A SHORT STORY OF CONTEMPORARY FASHION

LECTURER: Valeria VolponiLECTURER: Valeria VolponiValeriaelisabetta.volponi@gmail.com

AIMS OF THE LESSON

Go back quickly on the Zeitgeist Trace a short story of fashion, from the 80’s to today How: showing the link existing between Politics Social changesg Music Cinema & Tv Shows AND fashion

A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ZEITGEISTZEITGEIST

What FACTORS should the forecaster monitor? What EXTERNAL FACTORS shape the spirit of What EXTERNAL FACTORS shape the spirit of the times?

Paul Nystrom, professor of marketing at the Columbia University, defined in 1928 a list of factors that guide and influence the character factors that guide and influence the character and direction of fashion

His list still provides a framework for observing the Zeitgeist

DOMINATING EVENTSSi ifi t h th d th f Significant occurences such as war, the death of world leaders

Art vogues (the Russian Ballet and modern art Art vogues (the Russian Ballet and modern art, the influence of pop and psychedelic art on the fashions of 1960’s and 1970’s)

Popular events: the Academy Awards ceremony with its celebrity fashion parade, the Olympic Games (on active wearfor athletes and on casual Games (on active wearfor athletes and on casual wear for mainstream consumers)

Unexpected events: the end of Cold War, the p1990’s bull market on the Stock Exchange, Internet, 9/11…

DOMINATING IDEALSBEFORE t i ti d th G k Id l f BEFORE: patriotism and the Greek Ideal of classical beauty

NOW: multiculturalism environmental and NOW: multiculturalism, environmental and humanitarian issues, equality of men and women, connection between fitness, beauty, youthfulness

Multiculturalism is reshaping some important style centers: Miami is becoming predominantly hispanic, Asian influence is becoming stronger in cities suchAsian influence is becoming stronger in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York

DOMINATING SOCIAL GROUPSGROUPS

Those with wealth, power and leadership positions

“From a designer’s perspective From a designer s perspective, each house represents a certain style or aesthethic – a look that has its own following. gThat’s where a designer’s power lies. It’s not to say that designers don’t influence fashion today but I would imagine that music, performers, and actors have more impact

th l i ht don the way people might dress, especially younger people. They are just much more visible to the mainstream population”to the mainstream population

DOMINATING ATTITUDEDOMINATING ATTITUDEWh th d i f DIFFERENTIATION i th When the desire for DIFFERENTIATION is the dominant attitude, NEW FASHIONS ARISE, the changes are REVOLUTIONARY (The Youthquake g ( qin the 1960’s)

When SOCIAL CONFORMITY and IMITATION is th d i t ttit d FASHION INNOVATIONthe dominant attitude, FASHION INNOVATION SLOWS DOWN, the changes are EVOLUTIONARY (the depressed 1930’s, the conforming 1950’s, the (t e dep essed 930 s, t e co o g 950 s, t edominance of casual styles beginning in the 1990’s)

AIMS OF THE LESSONAIMS OF THE LESSONTh ’ t i t ti b t h t’ i There’s a strict connection between what’s goingon in the world and fashion

Everything that happens in the world has an impact Everything that happens in the world has an impacton the fashion business, sooner or later

You must be aware of everything around youy g y And it’s useful for you to know something about

the PAST, because that’s were inspiration is often taken fromoften taken from

A problem for forecasters is the difficulty in recognising the spirit of the times WHILE livingrecognising the spirit of the times WHILE living in them

A KEYWORD: RETROSPECT

Retrospect allows the distinguishingRetrospect allows the distinguishing characteristics of an era

to become clearto become clear

The 80’s:The 80 s:wealth & chances

I th 1980 h d th t i b In the 1980s, we had the western economic boom

Youth culture ended (remember the 70’s – student’s i t Vi t W P ifi t M t) d th riots, Vietnam War, Pacifist Movement) and the

teenage market lost impetus vs a more adult world

D hi h d th f f i t l Demographics changed the face of society: people were living longer and seemed to act younger at the same time.

Body, fitness, being good looking became crucial

Yuppies: acronym for 'Young Upwardly Mobile Professional Person'. A particular type of work hard, play hard, ambitious minded city career person of either sex. y p

The hectic lifestyle of a yuppie meant that after long hours of ea a a e o g ou s o work, rare free time was spent in a self indulgent way frittering away the cash earned on anything from the cash earned on anything, from expensive make up and perfume, to a bottle of fine champagne.

