|
The fashion industry is a fascinating world, where everything happens and everything is licit. It represents the ultimate form of expression for the modern woman, and increasingly so for men. Since the early 1920s, it has slowly shown to women the way to disclose and communicate that side of themselves, which until then, they had been compelled to keep inside, to hide.
Fashion is representative of people’s most hidden desires, passions,
moods and tastes. And it acts as a powerful tool for affirming one’s
personality and image. It is indicative of glamour and beauty, of money
and success, and hot personalities.
The world is driven by fashion and everything it represents. It
confers a form of power to people, while they race to be the trendiest
and the most sophisticated; the best dressed, and for some, it does not
matter what the ‘outfit’ looks like – just as long as it is expensive.
For anyone who wants and strives to be different, fashion seems to
provide the answer, the outlet. People’s insatiable appetite for
fashion seems to have no limit. Whilst a century ago, fashionable and
desirable clothing and accessories were only accessible by the rich,
now everyone can be a part of the magic and exhilarant world of
fashion.
Fashion not only is exciting but also very diverse; and different is
the way people – from around the world – relate to it. In the past,
Southern European countries – namely Italy and France – have been the
countries most associated with fashion and style, and still are.
However, exciting developments have also seen other, in recent years,
countries as protagonists: the UK, for instance, America and most
recently Japan and China.
However, in every country people still relate to fashion differently.
To a certain extend, it can be said that fashion is inherent to the
local culture, traditions and customs. This can also explain why some
people appear naturally stylish, while others have to work harder to
get the right ‘look’; or possibly they simply don’t care.
For instance, the Germans are renowned for their poor sense of taste,
as far as clothes are concerned. In Germany, shirts with big
geometrical patterns – so typical of the 1980s – and moustaches are
still very popular. But do the Germans dress to be stylish? Most
unlikely! As still one of the countries in Europe with a very high
percentage of ‘fat people’, Germans are most likely to shop for
‘comfortable clothes’, as opposed to fashionable ones. To be noted
that German size 36 corresponds to size 38 in other Northern European
countries (UK – size 12).
The Dutch, on the other hand, are the tallest people in Europe. However, they are slightly more stylish than Germans.
The British have definitely ‘upgraded’ their wardrobes in recent years
and are more and more leading the industry pace, with young British
fashion designers occupying important positions in the sector. But it
must be unabashedly admitted that, a few years ago you could still see
someone walking in the street wearing a green jumper, a red skirt and
trainers. Fortunately, the young generation scores much better. They
seem to be more sophisticated in their choice of clothing, as British
high streets are inundated with the latest fashionable items; even more
than in other European countries.
The French and the Italians are the ones who seem to possess a natural
sense of fashion. They appear to know what looks good, what will fit a
certain body type and how to emphasize it; and how to combine colours
and materials. French style is elegant, ‘chic’ and sophisticated.
Names like Coco Chanel, Christian Dior and Luis Vuitton evoke the exact
image of what French style is and what it represents.
Italian fashion is also synonymous with elegance and style but in a
different manner. Generally, Italian fashion appeals to a much wider
public compared to French fashion. Perhaps the difference lays in the
fact that French style can appear indeed ‘très chic’, and consequently
it appeals to a more limited audience. For Italians, fashion is a way
of life - not only for a certain group of people – and it shows in
every facet of society: from clothes to architecture and design; it’s
embedded in people’s way of thinking - this desire for beautiful things
and symmetry. A combination of all these is what defines Italian
fashion.
Names that have shaped the industry
It was most surely the legendary Gabrielle Chanel – known as Coco
Chanel – to pave the way for many fashion designers after her. She
revolutionised the way women dressed. She introduced neutral colours;
the little black dress (or LBD) and the jumper, which was immediately
worn by men, too. She also promoted the ‘flapper style’, so popular
in the 1920s.
More recently, icons of the fashion industry include: Valentino;
Versace; Giorgio Armani; Christian Lacroix; Christian Dior; Dolce &
Gabbana; Luis Vuitton; Calvin Klein and Moschino. These have all
established famous fashion houses and have helped shape the fashion
sector, in the 20th century.
Currently, among recent designers we find: Donna Karan; John Galliano; Anne Sui; Paul Smith and Margaret Howell.
The world of lingerie
Lingerie has come a long way during the past few years. This market
has experienced big developments, as people tend to view lingerie more
and more, as a fashion accessory, as opposed to a necessary item.
People want to have an assorted range of lingerie, as they seek to feel
and look good both on the ‘inside’ and ‘outside’.
Women are spending large amounts of money on underwear more than ever
before, as buying lingerie is not solely being done on special
occasions. Lingerie has increasingly become a beauty accessory and is
viewed as a ‘feel-good’ item.
Chapter 1. Overview of the apparel and clothing sector.
