The Magnifique Podcast
Hi guys! Welcome to Magnifique, your favorite fashion lovers podcast.
My names Gabrielle and I’m a fashion industry newb, though I’ve loved playing dress up for as long as I can remember. The fashion industry is an intimidating space, filled with elitist know-it-alls, it's hard to feel invited to learn about the rich history behind modern-day fashion.
I started this podcast because time after time, I've tried to find podcasts to learn more about hmm: how Gilded Age fashion influences modern-day attire, or Marc Jacobs being the reason for Louis Vuittons ready-to-wear line, OR how Levi Strauss pioneered Western Denim…and I'm met with a graveyard of results. I can't find anything! So I guess if I want something in this niche, I must do it myself. I invite you to join me as I expand my knowledge of the fashion space. Together we'll kinda be geniuses of fashion.
The Magnifique Podcast
Episode 27 - The Fashion Industry Explained: From Manufacturers to Models
The fashion industry is a complex ecosystem encompassing everything from design and manufacturing to marketing and retail, with a current estimated global value of $35.2 trillion. We explore the structure, evolution, and key players that transform clothing into a worldwide cultural and economic force.
Encyclopedia Link: LINK
Gabrielle's Social Media Link: LINK
Hey, divas, and welcome to Magnifique, your favorite fashion industry podcast. I'm your host, gabrielle, and today we talk about the fashion industry extensively. Like, first off, what the heck is it? What does it encompass? What are we even talking about at this point, you know? So we have a hefty, a hefty episode today, so get snuggly. I say this every episode, but if you're driving, go ahead and pull over. We got a long episode and I need your full attention right here, right now. Obviously, I'm just kidding. If you're driving, you know two hands, ten and two. There's a cop behind you. Speed up, 10 and 2. There's a cop behind you. Speed up. Really, just live your life as the diva that you are. Also, I'm kind of in a grumpy mood today, so if that comes out, you're welcome. That's all I have to say on that, guys, I also forgot to tell you that my exclusive source for this episode is the Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion.
Speaker 1:I did look up one or two extra little tidbits that I will let you know, because I just found them from random websites and I don't know if we can trust those websites, but I chose to the fashion industry as an umbrella. Term refers to the entire ecosystem that encompasses fashion, from designing to marketing, to the large-scale effects of globalization. The industry itself is further defined by individuals who choose to engage with the various sectors, though, in short, it is the business of making and profiting from clothing and turning apparel into fashion using one's preferences and prejudices. The modern apparel industry has its hands in the production, promotion and marketing of styles, with its main tool being desire, Using what consumers desire to define apparel as being accepted and celebrated throughout history. When consumer desire changes, so must the industry. How else might brands have expanded into fragrance offerings or home goods, in addition to their widespread range of accessories and jewelry? Consumers drive the business. This also rings true in the evolution and functionality of garments. For example, the crinoline used to be part of the everyday dressing, but as separates became more popular and feasible undergarments, crinoline makers evolved into bra manufacturers. At current, there are four levels to the fashion industry the primary level, which includes textile mills and yarn makers and just the raw clothing material. The secondary level, which encompasses designers, manufacturers and wholesalers. The retail level, which involves all points of sales in stores. And lastly, the auxiliary level. This connects all previous levels through press and advertisement. Today we'll discuss levels two through four.
Speaker 1:The fashion industry saw its first major and modern boom in the mid to late 19th century with the rise of mass-produced clothing. Designers like Paul Poiret and Charles Frederick Wirth are said to be the founding fathers of modern fashion. Wirth pioneered the concept of Parisian couture, putting Paris on the map internationally as a fashion powerhouse. The industry then sees a shift to ready-to-wear, mass-produced garments. That sparked the Americanized, large-scale garment factories seen in places like the Lower Manhattan and eventually, the Garment District in New York City, which, if you're interested, my last episode is all about the garment industry's rise and fall. So if you want a little deep dive on that, check it out. The fashion industry today is comprised of luxury conglomerates moving production to cheap labor countries with the exclusive intent of increasing their bottom line, which raises a personal question of mine of if we've lost the art of garment making, but that's a deep dive for another day. If we've lost the art of garment making, but that's a deep dive for another day.
