Fashion! A woman's world?

In fashion colleges, 90% to 95% of students enrolled are female…

By Stacey Grant

North West School of Design

1^st year student:  BSC Fashion Management & Communication 

Gender roles of men and women have been fashioned by society. Men have been expected to be the head of the household, bread winner and protector for thousands of years. The roles of women were that of caregiver, pro-creator and taking care of the family as well as obeying their husbands.  In the late 1800s, these roles were disturbed as women began to rebel against structures of norms set by society.  Women felt the need to be heard and experience equality - all this exacerbated by women in the workplace as demanded by the Industrial Revolution. 

Living in a time where people are being laid-off and an economic recession is prevalent, one would think that all working class people would want to further educate themselves in order to secure the steady income they receive monthly. According to research done by the Pew Research Centre, more women than men are furthering their studies and acknowledge the greater value of higher education. The research also showed that women felt that they benefited intrinsically from tertiary education and that their quality of life had improved. Society seemed undecided about their feelings towards the changes in the make up of the student body. Initially, the majority of people surveyed appreciated the fact that more female students than male students are enrolling for and graduating from tertiary institutions but, when asked how they felt about less men enrolling and graduating from tertiary institutions than women, their reactions swayed.

In the fashion industry, these statistics are concerning because both men and women are employed within this industry. Presently, in fashion colleges, 90% to 95% of students enrolled are female and there is a great misconception that the few males who do attend these colleges are all homosexual. This is definitely not always the case. In actual fact, sexuality has nothing to do with creativity. Fashion designers think in 3-D; this is the same aptitude needed to study engineering and architecture. Most men are born with this ability thus, one would naturally think that more men would be in the field of design. Outside the design arena of the fashion industry, there are many other occupations suitable for both men and women. Some of these occupations are; fashion entrepreneurs, fashion buyers, fashion trend forecasters and fashion journalists to name but a few. Having so many careers available in the fashion industry to choose from, that are suitable for both sexes, one cannot but question the reason behind the fact that women are the majority who are educating themselves. A good example of this is visible in the enrollments of the North West School of Design. In the BSc Fashion Management and Communication degree, there are zero male students enrolled. This is strange as the careers that flow from this degree are endless - of which some are: Merchandiser, Production Manager, Quality Controller, Clothing Technologist and Fashion Marketer. In the BA Fashion Design degree, the percentage of females to males is an astonishing 85% to 15% respectively. 

The fashion industry is misunderstood. The associations people often make are images of dull-looking models, homosexual male designers and unattainable status that oddly compel some to be a part of it. Others have found great success in this industry through internships, networking, and extreme hard work and most importantly, understanding that the fashion industry is a multi-billion rand conglomerate.  Examples of successful men in the fashion industry are: Simon Spurr, a fashion designer; Benjamin Clymer, the editor-in- chief of HODINKEE; Corey Kelly, a stylist; Joshua Linam, a writer; and Eddy Chai, store owner. These men prove that the fashion industry is not only for women and serve as motivation for all men to further their studies and become truly successful within this field. 

Society and the media in specific tend to ‘label’ certain occupations and restrict choices made by the youth.  Males are not comfortable pursuing opportunities within the fashion world for fear of being stereotyped.  Unfortunately the same applies to females who would perhaps enjoy a future in a traditionally male dominated field.  My question remains – why do we allow society to dictate our decisions and life choices?  When are we going to do what is suitable for us?  Men need to realize that even though women have become contenders in the work place, they still have a traditional role to fulfill and therefore should be as well educated as possible.  Decide what your choice of field is and whether associated as predominantly male or female – pursue it and be the best you can be.

Men in fashion:

Tom van Dorpe is a Belgian-born stylist, currently working as fashion editor for V Magazine and V Man.

Gilt MAN Fashion Advisor Nick Wooster had been at the forefront of fashion for the past 20 years. His unique style has been shaped from working at fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and John Bartlett. As a former Men’s Fashion Director of Neiman Marcus, Wooster maintains a distinct eye for styling that causes him to stand out during Fashion Week.

