Unit 1: Contextual Studies for Fashion Retail Daniella Gillie
Sophisticated Heritage Menswear – A/W16
Sophisticated Heritage Looking at the ‘Sophisticated Heritage’ range featured on Private White V.C. there’s a mixture of military and heritage styles. The brand pays homage to Private White who was awarded the Victoria Cross for services to his country. The brand is very focused on supporting local mills and insist on only using the finest materials. The military style includes double-breasted officer coats with brass buttons (with or without a fur collar), military boots, shirts with epaulettes, canvas bags and bomber jackets. In comparison the heritage style includes wax jackets, herringbone or tweed jackets, check scarves, flat caps and leather holdalls. Both styles are linked by a colour palette which includes khaki, camel, burgundy and navy.
ROCKABILL Y
FIRST COLOU R TV
GREASERS
GLAMOU R
FULL A-LINE SKIRTS WITH PETTICOATS
1950s
PREPPY
PIN CURLS
HOURGLASS FIGURE HERME S ‘KELLY’ BAG
UK TEDDY BOYS
COLD WAR
FIRST COMPUTER BOLD, COLOURFUL PRINTS BIG EYELASHES
1960s
JACKIE KENNEDY STYLE
PSYCHODELIC MODS
HIPPI ES
FIRST MAN ON THE MOON FIRST ROBOT
MINI SKIRTS
FUTURISTIC FASHION
LONG HAIR
FITTED, FLARED SHAPES
BRIGHT, MUTED COLOURS
1970s ANDROGYNY AFROS
GLITTER MAKEUP
FOLK/HIPPIE STYLE DISCO PUNK
PATCHWORK BELL-BOTTOM JEANS
BEAUTY SPOT
BIG HAIR
1980s
NEON
LEG WARMERS
OTT MAKE-UP
SLOGAN
RARA SKIRTS
LACY FINGERLESS GLOVES
CRIMPED HAIR
LEGGINGS
Comparison of 50s and 60s Fashion
Both the 50s and 60s were very fun and flirty eras as far as fashion was concerned. The 50s were a time when women were focused on looking glamourous and strived for the ‘housewife’ look. They achieved this by emphasising their hourglass figures with the help of corsets and bullet bras. Fitted off-the-shoulder tops in block colours were paired with floral or polka dot a-line skirts with petticoats (that often peeked out from underneath the skirt) or fitted pencil skirts. These were accessorised with pearls and stilettos and hair was styled in pin curls or a ponytail. Women were expected to wear a hat outside of the house and short gloves and at social events, housewives wore cocktail dresses and long gloves whilst their husbands wore tailored suits. This was an opportunity for wives to promote how well their husbands were doing in their careers. In comparison, 60s style dresses had a more relaxed shape, for example shift dresses which featured paisley or futuristic prints. Alternatively, women wore mini skirts and knee high boots or geometric print mini dresses in vibrant colours. At the end of the 60s, hippie fashion arose. Clothes were loose with tribal, psychedelic and folk prints. Face paint was used, along with stacked jewellery and flowers head chains. Gladiator sandals were popular; the alternative was bare foot. The younger generation dressed a lot more fun and quirky. Men were either ‘Teddy Boys’ with their quiffed hair and Edwardian suits with velvet collars, ‘Rockers’ who wore leather jackets, black jeans and greased hair and finally ‘Mods’ who wore tailored suits, thin ties and cashmere jumpers. Twiggy, a self-proclaimed Mod, was the ‘It girl’ of the 60s and encouraged women to be more expressive with fashion. Her short bobbed hair and over-top-top false eyelashes gave her a unique look, one that hadn’t been seen by women of that time before. An alternative to the bob was back-combed bouffant hair as seen on Brigitte Bardot. Her style included babydoll dresses and thick black headbands.