Speaker 1:I mentioned that globalization is a reason, or a reason that modern fashion is what it is today. While the Western world has practiced large-scale globalization since the 16th century, with colonization, the slave trade and the spice trade, it wasn't until the late 20th century that we uncovered technologies to have end-to-end coverage all over the world, which is kind of exactly what globalization means the connectivity across the globe. This dramatically changed the way society interacts with dressing. In a sense of fashion globalization means clothing sold by retailers who can effectively update inventories, make deals and coordinate worldwide distribution all remotely through computer technology. Globalization in fashion is also a feeling of connectedness and cohesion amongst brands. Worldwide Marketing campaigns encourage fashion consumption and even associate it with pleasure. In tandem, this consumer behavior is monitored and measured. Consumption in our society is necessary for holding up the global capitalist economy and, as we know, capitalism is held up by what Exploitation Our economy, specifically the fashion economy, is dependent on the use of cheap labor in poorer countries.
Speaker 1:End exploitation Retail corporations like Nike, express and the Gap, just to name a few, outsource their manufacturing through contractors or subcontractors overseas. Again, we discussed this a little bit more in depth in the garment district episode, just the rise of offshore production. But Nike specifically pioneered this outsourcing in search of low-wage employees during the athletic wear boom of the 1980s. Outsourcing to sweatshops in Mexico, china, thailand, romania, really, just to name a few. Wages can be as low as 23 cents per hour, which is so crazy when they're selling their actual merchandise for 80 plus bucks. But don't think the US is completely safe from sweatshops. They do still run Among Us. For example, prison Labor in Los Angeles makes a lot of apparel and there do exist some sweatshops still in the New York City area. While sweatshops continued to deteriorate in their working conditions, the US companies contracting labor refused to take any responsibility for providing a decent working conditions and standards. That was until 1997, again Nike pioneered, claiming no responsibility for these workspaces because the workers were independent contractors, therefore not Nike's responsibility. This led to the creation of worker unions like Unite and began a campaign for labor standards reform, having independent monitors in these garment factories overseas, provided by the company.
Speaker 1:Globalization can be summed up as the response to technological advances and an insatiable hunger to be the best capitalist. These two things met and formed Greed's final boss, in my opinion. It's my understanding that without globalization, slow fashion would continue to dominate for a little while longer and sweatshop core merchants such as Shein might have taken longer to come to fruition. Speaking of capitalism, the economics of fashion can be broken down into three sectors Production, distribution and consumption. All three sectors are both deeply intertwined and yet fiercely competitive with each other. Consumer demands keep things spicy, with retailers and manufacturers competing for units sold and at what price point, and varying styles. Manufacturing falls into the first sector of production. Companies historically take out small-term loans to kick-start their garment production and gradually pay them off as retailers purchase goods.
Speaker 1:Retailing would make up consumption and lead consumers to their purchase stocking stores with items based on the demand of their target demographic Retailing. Let's expand on that a bit. Retailing in general refers to the business of selling goods and services. In the chain of command, retailing is the last channel that connects manufacturers to consumers. Retailing accounts for a significant portion of the global economy. In 2002, the top 200 retailers accounted for $2.14 trillion in global sales. Today, the estimated retail value is up to $35.2 trillion globally. I did take this number from Biz Planner, so if they're lying, I fear I might be lying, but I'm choosing to trust them. This growth is due in large part to globalization. With a connected world, the exposure of goods and services can find people just as quickly as manufacturers can produce them. Walmart is currently the industry leader in all retail sales.
Speaker 1:Retailers are characterized by a myriad of indicators range of merchandise, price of merchandise and general assortment levels of customer service. But dominating retailers tend to be multi-channeled, offering more than one specification of merchandise, casting the largest net to have the most consumers ever possible. And while this strategy rings true for most retailers, there are distinct differences in the definitions and general categories of stores. There are at least seven major retail categories. I'll list them off and then we can go in deeper depth. So we have the department store, the specialty store, the category killer, the discount store, the off-price store, the outlet store, the boutiques and e-commerce non-retail channels. Department stores are going to be the largest in size, as it's divided into varying sections by product type ie electronics or by brand ie Ralph Lauren.
Speaker 1:The department store concept originated in downtown areas of cities, but as suburban flight came along, they came to be located inside malls. Within the department store classification comes two more specificities, whether that Whether that department store is full-line or specialized. A full-line department store will resemble a Sears RIP, with a mix of home appliances and such in addition to apparel and beauty offerings. A specialized department store would be just offering apparel, beauty or jewelry. As the popularity of the mall scene has declined in recent years, so has the success of the department store.
Speaker 1:As mentioned RIP Sears, specialty stores carry a more narrow line of merchandise. They have a more tailored niche aesthetic and carry specialty goods, quote-unquote, usually focusing on one concept or aesthetic. Examples of this would be GameStop or a maternity clothing store. The stores carry nearly everything you need for those genres, but only carry goods within those specific genres or niches. Specialty stores will typically offer a higher level of customer service, with knowledgeable or expert employees eager to connect with clients. This umbrella would also include general clothing stores, as their specialty would be exclusively providing clothing Category killers.
