Apple hires Louis Vuitton VP as Director of Product Merchandising

[Rogifan]

Another fashion hire working on the special projects at Apple most likely involve with Watch. I'm assuming all these fashion hires are for more than just Watch which makes me wonder what else Apple has up its sleeve. But I think this is another indication that Watch isn't going to be a traditional Apple product sold in Apple stores and Best Buys and Walmart's. You don't need to hire a VP from Louis Vuitton to sell your wares at Best Buy.

http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/07/apple-key-biomedical-fashion-industry-hires-watch/

 

[Piggie]

Another fashion hire working on the special projects at Apple most likely involve with Watch. I'm assuming all these fashion hires are for more than just Watch which makes me wonder what else Apple has up its sleeve. But I think this is another indication that Watch isn't going to be a traditional Apple product sold in Apple stores and Best Buys and Walmart's. You don't need to hire a VP from Louis Vuitton to sell your wares at Best Buy.

http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/07/apple-key-biomedical-fashion-industry-hires-watch/

It's strange isn't it.

I'm not sure of your viewpoint, but some seem to feel hiring "Fashion Experts" is a positive/plus aspect for Apple and it's watch.

Now, perhaps it's "just me" but personally, every single "Fashion Expert" Apple takes on, or that Apple gets involved with, regards the Apple watch, for me, only pushes the product more and more into negative territory I'm sorry to say.

I am SO anti these so called Fashion People when it comes to technology.
If I wanted to pick a good looking suit, pair of pants, or discus my home décor, paint, fabrics ect, then sure. They may have some use.

But when it comes to a piece of electronics. I'd want ANY such people to keep their dam noses out of it.
Having a piece of technology screwed up due to "Fashion" is the very very last thing I'd want.

Plus of course, in general this simply means whatever they get involved in, is then artificially inflated in price.

Again, perhaps it's me, but I'd steer as far away from any products that are involved in fashion as I possible can.
And more so, I'd rather use my own judgement and taste as to pick what I like, than buying it due to it's brand/label or designer name on the front.

I know many don't agree as the fashion industry generates loads of money due to people buying things as they wish to be "Part of it"

 

[Runt888]

It's strange isn't it.

I'm not sure of your viewpoint, but some seem to feel hiring "Fashion Experts" is a positive/plus aspect for Apple and it's watch.

Now, perhaps it's "just me" but personally, every single "Fashion Expert" Apple takes on, or that Apple gets involved with, regards the Apple watch, for me, only pushes the product more and more into negative territory I'm sorry to say.

I am SO anti these so called Fashion People when it comes to technology.
If I wanted to pick a good looking suit, pair of pants, or discus my home décor, paint, fabrics ect, then sure. They may have some use.

But when it comes to a piece of electronics. I'd want ANY such people to keep their dam noses out of it.
Having a piece of technology screwed up due to "Fashion" is the very very last thing I'd want.

Plus of course, in general this simply means whatever they get involved in, is then artificially inflated in price.

Again, perhaps it's me, but I'd steer as far away from any products that are involved in fashion as I possible can.
And more so, I'd rather use my own judgement and taste as to pick what I like, than buying it due to it's brand/label or designer name on the front.

I know many don't agree as the fashion industry generates loads of money due to people buying things as they wish to be "Part of it"

I definitely see where you're coming from. The vast majority of "fashion" products make me want to scratch out my eyeballs. Hopefully apple can walk the fine line between usability and fashion. Apple is often criticized for placing too much emphasis on "form over function" but I generally approve of their handling in this area (simplicity and ease of use).

 

[Rogifan]

^^
The "fashion" people being hired are in charge of marketing and sales not product development.

 

[odds]

^^
The "fashion" people being hired are in charge of marketing and sales not product development.

/thread

 

[Piggie]

^^
The "fashion" people being hired are in charge of marketing and sales not product development.

As long as they don't feed back any "Fashion" ideas that anyone making a product listens to we'll be safe!

 

[Rogifan]

As long as they don't feed back any "Fashion" ideas that anyone making a product listens to we'll be safe!

Why? Let's say Angela Ahrendts provided feedback on what colors/materials Apple should use for Watch bands. Why is that a problem??

 

[jdamiano]

This is all a part of Apple wanting the Apple Watch Edition to be a high fashion accessory.

 

[Tycho24]

^^
The "fashion" people being hired are in charge of marketing and sales not product development.

Agreed... & fantastic point.
I would assume, similar to Mr. Iovine being picked up for his inroads in the music industry, these hires are for their inroads in the fashion industry.

On a separate note- the people claiming "fashion" doesn't matter are making me want to pull my hair out! They may not have the same standards or sense of fashion as others, but they almost certainly have a sense of fashion.
I suppose there are a few eccentrics in the world that wake up & blindly throw on horribly mismatched clothing... that don't grasp what is the proper attire to wear at a funeral, etc. These are EXTREMELY rare and frankly, sad, cases. We all know what "looks good" to us. THAT is our "fashion sense". It may NOT adhere to the fashion industry as a whole, but to pretend like it doesn't exist seems disingenuous.
I bet if Apple moved the screen on the iPhone all the way to the upper right... and had all the bezel on the bottom left, with total lack of symmetry compared to all other phones, these people who supposedly care nothing about fashion would join us all in saying "Wtf? That looks horrible... I would NEVER use that!". We all want something that works well AND looks good, if possible. The Apple Watch does the best job of any electronic device so far of meeting the aesthetic values of as many people as possible through variety.

