Brand segments - Did I share this already?

I realize in my earlier post today that I use some terms that might not be familiar to you. These are a little bit "industry" terms, but I find them useful in understanding some of the advertising and positioning that brands take. 

• Haute Couture: Synonymous with “high fashion,” haute couture is a derivative of the French term “high sewing.” In France, the label “haute couture” is a protected designation and you must be a member of the syndicate. Designers, who attain this elusive and coveted title, produce custom-made clothing for the world’s most influential and wealthiest. These styles are not sold online, but are sold direct by designers to clients.
• Luxury: Prêt-a-Porter, Designer or “Ready to Wear” is one-step down from Haute Couture relative to price and exclusivity, but still serves a discerning and well to do client.  An example of sites focused on luxury includes net-a-porter.com, Barney’s, and Shopbop. The highest end of Nordstrom and Barney's is really Luxury.
• Bridge: Literally, the bridge between Contemporary and Luxury. Many luxury brands have alternative labels for the bridge market. Missoni has M Missoni. Chole has See by Cloe. Marc Jacobs has Marc by Marc Jacobs. Saks, Nordstrom, Barneys and even Amazon carry bridge products.
• Contemporary: This segment presents mid-priced fashions both fashion forward and quality driven. Oftentimes, these designers interpret fashions from the couture houses, making these fashions readily accessible. An example of sites includes J Crew, Banana Republic, and Anthropologie.
• Fast Fashion: Quickly produced product in a cost efficient manner, delivering “high fashion looking” garments, at the lowest price possible. The name relates to the manner of which items from the runway manufactured predominantly overseas with an extremely efficient turnaround. An example of stores includes H&M, Old Navy, Zara, and Urban Outfitters.
• Discount: Usually looked at loss leaders, have quickly adapted to the fast fashion concepts leveraging their consumer’s buying power and reputation to fashion exclusive designer collections. An example of stores includes Wal-Mart, Target, JC Penney, and Sear. 

That's my quick lesson. I think I might be Style Literate today!