Chapter 4 - Pearson

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82 SECTION I Introduction to Fashion Retailing
The teenage market is extremely important for trendy fashion merchandise.
(David Young-Wolff/PhotoEdit)
Young Middle-Aged. This group includes those with the highest incomes. Many are
top-level corporate executives, businesses owners or professionals. Their incomes and
lifestyles make them the prime target for the fashion retailers. They patronize prestigious specialty
and department stores and make significant purchases from fashion catalogs and online
because their time for in-store shopping is often limited. Well-tailored quality designer
brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and DKNY are directed at this audience, where
price is a less important factor in their selections. Companies such as Saks Fifth Avenue,
Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and a host of upscale fashion boutiques
cater to young middle-aged patrons and their fashion needs.
Older Middle-Aged. The people in this group are often of two types. One is still career
oriented and requires fashions that are important to their everyday professional lives.
They are often in the market for quality merchandise at upper-level price points. Since their
careers often involve social obligations as well, they buy fashionable occasional clothing and
accessories. The other segment of this group has retired and spends more time in leisure activities
such as travel and recreation. These people still want fashion items but often prefer
sportswear because they spend their time playing tennis or golf. Consequently, manufacturers
of traditional sportswear offer collections tailored to these interests. Ralph Lauren, for example,
features a line of golf clothing that is available at pro shops and department stores.
The retired segment has more time to spend shopping, so they often prefer to make their purchases
in department stores. They generally do not use the Internet.
Elderly. The elderly market is not typically as important for fashion retailers. The elderly
are usually more concerned with health and other personal problems than they are about
fashion. Their purchases are usually for functional merchandise, often lower priced and more
conservative in nature. There are, however, a growing number of people in this classification
who spend more time on vacations, and cruises are very popular. For those occasions they
buy evening wear. Collectively, they are considered to be “difficult” shoppers because many
live on fixed incomes and cannot be moved from their preconceived ideas about “proper”
fashion.
Table 4.2 summarizes the six age classifications as studied by the U.S. Department of
Commerce, with their age ranges, their fashion needs, and the typical retailers they patronize.