Comparison of 70s and 80s Fashion The 70s and 80s were a time of androgyny. More women than ever were working and with it came their ability to wear pant suits. In the 70s, blue jeans were very popular, more specifically the bell-bottoms which were embellished and embroidered by the individual to create their own unique pair. Denim was huge during this time. The hippie look of the 60s was carried over to the first half of the 70s. Loose maxi dresses in Indian prints were paired with crochet cardigans. In comparison the 80s were a time of over consumption and showing off body-shape and wealth. Designers put huge logos on their clothes so that the wearer could promote their wealth. Fitness was very popular during this time with the likes of Jane Fonda and Farrah Fawcett being adored for their athletic shapes. Dance wear including Lycra leotards and leg warmers were worn as everyday wear. Another risqué fashion choice of the 80s was wearing underwear as outwear. Both Madonna and Vivienne Westwood made this a wanted style and led to corsets, basques and bras being acceptable to be on show. In 1974 Vivienne Westwood opened a shop called ‘Sex’ in London. It sold punk-style clothing as well as bondage-wear. The idea was to go against the trends and produce items that would make a statement. The 80s were a far cry from the relaxed style of the 70s Bohemian/folk looks with tie-dye and peace signs! Charlie’s Angels was hugely popular in the 70s and showed the power that woman had now got. Suede skirts, flared trousers and fringed jackets were made stylish but wearable and clothes were always made in muted autumnal colours. Dallas and Dynasty were the shows of the 80s that everyone watched. The characters had permed hair, over-sized jackets, belted at the waist and sporting huge shoulder pads were worn with pencil skirts, bold make-up and over-the-top earrings. Studio 54 was the hot spot for celebrities in the 80s and guests would go all out wearing spandex, velvet, lurex and sequins with glitter make-up being worn by both men and women. During this time, Diane Von Fursternberg made her jersey wrap dress; a look still worn today.
Art Deco Era (1908 – 1935): The Lampshade Dress After doing away with the corset in favour of the bra, Paul Poiret decided to create a more comfortable dress design. However this did not mean that the materials were any less luxurious; silk and satin were predominantly used. Glass beads embroidered the dresses and the hems were wired and often covered in fur. Taking influence from both Indian and Persian art, Poiret had done something that had not been done before; he created a stylish dress that didn’t restrict the lady wearing it.
Over 100 years later the design is still being used on the catwalk. Mary Katrantzou used Poiret’s lampshade dress and incorporated room designs influenced by Guy Bourdin and Helmut Newton’s work in her S/S 2011 collection. The dresses (and skirts) featured beaded trims and chandelier necklines in pretty pastels and bright
1950s The 50s saw the end of rationing and brought with it the beginning of the ability to express individuality as far as style was concerned. In 1955 Christian Dior used what he called the ‘A-line’ shape in his Spring collection. The style became very popular because it created the perfect silhouette that women of the 50’s wanted to achieve – the hourglass. Corsets were favoured over bras to help obtain this shape and with the rise of the a-line skirt, waists could be even smaller and hips could look wider. The skirts were rich in beautiful fabrics and bold patterns with the focus on making women look glamourous and feminine. During this time ‘poodle skirts’ were popular which featured a quirky image of a poodle on a lead. Today the take on this style is still very elegant but with a modern twist. The style is a lot more relaxed as far as shape is concerned – gone are the petticoats and heavy materials, and the patterns and materials used are a lot more simplistic.
1970s 70s fashion paved the way for flared trousers and bell-bottom jeans for both men and women. The popularity of the Sonny and Cher show made the jeans very popular to the public. However, the 70s weren’t the first time that bellbottoms had been featured as a fashion staple. American sailors wore them during the 1800s as they were easy to roll up when carrying out their duties on board. In comparison to today’s style of bell-bottom jeans, the 70s style was available in almost every colour, they sat low on the hips and were very flared from the knee. If the wearer didn’t consider them wide enough, they would add bold fabrics to create an even wider shape. Some were so wide they were nicknamed ‘elephant bells’. Men’s suits, leisure suits and women’s jumpsuits had bell-bottom trousers in corduroy fabrics and bright colours. The style was also popular for 70s discos with shiny fabrics that were made to stand out. In current times, bell-bottom jeans have been replaced by boot cut jeans which are characterised by a smaller flare making them more wearable for everyday. As in the 70s, the jeans are best suited with platform shoes making the shape of the woman’s body more balanced.
High Street Fashion
High Street Market Research
The current trends on the high street are predominantly 70s style. Bell-bottom jeans are a huge trend at this time paired with a floaty bell-sleeved peasant blouse, thin scarf and faux fur gilet. Autumnal colours can be seen on capes and ponchos and even on faux fur coats. Corduroy dungarees are also popular and are being paired with thick tights and checked patterns for a geek-chic look. Button-down mini skirts are styled with pussy-bow blouses and ankle boots for a bohemian look and floaty jumpsuits are being worn with block heels for night time. Alongside the 70s is 60s style which includes geometric print mini dresses and skirts, roll-neck shift dresses, fur-collar coats and leopard print coats. Due to the Autumn/Winter season being upon us, lots of 20s style nude, heavily embellished dresses are about for nights out. The dresses are the main focus, so therefore accessories are being kept to a minimum and are instead worn with a fur shrug for a attention-grabbing look. Another huge trend for the season is 80s. The revival of shoulder pads, ruffles, sequins and glitter may sound daunting but pieces show more of a nod to the trend rather than being full on. The style is predominantly being used for night time outfits, including velvet or metallic dresses paired with embellished heels.