Speaker 1:Category killers still kind of confuse me, but how I understand it are stores that carry many different assortment of items and honing in on having lower than most pricing. They have fewer customer service workers available and at lower expert levels than specialty stores. An example that I was given in my encyclopedia would be like a Lowe's or a Home Depot kind of the home improvement stores where you can find kitchen lighting and couches next to the snacks just a few aisles down. I would have thought that Walmart would be under this category, because they offer genuinely everything under the sun, but they are categorized as discount stores. Discount stores offer a large variety of products with their main selling point being their low, low prices. The reason most people frequent discount stores like Walmart or Target is because things are generally cheaper than anywhere else. They are different from category killers because not only do discount stores offer everyday brands, but they also compete by producing their own store brand versions of goods at even lower prices than competitors, ie Great Value, good Gather all that good stuff.
Speaker 1:Off-price stores are stores with an inconsistent variety of goods and varying brand names. Merchandise is usually acquired, upon opportunity, directly from manufacturers or retails during the off-season, examples being your TJ Maxx, your Ross, your Marshalls, and usually found in like a strip mall concept, and there you can typically find one or multiple clustered together. I, for one, am a Marshalls girl, but I feel like there are some Max and Estes out there. Let me know which side of the rivalry that you're on, even though I tend to believe that they carry the exact same product across all of these three stores.
Speaker 1:Next one is outlet stores. They're pretty similar to off-price stores in that they carry other retailers' quote-unquote leftovers, though this is usually done at a specific retailer level, with discounted, irregular or overstocked pieces for less. An example of this would be the Gap Factory outlet. The factory portion refers to the store being manufacturer-owned. Outlet stores are typically clustered together in a center or a mall away from other key department stores. I noticed that you either have the main OG store closer to you or you have the outlet version of the store closer to you. Rarely ever, if ever, both Boutiques are the next one, so they are generally smaller shops that feature niche and top-of-the-line merchandise. The term boutique is French for little shop and was first used for small stores run by Parisian couturiers. Let me know how to say that word, because I can sound it out and I can look it up, but I still don't know. Examples of large-scale boutiques include Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, providing a luxury shopping experience and luxury levels of customer service, the last one being non-retail, and e-commerce are generally the most mass appealing retailers in the modern era. Non-physical retailers utilize their convenience to appeal to customers, and being able to shop from the comfort of your home may lead to an impulse purchase, or two or seven. This shopping option is available via catalogs, e-retail or tv home retailers.
Speaker 1:We talked about the consumer side, the capitalist side, of the fashion industry, but let's look behind the curtains and learn about the different professions that can come from the fashion industry. First things first, we need to have an education. The art of fashion continues to be a global phenomenon and there are learning institutes across the world devoted to prepare students for a career in the international fashion industry, with curriculum exclusively focused on the industry itself. The trainings offered range from vocational, creative and theoretical. There are institutions worldwide, with the US being home to 250 alone. Worldwide, with the US being home to 250 alone, much of the curriculum is derived from home economics traditions and offering education levels from associates to PhD. Many institutes are linked to professional opportunities, allowing grads to start working as soon as they possibly can. The first institute of its kind in the US is located in New York City, the Trap Hagen School fostering American fashion. There exist institutions all over the world, as mentioned, preparing students for varying careers in the fashion industry, from Sweden, india and, most notably, paris, france.
Speaker 1:What's the first profession you think of when you hear fashion? Fashion designer? Good choice. The career of a fashion designer is someone who creates the look from the particular shape, color, fabric choice and detailing, all stemming from the initial idea crafted by the designer. There are different levels of what it means to be a fashion designer, from top Parisian couturiers to designers working on ready-to-wear or a stylist who makes small modifications to existing pieces. It's a talent to be able to visualize how people want to dress and it plays a huge role in daily life in dressing. Charles Frederick Worth is considered the first modern-day couturier. He opened his Paris house in 1846 at the same time as other profound designers, jean Paquin and Jacques Doucet.
Speaker 1:Paris was considered the center for international fashion. However, paris's influence was so rudely disrupted by World War II and the Nazi Germany occupation of France. As a result of this hole in the fashion influence market, the US seized the opportunity to gain more recognition. Claire McCardell created the American look, a pioneer of America's love for sportswear and athleisure. Fashion designers throughout the mid-20th century used design rooms in the same manner as European designers utilize an atelier as a studio and as a shop, though, as New York City space became increasingly more expensive, design rooms became too costly to maintain and were downsized for cheaper offshore productions.
Speaker 1:Designers a role of the designer is to work with tech designers to create what is called a tech pack, which is the version of the design that will be sent to the manufacturer for the first samples and, eventually, full production. Tech designers are responsible for annotating every detail of the garment specs. Designers each season go through the process of identifying future trends for inspiration. Many looking to streetwear. Designers hold much importance in society as they've helped to popularize trends such as mod, punk, grunge and hip-hop. Designers rule the world. So after we have the established design and garment, we need to market it correct. So the next role I have in the fashion industry is fashion illustrator.
Speaker 1:The role of a fashion illustrator was more prominent in the 19th century. Then it was a form of art and advertising. Designer Paul Paré was often commissioning the work of Paul Uribe, who was known for the jewel-toned palette usage in his work. Fashion illustrators held much importance in their prime, with Vogue exclusively utilizing their work from the first edition in 1892 to mid-century editions in the 1950s. Famous illustrators include Bernard and Veritas, who had a close working relationship with gabrielle chanel, famous nazi renee gruau, who was known for his work with christian dior, and more recently, of course, the mind of mark jacobs has incorporated the work in collaborations with fashion illustrators, with Julie Verhoeven and Takashi Murakami. To speak on more modern day advertisements, practice photography has produced some of the most creative and interesting documents of taste and society over time.
Speaker 1:The defining features of fashion photography is the intent to convey a fashionable lifestyle, persuading consumers that if they wear certain clothes or use these specific products, then the advertised lifestyle will then be theirs. This shift from documenting clothing to selling a specific lifestyle was most famously exemplified by Calvin Klein's advertisement, in which he sold the logo and the brand's identity rather than just a line of clothing. Fashion photography reflects women's self-image, value, sexuality and interests, and its total success is reliant on the viewer's buy-in to the offered lifestyle. Early fashion photography dates back to the 1850s and 1860s and was primarily a document of Parisian fashion houses. The early 20th century saw a rise in American fashion photography. The European-born Baron Adolph de Maier is credited with changing fashion photography by creating a focus on the mood rather than the exact depiction of clothing. By creating a focus on the mood rather than the exact depiction of clothing, vogue magazine in 1914 termed his work artistic photography. Fashion photography had many iterations throughout the years, but it remains the main mode of fashion advertisement. Some of the more affluent or influential fashion photographers remain Deborah Tuberville, whose work has reflected a sense of psychological dislocation and was the first to use overweight and quote-unquote ugly models which challenged conventional beauty standards of the time.
Speaker 1:Perhaps the most sought-after career in the fashion industry is fashion models. The role of the fashion model has evolved significantly since the 19th century. It's been transformed from a simple display tool to a central figure in the fashion industry. At the start, models were known as mannequins, serving as living alternatives to wooden or wicker dummies. Our boy Charlesworth, again widely regarded as the founder of haute couture, was the first to use models, employing his wife Marie to do a showcase on his designs in his salon. These early models were considered exceptionally glamorous and were oftentimes full-time employees who sometimes even lived at the fashion houses. They were tasked with modeling gowns in private for customers and professional buyers, often wearing high-necked, long-sleeve black satin sheaths underneath to better highlight the clothing. Over time, the role of the model became more public and commercial. Over time, the role of the model became more public and commercial, with Lady Duff Gordon pioneering the use of mannequin parades in London in the 1890s, where models were trained to strike poses without smiling, and this practice was adopted by Parisian couturiers like Paquin and Poiret, who organized mannequin tours and even created films for their fashion parades in the early 1900s.
Speaker 1:The 1920s saw the establishment of the first model agency in the United States, such as John Powers Agency in 1923 and Ford Modeling Agency in 1946. It was during this period that fashion journalists began to report on individual models from the Paris openings, giving the new level to celebrity. However, the paths of the photographic models and the catwalk models remained largely separate until the 1960s. After World War II, the profession gained a new level of respectability and social status. While models were initially required to move kind of lifelessly, sedately, christian Dior's new look in 1947 encouraged more theatrical movements, a trend that would accelerate in the 1960s with the rise of ready-to-wear fashion, where models were required to dance and act and just be a clown on the catwalk. Despite these advances, models of color continue to experience underrepresentation and backlash in the industry.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about other forms of fashion advertising. Since the turn of the 20th century, fashion advertising has evolved from simple product promotion to a sophisticated tool for shaping cultural values and consumer desires. Initially, advertising relied on color posters, with examples publicizing department stores and sewing machines machines. These early ads did not just sell a product, they also promoted a lifestyle, hinting at the leisure time that the domesticated woman would receive by using these products. It laid the groundwork for modern fashion advertising. The 20th century marked a significant shift toward promoting ready-to-wear fashion. This impact of the modernist aesthetic and the growing role of copywriters transformed fashion advertising. In fact, in the 1920s, commercial artists like Hans Schlegger created advertisements with a sense of rhythm and proportion, using asymmetrical layouts for brands like Weber and Heilbronner.
