Should Vera Wang be Very Wary?

In an October issue of Brandweek, Chang discusses about how Vera Wang is launching a new line called “Very Vera,” that will bring her designs to the masses. Known for her high-end, glamorous, Cinderella-esque wedding dresses, there’s fear as to what Very Vera would do to her brand image. Although there has been a growing list of designers appealing to the masses with a lower priced design line (Isaac Mizrahi, Michael Graves), there’s a difference between what they did and where they placed it in comparison to what Vera is going to do. According to Chang, “Kohl’s doesn’t really have a distinctive apparel positioning. The strength of Wang’s brand lies in her adherence to cutting edge fashion—and to the allure and mystique associated with a fairy-tale wedding, something that is an once-in-a-lifetime event. These things could prove incongruous with Kohl’s proposition of everyday brands for everyday occasions.” He also believes that the store experience at Kohl’s will not be consistent with the store experience people perceived her brand to have, and thus, disappoint.

When I first heard that Vera Wang was selling to the masses, I personally was so excited because I would finally be able to buy something made by Vera Wang. But on the same point, the fact that her brand will be sold at Kohl’s stores seem a little off. Every girl dreams of having their fairy-tale wedding, and buying a Vera Wang wedding gown eludes you to feel just that. With Vera Wang selling at Kohl’s, her brand just doesn’t have that same special feeling. I realize that many designers have already been down this path and have done very well for themselves, but I think that because of what Vera Wang has made of her brand, that this route may not be the best for her. What do you guys think?

Jennifer Tsai