T
his concept book on Matty Bovan moving into a different market level aims to underpin the foundations for my ideas surrounding the future of brands such as Matty Bovan. Using him as a placeholder, I have been able to propose a future make-up line for him named ‘Dystopian Rose’. I have referenced Matty Bovan a lot within my third year at university as I find myself resonating with the designer a lot and being able to feel my own emotions when analysing his pieces. It felt like a natural progression to use his eponymous label to showcase the possibilities for brands and where they can go. I will be specifically moving Matty Bovan to a into the premium cosmetics industry market compared to where he sits now in the luxury designer market. This concept book highlights my approach to my own brief, including an introduction to the brand, my proposal, models, the strategy and beyond. I have been able to use my skills that I have developed across all three years of my degree to propose something more than just stating what I want to do; how will I communicate my ideas through visual and written communication?
Let’s go on a journey to a Dystopian Rose…
INTRODUCTION 1 CASE STUDY ANALYSING MODELS 2 - 3 4 CASTING MOOD BOARD MEET KIT 6 - 7 8 - 9 MEET JOSH FINAL SHOOT PROPOSAL 10 - 11 12 - 13 MAKE-UP MOOD BOARDS POSES MOOD BOARDS 14 - 15 18 - 63 MATTY BOVAN 20X20 THE STRATEGY 74 -75 76 - 77 NEW MARKET AND NARRATIVE CONSUMER PROFILE 78 - 79 INTRODUCING DYSTOPIAN ROSE 82 - 89 PRODUCTS PRICE 90 91 PLACE PROMOTION 94 - 97 100 LOGO DESIGNS GIFT BAGS 102 - 103 104 - 105 THE FUTURE REFERENCES 108 - 109
C A S E M
atty Bovan is a British designer and founder of his eponymous fashion label in 2015 when he graduated from Central Saint Martins with a MA in Fashion Knitwear. Matty Bovan is conceptual line within the luxury designer market including dresses, t-shirts, skirts, jumpers, and more recently in his recent e-shop, products such as caps, woolly hats, joggers, and handbags. Upon graduating, his collection opened the show, and he was selected for the L’Oréal Professional Creative Award, then the LVMH Graduate Prize in 2015. Bovan then moved to Paris to work as a junior designer with Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton for a short time. His brand is stocked by Matches Fashion and Milan’s No30.
HISTORY Since the designer’s graduation, he has been involved in an abundance of projects. In 2016 Matty Bovan started his partnership with Coach, aiding with accessory design. He has also worked with Miu Miu, Mac cosmetics and Barbie, which he has been a fan of since childhood. Matty Bovan showed at fashion weeks with Fashion East until his AW18 collection where he made the move to go solo. Bovan has played a significant role in re-imagining knitwear through the non-sterile way of working through the use of colour, texture, patterns, shapes, and re-purposing existing materials. Bovan was the recipient of the British Fashion Councils Newgen bursary in 2020, which has provided the designer with more flexibility with working on bigger and better things, as the BFC awards the designers of tomorrow. Bovan has been in favour of moving away from London when he moved back to his hometown in York. He uses local suppliers in his town, supporting British textile production and reducing his footprint on overseas importing of materials.
STUDY GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE INDUSTRY Albeit a smaller brand compared to some of the major designer labels within the world of luxury design, Matty Bovan encapsulates what it is to be personal and unique within his processes. Each piece is touched by hand, where the designer is always experimenting with new methods to add to his approaches. Bovan’s label doesn’t go unnoticed within the industry where in 2021 he was awarded both the International Woolmark Prize and The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, where the theme was ‘Less is More’. Winning both awards in the same year demonstrates the commitment the designer has in shaking up the industry and the services his brand can offer.
DIFFUSION LINE In addition to Matty Bovan’s success since graduation, he has successfully started up the Matty Bovan e-shop with more expansion that is aimed at a slightly younger consumer base. The products on offer are still all hand-made, using sublimation printing techniques, paint, and appliqué, which maintains the luxury outlook the items have. The acquisition of marketing to a younger consumer will mean that Bovan has more exposure in the creative industry and apparel consumption, alongside his partnerships with other brands.
