Fashion Industry Insights Quiz

Brand Positioning

• Brand positioning: luxury versus mass
• Level of communication: product, brand, corporate
• Communication objective: awareness, image, reputation

How to Create the "Dream Factor"

• Designer ambassador
• Heritage storytelling
• Product focus
• Celebrities, KOLs & influencers
• Creating the buzz
• Visual communication

The 'Dream Factor' Communication: What is Special

• Importance of visual
• Advertising campaigns, as collections, change every 6 months
• The collaboration is sought with Art Directors
• Event = fashion show, store openings, anniversaries
• Media = magazines (adv. and editorials) + Instagram
• Idols, KOLs, and influencers. The designer's role
• Videos are the way to create storytelling
• Collabs are a way to create cultural aggregation across the brands' communities
• Constant experimentation on digital platforms

The Italian Narrative in Fashion Communication

• Entrepreneur ambassadors
• The making of
• Experiencing the culture
• The glamour of celebrities
• Genius loci
• Aesthetic

Communication Identity: The Message

• Communication identity is a combination of visual codes that are permanent within the brand identity
• Concept: Originates from heritage or storytelling (e.g., "The Art of Travel" for Louis Vuitton)
• Tone of Voice: Friendly for mass-market brands; formal and bold for luxury brands
• Colors: Iconic shades, like Tiffany Blue
• People: High-profile figures, such as top models and music artists for Versace
• Location & Atmosphere: Studio settings for designer brands, dreamy aesthetics for Hermès
• Media: Platforms like Instagram, videos, KOLs, and influencers
• Concept (Examples)
  • Hermès: fairytale and playful dream
  • Gucci: empowering the self-expression
  • Balenciaga: a dystopian universe to break the Internet

Tone of Voice

• Designers brands: "come on, challenge me", conceptual tone of voice
• Skin care brands: friendly and informative tone of voice
• The Four Dimensions of Tone of Voice: Funny, Serious, Formal, Casual, Respectful, Irreverent, Enthusiastic, Matter-of-fact
• How to write an error message (example messages)
• Which of these versions works best?
• Tone of voice depends on brand personality and users

Visual

• Colors
• Models
• Location

From Influencers to Content Creators

• Thoughtful creators diffusing educational content
• What to consider when choosing a talent
  • Value match & Relationship Building
  • Profile Strength
  • Audience Benchmark

From Influencing to Deinfluencing

• Deinfluencing is when online creators try to convince you not to purchase certain products
• Content creators and influencers are different because of social movements and creative focus

Facts about TikTok

• TikTok represents a key gateway for Fashion & Luxury players
• 51M posted videos for #Fashion
• 9.8M posted videos for #TikTokFashion
• 36% of TikTok users are interested in fashion
• 45% consider buying a fashion/luxury product within the next month after seeing a video
• Short Videos are not only for entertainment but they also drive Shoppertainment

Challenges for Brands on TikTok

• Creation of authentic content that resonates with the audience
• Rapid adoption of trends while reflecting brand values and identity
• Measurement of campaigns efficacy on fluid and dynamic platforms
• Speed is crucial (creative trends can be born in less than 48 hours)

Moncler: From Luxury to Hype Culture

• Specific examples of Moncler ventures in different years (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
• Details on each venture

The New ROI (Return on Investment) is ROE (Return on Empathy)

• Captive conversations
• Conscious communication
• Thoughtful creators
• Key takeaways
  • Communication Identity
  • The 'dream factor'
  • Role of talents
  • Events' target
  • KPIs

Disrupting Communication

• Top of mind: create immediate recall of a name or brand
• Attribute: highlight an attribute of a product
• Benefit: emphasize a benefit for the consumer
• Territory: stake a claim to a territory, either physical or virtual
• Value: reflect on value
• Role: take on responsibility for a role in society
• A way to create disruption is to shift toward a different communicational focus
• Disrupting Fragrances' Communication (Example: Paco Rabanne)

Paco Rabanne Community Universes' Evolution

• Music
• Sports
• Tech

The Ray-Ban Journey

• Specific years and events related to Ray-Ban's history and evolution
• Ray-Ban has combined design excellence and function innovation
• The turnaround. Specific years and initiatives

