DESIGNING DERIVES OF EVOLUTION: LEADING FASHION BRAND EXPANSION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Fashion* brands* are* moving* into* a* new* model* of* expansion* processes:* from* fashion* industry* to* lifestyle* system,* from* fashion* trends* to* new* lifestyle* tendencies.* Starting* from* an* historical* research* about* processes* of* evolution,* we* analysed* the* exploration* paths* of* fashion* brands* expansion,* discovering* a* point* of* disruption* in* late* 1990’s:* various* “leading* impulses”* have* started* to* promote* a* diversified* model* based* on*what*we*will*define*in*the*paper*as*“derives*impulses”*of*evolution.*We*observed*two*significant*driving* forces,*technology*innovation*and*social*behaviour.*Analysing*design*functions*and*disruptive*attitudes,*we* identified* an* entropic* system* that* provides* new* approaches* for* fashion* brands* expansion.* These* approaches* are* based* on* seeking* new* impulses,* embracing* “anomaly”* that* grafts* new* opportunities* as* drivers*of*the*forthcoming*evolutions.**In*conclusion,*we*support*the*ideas*that:*1)*creative*enterprise*should* manage* disruptive* attitudes* designing* entropic* systems* able* to* adapt* their* identity* to* what* we* call* exogenous* impulses;* 2)* Technology* innovation* and* social* behaviour* are* two* possible* drivers* for* creative* industries;*3)*Fashion*brands*today*could*create*a*unique*strategy*based*on*different*phases*and*“derives”* impulses*instead*of*following*the*traditional*patterns.*