Ana Muñoz

Marta Bermúdez

Antonio Frau

José Luis Gutiérrez

Enrique Lacalle

Rocio Martínez

Management of Fashion and Design Companies

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

History• Two brothers, Custodio and David Dalmau.

• Were born in Tremp (Spain).

• Both studied creative degrees.

– Custodio Architecture

– David Art

• The two of them grew up in Barcelona. This provided them with an Urban influence.

• During their University period they traveled around The States, which influenced them with the surfers´ culture of South California.

History• After doing “The Americas” they returned to Spain and

started the business without a brand:

– Creative t-shirts with a personal and individual design.

• During the 80´s they worked on t-shirts for men. In the 90´s launched t-shirts for women line.

• In March 1996 create the brand, Custo-Barcelona and start to sell t-shirts in prestigious stores around U.S.

– Famous actors of Hollywood wear Custo t-shirts (marketing strategy)

• In 1997 they presented their First collection in the “New York Fashion Week”

– The “customania” gets started.

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITYBRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Time-Line

American influence

Create and sell t-shirts, back in Europe•Two

brothers grown in Barcelona

•Experience the West Coast American life-style.

•Back to Europe.

•In the80’s Started creating men t-shirts.

•90’s create the women line.

•1996 launched the brand.

•U.S. market

•1997 First show. “New York Fashion Week”

Today Custo is a well-known brand sold in more than 50 countries in the five continents and owns more than 15 own-brand stores.

•Creative studies

Heritage

• History: Spanish designer of innovative and creative casual outfit.

• Know-How: technique of sewing prints.

• Celebrities and VIP’s as promoters, marketing strategy. Hollywood actors such as Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz.

• Lifestyle vs. country of origin: creativity and individuality of Barcelona urban style.

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITYBRAND&LINE EXTENSION

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ANAYSISCONCLUSION

CONTEMPORANY, FASHION, TREND BREAKER

DISTINCTIVE GLAM

Since 1996, fast evolution of innovative fabrics and designs

Began with selective multibrand stores.

Nowadays are shifting to the own-brand stores retailing strategy (brand identity) .

Transformation of informal clothing into distinctive and original outfits.

Stylistic identity Minimalism,

modernistic, innovative.

Retail identity Young,

provocative, unique, different, urban.

VIP’s are used as promoters.

Com. identity

Brand Identity

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITYBRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Brand Identity

• Distinctive Glam– Defines itself as “avanguarde”.– Does not follow tendencies.– Offers glamour to casual clothing

combined with original design.– Alternative trends to define yourself as

different, fashionable. – Targeted to people bored of social

conventional style.– High purchasing power customer profile.

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITYBRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Brand Identity

• Stylistic identity

– Transforms casual wear and complements into alternative, original and distinctive.

– Colorful and original designed products.

– Innovative.

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITYBRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Brand Identity

• Stylistic identity (description)– Materials: cotton, silk, wool, cheviot,

cachemire.– Forms: nature environment motives, several

icons, persons iconography (Jordi Labanda designs).

– Colorful, high intensity and bright colors.– Products: t-shirts (pivot product), men &

women’s wear and accessories.

HISTORY HERITAGE

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BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Brand Identity• Retail identity

– Uses a minimalist, simply modern distribution in both, multibrand and own-brand stores.

– Innovative decoration.

– 15 flagship stores all over the world.

– First Flagship store: Barcelona opened in 2001. 50 m2.

Contrast between cold and warm materials, green ceramic material and cube shaped shelves, mixture of sensations. The outside is formed of a unique window.

– Custo in Italy: one store in Rome and Perugia and two in Milan.

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Brand Identity

• Retail identity– From multi-brand stores is moving

towards own-brand stores.– Positions its products in well-known stores.

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Brand Identity

• Communication identity– Present a young image.

– Provocative, apart from conventional style.– Offers uniqueness, different to the rest.– Urban style, modern, functional.– Publicity and Public Relation’s:

• Chrysler PT Cruiser design• Barbie (45th anniversary)• Celebrities

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

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BRAND&LINE

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SWOT ANALYSIS

CONCLUSION

Brand & line extension

• Custo follows a Brand and line extension instead of Launching a new brand for new product categories.

• Why?– Custo brand is under a growth and

consolidation process.– Less risky.– Lower cost associated.

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE

EXTENSIONGROWTH

SWOT ANALYSIS

CONCLUSION

Brand extension• 1980´s: men t-shirts is the only product.• 1990´s: Launch women t-shirts line.• 1996: Custo is created.• 1997: First fashion collection (New York Fashion Week)• Nowadays Custo has extended its brand:

• Creation of new product categories under Custo’s brand.

• More than 500 articles per collection (1997- just 50)• Men and women fashion lines• Clothing: shirts, coats, jackets, dresses, skirts,

pants, sweaters, swim suits• Accessories: Handbags and shoes• But T-shirts still represents a 60% of its income

HISTORY HERITAGEBRAND

IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE

EXTENSIONGROWTH

SWOT ANALYSIS

CONCLUSION

Line extension

• New market segments:– 1980´s Just men's wear– 1990´s Women's wear

• New distribution channel:– 1980´s and 1990´s Multi-brand stores– 2000 Empowerment of own brand stores– Objectives:

• Access more directly to costumers• Offer them the complete Custo´s collection• Brand identity

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

Growth Strategy• Non equity agreements:

– First expansion strategy: North American multi-brand stores to worldwide multi-brand stores

– Presence in prestigious stores such as Sacks or Henri Bendel– Design agreements:

• Majorica (Accessories) • Juan Antonio López (Shoes)

• Internal Growth:– 2.000 Change of strategy: Empowerment of owned stores– Presence in the main international cities

• Present in more than 50 countries• 85% of its income comes from international markets

– Currently Important investments in developing countries (Latin America an Asia)

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSION

SWOT ANALYSISSTRENTGHSArchitecture, Art and Design knowledge. Success in USA:

- NY Fashion Week

- Celebrities Distinctive product. Differentiation. Continuous innovation. Know-How in stamping techniques and graphic effects. Recognition and Awards (Magazines, Kore). Stores’ location.

WEAKNESSESEasy to copy“Custo = T-shirts” perception. Rely on initial product concept. Young brand. Not consolidated in the market. Large net of distributors. Very diversified selling points, lose of control.

OPORTUNITIESConsolidation and Development of line extension. Launching new product categories. Expand in emerging markets ( Asia, South America). Improve Brand Image an awareness by opening more Flagship stores. Prone to sophistication, giving more added value.

THREATSIncrease of legal and illegal copies of Custo style. Former Shut up of stores and current legal trials. Become monotonous or repetitive. Emerging and successful company threaten by acquisitions trend. Operating in a very competitive market. Slow brand changing strategy in a fast pace changing market environment.

HISTORY HERITAGE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRAND&LINE EXTENSION

GROWTHSWOT

ANALYSISCONCLUSIO

N

CONCLUSION

“CUSTO, ALTHOUGH YOUNG, HAS

SUCEEDED IN BEING RECOGNIZED AS

AN INTERNATIONAL FASHION COMPANY,

AND STILL HAS INTERNAL FORCES TO

OBTAIN A VALUE – BRAND IDENTITY”