Ch 6 & 7

Carryovers 2

- A carryover will repeat the same garment style as a successful garment style from a previous season, but often in a new fabric, material, and/or color. Thus, carryovers provide a less expensive route to add a fresh look to a line. If the new fabric has identical textile characteristics as the previous fabric, the development cost will be minimal because the production patterns made for this style can be reused - some companies target about one-third of the line to be carryovers, one-third as revisions of previous styles, and one-third as new designs. The percentage of new styles could be as low as 10 per-cent at some companies selling in the mass to moderate price zone, whereas a bridge or designer label might produce mostly new styles. Some styles in a new line might be revisions of a style from a previous season.

Development of Private Label and Store Brand/SPA Products

- Advantage to the retailer in dealing directly with the contractor for production is that the retailer has no intermediaries to deal with, thus avoiding communication pitfalls and eliminating the need to share the profits.

Sales promotion strategies

- Advertising-Co-op advertising - Publicity - Social Media - Other Promotion Tools for Business Partners : media kits, line catalogs or brochures, B2B electronic communications, visual merchandising tools - Other Promotion Tools for Consumers: B2C electronic communication, direct mail, trunk shows, merchandise representatives, style testing and participation promotions

Design Brief Uses

- Although the research and design inspiration stages of the design process continues throughout the year, at a specified time in the year, the design team must begin to develop concrete ideas from the design brief. - Based on the number of lines a company produces each year, each fashion brand company maintains a master calendar with target due dates for completing the stages of creating and producing each line. - The design team looks at the due date for completing a line and then works backward to determine when to move from the research stage to the design stage

Theme

- Based on market research, design inspirations, and discussions among the designers and merchandisers who are coordinating the various lines for a company, a theme might be developed to be included in the design brief. Not every group or line will have a theme, but a theme can help sell a group or a line to retailers and consumers.

Terms of sale

- Delivery terms - Reorder capabilities - Discounts - Payment terms - Return privileges - Promotion tools

First Line Review

- Each style is reviewed for: Cost, Production , Styling, Relationship to rest of line, Fabrics and trim - team includes: merchant, designer, product to engineer, leadership - reviewed for: cost (result to retail price/ aligns to target customer), production challenges, eases, expense, eliminates, styling

Fabric Material Development

- Fabrics and materials are a key element of a new style. At the same time that the pattern for the new style is under development, potential fabrics and materials for the new style are under consideration. - Color management: It is essential that the fabrics and trim colors of the finished product match the intended color swatch.

Fashion Research

- Fashion research focuses on trends in styles, colors, fabrics, materials, and trims. Similar to market research, fashion research may be conducted and interpreted by fashion research or forecasting firms. - Fashion forecasting relies on understanding the current style and the evolutionary process that occurred to make a style popular. Forecasters are constantly following fashion history to determine the next trend. Events and the general spirit of popular culture might be reflected in new fashions. This social "spirt of the times" is known as the zeitgeist

Internal Selling

- For private label merchandise - Design team presents seasonal lines to in-house merchandisers who select specific pieces of the line for production. Merchandisers also determine which items of the line will be sold at specific stores.

Target Customer

- In creating a line, the design team must keep the target customer profile in mind throughout the design process. The type of product included in the line is strongly connected to the company's target customer. The blend of product type with target customer is referred to as the market niche. - Developing and maintaining a line based on the market niche is important to the success of the line. The line for the new season will include some variation of styles to appeal to different customers' needs and tastes within the market niche. - Based on the changing needs and preferences of the target customer, a company's product line may change over time. - A design brief communicates these changes and is why the changes are so important

Labor Cost

- Labor is the largest cost of a garment -Usually estimated by comparing with previously made garment - Minute calculation, cut (and fuse interlining), sew/construct, finish garment - need to identify the production location - Key: to understand that this is an estimate

Fashion Market

- Locations where fashion brand companies sell their merchandise to retailers. - Promotion strategies that fashion brand companies use in marketing their goods to retailers and ultimate consumers.

