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Contents Introduction 4 Methodology 5
Part I - Our Brand Brand Story Vision & Mission Proposition Values Personality Imagery Tone Of Voice Brand Identity Name Logo Typography USP Tagline Colour
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 25 26 28 29 30
Part II - Market Analysis Market Overview PESTLE Analysis Pestle Conclusions Trends Macro Trends Micro Trends Market Positioning Competitor Analysis Brand Equity - Keller Model Our Consumers
32 34 36 44 45 46 50 54 56 60 62
Part III - Routes To Market Range Development Pricing Architecture Offline & Online
68 70 72 74
Part IV - Communications Communications Brand Ambassador Campaign Vogue Hashtag Keeping Connected Social Media Physical Offering Press Release Critical Path
76 78 80 81 82 84 86 88 98 100 102
Future Outlook 104 Part V - Image References 106 Part VI - Appendix 112
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Introduction A collaborative brief between Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing has seen the creation of a new luxury womenswear brand. This involves a strategic, integrated and creative marketing and promotion solution in order to meet the designer’s vision and bring it to life as a new designer label. Inspiration and preferences were given by the fashion designer in order to provoke a unique and imaginative response.
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Methodology Both primary and secondary research were completed in order to create this brand logically and effectively. For primary research, an interview took place with the allocated designer, ‘Amelia Adams.’ This allowed for an insightful and personal look at the inspirations behind her designs and her outlook. Valuable information was acquired during this, subsequently constructing a path to follow in order to reach the final outcome: a successful new luxury womenswear brand. Furthermore, a questionnaire was conducted on Instagram to attain insight from the target consumer. 152 formative answers were collected, aiding the overall construction of the brand and communication plan. Secondary research took place in order to attain influential information of the markets in which the brand would operate. Further information was acquired on the competitors and potential consumers to allow for an accurate response to the brief. This involved reading various reports, website articles and books etc.
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Part I Our Brand 7
Brand Story
Madam clothing was created to give girls with attitude the power to dress to express. Having fun is important to our brand and by taking inspiration from the saying, ‘more is more’ our designer Amelia creates apparel to brighten your day and to allow girls to truly stand out as a proper madam.
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Our Vision:
To be the go-to brand for lavish statement womenswear.
Our Mission:
To create extravagant, ready-to-wear clothing for females who ‘dress to express’.
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Our Proposition Madam will provide wearable, maximalist art for those who express themselves with eye-catching and bold clothing. Consumers will gain a fun wardrobe staple or entire outfit, from this brand, that can be worn on special occasions or to run daily errands depending on what suits them personally. The clothes are made of a quality that will last a lifetime, highlighting the timelessness of the brand’s designs.
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The Madam Values: 14
Extroverted Inclusive Luxurious
We promise to encompass everything about being an extrovert kind of girl. With bold, wild designs and an iconic, historical Queen lying at the heart of our brand, we assure fashion not for the faint-hearted.
Inclusivity is something (about the only thing) that we take seriously. It is important to us to create clothes to be worn by all body types, giving every girl the chance to truly express themselves, excluding no one.
Our brand boasts luxuriousness using only the finest of fabrics and materials to create the quality of clothing fit for a Queen and to last a lifetime.
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Flamboyant Daring Fun Our Personality 17
Brand
Imagery
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Our brand imagery runs parallel to our colour palette and maximalism theme. With this in mind, our image bank consists of all things girly, maximalism art, extravagant interior design, and clashing patterns. With these images we feel it paints a clear image for our consumer of the inspirations behind our designs and our Madam persona.
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Tone Of Voice
Friendly, Fun, and Embracing
– We are a clique of Madams.
Down to Earth, Happy and Optimis tic Wild, Sassy and Feminine
– We are here to brighten your day.
– We are taking risks and loving every minute.
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Brand Identity
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Our Name
Madam
• Our brand is named Madam primarily because of the name of our designer. Amelia prefers to be called ‘Millie’, therefore putting the first initial ‘M’ in front of her last name ‘Adams’ lead to our iconic name ‘Madam’. • Secondly, the noun ‘Madam’ denotes ‘a conceited or bossy girl or young woman’ which embodies the sassy and bold designs Amelia has created. • Lastly, ‘Madam’ is a term used in the French language to politely address a woman. This links us back to the initial inspiration behind our designs; Queen Marie Antoinette.
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Our Logo
This logo was designed with the initial inspiration of Marie Antoinette at the centre of our vision. One of the most famous quotes in history comes from this Queen and it inspired us to create a logo that resembled it well. This saying, ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ inspired a cherry that is well associated with cake, and connotes femininity and playfulness, thus becoming part of our logo.
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Typography ABCDEFGHIJKL M NOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Wilderness Typeface This font was chosen due to the girly, free and playful aesthetic. It is a handwritten style font which illustrates graphitti and breaking the rules which is everything that our brand and maximalism is about. This font will be used for headings, titles and both the full and short brand logo.
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ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz FreightSans Pro For the body text of any visual displays and the website, a sans serif, non-decorative font will be used to ensure that the type is clearly legible and does not clash with the heading font. FreightSans Pro was chosen for it’s simplistic yet contemporary aesthetic.
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What makes us unique? We are a contemporary women’s fashion brand, creating innovative, ready-to-wear apparel with an 18th Century inspired aesthetic.