According to the following report, “Global Market Review of luxury
apparel – forecast to 2010”, the ‘luxury goods’ market is forecasted
to reach $2 trillion by the year 2010, with the ‘luxury apparel’
segment reaching $100 billion. Although, the forecast for this sector
looks promising, the apparel industry in Europe has experienced slower
growth in the past few years, and it will continue to do so. The
European retail sector is getting loser to becoming a mature industry,
which means it will have to undergo changes to maintain its level of
competitiveness. Some of the factors affecting the European clothing
retail sector, overall, include: decreasing demand; move toward
consolidation and more internationalisation of styles. For instance,
major chain shops like Mango, Zara and H&M are increasing their
presence in many European countries, thus bringing the same style to
markets across Europe. In addition, what affects the European
clothing and apparel sector is increased competition from the new, or
relatively new, economies from the Far East, like Japan and China and
other industrialised Asian countries.
As far as the UK is concerned, the fashion or clothing sector is among
the largest and most important sectors in the country; it’s therefore a
major employer. The clothing sector reached overall £6.6 billion in
sales. Large chains have control over most of the retail market. The
sector exports considerable quantities of clothing; approximately forty
percent goes to Europe, especially to France, Germany and the Republic
of Ireland. Large quantities are also exported to the rest of the
world where demand for British design and products is increasing.
Exports account for over 30% of total sales.
In general, as stated in a report produced by the research staff of
just-style.com , developed economies will suffer from increased
competition from Asia and South America. Imports will negatively
affect local production and in Western Europe, fabrics production for
clothing and household goods will go down – except in Italy, Portugal
and Spain.
1.1 General trends in the clothing and garments sector.
Demographics. It is a fact that, especially in Western countries the
population is getting older. This kind of demographic trends can
affect the clothing sector negatively. As a matter of fact, the
industry is already experiencing a decline in sales, due to this
factor. People are ageing; consequently money is being spent on other
items such as houses, and other types of investment. Consequently,
less is being spent on clothing. On the other hand, new market venues
are being opened, for example, childrenswear segment. Children are
constantly being targeted by advertising campaigns and are becoming the
new customers. The result is that 8/9 year olds are dressing like
teenagers and adults, wearing little sexy tops, for instance.
Fashion Trends. As mentioned above, the clothing segment is a mature
market. Perhaps, due to this, fashion designers are increasingly
designing and producing for the mass – in order to exploit other
markets, to reach more sales potential and revenues.
As far as clothes, for the upcoming season, are concerned, this spring
and summer we will see a revival of femininity. The focus is on the
‘skirt’, which should not be short but knee-length and possibly
longer. Skirts will have to be big to get that ‘volume look’. So
bubble skirts, gypsy style and any big skirt in general, will be the
fashion must-have item, this summer.
With regards to which colours will be fashionable this year, all the
light colours will be ‘en vogue’; especially white; coral and turquoise
will be very popular. Fabrics that will be mostly used include silk;
cotton and chiffon. In addition, other must-have accessories should
be: big necklaces; flat shoes and wedges.
1.2 Trends and growth in the lingerie segment.
The British lingerie market has developed greatly and has reached its
mature stage. Together with the hosiery and corsetry segments, the
lingerie market accounted for £2.27 billion (2003 figure). The
lingerie segment is expected to grow by 12.3% by 2008. This does not
represent a huge increase; about 3% growth per year, starting from
2004. Market growth will be generally slow but it will continue,
nonetheless. This is mainly due to two factors: first of all, as
previously mentioned, the Western world’s population is ageing and
naturally, the main target customers for this market, are represented
by young women. Secondly, in this sector a big variety of product
range already exists, leaving little space for future innovation and
diversification. The market offers everything that women, and men
alike, could possibly wish: variety of designs; variety of colours and
of forms and shapes. Possible innovation, in this area, could be
concerned with the discovery of a new fibre/fabric.
1.3 Famous Lingerie designers.
Who are the big names in the lingerie world? For many years these
companies have sold simply beautiful lingerie at the upper end of the
market. Who isn’t familiar with names such as: La Perla; Christian
Dior; Lacroix; Calvin Klein; Chantelle; Victoria’s Secret and Triumph.
Which woman has not dreamed, at least once in her lifetime, to be
wearing some of their best and most expensive designs? To wear
lingerie that will make her feel more beautiful and incredibly
seductive. How do these famous lingerie houses conceive their
designs? What’s the secret of their success? Do they have a
particular woman in mind? Like, for example, Donna Karan designs for
the “woman who has other things to do than just worry about her
wardrobe (stated by Donna Karan).