Distribution Policies

- Open Distribution Policy : the manufacturer will sell to any retailer with whom they have satisfactory business experience and with whom they negotiate appropriate terms of sale - Selected Distribution Policy : fashion brand manufacturers establish detailed criteria that stores must meet in order for them to carry the manufacturer's merchandise. Typically, the criteria focus on requirements such as: sales volume, geographic area retail image

Line-for-line copy and knockoffs

- Rather than starting with a designer's sketch for a new design, a new style might be added to a line in another way. Sometimes while shopping the market or looking through fashion magazines, a designer or merchandiser will find a garment that seems ideal and conveys the essence of the design brief. Thus, the design team may decide to create a copy of an existing garment. Copying a garment may be done in several ways. Line-for-line copy that is produced as an exact replica with a similar fabric. - Another example is taking a garment that exists in a higher price zone and copying it to be sold at a lower price. This can be done by selecting a less expensive fabric, or by eliminating or modifying some of the design details. These methods are used to create knockoffs, designs that are similar to the original but not exact replicas. Moderate price lines often knockoff successful designer looks once the style has become popular. - Is it legal to copy an existing fashion design? The United States has laws to protect against copyright and trademark infringement A specific invention in a garment (e.g., a unique molding process to create a seamless panty) can be patented in the United States. However, in some countries (including the United States), the actual garment design is considered to be in the public domain. Therefore, it is quite common to see line-for-line copies and knockoffs in the U.S. apparel business.

Orders and canceled orders

- Sales reps work with the retail buyers in placing orders for merchandise to be produced and delivered to the retailer. - Orders may be canceled for a variety of reasons: insufficient orders for style/color, fabric not available, production problems, natural disaster/political crisis

International marketing

- Selling through direct sales - Selling through agents - Selling through exclusive distribution agreements - Marketing through foreign licensees in a specific country or region

Selection of materials fabrics and trims

- Sourcing for the right materials, fabrics, and trims must often be accomplished at the planning stage of the design process. The materials, fabrics, and trims are usually selected before a design is approved for inclusion in a line. Each design sketch or tech drawing includes a small sample of the intended material or fabric, called a swatch, which is attached to the sketch or drawing. It is essential to choose the fabric before the merchandiser, designer, and cost personnel review a design for possible inclusion in the final line. The design sketch or tech drawing will also include any trim swatches that will be used and may indicate specific findings, such as buttons and zippers. Sometimes the actual material or fabric intended for the design is not yet available from the manufacturer. In these cases, a facsimile material or fabric will be used temporarily for the design development stage.

Trade shows

- Sponsored by trade associations and/or trade show producers - Used by promote lines of apparel, accessories, and home fashions. - Typically 3 to 8 days major exhibit hall (nyc/ las vegas) - key examples: Magic (Las vegas), fashion footwear association (nyc)

Color Research and Resources

- Staple colors: colors that continue from season to season (black, navy, beige, white) - fashion colors: appear less frequently over time than staple colors. Fashion colors often follow cycles, reappearing in a different shade, value, or intensity from one fashion season to the next. (reds) - Color forecasting: The color forecasting services used by textile producers are also used by fashion brand companies. Some color forecasting services predict color trends 18 months in advance of when the product is available to consumers, while others, for a higher subscription fee, predict farther ahead. (CAUS, Pantone, Here & There, Huepoint Color)

Sales Volume and Sell-Through

- Success of a line is measured by sales volume and also by sell-through at the retail level. Sales volume is the actual level of sales, either the total number of units of each style sold or the total number of dollars consumers spent on the style (dollar volume). Fashion brand companies tend to measure a line's success by the total number of units sold, whereas retailers tend to measure its success by the value of the amount sold. - The designer and merchandiser have to hit the targeted sales volume with a mix of repeated styles, revised styles, and new styles. Due to the number of lines typically produced per year, the sales volume figures are not usually available in time to learn the number of units sold during the previous season. Thus it is always hard to accurately predict the strategy for the line under development. - A line may sell well at market to the retailer, but a delay in delivery to the retailer could reduce the dollar volume at the retail store. This is one reason that companies consider another measurement tool, the line's sell-through, a good indicator of the line's success. Sell-through denotes the percentage of items sold at retail compared to the number of items in the line that the retailer purchased from the manufacturer - A strong sell-through is the goal for both the manufacturer and the retailer. The sales figures from the current and previous selling seasons are important guidelines in planning how many and what types of apparel items to include in the new line

The design team's role

- The creation of each line relies on a team of people. In creating each new style in the line, designers typically work with merchandisers and product developers. Many larger fashion brand companies employ a creative director or general merchandiser who is responsible for overseeing and guiding the development of the design brief. - The design brief determines what, when, at what price, and how much product to have manufactured. In some companies, especially smaller ones, the designer also acts as the merchandiser. Some companies employ both designers and product developers. A product developer takes the designer's idea and is responsible for developing the product.