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Our Tagline
Fashion is like Cake: there is no such thing as bad taste 29
The Madam colour code Our chosen colour palette is made up of pinks and greens. During Antoinette’s reign, in the 18th century these colours were used frequently in interior dÊcor; being from opposite ends of the colour spectrum they complement each other perfectly. Sensational Colour describes pink as being a colour of happiness and is sometimes seen as lighthearted, this again embodies our brand’s personality traits. Dark green is associated with money, wealth and ambition; essential for a luxury designer brand.
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Cake
C = 0% M = 40% Y = 16% K = 0%
Earth
C = 69% M = 54% Y = 89% K = 64%
Palm
C = 64% M = 36% Y = 89% K = 24%
Sorbet
C = 14% M = 79% Y = 43% K = 3%
Raspberry
C = 21% M = 94% Y = 36% K = 11% 31
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Part II Market Analysis 33
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Market Overview Our brand is primarily within the luxury designer clothing market. The global luxury market currently makes up over 2% of the country’s GDP, with the millennial generation accounting for 30% of the consumer base. This market has iconic competitors: Gucci, Kenzo and Molly Goddard amongst others. There are also more niche competitors in this specific market such as Ashish and Marques Almeida. These brands have a comparable attitude and controversial aesthetic similar to Madam. This market is currently being driven in the UK by overseas tourists, who shop in Britain for the cheaper prices. As stated by LSN Global, luxury goods, including fashion and apparel, in the UK are on average, 22% cheaper than in china, its main source of tourism.
The secondary market in which we operate is UK womenswear which has a current value of £23 billion according to Euromonitor International. Marks and Spencer Plc are currently dominating this market with 5.6%, however with their company shares decreasing, more innovative companies’ shares are increasing such as the Intidex company and major online competitors such as PrettyLittleThing and Missguided. This denotes that for a new womenswear brand to survive and flourish within this market, innovation must be at the forefront of the brand.
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Macro Environment:
PESTLE Analysis
In order for Madam to be successful in their market, we should consider Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental external influences.
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Political: Political affairs impact the buying behaviour of consumers and also the operations of big companies and therefore it is imperative to have a solid understanding of politics for a smooth company launch. • The UK’s 2016 vote to leave the EU has had a negative impact on Sterling, making the UK significantly cheaper for many overseas consumers to shop, as reported by Mintel. This has provided a boost to the UK’s inbound tourism and as VisitBritain predicts, visits to the UK will rise 6% year-on-year, driving sales of designer fashion in the UK, especially those with a presence in major tourist destinations like London. • This could have a positive impact for Madam, increasing their brand awareness and consumer base not only in the UK but globally too, especially if they decide to launch physical stores or concessions in places such as London.
Economical: Economic factors and changes have an influence on the amount of disposable income and consequently the demand for products. • Recent reports inform that with employment levels being at their highest, there is a greater number of people with a disposable income to be spent on luxuries like clothing. With there being an increase of people with money to spent, there are consequently a greater number of consumers to target.
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• This is positive for a new fashion brand like Madam, meaning that more people interested in purchasing luxury fashion items with a higher price tag and therefore a larger number of potential customers to target.
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Social: It is increasingly important for businesses to understand the demographic of the market and environments in which they operate, in order to create products and market them accordingly. • In recent years and months Catwalks have seen a relatively new acceptance of individuality and inclusivity. This has resulted in many brands now creating clothing lines targeted for people with specific body types. Brands such as Missguided, Topshop and ASOS have produced Tall, Petite, Plus Size and Curvy ranges, meaning that anybody can wear their clothing no matter what their build. • This is something Madam should embrace as at the heart of their brand lies inclusivity. Although not many iconic luxury brands have jumped on this trend, Madam should be one of the first to do so, highlighting the style and personality of the brand. This will differentiate them from their competition and attract a wider audience to the brand.
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Technological: With ever developing technology it is important for businesses to keep up with these advances to retain customers and attract new ones. • With technology advancing at such a rapid rate, clothing and the way garments are made is becoming more and more complex, with companies like Nike pushing the boundaries constantly. Consumers are prepared to pay more for more advanced clothes and fabrics.
• This is something that as a luxury brand, madam should possibly consider. This would add value to the products made and also aid them in keeping up with already established market leaders. • Moreover, with technology playing such a vital part in everybody’s lives in this generation, people are looking for clothing that will stand out on social media platforms such as Instagram. This is becoming a necessity to those of the target consumer age for Madam, meaning that the colours, prints and fabrics chosen by the designer should be carefully considered.
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Legal: All businesses need to follow the legislation put in place by governments of the countries in which they operate. • It is important for companies, especially start-up companies to maintain a good reputation within the market place to acquire new and sustain existing consumers. It is easy for a good reputation to be destroyed by brands not following lawsuit and regulations, making it vital for a sound understanding of the legal requirements for the business before going ahead with operations. • Madam should make sure that being a start-up company, they are adhering to all relevant laws and legislations for example; not breeching any GDPR laws that are in place, when communicating with their consumers for marketing purposes.
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Environmental: Companies, particularly clothing and fashion companies, need to consider the impact that the manufacturing and selling process has on the environment. • With consumers and the government becoming increasingly aware of the current and future state of the environment for generations to come, it is essential for clothing companies in particular to have a dependable reputation for their strategy of causing minimal damage to the environment during the manufacturing process of their products. • Madam should source the fabrics for their products in an ethical way that doesn’t offend consumers whilst maintaining a respectable manufacturing process. This will be advantageous to their brand image and will prevent the brand from losing customers once attained.