Product on High Street
Era
Relationship between Product and Era
Flared jeans River Island £42.00
70s
These flares link to the 70s because dark denim bell-bottom jeans were hugely poplar in the 70s, in fact the bigger the flare the better!
Flapper dress Miss Selfridge £150.00
20s
This embellished dress with fringing at the hem is classic 20s style. Neutral colours are the classic choice.
Pencil skirt Next £55.00
50s
The 50s were all about emphasising a women’s hourglass figure. The pencil skirt was fitted over the bum and hips to create the desired shape. Styles were usually fitted over the knees but now pencil skirts are usually made to sit above the knees. Recent styles can be made of leather or lace.
Crop top Topshop £28.00
90s
Back in the 90s crop tops were worn with a bare midriff and belly piercings. Today the style is more likely to be paired with high-waisted trousers or a pencil skirt for a classy look.
Off the shoulder top Topshop £35.00
50s
This updated 50s style top features a zig-zag pattern unlike the 50s style which was usually a block colour to contrast patterned skirts or leggings.
Product on High Street
Era
Relationship between Product and Era
Maxi dress H&M £14.99
70s
This bohemian maxi dress is very similar to the original 70s styles down to the muted colours and bell-sleeves.
Mini skirt Topshop £32.00
60s
Mini skirts were a staple of the 60s. This Topshop version is a updated look on the classics by being in a dark hue with a zoomed in checked pattern. In the 60s colours would have been vibrant and may have featured the check pattern but not a zoomed in version.
Jumpsuit Forever21 £23.00
70s
Jumpsuits today are less fussy and more streamlined. The 70s style had bellbottoms and ruffles/over-sized collar in a stand-out colour. This Forever 21 style is a bootcut style and has a pussy-bow blouse in a muted more classy looking colour.
Cape M&S £29.50
70s
70s capes were usually velvet or embellished but today’s styles are usually wool and heavy, suitable for Winter.
Leggings River Island £30.00
80s
These River Island style leggings are metallic lycra as apposed to the 80s style in primary colours.
Burberry A/W15 – 70s
70s
JONATHAN SAUNDERS
CHLOE
ANNA SUI
BOTTEGA VENETA
RIVER ISLAND
70s H&M
TOPSHOP
MISS SELFRIDGE
Balmain A/W15 – 80s
80s JW ANDERSON CHRISTPOHER KANE SAINT LAURENT
LOEWE
80s URBAN OUTFITTERS FOREVER 21
NEW LOOK
PRIMARK
Levels of Fashion Markets Mass Market Fashion This level in the fashion market is where clothes are sold at a cheap price using cheap fabrics to enable shoppers to keep on-trend at an affordable price. Clothes are not made to last, they are made to last for a season and then be discarded. Products are bought in bulk to keep the price down as low as possible and cheap labour is used in countries that can offer the best price. Products are stocked approximately every six weeks and sold as fast as possible to make way for the next batch of products. High Street Fashion The price range for this fashion market is no more than a couple of hundred pounds. The materials used are of a better quality than mass market fashion but often not greatly. Unlike mass market which is made for everyone in the consumer market, high street fashion has more of a specific market. This is important because of the increased selling price. The products are often similar to those seen in mass market fashion but with more structure, more expensive fabrics, embellishments, etc. High-End Fashion Catwalk Collections are released twice a year for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. Trends are developed into their own collections taking into consideration shape, colours, etc. From this these trends are filtered down through the high street and down into mass market. Products can be priced into thousands of pounds due to the rarity of materials used and the amount of work that goes into making the garments In addition to this, products prices can increase further if they are made unique for a customer and have to be altered. http://www.createafashionbrand.com/the-many-market-levels-of-fashion-brands/
Artefact Range
Shoulder pads
3D
Peplum
Call Me Maybe Spring/Summer 2016
‘Always on time’ bag
Past el hues
Leat her Ret r o t elephones
Lace
Call Me Maybe
Critically analysing my chosen artefact – the telephone, The artefact chosen was the telephone – more specifically retro rotary telephones. I decided to stick to a pastel colour palette which to me has a very 50s feel. In addition I liked the use of telephones as fashion pieces used in Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ music video which was really fun and made a statement. After further research of the telephone in fashion, I noticed that mainly telephone shaped bags were being made which add a quirky touch to the simplest of outfits. Other than that, telephone motifs made the classiest of dresses stand out. However, I wanted something more creative so I also looked at the shape of the telephone and linked this to peplum tops with shoulder pads. The target market is 20-30 year old women who have a passion for retro style but still like to dress classy and don’t want to be dressed head to toe in vintage 50s clothing. The key pieces from the collection are the two dresses and the jumper, they’re stand-out pieces that will be immediately associated with the collection. The season is clear on the mood board and the pastel colours link well with the season. If I had to make any changes to the collection it would be to add shoulder pads to the jumper to ensure the ‘telephone’ shape was achieved. If I had to add any more pieces to the collection it would be some widelegged trousers to be paired with the peplum top and jackets. The mix of the fitted tops with the loose bottoms would be a perfect contrast and could be worn with block heels, an ‘always on time’ bag from my collection above and a retro headband. There needs to be more fabric choices on the mood board and swatches so this can be visualised with the collection itself.
