• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.630-647
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• 2021

As generations Y and Z gain influence, luxury fashion brands are interacting with younger digital consumers through fashion film, seeking to offer them a differentiated brand experience. Using a literature review addressing characteristics of fashion films as a communication medium and luxury fashion brands' heritage in the digital era, this study examines how brands express their heritage through fashion film, categorizing those expressions in terms of implicit meaning. The case study analyzed films from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, and Burberry uploaded to YouTube between 2018 and 2020. First, to retain their status as luxury, brands emphasize historical legitimacy. Specifically, they highlight their iconic historical image, their succession of creative directors, valuable historic locations, and diversity of consumer's brand experiences. Second, by stressing craftsmanship, integrating contemporary art and local culture, and utilizing a museum aura, they use brand heritage to acquire luxury status. Third, they attempt to mythify the founders by creating the persona of the fashion designer and the artist. The results show that the heritage depicted in fashion films is a key way in which luxury fashion brands resolve the tension between accessibility and exclusivity that they encounter and to get consumers emotionally engaged with brands.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.741-757
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• 2021

In addition to direct sales to consumers, the direct-to-consumers (D2C) strategy, which provides specialized experiences and services, communicates closely with a consumer's perspective. This tendency is related to the recent trend wherein the luxury fashion system is being transformed into a new luxury. Therefore, this study analyzes the development of online D2C platforms and investigates the characteristics of new luxury from the functional, symbolic, and experiential dimension perspectives based on mobile apps, which is becoming increasingly important among online D2C platforms. Based on the study results, the premium of new luxury fashion displayed in Louis Vuitton's mobile D2C platform in terms of product utility and functionality is newly defined as a usable luxury experience. Moreover, from the heritage perspective, based on the cultural sympathy of the brand contents, we determine that an attachment can be formed between new luxury fashion consumers and brands. Additionally, the personalization service and experiential content on the D2C platform can directly afford emotional and bonding induced brand immersion in a playful way.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2022

As consumption pattern and fashion communication become digitalized, fashion houses are being inherited by creative directors owing to their expanding role. While the roles and responsibilities of creative directors have been changing extensively along with the dynamic nature of the fashion industry, researches on creative directions have mostly focused on luxury brands. This study examined the creative direction of John Galliano for Maison Margiela, a conceptual brand to be maintained by a creative director. To analyze this, the authors established a creative direction analysis model constituting five elements: brand heritage, trend, democratization, brand status, and persona, drawing on the luxury brand architecture by Kapferer and Bastien. Thus, Galliano has maintained anonymity as a heritage of Maison Margiela, expanding the existing Replica lines, and introduced fashion shows focusing on current issues or social phenomena. As a democratization strategy, he directed the brand to associate with more popular brands or expanded diffusion lines to secure broader customer base, while demonstrating couturier-like showmanship in the media and establishing his own persona. His direction for Maison Margiela recreates and expands brand heritage by transforming the brand philosophy. Therefore the new creative direction communicates with the wider public and diversifies customer bases through democratization strategies, while building Galliano's own persona.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.935-951
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• 2013

The recent entry and heated competition of numerous fashion brands in the luxury fashion market have all compelled luxury businesses to change. The issue of brand equity has emerged as one of the most critical areas for luxury marketing management. Despite strong interest in the subject, there is little evidence of how brand equity is created by marketing activities and what their effects are. This study identifies the effects of luxury marketing activities on the brand equity of luxury items, utilizing Keller's (2001) 'CBBE (Customer Based Brand Equity) Model' as a theoretical framework. Based on literature review, a conceptual model for brand signature, heritage, premium price, controlled distribution, and promotion on customers' view on brand equity was tested. To test the hypothesized building paths of luxury brand equity, statistical analysis were performed with an AMOS 7.0 program using a confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model. The results were: First, luxury brand equity was defined in terms of four components (brand awareness/association, customer judgment, customer feeling, and customer-brand resonance). Second, the proposed conceptual framework of this study was partially significant. We can provide an effectiveness of Keller's CBBE model to conceptualize the building process of luxury brand equity; subsequently, marketers should develop core elements to position a brand strategy to create a competitive advantage.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.195-215
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• 2010

