Blue jeans are particularly identified with American culture. Comfortable and casual, denim jeans are a clothing item that people cannot seem to do without. It was Levi Strauss, a German-Jewish dry goods merchant, who began selling blue jeans under the name "Levi's" to mining communities in the 1850s. These durable denim jeans were well received, and demand for the product increased. By 1890, Levi Strauss & Co. became an official corporation.
Since that time, the popularity of jeans has swelled. Up until the 1950s, however, blue jeans were viewed as simple sturdy trousers worn by the working class of men. Yet when the film Rebel Without a Cause was released in 1955, James Dean sparked a trend that forever altered the image of blue jeans. Teenagers and young adults took to wearing jeans as a symbol of youth and rebellion.
Jeans have come a long way. The designs have morphed throughout the years. Today, there is a wide variety of assorted styles, washes, fits, and cuts offered for denim jeans. Levi Strauss is still one of the leading brands. Another very popular company, especially among the youth, is American Eagle.
So how do companies effectively market jeans to a population of people who own closets that are stocked full of denim? I suppose it is rather old hat, but the typical answer is simple: they create a need. In actuality, it is more of a want, but composed in such a way as to give the impression of a must-have. Fashions are always changing, constantly shifting, and in order to be cool, people will fork out their hard-earned cash in return for the newest trends.
In the wake of national recession, however, the general public is holding tighter to their money. According to a recent survey put out by Synovate, most Americans do not wish to spend more than $40 on a pair of jeans. This survey also showed that women in particular are more inclined to purchase a pair of jeans that would camouflage their flaws or make them appear slimmer. The quality of a pair of jeans is the leading factor that people look for when shopping for jeans, winning out over price.
The Artist is American Eagle's best-selling pair of jeans. When the company dropped the style in the summer of 2008, they reported a 7 percent drop in overall sales during the August through October period. This year, the Artist is getting star-treatment, serving as the focus of American Eagle's advertising campaign, but it is being priced far below the cost of designer jeans [ranging from $29.50 to $49.50]. "Countless hours in the design studio have perfected the fit so it flatters in all the right places," said LeAnn Nealz, chief design officer for the American Eagle brand, in a statement about the Artist jean. According to the official release, "The new fit has an improved back seat lift with changes in the pocket size and positioning to the yoke of the jean, creating the look of a perky backside."
American Eagle has made the right moves. This season's denim line-up is giving their clientele exactly what they asked for: quality, low prices, and flattering jeans. However, the response is entirely dependent upon the consumers. Is the design of the new and improved Artist enticing enough to win back American Eagle's customer base? Only time will tell...
Since that time, the popularity of jeans has swelled. Up until the 1950s, however, blue jeans were viewed as simple sturdy trousers worn by the working class of men. Yet when the film Rebel Without a Cause was released in 1955, James Dean sparked a trend that forever altered the image of blue jeans. Teenagers and young adults took to wearing jeans as a symbol of youth and rebellion.
Jeans have come a long way. The designs have morphed throughout the years. Today, there is a wide variety of assorted styles, washes, fits, and cuts offered for denim jeans. Levi Strauss is still one of the leading brands. Another very popular company, especially among the youth, is American Eagle.
So how do companies effectively market jeans to a population of people who own closets that are stocked full of denim? I suppose it is rather old hat, but the typical answer is simple: they create a need. In actuality, it is more of a want, but composed in such a way as to give the impression of a must-have. Fashions are always changing, constantly shifting, and in order to be cool, people will fork out their hard-earned cash in return for the newest trends.
In the wake of national recession, however, the general public is holding tighter to their money. According to a recent survey put out by Synovate, most Americans do not wish to spend more than $40 on a pair of jeans. This survey also showed that women in particular are more inclined to purchase a pair of jeans that would camouflage their flaws or make them appear slimmer. The quality of a pair of jeans is the leading factor that people look for when shopping for jeans, winning out over price.
The Artist is American Eagle's best-selling pair of jeans. When the company dropped the style in the summer of 2008, they reported a 7 percent drop in overall sales during the August through October period. This year, the Artist is getting star-treatment, serving as the focus of American Eagle's advertising campaign, but it is being priced far below the cost of designer jeans [ranging from $29.50 to $49.50]. "Countless hours in the design studio have perfected the fit so it flatters in all the right places," said LeAnn Nealz, chief design officer for the American Eagle brand, in a statement about the Artist jean. According to the official release, "The new fit has an improved back seat lift with changes in the pocket size and positioning to the yoke of the jean, creating the look of a perky backside."
American Eagle has made the right moves. This season's denim line-up is giving their clientele exactly what they asked for: quality, low prices, and flattering jeans. However, the response is entirely dependent upon the consumers. Is the design of the new and improved Artist enticing enough to win back American Eagle's customer base? Only time will tell...
- "I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes." – Yves Saint-Laurent
images: http://www.ae.com
After having posted this blog entry, I stumbled across this relevant article. According to Christina Binkley of the Wall Street Journal, 'power jeans' are becoming increasingly common in high-ranking business and political circles. She states that jeans are now a legitimate part of the global power-dress lexicon, worn to influential confabs where the wearers want to signal that they are serious - but not fussy - and innovative. You can read the article here
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