CADDEY - the journey.

STATEMENT CONCEPT

For my final module, Brand Management, I have decided to create something that supports not only my aesthetic but also my future career path. In addition, I would like it to reflect my skillset and creativity to create a strong narrative that reflects my personal journey in life.

My vision is to create a fashion forecasting publication, for the year 2025. Titled CADDEY, which translates to ‘protect’ in Manx, the native language of my home country, the Isle of Man. This forecast taps into the dying streetwear market, and aims to find a new, fresh meaning amid an uncertain world. The forecast is driven by escapism and finding protection in an alternative reality, opting to more natural forms and technology.

I have identified three main themes within this forecast; Naturasafe, Multiminimalist and Urbanscapism. It sees menswear championing new hybrids that draw on utility, streetwear and tech themes. This forecast aims to support the ongoing popularity of alternative utility and future tech trends. Hinting on remote wilderness, futuristic living and survivalist resourcefulness.

Throughout this book, I will document my journey, including the digital adaptation I undertook due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

MY JOURNEY Throughout my childhood, I showed an interest in all things creative, often resorting to arts and crafts to entertain myself from a very early age. Although I excelled academically in school, I always felt most happy expressing myself and developing my creativeness in the Art and Design subjects, particularly Textiles which I took for both GCSE and A Level. Having always had an interest in fashion and being unsure on what exactly I wanted to do when I was older, I decided to pursue a degree in what I was interested in. When starting my University journey, I very quickly adapted to the teaching of Adobe software and found an absolute love for graphics and editorial layout.

These skills are now paramount within my work, especially for the creation of my final major project.

The Brand Development module we undertook during our first year of university was a real turning point in my journey, I was tasked with researching and developing a brand extension

for the luxury streetwear brand Vetements, in collaboration with Levi’s. It was during this module that I discovered a real fervour for this market, since this module the majority of work I have produced has been catered and aimed towards this market level.

During the creation of Brand Me, we were tasked with creating a provisional 360 Campaign for our final major project. My original proposal, was to create an interactive publication that aimed to blur the lines between the streetwear market and avant garde market.

Called KLDSCPE, the brand was to be essentially created to build a safer environment that is wholly inclusive and accepted by everyone within the streetwear industry. However, upon my summative presentation I came to the conclusion I wasn’t playing to my greatest strengths and felt I could be pushed further. I felt too within my comfort zone. After much deliberation and discussion with Tracey, my course leader, I decided to completely rethink my project. I began thinking of my strengths and weaknesses that I identified within Brand Me as well as areas I wanted to develop on and my own personal likes and dislikes. It came very apparent quite quickly, I hadn’t really embedded my usual forward thinking approach in my previous idea. So I decided to bring this to the forefront, which is why I decided to create a fashion forecast. The future fascinates me and for me, it’s always key to look at gaps in the market and improvements.

‘Streetwear and avant-garde; two words very rarely associated with one another. Streetwear, a market fuelled by cults and uniformity. Avant-garde, a market fuelled by individuality and breaking boundaries. Imagine a world where the two are combined, mixing bold colours and shapes with heavily branded garments and experimenting with layering and colour clashing. The vision? To blur the lines between the reality of the streetwear market and the fantasy that is avant-garde.

Bringing more individuality, to a space currently so diluted in a look that is dominated more by its price tag than it’s originality.’

– A KLDSCPE statement

I felt it was extremely important that the work I created for my final project encompassed my aesthetic, skill set and interests as this could potentially be my calling card into the industry, it is a pinnacle moment in my degree, everything I have worked towards for my degree has and will shape the final outcome.

The idea behind this project was stemmed by reflecting on my personal brand discovered through Brand Me. I recognised very quickly, most of my influences were rooted within my childhood. The overall concept for my personal brand is the realisation that I am in fact, a Princess. This realisation came from my extremely blanketed upbringing, which shaped who I am as an individual today.

‘I’m amazing but I’m not for everybody’ is a personal tag line I have used at the forefront of my personal branding because it represents me and where I come from, a small island in the middle of the Irish sea. Imagine a place rich in tradition and history, with a population of circa 90,000 who believe in fairies and have cats with no tails! The Isle of Man is the most beautiful place with a stunning countryside, glens and coastal scenes, it truly is an amazing place but not for everybody. With ‘protection’ being a key theme, I came to understand that everyone has a safe space, mine being my home, the Isle of Man. This is the reasoning behind the name of the brand.

THE PURPOSE

I came into the idea of creating a fashion forecast after I began researching the dying streetwear market, and began discovering interviews with big names, ‘Virgil Abloh: Streetwear? It’s definitely gonna die’ being the most influential (Allwood, 2019).

