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Olivia Buckley 1901813 20x20 Book Brand Development AD4606 May 2020 3
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When creating this collaboration, we were asked to write 20 words that we thought described each brand. This has helped me to explore into both H&M and Off-White further and realise the similarities and differences between the brands and how they may possibly collaborate. I have then created a mood board/image for each word and placed the definition of the word beside it, to represent how the brand gives the word new meaning.
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H&M
For my H&M words I have placed each image in an unfinished box. I feel that H&M are quite boxed in as a brand- they do not tend to stray outside of their comfort zone, they know what their consumers want and will buy and therefore stick to what they know. However, in their collaborations they find space to grow and step outside their box to offer something new to consumers whilst still upholding their values, hence the open nature of the images. Moreover, their approach to sustainability and transparency is forward thinking in the fast fashion industry again allowing them to show their ingenuity.
Figure 1- H&M Womenswear
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How does H&M cater for Millennials? H&M’s main consumer is female millennials (those aged 20-40 years old). Millennials are viewed to be lazy, impatient, and selfish as a generation, however they are also open-minded, social, and ambitious. They grew up in era of technological advancement and economic hardship- this affects their shopping habits. They want a easy online access to brands but also look for experience in-store -they want to take memories away from shopping as well as a product, but they also want a good deal when shopping hence the increase in fast fashion. H&M cater to this consumer by creating well priced items that reflect runway trends as well as having a good online presence. Moreover, sustainability is particularly important for millennials as 73% have said they will pay more for a sustainable product. H&M’s transparency around sustainability in its products helps them to appeal to millennials by adhering to their values.
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How is H&M a Sustainable brand? More recently, H&M have increased the importance placed on sustainability in their brand and consequently have made a ‘Conscious’ collection where the materials used to create their garments must be at least 50% recycled/sustainable. This is communicated to the consumer via the price tags as well as images in-store and online as sustainability is an extremely important value to Millennials as well as Gen Z consumers, who make up the main basis of H&M customers. H&M’s collaborations with companies such as WWF, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN to aid the companies use of water, materials and recycling shows their dedication to sustainability behind the shop floor. H&M believe in creating a circular fashion industry to increase recycling and reduce waste, to achieve this they are engaging their customers by being transparent in their sustainable values as well as offering recycling schemes in-store in exchange for vouchers and pledging to use only sustainable materials by 2030.
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How does H&M express its Swedish heritage through its brand? Sweden is a Scandinavian nation whose capital is Stockholm. It is most fa mous for its northern lights, landscapes, IKEA, folk music, cleanliness, midsummer festival, and royal family. Sweden is where H&M’s heritage lies, although Sweden is not massively reflected in H&M’s designs as such as it is a fast fashion brand and so recreates current trends, Swedish culture traits are visible within the brand. Swedes are very forward thinking when it comes to saving the planet, they were the first country to pass the Environmental Protection Act, moreover Swedish people are very Egalitarian in nature (believe in equality) H&M encompass these traits in their brand. Their transparency and work to give workers more rights and fairer wages as well as helping to improve the environment by increasing their sustainability brings their heritage into their brand today. Moreover, H&M’s shop floors are clean, minimalistic, and easy to navigate reflecting the values and styles of the Swedish people.
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How do the basics H&M sell inspire creativity? Defined, basics encompass the essential facts/principles of a subject. H&M sell many plain and essential items at low prices for a money conscious consumer, their simplistic shapes and colour palettes means that most consumers can find something for themselves. In their basics section they mainly sell t-shirts, joggers, hoodies, jeans, and leggings etc in neutral colours. These essentials can be paired with anything or each other to create an outfit giving the consumer the opportunity to express their own style and creativity. Furthermore, the new consumer is often pairing basic items such as these with luxury items such as Off-White hoodies, Balenciaga trainers or Dior bags. These mix and match traits are key to H&M’s consumer profile.
