Customer Reviews

The End of Fashion: The Mass Marketing Of The Clothing Business

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have always felt that the comparison of the fashion industry to the "Emporer's New Clothes" was exactly what the consumer wanted and what the industry presented. But what so intrigued me about Ms. Agin's book is that she exposed the "Emporer" without clothes and the clothes makers without sarcasm or snide attacks. This made it possible for we aspiring designers to observe a realistic view and grounded attitude as we wade into this evolving dance of dressing. It is no wonder that the author holds such an esteemed position at the Wall Street Journal. I am so hopeful that this is but a beginning of more books from Ms. Agin that deal with other mysteries and facets of a very exciting and dynamic industry.

The the fashion community is too often blindsided by its own perceived image. This book, which is reader friendly and packed with real information (as opposed to gossip), strips away some of the self serving myths created by the fashion houses and their own sycophantic press. The book shows how houses such as Donna Karan, Ungaro and above all the once mighty French fashion companies have ignored the consumer's needs to their detriment, and how these miscalculations have come back to haunt them. It also explains the wild yet differing success stories of those brands that have become household names such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hillfiger. The End of Fashion is entertaining and riveting, certainly to anyone involved in the business of Fashion, but also to the fashion neophyte. Teri Agins' style is that of a real reporter who does not pull her punches, but stays away from gossip and provides the facts. A lot of these facts are not common knowledge, and the "behind the scenes" information will delight and fascinate. The book is an easy read and and highly entertaining as well as insightful. Lifting the corporate veil from sucess stories and failures, the author provides a compelling A to Z (from Armani to Zoran) look at the business of fashion on the eve of the new millenium. It's worth every penny and probably also tax deductible.

This is a gold mine for the person who has an interest in the history of the business of high fashion. For the rest of us, it was less than spellbinding. The author has done her homework and with documenting her quotes from various fashion designers and experts in the economics of the fashion industry. It reads like a combination of The Wall Street Journal, Vogue Magazine, and someone's Master's Degree Thesis. There were a few small, uninteresting, black and white photographs of fashion designers grinning next to their famous, rich clients. Personally, I would like to have seen some colored photos of some of their work. As a lay person I had no idea what these people created or why it is supposed to be so great. The claim of the book is that The Fashion Industry just met its demise in the 1990s. I'm not sure whether we will ever be completely free of fashions, but I do know that my interest died in this book long before the last page.

As Teri Agins boldly hints, you can't get the real truth about the fashion biz from all those fashion publications who are so beholden to the old way of doing things. It takes a Wall Street Journal writer who isn't afraid to look behind the runway curtain. The truth? The fashion business ain't what it used to be. An engaging and educational tour -- from Armani to Ralph and Tommy -- of how fashion has changed before our eyes. I'm a long-time fan of the fashion world, and this book knocked me out of my Gucci loafers.

The End of Fashion is as much a study of marketing as it is a fine read about the glamourous world of fashion. It takes you from the drawing board to the runway and even to the desks of the financiers--all in an easy-to-read format that is hard to put down. I've seen it listed as an Art or Fashion title, but it should also be listed under Business--there's much to be learned from the successes and failures of others in this industry. It's all here--style, substance and wit! Bravo!!!

I love clothes and I consider myself a smart shopper...I don't buy labels and the most famous brand names. I shop for the best prices and clothes that are flattering on me. I follow Vogue and all the magazines, and I thought I knew what was going on. But this book really did open my eyes. The fashion business is really dog-eat-dog and all those big designers don't seem to really understand that real people don't spend $1000 on a dress, or as the author writes in the book, that the consumer is king. No wonder so many fashions don't sell. And those Paris designers, after reading this book I see that they really are not what they appear to be. They are so clueless and overrated. I also finally understood about the stock market and why Donna Karan's DKNY doesn't appeal to women like me anymore. The stories in this book were funny and factual and read really fast. I finished it over a few days. I highly recommend it.

This is an interesting and well written business book about the fashion industry and some of its most important designers. The author describes the growth and changes in the fashion industry and the changing role of the customer and the designers. The books material is mainly focused on the US marketplace and the different stand-offs between ex. Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, the growth of Armani and the Italian designers, and the decline of the French. The main thing is that it nowadays more comes down to great marketing and expensive ad budgets to stay successful, that great design techniques. Overall great insight into an industry mostly concerned on hype and over inflated egos.

This is an eye opening book! If you love fashion,this invites you to go behind the "counter". "Deluxe" by Dana Thomas is a must read companion book to this one.

Interesting, business-view of fashion, that shows the indulgences of vain, shallow designers like Isaac Mizrahi, Donna Karan and Mossimo, whose idiocy was their downfall, and the more business-minded, but nonetheless creative, designers that flourish. Shallow, as only fashion can be, but interesting, too.

Great Book! This book is informative as well as entertaining. People really have stopped dressing up. Priorities have changed...Comfort; Care & Upkeep of garments; Bargain prices; and Convenience in Shopping have become the most important considerations.