Fashion Journal by Ashley Janelle

Ashley Jackson’s Fashion Journal

Table of Contents

Page 2………………………………………………………………Entry #1 Women’s Wear Daily Page 5…………………………………………………………………….. Entry #2 New York Times Page 7…………………………………………………………………………………… Entry #3 Vogue Page 8……………………………………….………………………….. Entry #4 Biggest Fall Trend Page 9…………………………………………….Entry #5 Hard and Soft Line Merchandise Page 11 ……………………………………………………………………………………..Entry #6 WGSN Page 12……………………………………………………….. Entry #7 Color and Fabric Trends Page 14………………………………………..……………………………… Entry #8 Global Trends Page 16……………………………………………..……………………….. Entry #9 Visual Displays Page 17 ………………….…………………………… Entry #10 New TV Show Trend Page 18……………………………...………………………… Entry #11 Firstview.com Page 19 ……………………………………..…………… Entry #12 Career Description Page 20………………………………………………………………………. Entry #13 Fashion Don’ts Page 22……………………………………………………………………. Entry #14 Career Positions

Entry #1 Women’s Wear Daily – November 11, 12 Nars is accelerating its retail expansion starting with a new store in Los Angeles. Opened last Saturday with a party that drew Alessandra Ambrosio, Mandy Moore, Rachel Zoe, Kirsty Hume, and Laura and Kate Mulleavy, the Melrose Avenue location is Nars’ first outside of New York, but will soon not be the only one. As part of the brand’s strategy to grow to about 10 stores within the next five years, a San Francisco store is slated to open in February. Gearing up for the retail growth, Nars brought on board former Furla USA director of stores Lisa Pavlakis as director of retail, and upgraded its point-of-sale system to enhance customer outreach. “The reason why there has been a little time, basically a year and a half, between the first store and the second store is that we wanted to take the time to get all the learnings from [the store on] Bleecker, because being a retailer is a very different business model. The second thing is I wanted to put a team in place,” said Louis Desazars, chief executive officer of Shiseido-owned Nars Cosmetics, who added, “The [retail] strategy has not changed. It is a flagship strategy. It is about having beautiful stores in the best locations in the top cities in the U.S. and outside the U.S.” A second location in New York, and locations in Chicago, Dallas, Boston, Miami, London and Paris are being considered. Desazars said the ideal size for a Nars store is between 1,000 and 1,500 square feet, and the Los Angeles location is at the higher end of the range, making it around three times larger than the Bleecker Street store. There’s plenty in the store recognizable from New York, including bookshelves containing François Nars’ favorite movies and reads, a fireplace and custom-designed sliding display trays. However, the Los Angeles store marks the introduction of a private room envisioned as an intimate space for pre-award show makeup consultations and other glamorous occasions, with lights embedded in the mirrors and six makeup stations. “There is a different feel to the L.A. boutique,” said Nars, who designed the store with Fabien Baron. “Whereas the Bleecker Street boutique reflects the cozy brownstone community of the West Village, the Los Angeles store is bigger, more modern and almost has a loftlike aesthetic.” Industry sources had estimated the Bleecker Street store would generate $1 million in first-year sales, and Desazars revealed that figure was exceeded at the store, which he said is showing consistent comparable-store sales percentage increases in the double digits, as is Nars at wholesale. At the Melrose Avenue location, Nars will be forced to cope with the perennial Los Angeles retail conundrum of poor foot traffic,

and industry sources expect the store won’t quite equal the $1 million estimated for the first year of the Bleecker Street store. Speaking of the store in New York, Desazars said, “We are very happy. We have a very strong team there and a very loyal customer there.” He continued, “The average transaction size in units is much higher in Bleecker than it is in wholesale because it is more engaging. People who go into the store are really passionate about the brand and want the full experience.” In terms of category sales, 75 percent of the sales at retail for Nars are from color, compared to 65 to 70 percent at wholesale. Desazars reasoned that the display units at retail expose customers to a broader array of colors, buoying color sales. He would like to see skin and complexion become a greater portion of the sales mix at Nars, which recently launched the skin-care line NarsSkin. “Complexion and skin is a priority for the company because they are big categories that drive loyalty,” said Desazars. “We definitely need to grow that as we grow our clientele base in freestanding stores.” Certainly, Nars is becoming a better retailer as it gains experience. The brand is putting in place an improved point-of-sale system in the stores to support clientele efforts, an area that Desazars said could use improvement. With the system, getting information out to customers about events or products should be easier. Overall, Desazars said Nars “is working on the point of difference. What makes this a unique place to shop? Why should I [as a customer come back?” Among the answers are the 413 Bleecker Street collection special to the stores that Desazars noted would be updated every six months, and a level of artistry — the makeup artists in the New York store were trained by Nars himself — that is unmatched at wholesale.

