Fashion and Beauty: Case Studies in Innovation

Fashion and Beauty examines the role that innovation has played throughout fashion history. Moving beyond innovation as mere buzzword, Sutton looks at case studies of moments in history where innovation has initiated fundamental change.

In the fashion and beauty industries-where relevance is everything-innovation is critical to survival and is often shaped by specific historical, cultural, economic, and sociological contexts. But innovation has become a buzzword, overused and generalized. Fashion and Beauty: Case Studies in Innovation identifies the various factors that define innovation, and innovation theories such as Schumpeter's, using a case study approach to explore innovative events in fashion and beauty ranging from the creation of maternity and plus-size women's apparel (Lane Bryant) and new textiles (DuPont's Kevlar) to the development of luxury streetwear (Dapper Dan), creative upcycling (feed sacks), and new markets in cosmetics (Fashion Fair) and business models in beauty (Weleda, Dr. Hauschka). The case studies incorporate salient contextual elements that factor into innovative developments as well as the entrepreneurial impulse both inside and outside of traditional economic systems.

Sutton explores case studies of moments in history where innovation has initiated fundamental change, including recognition of new market segmentation (the rise of streetwear, beauty's turn to inclusivity), trends that turn into classics (athleisure wear), the creation of entirely new categories of apparel (maternity, plus-size), the use of technology for convenience and efficiency (e-commerce and social media), product improvement (advances in science of skin care), and as part of potential solutions to current fashion industry challenges (plant-based/upcycled products). Ultimately, each chapter considers the historical, political, and social context of each innovation along with its cultural meaning and impact.