Conspicuous wastage was part of the attitude.

Women Dress for Success: to a new power it corresponds

it Th b t a new suit. They began to abandon the incomplete look of mismatched skirt, sweater or blouse for a full jacketed sober suit

The Perfect Suit for the Corporate Ladder: the aim of female devotees was to rise the corporate ladder. Simple tailored wool suit in neutral navy or slate blue neutral navy or slate blue grey, worn with non sexual blouses, imitated uniform of rank which by design was rank, which by design was authoritative

Everything seemed possibleEverything seemed possible

In Italy, for instance, thanks to the low oil rates and a great import from the US, our GDP raised by 50% vs 1976

People were buying a lot they wanted product who People were buying a lot, they wanted product who show their new economic power: luxury cars, luxury goods, big houses…

Th d f & h i There was a spread sense of power & happiness

The appearance of AFFLUENCE was reinforced by access The appearance of AFFLUENCE was reinforced by access to designer label goods.

By the mid-eighties tills rang not with cash but the By the mid-eighties tills rang not with cash, but the increasing use of credit cards.

It was all such a relief to the consumer to be able to It was all such a relief to the consumer to be able to spend and actively be encouraged to consume after years of recession.

NEW ROMANTIC NEW ROMANTIC It was a new wawe and

fashion movement that fashion movement that occurred primarily in British and Irish nightclubs and Irish nightclubs

Most of the fashion of this new period were taken and pmodified right from punk fashion

The streaky eyeliner, the spiked hair, the colourful dresses the syntetic fabrics dresses, the syntetic fabrics, were the symbols of new romanticismromanticism

Vivienne Westwood

Leggings were also gg gvery popular

Hairstyles were unique: long time preparation, lot of hayrspray, a sculpture more than sculpture, more than an haircut

POWER DRESSING Shoulder pads: in the 1980s women in

the workplace were no longer unusual, and wanted to "power dress" unusual, and wanted to power dress to show that they were the equals of men at the office

The Dinasty television show watched The Dinasty television show, watched by over 250 million viewers around the world, influenced the fashion styles and women to wear jewelry often to and women to wear jewelry often to show one's economic status

Wool, cotton, and silk returned to popularity for their perceived qualitypopularity for their perceived quality

MADONNA Rising pop star Madonna first Rising pop star Madonna first

emerged on the dance music scene with short skirts over leggings, necklaces, rubber bracelets, fishnet , ,gloves, hairbows, long layered strings of beads, bleached, untidy hair with dark roots, head bands, and lace ribbons.

In her Like a Virgin phase, millions of young girls around the worldyou g g s a ou d e o demulated her fashion example that included huge crucifix jewellery, lace gloves, tulle skirts, and boytoy g y ybelts.

Gloves, sometimes lace and/or fingerless, were popularized by Madonna as well as fishnet stockings popularized by Madonna, as well as fishnet stockings and layers of beaded necklaces.

Short, tight Lycra or leather mini-skirts and tubular dresses were also worn, as were cropped, bolero-style jackets.

Another club fashion for women was lingerie as Another club fashion for women was lingerie as outerwear. Prior to the mid-1980s it had been taboo to show a slip or a bra strap in public. A visible undergarment had been a sign of social ineptness undergarment had been a sign of social ineptness.

This was both an assertion of sexual freedom and a conscious rejection of prevailing androgynous fashions.

MICHAEL JACKSON Breaking album Thriller

and then Bad set a new fashion Teenagers fashion. Teenagers attempted to replicate the look: matching red/black leather pants and jackets, one glove, sunglassessunglasses

Leather jackets were often studded and left undone to create a messier lookGl i Gloves, sometimes fingerless, would also accompany the jacketaccompany the jacket

POWER TO THE STYLISTS Brands & designers become status symbols Brands & designers become status symbols People started to recognise stylists, involved in

gossip & newsgossip & news A lot of power & investments on advertising

SUPERMODELS Highly-paid fashion model with a worldwide g y p

reputation Inès de la Fressange was the first model to sign

an exclusive modeling contract with Chanel Catwalk regulars like Carol Alt, Christie Brinkley

and Elle Macpherson began to endorse products with their names, as well as their faces through the marketing of brandsfaces, through the marketing of brands

