TMD 402G The Future of Fashion

 

 

The Rising Popularity of Discount Fashion

 

Mandy Misiak

 

   

Summary by Ashley Mancuso

 

Is there a big difference between designer label and discount clothing?  Mandy presented on the three biggest discount retailers: Wal-Mart, Target and K-Mart. 

 

Originally, fashion-conscious consumers were not comfortable with discount.  Society labeled it as cheap, unfashionable clothing.  Yet in truth, no one enjoyed paying high prices for fashion goods.  That's when the discount revolution came about. 

 

First, stores like Wal-Mart, Target and K-Mart needed to change their image.  Advertising helped to bring about the change.  Innovative marketing incorporated hip, pop-culture, young people who opened the doors for discount shopping.  Another tactic was increased emphasis on growing private labels and acquiring licenses.  With these trends, discount clothing started becoming fashionable. 

 

Mandy demonstrated the concept extremely well by comparing a stylish outfit from Target's Mossimo line with another from NY&Co.  The clothes were surprisingly comparable and some parts of the Mossimo outfit were actually better constructed than the NY&Co outfit.  With these results, why pay more for the same thing?  Mandy summarized everything with the simple statement, "Whether rich or not, discount apparel is for everyone."

 

Course Description

About the Future of Fashion

Schedule of Speakers

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