Color, Fabric, and Style Considerations

- The design team studies color trend reports gathered during the research phase. Members discuss possible groups of colors, also referred to as color stories, for the new line while thinking about a color theme. The theme might be reflected in the colors chosen for some of the new styles - Based on the color research conducted, the design team develops a color story. Lines need a balance between some staple colors and some fashion colors. The line needs to have a cohesive look, so the team spends a great deal of time deciding on the correct balance of colors. The group of colors selected for the line may need to include a color that the design team does not expect to sell well because they know that buyers expect to see a balance of colors in the color group. - Colorways are the variety of colors available for a style. Most styles will be produced in more than one color. A specific style may be available in three or four different solid colors, or in three or four color variations of the same print. - Producing the same style in several colorways reduces development cost since fewer patterns, spec sheets, prototypes, and cost estimates need to be prepared than if each style were produced in only one colorway. This variety also offers more options to retailers that might want to buy part of a line but not duplicate the same colorways that competing local retailers will offer in their stores. It also allows retailers to select the colorway choices that they think are best suited for their customers. - decisions about the colors and fabrics are frequently made before determining the garment styles.

Creating a Design Brief

- The design team uses the design brief to communicate the common goal of a line. Balancing the relationships among the current fashion brand's look, making the changes that need to occur in the product to maintain interest and offer fashion change, and keeping the target customer happy are all responsibilities of the design team. The brief explains the target customer, but it also describes characteristics of the designs, such as the theme or inspiration, colors, and fabrics

Target costing

- The design team works out fabric choices, garment details, and construction factors to bring the design within the required cost for each style in the line. - design sketch is reviewed by cost engineer - could be reworkred prior to prototype - critical in private label style features and fabrics are often changes to meet target cost

Costing

- Throughout the design stage, the production cost of each style in a line is an important factor for designers to consider. Thus, many companies include cost personnel as a part of the team during the planning meetings for a design brief. Their role is to provide cost estimates on the new styles in the line as the styles develop. Many factors must be kept in mind related to costing. Even before providing an initial cost estimate, each company has pricing strategies that guide costing -Target costing, price averaging

Private Label and Store Brand/SPA Product Development Processes

- Traditional design development - Product development through one of the following arrangements: The retailer provides the garment specifications and the contractor sources the goods (specification buying), The retailer and the contractor collaborate in creating the retailer's line, The contractor designs the entire program for the retailer.

Fashion Trend Research

- Trend research activities include reading or scanning appropriate trade publications. Each segment of the fashion industry has specific trade media directed toward fashion trends in that industry segment. (WWD, earnshaws, footwear news, sportswear international) - Popular fashion magazines, read by the target customer, are sources for fashion trend information and provide an insight into the preferences of the customer (Vogue late 1800s, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, W, Glamour, allure) - European fashion magazines (French Vogue, Italian Vogue, Elegance, and Book Moda Alta Moda ; Book Moda Uomo and Vogue Homme (menswear); and Vogue Bambini) - fashion forecasting services. Some of these forecasting services cover a broad range of fashion trends (Doneger group, Margit, Here & There, Trend Union, Promostyl, Worth Global Style Network WGSN

Sales reps and showrooms

- Types of Sales Reps and Showrooms: One of the most important decisions made by marketers of fashion brands is whether to open an exclusive corporate showroom with company sales representatives or to use established independent multiline sales representatives. The primary difference between the two is that company sales reps work for a particular company and are housed in corporate showrooms owned by the company; independent multiline sales reps work for themselves and typically represent lines from several different noncompeting, but related, companies. - Home Fashions Brands: Decorative Fabric Converters and Jobbers also play an important role in the marketing of home fashions. Textile converters in the home fashions industry design and sell finished textiles to jobbers, designers, and manufacturers, who use the textiles in home fashions end-use products. - Sample Lines: the manufacturer provides the sales representatives with a set of samples for the line(s) being presented to retail buyers. The samples include an example of each style included in the line in one colorway. The line catalog or brochure is used in conjunction with the samples to provide information about the line to the retail buyer. - Product Life Cycle Management Applications (PLM): -dimensional computer technology is now in place to show a line with virtual samples, which are viewed on a computer screen. The intended fabric color and print of the style is also shown. Retail buyers and sales representatives can view the line and place orders without having the manufacturer produce actual prototypes or samples - Job Functions of the Sales Representative: showing lines to retail buyers, negotiating terms of sale and writing orders

