Everyone in some way thinks about fashion from time to time. By understanding personal fashion demographics it becomes possible to understand other personal preferences for marketing purposes as well.
Fashion is a $1.2 trillion global industry, of which $250 billion originates annually from the United States. It is an industry that employs almost 2 million people every year. It is also an industry which suffers a tremendous trade gap for US consumers because of the lower costs of labor that can be found around the world. The US exports about $6 billion in apparel each year, but imports more than $82 billion.
Fashion from a global perspective.
About 75% of the people who are garment workers in the fashion industry worldwide are women.
Up to 75 million people are employed by the fashion industry globally right now. In 2000, only 20 million people were believed to be employed by the industry.
in 2004 it was estimated that the informal economy within the industry generated 34% of global DPD. The figure is more than likely higher now.
58% of women who do shop for apparel online around the world are in the 25-45 age demographic.
How much gets spent on fashion every year around the world ?
The average number of garments purchased in a given year per person: 64.
In the UK, there is an estimated $46 billion worth of fashion items that remain unworn in household closets across the country.
Louis Vuitton is the top revenue generating brand in the fashion industry, with more than $37 billion in total annual revenues. That’s 2x higher than H&M, which is its nearest competitor.
The value of targeting a specific fashion demographic
The Value of Targeting a Specific Fashion Demographic
Children’s fashion is expected to exceed $200 billion in total sales annually, which marks a 15% increase in the past 5 years.
Bridalwear is a fashion market which generates more than $55 billion annually.
Menswear is an industry which generates more than $400 billion each year around the world.
Womenswear contributes more than $620 billion in sales to the fashion industry annually.
40% of the apparel which is sold in the United States has been imported from China.
The UK fashion industry has seen a 22% increase in direct value increases since 2009, contributing nearly 800,000 jobs to the economy.
Fashion represents about 2% of the global GDP, yet 75% of the market is concentrated in Europe, China, Japan, and the United States.
with nearly half British women being a size 16 or over , the curve market is worth 4.7 billion.
I am going to use this additional information on fashion demographics in my script for my voice over. I am going to carry out some primary research and ask my audience what topics they would prefer to hear about within my voice over. With the feedback I receive , I will choose the most relevant facts and statistics , and use this within my voice over. By doing research , I know exactly what my audience wants to hear and what will engage them the most.
I have conducted some primary research based around my narrative structure and plan I want to know what exactly my audience think about the structure of my narrative and how I can potentially improve it. I sent out a google form with a survey that consisted of 3 questions too ask my audience. I briefly summarised the structure of my documentary so that it was clear what my intentions were beforehand.
The first question I asked my audience was , what are your first initial thoughts on my narrative structure ? All of the responses I received were positive and they all agreed that I have a good 3 part structure to my narrative. I plan on having the first minute of my documentary being based on what the fashion industry is , how many people are employed in the fashion industry and who are the biggest fashion companies currently. The answers to these questions were all things I have discovered through my research and this information will now make up my voice over. The voice over will be accompanied with 15-20 different shots of fashion related locations in Manchester. The second part will focus on the interview. I am interviewing somebody with their own business in retail. The final minute will be based around fast fashion and how its effecting high end fashion , the type that is often shown in fashion shows across the world. Again this will have a voice over and shots of current popular retail stores in the UK.
I wanted to know if there was any other way I could potentially structure my narrative. I got a mixed set of responses. Some thought I should keep my narrative the way I have laid it out , but just add some facts and figures into the middle section of the interviews through voice over , this ensures there will be facts back into the documentary , emphasizing that it is a factual piece. The questions I am going to ask my interviewee will link to what I have previously been discussing to improve the flow of the documentary. I could also potentially have 3 minutes worth of interview playing over the documentary throughout along with my voice over, It is important that I don’t just show the shops but I comment on them as well. I am going to speak about how things are moving online now and the ‘death of the high street?’.
The final question that was asked in my survey was How should I conclude my documentary. Looking at my feedback and Referring back to my research on the reception theory by Stuart Hall , I need to ensure that the message I am putting across to my audience is clear and can’t be misinterpreted . The end of the documentary needs to have a positive spin and an encouraging focus for my viewers , people aspiring to work in the fashion industry. It will show that with drive and dedication you can get there.
Creating stand-out , must see content on IGTV accordingly doesn’t have to be time consuming or perfectly polished. Shooting original , vertical content is a real , authentic way of producing content. The easiest way to create a vertical video is to use a phone camera , which is what I am going to be using.