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Pestle Analysis Conclusions
After conducting a PESTLE analysis, it is clear that as a brand Madam should focus on the social, technological and environmental trends closely as these will have the greatest knock on effect on our consumers and brand alike. • To address social trends, we need to ensure that our brand remains as inclusive as possible meaning women of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds are able to wear our clothing. This is becoming a vital part of high-street fashion and should now be addressed by luxury fashion brands like ourselves. • In response to technological trends it is clear that our brand needs to secure an omnichannel offering, merging their online and offline presence seamlessly. Our social media pages should be updated frequently alongside our website ensuring that the same aesthetic and feel is mirrored throughout. • Current environmental issues mean that our brand should carefully consider the fabrics and techniques used for our garments, ensuring that they are of a durable and lasting quality, and manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. Other elements to consider are packaging and marketing, warranting that our packaging used both instore and online is recyclable and made from recycled materials.
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Trends
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Macro Trend: Maximalism
One of this year’s biggest trends is the concept of maximalism. This trend has been vastly expressed in various ways such as interior design, fashion and style. Consumers are becoming more daring with their outfits and home décor and have started exploring the concept that ‘more is more.’ This trend involves mismatch bold colours, clashing patterns and over-the-top materials, all of which have inspired Madam’s designs. On the catwalks there have been numerous examples of maximalism, one of the biggest names associated with this trend is Gucci. Gucci incorporated a wide assortment of different patterns within their garments and outfits for their AW19 catwalk. They also experimented with a broad colour palette to delve further into this trend. This made for an eye-catching and memorable collection. Another brand that expresses, ‘more is more,’ is Mollie Goddard. She creates garments with bold silhouettes and extravagant fabrics that are designed to stand out. House Beautiful informs that maximalism should tell a story, it should include a cleverly composed juxtaposition of materials in order to avoid looking messy and cluttered, and to instead produce an overall captivating aesthetic. This trend has influenced the fabric, colour and pattern choices for the Madam collection. Our designer chose to use bright colours, bold patterns and clashing textures to create a ‘more is more’ aesthetic and conform to the maximalism trend this season.
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Macro Trend: Inclusivity
Inclusivity and diversity have played a large role in fashion campaigns around the globe this year. This trend has been driven by previous pivotal campaigns like Tess Holliday’s #effyourbeautystandards and the #blackisbeautiful movement. This has influenced brands like ASOS, PrettyLittleThing and Missguided to consider their ranges and models used for shoots. ASOS have completed their website with ranges designed to fit a specific body-type, be that petite, tall, plus-sized or curved. Missguided also feature a display of realistic mannequins in their store with White, Mixed Heritage and Black mannequins, plus-sized mannequins, and even including stretchmarks and other realistic body features. However, it is still noticed that such diversity is missing on high-profile catwalks. London Fashion Week saw a protest organised by plus size clothing brand ‘Simply Be,’ featuring several plus sized models, including Hayley Hasselhoff. They were standing up for sizes 12-20, arguing that not enough LFW catwalks represent realistic and diverse body sizes. The inclusivity trend will influence the available sizes in which consumers can purchase our garments. This allows for a broader consumer base as we will not be excluding anyone of a certain shape or size.
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MiConscicorous FastTrend: Fashion Consumers are exposed to a sea of fast fashion brands offering cheap, throw away clothing, designed to be worn a couple of times then disposed of. Brands such as Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing and others offer dresses for just £5: with this price comes a lack of quality and consequently the durability is significantly less that those with a higher price tag. Moreover, in the production of these garments, environmental corners are being cut, leading to higher levels of toxic waste and water pollution leading to a detrimental effect on the environment for future generations. With this exposed knowledge and previous campaigns like Patagonia’s ‘Don’t Buy This Jacket,’ there is a push to buy less rather than more. Consumers are being influenced to consider the sustainability and therefore the durability of their fashion choices alongside the effect their purchase could have on the environment. To adhere to this micro trend, Madam have chosen fabrics that are high quality and will therefore last our consumers a lifetime. By doing this we will not be contributing to the waste created through fast fashion and cheap throw-away clothing. Moreover, the packaging used for our product should be 100% recyclable, and made from a high percentage of recycled materials to avoid adding to landfill and plastic pollution.
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MiColourc rois theTrend: new Black Taking over classy monochromes and safe greys are the flashing lights of catwalks across the globe. New York Fashion Week 2018 saw an invasion of neon brights and Crayola colours interpreted in an array of styles from iconic designers everywhere ready for SS19. Almost every fast fashion brand has taken this trend on board and have created a line of clothing apparel fit to stop traffic. From highlighter green, neon orange and punchy pink, to bold blues, ripe reds and perfect pastels, these colours are everywhere, and although black was once the shade of class and elegance, colour is now just as chic. Jeremy Scott, Emporio Armani and Off-White are among those who lead this trend at fashion weeks in places such as Paris, Milan, London and New York. Major influencers like the Kardashian-Jenners originally ignited this micro-trend and have turned it into something set to grow and last for a long time in the palettes of iconic designers. With this trend in mind, the colour palette for Madam has been carefully considered, with bright pinks, bold greens and eye-catching yellows in the mix. These colours have been chosen to coincide with the colourful trends on the catwalks whilst maintaining a luxurious, chic look.
