FashionUnited highlights from November '18
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Fashion
As November comes to an end, FashionUnited takes a look back at the biggest news to hit the world of fashion.
Victoria's Secret: Out of touch and out of time?
This month, Victoria's Secret televised its annual extravaganza of models parading a catwalk in underwear. Some girls were sporting wings, others were bedazzled from hip to bust. But while sex once sold everything from fashion to laundry detergent, marketing in 2018 has moved on, and now focuses more on body diversity and female empowerment, rather than a tactic to attract the male gaze.
Dolce & Gabbana, a history of PR disasters
It was to be an epic fashion show unlike any other. 500 looks, a Hollywood-calibre production, the ultimate East meets West extravaganza where Dolce & Gabbana take Shanghai. The multi million euro event, which has taken months to plan, was unceremoniously canceled after a backlash to a series of D&G ads that were accused of harbouring Chinese stereotypes.
The problem with Black Friday returns and how AI could help
Love it or hate it, it looks like Black Friday is here to stay, with the UK sales extravaganza now reaching almost every nook and cranny of the retail world. But under the weekend’s attractive promise of just-in-time-for-Christmas discount prices, is the shopping bonanza doing more harm than good for UK retail? One company thinks that AI could help the ‘mass-return’ phenomenon.
The year of ‘meme fashion’: the most-searched brands and trends of 2018
More than 80 million shoppers from 120 countries used fashion search engine Lyst in 2018. But what were they looking for? Turns out 2018 was “the year of meme fashion”, with unusual items such as Balenciaga’s seven-layer coat and Gucci’s balaclavas going viral thanks to the jokes people made about them.
Why fashion shaming women in power is losing its power
When Washington Examiner reporter, Eddie Scarry, posted a photograph of congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez last week with the words, “That jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles,” the backlash was swift. But the reporter’s speculation on how she spends her money along with judgment on her physical appearance just happened to cover the two areas in which historically men have exerted control over women. It was Scarry’s look that was not a good one.
Fashion brands’ answer to the dropping trust in influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is bound to become more transparent. At least that’s what most marketers and consumers believe, according to a survey with 1,173 marketing specialists and 500 adults aged 18-34 in the UK and US. Conducted online by Influencer Intelligence in association with Econsultancy, the survey lays out the state of influencer marketing today and trends for the future.
“We’ve lost touch with our audience”: Esprit announces major changes
Esprit wants to be an iconic brand again. While still the third favorite fashion retailer in its home country, Germany, where it registers an impressive 87 percent brand awareness, things don’t look so bright elsewhere and the company has been continuously reporting revenue decline.
Expanding or retracting? H&M closes Cheap Monday after rethinking /Nyden
H&M is undoubtedly one of the most successful fashion companies of our time. But as consumers question the social and environmental impacts of the fast fashion model and online players such as Asos and Boohoo offer fierce competition, the last decade has seen the Swedish apparel giant looking to rely less on its namesake brand. But now we’re seeing the conglomerate take a step back and axe labels that don’t deliver from the portfolio.
A bit of background:
Marks & Spencer criticised of sexism over 'fancy little knickers' window display
UK retail giant Marks & Spencer found itself in hot water after a photo of a window display at its Nottingham store was shared online and branded as "grotesque" and "vomit-inducing". A photo of the display window - which has been shared widely on social media - shows women’s ‘must-have fancy little knickers’ next to men’s suits described as ‘must-have outfits to impress’, which led many to accuse the retailer of reinforcing damaging gender stereotypes.
Cabinet Brexit approval: 'urgently needed certainty' for UK retail
After what felt like an eternity of speculation, Theresa May finally published the full text of her Brexit deal this month. The 585-page document agreed to by the prime minister and her Cabinet on Wednesday sets out the provisional guidelines for Britain’s much-awaited withdrawal from the European Union, offering a sense of progress in a time of Brexit uncertainty which has seen customer confidence dropping and the UK high street struggling with store closures.
A bit of background: