Marketing Paper on The Primary Level of the Fashion Industry
(Italian Fashion of Dolce & Gabbana)
What: Milan Fashion Week
When: 2015 Milan Fashion Week
Where: Milan, Italy
Who: Dolce & Gabbana girl models
Source: Karen Dacre, Fashion Editor in Milan. “MFW: Dolce And Gabbana Enlist Models To Take Selfies Down The Catwalk.” Evening Standard, 2015, http://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/news/milan-fashion-week-dolce-and-gabbana-enlist-models-to-take-selfies-whilst-walking-the-runway-in-a2956681.html.
Subject Matter
The setting of the photograph was during the Milan Fashion Week and the girl models in the photo are in line waiting to make a catwalk. The event was aimed at showcasing of the excellent Italian fashion with the collection of Dolce and Gabbana, a giant luxury Italian house or designer based in Italy. Clothing designs displayed during the event include lemon prints and sheathed corsetry dressing; all to show the love of the Italy by everyone. The most notable thing in the theatrical catwalk the girls are displaying is that they are taking selfies as they line up to the runway. In the photo, it can be seen how some of the pretty Italian models take the chance to take their self-images without making any contact with the audience. This is totally new in the fashion industry, but Dolce and Gabbana decided to spice up the event with the girls taking those selfies. Selfies are a common thing in the modern generations especially by models, but it has not gone to the extent of taking them while on the stage or runway.
Interpretation
I find the strategy displayed in the photo by Dolce and Gabbana a creative and a surprising one. Since this is something new in the industry, nobody anticipated to see it hence it took everyone by surprise. The models seem to be prepared for it as they take the selfies comfortably without fear that they could tumble on the runway. Karen Dacre, Fashion Editor in Milan, described the use of selfies as the ideal project to attract huge attention from the audience and the entire fashion market and sell their brand. The designers encouraged the people in the event to take their selfies before the commencement of the event and post them on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter since they would be shared to reach millions of people. I have selected this photo for my critique because of the unique style the designers have chosen to attract the people’s attention in their efforts to sell the Dolce and Gabbana brand. This could be a new trend as the ideas in the fashion industry keep evolving each and every day.
Analysis as it Relates to the Text Topic
According to BOF, the textile of the modern fashion industry is characterized by cut-throat competition as firms are trying to embrace the use of innovation and quality as strategies to attract the market. The digital era has seen fashion branding going a notch higher to incorporate digital media and the Internet in the marketing of the fashion hence a better resonance with the industry’s market or customers (BOF). Fashion houses including Dolce and Gabbana are all using digital and internet platforms to market their items hence the need for these players to think outside the box. Dolce and Gabbana have done just that by introducing the innovative feature in the modeling of their brands whereby the modeling girls take selfie picture while cat-walking on the stage runways. FOB acknowledges that with the high rise in the use of social media and other technologies to reach out to the market, there could be a challenge in the area to focus. But apparently, Dolce and Gabbana are on the right track as they encourage their inside people to share their brand on the major social platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I have seen crazy ideas before whereby models could come with add-ons such as umbrellas or create clothing out of used material such as paper, but selfies on the runway is an extra step ahead. The strategy is inspiring and commendable hence it could impact the future of modeling in the fashion industry.
Judgment and Evaluation
As the fashion industry is experiencing hyper-competition among the clothing house companies, it is inevitable for the industry players to think out of the box and come up with new and better ideas to achieve survival and growth (FOB). Dolce and Gabbana intention is to build and expand their brand using images captured during their events. In the photo, not only the selfie images taken by the models are important, but also the photos taken by the audience. All these images would easily go around on social networks hence be a good thing for the company because the brand information would reach millions of people. But then, this is a strategy that would be copied easily by other fashion houses thus becoming less important in the near future. That is to say, taking selfies during fashion modeling would not attract so much attention as it is doing right now. In my opinion, fashion houses should seek more ways of employing social networks on the marketing of their products because it is highly appreciated one of the best ways to obtain information in the current society.
Work Cited
BOF,. “The Basics | Part 8 – Marketing”. The Business Of Fashion, 2013, https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/basics/the-basics-part-8-marketing.
Karen Dacre, Fashion Editor in Milan. “MFW: Dolce And Gabbana Enlist Models To Take Selfies Down The Catwalk”. Evening Standard, 2015, http://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/news/milan-fashion-week-dolce-and-gabbana-enlist-models-to-take-selfies-whilst-walking-the-runway-in-a2956681.html.