Episode 14: Phases & Runs of the Fashion Cycle | Fashion Movement Series, Part 1

0:00 Hey, hey, hey, welcome to episode 14. So I am going into a three part series about the movement of fashion. So I think this will be pretty exciting for you. And it will give you an opportunity to learn a few things or just to refresh a few things about how fashion moves, and why it's even important for us to even know about the movement of fashion. I mean, you know, the fashion forecasters are out there. And they use the different things that are a part of the fashion movement to help understand what's coming up in the next season to understand trends and all of those things. So, again, I said this is three parts. So the first part is going to be the fashion cycle. The second part is going to be fashion theories. And then the third part is going to be the environmental factors that influence fashion. So stay tuned, you want to log in and listen to each episode because you're gonna get some nuggets from each one that will bring together a comprehensive picture of how fashion moves, and why we need to understand that in the fashion industry. So grab your opinions and your pants and be ready to take some notes and stay to the end because I have a special offer for you. All right. Let's get to the show.

1:33 You're listening to Marketing EdVenture, the hub for business, fashion marketing and other CTE educators who integrate marketing into the learning experience. I'm your host, Jackie Walker. Each week, I'll cover marketing, education concepts, strategies, tips, trends, frameworks, and other information to equip you to connect your classroom to digital natives while cultivating an engaged learning environment. So come on into the room, where your favorite beverage snacks and even your cell phone are all welcome.

2:09 Alright, as I've stated before, we're going to be diving into a three part series on fashion movement. And the first part is about the fashion cycle. So what is the fashion cycle? It consists of five phases. And those five phases show us how fashion moves from the moment it is introduced to the moment it's no longer in fashion. Okay, so those five fashion cycle phases are going to be the introduction, the rise, the peak decline and obsolescence. So let's talk about each one of those. And why is it even important that we look at the Fashion cycle. The fashion cycle tells us pretty much how a fashion item is trending.

3:08 So in the introduction phase, this is when the product is first released to the public. And is generally in smaller quantities and is generally at a higher price. And it may only be worn by high profile people. So that may be how it gets introduced into the fashion cycle. I want to make sure you understand that these five phases go into what we call a bell curve. So the introduction starts at the bottom. And just imagine how the bell looks, you know, one of the little bells which are ringing the end of his house or something like that, but just imagine how the bell looks. So the fashion, the introduction starts at the bottom of the bell. And that's when it's first introduced, and then it starts to go into the rise. So that's the second phase of the fashion cycle. The introduction is at the very beginning, there's a small quantity of products available at a higher price, because it's just now getting out into the marketplace.

4:21 And it's getting a feel of how it's going to be accepted by consumers. And then it goes into the rise. So it starts to pick up momentum and starts going up. So on the bell that's going to be less we're going from left to right, that's going to be on the left side the bell is going upward and upward motion. All right. And so there's increased access to the product because maybe it was only introduced at high end stores in very limited environments. You can only get it at this place. But as it rises, then it It spreads and access so then it's available at multiple stores, there's a variety of retailers who may be carrying this item now, and it may be available, you know, online now, or maybe before, it was only available online, and now it's available in the stores. These stores can still be high end stores, maybe to your moderate price stores and things of that nature. And it still may be available to people who have a higher end income, maybe these are more high career ended people or, or what have you. But in the rise phase, it's still in a limited product availability, all right.

5:43 Then it continues to rise until it goes into a peak, that's the top of the bell. So it goes into a peak. And this is when it is mainstream, it is in full mass production, it is affordable for really the everyday person, the more middle class income people, so it reaches its peak. And that means that it's really going to eventually max out at x IX acceptance by consumers. Okay, so the peak is the third phase of the fashion cycle, then once it sits at the peak, all of these phases can last for various lengths of time, depending on just how fast the fashion or the trend is moving through the fashion cycle. But at the peak is going to reach his max point of acceptance, all right, and then it's going to kind of start to phase out people fade out, a new style is going to come along, a new trend is going to be happening, somebody's going to see somebody that they like wearing something else, and they're going to pick up on that.

