BRAND REPORT
EILEEN FISHER Professor: Marcie Cooperman By: Shina Ahluwalia
Presentation Flow q Executive Summary q Eileen Fisher - The Story of an Inspirational Brand q Brand Mission q Brand Identity q Brand Image q Brand Positioning q Conclusion q References
Executive Summary Eileen Fisher Inc. is an American clothing company that makes and sells upscale women’s business and casual wear. The brand, founded in 1984, is known for its simple silhouettes and beautiful fabrics. Eileen Fisher is a pioneer in sustainability practices. It is the largest women’s fashion company that is a B Corp. The company was also the first U.S. fashion house to pursue Bluesign certification for its dyehouses, enabling them to replace toxic dyes and chemicals and reduce water and energy usage. “EILEEN FISHER is more than a brand. We are a culture and an ethos born of passionate individuals who work as we live, using good design to inspire creativity, cultivate connection and instill confidence.” [reference 1] This brand report will describe, analyze and evaluate the brand’s mission, identity, image and positioning.
Eileen Fisher – The Story of an Inspirational Brand “I was an uncomfortable person so I needed comfortable clothes,” Fisher said at the conference in San Diego. [reference 2] Eileen Fisher grew up in Des Plaines, Illinois. Her first job was in the home furnishings department at Abraham & Straus in Brooklyn. Later, while working for a Japanese graphic designer, she came in touch with a lot of Japanese clients. The simplicity and the aesthetics of their fashion appealed her. Eileen loved the simple, timeless and comfortable shape of kimono. During her early career as an interior and graphic designer, she was having trouble getting dressed up. She hated shopping as there were too many choices that made it complicated and a waste of time for her. In 1984, with only $350 in the her savings, Eileen designed the simple shapes she believed in and took them to The Boutique Show in New York. Encouraged by the response, she extended her line and started what we all know as Eileen Fisher Inc. The company, which is 40% employee owned, now has 1200 employees with more than 65 stores in United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and $450 million in revenues.
Eileen is passionate about business as a movement. In 2015, the company announced an audacious five year plan - VISION2020. The plan charts out the company’s goals for the next five years - the brand pledges to use 100% organic cotton and linen by 2020. The company will only use wool from responsibly raised sheep. By 2020, 40% of their products will be Bluesign certified. The brand also promotes circular textile economy in order to make fashion more sustainable. Eileen Fisher Renew is a take back program that encourages its customers to bring back the clothes once they are done with it. At the company’s recycling centers, each piece is sorted to either resold or renew using techniques like overdyeing and mending and every scrap saved to be used as a raw material. Eileen Fisher also promotes leadership in young women. Initially, a 7-day pilot program, the Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute today works with more than 800 individuals promoting leadership through self-empowerment. They encourage young women to find and proclaim their voice and explore their passions. The company also launched Eileen Fisher Learning Lab that brings people together for workshops and talks with a vision of creating a healthier world. where employees and the public are invited to embark on journeys of inquiry to explore purpose, mindfulness and embodiment through a variety of workshops and events. ‘Women Together’ is another initiative by the company. It is an empowerment program for women about selfawareness and connection.
BRAND MISSION “We make ethical, timeless clothes designed to work together, wear effortlessly and be part of a responsible lifecycle.” The brand’s website proclaims that their purpose is to inspire simplicity, creativity and delight through connection and great design. A look at Eileen Fisher’s offerings tells us that the brand is true to its promise. The silhouettes are simple and comfortable. The versatile clothes are functional and work well with other pieces. The designs are driven by the guiding principle of creating timeless pieces that are not only beautiful but also sustainable. The founder of the company claims that “As a company we ask ourselves, How long will this style last? Is the fabric sustainable? Does it cost too much? Will it sell? It's this constant balance between making things work for the business, the customer and the environment.” This level of commitment by the leadership team definitely trickles down to the design team as their collection undoubtedly stand the test of time. Their simple styles made out of fine fabric lends a lasting elegance and sophistication to the clothes. The brand doesn’t follow the traditional seasonal trends but, is focused on making clothes that last season after season. This was very much evident in the response given by the founder, Eileen during an interview with the New York Times. Upon asked her views on the Fashion Week, Eileen responded, “When was Fashion Week?”. The brand’s mission echoes in every employee. The in-store interview started with talking about the brand and its mission. “We make functional clothes.