Profile – La Perla
La Perla was created in 1954 by Ada Masotti in Bologna. Her philosophy
was and still is: ‘attention to detail, love of perfection.’ La Perla
have been a pioneer and an innovator in its field. Already in the
revolutionary 1960s, lingerie ceased to be seen as a necessary thing
but was considered an accessory. It was La Perla the first to
introduce underwear in new colours, other than the usual white and
neutral colours. And it was immediately a success. At that time,
Brigitte Bardot was very popular and certainly inspired La Perla to
create a new line - checked and flowery patterns were for the first
time introduced. During the 1970s, La Perla was the first to introduce
‘matching stretch lace sets.’ In the 1980, a new development came
about. Women were suddenly more interested in their bodies; fitness
became a way of life. Women began to choose underwear that matched
their wardrobe. It was during this time that La Perla created the
image of a ‘chic and romantic woman, as stated in ModaItalia’s article,
and launched the first stretch lace body. It was at the beginning of
the 1990s, that lingerie started to be treated as clothes/outerwear.
Lingerie designers applied fashion attributes to lingerie. The image
of a woman that was created was that of a self-assured, seductive
woman. In the late 90s, through its advertising campaign, La Perla
seeks to enhance, through lingerie, what the modern woman is about: a
woman who is free to choose how to live her life.
Other brands, which are part of La Perla’s family: the company
owns a number of brands designed to reach different niche markets.
Some of these brands include: GrigioPerla (for men); Occhiverdi;
Marvel; Malizia; Joelle; Annaclub; OCEANO and Aquasuit for swimwear and
Junior (underwear for children).
Profile – Triumph
Triumph International claim 100 years of history. The company started
off in Germany. The manufactured corsets and much later diversified
into lingerie. Their philosophy is mainly concerned with the way
employees should be treated. “They condemn any kind of discrimination
and they are committed to observe human rights.” Triumph UK has won
many awards for their creativity and innovation. To name a few: they
created ‘Flaunt’ (D-cup collection) launched in 1998; and the ‘personal
fit simply soft bra’. Triumph also owns brands like ‘Sloggi’ and it
manufactures swimwear and nightwear, as well. The company’s slogan is:
“has the bra for the way you are.” Triumph will keep focusing on:
beautiful designs and fabrics and current technologies.
Profile – Chantelle
Chantelle originated in France. It has a wide range of beautiful and
very feminine designs. Its lingerie is synonymous with quality, beauty
and elegance. It is sold to women allover the world. Chantelle offers
lingerie for any body type.
Profile – Victoria’s Secret. Company: Intimate Brands, Inc.
The company’s mysterious name has caused many people to ponder on just
what Victoria’s secret might be. Some people associate it with Queen
Victoria; for other people, in fact, Victoria’s secret is really no
secret. Whatever the belief, everyone agrees that the company produces
feminine, intriguing and very sensual lingerie. The company also has a
wide range of swimwear and nightwear.
The story goes that founder, Roy Raymond, wanted to buy lingerie for
his wife. He went to a department store and found himself lost and
overwhelmed since he did not know much about women’s underwear. He
didn’t know what to look for and what to buy. Moreover, the sales
clerks were not really helpful either, as they had been trained to
serve women. Needless to say, he walked out empty-handed.
It was in 1977 that he decided to open a store specifically dedicated
to underwear. The concept was to open a store, which was European in
style (similar to La Perla’s stores already present in the US) and
would be less intimidating for men to walk in. The focus was actually
to sell to men. But all this was changed later, when Roy Raymond
joined forces with Lex Werner. As stated by Dan Finkelman (Senior VP
at Intimate Brands), “we couldn’t have cared less about men.” Pointing
out that although men do buy lingerie, it’s really the women who
purchase and spend more on it. What Victoria’s secret offered to the
market was a myriad of styles; colours and patterns. They made more
seductive lingerie. The American market back then was mainly selling
plain white cotton brief. In other words, Victoria’s secret helped
revolutionise the American lingerie market.
Profile – Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein designs beautiful lingerie and is currently considered one
of the top manufacturers. He uses all sorts of materials: cotton;
microfibre; microstretch and lace. His lingerie line is generally very
popular.
Other important lingerie designers include Lacroix and Alberta
Ferretti. Generally, all the best fashion designers will include a
lingerie line in their collection. Lingerie is considered “an
influential force in the fashion world.” Women wish to maximise their
beauty and sex-appeal and lingerie provides the right tools.
Chapter 2. The history of lingerie.
Throughout the ages, women have always wanted to look sexy. They very
soon understood that men are naturally attracted to women’s
nature-endowed voluminous assets: the bust and the ‘rear’. And have
always gone to great lengths in order to emphasize those attractive
body parts. Obviously, what part of the body should be more emphasized
was at the discretion of fashion designers at a specific moment in
time: sometimes the bust had priority – big or small; some other times
the ‘rear’ had to be placed on ‘display’ or accentuated a bit more;
some other times still, neither was to be emphasized. For instance,
during the 1920s, when the flapper style was ‘en vogue’, fashion
demanded a very ‘boyish look’: flat bust; flat rear and stomach and
straight body curves, no hips! Throughout the history of fashion, in
any case, it’s clear that women have always been fashion victims;
constantly at the mercy of fashion designers and what they dictated.
