The Nature of Fashion
Unit 1
The Nature of Fashion
• FASHION INVOLVES:
– The clothes we wear
– The dances we dance
– The cars we drive
– The way we cut our hair
The Nature of Fashion
• Fashion – the style or styles of clothing and
accessories worn at a particular time by a
particular group of people.
• FASHION CONVEYS A MESSAGE
The Nature of Fashion
• Customer – Potential purchaser of goods
Consumer – user of goods or services
The Nature of Fashion
• Consumers decide what the fashions will be
by accepting or rejecting the styles that are
offered.
The Nature of Fashion
• Style – is the a characteristic or distinctive
appearance of a garment – the combination of
features that makes it unique and different from
other garments.
•
T-shirt
vs.
silk blouse
The Nature of Fashion
• Some people adopt a style that becomes
their own personal style.
The Nature of Fashion
Some styles are period styles:
• Early 1900’s GIBSON GIRL
• 1920’s FLAPPER ERA
The Nature of Fashion
• Fashion is a style that gains some popular
acceptance. It remains a fashion only as long
as it is accepted.
The Nature of Fashion
• High Fashion - Those styles or designs
accepted by a limited group of fashion leaders
– the elite who are the first to accept fashion
change
• Haute–couture – (oat-koo-tour) french term
for high fashion
The Nature of Fashion
• Mass fashion or volume fashion – consists of
styles that are widely accepted.
Moderate to low prices
The Nature of Fashion
• DESIGN – A specific version or variation of a
style
Ex. Style – sweatshirt
Design – neckline, pockets
The Nature of Fashion
• To identify the different designs, retailers
assign it a style number or number
Issuing Style Numbers When You Start a New Clothing Line
https://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/2008/
06/16/issuing-style-numbers-when-you-starta-new-clothing-line/
The Nature of Fashion
• TASTE – refers to prevailing opinion of what is
and what is not attractive and appropriate for
a given occasion.
• Timing plays a part in what is considered good
or bad taste
The Nature of Fashion
• FASHION HAS A CYCLICAL COURSE!!!
– Rise Stage – daring and dubious
– Culmination stage – gradually accepted, widely
accepted
– Decline stage – gradually discarded
The Nature of Fashion
CLASSIC – is a style or design that satisfies a
basic need and remains in general fashion
acceptance for an extended period of time.
• Classic: Ex Chanel suit, blazers, turtlenecks,
loafers, overalls
Famous Classics
The Nature of Fashion
• FAD – a short lived fashion
MOST FADS COME AND GO IN A SINGLE
SEASON
Ex Punk hair do
• Nehru collar
The Nature of Fashion
• FOUR COMPONENTS OF FASHION:
– Silhouette
– Details
– Texture
– Color
The 1st Component of Fashion
• Silhouette – overall outline or contour
3 BASIC FORMS
• Straight or tubular
• Bell-shaped or bouffant
• Bustle or backfullness
The 2nd Component of Fashion
• DETAILS – the individual elements that gives a
silhouette its form or shape. These include
trimmings, skirt, and pant length and width,
shoulder, waist and sleeve treatment
Short Skirt
Long Skirt
Classic Cut
Slim Cut
Skinny Jeans
Boot leg Jeans
The 3rd Component of Fashion
TEXTURE – the look and feel of material
Chiffon
Corduroy
Leather
Suede
Chiffon
Leather
The 4th Component of Fashion
COLOR – Major consideration for apparel
selection, advertising, packaging and store
decor
Spring Fashion Week 2015
Principles of Fashion
Consumers establish fashions by accepting or
rejecting the styles offered.
Principles of Fashion
• Fashions are not based on price.
• Successful fashions are found at every price
level; not just expensive ones
Principles of Fashion
• Fashions are evolutionary not revolutionary
• Fashion change comes as a result of gradual
movements from one season to the next.
Principles of Fashion
• No amount of sales promotion can change the
direction in which fashions are moving
• Ex Women stopped wearing fashionable hats
in the 1960’s
Principles of Fashion
• All fashions end in excess.
Ex 18th century hoopskirts ballooned out over
8 feet wide.
Principles of Fashion
• Marketing of apparel and accessories to the
ultimate consumer.
• Marketing – a total system of business
activities designed to plan, price, promote
and place (distribute) products and services to
present and potential customers.
• THE 4 P’S
Principles of Fashion
• Fashion Business – any business concerned
with fashion goods or services.
What jobs can you think of in the Fashion Industry?