Ciara Pickering - MFA Thesis by Ciara Pickering

RODARTE Project Book

PICKERING

RODARTE PROJECT BOOK

COVER LETTER TARGET AUDIENCE CREATIVE BRIEF RESEARCH PAPER

MOOD BOARD MOOD BOARD TOOLBOX PRINT DEVELOPMENT INTERACTIVE DEVELOPMENT MOTION + VIDEO DEVELOPMENT

BRAND IDENTITY

PRINT INTERACTIVE MOTION + VIDEO

RESEARCH

DEAR MS. KATE + LAURA MULLEAVY Fashion is art, but it often informs our lives even more intimately than a masterpiece painting ever could. I have always held this as a personal mantra and have found so much resonance in the beautiful works of wearable art that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created under the Rodarte name. I have been inspired by what you create and could not sit idly by! I am a multimedia designer, illustrator, and fashion enthusiast. Hemlines and headlines have coursed through my veins since an early age at the influence of my mother and grandmother, who worked as fashion designers during my childhood. I earned a BFA in Graphic Design in 2009, interned with a street style blog as a photographer and graphic/motion designer during New York Fashion Week (February 2009), and I am about to complete my studies in the Media Design MFA program through Full Sail University. As part of this program, I set out to choose a company to design a multi-media advertising campaign for. I knew I wanted to focus in the fashion industry and the unique and distinct story behind the Rodarte brand cemented my decision to use your company as my muse. The proposed campaign consists of print advertisements, motion graphics and video, and a new website design accompanied by enticing animated web banner ads. Through my research, I have discovered that, as a relatively young company, Rodarte has yet to branch out extensively with advertising. I feel that there is an important and interesting story to tell about the unconventional start-up of the brand as well as the evocative narratives that emerge from the clothing itself. My proposed campaignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aesthetic pulls from effervescent fairytale and fantasy imagery while incorporating the juxtaposition of luminescence and clandestine that emanates from your clothing. I thank you wholeheartedly, not only for your time and consideration in regards to this proposal, but also for bringing art and creativity to the forefront of fashion and giving me such personal inspiration. Quite sincerely, CIARA PICKERING Media Designer

TARGET AUDIENCE Male + Female Age 16 - 45 Fashion-Forward Film Buffs College-Educated Independent Thinkers Artists Designers Individuals Fashion + Style Bloggers Film Makers The target consumer for the Rodarte brand is an individual who takes pride in being just that: an individual, someone who stands out and transcends mere trends. Fashion-darlings such as Natalie Portman, Kirsten Dunst, Emma Watson and even first lady, Michelle Obama are among Rodarteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faithful, enthusiastic fans.

CALL TO ACTION

CREATIVE BRIEF POSITIONING

Rodarte clothing is unique, original, and created from the perspective of less-jaded, fashion-outsider, artists who are not slaves to trends and instead of follow, create. The audience and target market of the Rodarte brand see it as fresh and unexpected. There may be concern about the design-duo sisters lack of â&#x20AC;&#x153;formalâ&#x20AC;? fashion training and education, it is both a strong differentiating factor and a potential weakness when compared to the longevity of fashion brands among their competition.

UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION Rodarte offers their consumers quality clothing with an avant-garde edge inspired by such unexpected sources of influence as sleepwalking, Japanese horror films, and their personal family heritage, among many unique others.

Inspire consumers through encouraging them to express themselves and interact with and relate to the brand through social media, interactive web design, short films/commercials, and print advertisements in order to boost brand presence and increase sales.

KEY BRAND TENENTS

COPY MESSAGE

A) Unconventional beauty juxtaposed against timeless elegance.

Tag Line A: Show the world who you are.

B) A fresh perspective in a mass-produced industry.

Tag Line B: rodARTe - style is an arr

C) Art, fashion, and film are siblings.

ABSTRACT The luxury fashion brand, Rodarte, emerged into the industry very unconventionally. While most designers labor away to earn fashion-related degrees, Kate and Laura Mulleavy earned liberal arts degrees and drew poetic inspiration from their heritage and a long list of uncommon films. This campaign will incorporate film as inspiration and take the medium further through a series of experimental short films promoting the brand. The campaign will utilize a relatively new and popular advertising strategy and medium, internet-streaming and social media-based fashion film, and emphasize how the Rodarte brand came to be in such a unique way, helping to further differentiate the brand from its competitors. People show themselves to the world though fashion. What one wears tells others about them before any words are exchanged. The clothing created by Rodarte already evokes narrative imagery but, through this campaign, could be taken to a higher level. Deeper and richer narratives will resonate with viewers through the short films featuring the garments. The clothing will have the chance to elicit unexpected and curious characters and scenarios that consumers will be excited to channel in their everyday lives.

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

The Rodarte brand and the history behind its inception gives it a creative advantage in advertising by allowing it to utilize its own inspiration, film, as a conduit to communicate with consumers. Though the Mulleavy sisters do not have the same fashion-centered backgrounds as their competitors, they have a unique perspective that differentiates them in the market. Fashion and film have always been related and now the popularity of using film and video to promote fashion is gaining through social media reinvention. Rodarte has the opportunity to explore this medium early on and reach consumers in a fresh and engaging way.

