Introduction Fashion brands that focus on a small target market may face a dilemma of growth. Does growth come from varying products to cater to a wider audience? Or does it come by expanding internationally while focusing on their design aesthetic? In order to create growth, the second option is preferred (Segran, 2018). With 140 stores worldwide (Club Monaco, 2018) Club Monaco has succeeded with their modern yet timeless clothing and now aims to share the same design aesthetic in Mexico City. (Figure 1)
Figure1:Club Monaco Style
Successful international expansions in modern Fashion Retailers
Thanks to the fast fashion business model, several trendy brands have expanded internationally. Due to this change, in reaction to the saturation of fast fashion, consumers’ demand and market standards have developed (Stephens, 2018).There is a market niche looking for timeless, modern and simple garments, which has helped All Saints and Aritzia succeed in international expansions. Currently, Aritzia operates 84 stores in North America;
Figure 2: Brand Comparison
63 boutiques are located in Canada including 8 TNA stores, 3 Wilfred stores, and 3 Babaton stores, and 21 Aritzia stores in the United States, including the 13,000 square-foot flagship location in Manhattan, New York City (Aritzia, 2018). Aritzia has succeeded due to their product and store design, besides Aritiza has learned to understand their market differences and created a multi-brand assortment that allows them to have that flexibility to be responsive to their market (BoF Team, 2016). These brands have a similar aesthetic and attract a similar market, consumers who care for beautifully made clothes while they have an exceptional store experience.
Brand identity - Club Monaco overview Club Monaco is a massive, global brand positioned somewhere between the high street and contemporary designers (Farra, 2018). Club Monaco’s lasting success is due to their ability to continuously update their classic styles. Season after season they redefine modernity while staying true to their original quality and aesthetic (Liffreing, 2018) . Polanco is the high-end district in Mexico City and it’s often called the Beverly Hills of Figure 3: Brand Aesthetic
Mexico City.
It is home to the city’s upscale shopping, hotels and restaurants, embassies, high-end car dealerships, and home furnishings shops, many of the city’s most important museums, and together with adjacent Nuevo Polanco, Mexican headquarters of many multinational companies (Galvan, 2018). With that said, all those characteristics make Mexico City a perfect fit for one the newest location of Club Monaco. With their major social media push Club Monaco is making themselves known across the digital landscape making it a great opportunity to launch in Mexico City.
About the New Location Antara Polanco is Mexico City’s upscale international district. Club Monaco will be located on the second floor across from Calvin Klein and to the right of Desigual. The outside Figure 4 : Antara Polanco
of the mall is surrounded by leafy side streets showcasing Spanish Colonial Revival mansions and futuristic architecture including the modern Museo Soumaya
Figure 5: Exact New Location
(Galvan, 2018).
Competitors in new location All Saints, Armani Exchange, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Uterque and Zara are some of the well-known brands in Antara Polanco. There Armani Exchange, All Saints and Uterque are competitors. These three brands have a similar aesthetic, focus on the same niche market and have a similar price point. All Saints and Club Monaco are both known for their
Excellence in product and store design. Although they are all international brands, Club Monaco’s competitors have different locations and markets. All Saints is currently only based in Canada and the United States (All Saints,2018) . Uterque is mostly found in Europe and its only store in the American Continent is in Mexico (Uterque,2018) . Lastly, Armani Exchange can be found anywhere in the world and almost every department store (AX,2018). Although those are tough competitors, Club Monaco can succeed due to their social presence and exceptional customer experience (Farra, 2018).
Product Assortment
Figure 6: Brand Competitors
Club Monaco launch in Mexico City will focus on the women’s wear line and later on they will launch men’s wear. The store will offer the private label brand, from casual-wear to work-wear the brand will ensure their market is able to transition their looks from day to evening. The store interior décor will complement the clothing and keep classic yet modern with the use of neutral colors, crown moldings, marble displays, and hardwood flooring.As for the visual display, the clothing is merchandise through different zones.
The newest garments will be showcased at the entrance and older and basic will have the same division but they will be on rotation in the remaining two areas.
Figure 7: Brand Style
Customer Profile Club Monaco’s launch in Mexico City will satisfy the needs and wants of their women’s wear market, which aims to target and embrace a younger demographic that likes to style based on a simple and sophisticated look. Their consumers are transitioning from student to a working woman and are looking for a professional wardrobe, with a fresh design twist. Living an active lifestyle this woman is a modern and simplistic wandering the globe in search of new experiences and creative inspiration. She is an artistic business women in the making, who needs sophisticadem timeless, garments that celebrate her.
Figure 8:Customer Profile
Design Process The A/W Club Monaco collection inspired by intersecting glass in modern architecture texture in sand and dark earth tones. Silhouettes were heavily inspired on lines and architectue simplistic structure, lways paying close attention to detail as if the designer was constructing a building. The glass was the main inspiration for the plaid print and knit pattern, as one can see the intersecting lines on bothm . The floral print was inspired on the abtstract art and on the lines made when one walks on sand. Each garment in this collection is sophisticated and timeless, intended to take you from day to evening and from evening to night.
Figure 9: Desing Process
The Fabrics & Prints Fabrics for Club Monaco collection consits of wool, silk, chasmere and twill. The dark color palette will be perfect for the season and weather. The silk fabric will be for the blouse, scarf, will place as details on the juimpsuit and as lining. The twill is perfect for the pantsuit and juimpsuit and one of the looks will hace the will plaid print. The turtlenecks and sweters will be made out cashmere and will have on of the prints. The jackets and vest coat will be made of wool till and one will have the plaid print .
