While the Mercedes Benz-sponsored Fashion week in New York is in high gear, Mercedes Benz along with its partner WGSN, a leading online fashion trend-analysis and research service, present ‘What Drives Luxury’—a comprehensive intelligence report aimed at exploring the after-crisis market and analysing any changes in the behaviour of luxury segment consumer. To provide the double-sided outlook on the object, the report contains two separate polls with Mercedes-Benz customers and fashion industry professionals.
Image: www.fashiondevelopmentgroup.com
According to the report, as the market starts to grow gradually for the first time after recession, the new type of consumer—emerges essential luxury consumer who is not as much particular about the price, since for whom the N1 point of interest is the unique value that is directly connected to the experience and meaning a product brings to the owner’s life.
Allyson Rees, US Retail Editor of WGSN, commented on the new type of the consumer: «Consumers want luxury goods with an authentic story. Although price is still a factor, they are looking for products with timeless quality and a unique consumer experience».
Aside from that, ‘What Drives Fashion’ goes beyond the consumption issues and tends to look at the market from another angle. The authors of the report assert that the Cinematic approach has become the major design mindset that forms modern-day trends. With help of visual language and a universally familiar medium, it takes the best of the past, distills it, and reworks it for the contemporary consumer. This approach inspired Dior’s campaign with David Lynch as well as moden-day cutting-edge clothing trends featuring the elements of 1920 and 1930-ties. This has led the analysts to an important conclusion: history plays a key role in the contemporary world, which was perfectly illustrated by the results of consumer and industry professional polls. According to them, 374 design-involved professionals found that ninety-two percent are inspired by historic design.
«This year we are celebrating the 125th anniversary of Carl Benz’s patent for the first automobile and more than ever, Mercedes-Benz has the opportunity to dig deep into its heritage as a backdrop to showcase great, innovative design that pulls from a legacy of fascinating cars,» said Kristi Steinberg, manager of customer and markets insights for Mercedes-Benz USA. «The new CLS and SLK on display at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week break entirely new ground in their segments, while staying true to the brand’s roots and that speaks to true luxury.»