Working Women

Although women have been associated with shopping since the concept first originated, they have not been, until recently, with buying. When it came to big purchases such as homes, cars and technologies, companies directed their marketing strategies to men. The trend seems to be changing as women today are making a majority of both home and business purchases. Today’s women have emerged as a powerful consumer force controlling about $3.3 trillion in annual spending in the US. They are responsible for 80% of household buying and represent more than 50% of the wealth in the US. Given these astonishing figures, it is shocking to see that only a handful of companies in the apparel industry for instance, have been able to successful connect with women.

One company in the apparel industry that has been able to successful made the connection with today’s modern working women has been Gap division Banana Republic. Traditionally, clothing retailers offered the same products in pink, purple and pastels rather than designing products that meet the needs of modern women. From end to end, Banana Republic has come to understand the female customer. Although today’s modern professional women earn as much as their male counterparts, they are still price conscious. Banana Republic understands this so they offer “accessible” luxury products. They are the luxury arm of the Gap, offering high quality products at reasonable prices. Banana Republic is the one-stop shop for women professional clothing yet they still manage to be trendy. They offer elevated essentials and sophisticated seasonal collections with brand extensions such as BR Monogram and Heritage. The company truly understands the women body. Different style lines match women’s actual body shapes, from petti to tall and slender to full figure. In 2001 the company began offering their petti collection followed by their tall women collection. Working modern women do not want to waste their time as they need to balance their...