the startups.com platform about startups.comCheck out the new Startups.com - A Comprehensive Startup University
Education
Planning
Mentors
Funding
Customers
Assistants
Clarity
Categories
Business
Sales & Marketing
Funding
Product & Design
Technology
Skills & Management
Industries
Other
Business
Career Advice
Branding
Financial Consulting
Customer Engagement
Strategy
Sectors
Getting Started
Human Resources
Business Development
Legal
Other
Sales & Marketing
Social Media Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Public Relations
Branding
Publishing
Inbound Marketing
Email Marketing
Copywriting
Growth Strategy
Search Engine Marketing
Sales & Lead Generation
Advertising
Other
Funding
Crowdfunding
Kickstarter
Venture Capital
Finance
Bootstrapping
Nonprofit
Other
Product & Design
Identity
User Experience
Lean Startup
Product Management
Metrics & Analytics
Other
Technology
WordPress
Software Development
Mobile
Ruby
CRM
Innovation
Cloud
Other
Skills & Management
Productivity
Entrepreneurship
Public Speaking
Leadership
Coaching
Other
Industries
SaaS
E-commerce
Education
Real Estate
Restaurant & Retail
Marketplaces
Nonprofit
Other
Dashboard
Browse Search
Answers
Calls
Inbox
Sign Up Log In

Loading...

Share Answer

Menu
Branding & Identity: What is the most important attribute for a successful high-end lifestyle clothing brand to have?
LB
LB
Lalita Ballesteros, 2x TEDx Speaker, Mentor, Prev: @Lyft @SethGodin answered:

Joseph's answer is spot on.

Clothing is about the story you tell about yourself. People wear Kmart because it's affordable. It suggests nothing more than an appreciation for reasonable pricing.

Marc Jacobs however boasts of something entirely different. You have taste. You have style. You are somehow "in" and care about fashion.

Entirely different story and entirely different audience.

If you intend to have a high end brand, you want to ask yourself what high end means and how you aim to create that. It takes time to create this persona.

Here are a two, main things to consider:

1- Design: look is everything. From the clothes to the way you showcase them.

2- Product placement: where are your clothes showing up? What editorial and on who? This is huge. And what story are they telling about your clothes? The story isn't only told through words either. Aesthetic plays a major role in this as well. We are trained to believe that when things look a particular way, they mean a certain something. Thus, figure out what you want the world to believe about your brand and consider how we've been trained by mass media to believe these things (considering placement, look, feel and people wearing them).

3- I had to get a third in there. Price and availability also tells a story. Less is sometimes more in terms of quantity and higher implies better quality. Again, it's about the story. Consider, though, companies like DSTLD (https://www.dstldjeans.com/). They boast of designer products at less inflated fees. The jeans aren't cheap, but seemingly discounted. They tell you they save you money by giving you what let's say Ralph Lauren would provide without the inflated prices. They position themselves as the friendly high-end people who have your best interest at heart. It's all about the story and the angle you take and how much it resonates with the people you're selling to.

Talk to Lalita Upvote • Share
•••
Share Report

Answer URL

Share Question

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Google+
  • Share by email
About
  • How it Works
  • Success Stories
Experts
  • Become an Expert
  • Find an Expert
Answers
  • Ask a Question
  • Recent Answers
Support
  • Help
  • Terms of Service
Follow

the startups.com platform

Startups Education
Startup Planning
Access Mentors
Secure Funding
Reach Customers
Virtual Assistants

Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.