Competitive asset or unnecessary expense? The role of the designer within UK fashion retailing

Abstract

While much is made of the contribution of design to the achievement of competitive advantage within the British fashion retail sector, little attempt has been made to examine the processes in which design is managed, integrated and developed within such companies. With the cooperation of 11 of the UK's most successful fashion retailers, this research identifies that the responsibility for design direction and development has moved from supplier to fashion retailer, in order that the latter can fully exploit and protect the opportunities afforded to them through own‐branding. Suggesting that design control affords greater supply chain control, the research also provides a valuable insight into the varying roles and responsibilities of the designer as well as the differing ways in which the design function is managed by fashion retailers. In addition, the research identifies that for some of the most successful fashion retailers, the contribution of the designer has been extended and his or her creativity incorporated into areas of decision making not traditionally associated with that of the fashion designer.

An exploration of fashion retailer own brand strategies

“…According to Harris and de Chernatony (2001), there has been a shift in the brand literature from brand management which is consumer focused, to brand identity which focuses on how managers and employees make a brand unique. Additionally, a move towards globalisation, such as that which has occurred in fashion retailing (Moore and Shearer, 1998;Moore, 2000;Moore and Birtwistle, 2004) has led to a shift in emphasis from product brands to corporate brands as a communicator of corporate ideology and image (Aaker, 1996;Ind, 1997;de Chernatony, 1999;Aaker and Joachimstaler, 2000;Knox et al, 2000;Olins, 2000;Balmer, 2001;Harris and de Chernatony, 2001;Hatch and Schultz, 2003;Kapfer, 2004). It has been suggested that the development and implementation of own brand strategy is a vital element of retailer corporate strategy (Moore, 1995;Burt, 2000;Martensen, 2007), the range and type of own brands developed being directly related to the corporate brand image (Ailawadi and Keller, 2004).…”

Understanding Labour Turnover in a Labour Intensive Industry: Evidence from the British Clothing Industry*

“…Such a situation can merely exacerbate existing trends. Finally, quality‐based flexible specialization is not feasible for large segments of the industry that have neither the brand name to accompany such a shift nor the design (management, integration and development) capability to move into what is already a competitive niche market (Moore and Shearer, 1998). After all, there is only so much space for high fashion goods and the UK already has a strong market presence in this area.…”