Nars, the cosmetic company, is expanding its retail stores. After the success

of their first retail store in New York, Nars is branching out to Los Angeles. After the Los Angeles store, there will be ten stores that will be going up within the next five years. The brand has had a great response from their counters in local department stores, however they would like to have their own stores to showcase what the brand is about. One of the features of the store in Los Angeles is going to be a glam room. This room will have six stations and be specifically for glamming up for events, as

well as award shows. With their trained professionals, Nars wants to really give their customers the overall retail experience. Chicago and San Francisco are next on the list of stores to open up.

Entry #2 New York Times – November 11, 12 Teaser videos are the new thing in viral marketing, as H&M demonstrated with the introduction of its Lanvin collection two years ago, using clips that showed the humorous side of Alber Elbaz. But after its latest campaign, you will never look at Anna Dello Russo the same way again. Ever. Not if you poke your eyes out. In the video, Ms. Dello Russo, who has designed an accessories collection for the store for October, appears wearing a very little black dress, against a gold backdrop, singing a song called “Fashion Shower.” As a spoiler, let us just say that the video is equal parts insanity, fabulousness and the kind of train wreck that makes you feel just a little bit sorry for the subject, even though you know she is making a lot of cash for flashing her long legs. “You need a fashion shower,” Ms. Dello Russo sings. “Lesson No. 1: Fashion is a declaration of your own freedom.” Transcribing the song really does not do it justice. It’s just not the same as hearing Ms. Dello Russo, in accented English, saying things like, “Wearing night clothes in the daytime is unexpected.” A colleague described it as “Lady Gaga meets ‘Real Housewives,’” but judge for yourself. Yes, it will get people talking, but you have to wonder if it’s good for her brand. Anne Dello Russo has produced a collection for the H&M stores for the month of October. The company also had Ms. Dello Russo star in a funny, yet eye-‐catching video to promote the line. The New York Times thinks that the video is awful, however I think that they are missing the mark. I don’t think that H&M put together the video to showcase Ms. Dello Russo. My thought it that they put together the video so that people could first and for most know that a new collection was coming

to H&M. Secondly, I’m not sure how many of H&M’s customers are familiar with who Dello Russo is, so this was kind of an entertaining way to call attention to the fact that she is a famous designer, and it is her line. Although I can understand where the New York Times was coming from, I don’t think they should have taken it so literally.

Entry #3 Vogue – November 3, 12

In the two-year hiatus of Apiece Apart, there have been several new beginnings for designersLaura Cramer and Starr Hout, including a birth, a marriage, and a relocation for 34-year-old Cramer, who moved from Austin back to New York with her husband and 23month-old daughter, Eva. While the label’s original system of interlocking basics still resonates—with the mood for straightforward wearable fashion in the air, perhaps now more than ever—the duo is bringing their modular wardrobe a step forward with the spring 2013 relaunch. “When we started it was so much about taking away, about editing and reducing,” says Cramer. “The spirit of our new collection is more about building up and irreverent layering.” Which is why this season, in addition to a lookbook they have put together, “Permutations,” a series of images inspired by the 1960s Judson Church modern-dance movement, where minimalist essentials are choreographed in stylish, free-form, and unexpected ways. What looks like a swirling multitiered summer dress has three equal moving parts—a halter tunic with gently shorn edges, a crisp cotton circle skirt and a neatly cropped tank. And with a montage of Japanese-style prints sprinkled throughout the collection, it’s almost impossible to tell where one graphic kimono wrap top ends and a bold caftan shirt begins. That multifaceted approach to dressing is in step with what was on the spring runways: chiffon slips were fluttered over pants at Prabal Gurung and trousers were even worn two-bytwo at The Row. Given that the new clothes from Apiece Apart hover around the $260 mark, trying out a few iterations won’t be a stretch—whether you decide to compose the entire look, or just maneuver one piece at a time.

Designers Laura Cramer and Starr Hout have created a new line after a two year hiatus of Apiece Apart. The twosome has created a line that can be worn many different ways. For instance, what looks like a dress, can be taken apart, and then it becomes a halter, and a skirt. They have adapted prints from the Japanese culture. Some of the prints look like something one would see on a Kimono. Today, we see this more during the summer. In the summer at the beach for instance, many people will have on a swimsuit, and over that will be a tunic, skirt, and over that could be a Cover up blouse. However, if you were to take off the skirt you could still wear your tunic and blouse. Layering is what they have seamed to master.

