Concensus of Opinion for Men's Clothing Site

[urbanmale]

Hi forum users,

I'm just trying to obtain a census of opinion, a kind of mini focus group if you like, regarding whether I should photograph men's clothing on models, mannequins or flat. I've checked out quite a few similar sites and there seems to be a mixture of both (so mine is now but I think it looks a bit of a mish mash) so I was wondering if any research had been done as to which male buyers prefer. I know women prefer models as women like to look at other women but it's not the same for guys.

Steve

[deniser]

If the pictures are solely for the purpose of selling clothes on your website (and not for other advertising) going by what companies like Boden and the shirt catalogues do, and also how the fashion pages are put together for magazines when they have a sort of collage of clothes making up an outfit, I would say, photograph the clothes on their own (flat).

You can see them much better like this than when they are on a human. I personally don't like clothes photographed on a mannequin, whether visible or invisible.

You can always add a few lifestyle pictures of the clothes being worn as a complete outfit as an extra.

[Swiftspin]

Hi Steve,

Good thread. I want to know these answers too!

However, there is another option which you might like to consider… Swiftspin rotational photography!

I’ve just carried out an online survey and 93% of the fashion retailers who replied said they thought rotational photography displayed their products better than their current images. 6% thought it about the same and 1% said they preferred what they already had.

I realise my target market are your competitors rather than male customers but thought you might find it interesting to know what they were thinking. I also took a stand at ‘Moda’ and the results were the same.

In answer to your question though, as a male customer I'd plump for models or mannequins simply because clothes aren't made to be seen flat. Even menswear designers go to extraordinary lengths to make sure a garment looks good wherever it hangs from the human form. I’m a bloke and I (reluctantly) go into the changing rooms to see how it looks when being worn. I always look straight in the mirror and think “That’ll do!” then I go out to show my girlfriend, and what’s the first thing she says? “Turn around!”. That’s where I got the idea for Swiftspin by the way!

I don’t want to make this about rotational photography though so please PM me away from the thread if you’d like more details.

I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else thinks too.

All the best, Terry

[urbanmale]

Another reason for asking opinions was that I was at the e-commerce expo a couple of weeks ago and there was a web design seminar by the guys who designed blueinc (you'll need to google that) they'd done research which indicated that guys like their garments laid flat, as they are in shops, but you can try stuff on in shops, so I though models looked better. ASOS (I know another stratus-sphere) always use models, surely they don't have it wrong? There were a couple of spin type exhibits there also but it looks really expensive.

Steve

[Logistik]

Hi Urban,

ill be honest, i do buy a LOT of clothing online :) and i have never bought anything from a site where the clothing was only displayed on manaquinnes.

people want to see what the clothes look like worn, and it does make the picture more attractive to have someone in it.

it might be an extra expense but i would possibley think about looking for research done on it.

just my 2 Pence anyway haha :)

Cheers
Joel

[bloked]

As usual it depends on what you are selling. Fashion apparel or work clothes for field hands. A good guide is always to see what your close, most successful competitor does. Then you can tweak it a little for your own niche.

[movietub]

If you use models check out net-model.com

A lot of eager models willing to work for free doing fashion shoots (Time for prints basis) and you can search within local area etc.

So if you have time and some camera skills having lifestyle (best IMO) photos need not be a big investment.

[urban33ltd]

Its all about the look, so I would say on a model.

Remember with anything like clothes its buying into a lifestyle so the model needs to be like your "ideal" customer and make people think, "I could look that good in that to!"

Also having your own model shots will make your website look differenet to any other. I know of an underwear site that does this and it makes their site very individual and makes the product look differenet to!

If you don't go with model shots then your mad, you only have to look at how well asos are doing to know you should!

Good luck

Stu