VF, PVF Get the Right Fit with Innovative Database
The right fit is key to the success of a fashion collection. And in the design studio, getting the right fit is a very complicated, time-consuming process. To ensure apparel brands don’t have to spend valuable resources on unnecessary or inaccurate size appraisals, Joe Coleman, a top fit model for over a decade, developed an innovative B2B application called The Fit Report (www.fitreport.com).
“I noticed that all my clients were always buying competitors clothes and measuring them out to compare their fits to the competition,” says Coleman. “My business buys clothes from the market, measures them and then puts all the measurements into a database.”
The Fit Report’s clients then use the comprehensive database of detailed product technical information as a benchmark when deciding how they want their clothes to fit.
VF Sportswear’s Nautica (www.vfc.com) brand has been utilizing The Fit Report for four years, most often when it needs to change or modernize a fit. For example, the trend lately has been toward alternative fits in men’s clothing, most notably slim fits. The database helps VF to stay on top of this growing part of its business.
“We had a long established fit that we have tweaked as the years progressed,” says Karen Murray, president, VF Sportswear. “In the past, we looked at competitive fits in the marketplace, as everyone does, and now The Fit Report gives us a [reliable] source on an ongoing basis.”
For PVH Corp. (www.pvh.com), organizing competitive product fittings required a great deal of time and resources for shopping the market, booking a range of fit models and measuring samples. For two years, the company has been accessing The Fit Report’s information weekly, and relies heavily on the information for seasonal planning.
“Subscribing to The Fit Report frees up our time so we can compare data in a timely manner,” says Bonnie Bauko, vice president, Technical Design, PVH Corp. “Information is golden. We are more knowledgeable in our lane of product.”
Fast Facts
Company at a Glance
The Fit Report allows fashion brands to compare specs with other brands, refine existing measurements and avoid costly production errors due to inaccurate sizing for target markets.
Time Better Spent
Knowing at a glance what the rest of the market is doing helps brands like Nautica save time spent on research, shopping and internal meetings that were previously necessary to get the right fit.
Words of Wisdom
“We are constantly tweaking and looking for the best fit for all our products. You can never have too much information.”
— Karen Murray, President, VF Sportswear
“I noticed that all my clients were always buying competitors clothes and measuring them out to compare their fits to the competition,” says Coleman. “My business buys clothes from the market, measures them and then puts all the measurements into a database.”
The Fit Report’s clients then use the comprehensive database of detailed product technical information as a benchmark when deciding how they want their clothes to fit.
VF Sportswear’s Nautica (www.vfc.com) brand has been utilizing The Fit Report for four years, most often when it needs to change or modernize a fit. For example, the trend lately has been toward alternative fits in men’s clothing, most notably slim fits. The database helps VF to stay on top of this growing part of its business.
“We had a long established fit that we have tweaked as the years progressed,” says Karen Murray, president, VF Sportswear. “In the past, we looked at competitive fits in the marketplace, as everyone does, and now The Fit Report gives us a [reliable] source on an ongoing basis.”
For PVH Corp. (www.pvh.com), organizing competitive product fittings required a great deal of time and resources for shopping the market, booking a range of fit models and measuring samples. For two years, the company has been accessing The Fit Report’s information weekly, and relies heavily on the information for seasonal planning.
“Subscribing to The Fit Report frees up our time so we can compare data in a timely manner,” says Bonnie Bauko, vice president, Technical Design, PVH Corp. “Information is golden. We are more knowledgeable in our lane of product.”
Fast Facts
Company at a Glance
The Fit Report allows fashion brands to compare specs with other brands, refine existing measurements and avoid costly production errors due to inaccurate sizing for target markets.
Time Better Spent
Knowing at a glance what the rest of the market is doing helps brands like Nautica save time spent on research, shopping and internal meetings that were previously necessary to get the right fit.
Words of Wisdom
“We are constantly tweaking and looking for the best fit for all our products. You can never have too much information.”
— Karen Murray, President, VF Sportswear