Is not what you sell, is HOW you sell it

Yes, product design and good quality are main factors. But in the way the industry currently works, that no longer represents a competitive advantage, it is basic, it is like air for companies; so much that customers take it for granted and advertising on those bases is less effective. In order to be different we need to make quality and design an operational process and focus management efforts elsewhere. 

If what you sell isn't good enough there is no marketing strategy, CRM program, brand name that can save you after the first purchase. Unless off course, you are Forever 21 and your focus is low price, directly proportional to material's quality and accelerated consumption cycles. In that case you need to focus in Supply Chain Management and operational effectiveness, like they succesfully do. But for other brands, who work at a smaller scale it is time design and everything that has to do with product trends is installed as a corporate process. Of course this doesn't mean it is less important, instead it becomes very natural to the enterprise and the high management can think 24/7 in innovative strategic decisions. 

This key decisions taken to achieve corporate goals are the ones that change the industry's history. The most remarkables, for me, are the ones that try to search new distribution channels and different ways to sell. For example, online shopping didn't change the product, the customer or the market, it was just a different way to sell, an innovative method to approach the customer's needs. Online shopping has never been different in content but in form, it came from a simple idea really hard to get. One of my university professors always said the next person to discover a new distribution channel will be a zillionare.

Online shopping is really taking off nowdays and erasing distance barriers, opening a wide world of possibilities in terms of supply. Although, personally, I rarely shop online because I love the experience when I buy clothes. Touching the materials, seeing exactly how that color looks on me, sometimes trying it on and just the fact of walking searching for what I want is a whole experience to my senses. I bet that some of us even have a ritual around it; while online shopping is kind of putting a coin in the toy vending machine and hopping you don't get the squint glued eye toy. You have an idea of what you are going to get, but we all have our trust issues. I may be a romantic fool but it gives me such joy to go shopping that I wouldn't change it for the world. The day online shopping is able to grow in such way that it gives the same feeling, it would be the most well executed distribution channel and I will be completely and utterly broke as an online shoppaholic.

 Here is a little laugh for you guys:

Keep it Kind of smart,

The Good Dress by Laura

The Carta Magna of fashion

Fashion editors from the world's most important publications and creative directors at the head of luxury brands were, until very little, the unquestionable mandataries of the laws of style.

 

It felt like the decision of millions of people when they pulled out their clothes from the closet was already taken by a few. In a metaphore of fashion and politics, in order to have style you just needed to obey the top of the pyramid, the masterminds, the monarchy. But as one of my favorite movies of all times said "People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.” ― Alan Moore, V for Vendetta , the leaders are beginning to share the dictatorial power of their decisions, and a street revolution has come to make things fair.  

This is why empowered women all around the world, has taken advantage of the facilities of technology to use their voices and through street style and freelance publications change the political system of fashion to a more free and participatory democracy. The age of digital media allows people to express themselves and more importantly, to have a true influence in the industry. Since 2005 we have witnessed fashion bloggers get more views, fans and attention, when brands noticed this, they decided to start sponsoring them in order to help their products get more market share. That is an old story now and brands are looking for a more safe and direct ROI (Return Over Investment). ¿What is the next step? Maybe get fashion bloggers to contribute in projects to personalize products or really involve the blogging comunity in the sales staff of the brand, creating a sales network that will completely change the buying experience for the audience. I truly believe that developing technological platforms for customers and creative apps by the hand of fashion bloggers is the way to go, for luxury brands and retailers.       

@ deavenue.com.uk

Nowdays if a designer's collection doesn't have a strong enough concept, it is very unlikelly it will succed in the street style community. In terms of business this has damaged severely the negotiating power of the great brands. Now, they are being constantly judged, more than ever, and the competition to conquer fashion bloggers and the it girls of the streets is fierce.

The community of fashion bloggers and street stylers is now gigantic, but let's not be blinded by the screaming of the masses and hear carefully the whisper of the experts. Although street style is very important for the acceptance of a trend, the probability of having one of them emerge from the crowds to the runways and reach a worlwide audience is very little compared to the great influence of high fashion on the everyday trends we see in the streets. Plus, we can all agree street stylers don't always get it right. (Death sentence for the croc's era and please... please, no more posting more images of food than fashion).  

At the end, both high fashion and street style depend on each other to survive,  and the right thing to do now is to look up new synergies and ways to build a relationship that creates shared value.  

Just for fun, I would like you to be the style judges between the best of fashion bloggers and high fashion editors or creative directors. For you to make your sentence, here is a compilation of several v/s's.  Vote now.

   The dictators against the people    

Kelly Talamas v/s Lovely Pepa

Lauren Santo Domingo v/s Chiara Ferragni

Rachel Zoe v/s Lady Addict

Anna Dello Russo v/s Fashion Toast

Miroslava Duma v/s Andy T. 

Keep it kinky, 

The Good Dress by Laura

Part I

Fashion is the kind of bitch that acts like she is extremely selective with her friends, but the truth goes the other way: she is as inclusive as it can get. The unverbal lenguage of fashion is spoken by all, some may be more fluent than others, but we can all make ourselfs understood. 

In the wide world we live today there is no doubt that fashion is interdisciplinary. "Art and business" would be the answer in top of mind, but let's not forget the influence of sociology, technology, economics and believe it or not, biology  (after all there is where it all started). 
Even though the system of fashion is very complex, it is amazing how many involved parts grow to ignore the importance of academics, investigation, estrategic planning and sustainable problem's solutions. But, stay awake, style is not a contradiction of complicated terms and long books. The world is constantly changing, getting more competitive and needing things to be faster, so we... all the smart and passionate fashion defendants need to go at the same pace. We will not be left behind, we and our enterprises or freelance projects will find a way to get by economic crisis, enviromental threats and social injusties; cooperating with society, making it more human, artistic, valuable and better.      

This blog exists with the only objective of cultivating the mind and helping whoever runs into it, without forgetting the simple pleassures of details and exquisit design. Here is a sneak peak of what you will find next on The good dress:

•  Democracy: The Carta Magna of fashion.
•  Is not what you sell, is HOW you sell it.
• Raise your hand the ones who have the money.
• The guidelines for liking.

Put your lipstick and your glasses on because this is about to get pretty and interesting.

Keep it kind,

The good dress by Laura