Topics: Innovation

Meaning and Definition

‘The definition of innovation can be defined as a process that involves multiple activities to uncover new ways to do things. It should not be confused with creation since this can be defined as the act of making, inventing, or producing something. However, new innovations can be realized with creativity. People need to think outside the box in order to create incremental enhancements.’ (toolshero)

The prosses of innovation comes from the different methodologies that were used to get to the end goal. Innovation must be different than what already exits, either as an end product or by the prosses in which it was made in.

Scholarly Points of View

‘For something to be considered an innovation, the consumer must perceive the newness or novelty of the proposed fashion- it must seem different when compared to what already exists in the wardrobe, across the social group, or in the market environment.’ (Brannon and Divita, 2015)

Innovation within fashion is determined on the originality of the trend or product. Fashion consumers must see the products or trends as something unalike what they have seen previously.

‘Fashion brands need to be innovative and on-trend to remain desirable and even then, it is very likely that a consumer will buy other brands.’ (Jackson and Shaw, 2009)

Fashion brands must use innovation as a tool in order to remain relevant and desired. They face a lot of competition, which is why innovation is vital. Brands must have the newest, trendiest and best products.

‘Fashion innovations may take many forms such as a new fiber, a new finish for denim or another fabric, introduction of an unusual colour range, a modification in a silhouette or detail, a different way to wear an accessory, or a mood expressed in a distinctive style. When introduced, it diffuses through the population as more and more consumers have a chance either to accept it or reject it.’ (Brannon and Divita, 2015)

Innovation in the fashion industry comes in different variations such as new fabrics, color ways or new styling concepts. It is up to the consumers to decide on whether or not to embrace or cast off the new innovations.

Real Life Example

What we know today as the ‘Hoodie’ was the result of innovation.

Back in 1920, athletic gear brand ‘Russell Athletic’ pioneered the cotton jersey sweatshirt in order to ease the discomfort football players had from excess sweating during their training and games. Shortly after, athletic gear brand ‘Champion’, then named ‘Knickerbocker Knitting Company’ used the same cotton sweatshirt as a basis for their innovation which was the ‘hoodie’ (see figure 1).

Figure 1, Vintage Champion hoodies

They designed and developed the hoodie “for practical reasons as a warm up or “sideline” garment for athletes to wear in-between game time or practice sessions” (The Idle Man, 2018). Since this innovation, Champion has been on a quest to perfect athletic performance through their clothing designs and patterns. Other Champion innovations included the mesh top, reverse weave technology, the revisable sweatshirt and screen printing “to stay ahead of the competition and cater to the teams and institutions they were selling to” (Warnett, 2017). “Champion has always had innovation at its core” (Champion). They design with innovation in mind, and as a result, they came to be one of the most valuable sporting brands in the world with officials setting “a goal of having Champion’s global sales reach more than $2 billion by 2022” (SGB Media, 2018).

Personal Evaluations

For a brand to be thought of as noteworthy within its market, they need to have some innovation as part of their business. They could either be selling an innovative product or implementing an innovative idea. Most successful brands have innovation in their core way of thinking. For example, thanks to innovative thinking, Bill Gates and Paul Allen have managed to found one of the most valuable companies in the world- Microsoft.

In 1980, Gates’s vision was “A computer on every desk and in every home”, at the time the computers were not mainstream, and there wasn’t a need for them in people’s everyday lives However, due to innovative technology, Gates and Allen have built a vastly successful company, and nowadays, “around 1.5 billion people are using Windows to realise their own vision for a business, story or piece of schoolwork” (Microsoft News, 2014).