Awesome book by Mark Tungate
Picked up this book at a local bookstore a couple weeks ago. Author Mark Tungate did a wonderful job introducing us to the world of fashion. He first covered briefly on the history of fashion branding from Worth and Bobergh in 1858 to some of the top fashion brands nowadays including LV, Gucci and Chanels. Then he went ahead and talked about the business trend in the fashion industry, as well as discussing strategies some brands and designers used in selling their products. Being a "fashion outsider", Mark was able to cover all these topics in a way that is easy for everyone to understand.
I especially love how this book focused mainly on the business side of fashion. Fashion is a really tricky business. As Mark mentioned in this book "Fashion is based on creating a need where ,in reality, there is none" and because of that, marketing pretty much determine the success or failure of a brand. Media has always been the tool of choice in marketing fashion brands. Understanding the business side of fashion helps me understand fashion photography better. I highly recommend this book to my fellow photographers and anyone who is interested in the fashion industry :)
Thanks for sharing Andy.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the fashion industry is definitely becoming the pinnacle of social interaction and status.
Everything is so important, from the fabric, texture, colors, etc... each element plays a role in defining the design and purpose.
Branding is still important, however, the trend seems to have reallocated towards functionality and urban realization.
My wife works in the fashion industry and we get to go to alot of fashion shows and functions. It is definitely an area that will either expand to meet the consumer's need or detract to cater only the specialized niche.
Either way, photography does play an important role within the fashion system. We are a network of support and if we all play the role responsibly, then, the end result can be epic.
Cheers,
James Pan