Traditional African Clothing
African Colours
African Headscarf
Designed to accentuate a woman’s shape
Headscarves
African Fashion
Bright colours
Flamboyant styles
Vibrant make-up
Piled on jewellery
Pop Culture
Sex & The City – Carrie Bradshaw Mix and match style
The ‘Carrie’ necklace
Fearless, risk-taker
Manolo Blahnik
Nights out to the trendiest places
Her best friends
Carrie Bradshaw Designer shopping
Writing her column
Mr. Big
Cosmopolitan
Traditional Chinese Clothing
Brightly coloured and detailed hair accessories
Bird designs feature heavily on Chinese fabrics Chinese fan
Silk
Make-up: flushed cheeks, doll eyes and flawless skin
Manchu head-dress
Cultures Report Cultural influences come from different components within a consumer’s culture. These include personal (e.g. race, gender, status, interests, opinions and values) geological and historical factors that influence, in this case, the fashion retail industry. Popular culture is one of today’s greatest influences on fashion retail. Social media has allowed the population to see what is ‘trending’ from day-to-day and allows them to keep up-to-date in an ever changing world. Another important cultural influence is geographical influence which can incorporate religion. Certain religions have a specific dress-code that they are expected to abide by. In addition to this, historically geographical influences have changed over time. In the 1800s for example, British women were expected to wear corsets and bustles but in recent times, this is something that is very unlikely to be seen in public. Gender fluidity is something that is becoming ever increasingly popular with androgynous style clothing frequently being seen on the high-street. Another important factor is status with consumers with a higher status being seen to be more likely to wear couture clothing and lower class being linked to mass market fashion. Of course, this is a generalisation but this is how fashion status is usually viewed. In addition, if the consumer has a particular interest then they are likely to reflect this in their clothing choice, for example slogan or carton t-shirts.
http:// www.bergfashionlibrary.com/page/Diversification$0020in$0020Fashion$0020Markets$002c$0020Street$0020Styles$0020and$0020Cultural$0020Change/diversification-in-fashion
Celebrity Influence on Fashion Retail Kim Kardashian has been a huge influence on pregnant women during both her first and second pregnancies. Her nofear style has seen her in skin-tight maxi skirts, sheer tops and cleavage-bearing dresses. She has taken maternity dressing from baggy clothes that hide the bump to her confident style that takes advantage of showing off her curves. In addition, she has rarely been seen without her sky-high heels. Fashion retailers selling a maternity range will have made the most of replicating Kim’s style for mum’s-to-be that want her on-trend look.
http://www.elle.com/culture/a30513/kim-kardas /
Social Media Influence on Fashion Retail These days social media has a huge influence on the public. What is popular on Facebook or Pinterest, for example is important to both Social Shoppers and Fashionistas alike, The difference is that Social Shoppers are more influenced by Facebook and Twitter whereas Fashionistas are more likely to take inspiration from fashion blogs. However, Instagram is equally popular between both groups. The constant stream of updated images throughout the day are available on-the-go on mobile phones and tablets. This results in fashion trends being updated and spread faster than ever before.
