The End of Fashion: The Mass Marketing Of The Clothing Business

By Teri Agins

Book Overview

Fashion is a multibillion-dollar international business; it permeates our lives and our economies. Yet there has never been a book of solid, hard-hitting, uncompromising business/cultural/social journalism on this subject--because the fashion press is subsidized by the very industry it covers. Teri Agins, however, covers the fashion beat for a publication that does not rely upon fashion advertising--and she is thereby uniquely unfettered and able to finally tell the whole truth about this gigantic, flamboyant, and endlessly fascinating business. Her book traces an arc from the origins of couture and its apotheosis in the early part of this century to the advent of prjt-a-porter post .World War II and the sweeping changes that have taken place as the century ends. It is an arc from when "fashion" was defined by elite French designers whose clothes could be afforded only by the global socialites--but whose designs were copied and followed by everyone else--to the point where the rules are set by the consumers, and the designers must follow them. It is an arc from class to mass; from art to commodity. Above all, it is the story of the triumph of marketing. The narrative includes profiles of designers Emmanuel Ungaro, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, and Zoran, as well as retailers Marshall Field and the Gap. The End of Fashion is classy and stylish, filled with insider details; it is dishy and lively and fun--as well as astute and full of insights about how the changes in the fashion business have reflected changes in the culture over the last fifty years.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0688151604
• ISBN13: 9780688151607
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.3" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Good late 20th century fashion history book

As other reviewers stated, this would be an engaging book for readers who are interested in fashion history, particularly prominent designers in the 1980s and 1990s. I'm more interested in the business/marketing and cultural side (at a macro level, not micro), so there were parts of this book that were a bit slow for me. The author's writing style is wonderful though and she did a great job finding very different designers to talk about and eloquently points out how they missed the mark or excelled during that time period.

Highly recommended for those interested in fashion

Teri Agins manages to write about fashion with authority and fluency and with no superfluous over the top 'fluff'. Although some bits may seem a bit too technical and not of much interest to some, overall it is a very well written and sophisticated piece of work about the workings of the fashion industry. After reading this book it is hard to look at clothes the same way again! For me at least, it really changed my perspective on the idea of fashion in an enlightening way, though it did strip away some of its glamour. Fashion journalism is often written with bias and is just generally badly written - those who hold an interest in fashion are more likely to enjoy the visual qualities of fashion rather than expressing them in words. So it is really refreshing to see this well written book about a subject often mocked as frivolous without any cattiness.

Fashion books tend to be vapid. This book packs a wallop

Teri Agins did a terrific job with her book "The End of Fashion". The title sounds a bit fatalistic, but the content and tome is fantastic. I've always wanted to know the history, business practices, personality and profiles of accomplished designers and Teri Agins delivers all this beautifully. No malice is detected and Ms.Agins' professionalism is evident throughout. No catty swipes are made, even when she discusses Donna's exorbitant overhead and sample process or when she discusses Tommy's obsession with everything Ralph Lauren. Remember Ralph: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I'm so glad to know what really happened to Mossimo and Zoran. This book about fashion designers and the fashion industry is a great read. I highly recommend it to fashion and garment industry types as well as for the informed or curious customer.

In-depth research plus great writing

This book will be a great read for anyone interested in fashion, and frankly it's a good read for any consumer who spends more than a few hundred dollars a year on clothes. It explains not only the rise and fall of the Paris couture houses, but also the impact of licensing and retail giants such as Tommy Hilfiger and the Gap. If you're at all interested in the fashion industry, this provides fabulous insight. Agins did a good job of organising a lot of information, and then writing it in a way that remains engaging and meaningful. I bought this to do some research on a story, but then I found it so interesting that I finished this book in a couple of days!

An honest objective portrayal of the fashion industry

I have always felt that the comparison of the fashion industry to the "Emporer's New Clothes" was exactly what the consumer wanted and what the industry presented. But what so intrigued me about Ms. Agin's book is that she exposed the "Emporer" without clothes and the clothes makers without sarcasm or snide attacks. This made it possible for we aspiring designers to observe a realistic view and grounded attitude as we wade into this evolving dance of dressing. It is no wonder that the author holds such an esteemed position at the Wall Street Journal. I am so hopeful that this is but a beginning of more books from Ms. Agin that deal with other mysteries and facets of a very exciting and dynamic industry.

Finally, the Truth About the Rag Trade

As Teri Agins boldly hints, you can't get the real truth about the fashion biz from all those fashion publications who are so beholden to the old way of doing things. It takes a Wall Street Journal writer who isn't afraid to look behind the runway curtain. The truth? The fashion business ain't what it used to be. An engaging and educational tour -- from Armani to Ralph and Tommy -- of how fashion has changed before our eyes. I'm a long-time fan of the fashion world, and this book knocked me out of my Gucci loafers.