Comme Des Garcons PLAY Internal and External Review and Buying Plan

Nicholas Coates Kendra Maynard Allison Murphy Abbey Wiggam

Brand Part 1: History & Values

Brand Statement

“It is true to say that I ‘design’ the company, not just clothes,” -Rei Kawakubo Comme des Garcons is a Japanese fashion label founded by Rei Kawakubo, who is known to defy convention not just in terms of aesthetics, but in how she lives and breathes her brand. Her brand is not meant to design products that are conventionally “pretty”, but rather products that are designed to embody a full sensory experience. One of Commes Des Garcons signature achievements is the creation of workwear for women in creative fields. These garments had silhouettes that empowered women, while being effortlessly stylish. Within her company, Rei Kawakubo favors “surprising venues and unexpected collaborations.” Rei Kawakubo wants retail experiences to be as elusive as her clothing, leading to her worldwide launch of Dover Street Market and several Comme Des Garcons boutiques in almost every contintenent, and an exhbit in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

“For Something to be beautiful, it does not have to be pretty.� - Rei Kawakubo

Rei Kawakubo Child of divorce Studied fine arts and literature at Keio University Worked in advertising at Ashai Kasei in 1964 Became a freelance stylist then started designing clothes when she couldn’t find what she wanted Founded Comme Des Garçons in 1969

315

295

275

255

235

215

195

175 2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total Revenue Over the years, Comme Des Garcons has gained a cult following.

2019

Stores in London, Paris, NYC, Hong Kong, Seoul, St. Petersburg, Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka, Singapore, Melbourne, Manilla, Beijing, Bangkok,

Gueril

Berlin, and soon to be in L.A.

la Sho

p / Po

cket S

Retailing

hop

N a e s l Che

re o t S YC

Dover Street Market

Shop Experience

Mini mal Mirro rs Ope n Flo or Pl ans Insta l a tions disp and lays keep store the dyna mic

Runway

Fall 2018 Ready-to-Wear

The m ajority are so of CDG ld in th runwa e Toky y look o Falg s ship, & Chelse NYC a Stor e

Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear

Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear

Target Customer Creative - Independent - Confident - Rebelious - Intelligent

Social Media Strategy

Focus: Collaborations, Instalations, and Runway Looks Not Focused On: Product, Ads, or Promotions

Market Part 2: Analysis

e n i L t c u d o r P Overview

Launched in 2002 Designed by Rei Kawakubo Accessible line to balance business Play: a “non-fashion� line of basics A bestselling collection Logo designed by Filip Pagowski

A sign, a symbol, a feeling

Weaknesses • Having a distinct logo • Appealing to their “cult” following • Using high quality fabrics • Gender-neutral and kids clothing • Selling on select websites

Opportunities • New variations of the logo give customers a reason to return • Starting a new trend by collaborating with self (like with the guerilla stores) • Growth in casual workwear and streetwear markets

• Not much variation in type of product • Lowering the high-fashion brand • Not accessible from the CDG website

Threats • A growing culture of people moving away from name brands to independent • Innovations in streetwear from other brands

T-Shirts

100% Cotton

Black Play Men’s Striped Panel Shirt

Shirts

$290 100% Cotton

Polos/Knit Tops

Category Overview

Play T-Shirt with Long Red Heart (Black) $88

Red Play Polo Shirt (Navy) $185 100% Cotton

Collaborations Matt Groening Converse A Bathing Ape

t e k r a M Research

Revenue for Apparel Industry in U.S.A. in 2018

Apparel Industry World vs. United States

$41,386 M

$52,995 M $121,100 M

The Global Fashion Industry is Worth $3 Trillion $186 Billion

$57 Billion

$621 Billion

Apparel Market of the World

$90.4 Billion

$339.4 Billion

$402 Billion

$12,880 M

$89,559 M

The Global Fashion Industry makes up 2% of the World’s GDP

e h t n i t e k r a M t r i h S s ’ n e M s e t a t S United

n i s r e l l e S t r i h S s ’ n e Top M .

A .

S .

U the n e r u a L h p l a R 1. r e g n fi l i H y m m 2. To n e r u a L h p l a R o l o P .

3 e c a s r e 4.V s s o B o g u H .

5

s a d i d A 6. e k i N .

7

. o C & s s u a r t S i v e L 8.

