substantially higher amounts of money than they would during conventional
shopping. This leads to higher sales turnover for the brands and a stronger
attachment between the customer and the brand. Trunk shows are often held
in the luxury store on a specific day, usually after the runway fashion shows
and are mostly attended by appointment. However, brands like Ralph Lauren
and Burberry are making trunk shows more available to a mass consumer
public by providing information and access to them through their websites.Pre-season showsare an extended form of trunk shows. The distinguishing
factor is that pre-season shows are mostly by invitation and attendance is
exclusive to the clients the luxury brands select. Also, pre-season shows focus
on the sub-collections that are launched just prior to the main season’s collec-
tions, while trunk shows are held as a preview of the next season’s complete
collection. The sub-collections are called Cruise Collections by some brands
like Gucci and Jimmy Choo, while Dior refers to theirs as the Capsule
Collection. Pre-season shows also provide the same benefits that trunk shows
provide to both luxury brands and luxury consumers.Post-season salesis the equivalent of price discount sales normally held by
mass fashion brands or brands in other product categories. However, in
luxury fashion, post-season sales are private and are mostly by invitation.
They involve the sale of a luxury brand’s previous season’s collection at
discounted prices, often up to 50 per cent of the original retail prices. Since
luxury brands need to remain exclusive in order to maintain their brand
equity, post-season sales have not been widely adopted by several luxury
brands. The brands that practice post-season sales retailing do so exclusively
for selected customers and on a restricted number of shopping days.Personal stylist shoppingis a selling technique that has been in existence in
both luxury goods and conventional goods retailing for decades. However,
shopping with a personal stylist was restricted to VIP clients but is now being
required by a broader consumer base. Personal stylists are currently found at
luxury brands, luxury departmental stores and also at major fashion maga-
zines. Some of them also work independently such as the New York-based
company, Paris Personal Shopper, which caters to the needs of clients intend-
ing to make shopping trips to Paris.
Personal stylists provide shoppers with invaluable advice on the season’s
trends and also how they can combine products in the store with the comple-
mentary products the clients already own. They also help less fashion-savvy
clients define their tastes and choose the right goods to balance their looks. The
ultimate goal of personal stylist shopping is to satisfy the customer, enhance
their experience with the brand and develop a deeper relationship that often
leads to brand loyalty. Personal stylist shopping is an important aspect of client
relations, which also provides an opportunity for one-to-one marketing.96
luxury fashion branding