Due to the fact I am filming on a phone , there are some basic tips that I have come across that I need to keep in mind.
shoot vertically or in landscape mode – I am going to film vertically. Instagram crops everything into a square so when it comes to edit , I need to set the edit up as a square one
Maintain focus on your subject – Tap on the screen to make sure that the subject is in focus.
avoid a wobbly shot – I need to make sure that because I am using a phone , the shot is sturdy and not shaky when I am filming the interview part specifically.
What are the video upload requirements for IGTV?
Video Length
Videos must be at least one minute long. The maximum length your video can be is:
15 minutes when uploading from a mobile device.
60 minutes when uploading from the web.
Video File Type
Videos must be in MP4 file format.
Video Resolution and Size
You can upload a vertical video with an aspect ratio of 9:16 or a horizontal video with an aspect ratio of 16:9.
Videos should have a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS (frames per second) and minimum resolution of 720 pixels.
The maximum file size for videos that are 10 minutes or less is 650MB. The maximum file size for videos up to 60 minutes is 3.6GB.
Video Content
We want to create the best possible experience for everyone on Instagram. That means videos that don’t follow our Community Guidelines may be removed from Instagram. If you see something that you think may go against our guidelines, you can report it.
Cover Photo Size
The recommended size for cover photos is 420px by 654px (or 1:1.55 ratio). Right now, you can’t edit your cover photo after you’ve uploaded it.
Once my factual program is finished , It needs to be uploaded onto a chosen social media platform. The platform I am going to use is Instagram. Instagram has the highest average engagement rate out of all the main social platforms above twitter , and also Facebook. Instagram is also centered on story telling. Telling an interesting story is a great way to connect with your audience. I am going to be looking into careers in fashion and telling a short story of someone who is running their own small business within retail. Visual messages and Instagram together , are a perfect way of letting people know exactly what you are about and what you have to offer with your audience. Since Instagram beats Facebook and Twitter with the highest engagement rate , I think this will be the perfect platform to upload my documentary.
Five years after Instagram launched videos them self , they introduced a new future called IGTV. They re envisioned mobile video through using a new stand alone surface that allows people to watch longer videos in a vertical format , on the go. I am going to be filming my documentary portrait instead of landscape to ensure that it fits in with the way IGTV works. These days , people watch less TV and more digital video. By 2021 mobile video will account for 78% of mobile data traffic. IGTV is built for how people actually use their phone which is vertical and upright. Longer , vertical videos on Instagram make it a lot easier for people to engage with an audience. I want people to feel inspired to get their foot in the door in the fashion industry through watching my documentary.
Uploading my documentary in this format gives me a whole other opportunity to share the content I create to a larger more engaged audience. It is also very easy and there will be no interruptions. Instagram has definitely upped their game in terms of keeping up with competition and now that IGTV has been set up , I think that it will be a definite competitor. Studies have also shown that online video viewership is steadily increasing, with a projected number surpassing 236 million in 2020. — this means that IGTV can go a long way in helping businesses extend their social media and video marketing effort and reach. IGTV combines the power of youtube and instagram into one. Instagram is an excellent platform that has no signs of slowing down
In terms of setting up IGTV , I need to download a new app in order to get started but the IGTV app links up perfectly with Instagram so that uploads are seamless are free from hassle. Once making the film , it is as simple as uploading onto the app for your audience to see when they follow you. Right now , Instagram is the biggest and best platform around , so if I want to get the maximum engagement that I want , this is the best and option and is what I think will be the most successful.
Later Blog. (2019). IGTV for Business: 10 Brands Killing it with IGTV Videos. [online] Available at: https://later.com/blog/igtv-for-business/ [Accessed 12 Nov. 2019].
Here are some examples of Brands that have used IGTV and here is the typical set up for somebody speaking to the Camera , therefor I wont be filming my interview in the standard way that they are usually filmed.
Too confirm that Instagram is a suitable platform to use , I sent out a quick survey to my target audience. I asked the question what social media platform is your favorite out of Instagram , twitter , Facebook and tumblr. 100% of the people that I asked said Instagram was their favourite. 100% of the people all agreed that Instagram is the most suitable platform to upload my factual programme.
This has now confirmed for me that Instagram is the most suitable platform for me.
The reception theory , developed by Stuart Hall asserts that media texts are encoded and decoded. The producer encodes messages and values into their media which are then decoded by the audience , However different audience members will decode the media in different ways and not in the way the producer intended.
Stuart Hall states that audience members adopt one of the following three positions when they decode.