The emergence of the luxury market has led numerous academic researchers, as well as marketers in the luxury market, to pay attention to both identifying luxury brand features and measuring perceptions toward luxury brands. Especially, Korea is a significant emerging market for luxury goods. Young consumers and male consumers are getting into the luxury market fast and these new segments will keep increasing. There are only a few studies related to distinctive definitions of luxury brands and measurement development for the Korean market. However, there are some limitations in these previous studies in that they did not capture the nature of luxury due to their inappropriate of subjects and approach in data collection and to lack of a perspective of Korean specific features. Thus, the purpose of this research is to identify Korean consumers' perceptions toward luxury products and, ultimately, to develop a reliable and valid measurement items for the luxury products' features for the Korean market. Defining the three high constructs(functional, emotional, and symbolic aspects) as a key needs and benefits on luxury brands, we looked at four stages of development for generating and deducting items by luxury industry experts and luxury consumers, as well as for testing measures by 20th~60th consumers. As a result, this study confirmed that luxury brands consists of high quality, high price, unique design, and luxury store; the emotional aspect construct combines craftsmanship, VIP service, and high social status; and the symbolic construct includes brand heritage and being a well-known brand. Finally, 22 measurement items (Measures of Luxury Brand for Korea: LBK) were developed for the conceptual features for luxury brands from a Korean perspective. This study provided understanding of Korean consumers' perceptions toward luxury brands from an academic perspective. For the managerial implication of this study, LBK can be utilized to judge both luxury brands and mass brands, to diagnose current a brand's luxuriousness, from the customer's point-of-view, and, finally, to measure a Key Performance Index (KPI) of luxury brand companies.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.103-115
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• 2013

This study identifies how the luxury brand marketing mix affects customer equity drivers and suggests intangible equity management strategies so that companies can make long-term profits through luxury brands based on empirical studies of Korean luxury consumers. The results of the study are as follows: First, this study classified the properties that use 8 key factors (product integrity, heritage, exclusivity, premium image, environment and consumption experience, premium price, luxury communication strategy, and brand signature). Second, it shows that product integrity and luxury communication strategy have a positive effect on all customer equity drivers, that brand signature has a positive effect on value equity and brand equity, and that premium price has a negative effect on relation equity. It is important to provide products and services equipped with high quality and luxurious designs based on excellent craftsmanship in order to establish brand equity and value equity. Brand identity needs to be maintained and unique brand signatures need to be developed based on the long history of luxury brands against a traditional backdrop. A diversified communication strategy improves brand recognition while playing a part in facilitating brand association and brand image. In order to improve relationship equity, actions such as a loyalty program to strengthen brand loyalty, need to be taken as well as measures to maintain and enhance customer trust through a reasonable price strategy.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.61-78
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• 2021

Gianni Versace is one of the most influential Italian designers between the 1980s and 1990s and a representative person to add sexiness and splendour to Italian fashion. This study aimed to analyze the design identity that resulted in the successful handover to Donatella Versace and to review how effectively differentiated and unique heritage elements of Versace were transferred and operated. Literature reviews were performed to find Gianni Versace's design identity and archive. The scope of this study was Donatella's collection from 2018 to 2020. In particular, Signature, the most remarkable design identity of luxury brands with a visual identity that includes the mark, logo and symbol and design elements such as the item, colour, materials, details, etc., were the special focus. In this study, the elements of the visual identity of the signature were classified with the logo, icon, silhouette, materials, patterns, colours, and changes in details that were applied with the uniqueness and philosophy of the differentiated brand. Donatella Versace empathized with Versace's heritage as the brand heritage recalling Versace's honour in the 1990s and reproduced his honour again by reinterpretation of Versace's design images. Donatella is considered an excellent creative director who leads the brand by keeping the heritage and applying the trends of the times. This study as a case study of Versace has the meaning that Versace has maintained the brand identity starting from Gianni Versace as the first generation and successful takeover after the change of directors upon recreation to meet the modern times.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1318-1330
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• 2010

The 21st century is the age when a sensational image has more explanatory power and can deliver a more powerful message than a message consisting of logical thinking. Powerful visual images create a big impact on many people throughout the world, overcoming linguistic barriers and even replacing language as a means of communication. In the fashion field, the concept and power of visual images within the new multimedia of the 21st century are becoming increasingly important. In recent years, other than the above methods, videos, movies and animation features have been produced directly to enhance visual effects and attempts are increasing to use these new tools as communication methods. This study focuses on animation contents that have been used in the fashion industry to overcome prejudice of luxury international brands that feature images that emphasize value, quality and heritage. The purpose of this study is to focus on the specific character of fashion animation in order to overview the concept of 21st video fashion communication and to show how the collection concept that includes color and detail places an emphasis on visual images. Analysis of previous research, theoretical research through literature and case study on Prada fashion animation led to the following conclusion. The common features of two different Prada fashion animation show that both animation have the following features in common : realism, dramatic impact and convergence for expression methods, and creativeness, hybrid and a happy ending for contents. Beginning with this study, I believe that various angles of interest and concern about communication in the fashion world, which is a social and cultural phenomenon that changes rapidly, can be will be looked at and learned from.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.55 no.3 s.93
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• pp.136-149
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze how the purchase of BURBERRY prestigious fashion brand, accomplishing the most successful luxury brand in Korea, correlated to the demographic and psychological characteristics of the BURBERRY purchasers, especially, conformity and individuality. The responses of 304 female living in Seoul and the metropolitan area between 20sover 50s who had ever bought BURBERRY were used in the study. The following results were found: 1) BURBERRY consumer's psychological characteristics were classified into 2 types of conformity (normative conformity and identificational conformity) and 2 types of individuality (anticonformity and independence) 2) 3 factors of the attributes of BURBERRY products were identified: functionality (color, multipurpose, easy-care, pattern), symbolic(brand renown & trust, history & heritage, scarcity) and aesthetic(quality, design) 3) Women conforming to higher clothing conformity attached great importance to the symbolic attributes of BURBERRY 4) The importance factors of decision on purchasing of BURBERRY were design, brand renown & trust and product quality among which the design was the highest in degree and order.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2013

