Adapting to a changing market, fashion brands break away from their heritage
Fashion brands don’t usually stray far from their roots. After having built a legacy based on a specific aesthetic, it would only be counter productive to pivot and change creative direction.

For example, a popular luxury womenswear label will not suddenly release a collection for men – or attempt at capturing the fast fashion market.

As competition heats up though, you can see more brands experimenting.

“Staying relevant in the ever-evolving fashion industry requires a keen eye for what’s new, the trends, and a deep understanding of our consumers’ changing tastes,” comments Lim Fang Heng, CEO of Malaysian tailoring house Wardrobe.

The Bajuu label caters to younger men who want the ease of shopping off-the-rack. Photo: BajuuWardrobe introduced a diffusion label last year. Named Bajuu, it caters to younger men with a wider range of casual ready-to-wear designs.

He insists the move should not be seen as a declaration of how the traditional tailoring trade is dying.

“It’s about adaptation and inclusivity, ensuring we remain significant and appealing to a wider and current audience,” Lim says.

Camel Active, known for providing outdoor clothing and gear, expanded its offerings after the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

An urban, daily wear collection targeting a more fashionable crowd was introduced in 2022. It eventually became part of the brand’s mainstay.

“Everyone has to change – if not drastically, then slowly,” notes Jason Tan, managing director of Camel Active South-East Asia.

“Fashion is based on the trends of the day. You can hold on dearly to your heritage, but if your style is no longer a preference, then your brand will become obsolete or irrelevant.”

Read more: Malaysian menswear tailors forced to adapt, but suits will live on

A change will do you good

The world’s top fashion houses all have a long-standing heritage, but they don’t stay static.

When Hedi Slimane took on the role of creative director at Saint Laurent in 2012, he changed its look and business concept.

Slimane refocused Saint Laurent onto highly commercial products, instead of the previously conceptual, high-fashion collections. He even altered the name (the word “Yves” was dropped).

Other creative and artistic designers have affected big changes too.

The late Karl Lagerfeld’s tenure at Chanel between 1983 to 2019 saw him transforming it for a younger, cooler market.

Alessandro Michele reignited Gucci when he became creative director in 2015. He fused Gucci signatures with a maximalist aesthetic. His departure last year saw the fashion house changing again – this time, to embrace minimalism.

Even shoes designers have to venture out of their comfort zone and expand their offerings. Pictured here is a ready-to-wear design by Nelissa Hilman. Photo: Nelissa HilmanOf course, there is also the phenomenon of how luxury fashion houses have co-opted streetwear. These days it is easy to spot a “street” look on the runways – caps and T-shirts being paired with sleek suits, for example.

Change can also be about expansion. It is like how Malaysian footwear designer Nelissa Hilman moved into ready-to-wear.

Ten years after establishing her shoe brand, she surprised everyone in the industry by releasing her first clothing line at the 2022 Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week.

Nelissa even collaborated with other local brands to debut jewellery and bags at that time.

“It was more of me wanting to learn something new,” she told StarLifestyle at the debut runway show.

Read more: Streetwear is now fashion's new luxury, and Malaysia isn't left out of the scene

Very much consumer-driven

A big drive for fashion brands to change is the need to keep up with consumers’ needs. It comes with risks though.

While Lim admits that there were worries of “alienating” customers with the new Bajuu label, he says the creation was a strategic decision.

He point out that it is a good way for a brand to diversify offerings.

Wardrobe’s brand history dates all the way back to 2001 – or 1978, if you take into account Spark Manshop, the company that Lim’s father help start.

Over the long years, the focus has always been on traditional tailoring.

“Our main considerations were to ensure that any new introduction would complement our existing offerings and uphold our brand’s legacy and quality,” Lim explains.

“We carefully balance innovation with tradition, ensuring that Bajuu resonates with first a new set of customer demographic, and then to our loyal customers.”

The fact that fashion’s customer base is getting younger is another reason for brands to try new things.

“Camel Active has been around since 1984 in Malaysia,” Tan says. “While the brand is known for its rugged and comfortable clothes, younger people want something more trendy.”

The new C By Camel Active collection is urban-oriented, fun, energetic and street inspired. It fits the needs of millennials and Gen Zs who prefer sporty, hip clothes.

That said, style is very much a state of mind. Perhaps a brand’s existing clientele will just have to adapt too.

“I’m from the baby boomer generation, but I think I can wear such clothes meant for younger people,” Tan says, laughing. “I can identify with current trends too.”
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Fashion brands don’t usually stray far from their roots. As competition heats up though, you can see more companies experimenting with new collections and diffusion lines.