CONSUMER The Matty Bovan consumer is across all ages and genders where his diffusion line and original brand label will target different groups. By maximising both opportunities, Bovan can ensure all consumers are catered for. The brand channels individuality and the celebration that comes alongside it. It is about embracing who you are and not letting anyone tell you differently. Matty Bovan hones in on what it is to hand-make something, own a one-of-a-kind garment, something that this century is losing due to the constant rise of fast-fashion and its mass production, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
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As Matty Bovan caters for all genders
and does not assign a specific gender when designing, the looks worn by all people offer an androgynous side to the brand. This is reassuring that Bovan designs for all, and not just one. A mixture of both men and women will strut that catwalk, but in a day like today, gender is becoming lesser and lesser of a determined factor within some brands. Make-up plays a significant role within Matty Bovan’s fashion week shows, and both the brand and designers identity. With chiselled cheeks himself, Matty has the perfect canvas for enhancing facial features using make-up. He loves to experiment with eye shadows and lipsticks and also explores with the use of glitter. Within the models selected for his shows, there is a seriousness within the models faces. There are no smiles or laughing, the faces are very muted, very strong and has something sinister about them. Everything from the models, the make-up, the hair, and the garments offers Matty Bovan’s label the dystopian and apocalyptic images that others describe it as. The pieces are so colourful and texturized, that the way the make-up sits can look so poignant.
2.
Another important factor within this, is that make-up will be worn by both men and women, which is what I wanted to incorporate in my final shoot on capturing the energy of Matty Bovan. I decided to use male models, especially for facial features and application of make-up for this project. It allows me to challenge the conventions of gender-stereotyping, something that Bovan does himself every day. Thinking about make-up is what gave me the inspiration for suggesting a make-up line for the designer. Allowing him to create a make-up line that was in line with bridge brands that can offer affordable make-up, with a hint of luxury to it. Consumers that love to express themselves, can be offered tools to take their identify even further should they desire to. With Bovan being pro-makeup, it only seems natural for him to progress into an area such as make-up within the future. This could expose him to a whole other consumer and providing growth for his eponymous label.
Brainstorming a certain look that I want for my models...
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PROPOSAL
MODELS
This shoot will aim to capture the energy of that inspired by Matty Bovan. I want to create something conceptual to liven up the lower market levels. Something that can be luxury but more accessible to younger consumers. This is just a concept so I’m not trying to re-brand Bovan at all. Simply capturing an energy that can be experienced in a tangible and visual way, allowing consumers to immerse themselves in imagery that tells a story where the emotions and energy can be transferred to them.
Previously for models, I have just used the bodies of people, as I prefer to edit these up in Photoshop where I can add different heads and distort their limbs. This adds an unusual perspective to the viewer and can be interpreted in many different ways.
STYLING For the styling in this shoot, I will be using my skills within layering on the body; it will act as a way of being fully protected; I want the shapes to be unusual, the poses to be abstract and out of the ordinary. I want it to be weird. I will be using a range of colours within the looks, as this is something imperative to Matty Bovan and the way he uses colour. Layering is also within his approach, so I need to make sure I do this in a way that looks like his approach to some extent. I love the clashing of patterns that Bovan mixes and matches up, so I’m excited to see how I interpret this in the studio and in the final images.
MAKE-UP I have previously experimented with two make-up looks on a model which worked really well. For the shoot I am hoping that I can re-create something similar that can be captured through better lighting. The looks will also be accompanying the styles I create with all the material I have gathered. By having make-up this will make sure that the overall look can come together more seamlessly. I will still edit this in photoshop, where I can make the colours look brighter and still cut up pieces of the photographs to create collages and use them within other imagery. My work is been all about proportion and using different pieces of the images within new imagery.
For this shoot, I have contacted a friend who I think has an androgynous look about them. I think it’s important that I experiment with using an androgynous person as Matty Bovan’s models are typically androgynous. I also wanted to attempt to create a makeup look so that some of the heads that I may cut and use on different looks is primary imagery as that is important to me that I am able to get a variety of looks. Two other friends who will also be used within my shoot, so I will have multiple models. My aim is to get singular shots but also have all three together in the shots to show a relationship through movement, colour, and texture. The poses that I direct my models to be in will add the dramatic and unconventional theme within my work.
