Diffusion Lines FYI
What are they? In an expensive world of fashion, the grim reality is that we usually can’t afford the things that we really want. But diffusion lines make our days a little bit less painful. They are sub-brands created by designers in order to capture more of the market share. They’re for those who want to wear Giorgio Armani, but can’t quite afford to splurge on the real deal. And these cheaper lines are cleverly price-pointed in a way that, designers hope won’t dilute the prestige of the brand.
Who’s doing it? Everyone from Marc Jacobs to Vivienne Westwood. In Australia we’ve come across Ho by Lisa Ho, Sylvester by Kate Sylvester, and Cooper by Trelise Cooper. There’s also Akira Isogawa, who launched his diffusion line Akira Red in 2003. Wayne Cooper is another interesting designer who has followed the lead in this direction.
What’s the future for these offshoots? By the looks of things, the market is exploding with these off-brands! Just recently, Target in America have assigned Isaac Mizrahi to create a line of affordable yet stylish clothes. Karl Lagerfeld’s work with H&M is another famous story. Isn't it a wonderful relief to know that when we’ve maxed out our credit card limit by spending it all on top notch designer gear, we can actually make huge savings when taking home any of these offshoot labels?
posted by Petra at 7:04 pm
2 Comments:
It is true that the cheaper brands by those big designers such as Armani are great, but most of the time, they are still very expensive. But then again, what would be their point if they weren't expensive?
The designers who have done these offshoots have made it possible for most people to be able to afford buying their things. As you say, it's still very pricey, but not even close to the normal price range. It's a great way of introducing the brand to a completely new market. Naturally there is a risk of loosing their usual (too snobby) customers.
Post a Comment
<< Home