Photo Courtesy: Sally Ryan, New York Times

Brian Spaly is one man who sees opportunity in men’s retailing – if it’s done right. In 2007, along with business partner Andy Dunn he founded Bonobos, which became one of the biggest start-up success stories to come out of the recession — especially in fashion retail. Together they created a men’s clothing brand that became instantly famous for having the best fitting pants on the planet.

Eric Jennings, vice president and fashion director for men’s wear at Saks Fifth Avenue

Elle-spirational?

ELLE Magazine SA is dedicated in bringing fashion and style to the women of 

South Africa, and considering the magazine’s popularity it seems as if they are 

successful. But when paging through the glossy pages, one cannot help to notice 

the expensive products displayed and promoted. Does this magazine really 

succeed in bringing fashion to their readers and target market, or do they 

measure their success to how closely they can resemble their international 

counterparts? 

Elle describes her reader as confident, ambitious, aspirational, educated, image 

conscious, trendy, loves to shop and continually on the look out for international 

inspiration. Elle targets fashion conscious and independent women aged 20 to 44 

and successfully attract a 66% black readership. 61% of Elle readers fall in the 

LSM 8-10 category with 41% having a household income of R20 000+.  39% are 

well educated with 46% working full time. The highest percentage of 

distribution takes place in Gauteng, while in comparison with their competitors, 

the Elle readers are most urbanized. 33% owns a personal car or are planning to 

purchase one in the future, while 55% has DSTV and 65% has internet access. In 

creating a profile for the average Elle reader, she can be described as black, 33 

years of age, living in Gauteng with an income of about R15 000 – R20 000 per 

month, owns a car and DSTV.  Therefore one can also conclude that the average 

Elle reader is not the average South African or average in any other way. 1

Where one Elle reader (who fits the profile described above) think that the 

prices are quite reasonable and fair, and likes the fact that she is updated on 

current fashion trends through the clothes advertised in Elle, another responded 

that the prices advertised for certain items are not easily accessible for the 

average reader in South Africa. Both women had actually purchased products 

advertised in the magazine, especially shoes, but only those that fall into their 

price range, while some budget planning and bargain hunting is always being 

implemented beforehand. It becomes clear that to a certain extent the average 

Elle reader can afford most of the products, but only one at a time. They cannot 

splurge on an item from every page, since one purchase already needs careful 

budget planning. Therefore the products within the magazine are expensive, 

because the target market is not capable to make regular purchases. Some might 

argue that success is measured to the amount of sales that resulted from the 

advertising, and can the magazine from this point of view be regarded as 

unsuccessful. For the average South African, the products are definitely 

inaccessible. 2                                               

So why do advertisers still advertise in Elle, and why are women keep coming 

back for more? It is best expressed in one Elle reader’s comment that she ‘buys 

with her eyes’. Most women cannot afford the products, but that is exactly why 

they buy the magazine that displays that unaffordable product - it is the closest 

they are going to get to own it. The luxurious products serves as aspirational, 

something for the viewer to strive for, to fantasize over, even if they know they 

will probably never be able to afford it. 

The following quote is an extract from Consumer Experiences with Fashion 

Images: 

“Through a glamorizing interpretation, fashion magazine advertisements can be 

an inspirational source for idealized images of self in life in a pretend world that is 

fascinating to consumers, of which they would like to be part of. These magazines 

are like books for desirable consumer goods, which may offer a key to a better and 

more pleasant life; it is like presenting a dream world. Without ever saying so 

explicitly, fashion images take the viewer away from daily life.” 3

“Fashion magazines can be like handbooks for learning about fashion trends and 

adapting them to one’s way of dressing up. In this sense, fashion magazines are 

great tools for diffusing the new fashion. Even if the above consumer cannot afford 

the Prada brand product, she still gets inspired from the design for adapting it her 

own style.” 4

When approaching it from this angle, Elle Magazine SA can be considered 

forward thinking and aspirational, rather than being a practical catalogue. And 

being Elle, they need to keep up with their international brand. One SA designer 

actually said that Elle SA reproduce the fashion spreads of the international Elle 

using South African designer wear and accessories. To keep up with the brand 

image, they don’t have a choice but to be a step ahead of their South African 

competition and they are certainly not going to lower their standards.  

