Part Two of my Dissertation

Hannah Wilkinson N0306608 FCP FASH30002 Word Count: 5489

An Investigation into the Rise of Collaborative Consumption and the Launch of Le Tote into the UK Market

Contents Pg. 6-9 Introduction

40-41 New Target Market

Pg 10-11 Methodology

42 Consumer Profile one

Pg. 12-15 Fast Fashion

43 Consumer Profile two

16-21Collaborative Consumption

44-45 Market Platforms 46 Launch

22-25 Hyper Personalisation 47 Press Release 26-27 Research Summary 48-51 Website 28-29 Launching Le Tote 52-53 Le Tote for IPhone 30 The Problem 54-55 Advertsing 31 The Solution 56-57 Promotional Video 32-33 How We Work 58-59 Pinterest Competition 34-35 Market Research 60-61 Totes Recyclable 36-37 Competitor Analysis 62-63 Conclusion 38-39 Perceptual Map

64-65 References

108 Declaration

66-73 Bibliography

109 Ethical Cheacklsit

74-75 List of Illistrations 76-77 Appendix 1 78-79 Appendix 2 80-81 Appendix 3 82-83 Appendix 4 84-85 Appendix 5 86-87 Appendix 6 88-91 Appendix 7 92-95 Appendix 8 96-97 Appendix 9 98-105 Tutorial Record Sheets 106-107 Critical Path

Introduction Sharing is to ownership what the Ipod is to the eight track, what the solar panel is to the coalmine.

Sharing is clean, crisp, urbane, postmodern; owning is dull, selfish, timid, backward.” (Botsman, 2010) Rachel Botsman author of ‘What’s Mine is Yours’ talks about the post modern era we are entering. Where the shift from the 20th century, a time defined by hyper-consumption, to a 21st-century age of Collaborative Consumption is underway. Collaborative consumption describes the shift in consumer values from ownership to access. The convergence of social technologies, a renewed belief in the importance of community, pressing environmental concerns, and cost consciousness are moving us away from the old top-heavy, centralized, and controlled forms of consumerism toward one of sharing, aggregation, openness, and cooperation. Following years of consumerism, technology has offered new interpretations of ownership. Competitive services touting the benefits of “sharing” and “access over ownership” have gained ground as viable alternatives. Consumers have revisited past generations’ routines of sharing, swapping, lending, and bartering. Together, entire communities and cities around the world are using network technologies to do more with less by renting, and sharing products on a scale never before possible. Consumers, who are not able to afford renewing goods, can turn to collaborative consumption to share, swap or rent from others. Rachel Botsman says the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $26 billion globally.

‘In consumer society, people replace their goods with newer ones. They purchase goods, use them and throw them away. Newer goods, when they become old, are replaced by newer ones.’ (Shukla, 2009). Driving this concept is the result of ‘fast fashion’ retail stores such as H&M, Primark, Zara, and Forever 21, which produce clothing meant to be worn a handful of time before being disposed of or replaced. Traditionally, most fashion labels produced two main collections a year, spring/ summer and autumn/winter. However, in order to keep up with demand from trend focused consumers, high street brands needed to create some interest within their stores mid season which has increased demand for fast fashion (Ethical Fashion Forum, 2012).

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Increased consumption has inevitably lead to the increased disregarding of clothes. Consumers’ now demand four time the amount of garments than compared to 1980 (Seigle, 2011). In one year the typical person can accumulate in the region of twenty-eight kilograms of clothing. In the wake of negative publicity, has come the rise of an alternative; sharing and swapping. Large fashion brands are entering into sustainable fashion as more consumers’ are becoming aware of ever changing environment. With larger fashion retailers threatened by consumers’ changing mind set, they too are entering sustainable fashion. For example H&M updated their glamour ‘Conscious Collection’ and last year saw Topshop teaming up with eco fashion brand Reclaim To Wear to create a debut up-cycled capsule collection made entirely from discarded materials.

A follow on trend from the sharing economy is clothing swaps, an easy way to refresh an outdated wardrobe without purchasing anything new. Some offer designer clothing rentals such as Wish Want Wear while others provide online platforms for the fashion loving community to design and create ‘new; clothes from recycled materials. BigWardrom.com is one of the most popular clothing swap sites, where users can swap and sale direct from other fashion lovers around the world.

The clothes are from users’ wardrobes which include high to low end brands such as Topshop, Asos, and Coast along with designer names such as Burberry, Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton. The fashion conscious may continue to buy into the latest styles but many are gaining awareness of the inevitable environmental toll of buying new clothing.

Fig.1. ‘Topshop sustainable Fashion’ 2012 7

The idea of collaborative consumption is making a big impact around the world, whether it is somewhere to stay such as Airbnb to now designer clothing. Airbnb has made a huge impact on the world of sharing. Founded in 2007, the digital accommodations marketplace allows for people to rent out their homes or spare rooms (or igloos, castles, or private islands) just like a hotel. With the rising popularity of collaborative consumption this report will propose launching the new US online retail company Le Tote into the UK market. Le Tote is an online clothing company, where members are invited to pay monthly in order to receive a tote bag. The online stylists personalise your totes by asking you a series of different styling questions. Each tote includes 3 garments and 2 accessories for you to wear and return to receive the next tote. Aspects such as price, age, clothing styles, and marketing are all examples of adaptations that will be made in order for Le Tote to fit the UK market and consumer to determine a successful launch strategy. To justify the launch of Le Tote research into collaborative consumption, personalization and retail returns will be looked into, as they are three aspects that are closely linked with the brand.

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Fig.2. ‘Topshop sustainable Fashion two’ 2012

“This could be as big as the Industrial Revolution in the way we think about ownership.� Botsman

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Methodology To gain a deeper understanding of the UK consumer, and the potential launch of Le Tote a number of different primary research methods were carried out. Primary research such as a consumer survey was conducted to gain quantative data on consumers choices and shopping habits. Survey results can sometimes be false due to closed questions being asked therefore focus groups were used as another method of research in order to gain information on potential consumers of Le Tote. A focus group was chosen as a part of research as it differs from a typical interview. The benefits of focus group research include gaining insights into potential consumers shared understandings of everyday life and the ways in which individuals are influenced by others in a group situation. Ideas could be generated in terms of how to adapt Le Tote for the UK consumer. Interviews were carried out to get personal responses to specific questions. Each interview consisted of 10 questions some specifically for the interviewee and other the same for a group of them.

What: Telephone Interview - 27/3/2013 Who: Brett Northart, Founder of Letote Why: Bett Northart is one of the two founders of LeTote. He was contacted as he could give information that could not be found via secondary research. For example his reasons for starting Le Tote, how successful they are, and what are his future plans etc. It was also useful as to gain his opinion in launching Le Tote in the UK and whether he thought the UK consumer was different to the US. He also gave insight into the the quality control checks that the garments receive and the disposal of them after they can not be used anymore.

Successful?

Brett gave invaluable feedback on his reason for starting Le Tote and how successful it has been so far in the US. He was able to show pros and cons of launching in the UK and weather or not it would be a future possibility. Brett’s feedback on Le Tote’s US competitors lead to primary research in finding possible UK competitors. His suggestions gave ideas as to how a marketing campaign could lead to getting women to de-clutter their wardrobes with out the effort of taking bags down to charity shops.

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What: Initial research survey - 3/3/2013 Who: Sent to all women Why: An initial survey was sent out to all women to gain information on there shopping habits. Also to find out how often they return items to store and the reasons behind it. Currently LeTote is aimed at 20-35 year old women, it was therefore decided to post the survey on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to hopefully encourage feedback from this particular age demographic. The survey was also sent to email contacts from participants in the UK and the US in order to compare results and perspectives, as LeTote is a US company.

Successful?

This initial survey was carried out to gain general information on retail returns and the number of people who perform the act of deshopping (wearing then returning). This survey gave limited feedback as the motive for launching Le Tote changed. At first The Idea for Le Tote was to solve the issue of consumers wearing and returning items however the issue turned out to be much broader in terms of fast fashion habits and the rise of collaborative consumption. Secondly another issue occurred that limited the responses being accurate, was the answers to the questions referring to de-shopping. ‘A UK survey has found that one in eight women bought expensive clothes, wore them on a night out and returned them to the shopkeeper the next day.’

(Desai, 2013). And experts believe the true figure may be far higher as many shoppers are too ashamed to admit to the practice therefore responses may not have been reliable.

What: Focus group - 13/3/2013 Who: 7 19-25 year old students Why: Conusmer research is key in this report to find out if the UK consumer will adopt the concept of Le Tote. A focus group of 7 17-25 year olds was held to gain views and opinions of the idea. This was important as it could give true opinions of the UKs target consumer.

The focus group was held to also gain ideas on what they would like to change about LeTote if it were to be launched in the UK and what they would like to see/change about the service.

Successful?

The focus group allowed for honest opinions to be made about Le Tote and the feelings towards it. Flaws were also found for launching in the UK market, this resulted in suggesting adaptations to be made to avoid any negative factors affecting a successful launch. New adaptations for Le Tote were suggested which were looked into so that Le Tote UK can meet the needs of the consumer. Insight into what the potential target consumers would like to see and how they would like to see it was al so gained. This information was then taken forward and applied to the marketing section of this report.

What: Second Research Survey - 23/4/2013 Who: Women aged between 16-25 Why: A second research survey was carried out to investigate the chosen target market of 16-25. The survey was to gain insight into the thoughts and feelings of shopping amongst the target age group. Further more to find out shopping and spending habits to gain information on what changes need to be made to Le Tote to fit to the UK consumer.

Successful?

This survey was more successful than the first as it was targeted specifically at the target consumer. It gained a positive consensus on launching Le Tote and gained information on where the potential consumers like to shop. All the answers were relevant in answering whether Le Tote would be popular with the target age bracket and if not what changes needed to be made.

What: Email Interviews Who: 5 UK fashion bloggers Why: Fashion bloggers can have a huge influence on consumers and can benefit a brand due to their large amount of followers and honest opinions.

A possible marketing stunt/strategy would be to send free totes to fashion bloggers for one month to gain there feedback on the service. Therefore UK fashion bloggers were emailed to gain information on how they shop and would Le Tote be any use to them. As a lot of fashion bloggers have many followers by gaining their feedback on Le Totes service and possible launch would be invaluable as they are acting like a spokes person for some of their followers.

Successful?

The information gained from the fashion bloggers supported the consumer research, as they too were potential consumers of Le Tote. Not only was there opinion gained but information as to how the service would benefit them. The responses were varied; therefore consideration as to whether using fashion bloggers to promote Le Tote was the right step was re evaluated.

Secondary Research The concept of launching Le Tote into the UK and the growth of collaborative consumption was explored via a wide range of secondary research via a number of sources, to support any primary research.

Collaborative Consumption, Fast Fashion and Hyper-Personalisation were areas that needed to be explored further to fully understand and support the reasons for launching Le Tote in the UK. Databases such as Mintel were accessed to gain information on the UK consumer and their spending habits. Trend forecasting websites such as GMID and WGSN were useful for seasonal colour trends and retail statistics. Books on the chosen topics were also useful in gaining an understanding of the current changing climate. Lastly marketing and research theories were researched in order to justify certain information on the chosen topics, also to support any marketing strategies that would be used.

Fig. 3 ‘Methodology’ 2013 11

Fast Fashion

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“We are at a point of evolution and a point of transition. I think that’s one reason thers’s been a crisis in the fashion world” (Beaumont, 2012)

Over the past decade, sustainability and ethical conduct have begun to matter. Fashion companies have realised that affordable and trend-sensitive fashion, while typically highly profitable, raises ethical issues (Moisander and Personen 2002). Fast fashion is a clothing production strategy, that emphasizes moving high-end catwalk trends into stores in the shortest amount of time possible at the cheapest possible price point. A Cambridge University study reports that in 2006, people were buying a third more clothes than they were in 2002. Brands began competing against each other for market share by introducing more lines per year at lower costs, culminating in a situation where ‘fashion houses now offer up to 18 collections a year’ and the low cost, so called ‘value end’ is ‘booming; doubling in size in just 5 years.‘ This naturally has led to pressure on the supply chain. It has also resulted in an increase on the amount of clothes people are consuming, therefore having consequences on the environment. ‘Statistics suggest that on average, UK consumers send 30kg of clothing and textiles per capita to landfill each year and that 1.2 million tonnes of clothing went to landfill in 2005 in the UK alone. ‘ (Ethical Fashion Forum 2012).

