For this assignment, I worked with one other teammate to write this paper as the rest of our team was working on the designs of our collection. The team felt the following two apparel brands were most closely aligned with Ascend. This decision was based on general aesthetic/brand feeling, use of textiles, the target consumer, price range, product assortment, etc. The first selected was contemporary brand Theory, alongside the second choice, California luxury brand Vince. Theory places great value on their materials and where they are sourced. This specific attention to innovative textiles and quality fibers results in pieces that are beautiful, durable, and timeless. Similarly, Vince as a luxury brand creates apparel in the finest textiles to create designs that are sleek, sophisticated, and classic. Our team wanted to embody similar themes of classic and mature. Please read my full paper below.