Streetwear, previously was continually hitting an all-time high, going mainstream on both high and low channels, however, recently? I find the market to be so over repetitive and ‘hype’ controlled, its completely lost touch with its grass roots.

People used to wear streetwear because nobody else wore it, yet today, they wear it because everyone else wears it.

Streetwear has formed this ‘uniform’ style cult, which is something I really dislike.

It’s ruined the idea of people expressing themselves through their clothing. In its begin-

ning stages, streetwear, both designers and consumers were drawn because it lived outside the norms of prevailing fashion and contradicted the dominant order. However, now? Streetwear couldn’t be anymore ubiquitous.

Streetwear’s appeal stems from exclusivity, it’s not a specific look, it’s an attitude of conceit. The customer wants to stand apart by wearing unique clothing. However, in today’s industry, streetwear’s exclusivity is less about knowledge or access and more about price tag – it’s now about who can afford the clothes over the actual styling of the clothing.

There is less of a sense of culture now, only clothing and capital. Streetwear’s magic was in connecting creator with consumer. Now, it connects consumers with cash.

OFF-WHITE AW19

OVERPRODUCTION Another issue I have highlighted, which is potentially the biggest issue within the fashion market place is overproduction. ‘Deadstock fabric and unsold inventory are weighing down the fashion industry, which is responsible for 10 percent of the world’s carbon emissions’ (Cernansky 2020).

With this in mind, I felt it was essential to ensure my fashion forecast included sustainability, with the industry facing broader pressure to reduce its environmental impact.

As awareness continues to grow around the importance of embracing more sustainable practices in the fashion industry, and as the world nears closer to a point of irreversible damage caused by climate change, more and more companies are investing in clean technologies and eco-measures such as reducing chemicals, waste and carbon emissions in manufacturing, or recycling old materials instead of creating new ones.

In order to move forward fashion must also embrace the idea of circularity, keeping clothing in use for longer, making clothes from safe and renewable materials and ensuring clothes are made to be made again.

The aim of CADDEY is to reconnect the consumer with the wider world through the use of escapism, circularity and nature.

THE narrative This forecast is all about survival on the streets and sees menswear championing new hybrids that draw on utility, streetwear and tech themes.

This forecast taps into the ongoing popularity of alternative utility and future tech trends.

Hinting on remote wilderness, off-grid living and survivalist resourcefulness.

Streetwear and survival; two words rarely associated with one another. Streetwear, a market fuelled by cults and uniformity. Life and living is the very definition of surviving, it is what the living do. The vision? To encourage not only the idea that survival isn’t just physical, but is also emotional, and the clothing we wear can be a form of protection.

Designing for the future is imperative, incorporating dig-

ital technology to sustain and preserve Mother Nature. As we emerge out of the Coronavirus pandemic, interest in the great outdoors will be even more paramount, however our environment still remains under threat.

To counteract overproduction, CADDEY discusses interchangeable and seasonless production, whereby designers are encouraged to make seasonless items that can be adapted to all weather conditions.

In order to successfully communicate the narrative of CADDEY, as discussed earlier, I divided the forecast up into three sub sections; Naturasafe, Urbanscapism and Multiminimalist.

Each one linking back to the overall concept of CADDEY; protection.

The global fashion industry has a far-reaching impact on the natural environment as I have previously discussed, from the extraction of raw materials to the production, distribution and wear/disposal of clothing.

A transformation of the fashion industry, in some way, addressing its environmental impacts has been signalled and these approach and innovations must be scaled outwards and upwards in order to make a positive change. This is what initially sparked the forecast Naturasafe, as well as the uncertainty of the global marketplace during this pandemic.

Naturasafe predicts that consumers will be brought closer and made more aware of the impacts the industry can make on the beautiful world that surrounds us. In an era of crisis, it explores how versatile and forward-thinking designs, materials and frameworks will work in synergy with nature to play a key role in transforming challenges into enduring positive changes. By fusing science with nature, we will see results in which designs are adaptable, sustainable and fit for the future.

As we slowly emerge out of the Coronavirus pandemic, interest in the great outdoors will quite obviously surge, however individuals must remember the

environment still remains under threat. Naturasafe explores how adaptable and innovative designing could turn Mother Nature into our salvation. Embracing and taking inspiration from rock formations, ocean depths and forest biomes, to recreate the beauty of nature. Design will be tech-driven and echo the textures and patterns found within nature; both at land and at sea. With safety conscious consumers on the rise, themes of utility and protection will be pushed throughout. A need for practicality and protection makes garments that look and feel technical key. With a huge focus on ocean resources and sustainability, the use of both man made waste and natural materials will be paramount.

