To what extent has this English luxury brand managed to position itself as a conqueror in its market and by what means could it develop further in the world ?

Introduction :

Alexander McQueen is a renowned name for fashion because of its unorthodox and rebellious approach toward fashion. His creation continues to garner attention and love all across the world, from professionals and fans alike. He is an English London-based fashion designer. Back in time, he was also the head of designers of the Louis Vuitton Givenchy fashion line.

But to what extent has this English luxury brand managed to position itself as a conqueror in its market and by what means could it develop further in the world ?

Firstly, in this business case, we will discuss the history of Alexander McQueen and its strategy and development. We will analyze the four P’s. Then, we will talk about the activities, products and services. Finally, we will explain the performance of the company such as the turnover, the added value, investments, profits by analyzing the SWOT and PESTLE.

I) Brief history and recent developments (strategy and development) :

The Alexander McQueen story began on the 17th of March 1969 with the birth of Lee Alexander McQueen in London. Captured by design at an early age, McQueen was offered an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson and Shephard after leaving school at 16.

With traditional tailoring and incredible skills added to his set, McQueen then moved into an area more suited to his personality. After mastering techniques spanning fashion throughout the ages at costumiers Angels and Bermans, he developed his skills further at placements in London and Milan before embarking on a Masters

degree at Central Saint Martin’s. His MA collection was famously snapped up as a whole by Isabella Blow, his designs capturing the industry’s attention immediately. Within a decade McQueen had become one of the most respected designers in the world, appointed at the helm of Givenchy and Gucci as well as overseeing the Alexander McQueen brand and diffusion lines alongside long-time colleague and friend Sarah Burton.

Sarah Burton hails from Manchester but has called London her home since she studied at Central Saint Martin’s in the mid-nineties. After completing a placement year at McQueen during her degree, she returned after graduation and remains there to this day.

Burton was announced as Head of Design for Womenswear at Alexander McQueen in 2000 and was later promoted to Creative Directory of the entire brand. Her successes include receiving worldwide recognition as the designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress and received Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards.

Since the untimely death of Lee Alexander McQueen in 2010, Burton has supervised the creative direction and brand development of all areas of the McQueen brand from accessories to the McQ diffusion range.

The House of Alexander McQueen is distinctive for its innovative and uncompromising expression of unbridled creativity. Today, the House is synonymous with modern British couture. A love of nature and understanding of British history are key inspirations for the House. Through a constant exploration of the natural world, Burton celebrates the values of English rural traditions, a sense of community and the touch of the hand, whilst simultaneously pushing at the boundaries of fashion. Integral to the Alexander McQueen culture is the juxtaposition between the feminine and the masculine, fragility and strength, romance and rebellion, man and machine.

Finally, to explain the marketing strategy of the brand, we will use the “4P” : product, place, price and promotion.

Product : Alexander McQueen offers specialized products "that meet the needs of a narrow segment of the consumer market". Numerous surveys have shown that the majority of consumers think that Alexander McQueen’s sneakers are one of his flagship products. Since their release in 2015, the brand has been developing them

by offering different shades. The life cycle of its product could be determined at the end of its "maturity" phase because sneakers are still fashionable but not as fashionable as before, but they continue to attract a new mass market.

Price : Alexander McQueen is positioned as one of the most expensive luxury fashion brands due to the exclusivity of its products. The costs range from £1,000 to £4,000. The brand’s pricing strategy is based on value as the cost depends on the brand name and its promise to provide high quality products. The cost of production is not particularly high for the House as other luxury brands such as Saint Laurent use similar materials but sell collections at a lower price. Alexander McQueen’s high prices also aim to create greater demand for its low-cost distribution line, McQ, to meet the needs of a less specialized market. This could be seen as a brand strategy to gain popularity from the broadcast line.

Place : Alexander McQueen is distributed worldwide both directly and through several major retailers such as Harrod’s. The brand has 73 physical stores in the world, so it is quite accessible to consumers but it also has its own e-commerce site. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most consumers are shopping online and the site offers two-day express. shipping as well as free returns. To this is added a Live Chat for all available customer requests and a possibility to call the following number: +44 20 33 18 59 20

Promotion : Alexander McQueen primarily advertises on social media platforms such as Instagram with posts showcasing their ready-to-wear collections and a shopping section with the latest accessories. It has 12,2 million followers. The brand presents all its campaigns and parades via the brand’s official YouTube channel, which has 72,600 subscribers. To increase direct connection with the consumer, McQueen also has a Twitter page with over 2 million followers. Alexander McQueen’s retail website has a tab dedicated to the history, campaigns, lookbooks and parades of the brand named "World of McQueen". Omni-channel advertising attracts consumers, especially younger ones, due to quick and easy access to the brand and its products.

II) Activities and products - services :

In this second part, we will focus on the company’s activity and the market in which it is located by analyzing customer segments, the emerging market and direct competition.

Alexander McQueen, one of Kering’s “small” fashion brands, plans to double its sales in the next three or four years and boost its profitability through the expansion of its retail network and a greater focus on leather goods.

With a turnover of 20,263,083 euros in 2022, the brand comes after Balenciaga, in terms of sales, in the small fashion brands pole of Kering, owner of Gucci and Bottega

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