Successfully Distribute His Fashions in

¶ … successfully distribute his fashions in the United States, Kleinaci should enter into an exclusive agreement with a major up-market department store. Lloyd and Llewellyn is an upscale and well-established up-market department store which is conveniently located in the heart of the city. L & L, as affectionately termed by the esteemed in the fashion industry, is frequented by the rich, the famous, and those seeking to experience fashion at its best. Given that Kleinaci has already established a brand image as a forerunner in the fashion industry, L & L.

is a logical venue for the distribution of his highly exclusive and elite designs since L & L. likewise upholds a similar brand image. Accordingly, through an agreement with L & L, Kleinaci would not only establish a distribution channel which serves his segment of the market, but he would reinforce the brand identity which he has worked diligently to establish for the past few seasons on the runway in Europe.

Indeed, according to Laura Lake (2010), establishing and maintaining a particular brand image which appeals to a particular consumer base is a critical component of longevity in the fashion industry. A partnership with L & L. provides Kleinaci with a ready-made and established distribution channel as well as an opportunity to introduce and reinforce the brand image and identity it has already established in Europe with a similar segment of the United States market as well.

Additionally, pursuant to Julie Toscano Sequeira of Forbes magazine (Sequeira, 2009), it is critical for entrepreneurs to think outside the box when it comes to finding a niche and establishing a market. One of Kleinaci's concerns might be that an exclusive upscale store might reinforce an upscale brand image; however, it might also limit the profit margin possible in the United States market because the store targets the privileged as opposed to the masses.

According to Sequeira, this should not be the sole consideration in the beginning analysis, rather one should look at the speed of entering the market, the affordability of entering the market, and the likelihood of connecting directly with consumers.

In this case, an upscale department store which is already established provides a ready-made and immediate place for his fashion; and, moreover, in this distribution channel, given the popularity and traffic of L&L on any given day, there is a built-in guarantee that consumers will be exposed to his fashion line. Furthermore, Sequeira (2009) advises the unique artistic entrepreneur to test the waters of the market first through smaller channels of distribution.

By doing so initially, after establishing a client base, Kleinaci will be able to gauge whether or not his fashion likely resonates with the tastes of the United States fashionista; and, at that time, Kleinaci may make an informed opinion regarding how best to expand.

Moreover, should Kleinaci wish to utilize direct distribution alongside with placing his fashion in an established store, he should consider requesting that an addendum be made to the "exclusive deal" between himself and L&L which would allow Kleinaci to contact and order from him without the intrusion of an intermediary. By doing this, Kleinaci will be able to make himself and his cutting-edge fashion accessible to more of the population while still balancing the need to preserve a particular upscale brand image.

Option 2: In order gain optimal results, Kleinaci should franchise stores in key areas around the city. If Kleinaci franchised his stores at this point and time, he would be taking a significant step toward distribution in several channels as well as moving toward a positive and unified voice for the fashion conscious. In fact, many people today possess the opinion that a franchise is an attractive method of expansion for a business and a safe environment.

While Kleinaci might be initially concerned that by joining a franchise he might sacrifice some of the unique and eccentric parts of his collection, the actual benefits from a franchise far exceeds the loss. For example, franchises allow for the relative ease of obtaining legal and real-estate aid, financing, insurance benefits and branding (Gelman, 2010).

Additionally, should Kleinaci have the concern that he is not reaching a particular segment of the population, he could still target his segment market and expand his overall market through direct distribution or through cutting out the intermediary altogether. Likewise, it should be noted that fashions come and go; and, some fashion designers believe that business owners should do their best to obtain as much of the market as possible when their business is popular (Gelman, 1999).

Thus, setting up a franchise would not only help out the franchisor financially, but it provides viable and efficient option for other responsible adults whom are looking for employment or are retired or who just want to contribute meaningfully to a venture outside of the house. If Kleinaci is not convinced by an appeal to his altruistic side, then it should be noted that franchises have had a relative success in the business world through earning profits (albeit often meek and.