The return of 2000s brands
Accessible fashion brands that had enjoyed success in the 2000s, before pressure from sustainability-conscious consumers and the advance of ultra-low-cost online labels, are attempting a new expansion. According to The Guardian, the strategy no longer relies solely on low-cost, trend-led models: names familiar to consumers are courting luxury fashion, celebrity collaborations and additional services to engage shoppers.
Among the examples cited are Gap's new collection with Victoria Beckham and the Marks & Spencer show in London, featuring figures such as Joan Collins and made immediately shoppable, with half of the garments under €50. Topshop, relaunched last year, now has spaces in 30 John Lewis stores and at Liberty.
Services and technology to guide purchasing
M&S head of design Lisa Illis describes the show as a way to make the atmosphere of London Fashion Week accessible; according to the company, more fashion-led seasonal collections have grown its under-35 customer base by 16% a year. Asos, meanwhile, has hired Hollywood stylist Law Roach, who according to the company will suggest combinations of items from the site.
The company says that 68% of consumers want to know how to wear a garment and has introduced AI-based stylists, virtual try-on and the “Buy the Look” option, which allows a complete outfit to be purchased in a single step. According to Asos's Vanessa Spence, the aim is to help customers make the most of each purchase and extend the life of products.
Prices, inclusivity and sustainability under scrutiny
Savvy Marketing consultant Ella Baynes observes that retailers are borrowing luxury's cultural codes to meet both customers' aspirations and their price constraints. Asos has also expanded its adaptive collection for customers with disabilities, developed with advice from Tilting the Lens: the garments, which are customisable, cost no more than €65, a relevant figure because in Britain 46% of disabled people are not in work.
Commentator Andrea Cheong notes, however, that brands are less vocal about their environmental requirements and that the synthetic materials used in some collections show the gap with high-end fashion; moreover, many young customers are turning to second-hand. According to the material, the impact of the cyberattack suffered by Asos in early October remains to be verified, while the source cites an estimate that a garment is worn an average of seven times before being thrown away.
For M&S, which launched its environmental commitments in 2007, durability and affordability would not be competing priorities: the company says it designs garments intended to last. The overall picture indicates that brands are adapting the language of luxury for a more informed and sceptical audience, but the material does not demonstrate that this changes purchasing behaviour or production models.
