The Most Valuable Thing for Fashion Brands

Outline

Introduction

What do fashion brands REALLY want?

So what about Viktor & Rolf?

Conclusion

Introduction

Led by Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, Viktor & Rolf is a Dutch avante-garde label that is known for their strange fashion shows that featured anything from elevated shoulders, to my favorite, cut up garments.

But, these avante-garde haute couture garments are very rarely worn outside of these shows - which was a huge shock to me at first.

Why would a fashion brand spend all of this time and money designing & showing something that will never be sold?

Fashion design is not cheap, and the process of showing these designs for Fashion Week is even more expensive.

But, in fashion, there's something much more valuable to the brand that you might not even realize they're after.

What do fashion brands really want?

The Founder explores this topic.

There's a scene in the movie when the "founder" of McDonald's realizes they aren't in the burger business - they're in the real estate business.

In unison, I'd argue that fashion brands aren't really in the clothing business, they're in the entertainment business.

Luxury brands aren't selling something that people need, they're selling something that people want: to be associated with popular things. And when more people are looking at a brand, especially a brand that many can't afford, its perceived value increases.

Thus, I argue that the most valuable thing for a Fashion Brand is their target customer's attention.

With so many brands marketing to one customer it can be easy to get lost in the noise, but by obtaining and maintaining people's attention a brand can stay on the radars of those who are ready to buy.

So what about Viktor & Rolf?

By creating attention-grabbing avante-garde collections they build a reputation as an innovative leader in the Fashion & Beauty industry, and drive up brand awareness in the process.

This awareness is then leveraged to launch new RTW collections, bridal collections, and perfumes/fragrances.

These over-the-top garments will likely never be bought by consumers and that's the point.

Creating clothes that aren't directly for profit allows Viktor & Rolf to create a unique brand image that's leveraged for profit.

And Viktor & Rolf isn't the only example of this, brands like Chanel, Alexander McQueen, or Avava use eye-catching garments to build brand awareness and increase their level of prestige.

By taking the time to craft difficult and unusual pieces a fashion brand can stand out to their target customer and earn a place in their wardrobe.

Likewise, the next time you think to criticize a garment on a magazine cover, tv commercial, or fashion runway, I hope you'll stop and appreciate the garment for earning your most valuable resource: your attention.

In Conclusion...

I used to think that shows like these were a waste if the garments were never sold, but now I understand their importance in creating a strong brand image and brand awareness.

As Fashion Designer Jane Hamill says, "You can make the most beautiful clothes anyone could wear, but if no one sees them you're going to go out of business" and I couldn't agree more.

Fashion is just as much about the people seeing clothing as it is about the person wearing the clothes.

Thus, by designing clothes that capture the attention of consumers fashion brands can ensure their place in fashion media, and most importantly, your closet.