INNOVATION

the act or process of inventing or introducing something new

University of Rhode Island  
Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

TMD 402-I - Innovation 

Innovation in the Bridal Industry:  Stephanie Romano
All the World’s a Stage; Innovative Runway Shows: Bailey Grossman
Innovative Advertising Campaigns at United Colors of Benetton: Alison Sauer
Zac Posen & Alexander McQueen: Thinking Outside the Crinoline: Gabrielle Teta

Summary by Jessica DeLace

The bridal industry is one of the few businesses that has not been projected to fail in today’s present economy. The average wedding in 2009 costs $30,000. Brides are determined to make everything perfect on their wedding day, even if that means splurging on a dress, venue, and cake. Companies that cater to brides are coming up with innovative ideas to set them apart from their competitors. Lynn Lugo offers a service that allows brides to design their own gowns, as well as their bridesmaid’s dresses. Color is also becoming popular in wedding dresses. The appearance of color in traditionally white dresses is attributed to the weak economy and stressful times. Designers and brides are starting to feel that in a time of economic crisis an exciting event should be highlighted with color to enhance the mood of everyone in attendance. Vendors from different aspects of the industry are partnering up to strengthen their own company. If a vendor and a planner partner up, the vendor can recommend the event planner to their customers, and vice versa. Recycling is also becoming popular in the industry, an idea based on the fairly recent "green" movement. Some dresses are donated and auctioned for charities, while other companies buy used dresses and re-sell them at a marked down price. Homemakers like Martha Stewart encourage brides to save their gowns and make them into something that can be used in their homes, like pillows. Some brides save their wedding dresses and construct them into christening gowns, which allows them to keep the dress in the family.

There needs to be a certain level of theatrics in order for a runway show to stand out. The presentation of apparel, accessories, and beauty trends must appeal to the audience in a memorable way. A spectacle shows’ four components are the models, theme, location, and finale. All factors contribute to the appeal and success of a runway show. In 2006, Madrid put a ban on the participation of skinny models in their fashion week. The recent addition of more African American, Asian, and Latinos on the runway is being called the Obama Effect, which incorporates minorities into a predominantly Caucasian profession. In Alexander McQueen’s 1999 show, he eliminated models from the catwalk completely and used mannequins. The mannequins dropped through the floor periodically and rose back up in different outfits. Themes became important because they contribute to the uniqueness of the runway show. An early example of a runway theme is Schiaparelli’s circus collection, where each outfit had a distinguishing design representative of the circus. The finale is one of the most important parts of the runway show, and without innovation it will not be remembered. Alexander McQueen’s paintball fight is one of his memorable finales. A model in a white dress was put on a spinning platform and shot with black and yellow paint guns until the dress was covered. Innovative designers are replacing runway shows with music videos in order to reach more people and to cut back on spending. Many designers believe that music videos portraying their clothing might replace the runway entirely.

Innovative Advertising Campaigns at United Colors of Benetton: Alison Sauer

Benetton is the leading Italian fashion retailer credited with producing over 150 million garments every year and being the innovator in garment dyeing. Oliviero Toscani, the creative director for Benetton from 1982 to 2000, had a goal to raise controversial topics while advertising the company. Colors Magazine was first published in 1991 to promote the Benetton brand without featuring any clothing, and raise awareness on social issues. Issues such as race, AIDS, and capital punishment are topics that have made Benetton the center of many controversial issues. Their handcuffs ad portrayed a white hand and a black hand handcuffed together, and some people interpreted this ad as a white man arresting a black man. Another controversial ad was one that showed AIDS victim David Kirby surrounded by his grieving family. There is a question of whether the ad raised awareness of the disease or exploited it. Kirby’s parents defended the picture, while the Gay Men’s Health Crisis claimed the company was exploiting AIDS to make money. Possibly the most controversial ad was "We On Death Row," an ad featured in 2000 about capital punishment. The ad was designed to show the human cost of capital punishment by interviewing 26 death row inmates. Benetton was criticized for glamorizing killers, and as a result Sears, Roebuck & Co. cancelled their deal with the company. Toscani resigned from the company after the "We On Death Row" advertisement, but his innovative idea to raise controversial issues increased sales by 20% from the time he started at Benetton to when he resigned.

Zac Posen & Alexander McQueen: Thinking Outside the Crinoline: Gabrielle Teta

The fashion industry is comparable to Social Darwinism. In order to survive in the industry, a designer must stand out and adapt to quick and seasonal changes. A designer must offer fresh clothing, creative ideas, and create controversy because in fashion, all press is good press. Two designers that have been able to stay true to their own design style while still being able to update their looks each season are Zac Posen and Alexander McQueen. Zac Posen studied fashion at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. Before he started his own line, he interned with Nicole Miller. At the age of 20, Posen designed a dress for Naomi Campbell which jumpstarted his career. His collections consist of mermaid gowns, cocktail frocks, and handbags. Posen has collaborated with Target, Nikon, Nokia, Seven for All Mankind, Jaguar, and Samsung in order to appeal to different consumers and target lower price points. Like Zac Posen, Alexander McQueen studied at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. He apprenticed with Savile Row tailors and became the head designer Givenchy in 1996. McQueen is known as the hooligan of fashion, and his lavish runway shows are known for their shock factors. He has suspended models in the air performing somersaults and pirouettes, and crushed beetles and put them in the models’ hair. McQueen has expanded his empire by designing couture, ready-to-wear, eyewear, cosmetics, and handbags. McQueen has partnered up with more affordable brands, like his collaboration with Puma and a MAC cosmetic release, in order to appeal to a wider consumer base. Zac Posen and Alexander McQueen have the skills and creativity needed to survive in the fashion industry today.