2. Lesson Objectives
• Explain the fashion cycle
• Discuss the role of fashion leaders
• Identify theories of fashion movement
• Discuss difference between fashion trends and
fads
3. What is “The Fashion Cycle”?
• Period of time or life span during which
fashion exists
• Style - particular look, shape or type of
apparel item
• Fashion – style that is popular during a given
period of time
4. Stages of the Fashion Cycle
• Introduction
• Rise
• Peak
• Decline
• Obsolescence
5. Introduction Stage
• Designs and styles previewed at major design
centers
• Limited acceptance by consumers
• Fashion leaders
• Higher prices
• Small quantities produced
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
11. Fashion Movement
• Ongoing motion of fashions moving through the
fashion cycle
• Classics – fashion that remain in the rise stage
– Jeans
– “little black dress”
– Tailored suit
• Fads – fashions popular for short periods of time
– Produced and sold at lower prices
– Easy to copy
– Moves quickly through fashion cycle
– Sudden appearance and disappearance
13. Theories of Fashion Movement
• Trickle-Down
Theory
• Trickle-Up Theory
• Trickle-Across
Theory
Fashion Trend
• Direction of
the movement
• Depends on
where the
fashion began
14. 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
15. 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
16. 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
Editor's Notes
Consumer dictate the fashions that are produced and their demand for goods can vary. Therefore producers must be able to respond to the ever-changing movement of this demand. It is a continuous process of consumers’ needs and wants creating that demand for a product, then producers respo9nding to that demand, and consumers accepting the merchandise. Because of this movement, fashion changes.
The fashion cycle has to do with time. The cycle refers to the period of time or life span during which the fashion exists, moving through 5 stages.
Before we look at the stages, let’s make sure we understand style, acceptance and timeliness of fashions.
SHOW BULLET. We learned before that style is a particular look, shape or type of apparel item. When customers purchase and wear a certain style, that style is considered accepted. This acceptance leads to the style becoming a fashion.
Fashions do not always survive from year to year. Customers may become bored with a look and discard it for another one. The ability to gauge the timeliness of a fashion is critical in the development and marketing of fashion products.
Fashion moves through different stages during its cycle of existence. Not only does a design go through phases, but special features, such as color, texture and fabric, go through fashion cycles.
SHOW FIGURE. The fashion cycle may be illustrated by the shape of a bell. Each section of the upward slope, to the top, and then downward, to the decline, represent different phases of acceptance.
SHOW STAGES. The stages are…
We will look at each one individually.
Designs first previewed during fashion weeks at the major design centers are in this stage. As the new styles, colors or textures are first introduced, or begin the upward slope on the bell, a limited number of people accept them. Fashion leaders wear the styles, which are offered at high prices and produced in small quantities.
Manufacturers who copy new designer clothes will reproduce the styles in less expensive fabrics or by minimizing details. In this stage, the fashions become accepted by more people because they can afford them. As consumer interest increases, additional manufacturers copy the fashions by adapting or changing some of the popular features. In anticipation of more acceptance and more sales, mass production reduces the price and more sales result.
In this stage, the fashion is at its most popular and accepted stage. By this time, the merchandise is mass produced and distributed. The prices are not necessarily at the lowest levels since many versions and prices have been developed. At this point, you may see the style in Wal-Mart and at Macy’s, targeting different target markets through pricing.
The popularity of the fashion will determine how long it remains at this stage. It can survive longer if the fashion becomes a classic. Sometimes simple changes, such as updating or adding new details of design, color or texture can keep it in the peak stage.
Consumers eventually grow tired of certain fashions and desire something new. At this stage, consumer demand is decreasing. There are so many versions of the fashion items available that they have oversaturated or flooded the market. If consumers still want to buy the fashion, they probably do not want to pay a high price. During this stage, retailers begin to mark down the price of the merchandise to make room for new designs.
This stage marks the end of the fashion cycle. Consumers are no longer interested in the fashion and are seeking new looks. The price of the fashion product may be low at this point, but consumers will probably not buy the merchandise. For this reason, retailers are not restocking it and manufacturers stop producing it.
All fashions follow the life-cycle pattern, but the rate at which they move through the cycle varies with each fashion. It is difficult for fashion marketers to predict he life span of an item. The length of time that a particular fashion remains in any of the stages depends on the consumer’s willingness to accept and buy the fashion.
