Given the variety of ways in which merchandise is designed and produced for today sdynamic world market, it is essential for merchants to develop and maintain a solid foundationof current apparel knowledge. Changes in the past three decades have profoundlyaffected the field of retailing. The wealth of data now available, advances in technology fordesigning and producing apparel, and the changing face of management in retail organizationsprovide only a few examples. Consumers have become more discerning apparelpurchases; and while price is no longer the sole determining factor for a purchase, qualityremains high on the list. Technological advances and societal changes fuel the need forup-to-date information and understanding among merchandising and management executivesin the retailing industry. This book is designed to fill that need by examining themany components involved in becoming knowledgeable about apparel.