More Power to You

Today, fashion and retail are all about marketing and money. The consumer to this industry is all about buying the new trends, the same items which retailers force upon them through endless and very clever advertising. Few retailers or consumers take a step back to see the vicious circle of supply and demand. The retailer stocks up a bulk supply of the newest trends, and then goes all out in advertising, using subtle tools to make people feel that they need whatever new trend is being sold. The consumer responds, nearly brainwashed by aggressive advertising, creating a greater demand for the trendy product. The unfortunate effects show easily manipulated consumers and corrupt, greedy retailers. The consequence of this circle that is given even less attention is the huge loss of creativity and originality in many retail stores.

Retailers like Bath and Body Works, Victoria's Secret, PacSun, Urban Outfitters (etc...) practice a type of marketing called "power retailing," a key to their success. Power retail involves corporate planning and control; every display and every product is set out and provided in specific numbers, specific places, and with little to no room for adjustment. This allows the company to have homogeneous stores, where they will be sure that their customer will see the messages and be taken in by the appearance of their stores. This sameness is strictly followed at such retail stores, apparently boosting the retailer's popularity. However, at the same time that this is a successful business technique, power retail takes the originality out of every single store owned by that company. There are no real people behind the marketing, therefore there is no true emotion or understanding of a product by the company which sells it. Even the most meaningful product is reduced to just another trend by greedy corporations, and the truly original pieces are lost among the show along with the morals of retail.