Fashion Shows: RTW: Fall 2010: NY: Rodarte. (2010). Style.com. [website]. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2010RTW-RODARTE Lynch, D., & Rodley, C. (2005). Lynch on Lynch. New York, New York: Faber and Faber, Inc. May 23, 2010, from http://rodarte.net/ Mendelson, S. (2010, May 30). Shrek 4 Wins Memorial Day Box Office Derby. The Huffington Post. Retrieved May 30, 2010, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scottmendelson/shrek-4-wins-memorial-day_b_594972.html Ramirez, E. (2010, April 24). Cinema Ă la Prada: Fashion houses embrace online videos. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2010, from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703876404575200171269319834.html May 30, 2010, from http://www.criterion.com/about_us

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

SAMPLE COLOR PALETTE

SAMPLE PHOTOGRAPHY

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SAMPLE PATTERNS + TEXTURES !"#$%&'("))&*+,'-'.&/)0*&,

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PRELIMINARY SKETCHES

SECONDARY PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS

The initial sketches for the print component of this campaign reference fairytales quite literally. The examples here were created while themes were established early on. While the fairytale theme is still evident in the campaign, the secondary print advertisements

Show the world who you are.

RODARTE

SITE MAP

EARLY WIREFRAMES

RODARTE SITE MAP

CIARA PICKERING

KATE + LAURA (ABOUT/BIO)

As with the print advertisement, the interactive elements of this campaign evolved from a more literal fairytale theme to evoke designs that juxtapose the fantasy and dark parts of the same classic stories.

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THEME SKETCHES

The initial sketches for the motion and video development drew from fantasy themes such as the dark and foreboding woods that play a role in most well known fairytales. The idea of nature and skeletons came not only from these themes but also from particular clothing from Rodarteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spring 2009 Ready-to-Wear collection.

PRELIMINARY STORYBOARD

GRAPHIC STANDARDS

CLIENT BRIEF OBJECTIVE

1. Create an artistic and strongly narrative branding campaign that transcends fashion and trends by involving the consumer on deeper, emotional levels. 2. Utilizing a key differentiating factor (the absence of formal, fashion industry-related training) the brand can align itself also with the art world. This expands possible target markets and offers a unique perspective. 3. Encourage an appreciation for quality, creativity, and art while integrating it into the clothing people live their lives in.

CREATIVE WORK RATIONALE

Developing an emotional bond between the consumer and the brand will rely on messages deeper than the frivolity of passing trends. The campaign appeals to an intimate side of the consumer: the part of an individual that decides how to present themselves and how they want the world to see them. The Rodarte brand began after the Mulleavy sisters spent time watching an array of horror films which inspired their first collection. It seems appropriate to utilize this medium in their advertising and promotional campaigns. The narratives that films offer can also be offered through clothing. Dressing is a personal thing and, through it, people choose the story they tell about themselves.

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Research direct and indirect competitors. 2. Identify target market(s) and their possible concerns against the product/industry. 3. Reinforce Branding a. Color Palette b. Storyboard/Moodboard c. Visual Language 4. Use research and brand reinforcement to create Deliverables. 5. Expand target market and increase sales

RODARTE Lucida Bright, Demibold

MEASUREMENT

The goal of the campaign is to showcase the Rodarte brand as more than fashion but as art. It is also the intention of this campaign to make consumers aware of the benefits of buying luxury while exploring the promotion of less expensive collaborative collections. Brand awareness will increase within the first six months, encouraging loyal consumers and inviting new ones. Once the brand is more familiar to a wider market, the potential for the success of a collaborative collection launch will increase. This launch and follow up to a previous collaboration with Target is expected to generate at least a 50% increase in revenue.

The logo should be clearly displayed on all visual pieces though it is not necessary for it to always be prominent or the primary focus. In many cases, particularly with print advertisements, the emphasis will inevitably be on imagery of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing. Framing may or may not be used. The logo may be scaled to any reasonable size as long as it remains legible. It should always be placed within the Trim/Crop boundary while respecting the Live area boundary accordingly.

COLOR The brand color palette offers a variety of light and dark shades that, when juxtaposed together in different ways, can create a multitude of moods ranging from ephemeral to mysterious.

C= 0 M= 0 Y= 0 K= 0

These colors are intended to be a guide and may be altered or combined with other colors including straight white and black as well as grayscale.

C=37 M=40 Y=33 K=1

C= 0 M= 0 Y= 0 K= 100 C=39 M=12 Y=50 K=0

C=3 M=20 Y=21 K=0

C=19 M=78 Y=66 K=5 C=28 M=100 Y=95 K=29

C=50 M=81 Y=71 K=74

C=74 M=67 Y=66 K=85

TYPEFACES

THIS IS A HEADER

SUPPLEMENTARY TYPEFACES These typefaces will be used primarily in print advertisements and may be alternated depending on the evocativeness of the particular advertisement. Confusion Girl supplements the cut-and-paste feel of the collaged imagery in the print advertisements, while Edwardian Script ITC contrasts that edginess with a softer, more feminine mood.

Lucida Bright, Demibold, 48 pt

This Is A Sub-header Goudy Old Style, Bold, 36 pt

Confusion Girl, Regular, 36 pt, 1 pt same color stroke

Academy Engraved LET Plain: 1.0, Plain, 36 pt

Edwardian Script ITC, Regular, 36 pt

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GRAPHICS + PHOTOGRAPHY Sample imagery drawing from the dark side of fairytales, classicforeign film, and nightmares and dreamscapes as well as photographs from runway shows, backstage, and nature.

TYPE TREATMENT Changes in opacity are permissable with typefaces in print advertisements. Proportional scaming is also acceptable. The Logo should never be flipped or rotated but these treatments would be fine for headlines using the typeface, Confusion Girl, for example.

RODARTE RODARTE RODARTE RODARTE

E T R

A D

Do Not Rotate Logo

Headline Rotation is fine, if appropriate.

LOGO PLACEMENT

GRAPHIC ELEMENTS Search

Logo placement is clear and visible within the constructs of the Website frame. It is punctuated with a headline in a supplementary typeface and kept prominent through out the site.

RODARTE

Fashion is how you show yourself to the world. Contact HOME

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