Monika Bickham Introduction to Fashion Business Ready to Wear Analysis
For my ready-to-wear analysis I chose to analyze department stores carrying the classic “little black dress” in a plus size 16/2x keeping in mind my price classifications: budget, moderate and better. The department stores I visited were Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, and Carson’s/ Carson Pirie Scott.
WAL-MART Price Classification: Budget History: Sam Walton in Rogers, Arkansas, opened the very first Wal-Mart in 1962. Walton created Wal-Mart with the foundation of “Lowest Prices Anytime, Anywhere.” The Walton family owned 24 Wal-Mart stores by 1967, which equaled $12.7 in sales. In 1969 became known officially as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and one year later went national. “The World’s largest retailer” currently serves 245 million customers weekly and employs more than 1.3 million people worldwide. WalMart still stays true to the foundations in which it was created as stated in the company’s mission statement “We save people money so they can live better.” Dress
This dress was found hanging on an outside aisle of the store right across from refrigerated foods and isolated from the rest of the plus-sized clothing. It’s a black sleeveless rectangular black dress with crotchet
details in the back. There was a sale sign with the price $17.97 listed right above the dresses. It all seemed sloppy without any care or thought, I also thought it was odd to have the items on the outside of the aisle (though I understand since it was a sales item and they wanted more customers to see it) but having it located right across from orange juice and cinnamon rolls didn’t seem like the proper place. I would have rather it been included with the rest of the plus size section. However, I expect things to be more jumbled and compressed in Wal-Mart. The dresses were available in three colors: black, red and fuchsia ranging in size from 1x-3x. Not once during my stay there was I asked if I needed assistance and when I went over to the fitting area no one was there. The area itself had a desk filled with clothing, mostly intimates, waiting to either be returned to its racks or sorted. Inside the fitting rooms were also messy with bright fluorescent lights. The area didn’t strike me as a “welcome, take your time” kind of environment, I felt more like “hurry and leave.” Price: $17.97 Brand: Faded Glory Material: 95% polyester, 5% spandex and 100% cotton crotchet Hand Wash Cold Country of Origin: China KOHL’S Price Classification: “Moderate” History: In 1962 Maxwell Kohl opened the first Kohl’s store in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Then, the Kohl family sold “everything from candy to engine oil to sporting equipment.” By 1979 the family left the company and by 1988 the 40 th store was opened. Kohl’s noted a sales increase of 70% from $10.3 billion in
2003 to $17.2 billion in 2009 according to its 2010 fact book. Some of Kohl’s notable exclusive brands include Simply Vera Wang, LC Lauren Conrad and Elle. Kohl’s mission statement is listed as “To be the leading family-focused, value oriented, specialty department site offering quality-exclusive and national brand merchandise to the customer in an environment that is convenient, friendly and exciting.”
I found this dress on a rack in the plus size women’s section next to the Gloria Vanderbilt collection. It’s a black lace A-line sleeveless dress available in sizes 1x-3x in black and blue. Looking closely at the dress I didn’t noticed any major imperfections in the lace or stictching and it seemed like a nice black dress; I even considered it for my graduation dress. Unlike the Walmart dress, this item seemed to be apart of a unit or a specfic environment; it flowed with the rest of the area.The rack had a few spare items which I think was simply a result from a long day and hadn’t yet gone through floor recovery, but for the most part everything was tidy and organized.
View from across. Everything is neat and organized. Some garments are hanging and ilumanated on the wall.
I didn’t feel overhwlemed but more comfortable. While shopping I heard songs by Rihanna and Katy Perry which gave the atomosphere a more youthful upbeat feel. There was an associate nearby organizing racks, refolding and placing stray garments back to their ordered racks. Once she saw me browsing she asked if I needed help with anything or fitting; Kohl’s fitting rooms were spacious, not to bright and organized. The associate kept note of how many garments went into each room and how many came out. The entire proccess I felt was well organized much like the rest of the store, though it’s a big department store with multiple areas. Price: $60.00 Brand: APT HAND WASH COLD Material: 60% cotton, 40% nylon Country of Origin: Vietnam CARON’S/CARSON PIRIE SCOTT Price Classificaion: Better History: The longest running out of my three department stores, Carson’s began in 1854 by Samuel Carson and John T. Pirie. The two were Scottish-Irish immigrants and began selling dry goods in a store in Amboy, Illinois. In 1890 Rober Scott came along and joined Carson and Scott as a partner thus creating the famous three surname brand Carson Pirie Scott. In 2006 the brand became part of the Bon-Ton Stores Inc. due to a $1.1 billion deal. Carson’s, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Herbergers and Younkers are all owned by Bon-Ton with similar aesthetics selling similar products.
I found this black sleeveless Calvin Klein dress in a size 2X hanging on a rack of 40% off garments. Though it was a sales rack all of the clothing was Calvin Klein and in the plus size Women’s section ranging in size 14/1X-4X. The area was neat, clean and organized and I liked how the dim lighting highlighted the clothing. One thing I did make note of is how much space was inbetween this rack and the others. I thought maybe this particular rack was more in the front because it was a sales rack that needed to grab the costumers attention. However unlike the Wal-Mart sales rack, this one was more uniform and still given its own section. I passed three sales associates who were cleaning their areas and doing general floor recovery, and none of the stopped to ask me if I need assistance or to be fitted. I had to go into another department just to get help with fittings. The young sales associate in the junior’s section made note of how many items I had and let me into the fitting rooms. The rooms were clean, brightly lit but very cramped. I didn’t want to spend any more time I had to in the fitting room so after reviewing it I left. I think Carson’s is good with organization and overall presentation; everthing from the display tables to the clothing racks are neatly cordinated. The only thing I didn’t like about my visit was the lack of service. Price: $139.99 (not before 40% off) Brand: Calvin Klein Material: 95% polyester, 5% spandex Dry Clean Country of Origin: China