Entry #4 Biggest Fall Trend– November 3, 12 The biggest fashion trend that I have seen this fall has got to be: edginess. For instance, everything has spikes! Whether it is shoes, gloves, bags, jackets, clothes, or accessories, everything that I am seeing has this. Spikes take an average item and easily spice it up. Another thing that I am seeing are mid length boots. These are boots that come just above the ankle but below the calf. The longer the boot, the sexier, however, if you have one that is a little shorter, it can dress up and outfit or dress down an outfit. I am seeing these on both men and women. Lastly when it comes to women, another shoe that is popular are the look alike Isabel Marant Sneakers. These are shoes that appear to be sneakers, however there is a wedge heel inside of them. These will take any basic hoodie, and leggings look, and make it a bit more fun and edgy.

Last fall I saw more conservative looks like blazers and regular shoes.

Although this year I am seeing what look like the same items, they are jazzed up a lot more. So the compare to last fall would be that the items are the same, however they have gotten a makeover. Most of them have a few minor details added that make them fun, and not so boring and serious.

Entry #5 Hard and Soft Line Merchandise – November 13, 12

As I walked through the isles of sears, I saw overlap of many trends between

the different departments. The first trend that I saw was animal print. Animal prints were huge in the apparel department. There were various prints on woman’s clothing as well as handbags. When I went over to the jewelry department I saw leopard print in many of the rings, and watches. The last place that I saw animal print was in the outdoor living department. Many of the rugs and outdoor mats incorporated some sort of animal prints on them.

The color red was another trend that I saw as I walked throughout the store.

The first place I saw red was in the appliance department. Many of the washer and dryers were red. Another place where red was present was in the kitchen department. So many of the pots and pans were red. Lastly, I saw a lot of red in the optics department. When I went to look at the glasses, whether they were sunglasses or prescription, many of them were red.

Another color that I saw repeatedly was silver. I saw this in the appliance

department with the kitchen appliances. I also saw it in the electronics department with cameras, and computer accessories. The last place that I saw this was in the lawn and gardening department. Many of the leaf blowers and chainsaws were silver.

Interestingly another trend that I found was in large jewelry links. I saw this

obviously in the jewelry department, but also in the girls apparel section. There were many shirts that encompassed these large jewelry links on the cuffs of the

sleeves to give it a funky vibe. As I walked into the Christmas department, I saw these also on Christmas ornaments.

Lastly, another trend that I saw was patterns. Many of the patterns that I saw

had stripes. When I was in the kitchen department I saw many plates with this pattern. In the bedding department, I saw many of the comforters with this pattern as well. Finally, in the baby department, I saw many accessories for room décor with this stripe pattern.

Entry #6 WGSN – November 14, 2012

The trends on WGSN overlap within the same category. For instance, tights

can be used to dress up on a night out, worn under shorts, or used under a big sweater almost as leggings are. Another trend was lavish pajamas for men. Designers like D&G have made pajamas with geometric print silk to create a more vintage appeal. These pajamas have been said to take after the looks of tuxedos, and business casual wear.

Entry #7 Color and Fabric Trends – November 17, 2012

Faux Fur Spotted Wolf Brown/Beige Contents: 100% polyester

Origin: China

Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Yarn Contents: 100% Acrylic Origin: United States

Charmeuse Satin Cheetah Tan/Brown Contents: 100% polyester Origin: China

“Burnt Orange”

“Eggplant”

“Royal Blue”

Entry #8 Global Trends – November 17, 2012 The fashion in London this year has been all about print! With stores like Uniqlo that like to keep things simple, yet edgy, print is not going anywhere. In the next few seasons to come, we will see print bigger and better. For the spring, I’m sure they are going introduce lightweight blouses for women with abstract prints on them. I know this because now what we are seeing for this fall season is a lot of abstract dark prints on leggings and dresses. Prints are also a hot seller in most countries, not just London. I know first hand that here in America, some kind of print is somewhere in almost everyone’s closet.

A very interesting trend in China is something that I like to call, “fierce

outerwear”. What this refers to is basically your snow pants, heavy winter jackets, and other outerwear that is made to resemble an outfit. For instance, the snow pants that are available for sell in many malls in Shanghai are flared at the bottom; this look being mocked after jeans or other apparel. I’m sure that this trend is going to continue into fall 2013, as well as fall 2014. Aidan O’Meara, the president of VF Asia Pacific has said so many retailers are already copying what they’ve started. She says it has already begun to go international.