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Market Positioning
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When placing our brand on the axis we placed ourselves next to Kenzo and Ashish. This is because they are at a similar level of luxuriousness and have also all accomplished a unique and individual style. Those that also have a unique style are Gucci, Molly Goddard and Stella McCartney, however these brands are of a higher level of luxury and have a more expensive price-tag than that of Madam but will still be found in the same stores such as Selfridges. Those competitors that are of a more accessible price are Nasty Gal and Motel Rocks. These brands have a more individual style than other high-street brands i.e. PrettyLittleThing and Missguided and will attract the same consumers to our brand Madam.
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Competitor Analysis Gucci
Gucci is a luxury, ready-to-wear clothing brand, sold in flagship stores alongside concession spaces in high-end department stores such as Selfridges and Harrods. They produce extravagant apparel for Men, Women and Children alongside lavish home décor, accessory, jewellery and fragrance ranges. Gucci remain one of the world’s most desirable fashion houses as their unique, outrageous style sets them apart from their competitors, taking major inspiration from exquisite Italian craftsmanship. Describing themselves as being eclectic, contemporary and romantic, they are highly recognised on the catwalk for the intricate, ostentatious patterns and silhouettes. Their designs take a maximalist approach, using bold and clashing colours, chosen specifically to break the rules of fashion in true Gucci style. Current creative director Alessandro Michele likes to embrace individuality and destroy gender norms enhancing the brand’s innovative reputation and notoriously sparking controversial opinions and debates worldwide. The likes of Beyoncé, Margot Robbie, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Harry Styles have all been seen effortlessly parading Gucci outfits for special events and occasions. By wearing head-to-toe Gucci, a status is instantly given to these fashion icons as their outfits are a portrayal of their wealth and importance.
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Competitor Analysis Molly Goddard
Founded in 2014, Molly Goddard is known for traditional hand pleating, smocking and use of sheer, girly fabrics for an exaggerated aesthetic. The company boasts luxury with their use of organza’s, silks and taffeta fabrics in bright, show-stopping colours. The brand flaunts an iconic vision; executed through playful and detailed design. Molly Goddard creates solely womenswear garments and produces ready-to-wear, catwalk-fit apparel ranging from feminine, over-the-top dresses, to structured coats. Goddard was inspired by the hazardous way in which children piece together outfits and is now renowned for her whimsical style and rebellious approach to fashion. Her garments are stocked on websites such as Net A Porter and SSENSE whilst having physical spaces at Dover Street Market in London and other boutique stores around the world. Molly Goddard has been worn eminently by celebrities such as Rihanna and Fearne Cotton, who both share a comparable extroverted and daring fashion persona, thus creating a unique yet instantly recognisable consumer profile for the brand.
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Brand Equity - Keller Model
Resonance Effective engagement; interacting with consumers through various campaigns on social media, and at high profile fashion events. By creating a relatable brand story and a friendly personality a sense of community will be created. Consumers remain loyal to Madam for the acceptance they receive when wearing the garments.
Judgement
Feeling
High Quality Innovative – taking historical inspiration and transforming it into something stylish and totally unique. Credibility – reliable for garment or outfit to turn heads and become a conversation starter.
Evokes happy and excited feelings Happiness – sense of acceptance and inclusivity within a new and growing fashion community. Excited – wearing clothing to express themselves entirely.
Performance
Imagery
Timeless – created to the highest quality and in nonconforming designs to last a lifetime. Luxury – use of desirable and lavish fabrics to create a sense of wealth for the wearer.
Playful, Daring, Feminine. Attire made to stand out from the crowd.
Salience Widely known and spoken of due to nature of design and daring personality of the brand Not easily accessible to all, but accessible to those with the knowledge and desire for the brand
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Our Consumers
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Consumer Types At Madam we have three commonly identified categories of consumers. This includes the ‘Style Savvy,’ the ‘Conscious Consumer’ and the ‘Label Lover’
The Style Savvy are people who have a passion for creating their own unique style. They aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd and will go out of their way to purchase bold, daring garments to seek a reaction from peers and express themselves.
The Conscious Consumer includes those who opt for environmentally friendly and ethical brands instead of fast fashion brands. They prefer to buy quality over quantity and do not mind paying a higher price for clothing that will last a long time and will not damage the planet.
The Label Lover is someone who comes to Madam for an item of clothing because they frequently buy designer clothing and want to add to their collection. They come across Madam unintentionally whilst shopping in department stores and may only buy from our brand once or twice.
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Primary Consumer Demographic: • 18-25 year-old females. • She will typically be classed as a HEIDI consumer, a highly educated independent individual and will also come from a middle to upper-class family background. • The primary Madam consumer lives in a commercial and cosmopolitan city, full of people with a variety of different personal fashion styles and from different cultures and backgrounds. Behavioural: • A primary consumer of Madam will purchase from the brand around two or three times per year. • The benefits sought are to acquire a new timeless garment, to add to her extensive wardrobe, that can be put together with many different outfits for everyday use. This garment is purchased so that the consumer stands out from her friends or equally, to fit in with her group of friends that like to stand out. • She is loyal to Madam because she resonates with the brand values wholeheartedly whilst also notoriously returning to shop with the brand for the extroverted style. • She will identify to Madam mostly as Style Savvy or sometimes a Conscious Consumer. Psychographic: • The most important value in life, to a loyal Madam consumer, is to always have fun in life and to be yourself. Primary Madam consumers are entirely confident in themselves: she does not take herself too seriously. • Her lifestyle involves spontaneity and optimism; her favourite saying is, ‘you only live once,’ therefore she will wear exactly what she wants to. • As LSN Global proves, 19.7% of British millennial shoppers’ psychological drive is to spend on luxury goods as a desire to treat oneself, and this is exactly her way of thinking.
