The Business of Fashion

Terra Cotta figurines of the oldest Harappan Age show fascinating headdresses that can be compared with any modern hairstyle with a heavy look. The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo Daro with bangles in her arms is not behind any fashion sculpt of any age. While no one can deny the beauty and glamour of Cleopatra; a woman with great political skills as well as a long nose, who crafted plenty of fashion styles from jewelry to outfits of the great Egyptian Empire of Scissors.

When the first human being, in Eden or on earth, covered his body with leaves, or later with an animal skin, the fashion industry was founded at that time. Though we are not familiar with the style and apparel of that time until the ancient civilizations preserved few images in the solidity of rocks, through cave paintings and through rock-cut sculptures.

But fashion is not only associated to females always! In ancient times of Cleopatra, Scissors always wore clothes that were royal, expensive, stylistic, pretty and special. At the same Egyptian soil, the Pharaohs were seldom behind. The great Biblical Character of Moses, if taken as an Egyptian Prince, was always a portrayed, in tales and later in movies, in a charismatic outfit.

While in the Western part of the globe, the Greeks and Romans not only marked high standards in Art, Architecture, and Warfare, but their unique and intricate ideas of an ideal and godlike human body,  of males, supported the appealing army uniforms and court-wears.

These ancient models are still the greatest sources of inspiration for modern day fashion designers and the origins of the evolved type of cultural trends prevailed through continents from Australia to The united states and from Asia to Africa.

The supernatural characters of illustrious Greek, Egyptian and Indian Mythologies did provide extraordinary range of apparel; well preserved in the type of painting and sculpture.

Cultural influences are stronger when we think about the economic aspect of the fashion industry. Business needs market where it can present fresh ideas and products in every new day. Although in this global age, acculturation is very much on. But even then there's plenty of cultural aspects that can instigate or obstruct positive trends. A colorful bikini is a great fashion market item in Western or secular and modern cultures, but it is very  a taboo in some rigid and fundamental areas. Contrary to that, a veil is popular in fundamental countries, but has no market in secular or modern world. However, so plenty of fashion articles could get the status of cross-cultural ambition.  in ornaments, there is not much dissimilarity across the globe with exception of miniscule diversity in shape, material and style. Earrings, bracelets, pendants, bangles and rings are always, and in every single place, in fashion since ages having large market scope in all societies and cultures.

On the individual level, fashion is not just a simple word or an uncomplicated attitude, or even an overwhelming desire. Fashion is a multifarious dogma that can influence an individual in plenty of ways.

"As method it is [fashion] sustained through some complex amalgamation of inspiration, imitation and institutionalization, all of which seem required, although the nature and degree of their fusion is, as we can conclude from fashion history,  variable." (Fred Davis. Fashion, Culture and Identity. P. 123)

Therefore, the multifaceted incorporation of fashion, where force an individual simultaneously, it also institutionalize itself on plenty of grounds. This institutionalization is not only at the academic level, but due to its capacity of holding an individual, society, or even the whole world has created a large market for investors.

This feature has made fashion, throughout past decades, an industry with small to bulk product possibility that can be marketed all around the globe. It attracted plenty of business tycoons and groups of companies to invest in fashion industry, or to label a quantity of their products as fashion products. This idea initially covered the clothes brand but soon after, it encompassed every utility of everyday life. From earrings to pendants, from watches to glasses, from shoes to wallets, from perfumes to hairstyles, everything was produced and marketed, exported and imported on such a large scale that it actually influenced the economy of various countries. Apart from the individual fashion, bathroom accessories, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom décor, landscaping of gardens and lawns, furniture, automobiles, electronics or even language accents, everything got under the broad term of fashion. Products singularly and brands collectively helped and polished lifestyle across the continents. So, inevitably fashion market got vitality.

Despite quality, comfort and durability the exclusivity of a product and its luxurious look are the reasons that produce scope for a product to be marketed. That's the market owner of very  every fashion company revolves around these features.