The supermodels began to replace film stars as symbols of luxury and wealth symbols of luxury and wealth

FROM THE 80’S TO THE 90’S: CHANGES

At the end of the decade something started to change

The sense of power lead the way to deep transformations, in some cases with terrible consequencesconsequences

The GRUNGE movement - SEATTLE Clothing commonly worn by grunge musicians

in Seattle consisted of second-hand items and the typical outdoor clothing (most notably flannel shirts), as well as a general unkempt appearance appearance

The style did not evolve out of a conscious attempt to create an appealing fashionattempt to create an appealing fashion

The clothes were cheap, durable, and kind oftimelesstimeless

They ran against the grain of the whole flashy aesthetic that existed in the 80'saesthetic that existed in the 80 s

THE 90’S: BACK TO BASICS & MINIMALISM

After the conspicuous consuming years of the 1980s consuming years of the 1980s less became more in the1990sTh ilh tt b t The silhouette became neater as shoulder pads finally died and jewellery became non existent or chic in its fineness existent or chic in its fineness

For many the sleek hairstyle copied from Jennifer Aniston

th f ki h i or the funkier choppier hairstyle of Meg Ryan was theonly hairstyle to sport

There was a dramatic move away from the sexy There was a dramatic move away from the sexy styles aimed at the glamorous femme fatale of the Eighties and many designers, taken with a vision of

ti t d t d th t l f th tromantic poverty, adopted the style of the poverty-stricken waif, dressed in a stark, perversely sober palette, with a face devoid of make up

But high-glamour fashion was not dead…

GUCCIE l i k Employing an unknown designer, TOM FORD, as design director in 1994, the g ,fashion house was endowed with a great prestige as Ford triggered prestige, as Ford triggered a tidal wave with his chic and shocking collections, perfumes for men and women, revamped boutiques and advertising boutiques, and advertising campaigns.

PRADA PRADA The brand became a true

creative force in the fashion industry

Miuccia Prada, the niece of the company's founder the company s founder, began to produce ready-to-wear fashion, gaining fame for her subtle fame for her subtle, streamlined, yet unquestionably luxurious t l th t t d f th style, that catered for the

privileged young woman who prefers understatement

fl b to flamboyant extravagance

GIANNI VERSACEB illi t d l f l d i Brilliant, sexy, and colorful designs

Large use of supermodels

DOLCE & GABBANA Superfeminine and fantastical style, broke away

from the serious and sober minded fashions that from the serious and sober-minded fashions that dominates during much of the Nineties

THE LATE 90’S: DRESSING DOWN

So much more was on offer globally, and many people l t i t t i f hi d i t t t lost interest in fashion as necessary and important to their lives when business rules for dressing relaxed

Working from home became common By the edge of Working from home became common. By the edge of the 21st century dressing down in every aspect of life became an acceptable normbecame an acceptable norm

The Internet gives a new sense to space, distance, relationships: WE ARE IN A GLOBAL WORLDp

THE EARLY 00’S: VINTAGE & BRANDS

The early '00s saw a continuation of the minimalist look of the '90s in high fashionlook of the 90s in high fashion

There are winds of recession after the big Internet boom

It looks like nothing new is invented anymore Fashion looks to the past for inspiration: vintage Fashion looks to the past for inspiration: vintage

clothing, especially from the Sixties and the Seventies became extremely popular and fashion designers often sought to emulate bygone styles in their collections

Name brands became of particular pimportance among young people

It’s a GLOBAL WORLD

Many celebrities launched their own lines of yclothing

"It's a dream come true to have my own clothing line.It's just Paris style: fun, bright and flashy."j y f g f y

ICONS

SOCIAL MESSAGES

TALENT SHOWS……

Everything seems ibl AGAINpossible…AGAIN

FASHION TODAYFASHION TODAYWHAT’S HOT/WHAT’S NOT

LECTURER: Valeria Volponip

valeriaelisabetta.volponi@gmail.com

TODAY

We want to RESTART A need to DIFFERENTIATE by SHOCKING

THE SYSTEM LACK OF INVESTMENTS – NO FRILLSVs A need of CONFORMITY A need of REASSURANCE A strong AESTHETIC approach to fashion

consumption

KEYWORDS

ProvocationOver-expositionHybridationy

INNOVATION, TRENDS AND CONSUMERSLECTURER: Valeria VolponiLECTURER: Valeria VolponiValeriaelisabetta.volponi@gmail.com

