Fashion

Orientation

FASHION CYCLE & THEORIES

Fashion Cycle

Theories of fashion adoption

Fashion leaders & followers

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Fashion evolves gradually
giving time to customers to
become accustomed to new
looks.

1.Introduction to a style

2. Growth - Increase in Popularity – Bridge &

Diffusion lines

3. Maturity – Peak of Popularity – Adaptations

& Knock-offs

4. Decline in Popularity

5. Rejection or Obsolescence

FASHION CYCLE
• INTRODUCTION OF A STYLE – New styles are introduced by Firms or Designers,
showcased in Fashion shows & publicized by celebrities.

• INCREASE IN POPULARITY – Popular styles are copied or adapted by mainstream

manufacturers to general public by using inexpensive fabric or modifying the styles &
selling them at lower price in larger quantities -as bridge or diffusion lines.

• PEAK OF POPULARITY – When a fashion is highly popular, there are knockoffs

produced.

• DECLINE IN POPULARITY – So many copies are mass produced that fashion

conscious people start looking for something new. Many shoppers wait to buy when
merchandise goes on sale.

• REJECTION OF STYLE OR OBSOLESCENCE – Consumers have already turned to

new look, thus beginning of new cycle. Rejection of a style just because it is out of
fashion is called consumer obsolescence.
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• CLASSICS – never become obsolete but instead remain more or less accepted for an extended period

• FADS – Short-lived fashions is called FADS which come & go in a single season.

• CYCLES WITHIN CYCLES -- Design elements may change even though the style itself remains popular.
jeans remain classics but various details, silhouette & features came & went.

• INTERRUPTED CYCLES - halted prematurely because manufacturers and retailers no longer wish to risk

• RECURRING CYCLES - Designers often borrow ideas from past. It may reappear in an interpreted way, fabric
or silhouette

LENGTH OF
CYCLES
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 Cycle within Cycles

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 Recurring Cyclic Fashions

POLKA DOTS
PLAT FORMS SHOES HOTPANTS

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Consumer Identification with Fashion Cycles
• Fashion Leaders - Innovators, Motivators or Role Models,
Victims

• Fashion Followers – Lack time, Busy, Need exposure, Insecure

about tastes, Fit in with friends, Imitate

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 FASHION LEADERS
People who look for new Fashion & wear it before it becomes generally
acceptable are often referred to as Fashion leaders.

They fall into following categories:-

Fashion innovators
Role models
Fashion victims

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 Some fashion leaders actually create fashion,
they may be designers or just want to express
their own individual style.

Fashion Innovators

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 Fashion Motivators or Role Models
Designers lend new styles to celebrities
& public figures to get publicity.

They become role models for everyone

who identifies with them.

There are Fashion leaders for every

market

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 FASHION VICTIMS

People who have too much

money to spend who become
slaves to designer brands.

They blindly follow a brand

without any discernment &
without any analysis.

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 FASHION FOLLOWERS
Fashion followers imitate others & follow a style only after they are sure of the fashion trends.

Consumers become fashion followers for following reasons :-

lack time, money & interest to devote to fashion leadership

busy with their jobs & families & think fashion is unimportant

need a period of exposure to new styles before accepting them

insecure about tastes & therefore turn to what others have already approved as
acceptable

want to fit in with friends or peers groups to be accepted by them

tend to imitate people whom we admire.

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 Late Adopters & Laggards
As popularity fades, the fashion product
is often marked for clearance, to invite
the bargain hunters and consumers, the
late adopters and laggards, who are slow
to recognize and adopt a fashionable
style.

Laggards - people who stick to style after

the decline of the trend as they find it
comfortable & flattering, and adapt it as
their unique dressing sense.

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 THEORIES OF FASHION
ADOPTION

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 Trickle Up
African tribal's
neckwear has been Over Alls
Gypsy Skirts are
accepted as popular
fashionable global
accessories world wide

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Balloon Dress variations - Across
As accepted and available to the masses

Designers Interpretation
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Thank you