Fashion Groups

[asow007]

I think if you look at it from the point of view from a starting designer (which I think is probably the only view that counts), then these groups are excellent.

 

[ApertureRomance]

Conglomerates are at work everywhere in society , I've just come to accept it now. What I don't like is when companies try an give the impression that a smaller comapany is still independent or retains some of it's original brand goals/aspirations/intentions etc. They can get away with it because the average consumer either doesn't care or is just ignorant.

 

[Scott]

well,londoneffect,it had been broiling for months before it had even happened. they just could not agree at all creatively. see and that's a huge obstacle. when you're a creative designer,one that's driven by aesthetics,concepts,emotion etc etc.,you know integrity,it's a tremendous problem to have to overcome when you're constantly being dictated by the "money bags" like a Petrezio or Arnault.

I will say however,that I am surprised at the freedom allowed for the likes of McQueen. But after such an intensely creative effort this season,it makes me wonder what the next direction will be. Will they take kindly to it all or will they force him to do something not within his realms of his emotion? But that being said,they also only own a percentage,not the entirety,of his label. Same goes for Diesel which owns percentages in Maison Martin Margiela and now Sophia Kokosalaki. And as we saw in her recent collection,it was much more safe than we'd seen from her before.

 

[softgrey]

being bought by diesel was the best thing that ever happened to margiela...
and now kokosalaki is joining the fold as well...
so it's not always a bad thing...

it's overgeneralizing to say that it is...imo


**where is the link please to the original thread on this topic so that i can merge???

thanks!

 

[londoneffect]

Tank you so much for your posts!!!

And softgrey, here is the link

http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f60/fashion-groups-52453.html?highlight=fashion+groups

 

[it-boy's nature]

i think when you really look at it,
there could be some potential for
a designer to be influenced by their group,
but i don't think much of it...
in fact ,i'm still getting used to the fact that there is such a thing.

 

[Scott]

i wouldn't say it was the best thing,because he's still so underrated,imo. but it helped...the money from that. it's actually allowed him the experimental freedom of "0". which i can only take as a positive because i adore that line. but i never implied it was a bad thing though just concuring that it does actually influence a designer's direction....

 

[Scott]

but i think it really depends on the company. because i love that american xpress is giving Zowie and Brian at Boudicca the freedom and the support to do what they do best. but that's not a group though...just backing. but some of these mega branded companies i don't trust too much.

 

[softgrey]

thanks for the link- thread now merged...

 

[Dezzydez]

but i think it really depends on the company. because i love that american xpress is giving Zowie and Brian at Boudicca the freedom and the support to do what they do best. but that's not a group though...just backing. but some of these mega branded companies i don't trust too much.

Great read!

I think Indie brands from the cutting edge to the more commercial end are all under alot of pressure from big group mentality. Its not just the big luxury conglomorates at it, the scandnavian "indies" (well their branding gives the impression) are all actually owned/invested by multinational companies. They then use the same factories as the high street brands within the groups they are in and are thereby can negoiate a really low wholesale prices, killing the competition. I found out the other day that what I thought was a very quirky french indie Manoush was actually backed by NafNaf.

Then you have groups like H&M, Zara and Whistles trying to diversify and push up the higher "designer" end (style and price wise) taking inspiration from the catwalk and indies along the way but churning it out faster and slightly cheaper - its hard to be independent label nowadays.

No one has mentioned the Japanese Trading Companies who licence brands such as Westwood, Paul Smith, Vivienne Tam in Asia. This is a vital slice of revenue for many designers who wouldn't be as successful otherwise.

Someone mentioned Sonia Rykiel as an independent.

Paul Smith built his business from scratch and is still a private limited company. So I class him as independent.

Any more?..

 

[JamieCD]

It's strange that a company like Prada, with so much talent and a strong(or is he) business leader didn't manage to build the Prada group. It was definitely an amazing selection they had started. Unfortunate.

the trategy that they bought fendi then got big big deficit in that brand then after that they sold to Arnault...

i mean only the designer is one good thing but the CEO is much more important in success or not..

just think abt if you have a great colelction but the margin is not too high.. ya multiply wit the nr of pieces sold... but you also need to calculate how many you will produce, ppl needed, materials and many other resources ect.

i think they have gr8 designers in prada too.. but the manager was too stupid in many decisions thats why their shares falling down!!!

 

[JamieCD]

yes that's correct. They're officially based in Amsterdam because of fiscal reasons. (just like U2 being based here )

the dutch ppl has real good policy in attacting firms.. loads from germany, italy ect coming there
but we all know that Zug is the city where ya get the lowest tax:-P in europe
but the prob is CH is not too cheap at all:-P

 

[JamieCD]

Then you have groups like H&M, Zara and Whistles trying to diversify and push up the higher "designer" end (style and price wise) taking inspiration from the catwalk and indies along the way but churning it out faster and slightly cheaper - its hard to be independent label nowadays.

i think H&M/Zara has different strategy in approaching their customers..
they are "low_budget" stuffs but sold to more ppl and thats why they soem time need designer karl V&R Madonna ect to dip their hands into business sothat
1. they want to make business( luk at the value of their shares) and the magin after collection
2. they wann show that they can also "create brands"

to be honest, h&M and zara are very sucessful in their business and thats why their owner is getting rich so fast and in top 100(forbes) i think..

Thats something like ikea,walmart, aldi ya know

 

[ShesElectric]

Isn't the Gucci Group owned by PPR?

 

[city girl]

^yep

 

[mikka000]

Great read!

Then you have groups like H&M, Zara and Whistles trying to diversify and push up the higher "designer" end (style and price wise) taking inspiration from the catwalk and indies along the way but churning it out faster and slightly cheaper - its hard to be independent label nowadays.

No one has mentioned the Japanese Trading Companies who licence brands such as Westwood, Paul Smith, Vivienne Tam in Asia. This is a vital slice of revenue for many designers who wouldn't be as successful otherwise.

Someone mentioned Sonia Rykiel as an independent.

Paul Smith built his business from scratch and is still a private limited company. So I class him as independent.

Any more?..

Comme des Garcons is independent. I don't know how Junya Watanabe and Tao fit though because the name 'Comme des Garcons' is a part of the name of their offshoots if you know what i mean. It's 'Junya Watanabe Comme Des Garcons' not just 'Junya Watanabe' so there is no pretence of them being 'independent'.

 

[style_expert]

I think most or all Japanese designers are independent..same for Belgian ones like Ann Demeulemeester and Dries van Noten.

 

[JamieCD]

Thats tru but they are very small:-P

Btw the tendance that they got credit from financial instututes then buy the other is no longer in!

Cauz some of them were not too successful:-P

 

[MissMagAddict]

The Man Behind the Curtain by Joshua Levine
The New York Times T Style Magazine Women's Spring 2013
February 17, 2013


source | nytimes.com via Flashbang