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Secondary Consumer Demographic: • 18-25-year-old females. • She will typically be classed as a HEIDI consumer, a highly educated independent individual or a YAD, young and determined saver, or a TIPPER, teen in parents’ pockets eroding retirement savings. She comes from a middle-class family. • The secondary consumer lives further out of the city, in a more rural and family friendly area where they’ve grown up. Behavioural: • The secondary consumer of Madam purchases from the brand as a one-off. • The benefit sought from Madam for them, is having a luxury, special, designer outfit or garment bought especially for an occasion or gifted. This has been something that the consumer has saved up for, for a long time and has dreamed of owning for a while. • She is less loyal to Madam, as she doesn’t regularly purchase luxury designer clothing, and once she has bought one Madam piece, she is likely to save up for an item from a different designer brand next. • She will mostly identify as a ‘Label Lover,’ or sometimes a ‘Conscious Consumer.’ Psychographic: • As a secondary Madam consumer, her attitudes differentiate in that she is very conscious of the opinions of her peers and is influenced highly by trends. • Her lifestyle involves instagramming and tweeting regularly and so whatever she wears must look good on her timeline and should receive compliments from others.
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Part III Routes To Market 69
Range Development 1 Outfit 1 Roll Neck Top - £440 Dogtooth Maxi Dress - £700
Outfit 2 Balloon Coat - £1,000 Dogtooth Trousers - £540
Outfit 3 Ruffle Dress - £940 Bow Neck Top - £300 Upholstery Coat - £1,250
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Pricing Architecture The following prices have been decided after conveying thorough research into our closest competitors pricing strategy. The allocated prices are much higher than the Suggested Retail Price, allowing for a greater profit to be made. This was due to raising our prices to sit in-line with our competition and in respect to our place on the Market Positioning Map. Furthermore, the prices are slightly lower to those of Molly Goddard and Gucci as Madam have not yet attained the same status of these iconic market players. However, after considering the prices of the luxury materials used to create our garments it was evident that our prices should remain high to establish an elaborate and luxury brand image. (See Appendix for Full Cost Breakdown of each garment) Coat £1,250 Cost of Production Price: £197.36 Suggested Retail Price: £493.40 Dress £940 Cost of Production Price: £69.16 Suggested Retail Price: £172.90 Top £300 Cost of Production Price: £12.70 Suggested Retail Price: £31.74
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Multichannel Routes To Market Online Offine We will use online techniques in order to professionally and systematically distribute our garments. Consumer research conducted by Mintel indicates that half of UK designer fashion consumers are now shopping online for high-end fashion goods, influencing our decision to go online. This will benefit our consumers due to the easy and round-the-clock accessibility that suits every single consumer individually.
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We endeavour to use offline distribution methods alongside online options in order for consumers to have as many possible options as to how they shop Madam. More than two thirds of designer fashion buyers still make their purchases in-store, illustrating clearly the demand for the brand to have a prominent physical presence in the market. As found on Mintel, only 16% of shoppers visit a standalone designer store to shop their favourite brands, therefore it is not necessary for Madam to invest in a flagship store as of yet. Moreover, primary research supports this finding as 60% of respondents said that they would prefer to shop for designer clothing in a department store rather than a single brand store, confirming that this is the correct path for our brand. The most vital physical shopping option for Madam is for them to have a concession stand in department stores such as Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. These department stores were chosen because of their innovative and contemporary reputation. Madam will be sold alongside competing brands such as Gucci and Kenzo and therefore will gain exposure and consumers of the designer fashion market easier than they would as a standalone store.
‘The physical store is far from dead as consumers of all generations continue to shop offline. However, the role of the physical store must evolve in order to serve the modern consumer, who expects to shop seamlessly across channels and is gravitating towards more meaningful retail experiences.’ – Euromonitor International
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Part IV Communication Plan 77
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Comminications The chosen methods of communication have been selected to showcase our brand message as accurately as possible. It is important for brands, especially those new and of a luxury quality, to communicate in the correct way with their consumers to ensure that the brand identity is not lost through translation; resulting in decreased brand equity. It is vital that we consider a balanced combination of both traditional and digital marketing methods to achieve sound brand awareness and to allow for frequent interaction with our consumers.
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Madam X Maya Jama Madam have selected Maya Jama as our first ever brand ambassador. She reflects the brand values perfectly with her fun and witty personality and her body positivity influence. Furthermore, Maya is a popular role model for our target audience, and has a large social media following of 842k instagrammers and 262.4k twitter users. As primary research indicated, consumers – in particularly females - are more likely to wear a designer brand if a celebrity they follow is wearing it. A campaign including Maya Jama will be our first major appearance.