PROPS Although most of the look will be centred on the styling and makeup, I do have other items that may help tie the looks together, I have things like hats and furniture or household items which may make this a bit more conceptual, helping to tell the story and jazzing things up slightly. These are just to use for a few test shots, if I like the look of them as I’m shooting, then I will continue to use them and alter how I’m using them.
11.
HOW
IS MATTY BOVAN COLOURFUL?
Throughout my research and analysis of Matty Bovan, colour is the first component that I notice when looking at his work. As colour is so important within my own work, it comes naturally for me to visually look at designs in a way of focusing on colour over shape majority of the time. For Bovan himself, he is aware of the importance of colour within his processes and outcomes, which is where I find similarities between the designer and myself. In an interview with 1Granary, Bovan said “The way I put colours and textures together is a natural extension of who I am and what I wear myself ” (Wolf, 2015). I resonate with the designer here, because this is what I discovered within Brand Me; exploring who I am and the way I work, where colour plays a very important role in this. For Bovan, I admire the use of clashing varying colours within his creations as it adds to the drama that it holds in the viewers eyes. It shows power and transpires a story that can be down to interpretation despite there being Bovan’s own narrative that he has depicted. I believe that everyone experiences colour differently, which means people can create their own understandings of what they are looking at.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN EVOKE CHAOS WITHIN HIS WORK? Chaos is something that can be viewed as a negative element to some things, however, to visually look at, it could be something that actually works well and helps deliver the story further or in a more effective way. With the clashing of colour and textures within Bovan’s work, this can create as essence of chaos. As stated by (CHAOTIC | Mirriam Wester, n.d.) it is ‘being in a state of chaos: completely confused or disordered’ which at first seems to have a negative connotation. For myself, I apply chaos to Bovan’s work in the idea that there is more to the story. Maybe even stories within stories, chaos does not have to be a bad thing. As I channel maximalist traits within my work, I visually enjoy a chaotic scene or subject because I don’t always like stripped back things. I can link chaos back to Bovan’s use of colour and texture as he mixes them in unconventional and surprising ways.
IN WHAT WAY DOES MATTY BOVAN’S BRAND CHANNEL FLUIDITY? Personally, I am attracted to androgynous fashion when it comes to my work and not assigning gender’s to my consumer. I believe that within Bovan’s aesthetic he doesn’t assign a gender. He is very fluid within his own identity as he uses makeup and wears skirts which were historically designed for women. Today, there are no set rules, and you can be whoever you want to be. When researching Matty Bovan, specifically looking at a lot of catwalk images, there are a range of female and male models, but his recent AW22 collection had only male models, and he even strutted the catwalk himself. The items within the show consisted of huge skirts, trousers, capes, and tabard’s. Every item was worn by a male demonstrating that there is no right or wrong way to wear something, furthering the idea that gender shouldn’t even matter or shouldn’t be a focal point anymore. Within my email interview with Matty Bovan, he stated that his consumer is “across all ages and genders” which supports the notion that there is not a specific consumer, and anyone can wear his label.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN ENCOMPASS A DYSTOPIAN CONCEPT? When I first came across Matty Bovan, I analysed his AW21 collection Ode to the Sea, where there was something quite haunting about what he had created. In a review by SHOWstudio, they noted the collection portrayed a storm at sea where the world had been flipped upside down (Matty Bovan Scoops Double Win at International Woolmark Prize 2021 | SHOWstudio, n.d.). When I think about the concept of a dystopian world, I think of something derelict, something empty, something that has gone through trauma, however with Bovan’s work, it almost juxtaposes the negatives. Bovan demonstrates that beauty can come from the storms, and this can be portrayed through his innovative creations in each collection. The dystopian world Bovan encompasses can tell hard and truthful realities through an emotionally moving lens. He creates his own worlds within his pieces, almost creating the untouchable. Perhaps this isn’t realistic for some, however for others, this only forces the light further on to those who can take us to another world of admiration for such creations by telling us stories in different ways.