Sometimes, at the cost of their own health: for example, when they wore
such tight corsets that caused them to faint! Not only, corsets didn’t
allow them to breathe easily but also squeezed the internal organs and
caused the ribs to be misplaced.
2.1 Lingerie throughout the times
Hard to believe but it seems that ‘knickers’ have not been around very
long: approximately only 150 years. Apparently, in the 18th century it
was not considered decent for a woman to wear ‘a cover’ down under.
While corsets, on the other hand, have been around for more than 2000
years, at least! According to what Triumph describe in their history
pack, it was only until crinoline dresses were designed, that women
started to feel the need to cover their parts. And this took place
late in the 19th century. These dresses were worn with large hoops,
consequently, every time a woman wanted to sit down...well, it was
practically impossible, as you can imagine, because the hoop would lift
the skirt high up, so everyone could actually get to view those private
regions! What fashion designers thought of, in order to solve this
problem, was the so-called ‘drawers’ – but still, these were not sewn
in the middle! It shows to which extend, it was really considered
improper for women to cover themselves!
Finally, it was only thanks to French Can Can dancers that someone
degreed that underwear had to be worn – as they had to lift their legs
all the way up during their dance. This was the period frilly
underwear was launched. But the first time, knickers were sewn in the
middle, however, was only after World War 1. During this period
knickers also became shorter (briefs).
It seems that corsets were very much in use, 2000 years ago in Crete.
They were used purely for ‘attracting’ purposes, and were not really
meant for support! In fact, these corsets pushed the breasts all the
way up. Was this the first ‘wonderbra?’
As time went by, women wore corsets to improve their figures. The
more they could squeeze their waistline, the more attractive they
felt. At times, corsets had the purpose to enhance breasts, at other
times to flatten them. But overall, corsets not only caused a hazard
to women’s health but they were also difficult to wear and to handle,
and help from other people was required to wear them.
We can see how, throughout the ages, being sensual and attractive was
always an important element in people’s lives. And women had to
constantly make the effort to follow those trends, if they wanted to be
part of the society.
Eventually, corsets became somewhat lighter – at some point, they were
even made ‘illegal’ due to the health problems they caused to women –
and women were able to finally lace them up by themselves. They also
served the purpose to keep stockings up (new to the market) through
suspenders. It was finally in the 20th century that Mary P. Jacob made
a bra and subsequently sold her patent to the Warner Company. During
World War 1, corsets were not longer practical as women had to work,
and were consequently abolished. Stockings and suspenders were now
attached to a waistband. After World War 2, also new colours were
introduced: colours still remained ‘light’ (pastel colours and neutral
tones: beige, cream, sand) but nonetheless, were very successful among
women.
Lingerie therefore has always played an important role in society and
especially in women’s lives. Women have always used, throughout times,
lingerie not only as a tool of seduction but also as a tool which
helped them (and still helps them) increase their self-confidence.
Nowadays, even if a woman wears ordinary, day-to-day clothes but
underneath she wears beautiful and seductive lingerie, she will
definitely feel good about herself. It was mainly during the 2 world
wars that women viewed lingerie as just something necessary and
practical. Possibly, due to the fact that there was a lack of fabrics,
and women started to knit their own underwear. Perhaps, this factor
contributed to give lingerie such a poor image. But prior to this
period, women were fully aware of the seductive power concealed in
lingerie; and after the 2 wars, as emancipation exploded lingerie
became a fashion accessory. An accessory that women could personalise,
make their own and use it as a powerful tool of seduction.
2.2 Lingerie and film-making
Film producers have also been captivated by the language of lingerie.
Films are full with scenes of women in their underwear: slowly
undressing; strip-teasing or dancing. Generally, being provocative!
Film producers know how to exploit the fascination people have with
lingerie and use it to create memorable scenes in their productions.
Even if spectators get just a glimpse of the underwear, we know that it
has had a powerful impact on us. Who can forget the scene in 9 and ½
weeks, were Kim Basinger is wearing luscious lingerie (please refer to
Appendix 1)? But it doesn’t have to be a serious movie or drama to see
lingerie ‘on show’. Also, romantic comedies and comedies are filled
with it. To mention a few: the obvious one, Bridget Jones’ Diary:
those unforgettable Bloomers worn by Bridget. Bloomers became a
household name after Amelia Bloomer wore a pair of loose troursers, in
the 19th century. Austin Power: Liz Hurley’s black bustier and also,
Boomerang (Eddie Murphy) showing both young and older women in
neglige’; and Naked Gun (Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley).