http:// www.retailtouchpoints.com/in-store-insights/2758-facebo
Environmental Influence on Fashion Retail This article details the work that Greenpeace are doing to try and reduce the amount of hazardous waste materials that are being put into water systems during clothes production. Greenpeace want brands to take this issue seriously by considering the possible hazardous products that they are using and also asks that consumers not buy as many new clothes which contribute to excess clothes production. This could cause a negative influence on the fashion retail industry if consumers choose to listen and decided not to buy as many new clothes. In particular the brands listed in the report may be the most at risk of profit loss if the refuse to change their production methods.
http ://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/detox/w
Branding
Allen Solly The relationship between the brand and product here is showing off the over-confidence of the brand. This is to get this emotion across to the customer – if they wear the brand they will have this confidence. Therefore the typical customer for this brand is a young man who's hobbies include restoring cars. The branding in this advert indicates to the customer that if you wear this fashion product you won’t be ‘ugly’. I don’t feel that this advert works. It’s quite an aggressive advert due to the slogan and the product isn’t clear; the audience may well think that the advert is for a car. The eye is drawn to the blue in the shirt and car and the ‘I hate ugly’ message – it’s just not clear what the focal point should be. Therefore, the changes that I would make would be making the model the focus of the shot rather than the model and the car, remove the ‘I hate ugly’ message and get the message across that the customer will feel the confident wearing the product in a more appropriate way.
Chanel The relationship between the product and the branding here is how well known the brand is worldwide. The slogan and the image alone could have been enough for people to recognise the ‘Chanel’ brand because the slogan is so well known. This advert shows the confidence and reputation that the brand has. The slogan suggests that the brand is the best that can be bought because they’re not just a fashion product, they are fashion. This product is aimed at young, fashionable women that shop at high-end designer stores, are focused on fashion and looking and feeling good. I feel that this advert works because it promotes the message to the customer that if you wear Chanel you’ll be fashionable no matter what. The product could be clearer but because the dress is shown along with the designer name, Coco Chanel, it’s almost as if the product doesn’t need to be the focal point because the brand is so well known globally. If I had to make any changes to the advert it would be the model’s expression. I feel that she should be exuding confidence as the slogan does. I would possibly have the model put in a different position to show off the dress design more but again, this is not a necessity because the slogan alone is enough.
Jockey This advert is getting across the message that even if the man doesn’t win his sports game, he’ll still look good wearing the Jockey brand (and still be adored by women!) For this reason the advert could be seen as quite controversial and sexist. The advert has a 70s feel even though it’s a recent advert which I feel reflects the relationship that men and women used to have - men taking the more dominant role in the relationship. The man looks very relaxed at ease where as the woman is focused on the man. The advert works well because it evokes confidence and style. The typical customer for this brand would be a middle-aged man who still wants to feel effortlessly stylish but wear something that is suitable whilst he plays his sports. The product is clear in the sense that the menswear can easily be seen and the caption states the product is sports and leisurewear. However, it’s not completely clear if the brand does womenswear too. The caption indicates that the menswear is available but doesn’t say anything regarding womenswear so it remains unclear. If I were to change the advert in any way I would have the man surrounded by women rather than just one woman. This would emphasise the point of the man being adored and looking good whilst wearing his Jockey clothes. It would also take away the confusion about whether the brand does womenswear if the women were in the background with the man being at the forefront of the image.
Red Tape The relationship between the product and the branding is here is creating a cool, edgy vibe for people who want it all – the money, girlfriend/boyfriend, the fast car and the city lifestyle. The typical customer for this brand would be men and women who have an ‘urban’ style, are always on-the-go and enjoy street dance. The product is very clear because it’s at the forefront of the image but the woman’s shoes could be more focused. I think in the sense of product placement this advert works well within the suitable urban background. It’s almost as if the brand is saying to the customer if you buy their product then you can have it all – the city lifestyle, the fast car and the women! The only thing I would change about this advert is making the product even clearer by showing both shoes and the woman’s shoes too to show what’s available for women as this advert is more focused on the man’s footwear.
Dolce & Gabbana The branding of this product has a very rich and expensive feel about it. The gold represents wealth and this teamed with the handsome men sells the idea to men that they too can feel like this by wearing this brand. The message is clear; wear Dolce & Gabbana and enjoy the feeling of prosperity. For this reason I think that this branding works really well and would sell well to the target customer, a young professional man who likes to take care of himself and is fashion conscious. In addition, there is a futuristic feel about the advert which gives the sense that the brand is very fashion forward. Therefore, if you want to be ahead of the game when it comes to fashion then you should be wearing this brand! As far as making changes, I don’t really see how the man showing his torso links with the men in suits, I feel like it should be one or the other. Preferably it would be the latter as this evokes more of a sense of affluence.
