Isn't that what women have been trying to do for centuries. We do it with boyfriends, husbands, sons. Maybe branding is a strong word, but how often have you met a man who admits that his clothes were picked out by the lady in his life? Happens pretty frequently.
So I was intrigued by the title of a new book, Branding the Man
What inspired you to write this book?
I wrote this book because I think there are a lot of misunderstandings about who the modern man is; how he thinks of himself, how he shops, and how he views the retail experience. The old mantra that men "grab and go" is, in my view, not exactly accurate. The male customer is changing, and I believe they are a long-term investment that will pay off in dividends for a broad range of consumer markets.
If we're not retail store owners, how can we apply the information to the men in our lives? ...
Men are eager to learn about how to look better. Some are more willing than others to invest the time, energy, and money to changing their appearance. I think the best way to help the man who is still unsure or clinging to old ways of dressing, is to show him the difference tailoring can make. An expertly tailored, modern suit makes a man look better and people actually treat him differently. An amazing pair of shoes can have the same effect. Most men don't really see how bad some things make them look. It's a slow process, but you have to remember that men generally seek quantifiable evidence that clothes make a difference.
If we only take away one key lesson from your book, what would it be?
Men are really not as different from women as we want to believe they are. Human beings are by nature, self-conscious and self-aware. And now, with men spending more time on fitness and grooming than ever before, we all need to give more positive reinforcement to men who do make the effort to look good. It's really an American issue, since I don't think anywhere else in the world do you see men dressed so poorly with such ill-fitting clothes. It's high time men make an effort not just for the people who have to see them everyday, but as a matter of self-respect.
Have you always been savvy and fashion-forward, or is it a skill you developed over time?
I was born into a european household; my father is french and I spent most of my childhood influenced by a more european lifestyle. Men in France naturally care about clothes and how they look. You are raised to understand quality, tailoring, and to never do some of the things Americans do: sweatpants in public, flip flops on a winter day, over-sized clothes, etc. So I guess I had at the very least, an innate understanding of the power of appearances.
Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?
I think more consumers need to let retailers know what it is they want and demand better customer service. If this recession has taught us anything, it's that there are too many choices out there for where we can shop. If you find a store that does it well, let them know. Quite frankly, some of the stores and brands that did fail, were probably going to anyway. A great brand has integrity and knows how to listen to the customer, in good times and bad.
HOW TO WIN A FREE COPY
First, go to Twitter and if you don’t already have an account there, set one up. It’s free.Then follow me @tasradawson by clicking on the Follow button under my profile. Then, copy and paste the following tweet…
Win a FREE copy of "Branding the Man" from @tasradawson and @bpellegrin. Pls RT. Details here: http://bit.ly/freeBTM
That’s it. Just follow me on Twitter, send out that Tweet, and you’re done!
(If you prefer not to Tweet, you can leave a comment here for entry as well!)