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How is H&M changing as a Fast Fashion brand? H&M is a fast fashion, high street brand. The fact that they are fast fashion means that they recreate and simplify runway looks to allow consumers to keep up with the latest trends. Fast fashion is known for being particularly harmful to the environment due to the waste it creates as well as the ethical implications of creating extremely cheap garments. Fast Fashion has become extremely popular in the 21st century due to its quick, cheap, and easy to buy nature enhanced by advancements in technology and online shopping. It is targeted at Millennials and Gen Z consumers who will buy quick and discard even quicker to keep up with ever changing trends. H&M is one of the most transparent fast fashion brands giving it an elitism over its competition. It is this elitism that consumers buy into- they are gaining ‘fast fashion’ and keeping up with trends but without as many apparent ‘consequences.’
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How are H&M a simple brand? H&M’s garments are usually simplistic in design and shape as their forms are influenced by new runway trends/pieces. In this way H&M can attract a number of consumers as they are able to keep up with current trends but put their own personal style into their fashion. H&M also market their products very simplistically and are cohesive across all their social media channels, this simplicity allows the consumer to know exactly what the brand is selling as well as their brand values such as sustainability, simplicity and quality. Moreover, simple can also refer to a word or phrase which can stick with people, H&Ms simple red logo stands out on the high street and their slogan of ‘fashion and quality at the best price’ clearly defines to their consumers what the brand stands for and intends to sell.
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Why is it important for H&M to be affordable? Defined, affordable means inexpensive or reasonably priced. H&M’s main consumer is millennials, they grew up in a time of economic uncertainty and so are known to be particularly stringent with money therefore, H&M’s low price range from £1-£60 attracts many customers .Furthermore, affordability is crucial for this consumer as 63% of millennials check prices online before they purchase showing how money conscious they are. (Petro, G. 2019) It is important for H&M to be ‘affordable’ instead of ‘cheap’ as this can ensue negative connotations being affordable ensures the brand is known to sell quality products, just for the lower prices wanted by the consumer. H&M’s best-selling products include black coats/jackets, slim fit blue jeans, plain jumpers, and plain t-shirts that are all under £40. These basic items are essentials in anyone’s wardrobe and the affordable prices entice consumers.
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How are H&M striving to be an ethical brand? In fashion, ethical relates to the fact that working conditions, fair trade, animal welfare etc must be respected by brands. Today, in a fast fashion culture of quick and cheap clothes for a quick and large profit, ethical standards have slipped in the industry over time. However, after the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster (in which a garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh killing over 1000 workers) ethical standards regarding how garments are made have raised. Due to this, H&M are known to be more transparent about their working conditions, wages and fabrics compared to other brands, despite the fact it is a fast fashion brand. Moreover, as the new consumer strives to become more well informed about brands and their ethical practices, they are more likely to buy from more transparent brands such as H&M. The Ethisphere Institute have named H&M one of the most ethical companies in the world however, despite this, there are still improvements that can be made. (Robertson, L. 2019)
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How does H&M use its Global status? H&M is a global brand that now has over 5000 stores and 120,000 employees worldwide from America to the UK to the Netherlands to Russia to Germany and France. H&M is the world’s second largest fashion retailer and is recognised in over 20 countries. This shows how its garments are wanted by multitude of different consumers across the globe who all share the same values of simplicity, sustainability and affordability. H&M have also set up the Global Change Award – an award scheme that aims to make fashion circular by rewarding innovators who are trying to aid the fashion industry in reducing its impact. This award shows H&M to be forward thinking as a company as well as supportive outside of their own brand to helping fashion as a whole become sustainable.
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Why is it important that brands are transparent? H&M are one of the most transparent fast fashion/ high street brands. Their openness about how their garments are made, where they are made as well as what they are made from has been well received by consumers. Transparency is becoming an increasingly important value for consumers especially millennials, their want for a better environment and sustainable clothing is reflecting on fashion brands, causing change. H&M have recently introduced a scan area on their app where customers can scan a barcode of an item to find out details about the product including, country of production, supplier names and addresses as well as number of workers in the factory. This transparency allows consumers to make informed choices when shopping and shows H&M to be a responsible fashion brand. According to the Fashion Transparency Index 2020, H&M was the highest scoring brand for transparency at 73% above Adidas and Reebok, Gucci was the highest scoring luxury brand at just 40%.(Fashion Revolution, 2020) The fact that a fast fashion brand is more transparent about it clothing than a luxury brand shows the shift of the fast fashion industry in disclosing information about its clothing and brands.