Additionally, those movies starring rather big busted women, Sophia
Loren and Gina Lollobrigida: where nothing is revealed and everything
is left to the imagination. And yet you know that they must be wearing
sexy lingerie. It simply cannot be otherwise. As Jasmeen Vella wrote
in her article, The Eternal weapon of seduction:
When Director of ‘Gone with the wind’, Victor Fleming, ordered a pair
of exquisite lacy knickers as part of Scarlet O’Hara’s attire, Vivian
Leigh objected that nobody will see it anyway. ‘But you will know that
it is there’, was his reply.
The power lingerie has on both men and women, has no limit. People were always and always will be fascinated by lingerie.
2.3 Men and lingerie.
Most men love women’s sexy lingerie. There are perhaps a few of them
that remain unperturbed at the sight of lingerie but most of them will
just love to see their partner in beautiful lingerie. Men like the
idea that their wives take good care of themselves, that they care for
the way they look because it gives them a good feeling, too.
Furthermore, even if a couple has been together a long time, lingerie
can be the one thing that keeps that spark alive. What’s indeed more
appealing? A partner who walks around the house wearing plain white,
and possibly big briefs or a partner that shows quality, attractive
lingerie.
The majority of men, although they love to see their wives in
seductive lingerie, still don’t feel comfortable walking into a store
and choose lingerie for their partners. Most of them don’t even know
which size is right for their partners and, understandably are afraid
to make mistakes. According to a lingerie-shop owner, only
approximately 3% of their customers are men (please refer to Appendix
3). With regard to this, men should be encouraged and made to feel
more at ease. And then, they will realise the their partners will
greatly appreciate the fact that they went through the ‘discomfort’ of
having to choose, not only something that will fit but also something
that will be according to their partners’ taste. And the latter is
always a bit more difficult for men.
Fortunately, there are a few men who feel comfortable and bold enough
to choose lingerie for their partners. They will buy lingerie mainly
on special occasions, like birthdays; anniversaries; on Valentine’s
Day. Some men actually enjoy buying lingerie. It definitely shows a
certain level of maturity, a certain confidence level, and women tend
to like that.
As far as seasonal calendars are concerned, or when women decide to
buy lingerie, seasonal calendars haven’t really been taken much into
consideration, especially in the past. First of all, women bought and
some of them still tend to buy when they actually need new lingerie.
Secondly, women usually tend to be ‘repetitive’ buyers, as far as
lingerie is concerned; therefore they will buy the type of lingerie
that they know will fit them well, and only occasionally will buy
something different. This is perhaps true of older women. Nowadays,
mostly, young women tend to follow and watch the trends more closely.
Therefore, they’re probably more eager and more likely to follow
seasonal calendars, buying themselves these ‘little treats’ more
often. However, this is not really proven statistically. Recent
statistics show that British women tend to spend, on average, on
lingerie about £72 a year. This amount places them ahead of French;
German; Italian and Spanish women. However, it cannot really be
determined that there’s a correlation between seasonal calendars and
women’s spend on lingerie.
Chapter 3. Lingerie today
Lingerie can be sophisticated, beautiful, seductive, full of laces and
frills – metaphorically, just like a woman. It comes in a variety of
colours; materials and patterns. Lingerie can also be simple and
plain. Whatever a woman chooses to wear, lingerie will certainly do
one thing: it will tell about a woman’s personality; desires and
needs. If it’s a conservative woman; if it’s a temptress; if it’s the
dynamic and sporty type; if it’s the career-oriented woman (more
practical)...whichever the woman’s personality, her choice of underwear
will show it. Women have a very personal relationship with the
lingerie they choose. That’s probably why it is not always the easiest
thing to do to choose lingerie for a woman. It is like the moment of
truth. It will definitely show if one has thoroughly understood her,
what she’s all about. In addition, a woman’s relationship with her
lingerie also shows, to some extend, the relationship she has with her
body – and ultimately, with herself. Is she satisfied with herself and
self-assured? Is she insecure instead and reluctant to live through
new experiences? This will all be reflected in the choice of
lingerie. However, let’s not forget, that lingerie has also the effect
of increasing one’s self-confidence.
Lingerie manufacturers are fully aware of what lingerie means to a
woman. And they always try to develop lingerie that fully reflects
women’s multi-faceted personalities. Not an easy task but luckily the
variety available on the market is so wide, that women have plenty to
choose from. As already mentioned, today’s lingerie market has greatly
developed and a lot of fascinating things are taking place.
Competition is surely very fierce, due to the fact, that it’s a mature
market. But whatever the current market situation is, one thing is for
sure: everybody wants to be a part of it.
