Fashion Marketing

This article discusses fashion merchandising management in the global fashion industry. It explores the elements of fashion merchandising management, such as planning, purchasing, implementation, and promotion. It also examines the relationship between fashion merchandising and other functions of a retail fashion business. The article provides advice on managing the business cycle phases and concludes with the importance of aggressive marketing in generating high profits.

Running head: FASHION MARKETING
FASHION MARKETING
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Fashion merchandising management:..............................................................................................2
Elements of fashion merchandising management:..........................................................................3
Develop planning:........................................................................................................................3
Purchasing:..................................................................................................................................4
Implementation:...........................................................................................................................4
Promotion and control:................................................................................................................5
Relationship between elements:......................................................................................................5
Relationship with other functions of a retail fashion business:.......................................................7
Elements which can be applied to other aspects of business:..........................................................8
Advice about the business cycle phase (boom, slump, recession and recovery):............................9
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................9
References:....................................................................................................................................10

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Fashion Marketing of youkoso’, a New Premium apparel maker
Introduction:
Fashion is a booming industry with growing demand for designer apparel among
customers of all ages. The high-end fashion wear is considered as status symbol and sought after
by middle and upper class customers. The Australian fashion industry is booming owing
favourable market conditions like rising income among the Australian consumers. The increase
in the demand for high-end fashionable clothes are not limited to upper class and upper middle
class consumers. The middle class consumer today seek designer clothes. The fashion market in
Australia is experiencing boom due to proliferation of new firms. However, entering the fashion
industry has several risks owing to increasingly stiff competition due to existence of established
multinational fashion companies. The newly entering fashion companies are in continuous
pressure to generate high revenue to give high returns to investors. These fashion companies
today rely on aggressive promotion on high end fashion magazines. The aim of the article would
promoting the business of a newly established store in Australia called ‘youkoso’. The owner of
the firm Yoko Ohno is under the pressure of establishing the business strongly and profitably in
the Australian designer wear market. Ohno is under the continuous pressure of giving positive
return on investment to her relative who has lent her the amount. The store would be located in
the prestigious Chadstone Shopping Center and would target women aged between 30 to 40
years.
Fashion merchandising management:
Fashion merchandising management is one of the most important functions carried out in
the global fashion industry. Martindale and Myers (2018) define fashion merchandising the
positioning of appropriate fashion products before appropriate consumer base. The term can also

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be defined in the lines of Ellington, Hahn and McLeod (2017). They define the term fashion
merchandising as the strategic marketing activities which fashion companies pursue that their
products gain acceptance in the market right in the inception phase. The process of fashion
merchandising consists of advertisement of fashion products by using displays and illustration.
Thus, it can be inferred from the two above articles that fashion merchandising refers to
marketing of fashion products in forms of displays and illustrations in order to attract the target
segment of customers (RCO4 - Securing customer permission). As far as youkoso is concerned,
it is evident from the letter of the owner Yoko Ohno that the business implements fashion
merchandising to a great extent. First of all, the shop is located in the Chadstone Shopping
Centre. This strategy of the business corresponds to the place component marketing mix (Week
10_RCO1). Similarly, the aspect of the targeting women aged 30 to 40 years correspond to the
range planning (week 11_ RCO1). Thus, it is evident from the discussion that Ohno emphasises
great deal on fashion merchandising management.
Elements of fashion merchandising management:
The following are the main elements of fashion merchandising management:
Develop planning:
The fashion companies should plan their operations in order to attract high amount of
customers. The management bodies of the fashion companies should first recognise the target
customer bases and recognise their needs (RCO 2). They marketing teams of the companies
should form perceptual maps to enable them to recognise the aspects which go towards
recognising the factors leading to the needs of the customers. For example, the management of
the company under consideration namely, youkoso should first recognise the touch points of the
its target customers’ base namely women aged 30 to 40 years Then, the marketing team should

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form perception map to recognise the different aspects of the needs of premium apparel like in
terms of shades, the quality of services they look forward and the fabric which women aged 30 to
40 prefer (RCO5 - Delivering on brand promise).
Purchasing:
The purchase department of the apparel merchandising companies then go on to purchase
appropriate fabric to manufacture apparel or readymade dresses as per the findings from the
previous stage (RCO3 - Customer frame of reference). This consists of taking into account the
aspects like colour, shades and design preferences. The aim of the company should be creating a
value to attract customers. The shop should aim to create a strong perception about the apparel
products which it can offer to consumers. Here, the aim should be attract consumers by creating
a strong perception about the range of apparel which the firm would provide by appropriate
procurement of fabric. The company should also acquire samples of fabric which it would
display to attract customers (RCO2 - Achievable vs aspirational). The display should be simple
as well as aesthetic giving a proper idea about what the company would offer. As far as youkoso
is concerned, instead of displaying all the samples, the display of the commodities should contain
a few designer pieces which the consumers are likely to purchase more. The firm should ensure
that the customers do not get confused due to display of multiple samples of apparels.
Implementation:
The management of the apparel companies should implement the steps mentioned before
effectively. The management of the companies in order to implement the appropriate purchase
strategies should at first locate suppliers of fabric which customers prefer. Then they should send
out quotations of the recognised suppliers (RCO1 - Brand repositioning). They should then enter
into procurement contract with the most appropriate supplier. The management of youkoso

