Dynamics of Fashion-Chapter 5

In chapter 5, the business side of fashion is thoroughly explained. Fashion is not limited to just apparel; it impacts our complete lifestyle as well as the products we buy. The business of fashion contributes significantly to the economy of the United States through the materials and services it purchases, the wages and taxes it pays, and the goods and services it produces. The fashion business is composed of 4 levels: primary level, the secondary level, the retail level, and the auxiliary level.
Companies compete with others at their level by offering advantages of price, quality, and innovation. Like other businesses, fashion companies grow horizontally or vertically by expanding into levels beyond the level of their original business. Similarly explained in chapter 4, at all levels, fashion business executives must be able to predict the tastes of the consumers who wear and use their merchandise.
The designer, the manufacturer, and the retailer play different roles, yet they need one another to function and, most importantly, to be successful.  Designers must continually study the lifestyles of those consumers for whom their designs are intended. Manufacturers, on the other hand, are committed to producing several new lines a year. Although retailers do not usually create fashion, they encourage its progress by the degree of accuracy with which they anticipate the demands of their customers.