It is already apparent that consumers’ are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of what they eat and what they drive; however the discussion about what is being worn has yet to really take hold (Hurlbutt, 2013).

The moral-norm activation theory of altruism proposed

by Schwartz (1973) states that environmental quality is a collective good, and therefore will motivate consumers to embrace environmentalism in all aspects of life. However the rapid rise of fast fashion implies otherwise. Schwartz’ theory presumes that consumers will thoughtfully evaluate the life cycle of different products, and will then select whichever product has the least environmental load. This can be true, but primary research shows that out of 104 participants, 95% responded ‘yes’ to participating in some form of recycling. Yet when asked if they shop at a number of different retail stores, they responded in selecting at least one or more of the fast fashion brands listed (see appendix 8 pg. 92). This shows that consumers’ are not seeing the link between the environmental issues and their obsession with fast fashion brands.

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Young consumers’ desire for fast fashion is coupled with significant disposable income or the availability of credit.

Fast fashion exploits this segment, offering of-the-moment design and the immediate gratification of continually evolving temporary identities— a postmodern phenomenon (Bauman 2005). Le Totes’ service relates to post modern theories of changing identity as consumers’ are given the opportunity to change what they wear on a regular basis. If it is decided a different look is required the user changes what is received in the next tote.

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For now fast fashion will continue, however the fashion industry is becoming increasingly aware of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. In the past several years, the fashion industry has faced intensifying criticism about its environmental footprint this has lead to many brands establishing their own sustainability commitments and strategies. In June 2012 Topshop joined the Eco-Chic movement by teaming up with eco fashion brand Reclaim To Wear, where they created a debut up cycled capsule collection made entirely from discarded materials. H&M is making a stand in this field, in a bid to make fast fashion and ethics

synonymous. In April 2012, H&Ms’ latest sustainability report was published and the new Exclusive Glamour Conscious Collection was launched. The range is part of the chain’s ecofriendly fashion, but comprises premium eveningwear designed with the red carpet in mind. Further more they have set up a global recycling scheme where by customers bring old clothes to the stores in exchange for a £5 off voucher. Although deemed an oxymoron H&Ms’ goal is to encourage people to recycle unwanted garments rather than disposing of them.

Le Tote is offering to make fashion more sustainable rather than to solve it as it is still in high demand. A primary research survey and focus group (see appendix 8 pg. 92 and 6 pg.

86) revealed that the majority of respondents 16-25 would like the clothes to be branded and selected 3 or more fast fashion stores as places where they shopped. Le Totes’ renting feature enables consumers to have at least 4 different totes a month, which can transfer into multiple different outfits, without the large price tag. The idea of launching Le Tote into the UK market could determine a small decrease in the amount of clothing being bought and disposed of.

Fig. 5 ‘H&M Concious Collection Two’ : 2012

Fig. 4 ‘H&M Concious Collection’ : 2012

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Collaborative Consumption

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Fig. 6,7, ‘ASOS Market Place’ : 2013

It would seem that an increasing number of consumers’ are realising the merit of Aristotle’s notion, ‘On the whole, you find wealth much more in use than ownership’. The idea of a service that enables consumers’ to derive benefit from a shared product is not new. Hotels, launderettes or even renting fancy dress are early examples of the principle of ‘not owning’. Collaborative consumption has been referred to by times magazine as one of the 10 ideas that will change the world. Zipcar produced a report on The Business of Sharing in the UK which reveals that this new pay-as-you-live lifestyle is changing the retail paradigm, and estimates the market in the UK at £22.4 billion (Bance, 2012).

Moving away from the modernist era of hyper consumption, where pressure to consume goods is exerted by the modern, capitalist society. Money conscious consumers’ are looking too new ways to buy and shop whilst brands are looking at new ways to meet this. According to Nesta ‘2013 will see at least three High Street mainstream retail outlets make a play into the rental market’ (Nesta 2012). In relation to Le Tote, it allows users to continue with the principle of online ‘shopping’ by providing them with a choice of garments they wish to receive. The item will be a mixture of different brands willing to provide their clothes for rental, therefore offering the consumer an alternative way of accessing

their brand. This also solves the problem of distribution centers as the clothes being rented are coming from existing brands with their own distribution systems. Le Tote will only have to have one center to stock and send out the clothes being sent to them.

The concept of collaborative consumption in fashion is not new either, and has been adopted by popular fashion brands and retailers using it to their advantage. ASOS ‘Market Place’ is an example of consumers’ getting together to share and sell his or her clothes to ‘anyone in the world’. It also offers the same advantage to boutiques and small own label businesses. This idea benefits both consumer and retailer as it drives consumers to their website to access their personal ‘Market Place’. This causes consumers to browse their market place as well as ASOS, therefore encouraging potential spend. With ASOSs’ target market being similar to Le Tote (20’s) and their ‘Market Place’ having a 690% growth in the past year, it shows an indication of this young demographics’ positive attitudes to buying used clothing and collaborative consumption.

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Case Study : Airbnb ‘Airbnb is a community marketplace that connects people who have space to spare with those who are looking for a place to stay’ (Vilksak, 2012) Overview Airbnb is an accommodation booking service letting private, spare space around the world. Founded in San Francisco in 2008, it has offices in Barcelona, Copenhagen, São Paulo, Paris, Milan, Hamburg, Moscow, Berlin and now London. Airbnb offers accommodation in more than 20,000 cities across 192 countries. It had a 748% growth in 2011, operates in 192 countires and 10 million night were booked worldwide by June 2012.

Creation of new user behavior A suggestion to stay at a stranger’s apartment in a new city would have been considered un-heard of a few years back. This can be applied to clothing rental like Le Tote. AirBnB created an entirely new user behavior when it put together new inventory. YouTube redefined what we watch, as a result of the supply explosion. Carpooling.com made car pooling with strangers acceptable. (Unknown, 2012). Le Tote will effectively do the same within the retail sector. It provides the opportunity for new user behavior with its unique service that does not yet exist amongst its potential UK competitors’.

Pros •Uncluttered interface.

•Young and hip in tone and presentation.

•Handles payment transaction (and holds on to payment until 24 hours after check-in).

•Guests and hosts can leave reviews of each other.

•Social networking features (links to Facebook and Twitter).

•Ability to filter and modify search results.

Cons •Search results aren’t as exhaustive as others.

•Focuses more on large cities and less on rural destinations.

•No way to filter by distance. Some valuable information (like amenities) are hidden behind tabs.

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‘Even though consumers may still need some convincing, the strategy rooms of mainstream business have long been buzzing with talk of collaborative consumption.’ (Balch, 2012). With all new ideas, increasing collaborative consumption has its threats and opportunities. A limitation of collaborative consumption is the issue of trust. Sharing only works when there is a reputation held by the distributor. Most sharing platforms try to combat this issue by building a self-policing community. Almost all require profiles for both parties and feature a community ratings system. However transforming consumer consumption habits could prove difficult. Consumers’ are comfortable paying for access rather than ownership when it comes down to cars and movies, but when it comes to fashion there can be less compromise. For Le Tote UK to over come this it will have to deliver promises and fulfill the expectations of the consumer. To do this customer interaction will be encouraged at all times. For example feedback forms will be included in all totes, social media interaction and a possible trial feature if users are really unsure whether to sign up.

Fashion brands that rely on consumers restocking their wardrobes every few months may have reason to worry, as consumers’ are finding alternative ways to renew their wardrobe for less. This results in suggesting brands to collaborate with Le Tote UK as Le Tote US currently source their own labels. A focus group was conducted as part of primary research (see appendix 6 pg.

86), with participants implying that they would be more inclined to sign up to Le Tote if the clothes being received were UK brands they knew. This lead to the suggestion of British brands collaborating with Le Tote that are better known by the target consumer. The focus group also revealed what brands the potential users would want to see. The top results suggested that Le Tote collaborate with H&M, Topshop, River Island, and ASOS.

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‘With the sharing economy never more in vogue and secondhand quickly divesting itself of stigma, the idea of paying to wear clothes for a short period of time before returning them to be cleaned and sent off to the next willing wearer is one that could really only gain traction in the here and now’ (Sanders, 2012).

The rental market can be seen as apart of collaborative consumption, as the central conceit of collaborative consumption is simple: it is the access to goods and skills is more important than ownership of them. (Sacks, 2013).

Le Tote allows fashion conscious 16-25 year olds to have inter-changeable quality garments from brands they know. Pippa Goodman, a trend consultant at market research firm The Future Foundation, says the practice of renting is here to stay: “This is a trend where we see long-term growth potential,” she said. “As a nation, we’re being a lot smarter and savvier with our money. We also still have a need for luxury items and rich experiences - finding a more cost efficient way to do that is simply the next step.” (Bance, 2012) John palfrey describes in the book ‘born digital’ that consumers’ relationship with ownership is fracturing. New channels, down to technology are developing so quickly that consumers’ do not need to own anything other than a computer or IPhone. This allows them to share what they are doing (Twitter), what their friends are (Facebook), and the groups they belong to (LinkdIn) (Palfrey, pg 67). The Internet and technology are allowing movements of which consumers are sharing every part of their life; causing them to reflect and adapt.

Collaborative consumption is based on natural behavioral instincts around sharing and exchanging that has been suppressed by hyper-consumerism but that are innate to us, so has the potential to grow notably fast (Botsman, pg 212).

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Fig. 8 ‘Collaborative Consumption System’ : 2012

Collaborative Consumption 3 Systems

Product Service

This part is paying for the benefit of using a product or service without having to actually own it. For example Zipcar or Autoshare,(car sharing) or fashion rental companies like Wish Want Wear or Renttherunway.com.

These types of companies allow you to rent everything from ball gowns to designer bags, luxury without the commitment of ownership.

You can use what you need, when you need it, then give it back. (Kramer, 2013)

Redistribution Markets

Collaborative Lifestyles

Craigslist, eBay and Freecycle are the big players in this space where the idea is to pass (or sell) something that you don’t want any longer to someone who does. This supports the whole “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” sentiment, and it’s both making and saving money for a lot of people. (Kramer, 2013)

Individuals or communities who want to share in “the experience” and exchange time, space, skills or money. People are renting or loaning out their own homes and cars to travelers who want to skip hotel and rental company costs. Also, social collaboration is important right now as people try to pull information together and build methodologies or approaches toward this new experience we are calling “social media.” (Kramer, 2013)

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Hyper Personalisation

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‘Segmentation, not long ago the Holy Grail of marketing, is becoming an anachronism,’ wrote Stanford University professor. It is already apparent that companies target their consumers’ through social network sites, according to what they have accessed on the Internet. ‘Customers want to be treated as individuals and are heading for platforms and companies that understand this.’ (Woods 2012). Consumers’ are not only being targeted by company’s using their personal information, but are giving permission for them to use such information. A new study conducted by Accenture found that the majority of consumers in both the U.S. and UK are willing to have trusted retailers use some of their personal data in order to present personalised and targeted products, services, recommendations and offers. (Nasri, 2012).

The media has discovered a growing trend called micro-entrepreneurship this describes the rise of the ‘creative class’ or the ‘freelance economy’.

Customers use micro-entrepreneurship platforms for many of the same reasons that the entrepreneurs themselves do: Flexibility: Customers crave greater personalization and customization in goods and services than ever before. They want to choose when they get it, how, and for how much.

These platforms accommodate individual needs much more than old ways of buying. (Wong, 2012)

Fig. 9 ‘Kunst Buzz’ : 2012

The personalisation trend is seen in advertising on social networking sites, but has expanded and found itself in retail, e-commerce, goods and services. Online retailers such as Stylistpick.com allow the user to create their own personal style ‘Showroom’ by answering a series of multiplechoice questions, based on what you would rather wear. The user can also shop the rest of the site but always refer back to their personal showroom with the tab labeled “My Showroom”. Le Tote uses a similar method so that the personal stylists can create individual profiles for each user. This concept will be adapted for the UK by giving the users a choice as to what they wish to receive. This is because consumers still desire personalization in products and services.

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Ecommerce has improved dramatically from 2012-2013. At the end of 2012 we saw record numbers in online shopping during the holidays. This will only increase as stores personalise consumers’ shopping experience further. ‘As for curated commerce, shopping for a shirt is one thing, but shopping for a lifestyle or look is another, richer, more engaging trend we’re seeing across e-commerce industries from fashion to food.’ (Taylor 2013) Visual sites such as Pinterest have become popular social media tools, allowing consumers to organize their favorite items into themed collections that they can share with others. This has lead to the increase in the use of personal data as companies are using this to their advantage as it allows them to tap into consumers’ interests and likes.

The rising culture of ‘Me’ is much more prolific with the rise of social media.

This growing narcissism is leading to more and more brands allowing their customers to personalise their products. In 2007 NIKE introduced NIKE-ID, where customers are able to create their own customized shoes online. This today has developed into NIKE placing ‘customisation’ as an integral part of their web shop. (Danielson, 2011).

French skincare company Codage lets customers choose the ingredients and concentrations in a variety of their products. Consumers follow a step-by-step diagnostic process online to assess their personal needs, Codage then makes recommendations for nutritional supplements as well as face and eye serums.

Fig. 10 ‘Codage’ : 2012

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‘The world continues to become more social and digitally connected, and we are finding nearly everything we need online. Yet, retailers still need to create a personalized experience for customers, even in the age of social networking and the working relationships, online and offline.’ (Kramer, 2013)

Fig. 11 ‘Burberry’ : 2012 Burberry have made an attempt at ‘mass customisation’ by launching Burberry Bespoke in 2011, a program that allows people to design and purchase their own, personalised version of the company’s iconic trench coat. This has now been developed and February 2013 saw the launch of a new made-to-order catwalk and “smart personalisation” service, whereby customers’ could order bespoke pieces straight from the autumn/winter 2013-14 collection.

Each piece featured in-built technology: passing your smart phone over the item will unlock video footage “retracing its journey” from design sketches to pattern cutting. (Karmali Vogue, 2013). With Higher shopper expectations, the dawn of tablets and apps, and the rise of cheaper, more-advanced Web technologies will make the phenomenon of mass customization take off in the next decade (Sonne, 2012)

Fig. 12 ‘Burberry Pesonalisation’ : 2012

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Research Summary

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To determine the success of Le Tote in the UK, key research findings were noted to show how the concept will translate from the US to the UK. - Research suggests that consumers are looking for personalisation in all aspects of their life. Le Tote offers this with in its service by creating individual style profiles for users.

- Environmental factors and consumers desire to share and communicate through online platforms has lead to the rise of collaborative consumption. Sharing, renting and burrowing can be seen in all industries’ from DVD hire (Netflix) to fashion (Wish want wear).

- Fast fashion will continue to dominate the UK high street however consumers have become more aware of environmental effects therefore are looking for alternative ways to get the fashion they love but in a more sustainable way.

These key findings are the basis as to why bringing Le Tote into the UK market will be worth while and successful, and will therfore be taken forward in launching Le Tote into the UK.

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Launching Le Tote

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Who Are Le Tote Currently? ‘Aiming to satisfy its core audience of 18- to 28-year-olds with affection for the sort of style touted by Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, Le Tote focuses on the kinds of casual tops, statement necklaces, skirts, and dresses that twentysomething shoppers routinely scoop up on quickie shopping missions in preparation for the weekend ahead instead of luxury brands and cocktail-appropriate attire.’ (Northart,2013) LeTote is an online clothing rental company based in the US. For $49 a month females receive tote bags with 3 garments and 2 accessories in, to wear as many times as they like, then return to receive their next tote. It is unlimited within the month, and ensures you always have something new to wear. It is being proposed that Le Tote will be launched in the UK however changed to fit the UK market and consumer. This next section of the report will discuss the changes being made and the marketing strategy for the company on entering the UK.

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The Problem Recent history has seen a dramatic change in consumer behavior, with consumers’ lifestyles changing as austerity and the recession bite. Cutting costs has seen consumers make sacrifices, with the phenomenon or ‘deshopping’ increasing as consumers look maximize their social opportunities on a more limited disposable income. One in eight women has bought expensive clothes, worn them on a night out and returned them the next day (Brown, 2012).

The UK’s younger consumers’ are considerably more aware and in control of their spending habits. Young women aged 16-25 have dominated the women’s clothing market, due to their love of fashion, enjoyment of the retail experience and frivolous attitude towards splashing out on new clothing (Mintel, 2012).

However it was noticed in secondary research that consumers’ disposable incomes for this particular age bracket are under constant pressure, almost half of these women are mainly buying clothes which are on sale or special offer. According to Mintel there are already signs that under 25 year olds have adopted a more cautious approach to spending due to a crisis of confidence, with many young clothing retailers suffering as a result. Le Tote offers both the over and under 20’s demographic access to their known and loved brands for a fraction of what they might pay to purchase form them. This still benefits the brands as their clothes are still being worn and by a younger demographic that may not have had the income to afford them before. At the same time Le Tote confronts consumers’ fast fashion disposal ways by offering them the same thrill of wearing their favorite brands but the benefit of not being able to dispose of the clothing un-ethically.

A second issue was found when researching consumer habits. “I don’t think we need to own anything any more because we don’t wear party dresses more than once” (Cline, 2012). This quote from ‘Overdressed’ lead onto further primary research, to gain insight into consumer attitudes towards wearing an outfit more than once. Research found that 69% of 104 participants would only wear a particular outfit either ‘once’, or ‘once or twice’ (see appendix 8 pg.92). These results were analysed and then compared to the age segments answering the survey. It was found that the majority (96%) of respondents fell into the 16-25 category that answered with ‘once’ or ‘once or twice’.

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The Objective An objective of launching Le Tote into the UK is to try and solve the problem of variety, while fitting into the budgets of the new target consumer of 16-25 year olds. Le Tote enables the consumer to have their ‘Fast fashion fix’ without the large price tag and an alternative shopping experience. Le Tote also solves the issue of being seen twice in the same outfit, as users can wear their tote garments once or twice before sending them back to receive new ones.

A second objective is to allow for the opportunity to make consumers more aware of the environmental effects that come with fast fashion. Through the launch and the totes themselves consumers will be made conscious of how to make use of old clothes by supplementing them with their totes and how to dispose of any unwanted clothing ethically.

Anna Bance founder of Girl meets dress talks about the rental market. ‘Fashion rental is a way for consumers to extract all the value without none of the headaches; women can now easily wear more relevant, trend led, time-sensitive fashions, while continuing to invest and buy only in those classic pieces which will stand the test of time.’ She supports the fact that fashion rental is putting control into the hands of the consumer where woman can still wear their current wardrobe but have it supplemented by Le Tote.

The issue of having so much variety at a low cost causes women to over indulgence in clothes and accessorizes resulting in hoarders-style wardrobes.

Having an overwhelming variety can have a negative effect on consumers as psychologist Barry Swartz explains in his book The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less. Swartz makes the case that this bounty of consumption options contributes to social malaise of ‘anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret’ (Schwartz, 2004). It’s not a new idea, but an articulation of a dilemma growing increasingly resonant in a time of seeming overabundance of products, resources, and information. Minor differentiation between products creates an illusion of freedom and self-determination, Schwartz argues. One of Le Tote’s aims is to give consumers’ choice and variety. However it is limited by allowing them to choose from garments that come under their personal style profile and the key factor that the clothes are returned.

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How It Works

Sign up to Le Tote

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Fig. 13 ‘How We Work’ : 2013

Your tote is delievered with a free tote

Answer our style survey to create you personal style profile

Wear your items untill you are ready to return

Choose your three favourite graments and accessories

Return by free post to recieve your new tote

Le Tote is unique as if offers women the opportunity to add variety to their everyday wardrobes with out the clutter or price it would cost to own. Le Tote is more than a renting company you go to for one off garments for one off events.

A focus group was conducted to gain insight into the UK consumers’ wants and needs (see appendix 8 pg. 92). This determined what changes needed to be made for the UK consumers’. Within the research survey and focus group (see appendix 6 pg 86 & 8 pg. 92) it was found that the 16-25 potential consumers’ shop at a number of different UK high street stores, and 63% out of 104 participants would like to see branded clothes within the totes, with 35% not minding. This indicated how the UK consumer differs from the US as the importance of branded clothing was confirmed twice in primary research. As a result Le Tote clothes will be sourced from popular UK brands such as Topshop, RiverIsland, HnM and Zara. These were the top 4 retail stores the 16-25’s currently shopped at according to the survey.

The product line will be manufactured by third party affiliates e.g.

The chosen collaborative brands. The products life cycle will vary, and with every return each tote will be rigorously inspected for quality.

Clothes that are unable to be re-distributed will be saved for end of

season sample sales or donated. In an interview with Brett Northart one of the co founders (see appendix 1 pg.76) he expressed that worn items were donated to different charities, an aspect that Le Tote UK will keep. Le Tote UK will introduce a purchase feature where popular tote items will be available to purchase if the consumer particularly likes them.

By aligning every aspect of their business to gain efficiencies and economies, retailers can optimise their operations and work in support of customer priorities. For some, it might be crucial that the latest dress be bought and delivered within 24 hours. For others, priorities may lie with transparency of pricing and ranges across channels. Whatever a customers’ focus, retailers must be ‘fit for purpose’ and able to understand their product and how it is consumed. Le Tote will offer consumers’ choice when it comes to what they receive. This way if the consumers’ has a priority of needing garments for a certain occasion Le Tote allows this therefore fulfilling the consumers’ priority.

UK consumers’ want more from what Le Tote US already offers, and the changes being made for them to enter the UK market, offer the consumers something above and beyond what they currently do; exciding there expectations.

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Market research

Young female consumers aged 16-24 have cut back the most in the last 12 months and when comparing this year’s data with 2012 data, there has been a clear shift in their shopping behavior. Young people are feeling the brunt of a combination of economic and social factors including high youth unemployment; rising tuition fees and an inability to get on the housing ladder. These consumers have also become much more cautious about the price of the garments they are buying and there has been a ten percentage point increase in the proportion of under-25s who are shopping in the same stores but buying less expensive items. As a result of the economy this young group of consumers are becoming more financially independent resulting in less teens relying solely on their parents for income support. With less disposable income and a newfound independence for money, Le Tote offers to bridge the gap between the two. This age group of consumers’ can still wear the clothes they enjoy whilst being able to afford the monthly fee themselves.

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‘Fashion, Retail, Marketing, and Ecommerce as a whole are rapidly chaning to answer the demands of new tech-savy informed consumers’’ (Mintell, 2012)

‘Fashion is of paramount importance for youths, with a fifth (22%) of under-25s citing purchasing fashion apparel as their biggest expense.’

(Mintel 2012)

Netflix is a service that makes available online flat rate DVD’s and Blu-ray disc rental-by-mail and video streaming. Established in 1997 in the US and headquartered in Los Gatos, California, it has assembled a collection of 100,000 titles and approximately 10 million subscribers. Even before it began unlimited content streaming to subscribers in 2008, Netflix was well established as a rent-from-home DVD service. Part of that success could be attributed to its breadth of movie offerings; its library had about 75,000 after its first decade, and that number is constantly growing. It’s also likely that Netflix has been successful because it has attracted customers who want to watch a variety of movies rather than just new releases.

Netflix works on the same basis as Le Tote. Both charge a monthly fee for the use of an unlimited service controlled by the consumer. They hold the similar company values of being reliable, with strong communication and passionate about the service provided.

Pros •Select a list of movies and TV episodes you want to receive. This is your queue •For mail rental, the next DVD on your queue will be mailed once you return a DVD •Watch your DVD for as long as you like, with no late fees Shipping is included both ways Cons •If you want to watch shows or movies through instant streaming, you should have decent Internet speed, otherwise it would affect the quality of what you are watching.

•Also, if you rent their DVDs by mail, there’s a turnaround time of around 3 days – 1 day to return it, 1 day for Netflix to process it, and 1 day for it to be mailed to you.

Other Industry Competitors

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Competitor Analysis To further justify if there is a gap in the UK market for Le Tote, a competitor analysis was carried out by looking at current US competitors and potential UK competitors. This was to determine a successful launch of Le Tote. By analyzing the market it allows for changes to be made to make Le Tote exceed against competition. It also allows insight into what existing companies are doing, how successful they are and why.

To gain insight into Le Totes’ current competitors in the US an interview was held with Brett Northart one of the co founders. He quotes ‘A lot of people think ‘Rent the runway’ when they hear about what we are doing.

But I think that they are serving a different segment of the market, I mean………….they are providing really aspirational brands that you couldn’t afford at all so you get a dress for an event that your wear once but we want to provide you with your everyday wear, so whatever’s in your closet supplementing that.’ (Northart, 2013 appendix 1 pg 76). From this a competitor analysis was carried out which lead to find similar companies in the UK that could be potential competition for Le Tote UK.

Findings

All three competitors were analysed to determine how and why they are successful and would they be a threat to Le Totes launch. Both ‘Wish Want Wear’ and ‘Girl Meets Dress’ are competitors’ against each other as both serve the same purpose in providing access to high end dresses for a onetime rental fee. Le Tote however, offer a totally different service in focusing on high street priced brands that add to the users every day wardrobe by paying a monthly fee. Another factor found was that both ‘Wish Want Wear’ and ‘Girl Meets Dress’ have time limits on the garments being rented. This was found to be a weakness as late fees could occur, deeming off putting to users. Le Tote does not have any late fees or a time limit on any totes.

The user wears and returns them in their own time. Rent the runway is an American based company that essentially provides the same use as the two other competitors shown here. From the analysis it has shown a potential gap in the rental market for Le Tote, as currently they are the only clothing rental service that offers high street brands and charges a monthly fee.

Rent the Runway is an online dress rental company. Founded by Jennifer Hyamm and Jennifer Fleiss in New York. Both came up with the idea after having a closet full of dresses but still nothing to wear for nights out. Rent the Runway allows users to rent high fashion dresses along with accessories that they may not be able to access otherwise. Rent the runway sources it clothing from the designers themselves. This benefits them as they are able to get their pieces into the hands of young, fashionable women, which could lead into a potential fashion addiction for there brand. It is a community designed to fill the needs of women just like the founders. Women who know and love high fashion, who want to look glamorous for all their nights out and experiment with new brands without the anxiety of investing in piece after piece.

Strengths •Includes hat hire for events, this sets them apart from other rental company’s as users can hire a whole outfit for events such as ascot and weddings.

•23 different occasion options with different dresses for each. This gives users a wider choice and ideas of what dresses should be worn on different occasions.

•£15 off when you introduce a friend. A simple effective promotion method to gain more users by giving an incentive to existing ones.

•Try 3 dresses for £25, free shipping and returns gives users the incentive to choose to hire from them rather than other companies’ that charge for shipping.

Weaknesses •Very similar to Girl Meets dress, an already well established designer dress rental company who started 2 years before Wish Want Wear. Tough competition.

•Limited use by customers due to the nature of the style of dresses. The everyday consumers may only have one off occasions and never use the sight again.

•Liability clause states that they are entitled to charge a full replacement price if the dress comes back dirty or damaged exceeding regular wear and tear.

This can put fear in people wanting to rent as some of the dresses to hire are worth hundreds of pounds with some reaching a thousand.

Inspired by the “rent, not buy” model adopted by UK companies such as LOVEFiLM and Zipcar, Wish Want Wear launched in London in September 2011. The site is free to join, open to all and has 25,000 registered users, according to founder and rising by 60 per cent a month. The dresses are from the current season and are available for about ten percent of the retail price for a four-day loan. Brands available include Chanel by Vintage Heirloom, Temperley London, Just Cavalli, Red Valentino and M Missoni. At the end of each season, several styles are removed from the site and sold privately. Currently competing against Girl Meets Dress, Wish Want Wear have based themselves at the most premium end of the market, with the RRP of the dresses for rent upwards of £600. Similarly to girlmeetsdress, the website markets itself as a destination for special events such as weddings and proms.

Strengths •Allows users to have access to high end dresses with out the high price of buying •Covers all spillage and damage costs •Good relationship with the designers they source from, enabling them to continually update their stock.

•Allows users to select a free second size of the dress they are ordering just in case.

Weaknesses •Limited rental time, users are charged with late fees if they keep the dress too long •They do not take the size of the user causing them to order second sizes automatically.

•Users are charged for shipping costs •They do not give the option for users to purchase the dress if they want to keep it •Charges for extra dresses

Girl Meets Dress.com is the leading multi-award winning online luxury rental service, which allows women to hire a selection of 4000 designer dresses and accessories from over 150 of the best international designers. Girl Meets Dress delivers a dress to a customer’s home or office and the customer sends it back after the party. With over a hundred thousand women using the site every month, it is the most popular dress rental company online. Their USP is offering women access to their dream wardrobe for all of life’s special occasions. Founder Anna Bance having discovered that women wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time, launched Girl Meets Dress as an easy and fun solution to not repeat outfits. Promoting their products as designer garments for special occasions, girlmeetsdress has the unique advantage of being the top result on search engines when searching “rent clothes UK” and “rent dresses”. There is also a strong social media base for girlmeetsdress, with over 15,000 fans on Facebook and nearly 12,000 twitter followers.

Strengths •Allows the user to hire accessories such as bags as well as jewelry •Users are able to order up to three different dresses at once and select their event date •20 percent of for ‘Birthday Girls’ •Essentials’ for sale that compliment the dresses such as shape wear, Hosiery and Beauty Weaknesses •Advance try on service charges 30 Pound, consumers have to pay more at the risk the dress does not fit •Delivery charges to get the dresses delivered, another expense added onto the bill off putting for users •Can only keep dresses for 2 or 7 nights •One off payment for each separate dress some over 100 pound

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Fig. 14 ‘Perceptual Map’ : 2013

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New Target Market ‘Age is a driving factor in promotion. Consumers of different ages have different needs’ (Swanson, 2008). Le Tote currently targets the 20-30 year old female demographic. To successfully move Le Tote into the UK market it was felt a different female segment needed to be targeted.

A consumer research survey was carried out to better understand the attitudes, characteristics and behavior to better meet the UK needs (see appendix 8 pg.92). Secondary research from Mintel was also carried out to determine spending habits with in consumer segments.

The new target market for Le Tote will be 16-25 year olds, who are seen as the ‘lost generation’ due to the financial difficulties seen by this important sector of the UK population. High unemployment, the rising cost of living, expensive car insurance and soaring university fees leave many in this category with lower-than-average levels of disposable income; affecting spending habits and social activities.

The retail and consumer industry is facing increasing pressure as a result of the economic climate. ‘Consumers’ belts are tightening with the continuing fragility of the UK economy and the impact of the Government’s austerity measures.’ (Mintell, 2012). Brands are diversifying into new areas to fit in with cash conscious consumers. Le Tote UK will source its garments from high street brands. This benefits the brand as they are still getting their clothes worn by the now, more cash aware younger consumer.

This generation of consumers has shifted from the mass consumption of the early 21st century. They are making choices based on quality, price and differentiation and are considering each purchase more carefully than ever before. The proliferation of social media, including Facebook has a lot to do with an increasing social pressure, which has heightened the growing desire for people to make a statement with their fashion and for a women’s inherent desire not to wear the same dress twice. With the effects on this target segment, Le Tote offer a solution by offering quality garments from their favorite brands for a monthly cost. This works out considerably cheaper than purchasing from store. It was also reveled in the research survey (see appendix) that 95 out of 104 respondents fell into this category of being interested in Le Tote. De-shopping, or fraudulent returns, is the act of buying an item to wear before taking it back to the shop as an unworn item, and is a phenomenon within this target group. The rising price of fashion clothing and the decrease in disposable income is pushing this target group to look for alternatives to traditional high street shopping. Le Tote offers an alternative that removes the ability for consumers’ to undertake de-shopping, as this process is a service not a purchase.

‘The average woman has about 22 garments in her wardrobe that she will never wear but absolutely refuses to throw out’

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The under 25s are spending 40 percent less of their disposable income on retail due to the economic turn down. (Mintell, 2012)

The new target market for Le Tote will be 16-25 year olds, who are seen as the ‘lost generation’ due to the financial difficulties seen by this important sector of the UK population. (Mintell, 2012)

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16-25

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4

5

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‘The poll of 2,000 women found that one in eight admitted to using the ‘wear and return’ strategy, splashing out on a pricey outfit for a special occasion without ever intending to keep it.’

(Cassidy, 2012) 41

Fig. 15 ‘Consumer Profile one: 2013’ : 2013 The Tech Savvy teen covers the younger part of the targeted consumer. They are still in school and have a small disposable income. They use this to shop in stores such as Topshop, H&M and Miss Selfridge. Keeping up with the latest fashions is key to their lively hood as being seen in the same outfit twice on Facebook is a no, no. When they shop they shop for fun and flirty dresses or outfits for the weekend. They are technology orientated using social media sites such as Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter through various platforms such as IPhone’s, laptops and IPads. This group is constantly connected to technology in one way or another.

Although it can be seen here that the targeted consumers’ are split into two, it shows that there are a lot of cross overs between them. They are both in touch with new technologies and both use social media platforms in various different ways. They are both looking for fast fashion styles with a lower price tag. Both parts of the targeted consumer age group are also more aware of environmental issues so can turn to Le Tote as it offers solutions to all three of these needs.

16-19 42

Fig. 16 ‘Consumer Profile two: 2013 The Millennials’ cover the older half of the target consumer. They have either just finished university or have been working in the city for a few years now. Working in offices 5 days a week or attending last minute interviews means having to source clothes quickly and change them often. They are more independents with their disposable income but haven’t got lots to spare on clothing. When they do shop they can be seen in Zara, French Connection and River Island. This group looks for interchangeable outfits that can be worn out, or paired with a blazer for the office. They are business minded and use social media sites such as LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook to keep up with friends.

20-25 43

Marketing Platforms Integrated marketing communications (IMC) are an effective way to maximize sales and promotion between Le Tote and the consumer.

According to Mintel ‘Younger consumers are more likely than the older ones to use social networks; for example, almost 87% of 16-25-yearolds have used a computer to access social networks in the past month’ (Mintel). This indicates that Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will be the most appropriate marketing methods for Le Totes target consumer. To market Le Tote to the targeted consumer of 16-25, the idea is to go to where the consumer currently operates which according to Mintell is social media such as Facebook Twitter and Instagram ‘Female internet users tend to be more active on social networks, particularly on Facebook. (Mintel, 2012)

17,18,19 ‘Social Media Mock ups’ 2013 44

‘While the UK sees more communication between young consumers and retailers through the suggested social networks, email is the preferred communication channel between stores and consumers.’ (Zablan, 2011)

Email promotions will be sent to users who have signed up to Le Tote but have not yet started a subscription with them. Users can sign up and browse the website to view clothing and other profiles however they cannot receive any items until they have fully signed up to Le Tote. Examples like this will also appear on the social media pages to encourage potential consumers’ to fully join.

Fig. 20. ‘ Email Advert’ 2013

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Launch

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Press Release

Fig.21. ‘Press Release’ 2013

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Website New users access Le Totes’ UK website to sign up.

Once registered the new user will be asked a number of style questions shown opposite to create their personal style profile. Although users get to control what they receive Le Tote creates a style profile to suggest items the user may like based on their answers.

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Fig 22 ‘Website Home Page’ 2013

Survey

Fig 23 ‘Personal Profile Survey’ 2013

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Fig 24. ‘Le Tote Website’ 2013 Filter system for users to search Heart icon for users to favourite All items liked will be added to ‘my bag’ for particular items items to add to there tote to decide later 50

All users will have a personal profile. The profile can be viewed by others if the user choses. Each profile allows the user to view past outfits they have uploaded and what they can expect in their next tote just to remind them. The profile will also have the users measurements, which can be hidden if needed.

This is to ensure that the clothes sent are always the correct fit to avoid disappointment. The user can change the measurements at any time to keep Le Tote up to date. Looks that Le Tote thinks the user will like based on their previous totes and other users profiles will appear down the left hand side.