Store is brand/SPA

- advantages: reduced amount of intermediaries, increased profits (retailer), fill category voids, reduced price (consumer) - disadvantages: retailer has risk, potential of lost profit

Consumer Research

- an applied market research which provides information about consumer characteristics and consumer behavior. - Research on demographics focuses on understanding the following characteristics of consumer groups: Age, gender, marital status, income, occupation, ethnicity, geographic location AKA who the customer is - Psychographics characteristics of consumer groups include: buying habits, attitudes,values, motives, preferences, personality, leisure activities AKA why customers make the choices they make - Consumer research is also conducted by companies expanding their markets to better understand the preferences of these new consumer groups

Market Analysis

- an applied market research which provides information about general market trends. Planning ahead to meet consumers future needs is a critical part of continued success in the apparel industry. - Market analysis in the apparel, accessories, and home fashions industries can be subdivided into long-range forecasting (projects market trends from 1-5 years in advance) and short-range forecasting (focuses on market trends 1 year or less in advance). - Long-range forecasting includes researching economic trends related to consumer spending patterns and the business climate. Long-range forecasting also includes sociological, psychological, political, and global trends. For example, changes in international trade policies will affect long-range forecasting. Currency devaluation, economic downturn, and financial turmoil around the world affect the fashion industry. - Other aspects of long-range forecasting deal with ongoing changes in the fashion industry. Sources of information on these changes include the following: Apparel Strategist, Just Style, NPD Group, KSA - Short-range forecasting is critical to a fashion brand's success. Planning meetings are held with designers, merchandisers, planners, and sales personnel to discuss the company's short-range forecasts and strategic planning. This planning includes such components as determining the desired percentage of increased sales growth for a company. Short-range forecasting also includes careful study of what the competition is doing. If a competitor seems to be expanding one of its lines then perhaps your company would be wise to study whether this growth area would be feasible to pursue. Fashion companies constantly observe the marketplace competition.

Product Research

- an applied market research which provides information about preferred product design and characteristics. When new products are developed, or existing products are modified, it is helpful to assess how well a new or revised product will fare in the marketplace. - To determine customer preferences, companies could conduct product research such as the following: survey potential consumers orally, send a questionnaire or post inquiries online - Sometimes a fashion brand company will conduct substantial market research before introducing a new line, especially if the company is interested in developing a new product type. - Key purpose is style testing show that predicting what consumers will want to buy can be used. Some companies use outlet store sales, sales representatives input, social media 24/7

A Line

- consists of one large group or several small groups of apparel and/or accessory items, or styles, developed around the design brief. A theme may be used to direct color, fabric, design details, or a purpose (such as golf or tennis) that links the items together. - A line is composed of a variety of items or styles within a category, such as shirts, pants, jackets, vests, and sweaters. Each line is developed for a specific target customer and might include as many as 50 or 60 items. - A designer, often with a team of several others, such as a design assistant and a product developer, is assigned responsibilities for creating the line. Some designers have responsibility for several lines. Sometimes, several small groups are developed within a line, each with its own theme

Collection

- generally refers to the apparel and accessories presented through runway shows each fall and spring by the high-fashion designers in Paris, Milan, New York, London, Tokyo, and other locations. - Collections reflect the design philosophy of the head designer. The high-fashion name designers typically develop a theme for a collection and invest heavily in marketing that theme to retailers and the public. Often the designer's theme is based on historical or ethnic inspiration. Fashion silhouettes or garment details popular during historical periods are a source of design inspiration.

Design Brief

- is a document that is developed by both designers and merchandisers, often under the approval of a creative director. This document is a guide for designers and includes the business aspects of the company to help develop a unified brand identity and strategy. - A brief often includes information related to target customers, target theme or inspiration, deliverables, timeline, and budget. Development of a design brief creates an outline for development of all the lines within the company. - As explained in Chapter 6, designers and merchandisers conduct research to determine what the brief should include. Research and forecasting are often done at a corporate level and become the basis for the design brief.

