Book Review: Fashon Brands by Mark Tungate

When I'm not working in my office at UW or for Abercrombie and Fitch, there is a sweet spot of literary bliss that I am loftily perched on in Pacific Place's Barnes and Nobles. Next to the rising escalator are two wooden chairs that if you look within a certain leisurely time frame, you will find me comfortably seated.

A book and fashion lover that I am, it was a fateful day when I sat in my favorite chair just finished with the June copy of GQ Men, DV Man, and Out, when I saw in neon blue font, the title "Fashion Brands".

For somebody who is always perusing shelf upon shelf for the right book on fashion education, I was startled, taken aback by the sudden appearance of this book. Like a wallflower apparition, the title somehow avoided my gaze and remained a well hidden innocuous part of the shelf between the covers of success books. It was as if this was the fashion gods' omen that my time had come. I was ready for this book, the book was ready for me.

Whereas you would have most books ream to ream with the creative "how to's" and the "what not to wear's", Martin Tungate, fills his pages with information regarding fashion in the eyes of marketing and branding experts. From page to page, I have learned so much about fashion as commerce and the significance in history our current century is to the growing industry as it quickly begins to become a globalized market for clothing.

From haute couture to street style fashion, the implementation of several unique strategies was well covered and written on by Mr. Tungate. Each chapter depicts a specific brand/marketing strategy that certain well known fashion houses use. Tungate then distills the information and demystifies the success factor of each fashion house, noting the history and the trends that have followed afterward.

As an example, in Chapter 5, The Store is the Star, Tungate discusses the success of clothing companies who marketed their brand as "retail cathedrals", store's that are imbued with a particular ambience and environment, tailored to match the 'desires and tastes' of the consumer. It was mentioned in the book that Abercrombie and Fitch used dynamic spot lighting, a banana boathouse, verdant plants, and of course the cologne Fierce, details that I knew all too well. Working for A&F, and reading this particular chapter, I was reminded of how successful branding retail interior departments have come to be since the advent of Coco Chanel.

Many names were discussed, the most well known names such as Christian Dior, Karl Lagerfield, and Oscar de Le Renta were abbreviated many times while there were quite many a lesser known name, but significant nonetheless to past and current fashion trends. From huge designer conglomerates such as LVHM (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) to independents such as British designer Matthew Williamson, the range and scope of each design house runs the wide and diverse gamut that major cities have come to be well acquainted with. Tungate successfully navigates this world in his book with a writing style that is both informative and fascinating, as practically every line is chock full of information upon information. Each chapter is manageable and you will never find yourself bored if you pace yourself with the information given.

Tungate's interviews and on site visitations from Zara's main building in A Coruna, Spain to H&M's headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, provide a milieu for the fashion minded to contemplate and learn of the international scene that is swiftly opening.

Overall, the writing quality of this book was measured by how well Tungate could confer his research and knowledge to the reader without creating a distanced view point. Tungate's writing succeeded thoroughly. I learned, I was entertained, and I was inspired.

This book, again, is a must for you fashionistas/os.

It has opened my mind to the possibility of several possible careers that work closely with fashion design. I hope you will take this recommendation and read that book!

By the way, please don't purchase the copy available at Barnes and Nobles! I am not yet finished and would like to buy that copy I read. I have grown attached to that book and would be very sad to see it gone.

Thank you for your time!

Ciao!

Mark Tungate