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For my Off- White words I have carried on the theme of the unfinished box as I feel that Off White are similar to H&M in that they understand their consumer and brand image and therefore are perceived to only being able to sell one thing (streetwear) extremely well. However, in his collaborations Abloh is able to engage a new consumer and turn his hand to other areas such as furniture for IKEA and denim jackets for Levi’s allowing him to step out of the streetwear bubble whilst maintaining his brand image.
Figure 2- Off White Menswear 2018
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Why does Off-White sell streetwear? Defined, streetwear is casual clothing of a style worn especially by members of various urban youth subcultures. Off-White brings their urban youth culture heritage into their brand by mainly selling streetwear items. Streetwear for Virgil Abloh growing up in 90’s America was a way to express social cultures and show who he was in the community. In a recent survey, lower income consumers were said to spend up to 5 times more on streetwear items than on none-streetwear items. This shows how streetwear is continuing to grow in the luxury sector as it is perceived to be high end due to the authenticity and quality associated with it. Despite this, recently Virgil Abloh has said that streetwear is going to die in the 2020’s. This is supported by current runway shows where tailoring is at the forefront of menswear. However, given the continued growth of streetwear in 2020 and the new technologies being used that are aiding a revival, streetwear is still prominent in fashion with Off- White still at the forefront.
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How do the 90’s inspire Off-White? Virgil Abloh grew up in the 90’s in America at a time where streetwear, hip hop and skate culture was at its peak. These influences of his childhood are seen in his clothing today from graphic t-shirts, to oversized garments reflecting hand-me-downs, to the fact he is a DJ. According to Marx, Off White, ‘combines 90s inspired New York Street styles with tailored menswear made for the emerging young clientele of generation Y.’ In the 90s streetwear was a way of expressing who you were and where you came from in society- in this way community was a huge factor of life. By buying Off White today, you show that you can be part of a community that few can afford to be part of- this attracts the consumer.
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How does culture play a part in Off-White’s fashion? Culture relates to the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. For Off White, culture plays a huge part in their brand image. Virgil Abloh’s upbringing is clearly reflected in the brand as it is laced with his heritage of streetwear, music and 90s pop culture. T-shirt movements acting as rebellion and expression of culture is how Virgil Abloh started his brand, giving cultures pride in their fashion. It is this humble nature of his work that draws consumers to his garments. Off White has an impressive hold over youth culture and younger demographics, using streetwear to create a community and a new culture for the 21st century. By blending culture from and for every level of society, Off White is able to reach a wide range of consumers.
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Why does Off-White target Millennials? Off White’s main consumer is millennials. Millennials are the most racially and ethnically diverse adult generation in history, suggesting why Off White is popular with this generation given its heritage. Millennials are looking for innovation in design, along with unique collections that reflect their individuality and values. Off White’s clothing is specifically targeted towards this generation due to this, as Abloh has said himself- ‘I want to reach millennials- they have different needs and different cultural codes.’ (Marx 2017) These cultural codes are redefined by Abloh’s Off White designs for a consumer he understands being a millennial himself.
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Why was the Off-White x Nike collaboration so popular? The Nike X Off White ‘Ten’ collaboration in 2017 gave Abloh the opportunity to restyle 10 of Nike most well-known sneaker silhouettes, the collection was artistic yet familiar making the collaboration unique. By adding his staple quotation marks such as ‘shoelaces’ and ‘air’ as well as zip-tie Abloh added his OffWhite flair engaging consumers. The shoes in the collection were originally priced at around $200, however, most available pairs seemed to end up in the hands of celebrities, and resale prices are now hover north of $1,000, showing the sheer popularity of the collaboration. This collection was the starting point of many Nike collabs, moreover, many celebrities have worn the items such as Serena Williams and Kendall Jenner again increasing the popularity.