BRAND MISSION Our clothes are versatile, women wear our tunics for business meetings, then go pick up their kids at school and at attend dinner in the same tunics. We want females to dress up effortlessly. Our clothes last for years. We are a green brand. We try and have least impact on the environment”, said Maria and Gigi, the store sales associates. The brand stays true to the later part of its mission - 'be part of a responsible lifecycle’. Under Eileen Fisher Renew initiative, they give second life to the clothes bought from them. The customers are encouraged to return the clothes no longer worn by them. Gently worn garments are cleaned, repaired or overdyed and sold at their Renew stores. The garments damaged beyond repair are transformed using felting method. Eileen Fishers passionately believes in ‘Business as a movement’, as an agent of positive change. It is the largest women’s fashion company to be named a B Corporation by the B Lab, which is a nonprofit organization with the vision that one day all companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the Best for the World®. Certified B Corporations meet the highest standards of verified, overall social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. The brand makes every effort to create ethical clothes for its customers. They use Bluesign certified dyehouses for their broad range of fabrics. This ensures that the garments are dyed without hazardous chemicals using less water and less energy. The company has an ongoing commitment to make a positive impact on the world. In 2015 they launched VISION2020, a series of bold commitments around fiber, chemistry, resources and conscious business practices. Eileen Fishers aims to attain 100% sustainability in its practices by the year 2020.
BRAND IDENTITY
BRAND IDENTITY Eileen Fisher is known as a socially conscious brand that pioneers in ecofriendly fashion and in supporting women and girls through various initiatives. To learn about the brand’s identity, this brand report aims to investigate the brand’s various touch points. BRAND NAME: Eileen Fisher founded her eponymous brand in 1984 with the basic idea of creating simple clothes that lasted season after season and made getting dressed easy. After more than three decades the brand has become an icon in the fashion industry for its timeless designs. Eileen Fisher, with her signature gray bob and dark-rimmed glasses, herself looks the very embodiment of simplicity. Her brand’s collections reflect her personal ideology of having comfortable, uncomplicated clothes.
WEBSITE: The landing page of the brand’s website is quite impactful. Signature pieces worn by confident women evokes a feeling of sophisticated, timeless brand. The neutral color scheme used in their web-design resonates with the identity the brand portrays - that of simplicity and timelessness. Captions like ‘Our Responsible Wool’, ‘Our Recycled Cashmere’ echoes the brand’s commitment to eco-friendly practices. Navigating to other sections within the website is also quite easy, with clearly defined menu bars. This functionality also resonates with the key words defining the brand - functional, ease. the true essence of the brand.
BRAND IDENTITY
WEBSITE Cont.: One of the most commendable things on their website is the inclusion of ‘Behind the Label’ in the main menu, right next to their New Arrivals, Clothing, Shoes and Accessories. Moving your cursor over it, opens a myriad of topics, the ones most brands are usually hesitant to reveal. Eileen Fisher on the other hand is providing completely transparency around its factories, fibers, dye houses, supply chain, fair trade, human rights and its social environmental initiatives. This level of openness helps build trust and loyalty with the customers. The website also provides various tips to repair and care for the garment. Doesn’t it instill the idea of taking care of our clothes and not indulge in wasteful shopping? It also tells us how much the brand values and loves its clothes. The ‘Waste No More’ section on the brand’s website further emphasizes the brand’s commitment to promote circular textile economy. In today’s digital era, a brand’s website is the most important element in establishing a brand’s identity. Eileen Fisher does an applaudable job in showcasing the brand so perfectly via its website.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Eileen Fisher’s Instagram and Facebook account portrays women of all age group in their free flowing, easy clothes. The neutral and basic colors are very much in sync with the brand’s concept of simplicity. Weekly Wellness tips and Acts of Mindfulness makes one believe that the brand isn’t just about selling its clothes, that the brand actually believes in the overall well-being of its customers and its employees. On Labor’s day, the company highlighted one of its US-based factory on its Facebook page. Messages of sustainable economy and women’s right flourish their social media accounts. The brand also talks abundantly
of
its
grant
programs
and
(highlighting the achievements of women) .