Successful Branding Mulberry + Lovely, clear theme that promotes warmth and childhood happiness + Clear target audience – 20-30 year old women who are able to afford designer handbags + Perfect for A/W as it gives off a feeling of warmth and comfort with the fur and the misty forest theme - Make the product clearer as colour and texture are blending into background - Unsure of how the theme actually relates to the product as the A/W theme could have been achieved by using the forest theme and the model wearing her tick, Winter coat.
Ralph Lauren + Exudes elegance and class, which the Ralph Lauren brand is known for + Colours are beautiful and tie in perfectly with the colour of the product – the shoulder bag. - Make product clearer by possibly using a purple colour bag – it’s blending into background a little - Have model facing towards the product to draw attention to it - Unsure if the two different scenes are necessary Diesel + Product is clear + Obvious target audience - 18-30 fashion rebellious men and women as the message is to go with heart instead of your brain and break the rules if you have to! + Denim is versatile – can be worn casual or dressed up + Models have healthy body shapes meaning a wider target audience - Change female model’s jeans to a better fitting pair
Versace + Shows the elegance of the brand with the beautiful gown and luxurious jewellery + Celebrity endorsement using Lady Gaga which will be good for selling the product - Odd choice of celebrity endorsement as Lady Gaga isn’t know for elegance + Good colour palette that makes the dress stand out - Unsure whether advertisement is for clothing or jewellery – needs to be clearer House of Holland + Striking, memorable image in cartoon style to appeal to a young audience + Focus is on product - the tights + Celebrity endorsement of Jessie J who is known for her sassy attitude so she works well for this powerful advertisement - Restricted target audience because of style of advertisement - Eyes are immediately drawn to flames and ‘Wham!’ instead of product so it is taking away from the true purpose
Unsuccessful Branding United Colours of Benetton + Advert will stick in consumers’ minds so in that respect it works - Very controversial advertisement - Unclear what the advert is selling - Consumers would have to do some research to find out the meaning of the advert and would more than likely end up on United Colors of Benetton’s website - Some consumers may not have heard of the brand and may disregard them due to this sort of advertisement
Victoria Secrets - Controversial after the constant discussions regarding anorexia, obesity, etc. - Target audience is limited to young, skinny women - Negative body image message to consumer + Product is obvious - Product is not necessarily very clear as the focus is more on the message
Dolce & Gabbana + Target age is clear -20-30 year olds - Controversial and domineering image - Product isn’t clear, neither is target gender - Focus is on the scenario rather than the product - Doesn’t send a positive message to the young, target consumer
Adidas + Product is somewhat clear – some sort of sportswear + Celebrity endorsement suitable for product type - Rude and aggressive advert that doesn’t put the brand in a good light - Unsure about what the exact product is or is it for the brand in general? - Doesn’t make the consumer want to buy product
American Apparel + Product is clear + Clear target audience – 20-30 year old women - Overly sexual advert - A negative message is being sent to young women - Would put any consumers in a bad light for being associated with the brand
Bohemian Daydream
Free spirits should feel beautiful everyday Daniella Louise DaniellaLouise@BohemianDaydream.com
Mission Statement Bohemian Daydream was created because the founder wanted to achieve the impossible, beautifully stylish and quality clothes that are comfortable to wear. Our love for this brand is real and every piece of clothing is as unique as the person wearing them. Customer service is everything to our company, after all what are beautiful products without exceptional service?
BOHEMIAN WATERCOLOUR PASTELS
FLORAL
GIRLY
WATERCOLOUR
£25.00
£20.00 £15.00
£20.00
£30.00 £30.00 £100.00
£120.00
£130.00 £30.00
£150.00
£180.00 £20.00
£90.00
£70.00 30.00
£15.00
£40.00
£40.00
£60.00
PRODUCT RANGE SPRING/SUMMER 2016
£70.00
£30.00
£150.00
£120.00
£120.00
Customer Profile
Fabienne is a 25 year old fashion blogger from Spain. She has a French father (hence her French name) and an English mother who moved to Spain when Fabienne was 8 so she not only speaks Spanish but also English and French too. She travelled around Europe for 6 months and since returning home has decided to learn Italian, save up, sell her 2 bedroom apartment in Spain and move to Italy. Due to the huge success of her fashion blogging (resulting in 2 million followers) she currently earns around £50,000 a year. Her style is very relaxed and bohemian – she likes something that she can throw on in the morning and will make her feel put together. Her celebrity icons are Rachel Zoe, Nicole Richie, MaryKate Olsen, Kate Moss, Vanessa Hudgens, Sienna Miller. She loves nothing more than to buy something unique but she doesn’t like to spend a fortune; her usual budget is £200 per shopping trip. She only buys something if she absolutely falls in love with the piece otherwise she saves her money for something special. She likes to see what’s in Zara, Bershka, Pull&Bear and Massimo Dutti but her favourite shops are the hidden away boutiques which hold unusual finds. Fabienne loves nothing more than meeting up with her equally stylish friends for a coffee and a catch up. She blogs every Monday and Friday and spends the rest of her time cooking and reading Marian Keyes books.