OBJECTIVES OF THE LESSONO J C S O SSO

• Identify diffusion of innovation as a framework for understanding and predicting fashion changepredicting fashion change

• Cultivate skills in analyzing current fashion within a theoretical framework

• Increase awareness of visualization as a tool of analysis andIncrease awareness of visualization as a tool of analysis and communication

• Investigate the diffusion process: how innovation diffuse within a social system, the kind of consumer who participates in each stage, and the social process involved in transmitting fashion innovation

• Understand the characteristics of a trend

• Analyze today’s main consumer’s groups

DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION

Suddenly, something new – an innovation – is

US O O O O

y, gproposed. It may appear in a hit movie, television show, or music video, and influence the buying d i i f illidecisions of millions

Or, it may emerge from the fashion runwaysARRIVAL OF INNOVATION

INDIVIDUALS CONSIDER FOR ADOPTION

In fashion terms, the innovation may be:, y

the invention of a new fiber a new finish for denim introduction of an unusual colour range introduction of an unusual colour range a modification in a silhouette or detail a different way to wear an accessory a different way to wear an accessory or a mood expressed in a distinctive style

ARRIVAL OF INNOVATION

INDIVIDUALS CONSIDER FOR ADOPTION

ACCEPTANCE REJECTONACCEPTANCE REJECTON

The pattern of acceptance or rejection determines the rejection determines the INNOVATION’S LIFE CYCLEThe DIFFUSION PROCESS maps

the response to the innovation over the response to the innovation over timeThe DIFFUSION CURVE, an

idealization of the process, idealization of the process, illustrated diffusion of innovation as b ll h d

THE DIFFUSION CURVEUS O CU

Th t iti l t f th diff i • The most critical stage of the diffusion process comes during the initial introductionintroduction

• Without innovators – people who wear f hi d th t th new fashions and expose others to the

look – and without opinion leaders, no diffusion will take placediffusion will take place

• For the forecaster, the diffusion model provides a framework for analyzing the provides a framework for analyzing the movement of an innovation through a social systemsocial system.

Th f k h l t ti b tThe framework helps to answer questions about:• The innovation: why do some innovations diffuse

more rapidly than others? What characteristics of an p yinnovation help or hinder its adoption?

• The consumer adoption process: what is the mental process used by individual consumers in deciding process used by individual consumers in deciding between adopting or failing to adopt an innovation?

• The diffusion process: how do innovations diffuse pwithin a social system? What kind of consumer participates in each stage? What is the social process involved in transmitting fashion innovation?involved in transmitting fashion innovation?

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN INNOVATION

• For something to function as an

C C S CS O O O

For something to function as an innovation, the consumer must perceive the newness or novelty of the proposed the newness or novelty of the proposed fashion: it must seem different when compared to what already exists in the compared to what already exists in the wardrobe, across the social group, or in the market environmentthe market environment

• This degree of difference from existing forms is the first identifying characteristic of an innovation

WHAT HELPS OR HINDER THE ADOPTION OF AN INNOVATION?

• Relative advantage: the perception that

INNOVATION?

• Relative advantage: the perception that the innovation is more satisfactory than items that already exist in the same class items that already exist in the same class of products

ibili f h• Compatibility: an estimate of harmony between the innovation and the values and norms of potential adopters

• Complexity: consumers are having Complexity: consumers are having difficulties in understanding and using the innovationthe innovation

• Trialability: the chance of testing out • Trialability: the chance of testing out the innovation before making a decision

• Observability: the degree of visibility • Observability: the degree of visibility that the innovation has

• Perceived risk: economic (the purchase • Perceived risk: economic (the purchase price may reduce the ability to buy other products) enjoyment risk other products), enjoyment risk (becoming bored or not liking it as much as expected), social risk (the much as expected), social risk (the consumer’s social group will not approve)pp )

SOME EXAMPLESSO S

Marketing and merchandising focus on educating the consumer about an innovation and lowering barriers to its adoption

• Spraying consumers with fragrance as they enter a department store increases trialability

•Ads showing how to wear the latest accessory reduces complexity

•The fashion show illustrating how to coordinate new items demonstrates compatibililty

FORECASTER TOOLBOX: 1.O C S OO O

You can use the characteristics of an innovation to project potential acceptance

• Evaluate the ways in which the new innovation is better than other similar products. If the innovation is clearly superior to the product it will substitute or replace, acceptance is more likely

• Then, evaluate the other characteristics for potential barriers to adoption: can these barriers be reduced or removed through packaging, presentation, providing information, or demonstration? 