What Happened Before/Problem

• Bausch & Lomb's unpreparedness for change in market dynamics in the 1990s
• Difficulties in effectively capturing fashion trends, increasing advertising investments without product innovation.
• The brand's significant potential but diluted perceived value due to low-quality standards
• Inconsistencies in policies
• Ray-Ban put up for sale and solution is Luxottica collaboration
• Ray-Ban experienced double-digit growth after Luxottica acquisition
• 2000 - 2005: Resetting fundamental

Understanding Conventions in Eyewear Communication

• The high similarity of creative messages makes it difficult to distinguish among different brand images

Ray-Ban Disruption

• The "Never Hide" campaign to portray a bold and authentic brand message
• The shift from one-way advertising to two-way conversations with consumers

From One-Way Advertising to Two-Way Conversations with Consumers

• Demographic to psychographic target
• From passive sponsorship to creation of proprietary platform
• Less broadcasting and more audience participation
• Constant dialogue and entertainment for consumers

From "Never Hide" to Product Stories

• Specific years and themes of product storytelling
• Examples of marketing initiatives
• Example of 'Never Hide' era (2007-2016)

2023: From 'Never Hide' to 'Proud to Belong

• Brands' popular sunglasses with enduring legacy and fashion-forward innovation
• Showcase the iconic styles that have defined generations: the Clubmaster, Wayfarer, Aviator, and Round

The Last Mile: Creating a Unique Consumer Experience

• Ray-Ban's efforts to create a unique consumer experience (e.g., specific store formats, online platforms)

Continuing to Innovate: For the Best

• Ray-Ban's strategy based on technological initiatives and brand building
• Innovation is not only a strategy for growth, but a key element for survival in the market
• Resistance to change is natural, and tolerance for mistakes is key to overcoming it

What Retailers Do

• Commercialization of goods from manufacturers or wholesalers
• Specialty chains sell their own branded products, some are chain stores (direct) and franchise (e.g. Zara, Benetton)
• Fast fashion is about reactions not just production, having control of the supply chain logistics

Multichannel Distribution

• Brands approach customers through a mix of formats to maintain consistency in tone of voice. (e.g., flagship stores, wall units, pop up stores, e-commerce).
• Business models: direct channel (property and franchise), wholesale channel, and transitional channels

Digital Platforms: Reason for Success

• Demand aggregators with a vertical value proposition
• Learn from the customer: the customer database has intellectual value
• Innovation in content development: media companies with attached e-commerce platform

Business Models of E-talers based on their Go-To-Market Strategies

• Direct-to-consumer model
• Hybrid model
• Wholesale/DTC model
• Online and offline model
• Multibrand retailer model
• Online only model

Reasons for Retail Integration

• Fashion companies increasingly vertically integrated
• Reasons for transformation
  • Convey a coherent brand identity within stores
  • Gain deeper insights into the end consumer
  • Enhanced profitability

The Role of Client Advisors

• Ensure cross-selling and up-selling
• Maintain product replenishment and physical inventory
• Participate in organizing in-store and promotional events
• Adhere to company standards and policies
• Provide exceptional customer service
• Build and strengthen relationships
• Manage boutique's community outreach program
• Proactive actions to maintain relationships
• Achieve individual and store goals.
• Support the brand's visual standards

The Phygital Store

• Hyper-localized assortment: hyper-localized stores provide personalized product selection.
• Use of digital tools: enhanced store displays, endless aisles, new shopping assistance services.
• Clienteling with experience and service: immersive brand experience, value additional services
• Store as a brand hub
  • Provides clients with more reasons to visit
  • Encourages clients to spend more time in-store
  • Delivers a highly personalized service experience
• Stores as tourist destinations: specific examples and location

Pop Up Stores

• temporary retail stores to capitalize on trends or generate buzz
• retailers are increasingly impacted by technologies and social interaction

Gamification as a way to Engage Customers

• Balenciaga's digital skin collection and physical line
• 3D videos highlighting fashion items

Stylistic Identity & Merchandising

• Definition of Stylistic Identity
• Balancing seasonal and permanent stylistic codes
• Relationship between management & creativity
• Ratio between innovation and collection classics
• Role of a Merchandiser

Examples of Recognizable Stylistic Codes

• Classic: bindings, corset;
• Modern era: loose fit etc.