The most important concept for success in the fashion industry

- is that the company needs to know its target market and provide the merchandise assortment desired by its customers: when they want it and where they will purchase it. - In other words, consumer demand is the driving force in the fashion industry. The industry expression, You can make it only if it sells, emphasizes the concept of the consumer-driven market. Thus, the success of any fashion company depends on determining the needs and wants of the consumer.

Material Cost

- marker: "costing marker" layout plan for pattern, assists to calculate the amount of fabric required - trim and findings cost: braid, lace, elastic, zipper and buttons

Brand Positioning

- objective is to develop the right product for the company's target customer at the right time. - A company has a brand position in the marketplace, and each line produced by the brand company requires a clearly defined target customer

Preparation for Market

- ordering and making sales samples: Sales representative and/or each market center showroom will require a representative group of styles from the new line to show to the retail store buyers. - line catalog or line sheet: Line catalogs, or line sheets, will show all colorways

Other costs

- packaging (could include folding boards), plastic bags and or hangers - hang tags/jackets/size/strips/price tickets/ patch and labels - shipping: including duty/tariff and shipping agent fees

Market Research

- the systematic and objective approach to the development and provision of information for the marketing management decision-making process. - This process is to determine what customers will need and want, and when and where they will want it, several types of research must be conducted. - Market research is divided into two general categories: 1. basic research that deals with extending knowledge about the marketing system 2. applied research that helps managers make better decisions - Some forms of market research take considerable time to conduct, analyze, and interpret. Thanks to the fast-paced nature of the fashion business, fashion products require a short research and development stage. Timing is crucial to the successful sale of a fashion item in the marketplace. Therefore, companies generally conduct market research continuously

Corporate Selling

- used by Companies that manufacture designer price zone merchandise and sell to a limited number of retailers; and - Very large companies that sell moderately priced merchandise to large corporate retailers

three dimensional tools

A designer can construct garments over a digital image, rotate them, zoom in, and visualize how the piece will look. - my virtual model

Approving the prototype

An assessment of how each style fits can be very important to a company. - A fit model is used to assess the fit, styling, and overall look of the new prototype. - New developments: 3D body scanning

South American Fashion Brand Market Centers

Argentina and Brazil have the largest fashion industries in South America - Sao Paulo, Brazil fashion week

The design sketch

At some point in the design stage (usually determined by the master calendar due date), the designer will begin to transform interpretations of the design brief information into sketches. By constantly seeking inspiration from a variety of sources and from the design brief information, most designers have plenty of new ideas. - Design sketches that do not include the body silhouette are referred to as a technical drawing, or tech drawing. The design is drawn as it would appear lying flat, as on a table, so sometimes the term flat, or flat sketch, is used to indicate this type of drawing. Tech drawings are especially useful and often necessary for pattern making and production needs. Sometimes the tech drawing indicates specific dimensions, such as the size and/or placement of a patch pocket. - Computer-aided design (CAD) software was in use by the 1970s. CAD software developed specifically for the fashion industry was introduced in the early 1980s. Since then, software upgrades have dramatically improved apparel CAD software. Current CAD software used for pattern making (and also for preproduction and production) is much easier to learn than the software used in the 1980s. Two major advantages of using a CAD or graphics system to create design sketches are the time-saving potential and the capability to try out numerous design ideas quickly. (Virtual Draping and Textile Design)

Marts

Building or a group of buildings that houses showrooms in which sales representatives show apparel and home fashions lines to retail buyers.

Design Team Review of Line

First adoption meeting might include: - the concept or inspiration for the line - how the styles coordinate or work together - the target customer profiles for various styles within the line

European Fashion Brand Market Centers

France Germany Italy UK Spain

Determining Cost to Manufacture

If contractors are used for production, they are often asked to: examine a prototype garment of the style to provide a cost figure, sew a sample garment and thus provide a cost figure, review a complete and detailed spec sheet and provide a firm cost - Wholesale price is determined, covering the cost to manufacture the style plus overhead and profit

Asian Fashion Brand Market Centers

Japan Hong Kong, SAR, China South Korea Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)

Preline

Key retail accounts preview the line before its introduction at market. - Advantages: knowing in advance which styles will sell well, maintaining a strong working relationship with key retail accounts, receiving feedback from retailers about styles that might sell better if changes were made

