Making the Marque: Tangible Branding in Fashion Retail and Product Design

This paper explores concepts of fashion branding in order to identify six tangible elements of a brand that may be manipulated in order to influence consumer behaviour. These tangible elements are contextualized within the case of the British luxury brand Burberry to show how fashion branding may be influenced by fashion practitioners working in product design, promotional and retailing roles. The critically important role of fashion designers and retail architects in contributing to branding is investigated in some detail using in-depth interviews. The paper emphasises the significance, especially in the contemporary market environment, of creative disciplines such as fashion product and store design in creating brands that are commercially successful.