6:57 So then it goes into the fourth phase, which is decline. Decline means that it's no longer in your high end stores, it left the high end stores, once it even, you know, started going into a rise and hitting the peak. So it's no longer in your high end stores. It really can't be found in any of your stores, they have maybe in the malls, where you'd like to shop and things of that nature, it's gone into decline. So it's really, in your budget stores in your outlet stores, it means that people no longer see it as valuable. And it's no longer being produced, really. So these items have moved from the regular stores and probably have been bought up by some budget, or outlet stores. And now you'll see them in those stores at prices that are so cheap that you know, it's likely something that you could want. It's something that encourages people to continue to purchase them because it's at a good price. But it's not really in style anymore, okay, is not really trending anymore. And so generally, that's for your lower income individuals, or your individuals who just may be a little bit more frugal, right, they don't want to pay the high prices, they would rather wait for something to get down to a lower price and then purchase it and then still feel like maybe they're trendy, even though they're at the end of the trend. Right. Okay, so that is your decline.

8:41 And then your fifth phase, after, you know, things have really been even at the budget stores and the Atlas stores, those items are no longer available, really. They go into obsolescence. And that means that you can't find anywhere to purchase these items, except for maybe the thrift stores, because they're no longer being produced. They're no longer being sold at the mainstream stores or even the budget stores. Now they are in obsolescence so you can't even find it anywhere unless you happen to come across it at a thrift store. You don't have to be a frugal person to go to the thrift stores. A lot of people just have that nostalgia, they like to buy nostalgic things. They'll go to the thrift store and they may find that item that was so trendy and they liked it. And they're like, oh my gosh, I can't believe it. I can buy this for $2 on thrifty Thursdays. And so obsolescence is what you have.

9:40 So those are your five phases of the fashion cycle. We have the introduction when it's first introduced into the market, and we have the rise when it starts to increase in acceptance. And then we have the peak where it's just mass produced and everybody's wearing it. And then we have the decline then it's like, okay, that trend is over. Let's move on. And then we have obsolescence when it no longer exists. So that is your fashion cycle. And you can see how that goes into the bell curve. Because introduction is the beginning, the rise is the left side of the bell, the peak is the top of the bell, the decline is the right side of the bell going down. And obsolescence is the end of the bell.

10:23 Hey, EdVenturous Educator, did you know that CTE Month is in February? Well, in honor of you, I am giving away free fashion marketing resources. Every Friday, in February, I will have a drawing. And I will provide a free fashion marketing project or activity to the winner. So go on to my description, or in the show notes and click on giveaway so that you can get your name in the hat, I look forward to all the wonderful winners that we're going to have. Now back to the show.

11:03 Alright, so now let's get into the runs. And this is how fast something moves through the fashion cycle. So in your runs, you're gonna have four different runs. The very first one is the flop. And what is a flop, it means that something really didn't take off. When it was introduced. It could have been that it was just too conceptual. It was just too avant garde people really realizing I really can't get with that item. You know, there are many things that you'll see on the runways during the Fashion Week that are just like what is that and never really makes it to the store where it can be picked up by mainstream. So a flop when you see that on the fashion cycle, it goes up like just a straight up and then a straight down, it doesn't look like a bell curve. It just looks like some you know, a long line, it goes up in curves, and it comes right back down. So like I said, again, those things really don't take off for whatever reasons people just couldn't get with the product, or the style. And they really didn't accept it, you know, so it never really even goes into a peak. I mean, I guess you know, hits a peak, but it goes back down pretty quickly. So it never got the opportunity to do a full run through the fashion cycle. It usually goes through introduction peaks real quick and in flops and falls back down.

12:43 All right, and then the second run is a fad. And the difference between a fad and a flop is that the fad kind of hangs out a little bit longer than the flop. But it runs through the fashion cycle pretty quickly as well. A flop, really, I mean, it's something that a lot of people really want to ever hear about. I mean, it may hit a certain group of people and it never leaves that group of people because it just never did take off. But that can increase into various levels of social classes, or even, you know, income levels and things like that. But it just doesn't stay around too long. And it usually lasts maybe from a few weeks, maybe even a couple of months. Maybe or so it just depends. But it does get a little bit of a bell curve look to it. But it's just really like a smaller one. Thinner bell curve because it goes through the fashion cycle so quickly. That's a fad. There's so many things out there that are fads. One of the things that come to mind for me when I think about a fad is when I was teaching. And at that time, there was the emoji fashion that came out. The T shirts I used to see the kids wearing the emoji T shirts, the emoji pants, the emoji shorts, and emoji backpacks. They had emoji on everything. And it was cute for a moment. But it didn't really last that long. Not even with that group age group that you would think. But it was a cute idea. But that is one of the things that immediately comes to mind when I think about a fad.