What are the current trends in the sector? Lingerie is definitely
feminine and saucy – those are the first words that spring to mind. As
if both the buyers and the manufacturers have finally come to the
realisation that the two don’t have to be separated. It’s a mixture of
Moulin Rouge coupled with pin up style – this is how we can best
describe what’s available on the market right now. There seems to be a
lot of 1950s’ influence and women indeed, seem to be moving away from
g-strings (please refer to appendix 4). The latter are more and more,
being replaced by great looking French knickers or ‘culottes’, as the
French call them. Figures in appendix 4 confirm this trend. A
questionnaire was carried out (please see appendix 2), which asked
respondents to indicate which type of undergarment they preferred/wore
the most. Boy shorts are increasingly popular too. In general,
colours are more vibrant and prints are definitely in fashion. The
latest thing to do so is to let your underwear show through your
clothes; that’s quite trendy, it seems. Furthermore, some fetish hints
are present here and there, as corsets are making a huge comeback.
This is also reflected in hosiery: fishnet tights and stockings are
once again being greatly promoted. They are indeed sexy and trendy.
Lastly, a lot of lace is being used, and tons, tons of colours!
There’s so much going on in the lingerie world, that a new trend that
has emerged has seen famous people starting their own lingerie line.
Perhaps, this is a new way to inject new ideas into the market. A new
strategy devised by lingerie manufacturers to create another image for
their lingerie lines. A way of diversifying. In any case, it seems to
be a formula that works and it’s being met by great success. It works
because it allows women to buy lingerie, which is designed by ‘someone
famous’ and it’s reasonable-priced. Elle McPherson, Kylie Minogue and
Jennifer Lopez are all signing their own lingerie lines. Elle
McPherson’s lingerie has achieved great success and is currently widely
sold. Demasi (2005) writes: “With its Elle McPherson Intimates range,
Bendon was one of the first companies to produce ‘fashion lingerie’ on
a mass scale, making it accessible to millions of women who previously
shied away from the hefty price tags of premium labels such as La
Perla.” Likewise, Kylie Minogue with her ‘love kylie’ line is reaching
top sales. Both labels are already very popular. There’s a clear
difference in styles, if one is to make a comparison. Both very
elegant, Elle McPherson aims for the classy, perhaps conservative
style, whilst Kylie Minogue has very seductive lines in her
collection. Another pop icon that has recently started her own
lingerie line is singer Jennifer Lopez. Her collection looks very
promising: very much influenced by the 1950s and will surely be
successful. Jennifer Lopez has already created her own perfumes, so
she’s already known by consumers.
3.1 Women and consumerism.
All those vibrant colours and styles are making women realise, more and
more, the potential that lingerie holds and how it can be part of the
outfit, how it can complement it in fact, and even enhance it. Women
are starting to buy lingerie for different occasions and to suit their
clothes. They are developing a veritable, versatile ‘lingerie
wardrobe’. Mariah Carey, for example, is known for her passion for
lingerie and owns a lot of pieces of underwear, which she has a
separate wardrobe for. Honestly, this is a great development.
“Lingerie, you may have noticed, has become a fully fledged member of
the fashion establishment. Pretty or ‘fashion’ lingerie is no longer
something worn only on special occasions. It has become everyday
staple and women like to update it s often as they update their
clothes” (Demasi, 2005).
T-shirts; tops and dresses are getting tinier and tinier and it’s only
natural that a woman has to have lingerie she can use with different
outfits. Lingerie to wear on those sporty occasions, lingerie to wear
on a daily basis and lingerie to wear when going out. Long gone is
the time when women owned a limited number of bras (2/3). Lingerie is
definitely a truly fashion accessory.
3.2 Underwear as outerwear?
Everybody is aware of the fact that in recent years, underwear has been
often worn as outerwear. The start of this trend is apparently
attributed to Madonna who showed up in public wearing that famous black
bustier, in 1991. It didn’t take long for people to follow in
Madonna’s footsteps. Although, this trend has definitely been explored
further, only during the past couple of years. It probably came as a
shock to the conservatives, but it cannot be denied that it served a
good purpose for the fashion industry. What was concealed before is
now very much being revealed. Both women and teenagers, according to
an article written by Renee Gerrison, are seen following this trend. As
stated by Gerrison, “Adult women are doing it, too: almost 29 percent
report they feel comfortable wearing tops that show bra straps”.
Appendix 4 (Pie Chart 2) shows that most of the people interviewed
believe this trend was a good development. Only a small percentage of
the respondents didn’t appear to like it very much, with the argument
that it’s too revealing.
“However, many workplaces and schools are not in favour of this new
trend. The majority of women report having dress codes enforced at
their workplaces and schools”, continues Gerrison.
Bras and knickers are now visible; nightwear is also been worn a lot on
the street, like clothes. This ‘bedroom’ look, for some people is
sexy, for some other people it’s about feeling comfortable.
For those of you who remember, actress Julia Roberts, in the film
‘Erin Brochovich’, often shows part of her bra. She wears low-cut tops
and half of the upper part of the bra is visible. This was also
considered a fashion statement, even though it didn’t seem to have many
followers, at least not in Europe.