 

[Rogifan]

Agreed... & fantastic point.
I would assume, similar to Mr. Iovine being picked up for his inroads in the music industry, these hires are for their inroads in the fashion industry.

On a separate note- the people claiming "fashion" doesn't matter are making me want to pull my hair out! They may not have the same standards or sense of fashion as others, but they almost certainly have a sense of fashion.
I suppose there are a few eccentrics in the world that wake up & blindly throw on horribly mismatched clothing... that don't grasp what is the proper attire to wear at a funeral, etc. These are EXTREMELY rare and frankly, sad, cases. We all know what "looks good" to us. THAT is our "fashion sense". It may NOT adhere to the fashion industry as a whole, but to pretend like it doesn't exist seems disingenuous.
I bet if Apple moved the screen on the iPhone all the way to the upper right... and had all the bezel on the bottom left, with total lack of symmetry compared to all other phones, these people who supposedly care nothing about fashion would join us all in saying "Wtf? That looks horrible... I would NEVER use that!". We all want something that works well AND looks good, if possible. The Apple Watch does the best job of any electronic device so far of meeting the aesthetic values of as many people as possible through variety.

I'm guessing the people arguing against fashion don't really support Apple doing Watch in the first place. They probably think if Apple did anything at all it should have been just a cheap nondescript band with sensors. But that never made any sense to me. If Apple is looking to create another platform for developers and to compete with Android Wear, a Microsoft Band type device doesn't cut it. And it probably wouldn't add much to the top or bottom line so what would be the point? Apple's business model isn't data analytics it's making money from selling hardware.

 

[Arran]

Isn't "Merchandising" more to do with store design than product design?

I think we're all safe from witnessing fashion (product) disasters like these:

 

[Rogifan]

Isn't "Merchandising" more to do with store design than product design?

I think we're all safe from witnessing fashion (product) disasters like these:

Here's a definition from Google:

the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets.

 

[Tanegashima]

1. It's a marketing person.

2. Being "pretty" doesn't mean that it's worse. In fact, making things "pretty" and "easy" has an history in advancing engineering.

Engineers exist to solve problems, personally, I don't care who gives me the problem, as long as it is well defined, and I get paid. In fact, I prefer a "fashion person" to give me a problem, than some neckbeard that doesn't even has a life to therefore need a phone/watch.

Wearables in general are not meant for people that live glued to their computer's LCD's, and I am happy, as a costumer, that Apple doesn't go that way.

 

[Arran]

Here's a definition from Google:

the activity of promoting the sale of goods, especially by their presentation in retail outlets.

Good enough definition for me!

So it does seem to be more about the art of selling: Selecting what products go in the store, what the store looks like (ambiance, lighting, signage), how the staff approach and interact with customers, promotions, advertising.

That sort of stuff.

 

[firewood]

But when it comes to a piece of electronics. I'd want ANY such people to keep their dam noses out of it.
Having a piece of technology screwed up due to "Fashion" is the very very last thing I'd want.

Do you own a MacBook or a Dell? The reason the typical MacBook looks and feels so much better, and people pay more, than for a typical equivalent GHz Dell/HP is because Apple has a lot in common with the bigger more successful fashion companies. Design over raw tech.

The store in the same mall or neighborhood with the most in common with the Apple store is not Radio Shack. It's Tiffany's. And maybe soon Burberry's.

 

[iososx]

Keeping the iPhone tiny attracted ladies and others with small hands. Using a name designer will once again draw the feminine customers, they will buy based on that factor alone. Apple is the undisputed master of money making. This will turn the watch into the cash cow Apple is looking for.

 

[Tycho24]

I'm guessing the people arguing against fashion don't really support Apple doing Watch in the first place. They probably think if Apple did anything at all it should have been just a cheap nondescript band with sensors. But that never made any sense to me. If Apple is looking to create another platform for developers and to compete with Android Wear, a Microsoft Band type device doesn't cut it. And it probably wouldn't add much to the top or bottom line so what would be the point? Apple's business model isn't data analytics it's making money from selling hardware.

This was probably the first example I saw of wearable computing, back around 2000 in Popular Mechanics.
http://cdn.gajitz.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/poma-wearable-pc.jpg
The thing that has changed the LEAST in the last 15 years is the market. Honestly, the über nerds that would consider wearing that monstrosity are roughly equivalent to the über nerds that would wear the monstrosity that is a Galaxy S Watch now.
They are still hideous gadgets that do NOT look like they're meant to be strapped to a human's body. And, in my opinion, THAT is how Apple is changing the game. They've made something that doesn't stand out in a "wow, that's crazy looking... what is it?" kind of way. I think if you were a luddite, you'd not even notice an Apple Watch in the wild.