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September is just around the corner and across the globe stores are buzzing with back-to- school shoppers.
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29/08/2009 14:50FT.com / Style - The teen market
Page 1 of 2http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/edcfc9f8-9361-11de-b146-00144feabdc0.html
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Leighton Meester
The teen marketBy Lucie GreenePublished: August 29 2009 02:33 | Last updated: August 29 2009 02:33
September is just around the corner and across the globe stores are buzzing with back-to-school shoppers. Pencil cases are being upgraded. Gym kits purchased. Feet measured. Butthis time around the standard-issue school uniform simply won’t do.
Thanks partly to a cultural shift that promotes “younger ‘style icons’ such as Lourdes Ciccone,Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus, and Amba and Assisi Jagger,” says Averyl Oates, HarveyNichols’ fashion director, and partly to the recession, which has parents assuaging their ownfrustrated desires by continuing to purchase (slightly less) expensive branded goods for theirchildren, the “tween” (pre-teen) and the fully fledged teenager have steadily emerged assignificant and valuable consumers. Indeed, this month the fashion magazine Love, hasdevoted its entire second issue to teenage stars, including Taylor Momsen (16, star of GossipGirl), Coco Sumner (19, child of Gordon aka Sting), singer Taylor Swift, 20, actor KristenStewart, 19, and Miley Cyrus, 16.
Little wonder that fashion brands, hyper-aware of thepaparazzi attention devoted to the new stars and theirinfluence, have been wooing them not only to wear theirclothes, but help make them. Emma Watson, 19, frontsBurberry’s campaign this autumn, and fashion blogs areabuzz with rumours she will design a clothing line for the fairtrade brand People Tree; this month Cyrus teamed with MaxAzria to create a junior collection for Wal-Mart; while anotherGossip Girl star, Leighton Meester, 23, picked up her TeenChoice Award clad in Louis Vuitton, and the fashion credits inthe hit series in which she stars run from Burberry toValentino.
Retailers are increasingly focusing on younger luxuryshoppers, concentrating on a broader range ofcontemporary and accessibly-priced designer brands.Harrods plans to launch a tween premium denim bar latenext year, dedicated to labels such as True Religion, Rockand Republic and Diesel; Selfridges will unveil a newcontemporary fashion and denim space on its third floor thisautumn and Harvey Nichols have swept away theirhomewares department to begin work on a contemporaryfloor aimed at younger clientele, opening in January. “It willhave brands such as Alexander Wang and the diffusion lineT by Alexander Wang, which are popular with this [tween]type of customer,” says Averyl Oates.
For Angela Rumsey, business editor at retail watchdogWGSN, it’s a logical move. “It makes sense for brands totarget younger audiences,” she says. “They are the nextgeneration of consumer.” Still, says Rumsey, luxury brands“need to look at how the next group consumes, and focus more on technology. They also needto get better with social networking and communication. Younger consumers want aconversation with the brands they buy.”
Successful brands are already adapting. This month, the teen magazine Seventeen launchedan iPhone application which allows readers to purchase “favourite products” chosen by thecover girl of each issue. MTV has been pioneering Seenonmtv.com, a site that allows viewersto search by episode, and purchase clothes worn by stars of shows such as The Hills and TheCity. (According to the entertainment business magazine Portfolio this site generates an annualrevenue of $20m, with 30m page views a month.)
Nevertheless, says Rumsey, “You can’t treat this group in the same way as the previousgenerations. They have many different priorities, the environment being a major concern.They’re highly sophisticated. Luxury brands need to create something that will appeal directlyto them. I’ve yet to see that.” Consider it this semester’s project.
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29/08/2009 14:50FT.com / Style - The teen market
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