• The USA has the largest revenue in the men’s shirts subcategory in the world • USA market volume of US$21,120m revenue in men’s shirts for 2018

• Per person revenue in men’s shirts in the U.S. is $64.42 in 2018 • Average volume per person is 3 shirts • Average price per unit in men’s shirts in the U.S. is $21.27 in 2018

CDG’s own Dover Street Market is the number one buyer of the Play line- which accounts for 35% of CDG’s total revenue

Approx. $105 Million worldwide

Play has been the largest revenue making subbrand of CDG and with the opening of Dover Street Market in L.A. the U.S. market will become even more saturated with their product.

DSM isn’t the only place to buy CDG Play - other U.S. stores include: • Barney’s • Nordstrom • Bloomingdales • Saks Fifth Ave • Farfetch

Streetwear is the Fastest Growing Segment of the Fashion Market The sub brands of Comme Des Garcon have been the most lucrative asset for the brand as a whole As workwear has shifted to much more casual wear in the past decade the market for highend streetwear is only growing at this point

Play is just 12% of the $300 Million company that is Comme des Garcons today Play is about $36 million of the $300 M Brand

CDG knows the value of having Branded T-shirts in Today’s Fashion Market

“the global t-shirt market

was valued at US$ 185 Billion in 2018. The market is further

grow at a rate of 6.0% over the forecast period 2017 – 2025.”

High end streetwear boosted the global sale of luxury good by 5% in the past year bringing it to an estimated $309 billion

r o it t e p m Analysis o C

Competitors

Acne Studios (acne being an acronym for ambition to create novel expressions) was started in Stockholm in 1996 as a multi-disciplinary fashion house with a focus on art and contemporary culture. Their menswear line includes t-shirt, shirts, and knit tops.

Prices for tops range from around $100-$300

Y-3 is a collaboration between Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas. Embodying Yohji’s signature sleek, minimal style, Y-3 is known for streetwear driven basics with an athletic edge. The menswear line includes t-shirts, knit tops, and shirts for men. Prices range from $80-400.

Off-White, started by designer Virgil Abloh, was concieved as a luxury brand that connects street wear and high fashion. The brand is heavily influenced by the zeitgeist, and youth culture. Abloh’s goal is to “provide a wardrobe that reflects luxury as it is lived today. The menswear line includes t-shirts, shirts, and knit tops. Prices range from $330-$815.

Acne Studios Garment Dyed t-shirt Light Purple

T-Shirts

$350

Shirts

$100 100% Cotton

100% Cotton

Acne Studios Oversized Shirt

Polos/Knit Tops

Market Overview

$220

Y-3 Signature Tee

100% Cotton

Acne Studios Rugby Shirt $300 100% Cotton

Off-White Black 70S Vintage S/S T-Shirt $355 100% Cotton

Y-3 Herringbone Overshirt

Off-White Blue Formal Shirt

$400

$715

98% Cotton 2% Elastane

100% Cotton

Y-3 3 Stripes High Neck Tee $160 52% cotton / 30% polyester / 18% elastane single jersey

g n i y u B Strategy

Cultural Infulence

Zeitgeist: the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.

As a soceity, the role of gender and sexuality is ever evolving, and being reinterpreted with inclusivity in mind.

Brands like CDG Play are taking note with new motifs, typical of the reactionary nature of the brand.

Color Trend: Sophisticated Mid-Tones

2018 showed a brighter range of mid-tones so 2019 will bring in darker ranges

The top sellers get an update and the lower sellers are replaced

des Garรงons PLAY

โ ข Logo for: Comme des Garรงons x Comme

Style Trend: Collaboration Fatigue

Prototypes

• Play: a “non-fashion” line of basics

• Growth in casual workwear and streetwear markets • Gender-neutral clothing

• A move to sophisticaed mid-tones • New take on the logo for 2019

• Comme des Garçons x Comme des Garçons PLAY in response to collaboration fatigue

Part 3: Buying Plan

Objective:

To be the premiere luxury basics line on the market.

Tactics: Continuing the integrity of the core CDG label To be a brand that is creative but playful “Everything from graphics to shop, everything is an expression. In a way it is graphic, but it doesn’t lessen anything. It only adds to the expression of the company where everything she does its a way of expressing the values.” - Adrian Joffe Keeping brand loyalists engaged by buying best sellers, as well as introducing new designs

Retail Selling Channels

Dover Street Market NYC Pocket Shop

Commes Des Garcons Boutique NYC

160 Lexington Ave, NYC

520 W 22nd St, NYC

Sales Volume (Yearly) : $1,988,064

Sales Volume (Yearly) : $2,982,096

6 Month Plan

Assortment

24%

48% 8% 9% 10%

Polos

T-Shirts

Shirts

Sweatshirts

Knitwear

Knitwear

The End

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Works Cited

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