Individualism is replacing consumerism as fashion is increasingly driven by intense social networking, blogging, e-mail and the infinite choices on the internet.
"Individualism is fueled by what we call the "long tail of fashion", a merging of the internet, innumerable small fashion houses and the street scene," explains Sevda Holland, founder of Prancing Leopard Organics. "Suddenly everyone counts; they blog and exchange their own ideas and pictures rather than following pre-fabricated fashion trends."
With individualism, people assemble their own eclectic mix of fashion which multi-tasks to reflect their personal needs and tastes - using different styles, pieces and colors, layering them, and wearing style clothing all the time, not just to go out.
"Prancing Leopard has benefited enormously from this development, because we offer on-trend clothing which is at the same time contemporary, leisure and active-wear - and also totally organic, which is a growing trend in itself," observes Sevda Holland.
"Individualism is transforming active-wear. Ove women's coats r 85% of women wear fitness clothing for purposes other than exercise," explains Sevda Holland, who founded the successful Prancing Leopard Organics upscale activewear clothing brand. "We owe our success to this trend. And with the rise of individualism, our yoga and fitness customers are asking us for dresses, sweaters and accessories, too."
In response, Prancing Leopard is bringing back their famous "cocoon shrug", so described by Mark Karimzadeh in Woman's Wear Daily exactly one year ago today, in a new interpretation, the Cocoon II, which is finer and lighter, and even more universal in its flexibility. The new Side Tail Dress has been an instant success; a reversible blouse and other new styles will be announced shortly. This Fall, the line will add accessories which double for yoga and for every day use.
"It's not only about making and anticipating the trends, but also about tight connections with our individual customers, so we know what to keep, what to refine and what to replace," adds Sevda Holland. "The original Aix-en-Provence Jumpsuit is still very popular, in fact it was just featured in Textil Wirtschaft and Glamour in Germany, in perfect timing for the launch of our new German website http://www.prancingleopard.de."
To leverage their effectiveness in the long tail of fashion, Prancing Leopard Organics were the first to open a store on Facebook and they connect using twitter, YouTube, Flickr, newsletters, feeds and even MySpace. Writing and blogging on http://www.prancingleopard.org, they are frequently featured in fashion and fitness blogs and websites. In addition to selling on http://www.prancingleopard.com, they offer arrangements for drop shipping, affiliate programs and conventional internet retailers as well as special programs for teachers, adjunct studios, trunk shows and "leopard advocates", their own independent sales force.
"Years ago, a fashion-forward organic fashion brand would have been unthinkable, let alone an upscale one inspired by yogic principles. But with the rise of individualism, our interconnectedness in cyberspace compliments and supports our physical presence at select high-end boutiques, studios, spas and retreats around the world," explains Sevda Holland.
Prancing Leopard Organics is a fast-growing, sustainable, fashion forward and philanthropic apparel company inspired by Yoga, Pilates, Dance and Fitness, and is focused on upscale clothing styled not just for the runway, but to support individual style at the office, at the studio or at play. Dedicated to eco-conscious living, Prancing Leopard uses long-fiber organic Turkish cotton and does not use phthalates, formaldehyde or other chemicals toxic to the skin. Prancing Leopard's mission is to "Go Green. Do it in Style."
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