In Africa, most of the women rarely ever wear jeans and hoodies. Their

everyday trends are what we would consider dressy. Mina Evans, a boutique owner of “Studio 53” says an average day for a woman would be a dress made from bridal satin, chiffon and brocade. Although most of these dresses aren’t considered formalwear, they wear them because they think that people take you more seriously

if you are dressed professionally with a bit of elegance. I think that over the next few seasons we are going to see this trend become something that is seen over and over again. I think that younger girls are going to start wearing pieces like this at the age of about seven. With inspiration’s from women like Michelle Obama, and Kate Middleton, it is clear that these women in Africa’s theory is not far off. People do respect you more, as well as look up to you, when you are simply well dressed.

Entry #9 Visual Displays – November 17, 2012 The first retailer that I visited was the Macy’s on State Street. I always love their holiday window displays, and look forwards to them every year. What I most liked about these were the detailed people in the different windows. I’m not sure what they used to create the people but they looked very real. I also just love that the windows have nothing to do with Macy’s. To me it is simply a gorgeous holiday display.

The

second

retailer that I visited was the Apple Store. I work at the Apple Store so I know how much time and work

goes

into

the

window displays, as well as all of the visual aspects of the store. I really enjoy the large MacBook display. The large display with the image on the screen feels extremely real. The second display that we have is the iPhone 5 display. This display is interesting because it looks like it is missing a piece in the middle, however that is simply the design.

All of the graphics are extremely clear, and catch customer’s eyes all day long as they walk past the store. Entry #10 New TV Show Trend – November 20, 2012 The television show that I watched was The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The trend that I picked up on was neon alligator print. I know that animal print is in now, however I haven’t really seen neon reptile prints around lately on apparel. I think that this will open up room for a new type of trend. I know ladies really love neon colors, especially in the springtime. I also know that ladies love prints. With this I think it is only a matter of time before we start seeing the results of this around Chicago. I also wouldn’t be surprised if I saw it branching into jewelry.

Entry #11 Firstview.com – November 20, 2012 The designer that I chose is Sachika. The collection is the Ready to Wear Runway Collection, and it is from the Fall/Winter 2012 season. I think that high-end retailers such as Sacks or Barneys New York would be carrying pieces from this designer. I actually really like the collection. I think it’s fun, and edgy. There are a few pieces that caught me off guard just because of the specific designs. Although I don’t see myself wearing this collection, I can think of a few people that would.

Entry #12 Career Description â&#x20AC;&#x201C; November 22, 2012 A fashion designer is someone who designs clothing. This person is the person that sketches the design as well as chooses all of the fabrics and patterns for these designs. They are also in charge of overseeing how each item is manufactured. This person is hands on in all parts of the process from beginning to end. A buyer is a person who is in charge of selecting what items are going to be in certain stores. This person has to know a lot about the demographic of certain areas they are shopping for, as well as how many people shop there to be able to successfully purchase merchandise for those areas. They usually work behind a desk and are using excel spreadsheets to configure what, and how much of it is going into certain locations. A product development manager is responsible for doing research on products that are already on the market, and tries to figure out ways to make those better, or create new products. These managers have the job of trying to figure out what is working and what is just taking up space. They make sure those products that are on the market are not becoming unmarketable products, and those they sustain relevancy.

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Entry #13 Fashion Don’ts – November 23, 2012 I hate the jersey look. This look reminds me of the Spice Girls. It’s like trashy meets thrift store haul.

This outfit looks like something that can be found in a discount store. It is horrible. Also I think the turtleneck underneath makes it worse.

This outfit reminds of Haute Couture gone wrong. It looks like something that could have been really chic, instead they made it look like it was for a sixty year old woman.

This look also reminds me of something that could have been Haute Couture. This looks like a mom that has no style, but wants to seem like she has style. As a result, she puts these looks together thinking she could play it off but it backfired. She needs a stylist.

Entry #14 Career Positions – November 27, 12 The first career I could see myself doing is a visual merchandiser. Although I am aware that they do not always have the glamorous roles like many make think they do, I am still up for the job. I love to pay attention to detail. I work in the visual department of my store now, and I love it. I think that everything should be visually pleasing for everyone in the store at all times. Another career that I could see myself doing is a retail buyer. I am really good at crunching numbers, and figuring out marketing strategies. I think that one of the most important aspects of this job is the ability to work fast and efficiently with various amounts of data. This is something that I would be good at. Lastly I think that I would make a great product manager. I love coming up with reasons that new products that are out on the market would benefit different people. At my job I am selling things to people all day. Although most of our products can “sell themselves”, every so often I have to tell a customer why they need to purchase something. I understand why certain products need to be phased out, as new ones are brought in. I think I would be the perfect product manager.