If you’re dreaming of a career in fashion, already working in the industry, or taking a fashion course, chances are you’ll need to analyze a fashion brand at some point. Fashion professionals conduct brand analysis for different scopes: Marketers: Learn how to position a brand effectively and craft campaigns that resonate. Designers: Understand what makes a product line cohesive with the brand’s identity. Business Strategists: Spot areas for market expansion and competitive advantage.
But even if you are still a student and not in the industry yet, you can still be involved in the analysis of fashion brands. Maybe a recruiter will ask you to evaluate a brand during a job interview, or it might come up as part of a class assignment. By doing a fashion brand analysis you can gain insights into how brands operate, helping you to prepare for class projects, internships, or job applications.
Read how to conduct a competitor analysis here.
So let’s understand more about how to analyze a fashion brand and why it’s important to master this skill.
How to analyze a fashion brand
- At the heart of every successful fashion brand is a clear and compelling identity. By analyzing a brand, you can uncover how it differentiates itself through its values, storytelling, and aesthetics. For example, Chanel is synonymous with timeless luxury, while Supreme leverages exclusivity and streetwear culture. Understanding these distinctions helps you identify how brands attract and retain their target audiences.
- Brand analysis is not just about what a brand is doing now but also about identifying where it can grow. This can involve exploring untapped markets, new product categories, or innovations.
- Every brand has areas where it excels and areas where it struggles. By analyzing a brand, you can evaluate these factors. For example, a brand might have a strong heritage but struggle with modern relevance, or it may have a global presence but face criticism for ethical practices.
- Many recruiters in the fashion industry will expect you to have a detailed understanding of their brand. In job interviews, you might be asked to analyze their market positioning or suggest strategies for improvement. Having the skills to perform a thorough analysis demonstrates your knowledge and dedication to the industry.
So, what should you look at when diving into a brand analysis? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll break it all down step by step so you can approach the task like a pro.
1. Understand the Brand Identity
- Mission and Vision: Begin by exploring the brand’s purpose and values. For example, Stella McCartney states: We are on a conscious luxury mission to create fashion that does not compromise on desirability or sustainability and that holds us accountable to our targets.
- Visual Identity: Look at logos, colors, and typography. Chanel, for example, maintains a classic black-and-white palette, symbolizing timeless elegance. On the other hand, Jacquemus uses playful visuals and bold typography, appealing to a younger audience.
- Brand Story: A compelling narrative differentiates brands. Patagonia, known for its sustainability ethos, positions itself as a pioneer in environmental activism, which resonates deeply with eco-conscious consumers.
2. Evaluate the Product Offering
- Range and Specialization: Analyze the variety within the product categories: do they specialize in accessories only? Womenswear and menswear? Bags? Shoes only? Zara offers everything from basics to high-trend items, emphasizing affordability and speed to market. In contrast, Hermès focuses on ultra-luxury, specializing in iconic handbags like the Birkin, which are status symbols worldwide.
- Quality and Craftsmanship: Brands like Louis Vuitton and Brunello Cucinelli are synonymous with exceptional craftsmanship, which justifies their premium pricing.
- Uniqueness: For example, Off-White bridges luxury and streetwear, making it distinct in the contemporary fashion space.
3. Assess Target Audience and Market Positioning
- Target Demographic: Understanding the target audience of a fashion brand requires analyzing demographics, psychographics, and consumer behavior. Break down factors such as:
- Age: Are they targeting Gen Z, Millennials, or an older audience? This influences product design, marketing language, and platform usage.
- Gender: Consider whether your brand is gender-neutral, primarily for women, men, or a specific identity.
- Income Level: Determines whether your audience prefers luxury, premium, or affordable options.
- Education Level: May affect how you position your brand (e.g., intellectual appeals versus lifestyle-focused).
These factors define who the brand serves and why customers choose its products. Understanding demographics is crucial. Zara appeals to a broad audience, offering affordable yet trendy clothing for men, women, and children. Conversely, Balenciaga targets a more niche, high-fashion consumer base that values avant-garde designs.
- Positioning: Consider how the brand differentiates itself. Uniqlo, for example, emphasizes functional, high-quality basics at an affordable price. This contrasts with Alexander McQueen, known for its theatrical runway pieces and artisanal craftsmanship.
- Competitor Analysis: Compare brands within similar tiers. For example, Nike and Adidas compete fiercely in the athletic wear segment, while Dior and Chanel dominate luxury couture.
4. Analyze Marketing and Communication Strategies
- Social Media and Digital Presence: Look into the social media platforms where the brand is present, the type of posts, and engagement (the last 10 posts can give you an idea.) Look also at the brand’s e-commerce because it can provide insights about its visual communication, services, and communication with customers.
