Somewhere between the end of the first world war and Coco Chanel’s raise to prominence branding, advertising, and fashion all came into the same orbit as one another. Since Chanel’s iconic fashions exploded onto a prosaic world many other brands, labels, and fashion houses have all got in on the act of creating an allure for themselves. Indeed, such is the name recognition of D&G, Gap, Chanel, Prada et al that to simply think of these iconic brands is to conjure up a sense of style and quiet smile of lust mixed in with either want or glee. Such is the power of marketing. Even the rebel fashion houses such as Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gautier all get in on the marketing act, though these brands tend to subvert the idea of marketing for their own ends. What the big names do the rest of the highstreet is want to either copy, subvert, or re-engineer, and Primark, Tesco, Asda, New Look, Top Shop, and all the other low to mid-range fashion brands can more than hold their own on the branding and advertising stakes. Next, French Connection, and Marks & Spencers all have, or have had, excellent marketing strategies which sell an ideal to their customers.
So want makes this a topic of interest? Why discuss a subject that is patently obvious to anyone who walks down their local high street? For starters it effects nearly everyone of us; you may think you are a fashion rebel who merely flits between shop and boutique, but ultimately the power of the advertiser, brand, label, and magazine are far stronger than most people would care to admit. Fashion by its very nature is dictated by a small group of people, usually 12-18 months ahead of a particular season, with all the fashion magazines getting in on the act to promote the latest trend or style. Indeed, I would go as far as to argue that what you wear is actually very limited in choice, and unless you are consciously choosing to be a fashion rebel you are more than likely subconsciously, or not, being effected by all the branding, marketing, and sales techniques that the fashion industry is throwing at you.
Why does this matter, and more importantly why should you care? Intrinsically there is nothing wrong with fashion, on the contrary it is a creative industry that flourishes and brings fourths new ideas at it’s zenith; but, and this is the real sticking point, how often does the real innovation seep through to the high street? Most of what passes through the major fashion houses, high street brands, and online retailers has a recycled feel to it, a borrowing from the past to sell to the present. In my life time I have now witnessed this recycling first hand of 1990′s fashion, and I am sure you will all be able to either recollect fashion from your youth or know some who has remarked ‘I had that the first time around’. The crux of all of this is that marketing plays a powerful part in selling us this idea of what is ‘in’ and what isn’t, and the brands, fashion houses, and retailers all co-opt into this idea of recycling with minimal innovation.
All of that said, while this idea of recycling and rehashing is pertinent, it would be remiss not to also look at the wider picture. We are fortunate to live in times where we can all wear what we like, as modern society rarely has an set look or feel. Maybe this is the biggest irony of fashion in the 21st Century, the fact that no matter what is on trend or in style, the vast majority of people will generally buy clothing which suits their own personal tastes and ideas about themselves. This would answer the question as to why in an age of big advertising budgets, major brand names, and high street homogamy small boutiques, brands, and stalls flourish the world over. Those who want to buy easy fashion will shop at Primark, Marks & Spences, New Look et al, those with an eye for the trend will purchase Armani, Gucci, and Amanda Wakely, and then those who want to be edgy will shop at Spittalfields, the quirky boutique in town, or the online store they discovered last week. In the end personal choice is usurping the power of the marketer, and with the rise of the internet and social media it makes it easier for smaller brands and designers to break the mould without the huge marketing budget.
The age of the trend setter, of Vogue and Cosmo, and the celebrity stylist is on the wane, as consumers find more innovative and interactive ways to consume trends and fashion. There will always be a place for the celebrity couture, the bespoke dress, and the ‘in’ thing, but in many respect as the 80′s and 90′s generations start to become more dominant fashion consumers their me first philosophy will force the marketers to find new ways to appeal to their wallets. Brands are having to fight harder to win over the internet savy, fashion houses know full well that with limited spending power this generation will be more conscious of their own image rather than being a sheep following the shepherd, yet they also know that most consumers will buy on the power of cut price and clever ad strategy. Clever viral marketing, word of mouth, and hip celebrity placement are fast becoming the norm for the canny brand, and as the internet continues to make inroads into ad budgets from all other forms of media it has become imperative for marketers to make their adverts personally appealing, rather than a mass of blanket gender stereotyping. The explosion of retro fashion shops is also another key growth area catering to the desire for the personal, and the mining of the past to feed present tastes continues unabashed, thus ensuring that anyone who wants a quirk can find one.
Finally, this brings us back to the idea of choice, and whether we are truly innovators of our own look, or sheep consuming the fashion served up to us by the industry. The truth falls somewhere in between, for we can only wear what is presented before us by the retailers, yet with the multitude of shops and concepts to choose from defining your own personal look could not be simpler and more straight forward. There is no ultimate free will in fashion, rather a set of complex personal choices you have to make as you purchase each item for your wardrobe. Marketers hope to tap into this set of choices, assuming a lot about you as a person, and in the end while their influence plays a greater or lesser role on the end purchase, what is apparent on the high street today is that people are far more comfortable making their own choices across the range of fashion on offer, and brand loyalty is diminishing as much as choice is proliferating.
Ultimately fashion is growing beyond the idea of brands and labels, and will over the next decade probably evolve and splinter into a more personal and singular experience. Yet despite all of this we as consumers will probably still prefer the ease of the high street and mall, and as such there will always be the big brands and names who will provide both fast and personal fashion for us all. The rise of the smaller brands and boutiques will continue, though with the uncertain economic situation the likelihood is that there will be some much loved casualties along the way. The most important message, though, to come out of all of this is that you as a consumer have the power to make your own choices over your look and style, and as the idea of amorphous trends, personalised looks, and individual fashion takes a firm root the concepts you choose for yourself will be as valid as the next persons, no matter what the fashion industry or markets tell you. This is the age of individual fashion, and the industry is playing catch up to you.
In the end despite any limitations put upon the consumer by the high street, there will always be space for the personal touch, and if you look you will always find style and fashion to suit your personal taste, so get out there and explore.