Bvlgari Use of Stylistic Codes in Brand Extension

• Specific aspects of each brand extension (e.g., Stretch Parenti, Mediterranean Nights, etc.)

The Relationship between Management and Creativity in Product Development

• Short term vs Long term variables
• Dressing styles (modern vs radical/avant-garde, classic)
• Visual Impact. strong vs. discrete

Burberry's Stylistic Identity Evolution

• Comparison of old and recent designs in terms of colors, fabrics, form, and patterns, specifically the role of Riccardo Tisci and Daniel Lee.

Fashion Collections Key

• Collections: an assortment of items, carrying the same label
• Seasonal collections: size (total number of SKUs)
• Structure/architecture : the number of parts/groups, deliveries, color stories.
• Level of innovation: new patterns, fabrics or product refreshes.
• Balance between innovation and the evolution of the classic part

Different Types of Merchandisers

• Product Merchandiser: manages product lifecycle (concept to store)
• Retail Merchandiser: maximizes sales through effective store stocking and organization
• Visual Merchandiser: creates appealing display and window displays. Includes factors like brand image, and customer journey

How Merchandising interacts with Other Functions

• Different functions (style, merchandising, industrialization, brand management)
• External/Internal research on fashion trends (SOCIO-CULTURAL TRENDS,TECHNOLOGY)
• Defining collection guidelines, merchandising plan, collection development
• Presenting the collection

Monitoring Competitors

• Made in (e.g., locations and costs)
• Pricing (for various competitive products)
• Analyzing needs by area (e.g., customers of different countries or regions)

3. The Merchandising Plan

• Desired level of complexity, product range, pricing, target gross margin, and product cost structure.
• Inputs for MP, such as market approach, past experience, preliminary projections
• The entire company and design department as a reference outline

4. Collection Development

• Markets feedback and performance analysis, including Collection Structure, Fabrics selection, Sketches definition
• Prototype and fitting, Design to cost, and timelines

5. Collection Presentation

• Presenting the collection at trade fairs, to sales networks, and key clients, including specific presentation methods for each target.

Sustainability

• Definition of sustainability, 3P Model, 5Ps
• ESG criteria (Environmental, Social, and Governance)
• Sustainable development in the fashion industry
• Challenges of overconsumption, synthetic fibers, and agricultural pollution.

Transparency and Traceability

• Processes to improve transparency and traceability in fashion (e.g., mapping supply chains, providing details for suppliers).
• Importance and necessity of disclosing environmental and social impacts
• Key sustainability initiatives in the EU (e.g., Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), etc.)

Inspirational Sustainability Initiatives

• New fibers (e.g., Orange Fiber, to create sustainable materials)
• Regenerative sourcing (e.g., Timberland, partnership with Savory Institute)
• Design (e.g., Nike's Flyknit athletic shoe, which uses a fully automated production process)

Manufacturing

• Water usage reduction (e.g., Levi's optimization practices to reduce washing water)
• Transparent pricing (e.g., Everlane, providing cost details of materials, manufacturing)
• Packaging (Puma, reducing packaging materials, or introducing reusable bag options)
• Reuse (e.g., Allude Cashmere clinic)

Inspirational Sustainability Initiatives (e.g., Patagonia's activism and supporting grassroots.)

Certifications

• Importance of B Corp Certification in evaluating brands' social and environmental impact
• Communication strategies to highlight sustainability actions

Big Events (e.g., Copenhagen Fashion Summit)

• Main goals of event
• Speakers, and main ideas presented
• Impacts from the event

Luxury Brand Management

• Trademark aspects, distinctiveness, and legality
• Line extension vs Brand extension
• Reasons to extend lines
  • Increasing competition
  • React to declining markets
  • Similarity of brands offers attributes
  • Decreasing brand loyalty
  • Costs and risk associated to launching a new brand
  • Financial community’s demand for short term results

Emotional Associations

• How consumers associate with a brand (e.g. emotions, experiences, memories)
• The brand's signature
  • Heritage
  • Stylistic identity
  • Communication identity
  • Retail identity
• Internal consistency and external relevance of the brand signature