Updated tie-dye effects with high-contrast two-tone applications will mirror an ocean spray effect, bringing the consumer even closer to marine conservation.

Naturasafe predicts a better future for us all. Intermixing discipline with nature to protect our planet from any further human damage.

In a world underpinned by uncertainty and fear, Urbanscapism explores the shifting social and geopolitical tectonics we face on a daily basis and predicts that consumers in 2025 will begin seeking protection through the way they dress. As the urban taste for outdoor pursuits continues, individuals will indulge in alternative realities in order to experience the outdoor wilderness.

Consumers will put more emphasis on protective qualities when considering purchases; especially with the changes the pandemic will force upon us. Designs will need to offer a sense of reassurance to the wearer, and brands must look into and understand where and how shoppers are seeking security.

Changing habits an increased interest in smarter looks, post-streetwear, will prompt brands to offer a new sartorial style. More relaxed fits will become prominent, with remote working on the up rise. Concerns on not only post-pandemic world, but climate change,

terrorism and natural disasters will also drive consumers towards a new focus on survival.

Expect a rise in more protective fabrics that offer a sense of security to the wearer.

With commuting bound to become less popular, after the anxiety-inducing pandemic, the demand to design a sense of security will increase. Equipping consumers for a more extreme commuting experience will be essential, items must and will protect and work in and outside of a work setting.

Urbanscapism explores and designs the future in a new, vibrant light. Adapting to current world affairs and ensuring a protected future for its consumers.

Multiminimalist is the idea of expressing less is more, in a marketplace that is currently driven by indulging on hype.

When initially researching the current streetwear industry, it is evident the industry isn’t as well loved as it previously was, with brands dropping ‘streetwear’ from their brand ethos and moving on. Samuel Ross, the founder of A-COLDWALL, discussed this with i-D. He stated his brand was moving on as he becomes more aware of the world around him and the impact his brand can make, both physically and culturally. ‘In 2020, less means more to this man’ (Greenwood, 2020). This quote really stuck with me and was what inspired the initial creation of the sub brand Multiminimalist.

Multiminimalist; a movement of embracing less. Following an era completely bogged down by choice, Multiminimalist embraces the beauty, innovation and opportunity of ‘less is more’.

Multiminimalist brings a buyless, focus more approach. More focused products will be produced and overproduction within the streetwear market will be a thing of the past, contributing to the eradication climate change. People will live a ‘smaller and smarter’ life-

style, supporting the rise of the limitarianism. Individuals will embrace this new form of minimalism and which will see a new consumer mindset, of there being much more than just the product. The styling for this forecast is very much understated, as the word Multiminimalist would suggest.

Multiminimalist seeks inspiration from brands which all hold one common factor close to their heart, Stella McCartney, Raeburn Design, Mfpen, Thom Browne and HATRA. The need to be more sustainable and more renewable. All of these brands are conscious on how their image environmentally impacts the wider world.

Multiminimalism sees a fashion market place with interchangeable shapes, materials and a timeless focus on architectures and interiors. Furnishing and crafting items will be valued for a lifetime. Bringing circularity to the forefront of the industry.

target audience

My target audience is a hard one to underpin, I don’t feel as though there is a complete established market for what my brand aims to achieve. I want to shine a new light on the streetwear market, and create a new more conscious consumer.

Many of my influences have come from Eastern Countries such as Japan, where the streetwear industry has both suffered and boomed. The fashion forecast will be available to a wide global audience as I feel it cannot be centered to one country. It is to be seen as a collective.

PALACE

MARKET LEVEL

I would definitely say on a whole, the overall ethos for my forecast is to be aimed at the luxury streetwear market, I would hope they would look to CADDEY for all their buying and designing needs for 2025.

Streetwear’s rise was fasttracked into the luxury sector by big names such as Virgil Abloh and Demna Gvasalia.

Streetwear has completely captured the castle of luxury. At the heart of this movement is the new generation of consumers, Generation Z, who are the main growth engine of the luxury goods market, driving 85% of luxury expansion.

Underlying the streetwear explosion is a wider cultural shift: the rise of rap music and the mainstreaming of street culture. Each generation has its cultural touchstones, and its no surprise that Generation Z turn to brands that reflect what they see as cooler and have more authentic cultural associations. What’s more, this generation are digital natives

and streetwear is more in tune with internet culture on multiple levels. First, there’s the graphic visual approach that reads so well on screens.

Then there’s the sense of snark and irony that also pervades the internet, such as Virgil Abloh’s use of quotation marks and Palace’s utilisation of product descriptions.

