Today, fashion means big business.
The fashion industry is one of the most exciting, fascinating
industries. No other industry is as glamorous or creative. To understand
how this industry works, let's take a look at the following.
What is fashion?
For some women, fashion is a way of life. It reflects their
personality, their attitude, their approach towards life, and their
lifestyle. A closer look tells us that it refers to a particular style
of clothing which is worn by people on a national/international level.
Fashion is not restricted to clothing alone. Anything with a touch of
class, and a hint of the extraordinary, something that catches the eye
instantly, and is visually appealing, is fashionable. Thus, fashion is a
phenomenon that continues to change women's lives all over the world.
Today women have access to a wider range of fashionable clothes,
accessories and gadgets which they would not even have dreamed of, a
decade or two ago.
Over the years, women have embraced fashion to project themselves the
way they want to. Whatever women wear or use today, is a matter of great
speculation and scrutiny. Fashion has entered all arenas of women's
lives, right from veiled hats to high-heeled shoes. Their fashion
consciousness, and the need for fresh, new concepts and ideas from time
to time has given the fashion industry a major boost.
Fashion is revealing on an individualistic level. Fashion provides an
insight as to who a person is. It also lends an insight of the
idealistic goals of what one aspires to be. Women's fashion defines
ethnicity or occupation too. Some people feel it is not necessary to
follow the latest fad in order to appear fashionable. Fashion is a
personal expression of attitude, mood, status, or an individualistic
concept of style.
Fashion trends
A fashion trend can be described as the current style being followed at
any given point of time. Fashion trends keep changing from time to time.
This ever-changing quality makes it a challenging, dynamic industry.
What is considered 'hot' today, is not 'happening' two months, or maybe
a year down the line. Fashion thrives on the process of identifying the
intangible needs of women on a global level, and materializing these
very needs into trends.
Factors influencing fashion trends
- Celebrities/movies and other media
- Festivals/fashion events
- Geographical location/weather
- Increase in household income
- Innovative technologies
- Need for change
Fashion industry
The fashion industry is a huge platform which provides access to a wide
range of fashionable goods. It not only constitutes the textile and
apparel industries, but also the accessories that feature in a woman's
wardrobe including headgear, jewelry and footwear. This industry is a
creative industry which involves continuous change, innovativeness, and
state-of-the-art technology.
Women's fashion industry comprises:
- Designers
- Manufacturers
- Sellers/Marketers
- Buyers
- Others (colorist, forecaster, illustrator, models etc.)
Let us focus on some of the major sectors in the fashion
industry:
