Brand statement by Emily Davis

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BRAND STATEMENT

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JOIN US ON THE JOURNEY TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE SOIT/OU is a genderless brand with a mission to push fashion boundaries and to stop the stereotypes on gendered fashion. With flashes of futurism through the brand this makes you take a step into the future with us, with cutting edge trends and luxury structured style. Contrasting ‘feminine’ colours help you promote our message of pushing boundaries within unisex fashion. We are wantin¬g to express the message that gender identity shouldn’t define who you are or how you dress, you should dress to express yourself not a stereotype of yourself. Mainstream fashion reinforces a binary attitude in many ways such as single sex shops, changing rooms and designs. SOIT/OU is taking the first step in this movement to break down the binary attitude. We hope that you join us on the journey into the future of fashion.

TAKE A STEP INTO THE FUTURE WITH US

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BRAND PHILOSOPHY

SOIT/OU is a unisex ready to wear brand that wants to push boundaries to promote genderless fashion and challenge gender boundaries. Hints of femininity are incorporated into the design and brand work. Genderless fashion is a blend of male and female designs rather than male designs labeled as ‘unisex’ which women wear. People feel that they have to dress a certain way according to their gender and this limits both individuality and self-expression. SOIT/OU aims to seek the freedom of fashion and offer alternative choice. Brand name SOIT/OU which is translated to either/or plays with the idea of not being for one or the other, I am not just for male audience nor I am just for a female audience, I am for all. We will also replicate this within our design works and branding the idea of using half and half, contrasting. Within branding and photography, we will make it clear that it is a unisex brand by experimenting with identity and differentways of showing the unisex features, such as covering up/blurring face or wearing a mask making it unknown if the model is a male or female. I will show diversity through the styling and different ways the product can be worn or used. Our story is that together collectively we can help to change the stigma around stereotypes. We want to encourage the philosophy of dressing to express not to impress, to express yourself not a stereotype of yourself. This means the customer can have their expression back the sense of freedom and being proud to be part of an influential fashion movement. My feminine approach to colour choice and the designs make SOIT/OU stand out from its competitors. Designer J.W Anderson has pushed boundaries within menswear previously using a feminine approach to designs however not moved this into unisex fashion. It would make it more complex trying to design for different silhouettes and fits. Consumers can be attracted to styles with a futuristic aesthetic. Keeping our customers up to date with the cutting edge trends. Achieving this by the aesthetic and colour used linking this into WGSN’s menswear future trend including brushed metal and metallic silvers. Within the photography and branding this will be reflected. SOIT/OU wants both brand and clothing to be diverse to appeal to a genderless audience. Style of SOIT/OU is a look where you can be fashionable and also comfortable. Ready to wear, ‘city chic’ wear, clothing made for comfort and style, this can benefit my customer allowing them to wear this all day long, to suit their lifestyle and job patterns. Garments will be flexible and comfortable for customers that are commuting, this may be on public transport or walking through a city. SOIT/OU promotes a casual but more premium look with the straight cut lines, structure to the garment and the choice of materials. Influence has been drawn from studio 805 of the relaxed ready to wear but premium style of clothing and also the occasional pop of colour, the use of paneling and contrasting colours. The garment quality will be luxurious and strong so it will be durable, the price is high end of the highstreet, aiming for stores such as Selfridges and Harvey Nichols but this gives the customer a special feeling when wearing it, it is a one off purchase for the customer but it will last them a lifetime.

www.soit-ou.co.uk

AN INVESTM E N T INTO THE FUTURE Y O U

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UNIQUE SELLING POINT

SOIT/OU is all about adding femininity to unisex, this is through the designs and colour. Unisex fashion is led by men’s designs which women also wear. A competitor of mine Rad Hourani, a unisex brand, sticks to very neutral ungendered colours. Competitor J.W Anderson designs menswear with feminine influences however again doesn’t push boundries on colour. My brands unique position is pushing this one step further; To make the industry more diverse within fashion, to create a blend of genders pushing and developing the idea of genderless clothing. The designs are very carefully crafted not to deter a male audience, but its new, its fresh and exciting. As visiting professional Ellie Murphy Menswear designer said, “colour pallets and designs within menswear is very bland.” This is something that is unique to SOIT/OU the blend of different textures representing the either/or idea of gender identity and subtle will be a breath of fresh air for the customer. This is something the customer wants, the newest latest styles they want to be part of this motion with us. My competitors play alot safer only pushing one boundary within their bran such as unisex for Rad Hourani or even J.W Anderson with feminine designs for menswear but neither mix two which is individual for SOIT/OU. From my research I wanted to include brushed metal/metallic silver. This is something I have reflected within the styling. Consumers can be attracted to the styles that feature within a futuristic aesthetic. Items that look towards the future can appeal to consumers that want to stay on the cutting edge of trends. Promoting gender equality through fashion, to be a unisex brand SOIT/OU is more sustainable, this is something SOIT/OU is passionate about. Means less output, less waste made with quality fabrics that are durable. SOIT/OU appeals to both men and women, most unisex brands aim at menswear that women would also wear, SOIT/OU is looking at adding femininity to the brand. SOIT/ OU may not be the cheapest however it will have high quality luxurious materials that means the customer feels they have value for money and the garment lasts, it is durable. Within my brand I will also collaborate with volunteers and awareness companies to help promote genderless fashion. Within further products in my range I will donate some of the costings to these originations per garment bought. Essentially SOIT/OU are creating more feminine unisex clothing using a different more feminine colour palette and silhouette to SOIT/OU’s competitors. This offers variety of choice and styles and colours as a benefit to our customer.

www.soit-ou.co.uk

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BRAND POSITION & TARGET AUDIENCE

My target audience is someone wants to promote the movement within the fashion industry within genderless fashion. SOIT/OU designs are specially crafted to be ready to wear comfort clothing for our customers. This is to suit the lifestyle of my customer, someone who works in the city, travels in or has to walk. Customers who are fashion conscious but because of their lifestyle they need comfort too, a ‘city chic’ style is what we have to offer them. SOIT/ OU competitors in UNISEX mainly base their ranges on very bland colour palettes, and male design influences rather than my female influences. So we can offer the customer something fresh and new to the fashion industry, our customer is someone who wants to be with the latest trends and may blog and share this new fashion movement with others. SOIT/OU designs are carefully crafted to add more feminine features such as culottes or material/colour that is used within womenswear or associated with women however not to the extent that it deters the male customers. This is subtle so my brand ethos is met and portrays the message I am trying to get across. To style and cater towards my target audience of both genders, I need to make it suitable for both genders, with this I am looking at SHAPE, COLOUR, STYLE and FIT. SOIT/OU doesn’t just presume the girls will be flat chested or won’t have curves, this is why the oversized look is perfect for unisex as it makes the design process easier and fits all body shapes. Most unisex brands do this to make it easier and cater to all, again I will make sure this is suitable for all however I want it to be a lot more structured than most unisex brands, making SOIT/OU stand out as a brand. Within other brands and designers minimalistic approaches from my research have been a key trend throughout unisex design as I think this makes it more appealing to a wider audience, SOIT/OU aims to do this within its designs however adding subtle exciting hints to show the luxury and difference within our brand such as contrasting materials. Our customer base is someone who is a young professional or student wanting to stand out and be in with the latest fashion. This person could be someone such as a fashion blogger and writer. Someone who feels strongly about our fashion movement and wants to support our message. From our in depth research and comparison of competitors we know our customer will be eccentric, not afraid of what other people think, unique, 18-32 years old, fashion conscious, city chic style, wanting comfort and style, could be a student, female or male or non-binary, someone wanting to promote unisex fashion (the clothing we carefully design reflects our name of SOIT/OU (either/or) with the contrasting materials). We know and will excel within marketing online platforms such as instagram because we have predicted thats our audiences social/ buying habits.

SOIT/OU is influenced and inspired by city goers. Within cities it brings so much variety of styles, different culture and types of people. Customer would be fashion conscious, wanting a ‘city chic’ every day style. This person may work in the city, traveling by foot, tube on their way to work, so comfort would also be key. When walking through London, everywhere you turn there is something new to discover. Different languages floating in the background and the array of styles is huge. The difference between going from Camden to Oxford Street to then Shoreditch. Confidence of peoples outfits in cities was ‘TO BE LOOKED AT’ shouting out to be noticed and to be recognized if they wanted to be. These are not the shy type. The designs also reflect this, structure and smart for a city however also got comfort and movability in them.

www.soit-ou.co.uk

PRICE AND COSTINGS

SOIT/OU is a premium unisex brand, the costings charts reflect this with the use of more premium materials. The cullottes £154 and the jacket £213(rounded to the nearest whole number -these could be changed to the nearest multiple of 5) this is cheaper and more afforable than its competitors which is a benefit for our customers as they are saving money and still getting top luxurious quality. I used high quality materials to make sure the garments were durable for day to day wear but still looked fashionable, this is based on my customers social actions of needing to look fashionable on the go. If I wanted to make this any cheaper I could look at different zips or sourcing different suppliers. When buying in bulk over 10 meters from Whaleys the price decreases. SOIT/OU could also look into making within a factory to decrease pricing rather than cut and make. We offer Student Discount to try and encourage purchases from our customer base of 18-32 year olds. This is the audience we want to encourage within this fashion movement as they are our next generation. Competitors pricing such as Rad Hourani is over £1000 for some garments within the collection, this would deter many customers. We are giving an alternative option to those customers who cant afford such high prices to take a step and get involved within this movement. SOIT/OU uses the best materials needed for the designs such as the heavy weight white drill cotton. Competitors such as Y-3 and J.W Anderson use a wide range of 100% cotton within their collections however SOIT/OU is still offering a cheaper just as good quality alternative.

£21

CUSTOMER STYLE NO. PATTERN NO. FACTORY QUANTITY

UNISEX MEDIUM ALTERNATE TOP ONE LCA ONE

Fabric Contrast Contrast Contrast Thread Screen printing Zip Make in house Hanger Labels Price Label Care label Packaging Delivery

Supplier Whaleys Abakhan Whaleys Ebay Abakhan LCA Abakhan LCA Store supply Dutch label shop Dutch label shop Dutch label shop Alibaba DPD

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Quality/Design Drill cotton white Stretch pink Net white Speaker Grill Gloth grey White Black Transparent 1 HOUR 45 MINS Wooden Brand label Price label Size label Luxury carboard box Courier

Date: 28/12/16

Width 150cm 150cm 150cm 140cm

Rating Unit price £ Total Price 1 £4.17 0.6 £5.00 0.16 £2.16 0.3 £5.25 0.015 £5.34 £0.80 1 £5.22 1.5 £7.50 1 £0.74 2.4" X 0.6" 1 £0.57 1 £0.50 1 £0.17 1 £0.80 1 £2.50

£4.17 £3.00 £0.35 £1.58 £0.08 £0.80 £5.22 £11.25 £0.74 £0.57 £0.50 £0.17 £0.80 £2.50

Total make price x 2.4= wholesale price

Photo%Shoot%Costings

£177.7

Approx Retail price With VAT

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Date:%28/12/16

Description Quantity Cost%Price% Total%Cost% Neon%purple%glowing%strobe 1 £8.15 £8.15 Grey%hair%spray 2 £2.99 £5.98 Acryllic%metallic%paint 1 £2.40 £2.40 Silver%lipstick% 1 £3.48 £3.48 Snazaroo%face%and%body%paint 1 £4 £4.00 White%neon%lights 1 £8.69 £8.69 Metallic%Flatform%Sandal 1 £20 £20.00 New%look%pumps 1 £17 £16.99 Studio%hire 1 £30 £30.00 Petrol 1 £11.90 £11.90 £111.59

www.soit-ou.co.uk

£63

RRP

CUSTOMER STYLE NO. PATTERN NO. FACTORY QUANTITY

UNISEX MEDIUM ALT CULLOTES TWO LCA ONE

Fabric Contrast Thread Zip Elastic Make in house Hanger Labels Price Label Care label Packaging Delivery

Supplier Abakhan Whaleys Abakhan Abakhan Abakhan LCA Store supply Dutch label shop Dutch label shop Dutch label shop Alibaba DPD

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Quality/Design Stretch pink Drill cotton white White Transparent White 45 MINS Wooden Brand label Price label Size label Luxury Cardboard box Courier

Wholesale price £10.01 £7.20 £0.83 £3.78 £0.19 £1.92 £12.53 £27.00 -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐

£26.44 63.45768

Final Wholesale Price

£1

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£213.00

Date: 28/12/16

Width 150cm 150cm

Rating Unit price £ Total Price 0.2 £5.00 0.85 £4.17 0.015 £5.34 1 £6.30 25mm 1 £7.50 0.75 £0.90 1 £0.74 2.4" X 0.6" 1 £0.57 1 £0.50 1 £0.17 1 £0.80 1 £2.50

£1.00 £3.54 £0.08 £6.30 £7.50 £0.68 £0.74 £0.57 £0.50 £0.17 £0.80 £2.50

Total make price x 2.4= wholesale price Final Wholesale Price RRP Approx Retail price With VAT

Wholesale price £2.40 £8.51 £0.19 £15.12 £18.00 £1.62 -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐ -‐

£19.10 45.84 £46 £128.3 £154.00

As discussed, a main benefit to my customers is the lower prices compared to my competitors, this gives me my position in the market. Designer J.W.Anderson is my only competitor that adds femininity to designs however his designs are only aimed at menswear whereas I also promote ungendered garments. SOIT/OU stands out from this competitor because the branding/photography it is a lot more interesting and keeps the customer engaged. SOIT/OU is different in the sense it caters for men and women as one rather than a male collection and a female collection. Although some of J.W Anderson’s collection is very bold his photography and images are very plain. This is that makes SOIT/OU stand out as the style of photography/branding is a lot more eccentric, the focus isn’t as much on the garment. Anderson’s main menswear collection includes more feminine features but he has stuck to a plain colour palette, SOIT/OU have added a more feminine colour palette. Christopher Shannon produces casual wear such as tracksuits, the styles and colours make it quite bold for a customer who isn’t afraid to stand out and show unique style. However SOIT/OU stand out because the customer is buying into a brand and the story rather than just buying an item of clothing because they like it. Y-3 individualise men’s clothing and womens clothing, whereas SOIT/OU are more create unisex sustainable garments within limited patterns. SOIT/OU is more experimental with lighter colour palette subtly introducing pink this is something that could be new and exciting for the customer who wants to try something new and have that feel good factor. We offer a more relaxed less sporty looking day to day wear. QDAP This is a very niche company we are looking to expand to a wider target audience of both men and women, adds more feminine influence for menswear fashion, has a different important message to be told, introduces material placement, is more high end quality material, RAD HOURANI SOIT/OU is different because the clothing is more of a statement piece and more than one colour is used. More feminine features are used within my design and a range of colour choice, so I am pushing boundaries. SOIT/OU is much cheaper than this brand so customers interested in unisex style will be inclined to look further at SOIT/OU with its eccentric futuristic styling.

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PROMOTIONAL BUDGET SOIT/OU has £5000 for Marketing and Promotional activities

£1500

SOIT/OU will send out to top 10 suitable fashion bloggers, a range, male and female. As this is a key aspect of my brand and this is the type of people I am aiming at, this will then promote to other, people and start to spread the message of others joining us in our journey to a better future in fashion. With additional paid advertisements on social platforms such as Instagram.

£1300

Online marketing on ASOS this is somewhere with huge ranges of fashion is sold from high end to high street (this is one of the biggest online retailers internationally so will get a lot of advertisement and a wide variety of people around 18-26 which is their target audience both male and female) Advertise in Selfridges as that’s where you find young professionals/students shop who are looking for a premium style, a one off buy. The brands sold in here would also be a lot similar price range of soit/ou.

£2000

I would pay to be on huge billboards in the city and tubes as that’s where majority of my target audience would be based and due to the research we have done.

£200

this isn’t a main focus on my brand but my brand is all about change within unisex fashion and we want customers to buy into the brand so as a small part of my brand SOIT/OU will spend £500 targeted advertising on Gender Gam and other pro gender charities and advertising for the charities. . These people could be someone which doesn’t assign themselves to a gender or someone who dresses differently. With this and not being stereotypical it does come with problems and issues for these people. I have researched into charities and support groups that help these people, whether that be emotional, social or any issues they have. All of these organisations are very different however all want to portray the same message that it is OK to feel like that and it is NORMAL (what is normal though?). This is something I could use as one of my websites I want to advertise through, I could even collaborate with them with a cheaper option of tops to get across a strong message in a fashionable way. This is something that SOIT/OU will look into as a USP in the future a small part of each garment bought will be donated to an organisation like this. This will make my brand stand out however also make this more appealing for my customer range who like the brand because of the idea of promoting genderless fashion, doing something good would encourage the customers to buy into the brand. With the customer knowing that they are helping charity whilst buying a new garment this will give the customer a feel good factor, this is emotional sales with customers.