As I walk around campus I tend to pay attention to people's outfits, maybe looking for new styling inspiration for myself. Then I try to see if I can recognize the brands of these clothes to maybe buy them for myself later. If it is a brand I recognize then I could try to find it online, unless it is a designer brand, in which case I know it is out of my price range. This price difference and the cultural capital that comes with brand distinction are due to the different categories that the fashion industry has divided itself into.
Dissecting these different tiers, from the top of the pyramid to the base, the levels are as follows: Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear (RTW), Diffusion, Bridge, and Mass Market. Each level is unique in its characteristics, its target audience, and the brands that compile each tier.
First, Haute Couture, one of the most prestigious styles of fashion, this level is where iconic fashion houses like LVMH and Chanel reside. While studying abroad in France, before my classes started, my family and I went on a fashion tour of Paris, where they explained how the Couture houses had been founded. The tour guide then went on to explain all of the different rules in the Couture world, from the required number of garments, fittings, and employees. The seasons are extremely limited in the number of garments they are allowed to show their already exclusive 4,000-person consumer base.
Just below the Haute Couture lies Ready-to-Wear. This tier is marked by designer brands like Gucci or Prada. The main difference is that RTW has more standardized sizes and little to no fittings for their garments. There is still a high level of artistic license taken by the designers, ensuring that they are still considered to be unique. Because of this more accessible creativity, the separation between the masses and luxury still remains. Sometimes, these brands can be seen on a college campus with a higher concentration in international student populations due to the prestige brought by globalization.
Next are the diffusion brands. These are slightly more affordable, though not for the masses. The target demographic for these brands is younger people looking for a more casual look. These brand names are more recognizable and prestigious than some, but not as well regarded as RTW. Some of these brands include both designer and premium brands like Ralph Lauren, Comme des Garcon, Calvin Klein, and Lacoste.
Bridge brands come in next; as the name suggests, they bridge the gap between the designer world and mass consumption. The price point for these brands is proportionate to the quality that consumers are willing to pay for. Essentially, it is a step above the mass consumers but one below the more recognizable brands. Brands that reside in this tier include Guess, Diesel, and Michael Khors, which have more affordable options but also higher-end merchandise for those willing to buy into it.
Finally, the most commonly consumed tier of fashion, and the most environmentally problematic, is the mass market. This tier is designed to cater the the most number of people and with the most on-trend clothing at the fastest rate. Brands like Zara, H&M, and SHEIN dominate with the fastest turnaround time to ensure that the clothing is always on trend while promoting rampant consumerism. Often times these garments are not held to a higher standard of quality or production.
Additionally, if buying clothing from this tier abroad, the need for globalization in the mass market leads to some pretty ridiculous translations on garments such as graphic t-shirts. Some of my personal favorites include: “EBITDA” on a hat, which stands for “earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization” which I don’t feel is the most fashionable abbreviation. One brand in particular, Pull&Bear has several including “Magic is Real, Nature Supports Me” pictured with a 2000-style koi fish, and my personal favorite redundancy “California/1991/Los Angeles/90’s vibes.”
Next time when walking around campus, see if you can spot all five different tiers of fashion, or maybe find your next favorite poorly translated graphic t-shirt that comes as a result of fashion globalization.