This case focuses on Shanghai Tang, the first truly Chinese luxury brand that appeals to both Westerners and, more recently, to Chinese consumers worldwide. A visionary and wealthy businessman Sir David Tang created this company from scratch in 1994 in Hong Kong. Its story, spanned over almost two decades, has been fascinating. It went from what best a Chinese brand could be in the eyes of Westerners who love the Chinese culture, to a nearly-bankrupted company in 1998, before being acquired by Richemont, the second largest luxury group in the world. Since then, its turnaround has been spectacular with a growing appeal among Chinese luxury consumers who represent the core segment of the luxury industry today. The main objective of this case study is to formally examine how Shanghai Tang overcame its downfall and re-emerged as one the very few well- known Chinese luxury brands. More specifically, this case highlights the ways with which Shanghai Tang made a transitional change from a brand for Westerners who love the Chinese culture, to a brand for both, Westerners who love the Chinese culture and Chinese who love luxury. A close examination reveals that Shanghai Tang has followed the brand identity concept that consists of two major components: functional and emotional. The functional component for developing a luxury brand concerns all product characteristics that will make a product 'luxurious' in the eyes of the consumer, such as premium quality of cachemire from Mongolia, Chinese silk, lacquer, finest leather, porcelain, and jade in the case of Shanghai Tang. The emotional component consists of non-functional symbolic meanings of a brand. The symbolic meaning marks the major difference between a premium and a luxury brand. In the case of Shanghai Tang, its symbolic meaning refers to the Chinese culture and the brand aims to represent the best of Chinese traditions and establish itself as "the ambassador of modern Chinese style". It touches the Chinese heritage and emotions. Shanghai Tang has reinvented the modern Chinese chic by drawing back to the stylish decadence of Shanghai in the 1930s, which was then called the "Paris of the East", and this is where the brand finds inspiration to create its own myth. Once the functional and emotional components assured, Shanghai Tang has gone through a four-stage development to become the first global Chinese luxury brand: introduction, deepening, expansion, and revitalization. Introduction: David Tang discovered a market gap and had a vision to launch the first Chinese luxury brand to the world. The key success drivers for the introduction and management of a Chinese luxury brand are a solid brand identity and, above all, a creative mind, an inspired person. This was David Tang then, and this is now Raphael Le Masne de Chermont, the current Executive Chairman. Shanghai Tang combines Chinese and Western elements, which it finds to be the most sustainable platform for drawing consumers. Deepening: A major objective of the next phase is to become recognized as a luxury brand and a fashion or design authority. For this purpose, Shanghai Tang has cooperated with other well-regarded luxury and lifestyle brands such as Puma and Swarovski. It also expanded its product lines from high-end custom-made garments to music CDs and restaurant. Expansion: After the opening of his first store in Hong Kong in 1994, David Tang went on to open his second store in New York City three years later. However this New York retail operation was a financial disaster. Barely nineteen months after the opening, the store was shut down and quietly relocated to a cheaper location of Madison Avenue. Despite this failure, Shanghai Tang products found numerous followers especially among Western tourists and became "souvenir-like" must-haves. However, despite its strong brand DNA, the brand did not generate enough repeated sales and over the years the company cumulated heavy debts and became unprofitable. Revitalizing: After its purchase by Richemont in 1998, Le Masne de Chermont was appointed to lead the company, reposition the brand and undertake some major strategic changes such as revising the "Shanghai Tang" designs to appeal not only to Westerners but also to Chinese consumers, and to open new stores around the world. Since then, Shanghai Tang has become synonymous to a modern Chinese luxury lifestyle brand.