Fig 25. ‘Personal Profile Mock’ 2013

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Stay one step ahead of style where ever you are! With Le Tote for IPhone you can browse, share and save all your favourite peices. You can also access your personal profile and arrange what you would like in your next tote.

Share your past looks with friends by uploading them to your profile

Browse the entire catalogue and never miss whats new

Veiw suggestions on how to wear your tote or how to pair up items that go together

Save favourite items in your online tote bag for later

Access your personal profile

Fig 26.’ Le Tote for IPhone’ 2013 52

In a highly competitive retail environment, consumers can choose where to shop. So retailers must interact with their customers in the way the customer chooses. The findings suggest that technology plays a key role in helping to deliver that differentiated customer experience – whether by using in-store technologies for coupons, loyalty programmes and promotions or in ability to compare similar items from several retailers on a mobile. And the relationship between technology and customer satisfaction can only become stronger as the technology used become more personalised, intuitive and insightful.

This relates back to the need for personalisation from consumers’ and had been decided to create a mobile app for Le Tote. From here users can access their online account and personal profile. This enables them to browse new items, select and confirm what they would like to receive in their next tote.

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Advertising As Le Tote are growing they have a waiting list of users wanting to join. In an interveiw with Brett Northart (see appendix 1 pg 76) he stated that Le Tote US currently rely on press advertising rather than their own as there is still a waiting list. For Le Tote UKs launch it was felt that advertsing was key in its sucesses.

When purchasing any product, a consumer goes through a decision process. This process consists of up to five stages; problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase behavior. The consumer purchase decision theory shows that consumers’ are influenced by several people playing different roles, one role being the Social factor. Social factors include groups (reference groups, aspirational groups and member groups), family, roles and status. This explains the outside influences of others on our purchase decisions either directly or indirectly. Consumers now actively seek recommendations/reviews about brands or particular product pre- purchase. Taking this into considerations a promotional strategy Le Tote will offer friend referral aspect that rewards users for inviting friends to join. Inviting new members through the current users relates to the consumer purchase decision journeys social factor. The new consumers’ will be more inclined to join as a friend/family member has recommended joining Le Tote.

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Fig 27.’ Invites and rewards’ 2013 55

Fig 28. ‘Promotion Video’ 2013

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Promotion Video

To advertise Le Tote a short promotional video was made to post on the social media platforms surrounding Le Totes launch. A videographer was hired to shoot and help edit the final outcome as it was felt that they had a stronger set of skills. The video is purely for promotion to show consumers Le Totes young, fun tone of voice. The video aims to capture not only the lighthearted tone of Le Tote, but also the service itself of ‘unlimited’ outfits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMZrRZgix0E

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Pinterest Competition

With the target market of 16-25 social network orientated and a 430% growth in Pinterest between 2011-2012, it is being suggesting a promotional competition be held by incorporating the two.

Pinterest is a ‘digital curation of content’ (Goodson, 2012) It means bringing content together in one space and share it with others supporting the growing sharing economy.

Curation has been around for some time. It can already be seen with RSS feeds, Twitter and blogs. Pinterest is now taking it one step further and allowing users to share anything they come across online. It allows users to start movements of their own, pointing others to things they like and enjoy. This bridges both personalisation and collaborative consumption together as Pinterest allows for personalised boards that others can view or share.

Pinterest also drives more traffic than three of the biggest social networks combined. (Goodson, 2012) To give Le Tote longevity it will use a ‘drip’ campaign strategy by holding monthly competitions to keep engaged

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with the consumer. With the proven popularity, Pinterest will be the chosen platform for this promotional tool.

Users will be invited to pin to the Le Tote competition board. With this they are encouraged to show others what they have done with the items in their tote at the same time giving style inspiration to others who follow Le Tote. Each month Le Tote will pick a number off different winners that have pinned to the competition board. Winners will get a number of different promotional discounts such as money off their next months tote or an option to keep an item in their next tote.

Using Pinterest will advertise Le Tote , which then can be picked up by other social media websites. It will most importantly connect the company with the consumer.

This is key as communication between consumer and company builds brand trust. Greater trust translates into recommendations through your consumers’ social networks, expanding reach (Gansky, 2010)

Fig 29. ‘Pinterest for Le Tote’ 2013

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Sustainable fashion extends beyond product design to systems of production and consumption. M&S recently launched a fashion initiative in partnership with Oxfam, which is fronted

by Joanna Lumley, and which is designed to encourage customers to recycle unwanted clothing.

Oxfam and M&S launched Shwopping in April 2012, a new idea that makes it even easier to give your unwanted clothes a second life. In the first year you’ve donated more than 3.8 million garments in M&S and Oxfam shops, which is potentially worth £2.3 million for Oxfam. Shwopping is about bringing an old item of clothing into an M&S store (even if it’s not from M&S) each time the consumer comes to buy something new. They can put their old items into a ‘Shwop Drop’ box (you’ll find these by the tills in most stores).

However consumers’ choose to shwop - whether it’s by bringing unwanted M&S clothes to Oxfam or by dropping off old clothes at M&S when they buy something new - it’s an extremely convenient way to donate to Oxfam. By making the process simple and convenient.

M&S encourages consumers’ to recycle their old clothes without over whelming the customers with advertising, allowing them to make a choice rather than feeling inclined to do something causing them not to donate.

All the clothes donated can go towards one of the three following: Resold - In shops, online, at festivals or through overseas enterprises, like Frip Ethique.

Reused - Garments that can’t be worn again are sold to designers who restyle them for use in new collections.

Recycled - Clothes we can’t resell or reuse are sold in bulk to reprocessing companies to be reborn as mattress filling or carpet underlay.

M&S Shwopping 60

Totes Recyclable One of Le Totes’ objectives was to offer an alternative to the buying and disposing of fast fashion. With the new target consumer being more environmentally aware it was decided that consumers needed an easy way to de-clutter their wardrobe with out the hassle of taking old clothes to the store or charity shop.

In a an Interview with Brett Northart (appendix 1) He stated that once Le Totes’ own clothes have worn out and do not make the quality control checks they are handed to charity. This process does not include the consumer at any point.

As a result and a way to interact with the consumer each Le Tote delivery will include a care envelope.

The care envelope is optional and is used by the consumer to fill with any unwanted clothing. Le Tote UK will recycle the unwanted clothing. The number of garments will equal to points and will be recorded on the consumers’ personal style profile. Points will equal to a discount taken off the users monthly bill. By providing the point system it gives consumers an incentive to use the care envelope.

+ Fig. 30 ‘Recycle’ 2013

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Conclusion

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A lot of social interaction has now moved online, but the fact remains, consumers’ crave community, communication and connection with others, hence the rise in collaborative consumption. The ongoing rise of social networks is evidence of this. Research in this report suggests there is a new system taking over—a paradigm shift among consumers’, where access is valued over ownership, and what’s ‘mine’ becomes ‘ours,’ in an attempt to maximize resources. People want to try things, but they don’t want to own them. This movement could be a result of changing consumer attitudes as they are becoming more environmentally aware, as sustainability becomes apart of the future. In terms of the retail sector unfortunately most High street stores rely on the disposable culture. The items are made not to last so consumers’ come back and buy more. However although retail giants such as H&M and Topshop are part of the fast fashion culture, with the rise in environmental awareness research showed that they are making efforts to be more sustainable.

Sangeet Paul writer of ‘Platform Thinking’ suggests that collaborative startups do not succeed because of better technology or features. They succeed because they use this principle to unlock entirely new markets and create new user behaviors to compete effectively. Research has shown this in the case of Le Tote through competitor analysis and potential consumer feedback. It has been identified that the gap in the market for Le Tote is a result of unlocking a new market that consists of a new environmentally aware consumer. In addition retailers have been forced to react by introducing sustainable features such as eco-fashion lines to meet the new consumer needs.

According to Onkvist’s International Marketing ‘A new product should be compatible with other belongings’. As already mentioned Le Tote does just this by adding to the young demographics wardrobe rather than replacing it. Le Totes’ service offers two key features that relate to both collaborative consumption and sustainability. The first being an alternative to the constant buying and disposing that comes with fast fashion. Secondly, supplementing the 16-25 year olds existing ever-changing wardrobes without the high price it would cost to purchase new items constantly.

The objectives were to solve the problem of variety that cause women to make high numbers of purchase decisions because of cheap fashion. It was also make consumers’ more aware of the effects of their buying and disposal habits.

To so it was important to offer the target group variety by supplementing their existing ever-changing wardrobes without the high price it would cost to purchase new items constantly. This was done by suggesting popular high street brands to source clothing from and offering a monthly fee of £25 pound. This information was supported by consumer research.

Secondly it was important to make consumers aware of fast fashion and disposal with out forcing it upon them. The care envelope in each package does this subtly by offering users of Le Tote do de-clutter their wardrobes in a non hassle by way offering rewards.

Le Tote achieved its goal by offering an alternative way to shop that benefitted consumers’ wallets at the same time as the environment without it being forced upon them. Le Tote is using H&Ms’ method of encouragement by using small rewards as an incentive. Le Tote has met its objectives by offering women alternative method of shopping that brings together the retail market and collaborative consumption which shown in this report will be inevitably a part the future.

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Books BOSSHART, B., 2004. Cheap – The real cost of the global trend for bargains, discounts & Consumer Choice. 1st ed. Germany: Redline Wirtschaft BOTSMAN, R., 2011, Whats Mine is Yours. Updated ed. London: HarperCollins Publishers CLINE, E.L., 2012, Over Dressed – The shockingly high cost of cheap fashion. 1st ed. New York : Penguin Group FOXALL, G., 1990, Consumer Phycology in Behavioral Perspective, 1st ed. London : Routledge GANSKY, L., 2012, The Mesh. 2nd ed. NewYork : Penguin GAO, Y., 2005, Web systems design and online consumer behavior, 1st ed. USA : Idea Group Publishing GLADWELL, M., 2000, The Tipping Point. 1st ed. Great Britain : Little Brown and Company LINSTROM, M., 2008. BUY.ology How everything we believe about what we buy is wrong. 1st ed. London: The Random House Group Limited LURY, G., 1998, Brandwatching – lifting the lid on branding, 2nd ed. Ireland : Blackhall Publishing MACINNIS, H., 2008, Consumer Behavior, 5th ed. China : China Translation & Printing Services Limited PALFREY, J., 2010. Digital Age. Reprint ed. New York : Basic RIFKIN, J., 2001. Age of access: The New Culture of Hyper capitalism, where all of life is a paid for experience. 1st ed. New York : Jeremy P Tarcher SCHWARTZ, B., 2004, The Paradox of Choice – Why More is Less. 1st ed. New York : Harper Perennial SHAW, J., 2004 . International Marketing. 4th ed. UK : Routledge SIEGLE, L., 2011, To die for Lucy Seigle is fashion wearing out the world?. 1st ed. London: Harper Collins

Reports BSR, 2012. Sustainable Fashion Design Oxymoron no more?.[Online] Available via BSR.org [5 May 2013] MINTEL, 2013, Green to be seen – some customers only going green to impress others. [online] Available via MINTEL [3 May 2013] MINTEL, 2013, The great british buget- nine out of ten brits now on a budget. [online] Available via MINTEL [3 May 2013]

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Thesis MCGREGOR, S., 2003. Post modernism, consumerism, and a culture of peace. Ph.D. thesis, Mount Saint Vincent University.

SCHWARTZ, S., 2010. Basic Human Values: An Overview. Ph.D. thesis, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem WARD, D., LASEN, M., 2009. An overview of needs theories behind consumerism. Ph.D. thesis, European School of Economics WANG, T., 2010. Consumer Behavior Characteristics in Fast Fashion. MA. Thesis, Fashion management Sweden

Journal WELTERS, L., 2008. The Natiral Look –American style in the 1970’s . Fashion theory, Volume 12, Issue 4, pg 489-510 ZALLER, J., ELDMAN, S., 1992, American Journal of political science : A Simple Theory of the Survey Response: Answering Questions versus Revealing Preferences, Volume 36, Issure 3, Pgs 580

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List of Illistrations Fig 1. CHUA, J.,. (2012) ‘Top shop sustainable fashion’ [Photograph] At: http://www.ecouterre.com/topshop-introducesupcycled-reclaim-to-wear-collection-for-summer (Accessed 15th May)

[Accessed 15 May 2013]

Fig 2. CHUA, J.,. (2012). ‘Top shop sustainable fashion’ two [Photograph] At: http://www.ecouterre.com/topshop-introducesupcycled-reclaim-to-wear-collection-for-summer (Accessed 15th May)

Fig 11. GRAZIA, 2012. ‘Burberry’ [photograph] At: http://www. graziadaily.co.uk/fashion/news/burberry-launches-bespokepersonalisation-service-for-autumn-winter-2013-show (Accessed 13 May 2013)

Fig 3. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Methodology’ [own image]

Fig 12. MASHABLE 2012 .Burberry Personalisation’ [photgraph] At: http://fashionandmash.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/burberrypersonalising-new-collection-with-rfid-chip-content/ (Accessed 13 May 2013)

Fig 4. UKNOWN. 2012. ‘H&M Concious collection’ [Photograph] At: http://greentrailsandteapottales.wordpress.com/2013/04/07/ hm-conscious-collection-ss-2013/ (Accessed 14 May 2013)

Fig 10. CODEAGE, 2013. “Codage” [photograph] At: http:// skincode.com/france/ (accssed 13 May 2013)

Fig 13. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘How We Work’ [own image] Fig 5. UKNOWN. 2012. ‘H&M Concious collection two’ [Photograph] At: http://greentrailsandteapottales.wordpress. com/2013/04/07/hm-conscious-collection-ss-2013/ (Accessed 14 May 2013)

Fig 15. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Consumer Profile one’ [own image]

Fig 6. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Asos Marekt place’ [own imagePrint screen]

Fig 16. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Consumer Profile 2’ [own image]

Fig 7. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Methodology’ [own image- Print Screen]

Fig 17, 18, 19. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Social media Mockups’ [own image]

Fig 8. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Collaborative consumtion system’ [own image] Fig 9. KUNST BUZZ., 2012. “Kunst Buzz’ [Photograph] At. http:// www.e-junkie.info/2011/04/kunst-buzz-creating-portraits-for.html 74

Fig 14. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Perceptual Map’ [own image]

Fig 20. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Email Advert’ [own image] Fig 21. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Website homepage’ [own image] Fig 22. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Personal Profile Survey’ [own image] Fig 23. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Personal Profile survey’ [own image] Fig 24. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Le Tote Website’ [own image] Fig 25. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Personal Profile Mick up’ [own image] Fig 26. WILKINSON, H., 2013. “Le Tote for Iphone ‘’ [own image] Fig 27. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Invites and Rewards’ [own image] Fig 28. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Promotional Video’ [own image] Fig 29. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Pinterest for Le Tote’ [own image] Fig 30. WILKINSON, H., 2013. ‘Recycle’ [own image]

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Appendix 1 Interview with Brett Northart - Co Founder of LeTote US ME: Hi Brett its Hannah from the UK BRETT: Hello good morning ME: Hi ok is it ok if I go ahead with my questions BRETT: sure fire away ME: Ok first question what happens if the customer likes the clothes they are given ? can they keep them or is there an option to buy them?

BRETT: Yea sure, well what happens is they have an option on their personal account that they can choose to purchase the items if they really love them. Also it works by if we get back your box with less items we charge you for what you kept.

ME: Oh I see cool ok how many times do you resend items of clothing before they are consider to be worn out unfit to re-send again, roughly?

BRETT: Yea I see that’s a tricky question it varies pretty widely on, depending on what the garment is made out of and also kind of the type of garments, so if it’s a sun dress and its no longer the summer time it doesn’t make much sense to send it out. We try to get at least I would say six uses out of it, but its erm typically more than that, I mean people rarely wear things until they fall apart I mean I’m sure if you went in your closet you wont have clothes with holes in them cos’ you have worn them to many times.

ME: Haha no, ok erm why or how did you come up with the concept of Letote BRETT: Yea so erm there are kind of three founders of the company and at dinner one night we were chatting about our buyers of one of the other founders and talking about buying habits and how my girlfriend, how she shared with her girlfriends and it made sense to us like the woman across a bunch of different socio economic classes and ages sharing behavior that kind of all woman have in common ME: ok great where do you source your clothes from is it one place or lots of different places?

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BRETT: Lots of different places, our buyer has a lot of relationships she;s been doing professional buying for about 12 years, so yea a lot of different places that were pulling clothes from ME: OK what methods of advertising do you use currently?

BRETT: Soo, we dont actually ME: oh you don’t BRETT: so as of right now we’ve had so much erm press coverage and traffic to the website, we’ve a big waiting list so at the moment it doesn’t realy make sense to advertise to get more people on a waiting list. So ye awe are letting as many people on as we can until the site can handle more people and we can provide.

ME: great ok would you consider bringing Letote to the UK if you could?

BRETT: Yea absolutely, I mean its definitely something we’ve talked about of how we could do this in other markets, I think one of the biggest factors for us when we look at it is how shipping works and the cost of shipping. Because here erm in the US were pretty favorable shipping prices erm especially moving a lot of volume , to be honest I haven’t worked at all in other markets so I don’t know what the shipping costs are like in the UK or for anywhere else for that matter.

ME: right ok I have just a few more short questions erm who is your consumer?

BRETT: So our girls is not necessarily a certain age but id say she typically falls in the 20 to 30 year old range I mean we’ve considered younger than that and much older than that. Erm typically urban and suburban fashion forward but on some kind of budget. So they’re not the girls that shop online at Pret a portay or Saks fifth ave or Niemen Marcus. So this girl has a variety of brands in her closet she’s part of fast fashion like forever 21, Zara its about quality and things she knows shell only wear once or twice.

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Appendix 2 Blogger Interveiw 1 - Jenna Gally Le Tote works like this: for $49 a month, you belong to what is essentially a big clothing-borrowing club. You receive a tote with 3 garments and 2 accessories. When you’re done with them, you ship the items back in a prepaid box, and they send you a new set of items. You can wear the items as many times as you like before sending them back but of course the quicker you send them back the quicker you receive a new one! My proposal is to launch LeTote into the UK market.

1. What are your initials feelings towards this idea, is it something you would consider?

I would definitely consider this, especially as a fashion blogger as you constantly want new garments to show your readers. It is also a great way of wearing something new without breaking the bank balance.

2. At the moment LeTote does not give you a choice of clothing but relies on personal stylists to send the consumer garments, would you prefer to have a choice of clothes each time you were sent a tote?

I would prefer to choose my own garments as I feel I have a very specific style and I know what suits me and what doesn’t.

3. Do you as a fashion blogger feel a pressure to keep up with trends, meaning having to constantly buy new outfits?

I do feel pressure to keep up with trends but to also style them in a way I am comfortable will. I also study fashion aswell as blog so trends are constantly around me and I feel to stay stylish I need to keep up to date.

4. Do you have items of clothing in your closet that you never wear anymore but keep anyway?

I own a lot of clothing which is just tucked away in my wardrobe and never gets worn, some which still has the tags on. I tell myself maybe I’ll wear it one day but realistically I probably won’t.

5. Have you ever bought clothing for your blog and returned them?

I haven’t bought something purely for my blog but I have featured things I’ve bought then decided I didn’t want to keep. I feel that my blog needs to really show who I am and how I style everyday outfits therefore I don’t think it is fair to show readers something you may like but not necessarily wear in ‘real life’ 6. Do you think sending out free totes to fashion bloggers around London fashion week is a good idea? Will it help gain attention?

I think that is a great idea, as it is a well-known event involving a lot of fashion conscious people. It would be a perfect example of a ‘walking advertisement’ and will most likely make the company more well-known due to people asking where the garments are from. The wearer is more than likely to show their outfits via social networking around this time too which will gain a lot of attention for the brand.

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7. What age group do you think this would fit best? For example teenagers who change their clothes all the time? Students? Young workers?

I think students would be an ideal age for this. They are very fashion forward and often play around with their style at this age and may struggle to buy clothes due to the university lifestyle even though they lust 24/7. As a fashion blogger myself I find most bloggers are around the student to young workers age therefore I think this will suit them best.

8. What kind of clothes would you expect/would like in your tote?

I would expect clothes that are bang on trend at that current time and maybe clothing that is abit different to what may be already offered on the highstreet. Also maybe statement pieces such as a stand out jacket or pair of trousers.

9. Would you want the clothes to be from known brands or would it not matter as long as they were of the same quality?

Brands as such would not bother me as long as the quality is up to a decent standard.

10. Can you suggest any clothing brands that LeTote could team up with that would also benefit them? For example HnM, New up and coming designers?

High street stores could be good so people who like the Items could purchase themselves but also more unique items like upcoming designers or university graduates so the clothing people are receiving are one offs or things no one has seen before.

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Appendix 3 Blogger Interveiw 2 - Shini Park 1. What are your initials feelings towards this idea, is it something you would consider?

It would really depend on the style/uniqueness/quality of garments and accessories, as I’m sure every blogger has a certain style and expectations from clothes. I do think that an ‘established’ blogger probably would not consider paying $49 a month to borrow clothes, as they’re most likely inundated by companies sending free clothes to keep anyway! In fact, there’s something similar in place at the moment (http:// bloggerswardrobe.com/) where bloggers ‘shop’ items, which then get sent free to their address periodically.

2. At the moment LeTote does not give you a choice of clothing but relies on personal stylists to send the consumer garments, would you prefer to have a choice of clothes each time you were sent a tote?

Yes, always – Personally, owning a blog, I like knowing I had a ‘say’ in every single style choice, and as a monthly subscriber (for quite a lot of money, if I were a teen/student) I’d be disappointed if I didn’t like any of the garments/accessories. For LeTote’s perspective, it will mean a higher chance of getting the clothes featured in the blog, too. Although not having a choice does leave opportunities to receive something does allow for pleasant surprises!

3. Do you as a fashion blogger feel a pressure to keep up with trends, meaning having to constantly buy new outfits?

I personally feel like I’ve already found a style that suits me and my lifestyle, but I do constantly purchase new things that may or not be the latest trend for the sake of having something different in the blog. But, I wouldn’t wake up and feel the need to purchase checkerboard print just because Louis Vuitton made checkerboard prints a trend this season and every highstreet/blog is wearing them.

4. Do you have items of clothing in your closet that you never wear anymore but keep anyway?

Yes, mostly layering pieces (sheer, jersey...etc) that I feel like I may or may not need it in the future, but never end up wearing in the meantime.

5. Have you ever bought clothing for your blog and returned them?

Yes, only in circumstances when I need the clothes for a shoot and it’s too late to get in touch with the PR for a sample loan or if the showroom does not have the piece in.

6. Do you think sending out free totes to fashion bloggers around London fashion week is a good idea? Will it help gain attention?

Yes/no – bloggers are definitely on the lookout for ‘new’ things during the fashion month and once featured, the brands of the clothes will definitely get more attention (style blogs/streetstyle), but this all really depends on who the bloggers are and what they’re after. During LFW, bloggers tend to dress a little more ‘edgy’, either with the hopes of getting snapped by a streetstyle photographer, or for the sake of ‘dressing up’, but this usually involves designer pieces that might be ‘in’ at the moment (think ‘philip lim pashli bag). But some bloggers may just be in search of new, different clothes to wear!

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7. What age group do you think this would fit best? For example teenagers who change their clothes all the time? Students? Young workers?

Definitely teens and students, those who don’t necessarily have the funds to go shopping at Topshop, H&M or Zara whenever there’s a new trend around. Also, trends are sometimes more common in teens/students while older, mid-20’s may have already found their own go-to style (and also might be in a different spending bracket) 8. What kind of clothes would you expect/would like in your tote?

Clothes with interesting cuts/pattern/texture or solid classics that can work into any outfit.

9. Would you want the clothes to be from known brands or would it not matter as long as they were of the same quality?

Wouldn’t matter, as long as the brand identity of the clothing is transparent and honest – at the end of the day, wearing ‘free’ clothes in the blog means I’m personally recommending the brand to my readers, so my integrity is at stake. Although I’d imagine some bloggers would want to wear clothes from known brands, because isn’t showing off a part of style-blogging!?

10. Can you suggest any clothing brands that LeTote could team up with that would also benefit them? For example HnM, New up and coming designers?