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Maya Jama Campaig n As research with Mintel revealed an eminent recent increase in digital marketing within the UK Designer Fashion Market, Madam will create a video campaign featuring Maya Jama wearing several of our outfits. At the end of the video ‘#areyouaMADAM’ will be displayed to further provoke discussions and engagement with the campaign. Our video will be released on all social platforms as well as Maya Jama’s to reach more consumers.
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Vogue
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There will be a 4-page spread in Vogue of still photographs of Maya Jama modelling our outfits. This offline method was chosen due to primary research disclosing that magazine advertisement is the second most likely way consumers will discover a new designer fashion brand. Vogue was chosen due to their reputation for being the ‘arbiter of new trends and top fashion’ as told by CondĂŠ Nast and having a mostly female based audience with a higher income; this will further span the brand awareness of Madam.
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#areyoua
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Madam
Interactive Hashtag Following on from the Maya Jama campaign, we will create this hashtag to raise levels of engagement and create a sense of community within the brand that consumers can become involved with. It also gives our brand a tool to measure the engagement and usage levels that consumers are having with Madam, also becomes a means of communication and conversation starters between our brand and consumers. From the survey conducted, it was found that Instagram and social media in general would be the most likely way that consumers would find out about a new fashion brand. Therefore, by creating a hashtag that is applicable to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, our brand will be disseminated quickly and easily by our brand and consumers themselves.
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Connect With Us Madam will have a fully functioning website that is compatible on all devices to allow consumers easy access to us 247. As well, we will have a page on our website, ‘MadamCONNECTED,’ where stories, events and news will be uploaded frequently to keep our consumers engaged. This will involve interviews with celebrities and influencers that choose to wear our brand, documentation of events in which celebrities wearing Madam, are attending and other important brand updates. This will engage consumers and provoke them to feel as though they are involved with the brand and are part of a society.
Scan me!
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@madammofficial 158K
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Getting Social As well as having a frequently updated social page on our website, we will also keep our consumers regularly updated with our brand on all social media platforms. This is also a preffered method, of following a brand, for our target consumer - millenials.
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Let’s Get Physical Madam will launch their first physical space as a concession in well-loved department store, Selfridges. This will begin with a big opening event in London Selfridges, with our designer and brand ambassador present. This will be a big event for our brand and will incur lots of media coverage with press invited to the occasion. It will be a public event with high profile guests such as influencers and celebrities, Vogue will also be attending; covering the event on their website later. An après-launch party in central London will take place in the evening, again involving a red carpet for our VIP’s and press coverage. This will aid our brand in establishing our luxury and extravagant brand image.
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Press Release
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New luxury womenswear brand Madam launch first ever physical offering in Selfridges stores around the UK. Brand new, lavish womenswear brand Madam are excited to open their first physical store offering in Selfridges stores nationwide. This comes as the brand becomes established and launches a luxury line of statement womenswear for those who adore colour and sass in their wardrobes. Their concession spaces in Selfridges promise to be anything but boring with their bright and girly demeanour lying at the very core of each stand around the country. Their boutique-like range will be accessible for everyone, meaning customers can try before they buy whilst immersing themselves in an environment full of fun, innovation and excitement. This exciting concession launch will begin with an opening party at London Selfridges. Popular fashion guru, and radio presenter Maya Jama will be present to help designer Amelia Adams cut the ribbon and open the concession for the very first time on the 1st September 2019. There will be gifts and champagne for all customers attending: highlighting the brand’s passion for celebrating and having fun. Selfridges and the rest of the luxury designer fashion market is missing a brand that truly lets their consumers be themselves. Madam is a breath of fresh air for the designer fashion industry as they rewind their style back to an 18th century inspired aesthetic. Their clothing range and concession stands assure to bring extravagant designs, bold colours and mismatch textures and patterns, tying themselves in with the maximalism trend whilst keeping their own unique style. “We can’t wait to finally offer a physical shopping option for our customers! We are really looking forward to building relationships and helping each and every one of our consumers find just what they are looking for. It’s going to be so much fun launching a space that truly breathes our Madam values!” – Amelia Adams, CEO of Madam. With this new opening, the brand desires to connect more personally with their consumers and create unique and memorable shopping experiences, delivering innovation and enjoyment similar to the experience available on their website. For more information please visit www.madamofficical.wixsite.com/madam Contact Person: Rebecca Green Email: marketingandmedia@madam.com About Madam. Madam is a luxury statement womenswear brand for females who desire fun in their wardrobe. We are an inclusive brand, made for anybody with a lavish and extroverted taste. We are on a mission to create extravagant, ready-to-wear clothing for females who dress to express themselves. Our vision is to bring an 18th Century inspired aesthetic and turn it into the go-to brand for statement designer womenswear.
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Critical Path JAN
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SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS MadamCONNECTED WEBSITE POSTS
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Future Outlook
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As a start-up, luxury fashion label, it is imperative for us to establish a solid brand awareness in the UK within the first few years of operating. This will ensure that Madam has firm foundations prepared for further development in the future. UK tourism will benefit Madam significantly in their first years; acquiring the brand initial international exposure. This could be further developed in coming years, providing Madam with the opportunity to tap into international markets, and increase exposure. Furthermore, with the emerging ‘experiential shopping’ trend, the outlook for both department and flagship stores is positive, creating an opening for our brand to advance our current offline shopping experience. After ascertaining a loyal consumer base, brand equity and high awareness, launching an experiential flagship store in a popular tourist destination could prove to be a growth catalyst for Madam in forthcoming years, opening further opportunities for our growing brand.