‘When
Women
Lead…’
BRAND IDENTITY SOCIAL MEDIA Contd.: Rather than promoting the seasonal collections, Eileen Fisher uses the social media channels to introduce us to its artisans and farmers, to encourage and support women in all walks of RETAIL ENVIRONMENT: Eileen Fishers retail spaces are clean-
life and to educate us on healthy living. The company’s Twitter account seems completely dedicated to the social and environmental issues. The
lined and contemporary. The earthy tones accentuate the brand’s
company tweets about the panel discussion with the Humans Rights
emphasis on simplicity and timelessness. The wide-open storefront
Leader, Amazon rainforest, teaching kids about Sustainability and about
at their NorthPark Center location in Dallas is quite inviting. Spacious interior with minimalistic decor resonates with the brand’s
other brands’ sustainability initiatives.
DNA. “Eileen is very particular with the store setting, she is even
same values as the brand. Such engaging social media posts also helps
very specific about the plants we use and where we place them”,
create a bond with the brand, a bond that goes beyond buying their
told Gigi as we were checking out the store layout.
clothes and accessories.
The brand however, not only seems meticulous about the store layout, but also about hiring the right people. Gigi and Maria seemed the true embodiment of the brand their sophisticated mannerism, elegant dress sense (of course Eileen’s signature style) and passion for sustainability draws you towards the brand. Gigi was quick to point out the new boards they just hung up in the store, the tags on the clothes and the comfortable cuts of their garments.
Eileen Fisher thus, successfully creates a community that shares the
BRAND IDENTITY RETAIL ENVIRONMENT Contd.: Last August, the company
TONE OF VOICE: Every single article in the newspapers, magazines,
introduced a new retail concept in Brooklyn, Making Space. This
every single blog, every single social media post reverberates the brand’s
community-oriented store invites different local artists to cycle
identity as a socially-conscious and sustainability-focused company. The
through the space as well as features the brand’s existing lines, recycled pieces and the Renew lines. Making Space also has a DIY
company speaks passionately about their goal towards attaining 100% sustainability by 2020. They take pride in every achievement and also
element; they encourage the guests to bring in clothing they’d like to
applaud the efforts of other brands. Their tone is tenacious, determined,
repair and attend a hands-on workshop. There are public workshops
unequivocal when talking about VISION2020. When discussing their
in mending, sewing and washing the garments to extend their life. Events such as Mindful Monday, Friday Night Wine, guest lectures
clothes, their tone is clear, self-assured and positive. These characteristics helps build customer confidence in the brand and
and panels invite the public to use the space for not just shopping,
motivates them to put their trust in them.
but for community engagement. This unique retail experience connects with the customers at a deeper level and creates a community that helps in grassroots marketing.
BRAND IDENTITY Excerpt from in-store interview with Gigi Haltom and Maria Renna: “It is a very cohesive brand. From our products to our advertising to our initiatives, everything is tied up. We make clothing that lets you go through your entire day effortlessly. There are so many brands that make a pair of black pants. They have so much harness system. But do they make it with minimal design like us, we just have a plain elastic band. Our clothes let you build on your wardrobe from season to season. We are honest and transparent about our fabric and pricing. Women who want functional, quality and timeless clothes come to us. Our 90% customers are repeat customers; their clothes don’t wear out for years. We listen to our customers and take their feedback very seriously. There is a book of feedback that we maintain, it is read by the management regularly and the customer suggestions considered in the upcoming products. We source responsibly, we care for our planet. Eileen Fisher encourages women to speak their mind. Even if our views differ from hers, she wants us to stand up for ourselves. All of us at Eileen Fisher are considered as equal stakeholders in the company.”