Speaker 1:By the mid 1950s, the growing market of teenagers began to influence the sexual imagery and advertisement. This part gets a little crazy, but we must report on it. The woman child became a common motif in the 1960s, with models and playful or provocative poses. Advertisements for brands like Neumann clothing also began to target male consumers by showing models as objects of female desire. The late 1970s saw a new focus on denim, with brands like Calvin Klein using suggestive imagery such as close-ups of Brooke shields in tight jeans, to promote and fetishize the contour-hugging look. Mind you, brooke Shields was like 14. Or 12. Just somewhere not above 18. I know that much Fashion advertising comes in all shapes and sizes and modern fashion advertising is a little kooky. I think it's timely to discuss the Sidney Sweeney of it all. I know it's been having a lot of backlash. I have many thoughts but if I'm honest with you, I haven't looked the most into it. I just know that it makes me feel icky. But let's talk about the people who report on the advertisements, who report on the fashion models, who report on the shows the fashion journalists.
Speaker 1:Before the mid-20th century, the term fashion journalism was considered an oxymoron as most newspapers played little attention to the business, news or sociological implications of fashion. This began to change when figures like Virginia Pope of the New York Times, who raised the bar by not only reporting on Paris Haute Couture but also introducing live theatrical fashion presentations to the public. This newfound seriousness in covering fashion as a legitimate industry was further cemented in 1943 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, who initiated the concept of Fashion Week. She called it Press Week for editors to attend designer collections in New York City. The landscape of fashion journalism continues to evolve with the emergence of influential critics and new media. Eugenia Shepherd of the New York Herald Tribune was one of the first to make fashion writing entertaining, famously sneaking into a Balenciaga show to get immediate coverage and becoming a celebrity in her own right. By the late 1960s, american editors started covering European ready-to-wear shows, expanding the reach to cities beyond Paris. By the 21st century, the internet has revolutionized fashion journalism, enabling users to see images and read reviews of collections within hours of the runway show, fundamentally changing how the industry consumes and distributes information. We'd be remissed if we didn't talk about our girl Anna Wintour's famous position the fashion editor.
Speaker 1:The fashion editor emerged as tastemakers in the early 20th century with Edna Woolman Chase of Vogue establishing the role's importance. As editor-in-chief from 1914 to 1952, chase presided over a period where fashion magazines documented the style of wealthy society women and covered both Parisian haute couture and the emerging American designer. She set the stage for later editors who would shape the industry In the mid-20th century, a new generation of editors such as Carmel Weitz of Harper's Bazaar and Diana Freeland of Vogue. They began to revolutionize the fashion media. Freeland, in particular, was a visionary. She discovered iconic photographers like Richard Avedon and Irving Penn and integrating distinguished writers and artists into every issue.
Speaker 1:The role of the fashion editor continues to evolve with the rise of ready-to-wear and new media. As Paris Couture's dominance waned and ready-to-wear collections became the new trendsetters, fashion editors' jobs shifted from reporting on these seasonal shows in cities like Paris, milan and London and they began to play a significant role in selecting photographers and models for their publications, with figures like Polly Mellon of Vogue becoming a high-profile star in their own right In the 21st century. Technology has further transformed the role. Today, fashion editors view collections online, use television appearance to communicate with their audience and draw inspiration not only from the streets but also from music videos and red carpets. Our idol, anna Wintour of Vogue, is a prime example of the modern fashion editor wielding immense influence to pronounce and decree what's new and what's hot and what's next for global audiences. What's new and what's hot, and what's next for global audiences?
Speaker 1:The modern fashion industry is a complex ecosystem defined by dynamic interplay of various roles and forces. The industry is so deeply intertwined, and the journey from the 19th century couture to the digitally driven global market of today highlights an industry that is always in flux. Global market of today highlights an industry that is always in flux. The fashion industry is so vast and complex that I don't even know if this did it justice, but I sure did try. So I hope you enjoyed and I hope you will join us again in two weeks, for I think it's Vivian Westwood. But if you enjoyed this episode, I do hope that you'll leave us a like or subscribe. Really, just tell all your friends about us, please, please, so much, and I will put the link to the encyclopedia that I used down below, as well as my personal links, if you want to keep up with your girl. But yeah, I appreciate you listening and I will see you next time. Thank you, bye-bye.