14:28 All right, the next run is going to be average run. And this is just the normal pace at which fashion gently moves through the fashion cycle. It stays for a normal period of time at each phase just like the expected length. The time that you would think that it would take for it to go from introduction to rise to peak and then down to decline and obsolescence. Those tend to be like months of trends, and that can even go on into maybe a year or two. Those are normal. It just turned with the normal flow of fashion throughout its seasons, okay. So that's your average run. And the prices really range based on levels because that fashion, that particular designer style can be out at every social level, but be at different prices in those social levels. Like you'll have, let's just say a pencil skirt. I really, I shouldn't use a pencil skirt, because that's a classic, but we're just going to use it just to talk about the price level. So a pencil skirt can be some style that's available at every social level, from your upper income, middle income, lower income, but it will be priced differently because it can be priced differently because of the materials, the craftsmanship, all those different things could play into it. But it goes through its average run its average life cycle in the fashion cycle. And again like I said, can be worn by various classes at the same time.

16:17 So then we're going to get into our classic, that's our fourth run that is available as far as the fashion cycle is concerned. And your classic is something that never really truly goes out of style. It is popular it what it can do is it can have its ebb and flows, like it could be a higher in the, you know, in when you look at it on old fashions cycle graph, it kind of goes up and down, up now like waves in the ocean, it just has this little steady up and down, up and down. Sometimes it could go up, the peak of it could go up really high. Because at that time, it just may be really popular, like a new generation is rediscovering something that's already been a, you know, a classic and a staple. And then it really gets accepted and people really start buying it. And then it'll go down, but it never goes into obsolescence. It never goes out of style, really. And so it just has its moments of popularity, and its moments when it's not popular. And one of those things that you can think about would be let's say a trench coat. Trench coats are always worn, you know, and really, depending on what geographic area you're in, you'll see trench coats all the time. Well, there was a point in time like in music industry when trench coat trench coats became the thing for the music artists to wear. And then you started seeing teenagers and this was really popular back in my day back in the 80s where you saw these students walking around with trench coaches trench coat coats on all the time, and it's like, it is 80 degrees out here. Why do you have that trench coat on. But it was a trend. But just because it went you know trended at that time and it went high in its acceptance and it you know, incline, it still never went out of style, because it's always something that's a classic for, like your business individuals to wear with their suits. And then if you're in a cold climate, you may have a trench that you wear. And in that environment. So it's a classic.

18:35 Leather jackets are a classic, even though the styles like how the leather jacket is made. Whether the lapels are wide or with lapels, or short or no lapel at all, whether there's a zipper zipped up leather jacket, or if it's a buttoned leather jacket, you know if it's just a jacket that has a tie belt that you use to tie around your waist. That leather jacket is a classic.

19:01 Denim jeans are a classic regardless of whether they're flared, or skinny leg or mom cut or whatever.

19:10 Those are your classics. And those are just things that will always be in style. It'll just matter as far as what the trends are in that particular classic at a given time as to whether the popularity of it is going to be high or low. All right, and so that pretty much covers the fashion cycle. Just to reiterate, the fashion cycle has five phases: the introduction, the rise, the peak, decline and obsolescence. And there are four runs within the fashion cycle, the flop, the fat, the average run in the classic. So I hope you've learned a little bit or been refreshed by the information that you've heard here. And you can even share this with in your class, if you want to have something that you can have them to listen to, to learn a little bit more about the fashion cycle.

20:12 So as I mentioned at the beginning of the episode, I have a little special for you. If you want to teach your class about the fashion cycle, and fashion theories, as well as the environmental factors of fashion, I have a special bundle just for you, where you can have a project in three activities that will encompass all of these various areas of the fashion movement. So just click on the link and in the description that says bundle or in the show notes, and you will have access to that information about this very special bundle about the fashion movement. I do thank you for joining me today for this episode. And please come back next week for the second part where we will be talking about fashion theories.

21:17 Thanks for listening to Marketing EdVenture. Remember to subscribe, rate, review and share this episode with someone you think could benefit from the information shared here today. If you have any questions or want to connect with me, find me on Instagram at Marketing EdVenture. All links and resources discussed in this episode can be found in the show notes at marketingedventure.com