Deca: Apparel & Accessories - Marketing

Assortment Planning

The aim of assortment planning is to create assortments and define which products are listed for which stores, and the quantity of these that should be allotted to individual stores. Within an article hierarchy you can plan several levels, for example, product (style), color (variant) or the price band.

Clothing Horse

Clothing Horse : a human that maintains an excessive inventory of clothing for personal utilization. A clothing horse typically purchases several items of clothing each fashion season. They own and wear the latest fashion trends, but they also hold onto older styles of clothing. Knowing very well that fashion goes in cycles, a true clothing horse will keep clothing on hand from previous years. They will generally store clothing until the items return to fashion (potentially decades).

Departments

The Structure of Departments

A Department is made up of up to four levels of classification: a Line, a Class, a Subclass and a Type. The four levels typically flow from the most general (Lines) to the more specific (Types). Every classification level is derived from the previous one. Each Department is defined by a unique combination of these four levels of classification.

Lines: The first level of classification and usually the most general. For shoes and clothing retailers, the Lines will usually be Clothing, Footwear and Accessories.

Classes: The second level of classification and focuses categories within each Line. Ideally each Class will apply to every Line, though this is not always possible. Most common Classes for retailers are: Men's, Women's, Boys and Girls.

Subclasses: Allow for a possible sub categories within each Class, such as: Dress, Casual or Sporting.

Types: This fourth level is optional since you run the risk of using an unnecessary amount of detail that is of little use. However, there are cases that can be quite useful, such as: Import or Domestic. Other retailers might prefer to group their merchandise into even more specific groups and use Types such as: Moccasins, Boots, Sandals and Sneakers.

Fashion Network

An online Fashion Network is a technology driven method for people to meet and discuss the topic of fashion. You may have heard these referenced as social networks or business networks. Essentially, networks are communities of people that join together to communicate in various ways regarding specific issues. Some networks are broad in scope and others have well defined target audiences.

Fast Fashion

Describes clothing collections which are based on the most recent fashion trends presented at Fashion Week in both the spring and the fall of every year. These trends are designed and manufactured quickly and cheaply to allow the mainstream consumer to take advantage of current clothing styles at a lower price.

Flagship Store

A store in a prominent location, a chain's largest store, the store that holds or sells the highest volume of merchandise, a retailer's most well-known location, a chain's first retail outlet, or the store location in a chain which carries the most high-priced merchandise catering to the most upscale customers.

Grunge

Clothing commonly worn by grunge musicians in Washington consisted of thrift store items and the typical outdoor clothing (most notably flannel shirts) of the region, as well as a general unkempt appearance.

Haute Couture

(French for 'high sewing') is a common term for high fashion as produced in Paris and imitated in other fashion capitals such as New York, London, and Milan.

Ready-to-wear

Clothing marketed in a finished condition, in standard clothing sizes

Retail

to sell in small quantities directly to the consumer

Showroom

area where merchandise may be displayed

Status Symbol

A perceived visible, external denotation of one's social position and perceived indicator of economic or social status. Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols.

Trunk Show

A special sale in which vendors (clothing companies, fashion designers, etc.) present merchandise directly to store personnel or select customers at a retail location or another unique venue. It is particularly desirable to have the actual designer present at the event. Most small businesses do this to get more customers/sales.