FASHION CONSUMERISM AND FEMINISM( THE THING LINE)

feminism can be defined as the belief that women should have equal rights to men. the feminism principle aims to place women and men  as intellectual and social equals. 

The term feminism evolved from the 19th century  when women  were seen as  properties of their husbands and fathers.As such  some women decided to set up unions like  suffrage movement  and women social political union  to change  that notion and give women equal rights.  since the late 1960's fashion magazines have become improbable vehicle for women to air their opinions and grievances     (Benstock and ferris 1994).

feminists of a generation ago taught women that intrest in dress and beauty was the  result of socially produced false consciousness (Benstock and ferris 1994). This idea seems to have taken a back seat.In present times fashion feminism and consumerism have become bedfellows.

from the mid 19th century through the early years of this century consumption has been an aggravated activity (Mcrobbie 2008). The post feminism era is associated with consumerism. the idea of  'what am I going to buy next'. in fashion magazines emphasis is placed on women do with goods.  Thus the 'world of goods' offers certain types of 'freedom' or even 'authority' to women as consumers with these taking on overtones of sexual freedoms or transgressive pleasures ( Mcrobbie 2008). 

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS( HIGH STREET AND LUXURY BRAND COLLABORATIONS)

Branding has become so intertwined with consumption that  today consumers have often deep personal relationships to brands and their associations (Power and Hague 2008).In recent times many high street brands developed a strategy to boost their brand image by collaborating with designers.

The first  popular collaboration was between H&M and Karl lagerfield in 2004. Since then H&M has collaborated with the likes of Stella Mcartney , Viktor & Rolf, Cavalli, Marimekko, Comme des Garçons, Williamson, Choo and Rykiel.  and very recently Marni. other high street brands keyed into co branding trend include Topshop,Gap and New look, River island and Debehams   

There is no doubt  that this collaborations give fashion lovers the opportunity have to own a designer brand. it also serves as an advantage to the designers and high street brands. it give the opportunity for designers to take their brands to the mass market and allows the high street brands to attract new customers.the recent trends towards co branding and linking brands can help the brands enjoy synergy effect (Power and Hague 2008). when a brand collaborates with another brand the knowledge a customer has of the brand changes. the brand image the consumer's form are based on several factors (Ginman et al 2010). as such it is important both brands must research on the brands they want to collaborate with. although people buy the idea of co branding many argue that by reproducing the art work for the masses the original value and authenticity and value of the piece is eroded (Omuruchu2006).

COLOUR BRANDING

colour has always been an important factor in  fashion. over the years we see that customers are drawn to  a particular fashion item because of its colour. looking at the dispute between Yves Saint Laurent and Christian louboutin over the 'lacquered red sole'. it can be seen that colour can be used as trademark and can become an important element of a  brand's image  

      colour is one of the marketing tools that global mangers use to create and maintain and modify brand images in customers minds(Madden et al 2000).  The red sole was introduced by Louboutin in 1992 and it has become the designer's signature since then. the red gained a particular status of luxury and elegance becoming a symbol of sophistication( Machinka 2011) .      

the stiff competition between fashion brands allows to them to look for any opportunity to gain  competitive advantage over their counter parts so that their customers can distinguish their brands.For
example, the little blue box that has become the global signature of Tiffany & Co is not solely
used to communicate the company name but is also a way of symbolizing the quality and craftsmanship
of its products.(Roellig2001).  colour can be used as an effective method of sustaining a brand's identity in the mind of the consumer.      

 

life style brands such as jack wills and Tommy hilfiger have over the years mastered the art of communicating their brand identity with the use of colour.

LONDON FASHION WEEK ( its essence)

 For many, fashion shows traditionally began its existence in New York in 1943 when a fashion publicist named Elenor lamber organised an event called press 'press week' but its existence can be traced as far as 1903.
fashion shows also known as 'the collections' showcases the upcoming seasons  prep a porter (Rocamora and Joanne2006)

London fashion week was born in west London park in 1984 with designers like Betty Jackson David Fielden and John Galiano taking part in its first show.
The major essence of London fashion week is that it promotes British fashion designers. It brings together designers , models, journalists fashion, stylist and of course celebrities  fashion students  from countries around the world.(Rocamora and Joanne2006). 
Apart from showcasing the trends for the next season. it helps to boost the reputation of fashion brands and other key players within the fashion industry. it is clear that London fashion week is  important for fashion brands to achieve international media coverage.

British Fashion Council