Figure 10 : Fabrics and Prints
The Collection
Part One of the A/W 19 collection starts with a twill button down overall. Perfect for layering or worn by itself and beautiful details of the floral print. Look two consists of a modernized pencil skirt, the design has plaid print and slit going up the center seam. Style with a oversized buxy sweater and a versatile jacket that can be worn open or closed with the belt to emphasize the waist. Look three is a two piece suit, the flare pants and blazer have openings in the front lined with the floral print styled with the delicate silk scarf.
Figure 11: Collection, Part A
The Collection A modern knee-length vest over a slim-fitting cashmere sweater perfect for warmth without the weight lastly paired with a tailored fit and a wool blend pants, perfect for work and also a casual weekend without the vest. The middle look, starts off with a silk blouse with modern details breezy sheer sleeves and small buttons and paired with a right angle midi asymmetrical skirt finished with small buttons. Last look is a wide sleeve sweeter with ruffle details making it look modern and luxurious paired with a cropped wide leg and square neckline jumpsuit.
Figure 12: Collection, Part B
The Flats
Figure 13: Flats
Wide leg trousers. The silhouette is refreshed with side slits, a textured finish and lined floral prifnt. Perfect for flats, heels, and sneakers, too. A square neckline and round zipper pull with cropped wide leg jumpsuit. A modern twist to the basic coat, an unexpectedly essential, classic tailoring makes this vest just as versatile as a blazer. Peak lapels; double-breasted with front button closure; center back seam.
Branding & Marketing As mention before, Club Monaco focuses on their interior design and customer experience. The Autumn/Winter 2019 collection’s concept will be shown throughout the store in a minimalistic manner. The inspiration of the collection is glass architecture and abstract art, which can be seen in the timeless silhouettes, the twill plaid and in the organic floral pattern. The store setting will communicate this to the buyer by having prints of the abstract art hang around the store and plaid prints blankets in the sitting area by the fitting rooms. Club Monaco will also host an event on the launch date, invitations will be sent to the guests who are Mexican influencer’s, artist in the area and customers who are members of the Antara Polanco and Reforma Figure 14: Marketing Idea - Mock Invitation
Magazines.
Branding & Marketing
Figure 14: Marketing Idea - Mock Magazine Magazine Mock idea, will be printed for Quien, Reforma and Polanquito which are popular magazine and Mexican women, popular and trendy events are showcased through out them.
References (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=antara mall directorio foto& source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYj82RscrdAhUSON8KHRKVD MQ_AUIDygC&biw=1297&bih=945#imgrc=L6V-dFDgLh0uLM About Us | California Transparency Act | Club Monaco. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www. clubmonaco.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=34562716 Amed, Imran. (2009, August 25) CEO Talk. Brian Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Aritizia Club Monaco - Vice President, Marketing at Ralph Lauren | BoF Careers. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.businessoffashion.com/careers/jobs/marketing/united-states/ralphlauren-corp/club-monaco-vice-president-marketing Liffreing, I., & Milnes, H. (2018, August 24). Club Monaco turns to in-store pop-up shops to diversify its retail experience. Retrieved from https://digiday.com/retail/club-mo naco-turns-store-pop-shops-diversify-retail-experience/ Our Story. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aritzia.com/us/en/aritzia/about-aritzia/ about-us.html Reilly, L. (2018, July 05). Why Mexico City Fashion Is Everywhere Right Now. Retrieved from https://nylon.com/articles/why-mexico-city-fashion-is-everywhere Turra, A. (2017, September 08). Club Monaco RTW Fall 2017. Retrieved from https:// wwd.com/runway/spring-ready-to-wear-2018/new-york/club-monaco/review/ Wischhover, C. (2015, April 23). It's Time to Take Another Look at Club Monaco. Re trieved from https://fashionista.com/2015/04/club-monaco-fall-2015
Appendix A other brands that expanded more info AllSaints is a British fashion house, headquartered in East London established in 1994 and operating within a culture of innovation and design. The brand creates full collections of womenswear, menswear, and accessories in-house and is obsessed with building a business model for the future putting brand experience and the customer at the core of everything they do. AllSaints currently has 232 stores, in 28 countries including the UK, France, United States, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and Taiwan AllSaints, 2018). Aritizia started inside The Hill’s 70-year-old department in Vancouver. When Brian Hill opened the first boutique in 1984, the idea was simple: offer beautiful clothes in aspirational spaces with exceptional service. Women liked what Artizia did, so the brand grew and has grown ever since. Artizia cares about personal style, is obsessed with quality and thinks shopping should be fun.
More about Club Monaco Club Monaco founded in the late ‘80s by Canadian Joe Mimran, in 1991 it was sold to Polo Ralph Lauren who keeps relationship low and lets Club Monaco stand on its own (Wischhover, 2015). In 2013 Club Monaco launched a more-expensive and more fashionforward collection line which has been growing ever since (Wischhover 2015). Club Monaco was one of the first brands to create “experiential” shopping experiences, building cafés and flower shops in their stores as early as 1985. More than 30 years later, and Club Monaco keeps redesigning stores where events and plush seating areas entice shoppers to grab a coffee and hang out for a while.