In any case, underwear is a very flexible fashion item, which people
can wear any way they want, to suit specific tastes and needs.
3.3 Children’s underwear.
Lately, even children’s underwear seems to have gone a long way. More
and more, children’s clothing shops feature special lingerie for
children; many times this lingerie is very similar to adults’
underwear. Producers like La Perla and Calvin Klein offer a wide
collection of children’s underwear. Obviously, those parents who can
afford it are very keen to buy these luxury items for their children.
Benetton have had a good children’s underwear collection for many years
already. So, it’s nothing new but it seems as if manufacturers and
retailers alike, have found a renewed interest in the children’s
underwear segment, and are consequently increasing their advertising
expenditure, accordingly. However, this means that slightly ‘sexier’
underwear is being made available to children. It’s not uncommon,
nowadays to see a 9/10 year old wearing thongs and wanting a bra, even
if she has nothing to support. But it is very well known that
children, nowadays are developing / growing up much faster. On the
other hand, this segment still has a lot of potential for further
growth.
Chapter 4. Marketing lingerie.
Lingerie manufacturers tend to spend a big amount of their budget on
marketing their products. The fashion industry is one of the
industries with the highest marketing expenditure, and rightly so.
Marketing is another area in which the fashion industry excels...is an
expert at. Marketing a (new) lingerie brand is very important. Due to
the wide variety of products available on the market, it is fundamental
to develop a sound advertising campaign, in order to make a product
stand out.
Lingerie advertisements can be seen everywhere: women’s magazines
(Cosmopolitan; Elle; MarieClaire and many others); billboards;
television and with the advent of internet, the latter is being
extensively used by anyone who wants to have fast access to far away
markets and countries. For example, manufacturer La Perla are
investing a big part of their budget on internet advertising. This
will allow them to be promoted and reach, more easily and at a much
lower cost, every market – globally. Media coverage is very important
for lingerie makers – to be seen and recognised is of vital importance
and is what will keep consumers make a final buying decision. We all
gasp at the sight of pictures showing beautiful lingerie. The only
emerging problem (now more than ever), for lingerie manufacturers, is
that when advertising in magazines, it will be more difficult to cause
the customer to ‘recall’ because magazines are filled with a lot of
fashion-related images. Therefore, unless it is a striking style or
product, the chance is most readers wont’ remember the picture.
Two lingerie companies that seem to spend heavily on advertising, that
realise how important full coverage is, are La Perla and Triumph
International. Their advertisements are everywhere and are seen by
thousands of women around the globe: they advertise in women’s
magazines; billboards; television and internet. They definitely ensure
that every media or advertising channel is covered.
Triumph International has been advertising heavily, in the past
decade. Their excellent marketing strategy and advertising campaigns
have ensured the company quite a high market share in the global
environment. It is a very known brand and it’s associated with
quality, beautiful materials and designs, which are suitable for every
body type. Billboards have been one of the company’s favourite tools
for advertising: sizeable billboards placed on crucial points off the
main street. For those who remember, in 1998 when the company was
launching their new Flaunt bra, their billboard showing Kelly Brook
wearing the new bra, was the cause of a traffic jam on Cromwell Road.
Television advertisements have also been widely used by the company,
especially to advertise their ‘Sloggi’ brand. Magazines, of course,
are a good place to advertise, as they reach the right target
audience. However, as mentioned previously, it’s becoming increasingly
difficult to make a product stand out, simply because of the amount of
photographs, which already inundate women’s magazines. All these ads
are a cause of confusion to consumers, making it nearly impossible to
recall who advertised what. However, Triumph International have
realised this and are now devising ways to improve their target reach.
For example, to launch their advertising campaign in Australia, they
already started to use metrolites for advertisements, and are slowly
moving away from magazine advertising, for the reason mentioned
above. As far as internet advertising is concerned, Triumph
International have created a friendly website supporting all their
brands and types of garments. In a way, it’s very similar to La
Perla’s website, in the manner it was conceived and developed.
La Perla is positioned at the upper end of the lingerie market. Their
advertising campaign was really started by the company in the 1980s,
when suddenly women showed an increased interest in lingerie, and
‘fitness’ and ‘beauty’ became the elements of focus around the world.
La Perla’s advertising campaigns have mostly been centered around
women: how women have changed throughout the years – emancipation – and
the new roles they started to occupy in society. In the 1980s, La
Perla created the image of an elegant and romantic woman, aware of her
beauty, dressed in luxurious fabrics and garments. In the 1990s, the
image portrayed by La Perla was very different. Fashion trends at that
time tended towards the wearing of underwear as outerwear. The woman
that was portrayed was a very self-assured woman who takes her own
decision in life and is not longer waiting to be seduced but to
seduce. It was at this point that models were requested to look
straight into the camera.
