Say goodbye to the fashion mainstream.

[Lena]

a real interesting trend article from wwd of today, hope you guys enjoy the repost

Fashion's New Segmented Society

Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007
By Holly Haber

DALLAS — Say goodbye to the fashion mainstream.

"It doesn't exist anymore," says David Wolfe, creative director of the Doneger Group trend forecasting and buying service.

Consumers have splintered into four main groups driven by style, demographics, location or special interest, and each of these has multiple subsets, he told the Dallas chapter of Fashion Group International last week.

"It's a revolution the industry is not dealing with, especially the bigger companies," Wolfe told WWD after the seminar at the Dallas Market Center. "I honestly believe that those businesses that are predicated on a mass consensus of agreement on what's in fashion and what's out are in for a terrible wake-up call."

Few trends today are picked up by a majority of consumers, and many are relevant only to niche groups, he claimed, citing dark, skinny jeans.

"When we said, 'Have personal style,' that was the biggest mistake the fashion industry made," he reasoned. "We gave the consumers power, and now they're drunk with power and we can't get control over them….Personally, I love the idea of options and personal style, but from a business point of view, it makes it very hard for fashion companies and retailers to figure out what they should have in stock eight months from now."
Wolfe sees this splintering as an opportunity for specialty stores that cater to specific customer groups.

"At the Doneger Group, we've seen specialty stores thriving over the last year compared with department stores and mass merchants," he said, even though J.C. Penney, Nordstrom, Kohl's and Federated Department Stores in recent weeks have reported strong financial results for last year.

Still, there are emerging trends that have staying power for spring 2008. Fashion will continue to clean up after its orgy of embellishment and sexuality, moving into more subtle and sophisticated looks à la Marc Jacobs' surprisingly tailored fall collection, Wolfe predicted.

The new emphasis on shape will persist in both skinny and voluminous silhouettes and all lengths. Layering will continue, but in tonal coordinates and light weights. Futurism will remain in shiny fabrics; technological innovation, such as mechanical devices, to change the shape of clothing, and space-age-inspired style.

The palette will include combinations of neutral khaki, beige, tan and ecru; neutral pastels such as blush pink and mint; hues not typical of spring, such as purple, sapphire, chocolate and burgundy; shocking colors like hot pink, and high-octane mixes of brilliant colors.

Fabrics will be lightweight and seasonless, and there will be plenty of transparency in wovens and knits, floral and geometric prints, novelty treatments and shiny surfaces, Wolfe said.

from wwd.com

 

[pinksatin]

Thank you Lena. Is this more of something for businesses to worry about? Or consumers too? Also, does anyone know a brief profile of the "four main groups"?

Also, I have been taught that consumers are always divided somewhat into trendsetters, fashion leaders, fashion followers, laggards... Is this a different differentiation or is it referring to the same thing?

 

[Velouria]

I assumed it was the groups pinksatin just listed since that is what I have been taught in all my fashion classes. Are they different groups?

 

[Meg]

that is a principle. I forget the title of it, but it's been around for ages and can be used in many different ways (ie not just with consumers). I thought he was talking about 4 different groups, not this principle. I think this has been happening for quite awhile now. I would say at least 2 years. It's sort of the idea that any trend is in style if you make it work. It's not just 60's. It's 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's we can find reference for any of these decades in current dressing. Nothing is out of style really if you make it work and the boom of the internet in regards to fashon reporting means that consumers have a much better idea of what is out there but also it's harder for stores to stock. That said, there is a much higher turnover time now of product. thanks for the article lena

 

[SomethingElse]

This is one trend that I hope will always exist. Fashion 'mainstream' is really a turbulent river, constantly changing its course. I'd rather be swimming along in the river than standing on the sidelines.

 

[gius]

I've been noticing these 'niche' groups too... At some art schools here, the boys and girls will have a certain way of dressing and owls and layering and deer are all the rage, but over where I am, we aren't in an official art school nor really connected to the art studio here, and our styles are completely all over the place.
I find it's only the preteens, high school students that really like to follow the magazines and celebrities that tell them what to wear, but it does depend on...if they are an art student, punk(?) or one of these other people I don't know the name for (lol).
It's all pretty interesting. I guess it also helps newer designers too in they can find themselves a market more easily.

 

[fourboltmain]

It's not just 60's. It's 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's we can find reference for any of these decades in current dressing.

Also, think of those decades and how much control the media had over what you saw. The reason you can indentify style (even music) from those periods is because of the lack of other opinions/options. As far as today goes, the Internet has rocked pop culture, sites like Myspace are overcoming MTV, which in turn overtook network TV and diluted pop music on primetime TV.

The same can relate to clothing, as you're just a few clicks away from what used to be 'underground' magazines and such. This is great for indie designers, as they can cater to their niche. The flip side is indie can become ripped off and become mainstream a lot quicker. Mainstream can catch on and easily knockoff indie to turn profit, making indie into mainstream. Does that make sense?

But I can't see this having much of an effect on the sheeple. (Baaaaahhhh...) A&F will still continue to churn out what it does and people will buy it. But at least the option to not drink the Kool-Aid is there, right?

 

[Autumn]

Thanks for the article. I consider myself one of those who's become "drunk with power". I rarely shop at larger chain stores and find most of my treasured items from smaller niche shops.

 

[saann]

Looking for trends itself has become a trend, and you could make anything a trend if you get enough people to wear it too

so i don't really see how it can be harder for the companies to know what to buy in, as long as they buy something that isn't horrible looking and they buy it in a great mass, style with it a lot in their adverts/stores .. it's almost inevitable for it not to become a trend somehow

ofcourse not everything can be sold out all the time, but it should be easier for the companies to just chose a trend since there are so many that are in at the same time, it's not about finding the trend anymore. There are more options now

 

[Ruby_slippers]

Thanks for the article. I consider myself one of those who's become "drunk with power". I rarely shop at larger chain stores and find most of my treasured items from smaller niche shops.

YES!!! Me too!
B)

 

[Lena]

. Mainstream can catch on and easily knockoff indie to turn profit, making indie into mainstream. Does that make sense?

this has been happening already and quite for some time now fourbolt

the issue of this article goes beyond the 'garments issue' its more of an attitude that has changed leaving mainstream retailers and the mainstream philosophy behind.. which imb its a pretty good thing

 

[fourboltmain]

^ Oh I totally get that. I just think the mainstream is smart enough to turn profit by leeching, spinning off, re-branding and tooth and nailing their way back somehow. I wonder if there are any numbers showing this? It'd be great to see annual reports for mainstream retailers and read the opening letter too.