Riding hip jeans into new luxury markets

“You might think that for a young brand, netting $100 million in sales of $100-plus jeans is a sure sign of success. And indeed, labels such as True Religion, Rock & Republic, Citizens of Humanity, and 7 for All Mankind have graced the pages of fashion bibles like Vogue and Elle, and are sold in high-end stores from Saks to Barneys New York. But for this new generation of fashion startups, "premium"—or $100-plus—jeans are just the springboard for launching up market lifestyle brands. Many are entering 2007 by offering expanded lines of clothes, accessories, outerwear, eyewear—even a hotel—that they hope will boost customer loyalty and fully establish them as multicategory brands. The key for Paper Denim + Cloth and the more expensive premium-denim labels alike as they expand will be to keep their brands consistent and distinctive. As they translate their casual-chic brand identities into numerous new products and begin to compete with more established lifestyle brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, these premium-denim companies face a design and marketing challenge that will require more than just fancy stitching on back pockets.”

I think that there are positive outcomes and negative outcomes of high brand jeans like true Religion and 7 for all mankind to expand their clothing lines, by offering accessories, outerwear and eyewear. A positive outcome is that the brand will expand and become better known not just by their jeans but by the other products they are preparing to sell, and thus make more money.
I personally love 7 for all Mankind jeans; they fit well and are fashionable. By the company expanding their business, the thought and creativeness put into their jeans may not exist as it does today. Also, as they create new products, there brand name may go down as their products may not be as nice or have the same high quality as their jeans do. Usually when a brand starts licensing themselves, and puts their brand name on other things, it makes the brand less high quality, and could possibly ruin their reputation.
Companies like true religion and 7 for all man kind are great at what they do. They have great jeans and even though they are very expensive because of their quality and fashionable, people pay high prices for the jeans. Making jeans is what the brand is known for, so I think that they should stick with what they do well instead of spreading out and creating other items that is so, so. Being great at making one thing, is better than being just ok at making various things.

Jessica Kaplan