In August 2024, a customer's social media post about her mother's 25-year-old dress caught the attention of millions. Now, Japanese fashion brand Felissimo is once again selling the iconic garment. The reproduction, described as exemplifying 'Heisei elegance,' is being released as part of the company's 60th-anniversary celebrations.
The idea was sparked when Nao Masunaga shared that she treasures and wears her mother's Felissimo shirt dress from the 1990s. The post and its intergenerational story caught the attention of the brand's planners, who worked with pattern makers to recreate the dress. While maintaining the original design's essence, they updated it by replacing the original lining with a separate slip better suited to today's hotter climate.
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An inflation-driven market is making brand loyalty increasingly elusive, but the Felissimo dress exemplifies how emotional connections can transcend purely transactional relationships. By responding directly to a customer's social media post and collaborating with her on details like color names ('misty morning gray' and 'dewy sky blue'), Felissimo demonstrates that empathy throughout the customer journey — even decades after an initial purchase — can bolster allegiance. Could your brand similarly leverage heritage, family stories and emotional bonds?
