Positioning of Designer Clothing Brands in UK Market Assignment

Positioning of Designer Clothing Brands in UK Market - Assignment Example LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton posted a 2005 revenue rise to 13.90 or 9.57 billion from the previous year's 12.48. Next, in September 92006) reported as first half pre-tax profits of 1.519 billion, 45 percent coming online. Gucci, under the Paris-based PPR SA that also houses Yves Saint Laurent, Fnac and Surcouf, is included in the report of PPR SA with a 2006 July-September revenue of 4.26 billion or $5.35 billion (AP, 2006). British, UK or London fashion have always been set apart despite the forces of non-UK brands, specifically European or American, and segmentation has actually been categorised as: McFashion, UK or London style, international superbrands, and the micro markets (Priest, 2005). Coined by Lee (2003) after the McDonald marketing phenomenon of uniformity and predictability, McFashion has been classified as disposable, quick fix international fashion, trendy, and affordable by the mass market. Other qualities of McFashion may include star qualities that shine and busts in a short period, or those which fill high street cheap chic stores working to formulas. These had been described as the speedy trickle down version of high couture exemplified by celebrities that are replicated, but not exactly copied to give room for versatility, in a matter of ten minutes (Lee, 2003, and Jackson, 2006). Brands of this nature include items that are found and purchased at Gap, H & M, Zara, Marks and Spence r, Arcadia group, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury, Primark and New Look (Priest, 2005). International superbrands include designer brands that are familiar in most major cities of the world that include Giorgio Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Guess, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Veneta Bottega, Chanel, among others and are at the opposite side of the polarised UK market. As couture is the word, it has been suggested to be incorporated with designer label (Priest, 2005) with the message that the label is critical, super-luxury, rarity and quality. Despite its characteristics, these designer labels remain big business with high stakes as influenced by class, film and music stars, sports personalities and everything glamour. Driven by the media circus, couture and ready-to-wear shows, international houses acknowledge of limited loyal customers, barely 200 with majority of sales as wedding dresses (Priest, 2005). Mintel reported that UK men and women spent 1.4 billion on these items in 2002 yet its value kept rising up to 40 percent with prices at premium. Women accounted for 57 percent of purchase. Interestingly, rarity on designer labels is slowly if not yet phased out as Tim Jackson (2002) from the London College of fashion quoted foremost names in fashion superlabels Tom Ford of PPR acknowledging globalisation as inevitable, John Marc Simon of Comite Colbert and Daniel Triboulliard specify China, Taiwan and Korea as the major destinations of the majority of luxury labels. In these instances, acceleration of new wealth in new markets as well as the global fusion of what people and consumers watch on their movies, television and media emerged as the driving forces as growth is the main target of all major designer houses. Likewise, higher level of taste, education and worldliness as a result of education, travel and growing sophistication are the other forces that define new middle market customers that are ready to pay for premium, well-designed