DB6 - Research (Clothing Brands)

Design Brief 6 - Research (Clothing Brands)

OUGD603

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When research into clothing brands I found a website that listed most valuable brands today and above are there findings. As you can within the screenshots there are a lot of high end brands within the top 20. However, what is more interesting is the common retail fashion brands we see every day within the top 20. Zara and H&M are the most surprising as they produce clothing items very quickly and are at a lower price point. Another surprising find within this list was Uniqlo as their brand is online and it produces basic clothing at items at good quality and at an affordable price point. 

https://www.annexcloud.com/blog/how-fashion-brands-build-customer-loyalty/

Brands like Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, and Gucci all have die-hard brand loyal fans. A study conducted by Ello Media in the UK concluded that 3 in 5 people feel loyalty towards a particular fashion brand. With 60% of people indicating loyalty to brands, therefore suggest that customer loyalty is very important within the fashion industry. When taking a deeper look into designer brands I found that there was huge audience for these brands and their use of high-end materials with a distinguishing marquee or label. Many of these brands have a high level of brand loyalty and I found that that customer are not just purchasing these brand items for the products themselves, but for the prestige and unique customer experience. Many of these high end brands opt for a more curated, hands on approach as they tend to appeal to more affluent consumers. However, to appeal to their other audience who have lower income, some of these designer brands offer mass market, more affordable versions of their high-end designer clothes. A great example of this Marc by Marc Jacobs.

I also found that some brand follow under the category of fast-fashion. These companies can mass-produce affordable versions of designer brands but implement cheaper materials to reduce the price. There is fierce loyalty to these brands because of their ability to provide current trends within the fashion industry at an affordable price point. When research fast fashion brands I found that they often offer loyalty programs, brands likeH&M offer a basic points-for-purchase customer loyalty program. These points can be used to redeem discounts, special offers, and specials on shipping and returns. This customer loyalty program appeals to the consumers of theses items who typically do not fall under the affluent category. Although fast-fashion is very popular it does come at an environmental cost.

When researching different brands I found that many brands often use celebrity endorsements to promote their brands and increase the sales of their products. People often want to buy products that celebrities have because they want to feel like they are living the same life as them as they want to be them.