Selling Out? Designer Diffusion

 

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 It was described in the press as “a food mountain for hungry people” and “feeding time in the hyena cage”; in one London store a baby was reportedly knocked out of a pram in the frenzy…as crazy fashion folk fought to get a piece of the action – regardless of size or style. This was the reaction to Stella McCartney’s debut collection for H&M! These same (terrifying!) scenes were repeated around the country this month – firstly; as the new Viktor & Rolf collection arrived in H&M; and again when Roland Mouret’s offerings arrived in Gap. Thus raising the question – why all the fuss?

 

 

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 Designer diffusion collections are not a new thing – kick started in the early 90’s when Debenhams discovered a sure fire way of converting department store tat, to designer must haves by labelling them with ‘Jasper Conran’, ‘Mathew Williamson’ or ‘Julien Macdonald.’ Sales and profits soared; designer’s received a 5% commission without (reportedly) ever having to put pen to paper – Bargain!

 

 

Since then, things have changed. Many a high street store has commissioned top designers for one-off collections – such as Luella Bartley with New Look, Celia Birtwell for TopShop as well as the recently announced New Look deal with Designer of the Year – Giles Deacon. Plus there’s those rumours surrounding a possible collaboration between Miuccia Prada and H&M. These designers have all taken full creative direction for the collections – and with the amount of coverage these lines receive they can hardly risk not to!

 

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 The collaborations have been a huge commercial success for stores and designers alike, gaining massive amounts of press coverage and profits; whilst raising awareness of the designers in question. Most designers aim not to ‘water down’ their catwalk collections; but design ranges that translate well on the high street. This has been a major selling point – leaving them chic, wearable and affordable.

 

 

 Billed as an antidote to the rampant catwalk copying, usually engaged by the high street, even the famously difficult US Vogue editor Anna Wintour has added her stamp of approval; declaring the collaborations ‘to the good and to the benefit of our industry’ whilst providing ‘more fashion for more people.’ Viktor & Rolf echoed this sentiment this month, declaring “If haute couture is the most sublime form of fashion, H&M is fashion at its most democratic.”

 

 

{mosimage} But have they really achieved their aims? It seems a shame the retailers seem to be engaged in a clever marketing ploy, hyping the collections up whilst limiting the supply… increasing demand, and ensuring that none but the most dedicated shoppers can get their hands on the goods. Even Karl Lagerfeld was reported to be disappointed at the failure of H&M to make the clothes in sufficient quantities and was quoted as saying he found it ‘embarrassing that H&M let down so many people.’

 

 

 

 

 A genuine attempt at offering shoppers their favourite designer pieces at high street prices seems like a dream come true for many students. Unfortunately it looks like once again with these collections, only the most brave (enough to face the style scrum!), or minted (who can afford the massively inflated prices on eBay) will come away with anything at all.

 

 

By Lindsay Macpherson

lindsaymac55@hotmail.com