Survival of the Fitted

It’s an epiphany.  Long gone are the days when women were considered the primary driving force in luxury fashion and accessories.  These days the luxury world is finally paying attention to men.

Fierce brand loyalty, a natural connection to the digital space, a yearning for knowledge and expert fashion advice… these are just some of the highlights of a recent WWD article on men and luxury.  Brands such as Coach, Ermenegildo Zegna, Ben Minkoff and John Varvatos are but a few of the brands that have discovered that men have been grossly underserved and misunderstood in the luxury market.

What is interesting is the variety of ”inner self” issues that brands are starting to understand.  Brands are learning that men tend to value a more “mature” approach to shopping.  They put emphasis on knowledge, performance, quality and heritage.  The reflection and consideration process takes longer than it does with women, but the actual closing of the sale is decisive and rapid.  Brands are seeing the things that hinder men from fully adopting what luxury brands are offering.

For example, what do men really hate about shopping?  Trying on clothes.  Ermenegildo Zegna has found a solution to this phobia.  Men have access to a virtual fitting room – based on fits.me technology – where they can input personal measurements and visualize what clothes should theoretically look like on their particular body shape.

Visceral Impulses in a Virtual World

While women are finding fulfillment in the cascade of beautiful images that invite them into the digital store to dream, men are getting their “fix” from the tactile end.  The mere sensation of pushing the buttons, of having the world at their fingertips on a mobile application, is profoundly satisfying to a man.  The tactile stimulation and instant gratification in giving the order for a tailor-made item to be produced by the simple touch of a fingertip – that is power.

Another very powerful and real touchpoint that the Internet cannot yet reproduce virtually is smell.  Go into any luxury shop and notice the first thing a man does when considering whether or not to purchase a product he may possibly deem to be overpriced — he smells the product.  Yes, right there in the shop, he puts it up to his nose and sniffs it, as if the odor would make the price tag more digestible.  In the case of luxury, 9 times out of 10, it does.  Hey, if it smells good, it must BE good, right?

The Hidden Superhero in Every Man

But who needs to spend a fortune on marketing studies to understand what really drives men to purchase luxury goods? In order to get in touch with the deep things of the male psyche, brands should get their noses out of the marketing books and go to the movies.

The recent renaissance of DC and Marvel comics has been met with overwhelming success.  If brands would learn from the undeniable magnetic attraction these movies are producing on male consumers, they would be better able to identify the keys to a man’s heart, for free.

The superhero-like names of some of the digital access points that are already catering specifically to men, like GiltMan and Mr. Porter, prove that the superhero phenomenon is real and growing. After all, what young boy has not attached the kitchen towel to the back of his T-shirt and run around pretending to be Superman?  It is obvious that the need to dress for success, to peacock and to get the girl all stem from the visceral realities clearly showcased in the superhero comics.  Everyone knows that the superhero needs to have his special suit on to be able to perform and access his superpowers.

And the need for expert advice and knowledge?  Well, you can find that as well, not only in the superhero films but also in famous spy-movies like James Bond or spoofs like True Lies.  The one who presents the hero with his gadgets is always indispensable to the success of the mission.  In the movie “The Incredibles,” the hero is convinced he needs a cape to make his reentry into the superhero business, but his fashion consultant “E” successfully talks him out of it.  Steve Jobs was the genius behind Pixar who made the film – and it’s obvious that he knew things about what really motivates consumers more than anyone else.

Everybody Wants to Save the World

Right now, the only superhero motivation that has not yet been exploited is the need to save the world. In an ideal world, real men fight for a just cause.  Unfortunately, in our world of economic turmoil, men fight just ‘cause if they don’t, they won’t survive.

If luxury brands really want to boldly go where no man has gone before, they might try to offer a more altruistic motivation to closing the sale.  Brand image could be enhanced by partnering with a just cause that any superhero would jump at.

What if brands could sell the idea that when a man purchases their products, a portion of the proceeds goes to help the future generation succeed?  They could underline that philanthropy and generosity are the true signs of wealth and self-actualization.  The true measure of a man is not the size of his wallet, but the size of his heart.

By developing programs to educate the underprivileged or rescue youth from drug-infested areas, luxury brands could wield a very powerful two-edged sword.  On the one hand, they can appeal to the superhero self-actualization needs of their clients, while at the same time they can demonstrate their practical and sensitive response to the harsh realities of the world in which we all live.

After all, if you don’t save the world, how will you get the girl?

By Claudia Garofalo de Pretto, Digital Luxury Group