Marketing To The Wrong Demographic

20 yr old Chanel Iman is one of the most successful black models of her generation

Open up any page in any fashion magazine and you’ll see editorial spreads of teens posing as women. Having grown up in the era of “heroine chic”, followed by the increasingly super skinny and photoshopped models, it’s quite obvious that our views of beauty and normality in fashion has been skewered significantly in the age of 2010.

From Chanel products to Lanvin, I see girls – not women – marketing products aimed at people nearly twice their age. Much of the 20-somethings complain that designer goods are unreachable and unreasonably priced, and they have the right to complain. Why? Because normal 20 yr olds can’t afford real designer goods. Times have changed. Women in their 20s are no longer the grown ups of the 1950s, they’re now taking more time to finish school and develop a career than raising a family. Not to mention that many 20-somethings are already in deep debt, some reaching up to six figures in the red from student loans. So why are fashion brands still marketing to this demographic who clearly can’t afford their products? Women today won’t be settling for “entry-level luxuries” like perfume or a handbag, if that Balmain jacket is $10,000, then she’ll run off to Forever 21 and get a similar one for $40. It’s that simple.

And how does this marketing tactic make older women feel? I’ve never really noticed the difference because I was so jaded and used to the ads but as I get older, and I see models as young as 17 wear Chanel couture, it makes me ill. Sure, Vogue may have that occasional cover that says “yes we do care about women of ALL ages!” with a few editorials of women over the age of 40, but that’s hardly what I call acceptable coverage. It’s like that one off of Vogue Italia where they dedicated one issue entirely to black models, but have those black models found their ways back into the fashion editorials since? Not really.

18 yr old Karlie Kloss for Oscar de la Renta, this outfit costs over $7500.

The Millenials, as we call them, are the savviest bunch, they go to the internet to get the best deals, the best knock offs they can find when they can’t afford designer fashion. Because designers are marketing their products to them, they’re making you believe that you have access to these fantastic pieces. Until you fall upon the fine print and learn that the fabulous Proenza Schouler coat is a whooping $3100. What normal 20-something has that kind of money to throw around to “make a statement”? I don’t know any of my friends who has that kind of money to throw around for a coat unless they’ve been saving up just for that occasion, and they have normal jobs like any of us.

This isn’t to say that brands don’t have the magic to fan the desire for fashion, they do. In a big way, this desire has grown to an unfulfilled need that fast fashion brands were gladly able to offer. Get similar designs for a fraction of the price! The plan to prep the Millenials to become future loyal clients has backfired big time. Fast fashion brands have sealed this generation into an unescapable route where cheap fashion rules. Suddenly, designer brands are popping up with bridge collections that say “oh we’re kinda like the designer brand, but cheaper.” A perfect example on these bridge collections is Ralph Lauren. It took me a while to learn that what I thought was Ralph Lauren, wasn’t the Ralph Lauren Collection but Polo Ralph Lauren, the cheapest sister of the brand (there are cheaper brands still, but that’s another story).

Designer brands have clearly missed the Millenial boat, they won’t be coming back (if ever) for another 20 years when they’re older and hopefully a little wiser. But will these women wise up and come to their senses and buy higher end goods? Or will they be stuck like the older women of today, botoxing their faces to death to recall their days of youth and making a bee-line to H&M?

This is not healthy.

Fashion brands should be marketing to the proper demographics. Let 16 and 17 year olds market to teenagers, not older women. Let 20-somethings market to 20-somethings. And let 50 yr olds market to 50-yr olds. That’s how the game should be played, it’s kind of sickening to be so youth obsessed with these fashion editorials. It’s no wonder fast fashion brands are spreading like the plague, the 20-somethings aren’t really given a better alternative.

N.B.: The models depicted are indeed very talented, but as a whole, are misused to represent the correct demographic these fashion brands are aiming for.

Image credit: fluxuryb.com, Oscar de la Renta