The beginning of the end of diffusion lines?

[Shucks]

this is pretty interesting. honestly, when i visited dolce & gabbana HQ i was pretty blown away by how professional they were as a company and how they had already back then bought back the d&g license and created an independent organization for it. now they are taking it one step further...


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...955734890.html

[Pumpfish]

Looks like a natural evolutionary step.

The diffusion separation was about protecting the ego of the main brand shopper while the business widened its price accessibility.

At least the ones not frightened off by the nudy men adverts!

[mrbeuys]

I have been working with Dolce & Gabbana (not D&G) for many years now, and even the people there were initially somewhat confused by the move when it was announced internally, but it does make perfect sense once you think about it. It will probably take years for this fade-out to happen, but there was always a confusion of what stood for what, and the brand hurting more was most likely the DG brand, while D&G was thriving in ways that was destroying the luxury image.
Not a bad move at all IMO. And yes, there you have it, I work with DG and they are quite brilliant people.

[Shucks]

yeah, they seemed super professional and focused - especially compared to other italian major fashion companies i've come in contact with. i can't relate to the brand identity on a personal level, but i would certainly consider working with them, especially after making decisions like this. so congrats to you on having what seems like a very good client.

[Faust]

I have been working with Dolce & Gabbana (not D&G) for many years now, and even the people there were initially somewhat confused by the move when it was announced internally, but it does make perfect sense once you think about it. It will probably take years for this fade-out to happen, but there was always a confusion of what stood for what, and the brand hurting more was most likely the DG brand, while D&G was thriving in ways that was destroying the luxury image.
Not a bad move at all IMO. And yes, there you have it, I work with DG and they are quite brilliant people.

I know this took courage. Did you feel like you were at AA meeting?

[mrbeuys]

Not far from it.
Nearly missed my actual AA meeting by the time I got the courage to write this post...

[marsa]

Seeing that most diffusion lines (historically) are ways to make money in times where the company is suffering financially, its cognitively persived as a trickledown down strategy - allowing others less economically fortunate, to buy into the idea of the main brand identity - thus Id like to find the retraction of d&g line as a direct shift in consumer awareness, -knowingly buying the main brand identity- as supposed to the more mass produced diffusion lines.

Not that I have any interest in dolce and gabbana, or d&g whatsoever...

[mrbeuys]

I think they are doing fine with sunglasses and perfumes, margins on that stuff are out of this world. No need for further diffusion.
The rest is trading up.

[ES3K]

"D&G" and "DG" was just too close, nearly impossible to communicate even for people who know all lines and differences. Someone can say "my suit is RL Black Label, not Purple", but where is the difference in saying "my sunglasses are DG, not D&G".

I highly resepect folding D&G, will probably hurt them financially on short term, not to mention some trouble with distribution/retailers.
If they now can please quit the bad habit of sticking metallic labels on everything?

[Faust]

Seeing that most diffusion lines (historically) are ways to make money in times where the company is suffering financially, its cognitively persived as a trickledown down strategy - allowing others less economically fortunate, to buy into the idea of the main brand identity - thus Id like to find the retraction of d&g line as a direct shift in consumer awareness, -knowingly buying the main brand identity- as supposed to the more mass produced diffusion lines.

Not that I have any interest in dolce and gabbana, or d&g whatsoever...

Funny word. Somehow I don't think of someone buying a $150 tee instead of a $250 tee less economically fortunate.

[ES3K]

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