Preparation for Pattern Development

Making the first pattern - patternmaking by using a base pattern: (block or sloper) non-stylized, basic pattern in the sample size from which the stylized pattern is derived. - patternmaking by drafting: Measurements are used to develop the pattern shape - patternmaking from a draped design: fabric is draped on a body form to create the garment style. A pattern is developed for the fabric pieces

Making the prototype or sample garment

Most companies produce a sewn prototype. This provides the opportunity to: - test the design in the selected materials/fabric(s) - evaluate the style on a live fit model - test the construction sequence - use a physical sample to perform a cost analysis for materials and labor costs - see all the styles in the line as a whole

Product Management Systems

Need to produce styles quickly using PDM and PLM Factors which influence :- the length of time a style is in process - the international scope of sourcing and production - the need for all partners in the pipeline to communicate accurately and quickly

US fashion brand market centers

New York City Los Angeles Chicago Dallas Atlanta Other U.S. Fashion Brand Market Centers

pattern design system (PDS)

Software similar to flat pattern process - advantages: speed / reuse base patterns (jackets: facing/lining), accuracy / seam lengths and allowances, integrations with spec sheet, integration with production - disadvanatges: cost, time (training), technical support (system outage), visualization difficulties (full size vs reduced size)

Design details

Style number is assigned to each new style of the line. Includes: season, category and or size. Examples: Pockets, buttons, zippers, stitching, pleats

Writing the Garment/Product Specification Sheet

The designer often has some specific design details in mind that need to be conveyed to the patternmaker and sample sewer in order to create the sample or prototype garment at the next stage of the design process. These details, as well as other vital information, are conveyed on a garment/product specification sheet

Sample Cutting and sewing

The garment/product spec sheet will indicate any special cutting instructions. - Sample sewers (highly skilled) construct prototype, versed in using many different types of sewing equipment

Final Adoption Meeting

The line is thus honed to develop a tight group, line, or collection of styles with the hope that all styles will sell well at market.

Market Weeks

Times of the year when retail buyers come to showrooms or exhibit halls to see the seasonal fashion lines. - Activities: Set appointments and review lines, Attend seminars and fashion shows, Place orders - Seasonal NYC market calendar: spring/summer (sept/oct), Fall (Jan/Feb), Holiday (June) - Key advantages (sales): sales representatives can who the new lines, sales representatives can collab with buyers on trends, sales representatives can get insights in line to be used for production election, increased publicity (fashion shows, displays), competitve review - Key advantages (buyers): review many lines fashion trends, new lines

Fabric and Trim Research and Resources

Trade shows: primarily European based, twice a year (Premiere Vision, Texworld, ideacomo & ideabiella, Prato expo) Orders for sample cuts (cuts are 3-5 yards prototype garment) at a trade show, an apparel company can place an order for delivery of sample cuts. Sample cuts can also be ordered directly from the sales representative after the trade show Research for appropriate trims for a style is conducted at the same time the color and fashion research is conducted

Fashion Brand Market Centers

U.S. Fashion Brand Market Centers South American Fashion Brand Market Centers European Fashion Brand Market Centers Asian Fashion Brand Market Centers

Retail Relations Program

Variety of programs and services designed to enhance the buyer's experience and help them to be more efficient and effective in their jobs. - Examples: seminars, fashion shows, financing assistance.

carryovers

are styles repeated from one seasonal line to the next. - Just as fashion, in general, follows an evolutionary pattern, designers who work for fashion brand companies generally create new seasonal lines in an ongoing, evolutionary manner. New lines tend to develop from previous lines, along with some repetition or modification of successful styles.

Step 2 of creating a line

is the development of the design brief and actual creation of the products. Creation Process Sequence: Design Inspiration > Plan the Line > Sketch Design and Obtain Vendor Samples > Select or Develop Materials and Trims > Review and Select Styles to Develop for Line > Write Garment Specifications Sheet and Quick Cost

The deliverables

of a design brief for a fashion brand company are often a combination of items presented together to the buying public for a particular season. The terms line, group, and collection are used to describe the group of items.

an apparel company's product type

or product line, forms the basis for developing its fashion brand. consistency in a company's product type helps the customer develop company brand recognition, build product loyalty, and encourage repeat customers. -Thus the design team, which consists of designers, product developers, and merchandisers, develops the line for the new season with the product type as its foundation