Fashion Cycle & Fashion Theories

Evolution of Fashion Cycle

Fashion acceptance is usually described as a fashion cycle.

The Fashion cycle is usually depicted as a bell shaped curve with 5 Stages:

1. Introduction

2. Rise in Popularity

3. Peak of Popularity

4. Decline in Popularity

5. Rejection

Introduction of a Style

• Most new styles are introduced in the high level.
• designers creates the designs with few limitations on creativity, quality of raw materials or amount of fine workmanship.
• the create new apparel and accessory style by changing elements like line, shape, color etc...
• Product costs are shown to retail buyers and press.
• At the first stage of cycle, fashion implies only stage but perhaps cannot afford them.
• Manufacturers use less expensive fabric and modify the designs to sell in low price.
• Some companies also do imitation of designer originals at low prices.
• High Priced designers now have secondary sales line which sell at lower prices so they are able to sell adoptions of their original designs in great quantity.

Peak in Popularity

• When fashion is at height of popularity it may be in such demand that more manufacturers copy it or produce adaptions of it at many price levels.

Decline in Popularity

• After so many designs copies are mass produced, people get tired of that style and begin to look for something new.
• Consumers still wear garments in style but they don't buy them at regular prices. 
• Retail stores put declining styles on the sale rack.

Rejection of a style

• In the past fashion cycle some consumers must have already turned to new look.
• The rejection of a style just because it is out of fashion is called consumers obsolescence.
• "FASHION WEARS OUT MORE APPAREL THAN THE MAN"

Length of cycles

• Fashion always follows the same cyclic pattern.
• There is no measurable time table for a fashion cycle.
• Some takes short time to peak and popularity and some takes longer.
• Some decline slowly, some very fast.
• Some styles will sell in a single season, some in several seasons.
• Some fashion fades quickly, others never disappear.

Classic

• Some styles never become complete obsolete, but interest remain more or less accepted for an extended period.
• Jeans, A - line kurtha, Polo Shirt, Loafers and Sari is a very good example for classic fashion.

Fads

• Short lived fashion is called Fad.
• They lack the design strength to hold consumers attention for a long time.
• Piercing, tattoos, spikes, sleeves, neck lines.... are some good examples for fads.

Cycles within cycles

• Design elements such as color, texture, silhouette may change even though the style itself remains popular. 
• Jeans is a good example (skin fit, boot cut, low waist, high waist, different washes, torn jeans)

Fashion theories Adaptation of fashion

• To understand how new fashion ideas are spread and how they are adapted to the taste, life-style and budgets of various costumes.
• Basically there are three variations of the fashion adaptation process, traditional adaptation, reverse adaptation, and mass dissemination.

Trickle -  Down - Theory (Traditional Adaptation)

• It is based on the traditional process of copying and adapting trendsetting fashion from, Paris, London, New York designers.
• Couture designer fashion is expensive and it is affordable by only a few people.
• Those designs are copied again and again at lower prices until they have been seen often by the conservative buyers.
• It starts from to high fashion to the common people.

Trickle - UP -  Theory (Reverse Adaptation)

• It starts from street fashion to high fashion.
• Since 1960s designers and manufacturers pay more attention to the customers innovations.
• They watch people on street to find ideas.
• The "gypsy" look is a good example of a street look which reached the runway.

Trickle - Across - Theory (Mass Dissemination)

• Modern communications bring fashion from around the world into our homes instantly. 
• Many separates markets have developed to various age range, life style, tastes.
• Various Designers and manufacturers labels appeal to various market segment at different price points. 
• Mass production means that many different styles can be accepted at the same time.