Dominant, or Preferred Reading – how the producer wants the audience to view the media text. Audience members will take this position if the messages are clear and if the audience member is the same age and culture; if it has an easy to follow narrative and if it deals with themes that are relevant to the audience.
Oppositional Reading – when the audience rejects the preferred reading, and creates their own meaning for the text. This can happen if the media contains controversial themes that the audience member disagrees with. It can also arise when the media has a complex narrative structure perhaps not dealing with themes in modern society. Oppositional reading can also occur if the audience member has different beliefs or is of a different age or a different culture.
Negotiated Reading – a compromise between the dominant and oppositional readings, where the audience accepts parts of the producer’s views, but has their own views on parts as well. This can occur if there is a combination of some of the above e.g. audience member likes the media, is of the same age as you and understands some of the messages, but the narrative is complex and this inhibits full understanding.
With this theory in mind , I can take from this that when producing and making documentaries , often people decode the media in different ways than the producer intended them too. In terms of applying this theory to my documentary , I feel as though my target audience will adopt to the dominant / preferred reading method when watching the documentary. My factual piece is about careers within the fashion industry , I want my audience to take from my documentary that although the fashion industry is ridiculously competitive you can make it if you work hard. It will give them an insight as to how competitive it is and what it is like being a small business amongst others and wanting to grow. I want my target audience to view my factual piece in this way and this will happen if my messages are clear , if the narrative is easy to follow and the themes are relevant. Once I have completed my documentary, I am going to conduct some primary research and ask the audience what they thought and whether they had taken from it what I intended them too.
Here are some factors that affect whether the audience take the dominant , oppositonal or negotiated reading.
As part of creating my documentary , It is important that I conduct some secondary research that will be used within the making of it. This research will help me in terms of presenting my information and applying it to my piece. My documentary is based on careers in the Fashion Industry so my research will be based on this topic.
The Fashion Industry
What is the Fashion Industry? The fashion industry is a globalized sector that works to meet the demand for apparel and dictates the trends that should be worn. Fashion is best defined simply as the style or styles of clothing and accessories worn at any given time by groups of people. There definitely appears to be differences between the expensive fashion shows on the runways in Paris or New York in comparison to the mass produced styles / street wear sold in shopping centers and markets around the world. Fashion Designers and manufacturers promote their clothes not only to retailers but to the media and directly to customers.
As part of my documentary , It would be interesting to visit some local fashion shows. In relation to this , I have carried out some research into fashion shows which would accompany potential wall paper shots and cutaways. By the early 21st century , fashion shows were a regular part of the fashion calendar. Ready-to-wear fashion shows, separately presenting both women’s and men’s wear, are held during spring and fall “Fashion Weeks,” of which the most important take place in Paris , Milan, New York and London. These shows have huge commercial importance and they are aimed primarily at fashion journalists and at buyers for department stores. Extensively covered in the media , fashion shows reflect and advance the direction of fashion change.
here is an image of a model walking the runway at the Stella McCartney Fashion show during Paris Fashion Week.
I am going to be looking at careers in Fashion in my documentary from the angle of somebody setting up a small business and striving to be successful within the fashion industry. The online market is so huge , so it is easy to get lost among the others who are already bigger.
The percentage of the fashion Industry market share currently is 7%. Currently around 555’000 people are employed in fashion , textiles and fashion retail in the United Kingdom. Most jobs in fashion related industries are in the retail sail of clothing. This is my focus in terms of my documentary which is why I want to visit some retail stores in and around cities in the UK. This sub industry employs 75% with 414,000 people working in the retail sale of clothing. Also the retail sale of footwear and leather goods provides a fair amount of jobs in fashion, about 11 percent, 59,000, employers work within this sector. Another 8 percent, 43,000 employers, work in the wholesale of clothing and footwear. With respectively 34,000 en 5,000 positions, 6 percent and 1 percent, the least amount of jobs are in the manufacturing of wearing apparel and the manufacturing of footwear.
The biggest company in the UK based on its market capitalization is Burberry. The luxury fashion company is valued over 10 billion dollars and had revenue of 3.8 billion dollars in 2017. Burberry sells its products through retail and wholesale channel, retail sales accounted for 77% of revenue compared to 22% from wholesale.
Fast-fashion retailer Next is the second largest fashion company in the United Kingdom, based on its market value of 7.16 billion pounds. Next is mostly active in retail market in the UK, where it makes most of its 4.0 billion pound of annual sales. Only a small part, 2 percent, of Next’s’ revenue comes from international retail. Marks & Spencer is number 3 in the Top 10 largest fashion companies in the UK. It is currently valued over 7 billion pounds and has annual sales of 10.3 billion pounds. With a market value of 6.2 billion dollar ASOS is fourth largest company in the UK and has annual sales of 1.8 billion pounds. The online fashion store sells over 850 brands as well as its own range of clothing and accessories. International retail sales for ASOS accounted for almost 63% of total retail sales.
