september 2011
IN THIS ISSUE 2012 PHOTO SHOOT BEHIND THE SCENES COQUETTE MOVES WAREHOUSE TO LA! JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS UPCOMING EVENTS 1
2012 Main Collection
Photo Shoot
Coquette’s recent photo shoot for their 2012 Main Collection was a huge success. Shooting in studio and on location, the Creative Team worked tirelessly to execute a seamless production of models and backdrops to bring together their vision of a rich, European elegance to life. With the studio shots covering the entire Kissable and Plus Size Collections, on location focused around setting the scene for the 2012 catalogue. “The set is so stunning that it very much creates the royal, European flavor that we were inspired by this season,” said Senior Designer Elaine Carson. “The rich fabrics and lace that we used in the corsets emphasizes the elegance of our inspiration, and the emerald greens and silvers offer a more modern flair.” The Spanish style manor with a Gaudi inspired staircase, heavy wooden doors, and mood lighting showcases the 2012 Main Collection with an historic appeal. Day two consisted of the emerald green and silver corset pieces that the designers feel will be next year’s bestsellers. By using the staircase, wrought iron gates, fireplaces and a piano, the image that the Creative Team hoped to achieve is one of old class with an air of sophistication. “This location is absolutely fabulous for our collection this season,” said Owner Catherine Horea. “The beautiful features and small detailing in every room make this shoot really special and unique from our previous ones.” As the day came to a close the Creative Team was able to move outdoors for a few fun shots that included group candid shots. “This was such a productive shoot that ran smoothly and effortlessly,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Marcus Horea. “The location was amazing as it offered so many photo opportunities allowing us to get some amazing shots. It was a pleasure working with this group of models as they were amazing to shoot and had a great sense of humor.”
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Coquette Opens Distribution warehouse in Los Angeles
After five years of operation from Buffalo
Coquette made the official decision to move the location to Los Angeles due to its increasing product demand on the West Coast. The brand new 25,000 sq. ft., facility will be a temporary location with the hopes of expanding within the next few years. “We always intended to go to L.A., it only makes sense for our business model,” said Peter Horea, President of Coquette. “This will allow us to better serve our customers and to grow our U.S. client base.”
The Los Angeles facility is only minutes from the port allowing for more expedient delivery times. This change enables Coquette to more efficiently distribute its product throughout North America eliminating the previous shipping method of going through New York City and Buffalo. “This move will open many doors for Coquette,” said Dave George, National Sales Manager. “I expect that potential customers will be attracted to our shipment expediency as well as our dedication to our business relations.” Along with the facility change, Udo Scholze German Business Manager, will be relocating from Germany to head the Los Angeles location as the Warehouse Manager. Scholze who has worked with Coquette since 2004 as the head of the German location brings with him extensive experience and an already established client base. “I wanted someone that I could send to L.A., and have complete confidence and trust to take over that location,” said Horea. “Udo is dedicated, extremely organized and I trust him like a son.” Scholze is looking forward to familiarizing himself with the North American clientele and the future opportunities that will present themselves in Los Angeles. Coquette strives to ensure the highest quality in customer service and satisfaction and believes that the recent changes will meet these objectives. With the move finalized and the facility fully functioning with its operations staff in place, the warehouse opened its doors for distribution at the beginning of July, 2011.
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Los Angeles Warehouse Manager
Udo Scholze
How long have you been with the company? A: I have worked for Coquette for seven wonderful years now.
What were your responsibilities at the warehouse in germany? A: Being the manager of all European operations I looked after every aspect of the business. This included purchasing, selling, shipping, HR, accounting, technical issues and all the little things which have to be done to make a business successful. Although it may seem overwhelming, I had great people working with me to ensure that everything ran smoothly.
Were you initially interested in the LA position and what did you have to do to prepare for the move? A: Since my family and I always had a very good relationship with the Horea family, I told Peter in late 2010 that we don’t want to stay in Germany any longer. We wanted to go somewhere else. He told me about the new position coming up in Los Angeles. It was a no-brainer that we decided to take that offer. Then we had to go through a long process of paperwork to finally receive our work visas for the United States.
How has the move been with your family and the adjustment to LA? A: To be honest, in the beginning we didn’t like Southern California at all. But after getting used to the mentality here and the great opportunities our new job offered, and of course the great staff we hired, we now already feel at home.
What needed to be done to get the LA warehouse up and running? A: We basically started this place from scratch. After receiving all the brand new racking and the merchandise being hauled over from our old place in Buffalo, N.Y., our
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new co-workers and I got the place fully operational in no time. Of course there is still some fine tuning to be done and it will also take some more time for us to get adjusted to all of our customer’s needs and demands. However, we are extremely positive about this move and look forward to the future opportunities that will arise from it.