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should acquire the appropriate appropriate fabric materials with which it would manufacture
clothes. The apparel company should display the merchandise in ways as a part of the
implementation plan which would tell the buyers about the vision of the firm (RCO5 - Brand
merchandise promotion). The consumers should be able to relate the products. As far as youkoso
is concerned, the firm should advertise its merchandises in ways which would tell the customers
about its vast range of apparel products. Similarly, the products advertised should inform the
customers about the superior quality of the products of the company.
Promotion and control:
The apparel making and marketing companies should promote and control their
marketing of their products effectively. The outlets of premium apparel firms should advertise
vast range or products before the customers. This means that by viewing the merchandise
advertising pattern the customers would be able to obtain a fair range of products which the firms
are capable of offering. For example, youkoso should advertise its products in such a way that
the customers would be able to develop a fair idea about the different types of apparel which the
outlet would provide to middle aged women. This strategic way of display of products would
encourage the buyers to buy products from the store (RCO4 - Assortment planning).
Relationship with other functions of a retail fashion business:
The fashion merchandising management is closely related to two other functions of the
retail business namely, marketing and financing. The companies aiming to enter fashion retail
market would require to acquire immense funds to set up the business. They should either invest
their own capital or acquire capital from external sources of finances. The external sources of
finances can be venture investors, banks giving start-up loans at lower rates and loans from
friends/family members. As shown, Ohno, the owner of youkoso acquired loans from his uncle

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of amount of $45000. She has to give positive returns of investment to the uncle (RCO4 - The
New Global Era). This means that business organisations have to ensure that they generate high
revenue from their business operations. As shown, youkoso should bear the initial expenses of
premises, human resource management and materials, technical expenses, marketing and risk
management expenses. It has also been shown below the firm would incur a total expenses of $
4385053. Taking into account, the mentioned assumption, the company would earn a budget
surplus of $114947.
The second aspect which youkoso would apply would be marketing. As shown above,
the firm would be requiring to advertise on different media like social media like Youtube. The
firms should advertise the product in international magazines like the Forbes and on audio media
like radio. The firm should advertise its products on events and hire celebrities to promote its
products. This wide range of promotional activities would enable youkoso create awareness
among customers about its high end fashion products. This would ensure the entrepreneur is able
to generate high revenue by marketing its products in the highly competitive fashion market
(RCO5 - Global Trade).
Elements which can be applied to other aspects of business:
The elements which the company should take into account while marketing its products
would be human resource management and technology. youkoso would be required to hire
skilled manufacturing staff to manufacture its high-end apparel products. Similarly, the company
would be required to employ trained marketing and store management staff to attend customers
in the stores. Thus, it can be pointed out that the acquiring trained human resources would enable
the company to operate efficiently and generate high revenue (RCO3 - Technology and
globalization).

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Similarly, youkoso should use modern technology to manufacture and market its
products. As already pointed out that the company would be required to market its products on
the social media platform. This means that firm would be required to employ technology
aggressively to manufacture and market its products in the market. This would enable the firm
generate high revenue (RCO2 - Challenges of Global Interdependence).
Advice about the business cycle phase (boom, slump, recession and recovery):
The management of youkoso should form strategies regarding business cycle phases
consisting of boom, slump, recession and recovery. First of all, the company during the times of
boom would receive large number of orders for its apparel products. The company should
experience large number of customer footfall both in the stores and on its ecommerce portal.
RThe company in order to manage this boom in demand would be required to acquire huge
amount of fabric. The company should stock the extra fabric to manage slump phase when the
requirement would fall and it would not be required to acquire immense amount of fabric.
Similarly, during recession the company should not lock too much money in inventory. It would
be required to inject money again to manage the boom season (RCO1_ The emotional
economy).
Conclusion:
It can be concluded that fashion merchandising management plays an immense role in
marketing of fashion products. It can also be concluded that the concept draws heavily on
marketing. Thus, it can be concluded that the entrepreneur should market its products
aggressively in the market to attract middle aged women in large amounts. This would generate
high amount of profit for the company.

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References:
Ellington, T.N., Hahn, K. and McLeod, H., 2017. A case study: Fashion design and
merchandising college core curriculum assessment to improve future learning. International
Journal of Home Economics, 10(1), p.30.
Martindale, A. and Myers, B., 2018. Incorporation of an Online Fashion News Publication into a
Fashion Merchandising Course: Perceived Benefits and Educational Impact.