Social media has definitely increased everyone’s appetite for fashion due to the fact that it exposes an overload of new information and products. Although Fashion is easily and quickly copied nowadays. This change of pace in production and competition has brought problems such as damage to the environment, loss of value, fashion waste and unethical behaviour.
How has fashion changed over the years ?
Fashion is extremely fast paced and constantly changing and women’s fashion especially has always changed over the years. The fashion Industry is a multi million dollar industry that has been around forever. It is unique from any other industry and is largely ruled by change. Decade after decade , new trends have been introduced heavily influenced by pop culture , music and inspiring style icons at the time. Trends are still being used to this day from 50, 60 years ago and we are just as consumed by fashion icons , instagram influencers and fashion bloggers. Today the fashion industry is a highly reputable , competitive and influential business and peoples commitment to fashion and wanting to work in the industry is still , if not more passionate.
Manufacturing
From the invention of the sewing machine , to the rise of e-commerce , fashion is always going to be forward looking and cyclical. The £2.4 T fashion sector is one of the largest industries in the global economy. Fast fashion has created an instant gratification mentality. Brands like Zara, H&M, Top Shop, and Forever 21 have built their businesses on speed and agility. Once these retailers spot a new trend, they can deploy their hyper-rapid design and supply chain systems to bring the trend to market as quickly as possible. This allows fast fashion brands to beat original labels to the market. I recently have watched a documentary on BBC iplayer called Breaking Fashion as part of some research. This documentary is based on a new popular fast fashion brand called In The Style. Kylie Jenner , a huge fashion icon was seen wearing a particular body suit on instagram , and founder of In The Style wanted to create a similar garment. The team managed to get samples , fit the product , order stock and put it up online within just 10 days before any other retailer got the chance. This shows how competitive fast fashion is and how fast paced it can be. Some garments that are walked in in fashion shows are often replicated by fast fashion stores , enabling them to sell online before they hit the original stores. With a nearly real-time ability to get the newest styles on shelves, fast fashion brands can also push out broader varieties of clothing styles to cater to the preferences of smaller, more targeted segments of customers.They can also push smaller runs to test the waters for customer demand, or sell collections for hyper-short lifespans.
No more fashion seasons
The rise of fast fashion has definitely effected the biannual seasonality that has always structured the Fashion industry. To keep up , traditional apparel brands are now debuting around 11 seasons a year. Fast fashion brands may issue as many as 52 weekly “micro-seasons” per year. Topshop, for example, introduces ~400 styles per week on its website. Social media accelerates that cycle. Influencer marketing and other social media strategies help new trends travel fast, creating rapid consumer demand for hyper-cheap fashions. Shoppers act on that demand instantly. Fashion Nova is one example of a fast fashion e-commerce brand that has successfully leveraged social media to build its customer base and its brand. The company has more than 15 million followers on Instagram, as well as more than 3,000 influencers, known as #NovaBabes, promoting its clothes. Fast fashion brand Boohoo has said that its profits doubled after paying celebrities to promote its products on Instagram to 16- to 24-year-old fans.
I am now going to conduct my first bit of primary research. I want to get an understanding of how I can potentially make my documentary better or more interesting , maybe some advice on where to shoot my cut away’s and wall paper shots but also whether or not it is something people will be even interested in watching and whether it is a good idea.
I sent out a survey asking the question , What are your initial thoughts on my documentary ideas. 100% of the people that I asked all agree in the fact that it is a good idea. The idea is seen to be interesting , especially for other potential students like me who are aspiring to work in fashion. It is a positive that I have somebody relevant to interview , I am interviewing someone that I know who owns his own company called The wardrobe Outlet. It will be interesting to reveal the struggle of creating a brand and competing against other people with small brands and aspiring students.
I also asked the question where else could I do some wallpaper shots and cutaway shots? Fashion shows and wedding shows are a potential suggestion for me. I could also get some shots in and around all the vintage shops around Manchester , designer shops in King street , Independent businesses in Deansgate and some shots of big billboards in Piccadilly gardens. Another potential place is Liverpool and around Albert Docks.
I am confident now that my idea will be interesting for people to watch. From my feedback I have taken from this some other potential places I can go out to film in order to get the variety of fashion within my documentary.
year 2 media blog 