Fahsion

Fashion

“That’s so last year” stated by every snobby consumer at some point in their life. The ever-mutating industry known as Fashion changes with the seasons. fashions that are “in” are soon “out” and everyone has to chase their tails to get the next big “thing”.  Designer brands, such as Prada, Gucci, and Bradbury, rely on the constant flow of fashion to upkeep their profits. Economy Brands such as American Eagle and Aeropostle are more accessible to the masses and therefore have a more general design that will last through the seasons.  Although Designer Brands require to have a nice quality to maintain their rank they are not feasible for their targeted consumers. The targeted audience of Prada, Gucci, and Bradbury, being young men and women, can’t afford the expensive handbags that are thrust before them, designer brands will boost their prices to remain exclusive and hard to get (further  increasing the inability to afford them), brands such as Nike use sweatshops so that all of their profit goes toward the company, not the manufacture.

            Designers target a very specific audience. In many fashion advertisements young men and women are draped over each other like fabrics suggesting that the by buying the brand you will buy instant sexiness and youth.  For example one Prada advertisement features four images of a couple lusting after each other. They are featured in a close up shot in the front right corner with PRADA in capital letters running across. The photo is an entirely black and white and the man and woman seem to be wearing expensive and luxurious clothing. (Source 1) The black and white aspect of this photo tells the consumer that this product is as elegant and beautiful as black tie events. The audience demographic for this photo would be a higher class individual who is a Prada consumer or customer. Since Prada is a well-known expensive brand, the advertisement would be aimed at those who have the money to buy the products. However, it could also be aimed at the teen generation trying to give the idea that this is the life they should desire when they grow up and to get them to want Prada products at a young age. If you were to take  the same amount of money as it takes to buy A  Louis Vuitton  _________  then you could pay for _____________ months of rent in a one bedroom apartment in the city.

            Even if you can afford  a __(BRAND NAME) ____ (ARTICLE OF CLOTHING)_____. Are you paying for quality or fame? Did you know that designers often pay celebrities to come to their show, or wear their clothing for advertisement? You can pay Beyonce 60,000 pounds or nearly 94 thousand dollars to grace a show with her presence. (SOURCE 2) With all of these celebrities flouncing around in  “studded metallic leather t-strap pumps” from Prada the young society that looks up to these popular stars are forced into the belief that they need that purse or heel.  

A psychology study titled “The Psychology and Behavior of Consumers in the Fashion Industry” by Jessica DeLace, a senior at University of Rhode Island depicted how a group of college age students are more prone to choose a well known brand (such as Fendi) over a “lesser brand” even when the object is near identical. This shows how you, as a consumer, rely on and buy the brand name, not just the product. (SOURCE 3)

            Morales are involved as well. Who gets the money that you are trading for a thousand dollar purse? Is it the artists, the company, the CEO? Many brands use sweatshops to reduce their cost in production. Lee Hu, an illegal Chinese immigrant in Italy, got a job as a secretary for Gucci. She was fired when she pointed out that Italians minimum wage was five euros, but the illegal workers were only paid three. Although there is no suggestion that the big houses know that contractors pay below the minimum wage, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Prada all refuse to comment on the issue. Another Sweatshop worker, who refused to identify himself stated "I caught my fingers in one of the machines six months ago. The boss was furious. He had to pay fifty dollars for me to see a doctor. The pain is incredible still. He says I have to work day and night to pay him back.” Every cent that the companies save through production they make in profit. This causes many workers live in less than ideal conditions.

            Although there are financial and ethical issues involving designer clothes many people still purchase it. Why? The same reason thousands of people will hunt high and low for a Starbucks when there is a simple mom and pop coffee shop right in front of them: stability and knowledge of quality. Consumers know that every Starbucks they go to will have the same drinks made the same way. It makes it so that they don’t have to think about what they want they just blindly walk in the door and order another Gucci purse with extra chocolate drizzle. I have a solution for both the financial and moral issues involving designer fashion. Second hand stores carry tons of lightly worn clothes. Often designer brands get thrown in the mix, you will have to hunt for them, but they are there. This way you still get the quality of the brand, but not the expense. Another solution is called “Fashion Project”. Since fashion is constantly going out of style, Fashion Project takes like new designer clothes and resells them online. Fifty five percent of net proceeds goes to charity, and each item will specifically tell you what charity you are benefiting when you buy it.  (source 5)

Paragraph 4: summary

·      Bring back to hook

·      Restate Thesis

·      Leave with something larger to think about.

Source 1: https://avezzi11.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/6a00e54f9153e08833013484cdf210970c-800wi-2.jpg

Source 2: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/article/TMG10845802/The-price-of-fame-what-brands-really-pay-to-secure-a-celebrity-face.html

Source 3: http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1238&context=srhonorsprog

Source 4: http://www.sweatfree.org/news_SM-12-2-07

Source 5: https://www.fashionproject.com/new_arrivals