2007
Tip of the Day: Don’t Pigeonhole me!
Posted by: Fashion06 in Tip of the Day |
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How many clothing companies or businesses for that matter hate the fact when the urban market adapts them and they go on to say how they didn’t intend for that too happen or that’s is not the market they are in. Well right off the top of my head I can name 3 Tommy Hilfiger (Said it on Oprah) Evisu owner said it in a magazine interview and Crystal owner (The alchohol) made it very clear-crystal clear that the urban consumer is not who he wants to target. Most of the brands above were made big in America thanks to the so-called “urban” consumer and once they were adopted wanted nothing to do with them or was it the label “urban”.
I sat around thinking about it and I kind of see their point and where their coming from. When your being labeled you limit your reach. You create a clothing line and call it part of the “urban” market then that’s who will check for it and that’s who you will promote too. What exactly defines “urban”? Hip hop or the streets African Americans, Hispanics, or Asians or what. Creating a clothing line and calling it “urban” or “street wear” is really selling yourself short or in this case your clothing line short! That’s is why I stress in some of my articles my opinion of how lifestyle brands tend to have more longevity. Why not let whoever wants to wear your clothing line choose too and not limit yourself with the “urban” tag right off bat and let the consumer decide whether or not they will adopt your styles or not. I mean most would consider the brands I worked with urban/street wear, but at the end of the day I’ve seen every tom, dick and harry sporting them around town.
Some of the hottest brands today are build off of the owners on style or lifestyle. Think about it Lrg, Five Four, and The Hundreds all successful clothing brands now go look in their about me and see what their inspiration is and where their creative designs come from. If you design from your likes I’m pretty sure there are thousands of other people who like those colorful hats that you create for yourself, or those t-shirt designs you created from your musical preferences (Get the picture). It’s like creating a niche and filling it with your lifestyle brand, and drawing customers in from people who feel that brands of today just don’t get them or their style. Only category your clothing should have is it’s target market for example: maternity clothing, womens, mens, juniors clothing, baby clothing, or children clothing…..I think we get the point. So fill that void by creating clothing that you like call it (insert your brand name here) and whoever likes it will wear it…no matter if they are considered urban, or suburban, but if they call it urban let them make that decision.
What do you categorize your brand as? Who do you picture wearing your line? Do you agree or disagree with the article? Has it changed your perspective or does it remain the same?
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Fred
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April 13th, 2007 at 6:58 am
I think people need to get over themselves (brand owners) it shouldn’t matter who you are selling to the fact of the matter is that you are selling. I know we all have to decide who our target market will be but if we crossover to another market great. that shows you that not only your target market is feeling your stuff but other markets as well. We all get in this business for many reasons but the one everyone has in common is to make money. I love designing and bringing something to life but i am also here to make some money so if i do hit with another market great thats just more people that i have rocking my stuff. And like we say money in the bank. Just do what you like to do and let nature take its course (sounds a little corrny but true)
April 14th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
For me, there is a big difference between the exclusive top-end of the market and the more mainstream mass middle. That difference is largely shaped by specialisation; having a unique expertise, being the ace of one trade.
Look at Evisu, they do have some clothing that is not jeans, but through the 90’s predominantly their brand was built on extremely specialised denim true to its historic roots. Their larger successes have come from that position of respect and strength.
Personally, I think the market is very different today than the hey-days of Hilfiger’s growth, and you need to take a more Evisu approach - true to your craft, top-of-the-game specialisation. People change and what is popular/cool is changing faster and faster these days. If your company is built on one identity, your success will be at the mercy of consumer whims and media fads.
April 14th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
I agree U souldn’t pigeonhole your brand…..the more people who like your stuff the more money…that simple…but the one thing I would advise if your a new brand is dont pigeonhole your brand by the name U choose for the brand…like “Hoodwear” or “ghettogear” or some wack sh*t of that nature…the brand name and image is sometimes more important then the clothes it self…..thats why Lexus can charge U 20,000 more for a ES 300 which is really just a Toyota Camry …and Ralph Lauren can charge $70 for a polo when they have a $15 dollar one you can get at Target..because of name recognition….and people dont undestand that and just call it anything without carefully thinking it out for the long hall……..and never base your brand of a current trend because once that trend die’s your clothing line die’s with it…..You have say to yourself is the name I choose and my brand going to be relivant 10-20 years from now…..