PATTERNS
MATERIALS/TEXTURES
Advertisement
Bohemian Daydream
Free spirits should feel beautiful everyday
Analysis of Branding Project
The research for this brand began on WGSN. I liked the idea of watercolour prints as it’s not something that is often seen on the high street or in designer brands. The bohemian theme came about because of my love of bohemian style. The clothes work so well on any body shape and some styles are so comfortable, i.e. loose pants. The brand has a strong link to the bohemian collection with the paisley and floral prints and floaty fabrics used. The watercolours seen on the concept board – predominantly purple, blue and pink with hints of yellow, orange and green - link well with the floaty, loose fabrics from the range. The theme is well-portrayed on the mood board and is paired with suitable colours used from the collection. In addition, the brand name and slogan are clear about the type of collection it is. I feel that the collection requires some further items including a maxi skirt and wide leg trousers to tie in with the two spare tops. The product range needs to be laid out clearer with more accessories and possibly some bags. However, I do think that the collection is strong because the product range is spot on for the type of collection that it is and the textures used are suitable for the product types. The specific materials used should be noted on the image slide. The key pieces from the collection would be the patterned wide leg trousers and the maxi dress (fourth from the left) as these would definitely make a statement and promote the brand as anyone wearing either would surely be asked where they were from. The season is shown with the product range and as the products are very floaty in light-weight chiffon and silk fabrics, they suit the chosen season.
The season could be better represented on the mood board with the focus being on Spring/Summer as some of the images used are quite dark. The target market is obvious because of the style of clothes. Some, including the playsuit and twopiece set are very revealing. Some of the maxi dresses may be suitable for women past the age of 30 but the primary target audience will be 20-30 year olds. When the brand was introduced to the group, it was suggested that I focus the target audience further so therefore I decided to remove some of the ‘older’ looking pieces. The mood board and concept board both have good use of white space and the images clearly link to the range. In addition, the advertisement used is clear and fun and the business card is intriguing. The logo – a watercolour dreamcatcher, fits the brand perfectly and the slogan is to the point. The pricing would be suit the customers who love to shop in mid price range boutiques with unique finds. I would therefore suggest that to get the boutique known, social media advertisements needs to be used. In terms of competitors, Topshop and Zara would be the main contenders but they are at a disadvantage because they don’t sell pieces in the unique fabrics used in the boutique. The customer profile could be a little more detailed but what is there is to the point. I learnt layout skills with this branding project but I would like to learn Photoshop skills to enable me to further my layout and layering skills.
Peer Assessment
Peer Assessment Critically analysing the Peer Assessment, has lead me to see another person’s ideas when they were provided with a brief. It also helped me to see the difference in my ideas from theirs. I would use this in future work by gaining ideas from other people and seeing if these are the same as mine or whether they had had a different creative view given the brief. To best maximise sales within a business, I feel it is best to utilise this method. By asking members of the public and specific consumers of the business for their feedback, it could help the business to grow. By providing customers with what they want the business will always be ahead of their competitors. As far as marketing the brand it needs to be fun and quirky. It could feature the dress paired with the jacket (I would make it embellished or metallic) and stilettos to show the versatility of the collection. The slogan would be ‘Where sport meets style’ as it’s catchy and makes the idea behind the ‘Sports Luxe’ name clear. It would be targeted globally at wealthy youngsters who want to set the trend. I found that the Sports Luxe collection shows a strong link to the artefact - the cube with regards to the boxy shape, the orange, blue and white colour blocking and the geometric prints. The luxury sports theme ties in really well with the colour scheme. I would suggest that the collection be made primarily of neoprene as this would not only be a sensible choice for sportswear but will be more fitting for the ‘luxe’ theme.
