JUA 2009Redefining Fashion

The Break Down

The group:14 girls and 2 teachers (Mrs. Freeborn & Mr. Buck)

Destination: Boston, MA

Purpose: Redefine Fashion

We went to BCBG and Gap to compare clothing styles and prices.

We visited the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) and looked at photography and textiles.

We conducted surveys on Newbury St.

Copley Plaza

BCBG vs. Gap

We went to BCBG first and had objectives:construction, price, where it was made, and the materials it was made from.

We went to Gap next and examined items with the same objectives: construction, price, where it was made, and the materials it was made from.

Results of BCBG •We found it interesting that most things at BCBG were made in China.

•The pieces at BCBG were definitely more unique and fashionable.

•The fit at BCBG was a lot better then at GAP.

Results of Gap

•Most of the items at Gap were priced reasonably.

•The clothing was frequently made in China as well.

•The pieces at Gap were not very unique and were poorly constructed.

•The fit seemed to be okay but not flattering on all body types.

•At Gap some of the clothing items were made from recycled fibers.

Conclusion of Results• All in all, we concluded that BCBG is worth the extra money. The quality of the

products were better. An example of this is a bag we found in The Gap was made of 100% lambskin and was lined poorly. It was not great quality fabric and not rain resistant. It was tiny and did not have very many pockets. The zippers were bulky and it was made in China. Before we looked at the actual price we guessed that the bag was around $30 dollars. When we looked at the real price it was $150. We found a similar sized bag at BCBG that had more pockets, was well lined, made of leather and was more durable. It was made in China and had better zippers. It cost $298 dollars but the overall design, structure, quality and appeal of the bag was much better. It was a lot of money, but the bag seemed like it would last longer and more time was put into making it. Overall, BCBG is more expensive but it is worth buying a more expensive product that will last longer than a moderately expensive one that won’t last as long.

Window Displays

Newbury Street Survey “While we did the survey it felt pretty awkward. We figured the end of Newbury Street with the less expensive shops would have a better outcome for answers.” 

“We expected the survey to be a lot worse than it really was. We found it to be a challenging learning experience.”

•Many of the people polled stated that fashion was important.•Comfort seemed to be the most important factor when choosing clothing.•When polled many people stated that brand did not matter.

Does the brand matter?

When we did a survey on Newbury Street we got answers such as:

“Yes, brands matter because quality is better and the items will last longer.”

“Name brands are appealing to people.”

“As long as something is cute it is worth the money.”

“Trends change too often to be worth the money.”

Visit to the MFA

•We went to the MFA to observe an exhibit on photography and an installation about textiles and embroidery.

•Unfortunately, the fashion illustrations were all in storage as the museum is undergoing renovations.

•However, we were able to see the works online through a virtual tour of the MFA.

Detailed stitching

Color

Design

Anything can be considered fashion photography.

What did we learn?•Fashion can be a form of art (whether it is photography, textiles, or the garments themselves).

•Fashion is an statement of your individuality (and it is important to many people.)

•Brand names do matter to us (whether that’s right or not).