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Is Streetwear luxury? Off White is a luxury streetwear fashion brand. Luxury brands are regarded as images in the minds of consumers that comprise associations about the high level of price, quality, and aesthetic. Virgil Abloh gives luxury new meaning with his brand as traditionally streetwear is not considered to be luxury, however Abloh has reimagined it for the next generation. Streetwear defines a cultural shift and the luxury market is now changing to accommodate the new consumer that is wanting something different from fashion. This shift also questions what luxury means now, it is no longer as we knew it.
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How does art influence streetwear? Art is important in streetwear, Off White uses artwork not just for aesthetic but to tell a story. Virgil Abloh is said to be inspired by artists such as Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp, his ironic, playful, and controversial designs link him to these artists. Off White’s most recent runway show for spring/summer 2020 was inspired by 80s/90s graffiti culture as Abloh collaborated with Futura who created a series of spray paint prints. Graffiti is often seen as vandalism but Abloh views it as art and something to be admired as it links back to his own childhood in 90’s America. Moreover, Virgil Abloh is now the Artistic Director for Louis Vuitton, this role allows him to take a household luxury name and make it relevant to the millennial generation.
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How does Off-White use Instagram effectively? “Off-White might be one of the first brands that was truly built on social media,� Virgil Abloh has said. Off White communicate with their consumers mainly over Instagram where they have over 10 Million followers. Statistics show that the largest percentage of Instagram users, 32.3% are aged between 25-34 and 23.9% aged between 18-24. (Statistica, 2019) These ages encompass the main target consumer for Off White (millennials) showing they are in touch with their consumer using Instagram to interact with them. Over 500 million people use Instagram stories every day, moreover 62% of consumers say they have become more interested in a brand or its products after viewing an Instagram story. Off White upload many stories showing the background to shoots, shows and the making of products, it is this behind the scenes access that grabs consumer attention and makes them feel involved with the brand personally.
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Why is Off-White’s trademark irony? Abloh is famous for his use of irony in his garments. His use of speech/quotation marks around words such as ‘Shoelaces’ on shoelaces and ‘for walking’ on boots adds an extra layer to his work. The irony stems from his upbringing where streetwear was a culture and what you wore defined who you were. Streetwear came to the forefront in mainly black communities, these communities were racially abused during Abloh’s upbringing. However, it was these abusers that wanted to look like the people they ‘hated’ and adopt their fashion- hence the irony displayed in Abloh’s work- you can look like them, but you will never actually be a part of them. It is this sense humour hiding the sense of community that is key to Off White’s success.
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Is Off-White Sustainable? It is not known how sustainable a fashion brand Off White are due to the fact that they are not transparent about their garments, how they were made or what materials they are made from. However, Virgil Abloh has shown interest in sustainability by teaming up with Evian to create sustainable water bottles, moreover, his last two collections were named ‘Tornado Warning’ and ‘Plastic’ acknowledging the global crisis of sustainability in fashion. Despite this, it is still unknown what the company are doing to meet consumer demands about sustainable items. However, the re-sellable nature of the garments Off White produces creates the company’s own sustainability. The fact that Off White pieces are re-sold online via sites such as Depop means that instead of being thrown away they are being reused by a multitude of consumers years after they were first released. The exclusivity and simplicity of his items means they do not go out of style adding a layer of sustainability to Off White which is wanted by the millennials the brand caters for.
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Robertson, L. 2019, March 09. How ethical is H&M? Retrieved fromhttps://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-is-hm/ Statistica. 2019, December. Instagram users in the UK as of December 2019 by age of users. Retrieved from- https://www.statista. com/statistics/1018012/instagram-users-united-kingdom/
Images-
Figure 1- H&M Womenswear- https://fashioneditorials.com/ hm-spirit-summer-sophia-ahrens-signe-veiteberg-emma-tempest/ page/159/ Figure 2- Off White Menswear 2018-https://www.endclothing. com/gb/features/off-white-ss18-now-online
REFERENCES
Petro, G. (2019, January 25) The rise of the new male power shopper. Retrieved from- https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2019/01/25/the-rise-of-the-new-male-power-shopper/#78d1b1643367
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