Highstreet brands such as River Island, ASOS, Mango, Next, Whistles, Reiss, Warehouse, New Look, Benetton, FCUK... (most up and coming designers will be aiming at a higher spending bracket to establish their brand! I.e £500 for a skirt etc)

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Appendix 4 Blogger Interveiw 3 - Khaila Jones 1. What are your initial feelings towards this idea, is it something you would consider?

I would, from a blogging point of view having a constant rotation of new, on trend items definitely appeals and I can see others being interested outside of the blogging community 2. At the moment LeTote does not give you a choice of clothing but relies on personal stylists to send the consumer garments, would you prefer to have a choice of clothes each time you were sent a tote?

I would prefer a choice rather than everyone to be sent the same thing however if the stylist chose with you in mind that would be ok 3. Do you as a fashion blogger feel a pressure to keep up with trends, meaning having to constantly buy new outfits?

I think it really depends whether you’re blogging about your own personal style or ‘fashion’ I wear what I like rather than the newest ensembles from Topshop so for me I don’t mind if I’ve had items for a while but it’s nicer to be able to provide a link in case a reader really loves something I’m wearing 4. Do you have items of clothing in your closet that you never wear anymore but keep anyway?

Loads of them, I’m a hoarder and although I regularly have clear outs I still have boxes upon boxes in my wardrobe I just can’t part with 5. Have you ever bought clothing for your blog and returned them?

No but I can see why people would 6. Do you think sending out free totes to fashion bloggers around London fashion week is a good idea? Will it help gain attention?

That’s probably a good time but then those attending shows may have items from the designer or specific outfits in mind ahead of LFW, may be a good idea but the publicity may be swallowed up by everything else. I think quarterly with the change in seasons would be a great time, everyone is switching their outfits and it’s something that lots of people post about.

7. What age group do you think this would fit best? For example teenagers who change their clothes all the time? Students? Young workers?

I would guess students, people who go out a lot and don’t want to be seen wearing the same thing. Someone older (like me) who doesn’t go out as often wouldn’t be as interested unless they’re a blogger (in my opinion)

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8. What kind of clothes would you expect/would like in your tote?

I’d expect set trends, aztec, neon etc but I’d have no expectation of style or specific items. I guess tshirts and accessories would be easier than jeans or more fitted items if you’re sending the same styles in different sizes to everyone but it would nice if something was more tailored to the individual or if they could choose the style, a little like littleblackbag.com in the US 9. Would you want the clothes to be from known brands or would it not matter as long as they were of the same quality?

I personally wouldn’t really mind since I’d likely only wear them once or twice but if I was buying them I may care more 10. Can you suggest any clothing brands that LeTote could team up with that would also benefit them? For example HnM, New up and coming designers?

I am a big fan of H&M and they do regular trend launches so they would be perfect. ARK clothing would also be appropriate since they are also big on the fashions of the moment, they’re affordable and I believe the fastest growing brand on ASOS

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Appendix 5 Blogger Interveiw 4 - Klaudia Majewska 1. What are your initial feelings towards this idea, is it something you would consider?

It’s very unique and I would never actually thought there is something like this in the market so it’s really nice to try out. I would actually research it in specific I would take it into consideration that there is something like this out there. It’s a pretty good idea!

2. At the moment LeTote does not give you a choice of clothing but relies on personal stylists to send the consumer garments, would you prefer to have a choice of clothes each time you were sent a tote?

I personally would prefer to choose out my own clothes as I do dress ‘differently’ and have my own style also i have days that i want to dress girl and other day where i want to dress as a tomboy. But what I also think it would be nice if someone that doesn’t know what to wear or have a style yet then they have the choice to get hep and others to choose their cloths out but also if they wish to choose their own clothes out then i think that would be a good idea. as well as maybe having to choose your favorite. for example 3 things and the rest selected by the stylist.

3. Do you as a fashion blogger feel a pressure to keep up with trends, meaning having to constantly buy new outfits?

I think I’m not really bothered with what others wear and what the trends are. If I see something i like then i’ll get it but if there is a trend i don’t like i’m not going to wear it as it doesn’t show my personality and again i dress differently so i like to stand out.

4. Do you have items of clothing in your closet that you never wear anymore but keep anyway?

Yes, although i do clear it our a lot as i don’t like the look of overflown closet with clothes.

5. Have you ever bought clothing for your blog and returned them?

No, i don’t think i did.

6. Do you think sending out free totes to fashion bloggers around London fashion week is a good idea? Will it help gain attention?

I’m not too sure on this but I kind of feel that more ‘popular’ blogs especially on London fashion week get things and then only sometimes do a blog post. I think it would be better to make a deal with blog around 400 followers bloggers that if they do 1 blog post on their blog then they can have a free tote.

7. What age group do you think this would fit best? For example teenagers who change their clothes all the time? Students? Young workers?

I think it’s too expensive for teenage and then the hassle to post it back so i think it would fit students the most.

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8. What kind of clothes would you expect/would like in your tote?

I think a complete outfit would be nice but also t shirts are better as if it’s too big then you can work it but if trousers are to big you can really wear them.

9. Would you want the clothes to be from known brands or would it not matter as long as they were of the same quality?

I would like some well known brand even if it’s one piece in the tote but again the quality is important.

10. Can you suggest any clothing brands that LeTote could team up with that would also benefit them? For example HnM, New up and coming designers?

New Look, H&M, River Island, Topshop, Asos etc. Also I think DIY bloggers would be kind of cool as no one ever did a collab for them to sell their DIY.

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Appendix 6

Focus Group - 7, 17-25 year olds Me : Do you all conent for any information gained today to be used as apart of my research report?

month for unlimited totes Chloe : Id say like 25-30

All: Yes, Yeah, Yes fine, yea Beth: 30 maybe Me: Ok lets start. How often do you buy clothes and return them?

Beth : At least once or twice a month Kate yea I agree

Alex: well can you cancel your subscription and do it another month because what if I didn’t need it one month?

Beth: I’d probably do it and pay if it was really nice clothes so maybe if it was linked to a store or brands already

Alex: yea Grace: yea I would do it if Grace: mainly when I am going out pretty much Beth: So say if Topshop did it id say yea definitely Chloe: I don’t do it that often maybe like three times a year!

Chloe or River Island Me: Ok if you could afford them would you keep them or do you take them back because you don’t want to be seen in them twice.

Beth: say like when we get a full time working job were gong to want to look smart all the time its going to cost a fortune

Kate : yea definitely Chloe: then it would be brilliant Beth: Yea ill wear them on a night out, I wouldn’t buy day stuff and take it back

Beth that when it would be amazing

Chloe yea same I agree

Kate : Yeah, yeah

Me: Now I have explained to you what Le Tote is what are your initial feelings towards it?

Well at the moment Le Tote Us are doing daytime smart clothes Beth and they would never need to no that you don’t actually own it

Beth: I like the idea Chloe: you would just look really fashionable all the time Alex : So if I was going to burrow an out fit for the night how much would it cost?

Me: Well its monthly so the quicker you send it back the quicker you receive your next one.

Kate: Yeah every week Grace: Do they go by your style or? Do they just send you anything?

Me: No you fill out a style profile

Grace is it free postage?

Beth: Oh so you don’t get to choose what your get?

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Me: yea its free postage and packaging its included in your monthly fee.

Which leads onto my next question of how much would you be willing to pay a

Me : no its kind of a surprise

All: Ohhh ooo not sure

Me: Great would you be more likely to buy into a company if it had a celebrity linked to it or does it not make a difference to you?

Beth: I’d definitely like choice even if its only 10 things.

Beth: I think sometimes it cheapens it with a celebrity Me: So options yes?

Alex: hmm I don’t know I think it depends who it is Grace: Yea I would like not having an choice Kate: Yes same All: Yea, definitely, ohh yea etc.

Me: so you would like it if they built you a style profile of thing you would like then you got to pick out of a few options of what you would like

Chloe: If you stuck Kate Middleton with a blue dress on it and said you can get Kate Middleton’s style with us id be a bit put off its been done Beth: Sometimes I like stuff like that

Grace: there should be a picture on there of what you look like in it Chloe: I don’t like it when they just nap a photo and find something like it Me: Almost like personal profiles?

Kate: I think they could have a photo of a celebrity with like a style Grace: Yes so your blonde, this colour would suit you and it show you what outfits you have worn before??

Me: Ok would you like it to be everyday clothes or more going out?

Beth : no I think it would be cooler to have stylists? Rather than actual celebrity’s Alex: Yeah, so like professionals like Alexis Knox has done something on a fashion website

Chloe: More going out Grace: I’m not sure if it will work though if you having different brands Kate: I feel going out Grace and Alex: I think models are better than celebrities Beth: going out or smart stuff Alex: Like someone who is really big at the time Chloe: Because everyday clothes you get comfortable in like legging and jumpers you would care to much?

Me Right what kind of styles or brands would you like to see e.g. Topshop style River Island, French Connection etc.

Me: So what about stylists? Famous stylists?

Alex: You should make it feel like it is your personal stylish as well

Kate: Zara

Me: Would you like the clothes to be branded would this make a difference to you signing up?

Alex: I think quality ones that I wouldn’t go to every day because I couldn’t afford it

Chloe: yea I wouldn’t do it if it was just Le Tote clothes

Kate: Yeah like French connection?

Beth: No

Grace: you could have different packages where you pay for different brands? So if you pay thirty you get Topshop if you pay more you get French connection

Alex: Yeah same Me: Would you be happy with its current offer of three garments and two accessories

Me: Ok so different levels? By changing the monthly cost Alex: Yeah 3 is good Grace: A bit like a phone bill!

All : Yeah, yeah I think so yea.

Beth: Yeah different segments!

Chloe: So like bronze silver or gold Beth: Yea like different tariffs

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Appendix 7 Retail Return Survey

Two Research surveys were carried out to gain information on the consumer and there preferences. As shown here 104 and 102 responses were collected making both surveys valid.

Retails Returns Survey was carried out to find out the initials feelings towards fast fashion and the act of de-shopping Fast Fashion survey was carried out to gain information from the target consumers and there shopping habits.

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89

1

2 45+ 35-45

1% 3%

25-35

30%

16-25

66%

Please select your age bracket

3

Male

11%

Female

89%

Please select your gender

4

Someone else bought the same 2% I wanted to try it on at home

22%

I could not afford it in the long run 15% I bought more than one, to take back 3% It did not look right on me

19%

It does not fit properly

39%

What is your main reason for returning clothing 90

Sometimes east sometimes not

6%

Quite Easy

50%

Very easy, I rarely get questioned 44%

How easy do you feel it is to return clothes in stores?

6

5 No Yes

33%

No not at all

39%

Yes more than once

41%

Yes once

20%

67%

Have you ever bought clothing items with intention of returnng them

Have you ever purchased any clothing, worn it and returned it?

8

7 Once every so often All the time Question not applicable

Question not applicable

37%

Lots of people I know do it

25%

40% 5% 40%

Once or twice a month when going out 15% If yes how often would you say?

I do not want to be seen in the same outfit twice 11% I no how easy it is to return items 11% I could not afford a new outfit

16%

What is your main reason for returning clothing after you have purchasd and worn them?

91

Appendix 8 Fast Fashion Consumer Survey Do you or have you ever recycled?

What is your age bracket?

2

H&M

8% Miss Selfridge 16% Topshop 10% River Island 11% Zara 8% New Look 18% All of them

3 11% k Primar 15%

5% Yes

Which of these brands do you currently shop at?

92

No

95%

2% 26-30 30+ 0%

48% 21-25

16-20

50%

1

How many times do you wear an outfit before you do not want to e seen in it again?

Do you ever borrow items of clothing from friends for example for a certain occasion?

No

Yes

14%

5 86%

20% Loads I dont mind

Quite a few times

11% Once or twice

57%

Once

12%

4

93

What do you think of the idea of Le Tote, is it something you would consider?

How much would you be willing to pay a month?

Yes

87%

13% No

6

94

2% 30 Plus

38% 15-20

20-25

60%

7

Do you ever struggle to find an outfit for a oarticualr occasion causing you to go and buy something for the sake of it?

