Abstract
This chapter explains how general business innovation in apparel retail happens in a fast fashion context; links retail innovation to the advent of social media influencer consumer culture; analyzes why fast fashion proliferation keeps on escalating while the commerce of product at higher price points is in decline; provides a global brand analysis of the main fashion labels, explains their product placement strategies, and contextualizes the relative size and importance of the fast fashion market; and outlines the issues of understanding customer expectations of quality, durability, and price in the redefinition of what is fashionable.
This chapter explains how general business innovation in apparel retail happens in a fast fashion context and links retail innovation to the advent of social media influencer consumer culture. It analyzes why fast fashion proliferation keeps on escalating while the commerce of product at higher price points is in decline and provides a global brand analysis of the main fashion labels. The chapter explains their product placement strategies, and contextualizes the relative size and importance of the fast fashion market; and outlines the issues of understanding customer expectations of quality, durability, and price in the redefinition of what is fashionable. The culture of mystery has been promulgated through the evolution of Inditex to build a fashion empire devoid of the key components of traditional fashion success - designers and brand owner showmanship. The new "kids on the block" are thriving due to one main retail competitive advantage - no physical stores.