How will this location help our delivery times in North America? A: Since many of our customers are located in the Western half of the country, most of them will profit from the new location. Actually, it will speed up deliveries to all our customers since the flow of incoming merchandise has been streamlined quite a lot. With the boat shipments coming directly into L.A. harbor, instead of going through the Panama canal to New York City and then being trucked to Buffalo, it now only takes 12-17 days for a delivery to come into stock.
What are you looking forward to with this position and how do you see the LA warehouse benefiting the company? A: I have done this job at Coquette for seven years but still I learn every day. With all the new customers and procedures I have to take care of now it is going to become an exciting time. My wife will eventually work with us again like she did before, and our daughter will have the opportunity to attend an elementary school which has one of the highest ratings in the area. We are so thankful for Coquette, especially the Horea family, to give us such an opportunity. We will honor that with even more dedication. Along with the improvements made to the purchasing workflows at Coquette we have already seen an increase in availability of merchandise allowing us to deliver orders more complete than ever. We decided to only sign a short-term lease for this new 25,000 sq. ft., warehouse as we hope that the business will quickly outgrow it. In that case, we may move again in a few years confronting us with new and exciting challenges!
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OuR Top Three
hot holiday
Corset picks
Known throughout the industry for our unique, intricately designed and gorgeous corsets, Coquette has some pieces not to be overlooked this year. Our designers wanted to offer a line of lingerie that featured stunning pieces that were special and stood out for the holidays. This collection boasts of rich fabrics with overlays of lace, ribbons and accessories that really take the pieces to the next level. By keeping in mind that their creations had to have an appeal that was show stopping yet at the same time comfortable, breathable and versatile, our designers bring you the 20112012 Holiday Collection. Make sure to visit us at the International Lingerie Show in Las Vegas in September for our official launch of the collection .
Be Mine Valentine #3387
Offered in regular and plus sizing, this traditional holiday corset is ideal for the romantic personality. The longer design with a lycra base gives the elongated illusion to the torso without taking away from the comfort and movement of this piece. The lace overlay adds a soft feminine attraction and is finalized with the small bear embellishment, which is removable. Fun for a variety of holidays this mix and match corset will be an attractive addition to any girls’ collection.
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Candy Kisses #3383
A fun and flirty piece that is feminine with its pink and white ruffles. With an added stretch, the lycra and powernet mix offers a form fitting piece with movement and comfort. Inspired by previous popular Coquette designs, such as the 379 corset, the detailing and the two-toned pattern instantly make this a favorite. The sash creates an hourglass illusion that will be a selling point for many. This was made for the girl who has a sense of humor and is looking for a cute way to add a little fun to her wardrobe.
Russian Rendezvous #3642
Coquette’s fashion forward corset is a different look from what lingerie designers have done in the past. For the holidays, moving away from the traditional red and white, this piece features a rich damask look with its style and fabrics. By creating a piece that features a marabou hem with a large jewelled broach the designers achieved the big bold trend that is so popular on the runways right now. The fur look gives a warm soft appeal contrasted with the hard eye-catching glitter as a focal point. This is an ideal winter piece that can be mixed and match throughout the season for a more versatile look.
Holiday 2011-2012 Behind the scenes Video The behind the scenes video of Coquette’s 2011-2012 Holiday Collection photo shoot is now online along with individual videos of each style. Shot in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada the studio set was simple yet enticing, focusing on the elegant details and themes of these new creations. The collection highlights Christmas, Valentine’s Day and New Year’s lingerie. With various styles, this collection is made for a variety of sizes and personalities. With something for everyone in mind, the Holiday designs range from sweet and romantic, to playful and seductive. “With the holiday collection we wanted to keep to the color scheme of red and black. Red is the traditional color of the holidays and black is always popular due to its typical flattering appearance,” said Senior Designer Elaine Carson. “This season you’ll see that we were inspired by gorgeous fabrics and textures, combined with unique detailing which makes
each garment special.”
The uploaded videos are available for Coquette customers to download and use as promotional material for their retail locations, and to post on their respective websites. “We wanted to offer an option for our customers to improve their websites, adding a personalized video of every garment,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Marcus Horea. “This gives us, the retailers and end users an opportunity to showcase an interactive perspective of Coquette and its collections. We feel that this provides an alternative option from still photography to highlight the intricate detailing of our designs.” Coquette believes that by supplying these videos it puts an innovative spin on promoting product, creating personalized appeal and allows the retailer and buyer to be part of the Coquette experience.