BRAND IMAGE To determine how the brand is perceived by the customers, social listening was done. It allows to track and analyze the brand image across various social platforms. The brand image for Eileen Fisher seems to be closely aligned with the brand identity it has created. Product - The company claims to make clothes that make you feel good and confident. They aim for timeless elegance. For their travel clothes, the brand asserts that their pieces provide the wearer with comfort and ease. They take pride in creating garments from the finest fabrics that last long. The customer sentiment on social media shows that the brand stays true to its promise. Because of the open dialogue encouraged by the brand, few customers also offer advice. Social environmental initiatives - 11.4k followers on twitter, 78.1k followers on Instagram mostly applaud the brand’s efforts for reducing its environmental footprint. A few however do not appreciate the brand advocating women’s right. Primary Research - I asked three random shoppers at the NorthPark about what they think about Eileen Fisher. “High-end brand that provides beautiful women’s clothes” “I like the oversized cardigans” “Their clothes are perfect for travel” “My daughter bought a few pieces from them after they got slim pants. Their dresses are simple and elegant.”
BRAND IMAGE
Brand Positioning Map
BRAND POSITIONING “We want to be a great company more than we want to be a big company.” Eileen Fisher Eileen Fisher follows a unique business model where it views its competitors as partners. The company promotes its business as a movement and claims ‘to make
More Fashionable
life the center of business.’ This sentiment was also reflected in the in-store interview conducted - upon asked about the brand’s competitors, the retail sales associate was remarked most sincerely that “there are no competitors, only collaborators. If somebody is doing better than us, we want to learn from them and More Sustainable
similarly, we like to share all the good work we are doing here.” The brand however, does position itself as a forerunner of sustainability in the women’s
Less Sustainable
fashion. The company talks of other upcoming womenswear brands or fashion brands as following their lead. A through analysis of the brand suggests that the company has positioned itself as a socially and environmentally conscious sustainable brand that offers versatile Less Fashionable
and timeless clothing. It has created a unique position for itself in the fashion industry by offering simple silhouettes in fine fabrics and by setting highest standards of sustainability. In an effort to consider the brand in relation to its counterparts, the brand’s products offerings, its customers, the company’s initiatives and social media followers were taken into account. With regard to Eileen Fisher’s minimalistic designs, flowing shapes and premium fabric, Vince is the brand that has the same design approach.
BRAND POSITIONING Vince has positioned itself as the brand that offers elevated basics, effortless style and everyday luxury. Like Eileen Fisher, Vince also uses premium quality fabric like cashmere and silk. Vince however, has positioned itself as a lifestyle brand offering menswear and home too. On social media the two brands follow different strategies - Vince’s posts are entirely focused on their core product whereas Eileen Fisher focuses on women empowerment. Chico on the other hand is the brand that targets the same demographics that form the majority of Eileen Fisher’s loyal customers. Lately, however, Eileen Fisher has been trying to capture a broader age group by introducing silhouettes favored by the younger generation. During the instore interview, it was also pointed out that the brand has also started recruiting young sales associate in an effort to resonate with the millennials. Chico also offers relaxed fit but leans towards trendy styles unlike Eileen Fisher. The brand also does not use the same premium quality fabrics as used by Eileen Fisher, thus targeting moderate income level too. Considering Eileen Fisher’s sustainability efforts, the only other womenswear that rivals its efforts is Reformation. The brand however targets fashion forward women unlike Eileen Fisher which targets women dressing for comfort and ease. Although both brands have sustainability at the heart of their business, Reformation believes in celebrating feminine figure and living in vogue whereas Eileen Fisher values simple shapes in neutral tones offering timeless elegance. The social media following of Reformation is much stronger than Eileen Fisher with 1.5m followers and 4,843 posts as compared to Eileen Fisher’s 78.1k followers and only 1,479 posts on Instagram. With regards to sustainability, however, Eileen Fisher certainly is ahead of the pack with its myriad of initiatives - Renew, circular textile economy, social grants program, Leadership Institute and Handloom Project for the social and economic uplift of rural villages.
