Since the 1970s, the global retail clothing industry has experienced intense international competition and major shifts in the pattern of consumer demand. These pressures have had far-reaching implications for the clothing industry in the areas of pricing, design, quality, manufacturing processes and employment (Rath, 2002). According to this author, "In the 1970s, traditional manufacturers, particularly High Street retailers with their own manufacturing capacity, found themselves unable to compete with low wage producers in newly industrialized countries. Standard garments such as suits, rainwear and jeans, where seasonal fashion changes tended to be minimal, were particularly susceptible to competition" (p. 77).

The early 1980s witnessed a 'retail revolution' which was occasioned by demands for more frequent style changes and garments with a high fashion content. Retail clothing stores such as the Burton Group, Sears, Storehouse and Next tried to lure consumers away from relatively cheap mass-marketed clothes by promoting a new coordinated...
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