When I approached Jackie Burger, editor of Elle SA, she was quick to respond 

with the following statement: 

“Our readers understand power of style; the commerce premise of ‘affordability” is 

not part of our readers’ language. She is an intelligent and informed woman and 

we do not have “average” readers. We also support her intelligence with choice; it 

would be arrogant to assume someone cannot dream about an item of clothing or 

a piece of design by focusing on demographic analysis of a consumer profile. At Elle 

we talk to our readers and do not treat her as a research percentage. We 

understand her inspiration and aspiration.5

Elle has emphasized the aspect of aspiration being one of the main 

characteristics of their readers. Their aim is to make a personal connection, with 

the readers allowing themself to be drawn into a world of luxury and dreams. 

Therefore if a reader feels intimidated by the prices of products in Elle Magazine 

SA, you are obviously not their target. And yes, most readers might not be able to 

afford the products, but they certainly appreciate it for the beauty on 

aspirational value of it. But there is as many opinions and arguments on this 

matter as there are people on this planet, but one thing is for sure, there is 

nothing average about Elle Magazine SA or its readers.

                                          

1  Elle, 2011/12. Elle generic presentation, [powerpoint] 

2 Mabuza, N., Mpumi@angloafricanevents.co.za, 2012. Elle Questionaire, [email] 

Message to FJ de Villiers (francoisejeanne.devilliers@gmail.com). Sent 12 June 

2012, 13:08.  

Da Lanca, G., gdalanca@live.co.za, 2012. Elle Questionaire, [email]. Message to M 

Oosthuizen (nwsd@gds.co.za). Sent 13 June 2012, 10:40.  

3 Atik, D., n.a. Consumer experiences with fashion magazine images, review of 

social, economic & business studies. 718: 63. 

4 Atik, D., n.a. Consumer experiences with fashion magazine images, review of 

social, economic & business studies. 718: 65. 

 5 Evans, P, poppy@ellemag.co.za 2012. Elle Investigation/Report, [email] 

  Message to FJ de Villiers (francoisejeanne.devilliers@gmail.com). Sent 20 June  

  2012, 15:32.  

The new black in fashion marketing: The Exhibition

by Stacey Grant

Photographer: Kerilyn Grant

“Exhibition: noun a public display of works of art or items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair"- Oxford Dictionaries

Approximately five years ago pop-ups were all the rage in the fashion industry. These created true brand promotion and generated excitement and hype around fashion brands and retailers. During the time of these pop-ups few people had knowledge of fashion exhibitions. Nowadays though, this is not the case. The current trend that most famous fashion designers are following, when it comes to showing the public their work through the years, is that of exhibitions.

The first exhibition took place in 1983 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The exhibit was in honour of and dedicated to Yves Saint Laurent. This was the first of its kind- the first time that the life of a living fashion designer was put on display in a museum. From New York, the exhibition travelled to Peking, Moscow, Sydney and Tokyo, ending in Paris at the Musee des Arts de la Modein 1986.

In the fantastic field of fashion, this concept of exhibitions has become common amongst well-known fashion designers since 2011 and has definitely proven to be a popular marketing tool. Through this, fashion- lovers can see how the brand has evolved over the years as well as gain a greater understanding of how the brand’s values have been maintained throughout the life span of the brand. This 360 degree view of the brand allows a step by step tour of the fashion house/designer; from the establishment of the designs all the way through to the end result, with garments, films, photographs and written pieces on display. The interaction one has with the brand allows one to connect with the brand on another level and create a long lasting relationship with it. The more one gets to know about and understand a brand, the more likely one is to purchase an item that brand has to offer. Not only do these exhibitions give rise to instant press coverage and an explosion of excitement amongst fashion insiders and social media, they also give a deeper meaning to the brand’s heritage, status and longevity.

