The Fashion

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Cycle
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Lesson Objectives
• Explain the fashion cycle
• Discuss the role of fashion leaders
• Identify theories of fashion
movement
• Discuss difference between fashion
trends and fads
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What is “The Fashion

Cycle”?
• Period of time or life span during
which fashion exists
• Style - particular look, shape or type
of apparel item
• Fashion – style that is popular during
a given period of time
 Stages of the
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Fashion Cycle
• Introduction
• Rise
• Peak
• Decline
• Obsolescence
 Introduction
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Stage
• Designs and styles previewed at
major design centers
• Limited acceptance by consumers
• Fashion leaders
• Higher prices
• Small quantities produced
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Rise Stage
• Manufacturers adopt designs and
styles to produce with less expensive
fabrics or less detail
• More affordable and more
availability
• Acceptance by more people
• Adaptations and changes
• Mass production
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Peak Stage
• Fashion most popular
and accepted
• Variety of fashion
versions
• Variety of price levels
• Length at this stage
determines if fashion
becomes a classic
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Decline Stage
• Decreasing demand for the fashion
• Fashion has “oversaturated” or
flooded the market
• Consumers won’t pay high price for
the fashion
• Retail markdowns occur
 Obsolescence
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Stage
• Consumers no longer
interested
• Low price
• Retailers not restocking
• Manufacturers not
producing
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Life-Cycle Pattern
• Rate of movement varies with each
fashion
• Based on consumer acceptance
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Fashion Movement
• Ongoing motion of fashions moving through the fashion
cycle
• Classics – fashion that remain in the rise stage
– Jeans
– “little black dress”
– Tailored suit
• Fads – fashions popular for short periods of time
– Produced and sold at lower prices
– Easy to copy
– Moves quickly through fashion cycle
– Sudden appearance and disappearance
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Factors affecting fashion

movement
• Consumer acceptance and desire
• Economic acceptance - affordability
• Social acceptance
• Adaptations
– Fibers , fabrics, textures
– Color
• Marketing - Advertising techniques
• Fashion Leaders
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Theories of Fashion
Movement
Fashion Trend • Trickle-Down
• Direction of Theory
the movement • Trickle-Up Theory
• Depends on • Trickle-Across
where the Theory
fashion began
 Trickle-Down
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Theory
• Movement of fashion
Fashion
starts at the top
trendsetters
socioeconomic status of
consumers
• Fashion then accepted
“down” to the general
public
• Oldest and most Fashion
accepted theory adopters
 Trickle-Up
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Theory
• Fashion movement Fashion
starts with lower adopters
socioeconomic levels
• Acceptance by
consumers with higher
incomes
– Athletic apparel style
– Jeans Fashion
– Hair style Trendsetters
– Punk style
 Trickle-Across
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Theory
• Fashion acceptance begins among
several socioeconomic groups
• All price levels at same time
• Quality and lines vary
• Most prevalent in 21st century -
technology