CONCLUSION Eileen Fisher has beyond the shadow of doubt, built a movement in the fashion industry, inspiring so many others in its wake. The company seems an extended family of people who share and breathe similar values and who work for the same cause. Gigi and Maria sure did inspire me, their passion for their company and the environment doesn’t fail to enthrall one. Listen to Gigi Haltom, who also had her own boutique in Dallas, appreciating the company policies.
Listen to Maria Renna, who joined the company because it resonates with her personal values, speaking of the brand’s transparency policy.
In our present times, we are in need of more such brands that are in business to do good, that strive to better the lives of others, that use their financial advantage to make our planet safer for our future generations.
References: Module Reading: “Research Process” (from Doing Research in Fashion and Dress) “Building a Brand Research Strategy” (from Brandwatch) What Is Social Listening and Why is it Important?, Published on September 20, 2017 Brand Positioning Vs Brand Identity, by Robert M. Keay | Feb 12, 2018 Difference Between Vision and Mission Statements, Britt Skrabanek | August 19, 2018
Referenced Articles: “Who We Are”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/who-we-are-ef/ “Mission”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/mission/ “Business As A Movement”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/business-as-a-movement/business-as-a-movement/ “Eileen goes to China”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/supply-chain/eileen-goes-to-china/ “Our Leadership Practices”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/working-at-eileen-fisher/our-work-culture/our-leadership-practices/ “Design”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/design/design-overview/ “Chasing Timelessness”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/design/chasing-timelessness/ “Circular by Design”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/circular-by-design-gfa/ “Living Our Values”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/values “Women Together”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/womentogether “Waste No More”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/waste-no-more-btl/waste-no-more-overview “Certified Dyeing”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/certified-dyeing/certified-dyeing-overview/ “Artisanal”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/artisanal/artisanal-overview/ “Vision2020”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/vision-2020 “Grants”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/grants/grants-overview/ “Annual Benefit Corporation Report – Fiscal Year 2018”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/ns/images/company/19F-BCorp%20Report-Final-da.pdf David Gelles, “Eileen Fisher: When was the fashion week?”, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/05/business/eileen-fisher-corner-office.html Sarah Stranahan,”Eileen Fisher: Designing for Change”, August 15, 2018, https://medium.com/fifty-by-fifty/eileen-fisher-designing-for-change-f6877b4130f1 Lisa Lockwood, ”Eileen Fisher: Designer of the Year”, April 8, 2019, https://wwd-com.libproxy.newschool.edu/fashion-news/designer-luxury/eileen-fisher-designer-of-the-year-1203085888/ Robert Safian,”“Business As A Movement”: Eileen Fisher”, https://www.fastcompany.com/3036582/business-as-a-movement-eileen-fisher Sharon Edelson,” Experience Matters: A New Eileen Fisher Retail Concept Grows in Brooklyn”, August 21, 2018, https://wwd.com/business-news/retail/experience-matters-a-new-eileen-fisherretail-concept-grows-in-brooklyn-1202775211/