THE CONSUMER ADOPTION PROCESSCO SU O O OC SS

•The consumer’s adoptionThe consumer s adoption process – the private decision – is performed with 

AWARENESSconsideration of how the adoption will affect the way the consumer presents

INTERESTthe consumer presentshimself or herself to others and how others will react to  EVALUATIONthe result

TRIAL • It is a MENTAL PROCESS, made of several steps

ADOPTIONADOPTION

THE STEPS IN DETAILSS S S

• AWARENESS: the consumer first realizes that an• AWARENESS: the consumer first realizes that an innovation has been proposedINTEREST th k i f ti• INTEREST: the consumer seeks information 

about the innovation• EVALUATION: the time required to evaluate the information and form an attitude toward the innovation• TRIAL: the testing of the innovation beforeTRIAL: the testing of the innovation before adoptionADOPTION ( j ti ) f th i ti• ADOPTION (or rejection) of the innovation

FORECASTER TOOLBOX: 2.O C S OO O

The model points out several opportunities:The model points out several opportunities:

• The process begins when a consumer becomes dissatisfied with the current situation

• If a number of consumers feel the same dissatisfaction astute• If a number of consumers feel the same dissatisfaction, astute forecasters may pick up on that feeling and report it as a void in the market: an opportunity to solve the problem with a newpp y p• process • product• service

• The forecaster can trace consumer acceptance through theThe forecaster can trace consumer acceptance through the stages of awareness, exploration and learning to gauge the eventual acceptance rate for the innovation

• By monitoring consumers who discontinue the process or reject the innovation at an early stage the forecaster can suggest waysthe innovation at an early stage, the forecaster can suggest ways to package or modify the innovation to overcome barriers of adoptionp

• Observing the end of the adoption process – the stages afterObserving the end of the adoption process  the stages after adoption when the consumer evaluates the decision – often reveals a lack of satisfaction. Products rarely deliver the full set of tangible and intangible attributes sought by the consumer.

•This reality initiates a NEW CYCLE•This reality initiates a NEW CYCLE with the identification of a problem

The forecaster’s function is to recognize the new problem, identify possible solutions, and report to clients on the new 

opportunityopportunity

FORECASTER TOOLBOX: 3.O C S OO O 3

Visualizing the diffusion process

• It’s a TWO‐STEP FLOWIt s a TWO STEP FLOW• The first step involves transmission of new ideas through the personal influence of mass media and marketer‐based information to innovators and opinion leaders

• The second step depends on personal face to face influence• The second step depends on personal, face to face influence within social groups as new ideas move from fashion leaders to fashion followers

•The bell‐model of the RogersThe bell model of the Rogers diffusion process can be redrafted into a cumulative form – the S CURVE‐ which more clearly mirrors the growth phase of the productgrowth phase of the product cycle

• There is also another interesting d f l d l th diff iand useful model on the diffusion 

of innovation elaborated by Modis in 1922• It introduces the idea of CHAOSat the point where the curves overlapoverlap• The innovation is introduced and goes through the growth cycle until that market niche is filled; then begins a period of chaos during which a new nichechaos, during which a new niche is identified. • When identified, another growth cycle begins, and so on

FORECASTER TOOLBOX: 4.O C S OO O

The idea of a chaotic phase between growth cycles raises theThe idea of a chaotic phase between growth cycles raises the possibility that a chaotic phase is a precursor to a more stable and predictable growth curve

It is during a chaotic phase  that a forecaster’s job becomes important to a companyimportant to a company

By evaluating  the innovation’s characteristics, possible barriers y g , pto consumer adoption, the influence of change agents and any self‐limiting factors, the forecaster helps a company anticipate the future spread of the innovation to other consumer groups and other markets

Visualization provides the forecaster with a way toVisualization provides the forecaster with a way to ‐ structure observations‐ determine potential markets for the innovation ‐ estimate the timing when innovation will reach new consumer segments

Analysis of diffusion in terms of the curves allows the forecaster ‐ to take a snapshot of the current situationp‐ back cast to explain the past events ‐ forecast future developments

HOMEWORK

Where are we now?It’s time for new keywords?It s time for new keywords?….….