How many garments do you feel would make up an outfit or how many do you wear on a daily basis?

4% 5 Plus

14% Jacket , Jumper 4, Top, Bottoms,

35% Dont Mind

2% No

63% Yes

10

7% 2 e.g Top & Trousers

Would you like the clothes to be branded or would it not matter?

75% 3 e.g Top, Bottoms, Jacket

9

3% No

97% Yes

8

95

Appendix 9 Logo Development

96

It was decided to change Le Totes logo purely to launch it into the UK market the final decision can be seen below. This was to differentiate the brand from the US 15 Participants were asked their opinions and the majority responded with the no color logos It was decided to choose this log down to its simple colour and style.

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fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: Thursday 21st February Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes ยง Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion ยง Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal ยง Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication ยง Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

- Initial ideas to discuss for the new project - Bring the Module guide to write on so I know exactly what each learning outcome means. This will enable me to gain the highest grade possible as I will no what need to be done to meet each grade banding.

Learning issues to discuss in session:

- Questions about collaboration/Teamwork Ask howmuch work needs to be done if you work as a team. Is it the right decision?

- Opinions on my own initial ideas

Feedback from session:

- Gained some new ideas on what to look into - Made me think about holding a real event rather than a hypothetical one - What is expected from the module guide Tasks for next session:

-Complete tutorial sheet to show my tutorial journey and the way I have managed time.

-Make a carter diagram to show all areas of research this will help determine what research path or groups of research I should look into more making my journey clearer.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

98

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: Thursday 28th February Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes ยง Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion ยง Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal ยง Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication ยง Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

-

Photo of Carter Diagram to show my research staring point Any research into project Completed tutorial sheet for Sarah to sign Project proposal : sum up your project in one sentence

Learning issues to discuss in session:

- Get feedback on possible collaboration ideas - Unsure about how successful an event will be discuss with tutor other possible options and would it still be advised to work in a group if I am not going to hold the event.

Feedback from session:

- Need to make it clear as to what event I want to hold and who for - Farron gave idea on holding a small event in Nottingham for all the coffee shops to come along and advertise their shop.

- Discussed with others my idea and found that I am very unclear as to who I can hold the event for, which lead to deciding that I will hold a hypothetical one for a larger company as I can produce larger outcomes Tasks for next session:

- Have a clear idea of what my project will be about this is to ensure I get constructive feedback to know if the idea is worth taking forward or to adapt it slightly.

- Have started some primary research even if it is only small because everything can be used as apart of the research journey.

- Have prepared a short presentation to discuss my idea to my new tutor and group so I can gain feedback on my idea and any other ideas they may have to tell me or areas to research.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

99

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: 7th March ?

Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes ยง Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion ยง Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal ยง Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication ยง Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session: - Short presentation of my new project idea and possible out comes.

- Any stared primary research - Ideas to discuss with others from my last project to help them

Learning issues to discuss in session: - Feedback on my idea - Discuss weather it is a good idea or not as I changed projects last minute - Gain feedback from the group ask them questions on what they think of my idea

Feedback from session: - Good Idea needs more research into the company itself and the clothes being rented. I need to find out what kind of clothes are being rented along with the brands.

- Research into the current UK market needs to be done - What are the quality control methods of the company? This is an important factor as is could determine who signs up or not.

Tasks for next session: - Create a Critical Path from now till hand in taking into consideration any tasks/events associated timeline of the sequence of events & which tasks/events are dependent on others and who is responsible for each task. This will ensure that I keep on target for completing tasks in the correct order. This will also allow for me to see what tasks need to be done in order for others to follow.

- Contact Brett the founder and ask a few more questions on quality control. This is to confirm at what point clothes are disposed of and where they are being disposed of too.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

100

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: Monday 11th March Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes § Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion § Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal § Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication § Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

- Started a Critical Path from now till hand in taking into consideration any tasks/ events that need to be completed in order for others to be.

Learning issues to discuss in session:

- Ask Sarah for some more feedback on my research - Check my critical path is correct and understandable to others so they can understand my journey.

- Discuss my possible outcomes in terms of my grade so I am aware of how to improve or what can be done in order to meet my maximum grade.

Feedback from session:

I missed this tutorial however I was able to catch up on what was missed.

- To start chapter plan and introduction to send to Sarah over Easter. This is so I can gain feedback on weather I make my idea clear and my project understandable from the outset of my report.

Tasks for next session

-Do further consumer primary research to discuss next time. This is to ensure I am gaining the right information and find out other possible ways that other have done consumer research.

- Start writing up and primary research and possibly put together my introduction to enable me to keep on track as I have L’Oreal to do as well Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

101

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: 12th April Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes § Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion § Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal § Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication § Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

-Bring a print out of your introduction and chapter plan to review with Sarah.

-Bring any other research that you done over Easter to gain feedback on.

Learning issues to discuss in session:

- How well my introduction flowed - Does it explain what my project is about clearly

Feedback from session:

- Make a note to add in marketing models if they are appropriate to my report. For example A SWOT, Perceptual map and competitor analysis would all be appropriate to my report as I am launching as new company into the UK.

Tasks for next session:

Make my research a journey. This is help the reader understand how I got to different points and why I chose to use certain methods.

- Find out about other clothing rental company’s and find out their success. This will help determine how successful Le Tote will be and also show where other company’s may be going wrong so I can find the gap in the market for LeTote.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

102

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: 18th April Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes § Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion § Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal § Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication § Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

- Interim Presentation along with notes

Learning issues to discuss in session:

- Get feedback on my idea and strategic outcomes as a lot of my peers are the target age range for my idea so there feedback would be invaluable

Feedback from session:

-Need to look into post modern theory plus any related theories eg – The tipping point.

-Give more insight into what primary research I have done to back up points ia m making in my report and presentation.

-Look at the 5 c’s of communication.

Tasks for next session:

-Order book by Lucy Seigle – Fashion to die for this will help in understanding the true affects of fast fashionon the enviroment.

-Look into changing consumer behaviors, what are there attitudes towards sustainable fashion? Are they more aware of the environmental effects.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

103

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: 22th April Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes § Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion § Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal § Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication § Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

15 minute tutorial bring any work I have done and would like to go through and discuss.

Learning issues to discuss in session:

-Discuss H&M conscious collection -Plus that people buy second hand items on ebay a reason why people will not -have problem with Le Tote.

-Check that any theory makes sense in relation to my report.

Feedback from session:

-Always ask myself ‘ why now’ this is to ensure my report is timely - Consider what my need is and the difference between the consumer needs between the US and the UK to make sure the correct methods of communication are being used and to understand that there are large differences between the two consumers.

Tasks for next session:

- Look into WRAP project as they discuss sustainability and fast fashion both relating to my report.

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

104

fcp3

School of Art & Design ba

Tutorial Record Sheet 2012/13 Module: Research Project Stage 2 Ref. no: FASH30001 Date: 13th May Name : Hannah Wilkinson

Learning outcomes § Produce a self determined body of work that demonstrates cultural and global discourses around theories and ideas in relation to fashion, communication and promotion § Use appropriate levels of research and methods of analysis relevant to the production of your proposal § Make informed selections and develop appropriate and creative solutions in relation to the application of visual communication § Question assumptions within the area of study through the ability to formulate independent judgment, contribute to discussions and articulate reasoned arguments Tutorial / Seminar Record Sheet Work to bring / prepare for session:

-Bring L’Oreal visuals to discuss - Ask Sarah about the layout of L’Oreal and any last minute questions for the creative report before being sent to print.

Learning issues to discuss in session:

- Ask Sarah to read through my introduction and Fast fashion section. I changed how much on fast fashion I wanted to talk about so I wanted to stress to Sarah how I realise there is fast fashion but Le Tote is small alternative not a solution. This is too ensure I was not contradicting myself in my report and it was understood what message I wanted to give.

Feedback from session:

-Add a few more details in my introduction such as what is Airbnb? To ensure my report would be understood by the external examiner or an outsider reading my report.

- Double check spelling and grammar to make sure my writing flows.

-Evaluate Tutorial sheets to show what you did each week and why Tasks for next session:

-Report finished and sent to printers -Bring in the start of your L’Oreal document to Sarsh to dicuss

Please indicate progress to hand in (1 = Not ready / 5 = Ready and Prepared) 1 2 3 4 5 Signed (Tutor) Signed (student)

105

Critical Path

106

A critical path was made on the 11th of March to show what work had to be completed over the course of the term and by what date. As shown here some tasks over lapped and others required different tasks to be completed before being able to start the next one. The critical path helped my time management as it allowed me to view the tasks in order and were clearly displayed.

Some tasks such as the making of the promotion video/ photo-shoot were done sooner than on the critical path.

Where as others such as my online portfolio was done later in the term rather than all the way through. It didn’t have too much of an effect on the work produced as all tasks were completed to the best of my ability.

Overall the critical path was invaluable to me finishing my work as it allowed me to see the maximum amount of time I could leave a task before it had to be done if I wasn’t on target. If given the task again I would suggest shorter periods of time to be set for different tasks as some task took less time than expected causing lack of motivation to move on straight away to the next task.

107

I confirm that this work has gained ethical approval and that I have faithfully observed the terms of the approval in the conduct of this project.

This submission is the result of my own work. All help and advice other than that received from tutors has been acknowledged and primary and secondary sources of information have been properly attributed.

Should this statement prove to be untrue I recognise the right and duty of the board of examiners to recommend what action should be taken in line with the University's regulations on assessment contained in its handbook.

signed .................................................................................................................... date .......................................................................................................................

108

Ethical Clearance Checklist for individual student projects To be completed by the student for an individual project that involves the collection of primary data this includes images, drawings, photographs, questionnaires and interviews.

Please complete this document following the guidance in the School of Art and Design Ethical Guidelines and Framework for Research and Practice Undertaken by Students.

Section A: About the research Name: Hannah Wilkinson Programme of Study: Fashion Communication and Promotion Module Title and Reference Number: FASH 30002

Name of module leader/supervisor responsible for the management of the project: Tim Rundle Duration of project February 2013 - May 2013 Project title: An Investigation into collaborative consumption and the launch of Le Tote in the UK Section B: Training and experience Have you had previous experience of or been trained in the methods employed to collect data, and/or discussed with your supervisor?

Have you been informed, given guidance, had issues outlined in relation to research ethics and consideration in relation to your project?

yes yes

no no

Section C: Methodology/Practice/Procedures Does your proposed study involve procedures which are likely to cause physical, psychological, social or emotional distress to participants or yourself?

Does your proposed study involve the use of hazardous materials, other than those currently covered by the School Health and Safety procedures?

yes yes

No no

Section D: Ethical checklist Does your project involve observing/questioning/the use of people in any way?

Yes : Please complete the remainder of the form No: Go straight to Compliance with ethical principles and Declaration Does your study involve vulnerable participants as described in the Student Ethical Toolkit? yes no n/a Does your study involve observation and/or recording of identifiable participants without their knowledge? yes no n/a Will participants give informed consent freely and be fully informed of the study and of the use of any data collected? yes no n/a Will participants be informed of their right to withdraw from the study? yes no n/a Will all information on participants be treated as confidential and not identifiable unless agreed otherwise in advance and subject to legal requirements? yes Will any recordings of participants be securely kept and not released for use by third parties? yes no n/a Will storage data comply with the Data Protection Act 1998? yes no n/a

no

n/a

If you have selected an answer shaded in grey, you must submit a full application to the Subject REC or modify the project. A full submission to the Subject PREC comprises of: this form, a project proposal, an additional statement of up to 500 words outlining the ethical issues raised by the project and the proposed approach to deal with these.

Compliance with Ethical Principles If you have completed the checklist to the best of your knowledge without selecting an answer shaded in grey, the research is deemed to conform with the ethical checkpoints and you do not need to seek formal approval from the Subject PREC. Please sign the declaration below, and lodge the completed checklist with your supervisor.

Declaration I have read the Ethical Guidelines and Framework for Research and Practice Undertaken by Students. I confirm that the above named investigation complies with published codes of conduct, ethical principles and guidelines of professional bodies associated with the research discipline.

Name of student: ………………………………………………………………………………

Signature of student ……………………………………………………………………………….

Signature of supervisor/module leader ……………………………………………..…………………………..………. Date ………………………………………………………

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110