April 16th, 2007 at 1:31 am
When you do have some success in any business, you will quickly see that you need to “pigeon hole”. You need to select your target market. Its part of a business model and plan. Does anybody on here have a business degree? Has anyone been to a trade show? The tradeshow show floor is divided into categories. Oh , let me guess… you’re going to tell them, “I’m mainstream, place me anywhere”,. You do that, and you’ll not only be the laughing stock, you’ll come back with no accounts. Do you ever see a Ralph Lauren ad in XXL or the Source magazine? NO, absolutely not !! Why, because you need to decide who your selling to and spend your advertising accordingly. You’ll never see Sean John with a ad in Time magazine. I’m black, and no Tommy Hilfiger didn’t have black people in his marketing or business model. Blacks bought it because of what the clothing price point was. Some of you need to get a couple refresher courses in BASIC ECONOMICS or just call Target or Walmart’s product shoppers so your brand can be soled to everyone.
“What ever your Hussel, Keep it Premium”
-Hussel Premium”
April 16th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
hussel I feel what your saying…but what I’m saying …the main idea is don’t let them place you as
“urban”…xxl and source don’t just say urban magazine…they know who reads their magazine and you should know who you want too wear your clothes..but you don’t have to call it an urban clothing line
April 16th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
I wasn’t specifically talking about “Urban”. But if do make any type of clothing, it will be labeled. Unless you can become comfortable with this, you will make your travel through the clothing ranks very difficult. Urban people by urban clothes. Every year, the “urban consumer” latches on to some “high end” or “high fashion” brand for a season or two. Remember the seasons as a kid when polo was the “ish, then nautica, then Tommy Hill, Then Gucci. More than anything, Gino green global has used pricing as a marketing startegy. Everyone in the hood be talking about how expensive their ish is. So all the ballers and wannabe “ballers” wear it because it sends a message that they have “cake”. Its not rocket science. Urban is Urban , street wear is street wear, high fashion is high fashion. Show me a successful company that doesn’t have a label to their clothes or a target market that they’re after…………. Don’t worry I’ll wait…………..
“what ever your Hussel, keep it Premium”
-Hussel Premium
April 16th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Gino Green Global does not classify themselves as an urban clothing line…watch the video on youtube…they say “we don’t want to be classified as urban it puts us in a box…we are a global clothing company hence gino green GLOBAL” Your going a whole ‘nother way with it…most clothing owners don’t call themselves urban it is more from the higher designers who look down upon them and really don’t consider them designers at all…like when Sean John won the CFDA award…they couldn’t stand the thought of it (Sean John considers itself a lifestyle brand not urban)!…believe me it’s a curse, but that is your opinion and I respect that.
Fred
April 16th, 2007 at 11:42 pm
yeah, i saw that discussion on your buddy’s dvd also. It makes me laugh. Show me somebody in a picture wearing sean john or gino green that is non-urban (that diddy did not pay). LOL… Don’t worry I’ll wait…………….
Urban just means inner city, homie. Basically the people aren’t accepting the word urban because of the brands that they are rubbing shoulders with. The urban brands are hating on each other. I be waiting on those photos though…. holla
“what ever your Hussel, keep it Premium”
-Hussel Premium
April 17th, 2007 at 8:33 am
who is my buddy that you spoke of?
April 17th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
i assumed that you were buddies or had some sort of relationship with EGO Killer ,or at least you made it seemed that way months ago. You do remember the contents of the dvd right?
“what ever your Hussel, keep it Premium”
-Hussel Premium
April 17th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I don’t remember making it seem that way…maybe because I said look out for me on part 2…I was just going off of the email they sent me…never met the guy/girl that produces the movie yet…but yeah I remember the dvd hussel.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
lol