Simultaneously, the promotion and availability of various products have developed the customers' sense of choice and exposure with a comparative purchasing power. Fashion is not always brand conscious; it is item based as well. Sometime, the necessity for a specific item may force us to be going beyond the brand-range and choose something less popular. This is a challenge all the famous brands must cope with. Ian Griffiths and Nicola White, in their edited work: The Fashion Business- Theory, Practice, Picture, commented on item shopping as:

"Item shopping is still very much part of our lives, but market saturation has taken its toll and replacement purchases of core product continue to decline. Added to this is the changing profile of the customer, who, through constant exposure, is becoming wiser, more astute, more confident in mixing products and consequently, likely to be less brand loyal."

Modern day fashion is speedy, short lived, more corporate in its structure, and psychological than ever before. Due to better and quick sources of communication and information, the international or outside markets are open for every fashion company to do business, multinational companies can be found with variety of products in all the continents with complex network and appropriate promotion policies according to the socio-cultural requirements of a positive country. , when we discuss the couture and cosmetics, contemporary trends are getting increasingly cross-cultural due to viewership of various fashion channels on TV. This is far quicker source than the print media. So, the skills and ideas are also crossing the geographical and ideological boundaries of different parts of the world irrespective of ethnic rigidity and conventionalism. That's one reason that fashion is also taken as the reflection of the progress in some developing countries. Fred Divis described clothing as a visual metaphor in his compilation; Fashion, Culture and Identity:

The customer satisfaction is very important in the fashion industry; either it is attained by making customer needful for an upcoming product through promotion, or by providing him what we is striving for. The former caused the creative and design department to experiment with new ideas and shapes while the latter forced the quality controlled production with maintained standards.

"As visual metaphor the clothing that's dress (one ought to perhaps distinguish between the five) is capable of communicating plenty of things including something as subtle, for example, as the wearer's reflexive awareness..."

This is what has made fashion companies responsible for customer care simultaneously, when we were thinking to be profitable. You can find friendly policies of such companies towards its employees, suppliers and customers. Together with the promotion campaigns, Fashion Weeks with new designs and colors, serve additionally to promote new ideas. These Fashion Weeks not only display an array of new products, but also serve to communicate with the audience visually. Dresses and accessories worn by models doing catwalk, are more lively and enthralling than the mere display on mannequins. Normally with a range of Fall, Spring, Summer and Winter collection, Fashion Weeks boost market demands and promote its associated businesses as well. Fashion Shows now have become cultural events which are happily sponsored by the corporate sector.

At modern day fashion companies, there is an underlying and long standing dedication to ethical trading, based on the belief, that business can be both profitable and responsible. So, fashion companies think that building significant long term relationships with employees, suppliers and communities is lovely business practice for them and is what the customers expect popular brands. This is, and always has been, the founding principle of different brands as Corporate-Social responsibility.

Fashion is not only a phenomenon for luxurious life, but this idea deals with humanity as well. True meaning of fashion is to put life at ease and to facilitate humanity with its respective life style. That's why, modern fashion companies are conscious for the fact of supporting special people of society with special needs. This phenomenon is causing fashion to be responsive towards special people.

Therefore, the market and its demands may vary from community to community. For example, the range may get different in a London store in comparison with the variety at a Singapore or China store. No doubt, in the modern world, 'East meets West' but climate, culture, sociology and psychological needs can force fashion designers and companies to provide a vast canvas for the diversity of customers worldwide. But there's few items that are evergreen. Denims and Bags are such commodities that are always in demand and ask for the latest styles and comfort simultaneously.

Modern day fashion is global, human, culture and society friendly. At one finish it emphasizes collective psychology and trends of a society, and at the other finish, it deals with the individual needs of customer care. Healthy trends, balanced life, and busy lifestyle are, what the modern fashion companies must think about deeply. It is no more a matter of looking lovely and pretty, true fashion and accessories join comfort and trend together. Fashion companies are somehow, have become institutes that are shaping behaviors, psychology and healthy and innovative thinking. The idea of being relaxed and making others too, by wearing lovely looking, comfortable, fashionable and eye-catching outfits in soothing or energetic colors, is the order of the modern day.