Although the trend is that of physical exhibitions, some designers are thinking outside of the box when it comes to exhibitions. In December 2011 Valentino launched a virtual exhibition. This allows the individual a 3D look at all of Valentino’s work as they design their own exclusive route through the galleries and venture through the inside world of Valentino. Another out of the box concept was that of a collaboration which resulted in Prada’s 24-Hour Museum. This event was a fusion of an exhibition and a pop-up event. For those who missed this great temporary show, the museum has been transformed into a digital experience thus allowing all of us to view it.

Many famous fashion designers have exhibitionsrunning at the moment that should not be missed. One designer’s exhibition that has been truly successful is that of Jean-Paul Gaultier; “The Fashion World of Jean-Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.”Displaying more than one hundred pieces- sketches, photographs, garments, and films for which Gaultier designed set costumes- this exhibition celebrates Gaultier’s 35 years in the fashion industry. Gaultier’s exhibition was opened in June 2011 at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Thereafter, it travelled to Canada and Dallas and is currently at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco until August 19, 2012. Due to the colossal success of this exhibition in Montreal and Dallas, two launch parties were held when it hit San Francisco. The first was hosted by Ken Fulk’s studio and second, hosted by Gaultier himself, within the museum. These two evenings were true to Jean-Paul Gaultier’s style- legendary, energetic, flamboyant- proving that he goes all out in every aspect of his life.

 Photographer: Kerilyn Grant

Photographer: Kerilyn Grant 

Seeing how successful international designers are with using this marketing tool of exhibitions, why is that South African designers are not following this trend? Could it be because generally in the South African culture, it is considered boasting when we tell (or in this case show) others our achievements? Perhaps it is because we are too afraid of what others might think of us, or our creations when we open ourselves up for criticism. Maybe it is because many of us do not feel comfortable talking about ourselves, and lack a certain confidence needed to deliver a message about ourselves to an audience? Perhaps our whole attitude needs to be reviewed…

So, fellow fashion lovers, if you are in the position to do some travelling, head in the right direction and visit an exhibition. 

SO YOU WANT TO ENTER THE GERT-JOHAN COETZEE BURSARY?

Are you the next international fashion designer? Is fashion your passion?

Want to study fashion design for free? Gert Johan Coetzee is giving away a bursary to study at the North West School of Design.

HOW TO ENTER...

1.  Scroll down and read our previous blog about the Gert-Johan Coetzee Bursary competition.

2.  Do your research: Know who Gert-Johan Coetzee is, know your theme and know about North         West School of Design

     www.gertjohancoetzee.com  

     www.nwsd.co.za

3.  Get sketching: 2 evening Dresses (Couture)

                           2 ready to wear (pret-a-porter)

4.  Send your application to:

     Via Registered Post:  Gert-Johan Coetzee

                                      NWSD

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REMEMBER THE CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRIES ARE 8 OCT 2012

Learning from Fashion History

by Francoise Jeanne de Villiers

With trends and ideas being born on a daily basis, the fashion industry has established itself as a system and evolving entity that relies on development and innovation to be able to flourish. Keeping an open mind and being forward-thinking will always have a positive impact, but sometimes one needs to take a step back, take a good look at history, in order to gain a better perspective of how to approach and manage the future. Especially in fashion, where fame, fortune and infamous mistakes are eagerly recorded and made readily available to us as a learning experience.

Maybe that was the long-term goal that the Principal of North West School of Design had in mind when she gave each of her students a famous designer to research and present their findings. Although it wasn’t clearly stated the studentssubconsciously learned valuable truths about the fashion industry while listening to the presentations of fellow classmates. The Principal highlighted these truths, with many students having ‘aha’ moments, when she made her passionate speech on the revelations hidden among the pages of the biography of fashion. Revelations so worthy of recognition that I could not resist sharing it with you:

1.      Fashion would not have been anywhere if it weren’t for the media attention it received and still receives today. Designers thrive to seize the fashion headlines on a daily basis and are therefore dependable on media coverage. In some cases even bad publicity is still considered better than no publicity at all. From shock tactics to giving away their precious couture to celebrities, with the slight chance of them wearing it on the red carpet, designers will do anything to get their name out in the public and media.