- Content Strategy: Analyze what content is used for the promotion of the brand and its products, from visual content (images, reels, photoshoots, campaigns…) to written (captions, product descriptions, newsletters…) and behind-the-scenes content (showcasing the ateliers, the design process, the creative director, etc.) For instance, Dior has a very product-focused Instagram feed, while Jacquemus engages in storytelling, fun and artistic displays of its products, and proximity with the audience through personal photos of Simon Porte Jacquemus.
- Collaborations and Influencers: Learn who the ambassadors of Gucci, Loewe, and Versace… are and any collaborations with celebrities or other brands.
5. Examine Financial and Business Performance
- Revenue and Market Share: Most fashion companies are public and therefore they publish their results each quarter. Look at how they are doing in terms of revenue, margins, etc.
- Growth Trends: Analyze expansion efforts. For example, Jacquemus transitioned from pop-up shops to permanent stores, reflecting a strategic growth plan.
6. Customer Journey and Feedback
- Reviews and Ratings: Reading customer reviews reveals insights into product fit, quality, and overall satisfaction. For instance, Everlane heavily markets transparency, but some reviews critique its delivery times.
- Loyalty Programs: Programs like Sephora’s Beauty Insider drive repeat purchases by offering perks tailored to shopper behavior.
7. Industry Trends and Brand Alignment
- Fashion Trends: Evaluate how the brand aligns with or sets trends. Bottega Veneta consistently sets design trends, like its signature woven leather bags, which influence the wider fashion industry.
- Cultural Relevance: During Pride Month, brands like Levi’s highlight inclusivity by launching limited collections and supporting LGBTQ+ initiatives, appealing to socially conscious consumers.
8. Benchmarking: Comparing Across Categories
Benchmarking involves comparing a brand’s performance, strategy, and positioning to its competitors within and across categories. This process highlights strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement by assessing similar and diverse brands.
Examples by Category:
- Luxury vs. Fast Fashion:
Compare Prada and H&M. Prada emphasizes exclusivity, craftsmanship, and heritage to justify its premium pricing, while H&M thrives on affordability and rapid trend adoption to appeal to the mass market. Both brands achieve market dominance but operate under starkly different business models. - Athleisure:
Brands like Lululemon and Alo Yoga compete on innovation, branding, and community-building. Lululemon leverages technical fabric innovations and wellness events, while Alo Yoga emphasizes its dual appeal as a yoga and fashion lifestyle brand. - Direct-to-Consumer (DTC):
Everlane and Reformation disrupt traditional retail by focusing on transparency and sustainability. Everlane provides cost breakdowns for each product, while Reformation integrates eco-friendly practices into its manufacturing and marketing, making these values a central part of their branding.
9. Sales Channels
Analyze how the brand is selling its products. Do they have their stores? Are they available only in department stores? Do they have their e-commerce? Evaluate the mix of owned retail stores, partnerships, and third-party platforms like Farfetch or Amazon.
Consider if the brand has embraced marketplace models or prefers exclusive control over distribution. Retail and e-commerce are critical components of a brand’s operational and customer engagement strategy. Analyzing these elements can provide insights into how a brand delivers its products and experiences to consumers.
Key Factors to Analyze:
- Retail Presence: Evaluate the number, location, and design of physical stores.
- E-Commerce Platform: Analyze website usability, mobile optimization, and checkout processes. Examine the integration of storytelling and branding on the digital storefront, such as product descriptions, lookbooks, or styling videos.
- Omnichannel Strategy: Assess how well the brand integrates retail and e-commerce, offering seamless transitions between online and offline shopping.
Example: Sephora allows customers to check product availability in-store and offers personalized recommendations through its app. - Customer Experience: Look at factors such as delivery speed, return policies, and the availability of unique features like virtual try-ons or augmented reality.
10. Fashion Shows and Presentations
To expand your brand analysis, consider how the brand presents its new collections to the audience.
Fashion Week Participation: Does the brand present during prestigious fashion weeks like Milan, Paris, London, or New York? This can indicate its level of global influence and target market.
Presentation Format: Does the brand favor traditional runway shows, intimate presentations, or entirely digital formats?
Digital and Social Media Launches: Does the brand rely solely on social media platforms to introduce collections, bypassing traditional formats?
Analyzing a fashion brand is a multifaceted process that goes beyond just admiring its fashion collections. By studying its history, mission, target audience, competitors, retail strategy, and online presence, you can uncover the DNA of a brand and how it stands out in a competitive industry. Whether you’re preparing for a job interview, developing a marketing strategy, or pursuing a fashion course, understanding these elements equips you with the skills to think strategically and position yourself as a knowledgeable professional.
If you’re eager to deepen your understanding of the fashion industry and learn how to analyze brands like a pro, enroll in our Break Into the Fashion Industry course. This comprehensive program equips you with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to land your dream fashion job and thrive in it.
Practice this: Pick one of your favorite brands and use this guide to analyze it for practice!