Generally, La Perla is constantly present in women’s magazines. For
them, there’s less risk of being ‘mixed up’ with other brands, as far
as advertising in magazines is concerned. They have been so good at
establishing themselves on the market that there’s no room left for
confusion, in the mind of the consumer. Sometimes, one will just
recognised a La Perla ad, even before reading the brand name. Either
with lingerie or clothing, the name ‘La Perla’ will simply stand out,
all the time! Today La Perla continues to advertise heavily, making
wide use of the internet – their sophisticated website is indicative of
their level of marketing expenditure and commitment. La Perla are also
entering sponsoring contracts: for instance, they have a contract with
‘LET’ (Ladies European Tour); they are also the lingerie and swimwear
providers for the Evian tour; in addition, they are considering
sponsoring two ladies, golf players. This move indicates how sport is
becoming more stylish.
A clear trend that is emerging in marketing lingerie is ‘marketing
with celebrity endorsement.’ Cosmetic products manufacturers have been
doing it for a very long time. For example, Isabella Rossellini was
the ‘Face’ of Lancome for many, many years. Soft drinks companies,
like Pepsi, have used the same technique for quite some time too. Not
to forget sport brands, Nike; Adidas; Reebok...(Michael Jordan for
example, and many others). This is a strategy that helps improve the
company’s image and at the same time, it seeks to develop people’s
trust in a certain product and brand that are being launched: ‘if
Michael Jordan wears this particular brand, then it must a good,
quality brand.’ This is the line of thought that marketing with
celebrity endorsement seeks to evoke in people’s minds.
The highly competitive lingerie market would definitely benefit from
applying this kind of strategy. It will help people to better
associate a certain brand with a celebrity – therefore, it will create
an image of ‘quality’, in the consumer’s mind; and in addition, it will
act as a ‘magnet’ for all that ‘celebrity’s fans’.
The lingerie market has already made a few steps towards the use of
this strategy but it should definitely move more toward this
direction. Triumph International was among one of the few lingerie
companies to use celebrity endorsement – Kelly Brook, in the late
1990s.
Another method lingerie companies have been using to launch their
products is through the creation of ‘sexualised and provocative
campaigns’, as stated by Laura Demasi in her article – Bra Wars. Of
course everybody is aware of the fact that this kind of advertising
will surely provoke sales.
There are a number of ways to market lingerie. Every company will have
to select the strategy that will best suit their culture; their needs
and that is best representative of the image they wish people to
associated them with. World markets have become more difficult to
operate in, from a company’s standpoint: consumers have much more
buying power than ever before, due to the variety and diversity of
products available on the market. As far as lingerie campaigns are
concerned, this is something they should take account of, constantly:
“women do not really need to wear the types of lingerie that are so
heavily advertised. They want to.”
Conclusion
As we have seen, lingerie is one of the most fascinating and wanted
fashion accessories. Lingerie comes in many different shapes; colours
and materials. There’s lingerie to suit any type of personality and
taste. There’s lingerie to be worn on very different occasions –
reflecting the fashion industry.
Women are extremely excited at the wide range of lingerie available on
the market, and increased expenditure on lingerie, shows this. The
segment is moving toward even more exciting developments: Marks &
Spencer is not longer the place, for British women, to shop for
lingerie. Women want more exciting, eye-catching products and famous
labels. Lingerie is viewed as a fashion accessory and women wish to
make a fashion statement, every time they buy new lingerie. As
Dominique Ageorges writes in his article, ‘Lingerie the new fashion
item’:
“Fashion designers have upped its place from ‘underneath’ to ‘above’ “.
Through lingerie, women have found another way to communicate to the world, their opinions, their feelings and who they are.
Fashion designers have very quickly understood women’s need to
communicate and express themselves and are designing lingerie that will
‘enhance’ women’s personalities even more.
Competition will be increasingly fierce but this will make the ‘market’
a more exciting place. In any case, lingerie will keep both men and
women dreaming and fantasizing. It will continue to constitute an
important tool of seduction. Throughout history, we have seen that
this was certainly the case: our ancestors were trained in the art of
seduction. Lingerie epitomises femininity. This is a time during
which women are rediscovering themselves and are developing a more
natural relationship with their bodies. So, forget about this ‘boyish
look’ and let beauty, femininity and grace be exposed.
Bibliography
Books
1. Peers, J.; 2004. The fashion doll. Published New York: Berg
2. Fortunati L., Katz J.E., Riccini R.; 2003. Published Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers
3. Baumgarten L.; 2002. What clothes reveal: the language of clothing
in colonial and federal America. Published New Haven: Yale University
Press.
4. Townsend, C.; 2002. Rapture: art’s seduction by fashion since 1970. Published New York: Thames & Hudson
|
