The thinking behind it.
Customer segments and age ranges are working hypotheses.
| Segment | Where | What she buys now | Who influences her | What stops her buying Aje |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The global occasion dresser, 28–45 | US (NY, LA), UK, Gulf | Zimmermann, Self-Portrait, Cult Gaia, Net-a-porter edits | Stylists, friends' weddings, Instagram, Pinterest | Doesn't know Aje; unsure of fit, landed price and returns from overseas |
| The fashion-literate city woman, 25–40 | Paris, Seoul, Dubai | Contemporary designers seen at fashion week | Editors, K-culture and local tastemakers, Xiaohongshu, Instagram | No local presence or social proof beyond Paris shows |
| The next-generation Australian, 22–30 | AU and NZ | Rotate, Sir, With Jean, resale | TikTok, creators, friends | Sees Aje as expensive or her mum's wedding brand |
Why she chooses Aje rather than another contemporary brand. The brief's sharpest question. Others own parts of the occasion market; Aje wins on the combination of its pillars.
| Alternative | How it's typically seen | Why she chooses Aje |
|---|---|---|
| Zimmermann | Romantic, print-led, resort | The Aje attitude: tougher, cooler, never sweet |
| Self-Portrait | Polished occasion dressing at an accessible price | Made by hand: craft and signature design she can't find elsewhere |
| Cult Gaia | Sculptural statement pieces | Dressed for every moment: occasion, work and movement, with styling that knows her |
Representation is a growth lever, not a values statement. Aje's ecommerce and campaign imagery currently shows little diversity. A customer in Dubai, Paris, New York or Seoul needs to see herself in the brand before she buys, and one Australian casting approach can't recruit four different markets.
- Casting that reflects each priority market: a range of ethnicities, ages and body types across every campaign, and market-specific casting for key launches.
- Ecommerce shot for representation: key pieces shown on more than one model, in more than one size and skin tone, so she can judge fit and colour on someone like her (this also supports fit confidence and lower returns).
- Localised styling: the same pieces styled for each market, such as longer and layered looks for the Gulf, Parisian understatement, or New York evening.
- Talent and creators chosen per market, so representation isn't left to one global campaign.
- Measured: engagement, conversion and return rates by market, comparing localised with standard imagery.
Working notes & verification
These segments and age ranges are working hypotheses, not Aje data. Present them as hypotheses to validate with Aje's customer data, the customer data platform and platform audience insights.
How each alternative is seen is a perception to test with customer research.