Fashion Standards IA
The fashion industry is one of the most profitable and growing economic sectors, which employs millions and clothes billions. Although there are stark differences between the glamour of Paris Fashion Week and piles of discounted apparel on the floors of Forever21 stores, fashion includes both exclusive designs from renowned brands and mass-produced pieces manufactured for regular consumers. It is both an art form and a money-making machine, which makes it so much more interesting to examine. The industry encompasses many processes, including design, textile sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and advertising of garments. The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize the fashion industry’s main components in order to determine whether they have changed over time. The life story of Gabriel “Coco” Chanel and the history behind her fashion empire will help to show exactly how the design and manufacturing of clothing has changed over time.
Basic Components of the Fashion Industry
The fashion industry is truly a reflection of changes happening in the society and science of the 19th century. Prior to 1850s, the majority of clothing was handmade, either at home or by highly skilled tailors (Major & Steele, 2010). Technological advances such as the invention of a sewing machine as well as the rise of capitalism powered by the Industrial revolution led to the development of well-organized system of clothes production. As of the 21st century, the basic components of the fashion industry are textile design and production, fashion design and manufacturing, fashion retailing, marketing, and merchandising, fashion shows, as well as media promotion (Major & Steele, 2010). All of these sectors are interdependent since they are essentially tied to a single common goal of satisfying consumer needs, while making a profit.
The Importance of Each Component
As for textile design and production, the competitive market of the 21st century requires brands to force textile manufactures to operate ahead of the apparel production cycle. This way, they can minimize consumers’ waiting time for new trends and fresh designs. Fabrics are produced through weaving, printing, spinning, and dyeing, which imply numerous other finishing sub-processes. Moreover, modern technologies allow consumers to enjoy moisture wicking, body heat dissipating, and weapon protecting fabrics made out of synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, and others.
Fashion design and manufacturing entails “adapting trendsetting styles into marketable garments for average consumers” (Major & Steele, 2010, para. 5). However, some of the world’s exclusive luxurious designers work for fashion houses that produce seasonal ready-to-wear or haute couture collections. Although there are certainly a number of differences between the mass-produced apparel industry and high fashion, the manufacturing processes for both are quite similar. As a result of the rise of fast fashion, “China emerged as the world’s largest producer of clothing because of its low labor costs and highly disciplined workforce” (Major & Steele, 2010, para. 8). Established fashion brands use physical labor and often produce clothes locally, while clothing empires that make billions on fast fashion manufacture their pieces in factories internationally to save money.
The next basic component is retailing and marketing, both of which require innovative solutions for brands to remain competitive and profitable in an ever-changing market. Retail is known as “the business of buying clothes from manufacturers and selling them to customers” (Major & Steele, 2010, para. 12). Marketing, on the other hand, implies the promotion and management of all the manufactured merchandise in an effort to maximize its profitability. Marketers collect data through media, surveys, focus groups, and other research methods in order to predict consumer demand and find the most efficient methods of responding to it appropriately. Merchandisers are usually a part of the marketing team, who “utilize marketers’ information about customer preferences as the basis for decisions about such things as stocking appropriate merchandise in adequate but not excessive quantities, offering items for sale at attractive but still profitable prices” (Major & Steele, 2010, para. 15). It is important to note that merchandising becomes more dependent on technology because the integration of computer algorithms to predict consumer demand proves to be cost- and time-efficient.
Another important aspect of the industry is fashion shows, which happen every season. Some of the most influential designers present their creations in New York, London, Milan, and Paris even though there are numerous other fashion weeks globally. In the late 19th century, designers presented the newest collections right in their studios with a limited number of guests invited to marvel at skillful craftsmanship. Nowadays, fashion shows are another method of promotion and gaining media coverage, which is another basic component of the industry. Magazines, blogs, and influencers use their platforms to talk about trends, upcoming designers, fashion references, and the theatrics of shows at the fashion week. Media is vital for the survival and profitability of any fashion brand since it serves as an effective marketing instrument and helps fashion companies to communicate with their target consumers.
Coco Chanel’s Story as a Reflection of the Fashion Industry
Chanel is one of the most respected and globally famous fashion houses of the last century. For some, the name itself is an epitome of luxury and impeccable taste. It is important to recognize that the history behind the establishment of Chanel is reflective of the fashion industry as a whole. Nowadays, clothes remain a tool for self-expression. Most importantly, fashion is used as a canvas for highlighting the most pressing of the current social-political issues. In 2021, such problems include racism, the lack of sustainability in the production of glitches, as well as climate change. Gabriel Chanel used fashion as an instrument of liberating women (Hood Couture Magazine, 2017). By introducing practical and simplistic silhouettes, she has revolutionized the world of women’s clothing. Integrating textiles and pieces from men’s wardrobes, Chanel has disrupted the industry and mended gender roles (Hood Couture Magazine, 2017). Notions of gender fluidity in clothing is seen on the runways even now, which makes Chanel’s story so much more reflective of the industry’s impact on eliminating various social stigmas.
Despite the technological advances that shape the fashion industry of the 21st century, Gabriel Chanel remains a culprit for any new designer. Partly due to her marketing genius, Chanel has managed to find her niche. In the 1920s and 1930s, she used the power of her personal brand to attract influential customers from the French elite (Hood Couture Magazine, 2017). In the 1950s, she recognized the power of classical silhouettes and presented a collection that went in opposition to the trends at the time (Hood Couture Magazine, 2017). Although France and Britain were apprehensive at first, the success of the styles in the United States has demonstrated how important it was for Chanel to find her target market.
Conclusion
It is important to acknowledge that the fashion industry is rapidly changing due to technological advances, marketing techniques, and innovations in manufacturing. Despite that, the basic components of a successful fashion brand remain relatively the same. The story of Gabriel “Coco” Chanel is the prime example of using one’s talent and skills to make an immense impact on the society as a whole through fashion.
References
Hood Couture Magazine. (2017). The history of Chanel – Documentary. YouTube. Web.
Major, J. S., & Steele, V. (2010). Fashion industry. Britannica. Web.