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Part V
Image References
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Dulike, (n.d) Watercolour Flamingo (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.aliexpress.com/item/Nordic-Watercolor-Flamingo-Wall-Art-Canvas-Painting-Wall-Picture-Pink-Flamingo-Canvas-Art-Prints-PosterHome/32827789021.html Orora Studio, (n.d) Palm Leaf Wall Mural (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.happywall.co.uk/wall-murals/palm-leaf-i-wall-mural Annie Leibovitz, (2006) Marie Antoinette (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.vogue.com/article/marie-antoinette-beauty-secrets-french-girlhair-makeup Sparklingsilk, (n.d) Mary Magdalene Church, Poland (ONLINE) Avialable at: https:// www.pinterest.fr/pin/397513104604255480/ Wilton, (n.d) 3 tier wedding cheesecake, (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.wilton. com/3-tier-wedding-cheesecake/WLPROJ-10.html Find Design (2018) How to create a maximalist home in minimal space, (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.finddesign.com/home-hacks-how-to-create-a-maximalhome-in-minimal-space/ Opionionessoftheworld (2012) Marie Antoinette (ONLINE) Available at: https:// opinionessoftheworld.com/2012/03/27/marie-antoinette-film/ Lavania Gomez, (2018) Chanel and Tea (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn_YOWjATTs/ Luis Monteiro, (2016) Iris Apfel for Gucci (ONLINE) Available at: https://howtospendit.ft.com/womens-fashion/102683-iris-apfel TheLoveMagazine, (2016) Molly Goddard X Topshop launch an ss17 shoe collection (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.thelovemagazine.co.uk/posts/7256/sole-matesmolly-goddard-x-topshop-launch-an-ss17-shoe-collection
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Sweet Little Cakes (n.d) Drippy Cake (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.onefabday.com/ie/candy-covered-wedding-cakes/ Augusta Photography, (2018) Maximalist Bathroom Interior (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.domino.com/content/liz-solms-eclectic-nolahouse-2018/ Pinterest, (n.d) Pink Bathroom (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/41306521568814873/ AnotherMag, (2006) Marie Antoinette Fim Still (ONLINE) Available at: https://www. anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/9282/lessons-in-saccharine-style-from-marie-antoinette Charmsinca, (2019) Maximalism Interior Decor Trend for 2019 (ONLINE) Avialable at: http://www.trendesignbook.com/blog/trends/moodboard-collection-maximalism-interior-decor-trend-for-2019/ Christopher Baker, (2008) The Most Irresistible Food Vices In Vogue (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/vices-in-vogue-food-photographyarchive-photos#5 Jason Kim, (2017) Think Pink (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.fashiongonerogue. com/peyton-knight-iris-covet-book-jason-kim/ Martyn Thompson Studio, (2017) Maximalist Decor (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.urbanclap.com/blog/interiors/trending-maximalist-decor-tips-lookbook-included/ Matt Webb, (2019) Close Up Marie Ruffle Dress [Digital Image]
Rebecca Green, (2019) Madam Logo [Digital Image]
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Richard Covington, (2006) Marie Antoinette (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/marie-antoinette-134629573/ Terri Truscello, (n.d) Pink Ombre Cake (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.dixiecrystals.com/recipes/pink-ombre-drip-layer-cake Henry Nicholls, (2019) Models present creations during the Molly Goddard show (ONLINE) Available at: https://stock.adobe.com/uk/editorial/ models-present-creations-during-the-molly-goddard-catwalk-showduring-london-fashion-week-women-s-a-w19-in-london/249735669 Rebecca Green, (2019) PESTLE Model PE [Figure]
Rebecca Green, (2019) PESTLE Model ST [Figure]
Rebecca Green, (2019) PESTLE Model LE [Figure]
Traditional Home (n.d) Less is no longer more when it comes to fabulous design (ONLINE) Available at: : https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/41306521568897123/ Lane Bryant (2016) Lane Bryant’s Latest Campaign Is All About Body Inclusivity (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/02/102899/lane-bryant-this-body-campaign Jason Hetherington (2018) The adorable story behind Winnie Harlows name (ONLINE) Available at: https://fashionweekdaily.com/winnie-harlow-model-interview/ Fabrice Monteiro, (2015) Spectacular High Fashion Rises From a Landscape of Trash (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/spectacular-high-fashion-rises-landscape-trash-180957197/#ob1RoVFXH17AG31m.99
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KIMKARDASHIAN, SPLASH NEWS, SHUTTERSTOCK, (2018) Kim K’s Neon Wardrobe (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/ kim-kardashian-neon-trend-2018 Rebecca Green, (2019) Madam Market Positioning Map [Figure]
Indigital, (2017) Gucci Fall Fashion Show (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.vogue.co.uk/shows/autumn-winter-2017-ready-to-wear/gucci/collection Molly Goddard, (2016) Molly Goddard (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.dnamag. co/home/molly-godard-ss17 Sydney Watt (n.d) MArie Antoinette meets Elizabeth Taylor (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/273945589818007133/?lp=true
Resonance Effective engagement; interacting with consumers through various campaigns on social media, and at high profile fashion events. By creating a relatable brand story and a friendly personality a sense of community will be created. Consumers remain loyal to Madam for the acceptance they receive when wearing the garments.