2.      Collaborations in fashion have proven to be a success and co-branding is currently a big trend in fashion. In order to expand their brand and reach a wider target market, designers collaborate with various industries, such as department stores, food, interior decoration, motor industry, music, etc.

3.      Certain runway trends can be spotted over time, for example the walking style of the models. Earlier the models vivaciously strutted down the runway, whereas today the models are devoid of emotion. It is also noticeable in the body shape of female models, the curvy shape being replaced with the waif-like figure, eventually evolving into the whole androgynous look.

4.      The crisp stylistic and glamorous photography, which emerged in fashion after WWII, is clearly seen in the images of Christian Dior’s New Look and creations during the 50’s. This style of fashion photography was a clever way to promote the glamour of couture in a world tired of war and set the standard for future fashion photography.

5.      In the earlier years designers realized the value of fashion as a global enterprise and gradually shifted their focus to global suppliers and markets. Some South African designers and citizens are blaming our political history and sanctions for delaying global marketing, and are therefore only now expanding their businesses to global markets.

6.      The ability to communicate and express the concept behind your ideas, designs and ranges became a crucial trait for any designer succeeding in the fashion industry. If a designer could not write or speak about his own ranges, then it would not be possible for us, the consumer and media, to understand it.

7.      Not all designers are born into wealth and many of the big names started off working for somebody else.Most of the times designers were financed by people, rather than institutes, based on the fact that financial institutes didn’t understand the fashion industry and therefor rarely financed a fashion enterprise.

8.      A few decades ago it took up to 10 years to establish a brand. Today we can learn from the mistakes and successes of designers, enabling current designers to speed up this process, which is necessary for the fast evolving modern day market.

9.     Ethics can be a hot topic when it comes to fashion and during one of the presentations we were confronted with the question whether it is right that Givenchy sold his rights to Vuitton, only to continue designing for celebrities after retirement. Many would argue that ethics won’t get you anywhere in the fashion industry while others decide to play by the rule.

10.  Ranges and brands are born from what goes on around us. For example, war, culture, diversity and economy are all factors that have influenced fashion before. The best example is Christian Dior’s New Look, which is born as an indirect reflection of post war circumstances and living conditions.

11.  Not all of the collections from famous designers are successful, but even bad publicity still satisfies a designer’s craving for media attention. It does happen that a debut show can have immediate success, it depends on whether the collection was the right ‘mix’ for buyers and the media at that moment in time.

12.  One of the misconceptions people have of male fashion designers is that all of them are gay. When in fact, the famous Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab married his wife Claudine at the age of 25 and is the father of three beautiful boys.

13.  Not all fashion designers are extroverts or extravagant and these characteristicscannot be considered a fashion entrepreneurial trait.Creativeness is not reflected by a big personality and is certainly not the measurement for design ability.

14.  If a designer doesn’t have entrepreneurial skills and is not going to develop it in the future, he/she can still make it as a designer under an umbrella brand. For example, the designers working for Victoria Beckham. But even the independent designers make use of agents and publicists to fill the gaps in their marketing abilities.

15.  People simply stop buying a brand/product if it stops ‘talking’ to them. It is therefore important for a brand to continue marketing itself and communicating its brand message for clients to remain loyal to a brand. It is also important for a designer to know what his own brand stand for and how to communicate the key messages of his/her personal brand.

The hidden truths of fashion will continue to reveal itself as the chapters of history unfolds and evolve. It depends on us whether we are going to use this knowledge for our own good, learn from the experienced, or completely ignore it only to make the same mistakes again.In fact, it is the duty of fashion students to benefit from these revelations in order to ensure a flourishing future in fashion.