In addition to the above, this links with my chosen future career path and market level. I see myself working for a major fashion forecasting company such as Future Labatory or Trend Stop, as my work has always in some way been linked to futurism. I feel it is imperative to be current and relatable which is why I approach everything with a forward-thinking mindset.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the final outcome for my fashion forecast had to be adapted and altered significantly. My original plan was to communicate the forecast through a styling shoot and documentary style fashion film to run alongside, collaborating with an Isle of Man based videographer. Two weeks before the scheduled shoot, the borders to the Isle of Man (where my shoot was planned to take place) were closed. The limitation this brought meant, quite obviously, a physical shoot was no longer a viable option.

This was a major turning point within this project, as imagined. It was completely unprecedented and something no one could have planned for, however, I knew I had little time to throw a typical ‘Princess Courts’ diva strop.

I faced this head on, with a positive mind and drive, knowing that, when the opportunity arises I will still be able to go ahead with my planned shoot.

I decided to use this opportunity to develop and push my digital skills even further to create a digital shoot. When explaining my ideas to Tracey, we both concluded that these ideas were even stronger than what I had originally envisaged for my physical shoot. I also feel, that now more than ever is the time to build more digital skills, as I prepare myself for industry. The work I am now producing is more relevant, and shows a new way of communicating. During these unprecedented times, the industry needs to adapt to how fashion is communicated and marketed. I understand that the concept of a physical shoot is exciting, and sometimes necessary, however, is it really always necessary when we have access to free technology in which we can photograph and manipulate samples and designs at our fingertips?

My remastered vision is to communicate the narrative of CADDEY through the use of digital styling and environment creation to place the looks, as if it was a physical shoot. Taking inspiration from editorials and runway looks, I will manipulate and create styling concepts for the forecast, reimagining and merging designers together to merge a digital world with the physical.

I researched into many new software’s I hadn’t yet learnt, such as Cinema 4D, Clo3d and Adobe After Effects, all of which I have now gained a solid understanding of and utilised in some way throughout the journey. I started to develop and experiment with each programme, for example, taking a flat image and making it 3 dimensional, or layering movement over it to create a more immersive experience.

During the process, I was extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to have a one on one tutorial with Eden Loweth of Art School. Within this conversation, Eden discussed with me how his brand is having to adapt to the new marketplace, with the British Fashion Council launching an online platform. All designers who contribute to menswear are asked to submit digital work within this, which is compulsory to secure the emergency funding they are providing these brands with, during these unprecedented times. I found it extremely refreshing to hear this, as it means that the whole fashion marketplace will be undergoing some form of digital transformation, making my final major project adaptation more relatable to the industry. When discussing my ideas with Eden, it was reassuring to know the ideas I have are something he would certainly look at incorporating within his design model, taking into consideration the amount of money digital styling would save the fashion house.

CONCLUSION

Reflecting on the process as a whole from start to finish has been a really good way for me to see the developments and progress I have made. I have looked back on the skills I have developed, the problems I have been faced with, things that could have gone better as well as the overall outcome.

I believe every problem I was faced with was approached with a positive attitude, knowing that I had the digital ability and skills to resolve the issues. I was forced to think of alternative strategies that would still communicate my project in the best light, maybe not in the way that was previously anticipated. Having explored so many new areas of communicating, such as gaming, digital styling and 3D rendering/scanning, I am now more knowledgeable in terms of how brands can digitalise their collections and ways in which they can market it to the wider world. I hope, when given the opportunity, I am able to show

brands how they can adapt to the current marketplace using technology, to digitally style.

This could in the future, also save brands thousands of pounds on physical shoots hiring photographers, assistants, make up artists etc.

Taking into consideration the challenges I had to overcome when working on this project during a global pandemic, I can proudly say that the final outcome has been more successful than what I could have anticipated. I have grown and learnt so much about myself as a creative and feel more prepared than ever to enter the industry. I feel my portfolio couldn’t be any more relevant to the current marketplace.

Overall, I feel this project has really resonated with not only me as a person, but as a brand too. I have been able to utilise my digital skills, to produce a fully digital outcome that I’m really proud of.

A FINAL NOTE

A final note, I truly couldn’t have gotten through the past 10 weeks without the support of my amazing course leader, Tracey.

She has directed me, questioned me and most importantly given me tough love whenever required through my entire university journey, and I will forever be in debt to her. I also cannot go without thanking my amazing family, friends and boyfriend for picking me up when required and pushing me to get over the final hurdle, you’re all absolute superstars.

COURTNEY DAVENPORT-GLOVER @courtneyfmc