Understanding Product Mix & Product Life Cycle in Fashion

+ 10 Case Studies & Action Strategies for Fashion Brands

In fashion, success isn’t just about creating beautiful garments—it's about managing your product mix and timing your collections according to the Product Life Cycle (PLC). Mastering these two tools can reduce dead stock, increase margins, and boost brand loyalty.

Let’s dive into both, using 10 real-world case studies and an actionable strategy at the end.

What Is Product Mix?

A product mix is the total range of product lines a brand offers. It consists of:

Component	Definition
Width	Number of product categories (e.g., dresses, tops, bags)
Depth	Variants within a category (e.g., 10 types of dresses)
Length	Total number of items across all lines
Consistency	How closely related product categories are

Example:

• A luxury brand may have:Dresses, Eveningwear, Accessories → Narrow but deep mix

• A fast fashion brand like H&M may have:Dresses, Tops, Menswear, Kids, Home → Wide mix

What Is Product Life Cycle (PLC)?

Every product in fashion moves through the following stages:

Stage	Description	Action Needed
Introduction	New launch, high marketing needed	Influencer collabs, storytelling
Growth	Gaining popularity, demand rising	Boost production, retargeting ads
Maturity	Sales stabilize, peak sales volume	Bundle offers, optimize margins
Decline	Sales dip, trend fades, newness needed	Discount, phase-out, replace with new

10 Case Studies – Indian & Global Fashion Brands

1. ZARA – Short Life Cycle, Fast Refresh

• Product Mix: Extremely wide & deep (new styles every 2 weeks)

• PLC Strategy: 60% styles phased out within 30 days

• Action: Focus on freshness, not reorders

2. Anavila – Narrow & Long Life Cycle

• Product Mix: Linen saris and tunics only

• PLC Strategy: Evergreen pieces with subtle updates

• Action: Slow drops, longer shelf life, seasonless selling

3. H&M – Strategic Depth in Basics

• Product Mix: Basics (t-shirts, jeggings, tanks)

• PLC Strategy: Maturity phase items stay for years

• Action: Volume game, deep SKU-level replenishment

4. House of Masaba – High Trend Velocity

• Product Mix: Bold prints, festive fusion, cosmetics

• PLC Strategy: New drops every month to beat PLC decline

• Action: Celebrity collabs & occasion-led capsules

5. FabIndia – Category Expansion

• Product Mix: Ethnicwear + home + food + wellness

• PLC Strategy: Broadens mix to offset ethnicwear saturation

• Action: Increase lifetime value via lifestyle ecosystem

6. Bunaai – Ethnic D2C Mastery

• Product Mix: Kurtas, shararas, festive sets

• PLC Strategy: Fast-to-market seasonal refreshes

• Action: No deep inventory—limited drops, rapid newness

7. Sabyasachi – Controlled Exclusivity

• Product Mix: Couture, bridal, accessories

• PLC Strategy: Slow PLC, timelessness over trend

• Action: Scarcity, waiting lists, curated drops

8. Snitch – Fast Menswear for Gen Z

• Product Mix: Shirts, coords, t-shirts, trousers

• PLC Strategy: High intro rate, fast sell-out

• Action: Weekly drops, influencer-led validation

9. Zivame – Depth in Function

• Product Mix: Bras, sleepwear, shapewear

• PLC Strategy: Some items stay in maturity for years

• Action: Refreshed prints/colors without changing core style

10. Good Earth – Curated Legacy

• Product Mix: Apparel, décor, tableware

• PLC Strategy: Low churn, design-as-heritage

• Action: Product becomes collectible, not disposable

Action Strategy for Fashion Entrepreneurs

Here’s how you can optimize your product mix and PLC:

🔹 Step 1: Map Your Product Mix

• Create a matrix by category (e.g., tops, dresses, trousers)

• Note how many SKUs each has and how often they’re refreshed

🔹 Step 2: Tag Each SKU by PLC Stage

• Use sales + engagement data to classify:

  • New → Fast selling → Plateauing → Discounting

• Use color codes in Excel for visibility

🔹 Step 3: Plan Exit + Entry Strategy

• Plan entry of new styles when older ones begin decline

• Introduce new styles in trending silhouettes or colors

🔹 Step 4: Use PLC Data for Pricing

• Launch pricing at full MRP in Intro/Growth

• Apply discounts only in Decline stage

🔹 Step 5: Balance Width vs. Depth

• Too many categories = confusion

• Too few variants = low choice perception

Final Thoughts

“A well-managed product mix reduces guesswork. A mapped PLC boosts profits.”

Knowing what to introduce, what to push, and what to retire can be the difference between profit and piled-up stock.

Product_Mix_PLC_Mapping_Template.xlsx

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PLC_Based_Merchandising_Calendar.xlsx

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Discounting_Strategy_Sheet.pdf

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