Fashion Passion

Do you decide what you will wear based on mood?
Do you choose clothes based on comfort, to show off, or to hide and disguise?
Do your clothes need to say something about your position in society, your professional status, your social concerns?
Do you feel that what you wear says more about you than anything else?

As frivolous as fashion may be, to some it is a very important part of their lives. Although most don't want to admit it, there is a high emotional and psychological link to fashion and as marketers it is important to understand those links and to help fashion designers feel more comfortable with the realization that not everyone will like what they design and that's ok. More times that not, I have found that fashion designers are just fine with that.

For a fashion designer, it is important to understand what you are trying to communicate in your designs, selected materials, etc. in order to translate that philosophy into your brand and further infuse it into the lifestyle and psyche of your consumers.

Portia in Shadows & Dust original Ruffle Jacket

The marketing communications mix of branding, advertising, marketing and public relations stems from the careful study of what you as a designer are trying to communicate and for you to get a better grasp of how to convey that mood or essence. Sometimes it is indeed intuitive, but even the most successful brands have participated in exercises which clarify their brand message as well as clearly identify their customer.

The current state of the US economy demands that fashion brands re-examine their positioning in the marketplace to both consumer and wholesalers alike and not be afraid to change the mix or streamline the process. In the end, this process may lead to the discovery of methods to make the business more profitable, and to lead to the road of finding a consumer that is much more loyal to their brand.

Image: Shadows & Dust Dress Jacket 2007. Photo by Amanda De Simone