UNIT B

EVOLUTION AND
MOVEMENT OF FASHION

2.04 Identify major fashion

centers, types of designers, and
price market categories.

Major fashion centers

New York City

Seattle

Los Angeles

Paris

Atlanta

Milan

Chicago

Florence

Dallas

Rome

Miami

London

New York City, New York

Largest fashion marketing center in the
U.S.
Known for the Seventh Avenue garment
district in Manhattan
Permanent showrooms of manufacturers
from the U.S. and around the world
Open weekdays year round

Most of the production jobs have been

lost to other countries with cheaper labor,
but some production jobs exist in
Chinatown, Queens, and Brooklyn.

New York City, New York (cont.)

Fashion weeks
sponsored by the
Council of Fashion
Designers of
America (CFDA)
Formed corporation
called 7th on Sixth,
Inc. to centralize
runway shows
Shows held in tents
in Bryant Park

Los Angeles, California

CaliforniaMart is the
largest fashion and
textile facility in the U.S.
An 82-block garment
district includes
designers, wholesalers,
manufacturers, and
patternmakers.
Hosts a fashion week
five times a year
Primarily serves the
West coast

Atlanta, Georgia
AmericasMart
Primarily serves southeast

Chicago, Illinoisserves central states

Dallas, Texas
International Apparel Mart
Primarily serves central states
Known for evening, bridal, and western
fashion

Miami, Florida
Worlds largest swimwear show
Wholesale center for the Americas

Seattle, Washington

Paris, France
Considered the world
fashion leader

Shows attract over 40,000

visitors and 1,100
exhibitors from 30
countries
Prt--porter Paris
shows twice a year at the
same times as massproduced lines but at
different locations

Paris, France (cont.)

Haute couture businesses are located in
city fashion houses rather than in
commercial buildings.
Haute couture designers must belong to
Chambre Syndicale. The couturier (or
couturire if female) must be recognized as
talented and successful to become a member.
Chambre Syndicale: The trade association for
top designers, which is governed by the
French Department of Industry.

Paris, France (Cont.)

Chambre Syndicale
Sets qualifications for couture houses
and requirements for collection
showings

Sponsors a school to educate

apprentices
Represents members in relations with
the French government
Coordinates dates of showings

Paris, France (cont.)

Louis Vuitton Mot Hennessy (LMVH)
French luxury goods conglomerate
Christian Dior SA is the parent company.
Owns about 50 brands. Examples:
LaCroix, Celine, Givenchy, Donna Karan,
Guerlain (perfumes), and Sephora
(cosmetics)
Buys and sells brands based on the
profit potential

 Alta moda: The high fashion

industry in Italy.
Rome is the center for
couture.
Milan is the center for highquality ready-to-wear.
Florence is known for lowerpriced ready-to-wear,
menswear, childrens wear,
and knitwear.
Main collections are shown
in fashion fairs prior to the
French showings.

ITALY

GREAT BRITAIN
London is the major fashion
center.

Bond Street is the creative

center.
Promoted by the British
Fashion Council (BFC)
Fashion week twice a year
Top ready-to-wear designers
belong to a co-op association
called London Designer
Collections.

Terms associated with fashion

design
Collection: The total merchandise in a
designers or apparel manufacturers
seasonal presentation, especially for highpriced garments.

Couturier (koo-tour-i-er): A male high

fashion designer.
Fashion designer: One who creates or
adapts clothing and accessory designs for
manufacturers, retailers, or individual
clients.

Terms associated with fashion

design (cont.)
Fashion piracy: Stealing design ideas.
Fashion seasons: Distinct retail selling
periods in fashion marketing.
Garment district: The area in a fashion
center where most of the apparel companies
are located.
Haute couture (hoat koo-tour): The name
for the high fashion designer industry of
France; high-fashion, individually designed,
original garments.

Terms associated with fashion

design (cont.)
Alta moda: The name for the high fashion
industry in Italy.
Licensing: A legal arrangement granting a
manufacturer the exclusive right to produce
and market goods that bear the name of a
famous person.
Line: A collection of styles offered by a
manufacturer or designer.
Prt-a-porter (prt-a-por-tay): French term
for ready-to-wear.

Terms associated with fashion

design (cont.)
Private label: Merchandise developed for a
given store and displaying that stores label;
found in better, moderate, and budget price
market categories.
Ready-to-wear: Apparel mass produced in
factories to standard size measurements.

Basic types of designers

Couture
Stylist: One who designs by changing or
adapting designs of others.
Makes lower-priced merchandise

Creations made during the rise stage of the

fashion cycle
Primarily designs for manufacturers like The
Gap, The Limited, and Guess
Freelance designer: An independent designer
who sells sketches to manufacturers.

Price market categories of womens

apparel
Designer (Couture)
Category now almost extinct due to the
extremely small market
Original, high-priced fashion custommade for a very few individuals
One-of-a-kind extreme styles, avantegarde

Luxurious, expensive fabrics and trims

with intricate details
Sold through the designers salon

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Designer (Couture)
Sell for many thousands of
dollars, maybe up to
$50,000 per garment, but
do not generate a profit

Price market categories of

womens apparel (cont.)
Bridge
Has almost replaced the couture category
Secondary lines of well-known couture
designers

Have the designers label

Most expensive ready-to-wear

Limited editions, small quantities offered for

sale
Expensive fabrics with fine details

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Bridge
Sell for many hundreds of
dollars, maybe as much as
$5,000
Sold in fashionable dress
shops and upscale
department stores like
Neiman Marcus, Saks,
Nordstroms, and Bergdorf
Goodman

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Better
Have a firm label rather than a designers name.
Example: Jones of New York, Liz Claiborne

Ready-to-wear produced in larger quantities

Reasonable prices
High quality

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Better
Found in specialty
stores and department
stores. Examples:
.
Macys, Marshall Field,
and Lord & Taylor

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Moderate
Well-known and nationally-advertised brand
labels. Examples: Jantzen, Gap, and
Wrangler
Lesser-known or unknown designers work for
the manufacturer.
Many items inspired by designer creations
Widely available and worn by the majority of
America

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Moderate
Medium-priced
merchandise
High volume sales
and higher price
margins
Sold primarily
through department,
chain, or specialty
stores

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Budget/Discount
Lowest priced category
Created by stylists

Knockoffs: Copies of higher-priced items.

Mass produced in less expensive fabrics with
fewer details
Brands such as Gitano, Donkenny, Kathie
Lee, Arizona jeans, and Cherokee

Price market categories of womens

apparel (cont.)
Budget/Discount
Sold in discount stores and lowprice chains
Private labels such as Arizona jeans
(J.C. Penney), Apostrophe (Sears),
and Cherokee (Target)