The current trends and affairs are highly appreciated by the people who are in favor or against certain concepts and ideas. They tend to choose and promote the brand which translates their understanding of the subject. Their slogans and T-shirts are also marketed in a way which promotes the independent judgment of any existing issue. The T-shirts, handbags and other products with slogans and titles related to current affairs are of course for a limited time period. The main attraction of such products is for the people who are enthusiastic in taking part in the current affairs and debates. Such products are targeted towards teenagers mostly. Limited edition techniques are also used by Chanel in order to attract customers by exposing the uniqueness and limited supply of those clothes. Once purchased, such dresses are unlikely to be found with others. The sense of being different and wearing distinct outfits greatly attracts customers. They want to look different and wear unique yet fashionable clothes. Customer’s psychology is greatly influenced in the understanding of this technique. Women are particularly targeted using this technique as they have psychological desire to purchase uncommon and delicate stuff for themselves (Vaughan, 1948.. The customers like buying the glamorous products which Chanel excels in manufacturing. The sense of individuality and the desire of wearing uncommon is translated by Chanel’s promise to its customers in the form of limited edition clothes. The use of this strategy is useful in increasing the sales instantly as the limited edition clothes are tend to be available on first-come first-serve basis. The customers, obviously, do not want to miss the chance of wearing what is limited and exclusive (Vinken 2005, p. 81-86). This strategy helps designers in attracting prestige conscious customers at the peak and enables their business to flourish in a way which is most fruitful to them. Proper communication of such offers and limited edition clothes is, however, necessary and advertisements in fashion magazines as well as other promotional campaigns play a vital role in informing the customers who are seeking for such opportunities. Conclusion The concept of fahsionability and exclusivity are not new in the fashion designing industry. These concepts are of immense importance in this industry as the changes in fashion are found quickly. These quick changes require the designers to bring in new dresses and replace the old ones with outstanding new outfits. The use o colors, designs and creative ideas in the outfits are welcomed by the customers who are more into fashion than just wearing any dress. Clothes are perhaps, the most appealing element of women’s life; hence, they form a considerable part of their spending. In order to attract customers in the competitive environment of fashion designing industry, the designers need to bring new ideas as well as creating their good reputation in the market. Their reputation is highly dependent on the newness of their desires and uniqueness of the ideas. The designers need to be critical in analyzing what the customers expect from them. They need not to copy others style but be creative enough to design what is as per the fashion but different in style. They may sue different fabrics, designing material, style, color schemes and other stuff to make distinct products. Their aim is not to motivate customers for first sale but to retain them and attract more in order to build god reputation. Chanel and Westwood have maintained their status and distinct position in the competitive environment of the fashion industry mainly by keeping their designs different, marketing stable and customers satisfied. Their exclusivity and fashionability accompanied by various marketing and promotional initiatives is the key to their success in the industry. Bibliography Bye, Elizabeth. Fashion Design. Oxford: Berg, 2010. Colussy, M. Kathleen. Fashion Design on Computers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000. Dickerson, Kitty G. Inside the Fashion Business. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003. Grinstead, C.. (2010). Critical study. Vivienne Westwood . Available: http://catherine-grinstead-fashion.blogspot.com/2010/10/critical-study-vivienne-westwood.html. Last accessed 28 Feb 2011. http://www.hervia.com/vivienne-westwood-ladieswear-c1/vivienne-westwood-accessories-c7/vivienne-westwood-gold-label-propaganda-scarf-p13863 Manlow, Veronica. Designing Clothes: Culture and Organization of the Fashion Industry. New Brunswick, [N.J.]: Transaction Pub, 2009. Stamelman, Richard Howard. Perfume: Joy, Obsession, Scandal, Sin : a Cultural History of Fragrance from 1750 to the Present. New York: Rizzoli, 2006. Stanyer, James. Modern Political Communication: Mediated Politics in Uncertain Times. Oxford: Polity press, 2007. Steele, Valerie. The Berg Companion to Fashion. Oxford: Berg, 2010. . Tate, Sharon Lee. Inside Fashion Design. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2004. Vaughan, Wayland F. Social Psychology; The Science and the Art of Living Together. New York: Odyssey Press, 1948. Vinken, Barbara. Fashion Zeitgeist: Trends and Cycles in the Fashion System. Oxford: Berg, 2005. Read More