The only constant in the fashion world is that consumers look for new fashions and desire change. This is referred to as the fashion movement, which is the ongoing motion of fashions as they move through the fashion cycle.
Some fashions never seem to fall to the decline or obsolescence stages. Jeans are a perfect example of this type of fashion movement. In the 1960’s jeans and denim-fabric clothing became very popular. The changes in silhouettes, such as boot-cut, baggy, and low-rise, have resulted in the life cycle lasting longer than usual. Today jeans continue to be one of the most popular apparel item. CAN YOU THINK OF OTHER FASHIONS THAT HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME? Share responses.
SHOW 2ND BULLETS. Fashions that remain in the rise stage are called “classics”. They remain popular for a variety of reasons – consumer acceptance, acceptance by society and adaptation by the manufacturers.
SHOW 3RD BULLETS: Fashion that are popular for short periods of time are called fads. Fad fashions may be produced and sold at lower prices and are relatively easy to copy. Therefore, they flood the market in a very short time. They move rapidly through the fashion cycle, usually making a sudden appearance and disappearance. WHAT ARE SOME FADS YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH? Leg warmers of the 80s
Let’s look at some factors that can affect the fashion movement.
Economic and social factors can influence consumer interest in fashion. As long as the consumer is interested, the movement of the fashion along the fashion cycle will be affected. Affordability and acceptance in the social setting will help dictate what fashions will be accepted by consumers.
Manufacturers can also be a factor by making changes with fibers, fabrics, colors and textures. And even the marketing of a fashion can affect its movement. Continuous and updated advertising techniques can keep consumers interested in a fashion.
Fashion leaders – those who start wearing the fashion during the introduction stage – are the trendsetters and begin the flow of the movement as the general public adopts the fashion. Fashion leaders may be high-profile people who get media attention, further exposing the fashion to the general public.
Recall the fashion timeline we did. Who were the fashion leaders at the turn of the century? Royalty.
Who were the fashion leaders during the 1960’s and 1970’s? Young people
Let’s look at several theories of fashion movement as they relate to the fashion leaders.
Fashion leaders exist on all levels of society and affect fashion movement. Where the fashion begins determines the fashion trend.
SHOW BULLETS. Depending on where the fashion movement begins in society (e.g. royalty, celebrities or young people) and who accepts that fashion, determines the trend.
There are three theories of fashion movement that identify the starting point of a fashion trend.
SHOW NEXT BULLETS. Let’s look at each one separately.
The Trickle-down theory states that the movement of fashion starts at the top with consumers of higher socioeconomic status and moves down to the general public. This is the oldest and most accepted theory of fashion movement. Think of a ladder. According to this theory, people with lower incomes (at the bottom of the ladder) will only wear fashions that have become popular among consumers with higher incomes at the top of the ladder. As more people begin to wear the fashions, those at the top become less interested and begin looking for something new.
The trickle-up theory states that the movement of fashion starts with consumers on lower-income levels, then moves to consumers with higher incomes. Consumers on lower-income levels may also include younger consumers.
Examples of this theory are:
SHOW 1ST BULLET. Athletic apparel style: During the 1970s and 1980s, athletic apparel became widely accepted by the general population. High-fashion designers noticed its popularity and began to incorporate the athletic look into their designs. The look of fitness became chic, or fashionable.
SHOW 2ND BULLET. Jeans are another example. We learned in doing our timeline that denim was first used for work clothing and was later adopted by hippies and other lower socioeconomic groups. From there, the designers adopted denim as a fabric and designed clothing for the higher socioeconomic consumers.
SHOW 3RD BULLET. Another example is hair styles. The long-hair look of the Beatles music group during the 1960s before they were considered the upper status level, swept the younger generations and then general public.
SHOW 4TH BULLET. Another look that moved from street fashion to the top end of the market was the punk look. Top designers decorated their apparel with large safety pins, and many fashion shops carry the torn and distressed clothing styles first popularized I the 1970s. (this is still popular)
This theory hypothesizes that designs are produced at all price levels at the same time. The merchandise quality and lines may vary, but new fashion exists for all groups. Fashion acceptance begins among several socioeconomic groups and the leaders within each group influences its members. This theory is especially probably in the 21st century because technology allows designer fashions to be copies quickly and easily, making them available to all consumers sooner.