Judgement
High Quality Innovative – taking historical inspiration and transforming it into something stylish and totally unique. Credibility – reliable for garment or outfit to turn heads and become a conversation starter.
Rebecca Green, (2019) Keller Brand Equity Model [Figure]
Feeling
Evokes happy and excited feelings Happiness – sense of acceptance and inclusivity within a new and growing fashion community. Excited – wearing clothing to express themselves entirely.
Performance
Timeless – created to the highest quality and in non-conforming designs to last a lifetime. Luxury – use of desirable and lavish fabrics to create a sense of wealth for the wearer.
Imagery Playful, Daring, Feminine. Attire made to stand out from the crowd.
Salience Widely known and spoken of due to nature of design and daring personality of the brand Not easily accessible to all, but accessible to those with the knowledge and desire for the brand
TheCakeMamas, (n.d) Unicorn Cupcake (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.thecakemamas.com/product/unicorn-cupcake/ Sockerrus, (2010) Fairtrade Cupcake (ONLINE) Available at: http://sockerrus.se/ cupcakes/a-fairtrade-cupcake/ EasyBaked, (n.d) Rose Cupcake (ONLINE) Available at: https://easybaked.net/tag/ pink-champagne-cupcake/ Rebecca Green, (2019) Consumer 1 Pen Portrait [Digital Image] Source: Pinterest
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Rebecca Green, (2019) Consumer 2 Pen Portrait [Digital Image] Source: Pinterest
Millie Adams (2019) Outfit 1 [Digital Image]
Millie Adams (2019) Outfit 2 [Digital Image]
Matt Webb (2019) Marie Ruffle Dress Cut Out [Digital Image]
Matt Webb (2019) Laying In the Sun [Digital Image]
Lisa Niven-Phillips (2018) On Beauty: Maya Jama (ONLINE) Available at: https:// www.vogue.co.uk/article/maya-jama-interview-maybelline-campaign Celebsfirst (2019) Maya Jama attends The BRIT Awards 2019 held at The O2 Arena in London, UK (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.celebsfirst.com/maya-jama-attends-brit-awards-2019-held-o2-arena-london-uk/ Rebecca Green (2019) Maya Jama Campaign Mock Up [Digital Image]
MERT ALAS and MARCUS PIGGOTT (2018) Rihanna on Body Image, Turning 30, and Staying Real—No Matter What (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.vogue.com/ article/rihanna-vogue-cover-june-issue-2018 Rebecca Green (2019) Website Mock Up [Digital Image] Sources: www.apple.com www.madamofficial.wixsite.com/madam
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Rebecca Green (2019) Social Icons [Digital Image]
ALL INSTAGRAM Rebecca Green, (2019) Instagram Posts [Digital Images] All Available at: SCREENSHOTS www.instagram.com/madammofficial
Rebecca Green (2019) Pink Selfridges Logo [Digital Image] Source: www.selfridges.co.uk Hello Flamingo (n.d) Lipsy Visual Merchandising (ONLINE) Available at: http://www. helloflamingo.co.uk Babasouk, (n.d) Custom Beni Ourain Rug (ONLINE) Available at: https://www.babasouk.ca/shop/decor/moroccan-rugs/custom-moroccan-rug/custom-beni-ourainrug-made-order/ JAN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS
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Rebecca Green, (2019) Gant Chart [Figure]
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Part VI Appendix
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Rough Notes: Interview with Amelia Let Them Eat Cake’ Coat/blouse/flares Description Wacky, girly, over the top, feminine, colourful, layers mismatched/full out & bold Inspiration Marie Antoinette, Queen of France before the revolution, maximalism, clashing patterns colours, Gucci, fabrics, bold – interior design feasts etc, over indulgence. Key features Silhouettes, colour – outerwear garment Function of garments A/W layers are warm, possible to change the collar on blouse? Consumers can either go big with a full outfit or wear each piece on their own for a more daytime look. Ready to wear/ catwalk. Contemporary. Materials used Curtain/upholstery, heavy wear fabric for coat, yellow velvet, maybe sheer fabric Design Ethos/message Having fun with it, not taking the designs too serious, brighten up people’s day. If you like it just wear it. USP 18th century bringing that into contemporary, making it into ready-to-wear. Future Development within the next year Ruffley dresses, using prints, more dresses more coats, inclusive sizes. Where will it be sold? In which price bracket? Luxury, coat £300 cheapest, quite high end, luxury fashion brand, creative flow, more quality fabrics. Target Audience young 18-25 could be worn by older people, appropriate for any body type, confidence to wear it. What type of person will wear your clothes? someone who’s not afraid to stand out Competitors/market placement? Gucci, Fenty/Rihanna, Kenzo, Mollie Goddard. Which designers inspire you? Gucci, aspirational designers are the competition. Would you want the brand to be your name? No to full name, because it’s a brand aimed at the young, something like Nasty Gal Other brand values that you resonate with? Sustainable, not the most sustainable thing but something you believe in. If could then would use mostly organic fabric. Stella McCartney, never would use animal fur/feathers, vegan, nothing plasticy at the same time Trends that you are following/inspire your work? Maximalism trend, oversized, big clunky shoes, fitting in with a crowd standing out, ugly fashion.
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Questionnaire Results
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Cost breakdown tables T-Shir t
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Dress
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Cost breakdown tables Coat
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Logo Development
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Pinterest Boards
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