Old School

It’s seems as though I surprised a few readers by revealing how online retailer ASOS started out life back In the year 2000 known as  “as seen on screen”

selling the items or exact replicas of clothes and accessories that celebrities had been photographed in, before changing their name Less than a year into trading to acronym ASOS.

21 years is a long time, enough time for ASOS to reinvent themselves as the go-to e-tailer for the young and trendy (i am aware that even using the word trendy is about as current as a Ewbank) Re-invention is the master of success, its how brands stand the test of time,  how they bounce back from oblivion, and how they go from being fashion pariahs to being the toast of fashion week, Burberry being one of the most impressive examples.

Sometimes when brands re-invent themselves its to shake off an older clientele that is no longer profitable for them, Marks & Spencers tried to do this with their clothing offer and it backfired spectacularly, the silver pound is what keeps them afloat.

There are some great examples of brands who have clawed their way back to popularity by appealing to a younger customer, who have no recollection of their previous fashion crimes. Italian sportswear brand Fila, always failed to make headway against the other sportswear giants Nike & Adidas, but the trend for 90s nostalgia gave them a second wind, along side another brand that falls into the “not so good at the time” category, Champion.

Fila made its way back via Urban Outfitters, a mecca for young trend thirsty shoppers and fell lucky that they fitted the current market for logo-mania and Ath-leisure thanks to a chunky, spike-soled trainer, the Disruptor II, which originally went on sale in 1996 and sat on shelves patiently for 15 years before becoming cult. Another brand enjoying a revival is New Balance, once seen as for geeks only (Apple founder Steve Jobs was a fan) suddenly geek was cool and New Balance were recently heralded as the worlds coolest trainers, fashion is fickle, but isn't that what keeps it interesting??