References: Hannah Ritche,”EILEEN FISHER Says 'No Excuses' in Drive Towards 100% Sustainability by 2020”, https://sustainablebrands.com/read/product-service-design-innovation/eileen-fisher-saysno-excuses-in-drive-towards00-sustainability-by-2020 Eileen Fisher Inc., “EILEEN FISHER Is Largest Women's Fashion Company To Announce B Corp Certification”, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eileen-fisher-is-largest-womensfashion-company-to-announce-b-corp-certification-300215435.html “B Impact Report”, https://bcorporation.net/directory/eileen-fisher-inc Danny McCarthy, ”The Eileen Fisher Leadership Institute Helps Young Women Find Their Voice”, March 27, 2018, http://www.westchestermagazine.com/WestchesterMagazine/April-2018/The-Eileen-Fisher-Leadership-Institute-Helps-Young-Women-Find-Their-True-Voices/ Bridget Read, “In the Future, We’ll All Be Wearing Eileen Fisher”, May 29, 2019, https://www.vogue.com/article/in-the-future-we-will-all-be-wearing-eileen-fisher?verso=true Laura Emily Dunn, “Women in Business Q&A: Eileen Fisher, Founder and Chairwoman, Eileen Fisher Inc”, December 6, 2017, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/women-in-business-qa zile_b_12004762?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKJexFPZiQQsU7eoH9mtmteTkkLTOUTtiNraFI30Z5qxsNThpInahHtq1bdHVlqx3-gUEVI2mHHCMZoCb754naGV8TtTnex2sdShl-_ZARCALvdR72BGX1uD_RXI8EZs_3-El9FoXZtUOaZ-tWw8nDpFn0gfQirKOczUPRLDr2 Clair Aguirre, “Brand Crush: 5 Reasons to Love Eileen Fisher”, March 21, 2018, https://www.salsify.com/blog/brand-crush-5-reasons-to-love-eileen-fisher “The Simple Life: Eileen Fisher's Home Tour”, https://www.oprah.com/oathome/the-simple-life-eileen-fishers-home-tour/all Reference 1 – “Eileen Fisher: One Design Culture”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/design/one-design-culture/ Images: Slide 1 – “Eileen Fishers: Simple Shapes, Rich Textures”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/women/collections/simple-shapes-rich-textures-1 Slide 2 – “Eileen Fishers Home Tour”,https://www.oprah.com/oathome/the-simple-life-eileen-fishers-home-tour/all Slide 3 – “A few basics on Sale”, https://unefemme.net/eileen-fisher-basics.html Slide 4 – reference 2, Renee Farris, ”Eileen Fisher’s Journey to 100 Percent Sustainability”, June 29, 2016, https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2016/eileen-fishers-journey-100-percentsustainability/24771/ Slide Slide Slide Slide
5 – “Eileen Fisher: Where we work”,https://www.eileenfisher.com/social-consciousness/where-we-work/sunlight-in-irvington 6 – “Eileen Fisher: Fall Catalog”,https://www.eileenfisher.com/women/collections/fall-catalog/ 8 – Images from the company’s Instagram account 9
“Eileen Fishers timeless vision”,https://money.cnn.com/2011/09/15/smallbusiness/eileen_fisher.fortune/index.htm “Eileen Fisher Logo”,https://fontsinuse.com/uses/9040/eileen-fisher-logo Slide 10 – “Waste no more”,https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvypmsog1SO/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=gmqmz45w4hly Slide 11 – “Inside Eileen Fishers experiental store”,https://www.psfk.com/2018/08/eileen-fisher-experiential-store.html
References: Images: Slide 12 “Eileen Fisher: Women Togeather”,https://www.eileenfisher.com/womentogether ”Eileen Fisher aims for total sustainability”,https://wwd-com.libproxy.newschool.edu/fashion-news/designer-luxury/eileen-fisher-total-sustainability-10099173/ Slide 13 - Clicked during in-store interview Slide 14 – “Instagram”,https://www.instagram.com/eileenfisherny/ Slide 15 - “Instagram”,https://www.instagram.com/eileenfisherny/ Slide 17 – “Eileen Fisher: Who We Are”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/our-brand/who-we-are-ef/ Slide 18 – “Eileen Fisher: Fall Catalog”, https://www.eileenfisher.com/women/fall-catalog/