Stable Fashion Markets Win

Sam Parr shares his perspective on the fashion industry, emphasizing the exhausting nature of trend-dependent fashion businesses compared to more stable, traditional segments.

Key Points:

• Fashion Business Challenges:

  • Trend prediction and following is exhausting
  • Constantly changing styles create business complexity
  • Need to stay ahead of consumer preferences

• Preferred Business Models in Fashion:

  • Men's Tuxedo Business:
    • Hasn't changed for 100 years
    • Stable, predictable market
    • Less trend-dependent

• Examples of Successful Timeless Brands:

  • Louis Vuitton:
    • Same logo and colors for 150-200 years
    • Consistently successful
    • Timeless appeal

• Business Strategy Preference:

  • Focus on unchanging products/markets
  • Avoid businesses requiring constant trend adaptation
  • Look for stability over fashion-forward segments

• Simple vs Complex:

  • Prefers businesses with simple criteria (like "does it fit?" for big & tall)
  • Avoids businesses requiring constant trend analysis
  • Values predictability over fashion-forward approaches

The core message is that simpler, more stable segments of the fashion industry (like formal wear) are preferable to trend-dependent segments that require constant adaptation and market prediction.