The CADS on the previous slide are my suggestions for adding to the collection. The first CADS, the boxy tops are perfect for this range as the shape is so loose fitting and boxy and would work well paired with the colour block leggings. These would feature the blue, white and orange colour scheme. The tennis-style dresses not only have the right shape but paired with heels could easily be dressed up as well as been worn as actual sportswear. The boxy shorts and skirt also show off the cube style perfectly. I imagine the other leggings featuring the ‘Sports Luxe’ name and being a definite sell-out for the brand. Finally, the wedge trainers could feature the colourblocking colour scheme and be paired with any of the other pieces from the collection to dress them up. I would take out the last three CADS that were previously part of the collection as I think they are shapeless and don’t add anything to the collection. The key pieces would be the colour block leggings, the dress and the jacket (second from the left) as these would all be standout pieces from the brand and therefore sort-after pieces. The season for the collection isn’t clear so this needs developing but because of the orange, skirts and mesh images, I would presume this would be a Spring/Summer collection. I do feel that the target market is very clear – 20-30 year old women who are very active, love sport and want to feel good wearing their sports attire. They would be very popular on Instagram and be ‘fitness inspirations’ for followers. Overall, the mood board is successful. It has a strong colour palette, a clear target market and a really well structured layout with good use of white space. The images used link really well to the concept but they need to be bigger and less cropped, e.g. the bicycle and the girl holding the helmet. The use of fabrics and pantones are really well chosen and fit the collection perfectly.
Evaluation Critically analysing Unit 1 I learnt a lot about fashion era and branding. Conducting research on the internet, using WGSN and my own primary research I found that fashion trends that are around now take a lot of inspiration from past eras. The trends are filtered from the catwalk to branded fashion to high street fashion and so on. As the fashion is further filtered the quality tends to decrease meaning the price also decreases. In addition to this, I found out how much influence advertising has on consumers. What may seem like negative advertising for the brand may actually be a way to get the brand into the spotlight. With social media on everyone’s minds globally, adverts (and people’s opinions of them) can be seen much faster than ever before. Therefore I have learnt that it is key to always refer back to the catwalk for inspirations for seasons to come as well as realising the importance of successful branding – something that will stay with someone. For my personal branding task, I feel given more time I should have focused more on the advertising and the impact that it will have. This includes social media which is a huge positive for brands now as adverts can be spread to consumers so much faster. However, this can also be a negative thing if the business receives bad press. If the advertising is not right it will result in less profits for the business. Overall I enjoyed the challenge of Unit 1. Researching the history of fashion, the types of fashion markets and fashion branding were all very interesting. Some areas were easy to research as they are popular fashion topics but others such as the branding (successful and unsuccessful) were more difficult because these can often be seen as having elements of success and also be partially unsuccessful. My favourite part was the branding project which allowed me to be creative with producing my own range.
Nevertheless, it did need more development and given more time I would have done a lot more work on it including perfecting the CADs and filling them with patterns that I had selected. I feel that my strongest work was the ‘Call Me Maybe’ project. I didn’t necessarily enjoy it as much as the branding work because that was a collection that I would love to be put into practice but I did put work hard on the idea behind it. I didn’t just want to use the image of the telephone because I felt that this was too obvious a choice; I felt that if I was going to do this then I may as well have chosen one of the other objects. Instead I used the shape and the image as the idea for the collection. I learnt a lot about the history of fashion and how certain elements are still being used by designers today. I also learnt how fashion isn’t just about using eras as inspiration, it’s about taking inspiration from anything and putting that idea into practice in the way that you interpret it. On the next unit I will plan my work a lot better as I didn’t anticipate the amount of time that some of the work would take. My ‘Product on the High Street’ work was probably my weakest work as I didn’t feel that I learnt anything from it so I didn’t spend as much time on it as I did with some of the other tasks. My moods boards were not very strong at the beginning of the unit but by the end I felt that they were improving. I would like to learn to create them on Photoshop to allow them to look more professional. In addition, the presentation of my work needs improving upon but I feel that that is because this course is completely new to me and I have no previous experience with creative work so I’m hoping this will develop over time. I will research mood boards and previous student’s work to see what level I need to be aiming for. In conclusion the work that has been produced in this unit has been a starting point for me to understand the type of research and work that needs to be carried out for this course. It has helped me to focus on what needs to be done to produce in-depth research and high quality work.