The hit Gossip Girls series star, Blair Waldorf, quoted ‘’whoever said money can’t buy happiness, doesn’t know where to shop’’. And to the million shopaholics in the world, she became an idol of worship. And whoever said something that looks better will sell better, is correct in every aspect. Who doesn’t drool and immediately fish out their credit cards with more or less no guilt of spending their own or parent’s hard earned money on a pair of shiny Jimmy Choos, A Cartier watch, or an expensive Gucci one piece. Non branded items bought from the roadside carrying fake brand names don’t go unnoticed either. If they’re in fashion they’re in your wardrobe, as simple as 123. People these days hardly look for quality. Mainly because dresses aren’t meant to be repeated and shoes aren’t meant to be worn again once they’ve been seen in public.
Fashion knows not of comfort. All that matters is the face you show to the world. Imagine walking through a street with names like Stella McCartney, Dior, and Ferragamo .Looking at mannequins covered with cashmere sweaters, scarves, LBDs and long pointy heels. Who wouldn’t sacrifice swiping their credit cards through the machines, only to own the best looking attires in town? Of course, only international brands do not attract the public’s eye. Fab India, Cottons and other Indian brands, too, have become a rage in the shopper’s world.
Neatly stitched dresses and perfectly fitting jeans, glossy shoes and attractive shirts, the adjectives are good enough to magnetize the million shoppers. Manufacturers are fully aware of the needs of a customer and make sure their produce is eye catching and irresistible. Human psychology is such that, someone who looks at a conspicuous product is bound to purchase it, not bothering about the purchase. And the benefiters are not only the customers but also the retailers who are able to earn big bucks by wooing customers simply by displaying dazzling designs. Budding fashion designers these days not only display bouts of passion in their work but also hint their monetary demands. Being a shopaholic myself, I know what kind of things catches a customer’s eye. One would undoubtedly choose something that is exquisite and fashionable in every aspect over something that causes a customer to think twice about buying it.
Moving away from retail therapy, gastronomy is the other area where the look of the product matters majorly. The advertisements of McDonald’s or Pizza Hut, Gelato or Hagen Daasz instantaneously catch the customer’s eye. They are all drool worthy and hence become credit worthy. No, the chain owners are not foolish to only focus on the look of their products. Customer satisfaction is their first and foremost priority and they make sure that the taste compliments the look of their product. Advertising is the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it.
Apple owner Steve Jobs quoted,”you can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new. ‘’ Apple was declared a hit among all genres of people. With a sleek body and incredible features, it immediately attracted millions of those who are now proud Mac owners. Valuable products like laptops are not bought just by looking at its advertisements, but once tested; days and weeks are spent by customers to choose the correct and best design of the product. Maintaining the status quo is of great importance in the 21st century. Even if you can’t afford a product, you put in your heart and soul to shell out cash to compete with your next door Richie Rich neighbour who can’t stop talking about her endless trips overseas and the number of Prada shoes and bags she owns. An immediate adrenaline rushes through your veins, wanting to show that woman your worth. Credit card safely tucked in your wallet and the new slippers slipped into the freshly manicured feet of yours, you make that much needed shopping trip. Trial rooms stay empty as you swipe your cards after entering a store for barely 3 minutes and choosing the outfits that look the best. And the result is a happy you, happy salesmen, and a red-faced neighbour. Bliss, isn’t it? What more would a retail owner want than bundles of cash trying to push their way through the lockers , just because someone bought clothes worth 50,000 without even bothering to try them own or think twice about whether it would look good or not?
Fashion shows are a key tool to make designers collections accessible to its customer. Extravagant and expensive shows showcasing artistic and creative designs easily attract a lot consumer attention, whether the consumers view it live or on television. Looks are temporary and don’t mirror what’s inside and it is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness. As fashion comes and goes, and style remains of constant importance, it is very clear that something that looks better: read, in fashion: will sell better, undoubtedly.
Fashion is what you adopt when you don’t know who you are. And when people refuse to believe in their own sense of style, they follow the fashion news like hungry dogs hoping to fit in. THAT’S when the whole troop of elegant people walk through the fashion streets hoping to look good and buy something that looks good, calling to fame, the treasurer of the fashion industry J