To view and download all of our Holiday videos go to
http://coquette.com/videoDownloads
Erin Sue
Marty Knudstrup
Joins Coquette as Media and Public Relations Coordinator
Promotion to International Sales Manager
Contact Erin at: pr@coquette.com
Contact Marty at: martyk@coquette.com
Coquette International Inc., announced June 1st that Erin Sue will be joining the team as the Media and Public Relations Coordinator.
Coquette International Inc. announced the promotion of Marty Knudstrup to International Sales Manager.
Erin comes to Coquette after working with various sports teams and as a journalist for the past six years. Her focus with Coquette will be to promote and grow the company’s strategic communications, working with senior management and the web design team. She will work toward increasing awareness of the Coquette brand and its social responsibility within the community. “Erin brings extensive experience in media relations and corporate communications from various industries,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Marcus Horea. “We look forward to having her play a major role in driving our Coquette communications strategy.” With the heat of the summer upon us, Coquette prepares for the busy months ahead looking forward to connecting with our customers and maintaining strong relationships within the industry.
Having been with Coquette for seven years, Marty has worked as a Senior Sales Representative covering North America, Russia, Japan and Australia. With European Sales Representative Udo Scholze relocating to the Los Angeles location, Marty’s sales coverage will expand to include the European market. Marty is eager to explore the European industry and to help grow the partnerships with Coquette’s existing distributors. “Marty is the ideal individual to take on these large accounts, in continuance with his current responsibilities,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Marcus Horea. “I have complete confidence in his abilities to maintain and expand the relationships Coquette has within the international community.” Coquette is pleased with the present changes and looks forward to the opportunities that they will offer for both the company and with its retailers and customers.
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upcoming events International Lingerie Show (ILS) Las Vegas Fall 2011: Look for the Coquette booth showcasing
our Holiday Collection and a sneak preview into our exciting 2012 lineup. This is an ideal opportunity to meet and talk to our sales representatives who will be available to introduce you to our newest collection and pieces while putting a face to a name. We look forward to this bi-annual event as it gives us time to talk to you - our loyal retailers, get feedback and also meet new potential clients. This tradeshow is an event that allows us to maintain our strong presence within the industry and to continue to define that reputation. Tradeshow dates: September 19-21, 2011. Location: Rio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV For show information visit: www.spectrade.com
Halloween Party Expo
This is an industry tradeshow that specializes in - yes you guessed it, everything to do with Halloween costumes! This event will be the official launch for Coquette’s 2012 Masquerade Collection and its catalog. Our sales representatives will be on location to answer any questions buyers have regarding the pieces and their forecasted popularity. While trending may be more difficult when it comes to costumes, our designers continue to stay on the top of the industry in the quality of their designs and the multitude of themes. Location: Houston, TX Date: January 28-31, 2012 For show information visit: www.halloweenpartyexpo.com
In our next issue Masquerade 2012
Photo Shoot
Coquette’s Collection : As everyone is trying to find their costume for Halloween 2011, we’re making sure you’ll be set for next year. We are scheduled for in-studio shooting of our 2012 collection in September. The designers have brought back our best sellers such as the School Girl and the Racer, but will introduce some more fun and flirty designs that will have people lining up to get them next season. Check out our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/coquetteinternational for our daily updates on the shoot and our photo gallery!
DARQUE
Fetish Wear for Cooler Temperatures: Coquette’s Collection is steaming up our Fall with its amazing designs and fashionable appeal. This lingerie and club wear collection has taken the traditional fetish appeal and incorporated a sense of high fashion. Each piece is unique and offers women the opportunity to bring out their darker side without looking traditionally fetish. Showcasing our wet look with a hint of feminine lace overlays, these fashions are easily integrated into street wear.
HAlloween is Just Around the Corner: Are you stocked up for the costume rush? Our MAsquerade Collection offers a selection of costumes for both men and women in a variety of themes. Here at Coquette we encourage imagination and creativity with many of our pieces. A costume can really be anything the individual makes it and should be more than just its traditional intent. We provide a base in which our customers can use as a foundation for their costume and really take it and make it their own. Get a sneak peek at the behind the scenes from our 2012 Masquerade shoot.
Contact us at:
30 Wolseley Court Cambridge, Ontario, Canada N1R 6X3 20628 Belshaw Ave. Los Angeles, California, USA 90746 Phone: (519) 623-9881 Toll-Free: 1-800-668-5477 Fax: (519) 623-2745 Email: home@coquette.com 8
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