IN WHAT WAYS DOES MATTY BOVAN USE VOLUME WITHIN HIS CREATIONS? Matty Bovan has a very unique way of working, through using up materials around him and making the most of what we have already. This means that as he builds each look up, the shape of the garment is changing all the time. Some of the silhouettes from his collections are on the larger side in comparison to some of the other more stripped back looks. I really like the pieces that take up more volume in space as for me, it adds to the drama and chaos within the garment. Bovan’s SS22 collection ‘Hypercraft’ encapsulated the concept of volume to the max. Each item told a different story through its shape which has been achieved through layering and the clashing of patterns and colours.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN INCORPORATE LAYERING WITHIN HIS WORK? Much like when writing about the ways that Matty Bovan uses volume in his creations, this can be achieved through the excessive layering that the designer uses in order to create his looks. As I have become more open-minded to how designers mix and match certain materials and colours, this is only because I have been able to understand the stories and create my own stories; I have more appreciation. Matty Bovan layers different materials and colours in ways you wouldn’t think worked together. This works in harmony with the volume and size of the silhouettes. His layering is very personal and recognisable to his way of working.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN OFFER SENTIMENTALITY WITHIN HIS WORK? Researching Matty Bovan has been a very eye-opening journey. It’s been educational in understanding what our creatives in the industry are doing, including spreading both positive and hard truth messages to the viewer. Understanding that Bovan uses materials around him, he also manipulates and changes the fabrics and one of these ways is through screen-printing. Bovan’s SS22 ‘Hypercraft’ collection is by far one of my favourites. He had screen-printed family pictures onto fabric and then created the garments; this adds a sentimental touch to his work of both his family heritage showing it is personal. (Ryder, n.d.) quotes “Bovan’s ‘HYPERCRAFT’ succeeded in channelling both the surreal and the familiar at once” which I love about the collection. I think that it can also support this notion of a dystopian world, distorting it and making people really consider what they are actually looking at. Considering every piece he creates is handmade, this means for the consumer, anything they receive has been touched and manipulated by hand which can make the consumer feel more sentimental about what they have purchased. This in-turn could be a factor in helping minimise throw-away fashion as if something is hand-made, you are less inclined to get rid of it.
HOW IS THERE A CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENT TO MATTY BOVAN? When referring to the ‘characteristic’ of the brand, I am referring to an energy or vibe from the brand. Matty Bovan takes you into another world when presenting each piece. The character within the brand is one that pushes the boundaries in their personal self, is not afraid of being too bold or too stripped back. The character makes people stop and listen, pondering about what it means, or what it shows, all down to interpretation at the end of the day. The character is strong and wants to navigate their own way through stormy seas to make it work.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN OFFER TRANSPARENCY? Bovan has always been in favour of using what’s around him. He does this by using recycled materials and using local suppliers. Bovan has expressed his love for the raw process previously and an article written by (Cary, 2021) - it highlighted that materials he frequently uses such as ‘unique jacquards and avant-garde silhouettes’ are distinctive to his brand DNA. Matty is also open about using local suppliers in his hometown in York. Awards that he won in 2021; International Woolmark Prize and The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation; the theme was “Less is More” focussing primarily on aspects surrounding sustainability, supply chains and to ‘future-proof designs’. Through Bovan’s methodology and sharing the practices, it bagged it him both awards. His consumer base understands how he approaches his challenges and how this can be done in responsible ways. Regularly visiting @babbym on Instagram, this is where Matty Bovan frequently shares what he is doing and what he’s working on at the moment. For his following, this can help with transparency as his consumers are able to see behind the scenes and have more appreciation of viewing the process, than just solely the outcome. Alongside images of his looks, he tags every individual who helped him out, whether that’s on the shoot, hair and make-up, to the photographer; he credits all, and his audience is able to recognise everyone’s contribution.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN SHOW AN ELEMENT OF HERITAGE WITHIN HIS BRAND? Bovan has a love for British heritage, arts and crafts and has been recognised as one of British Airways 100 modern Britons. As suggested by (‘Paid Program’, 2019) Matty Bovan has a ‘complex, unpredictable aesthetic’ which is shaking up the fashion scene. I think Bovan knows that he must adapt and travel new routes in order to stay relevant, however there will always be a reference to British heritage, for these have been the influential foundations for many creatives. For his SS21 collection, again it was all about emotion and how the designer was dealing with it. His collection was shot entirely on figures much for the reason that this was during the second lockdown due to the Coronavirus. He dressed the figures to make them seem life-like, but they were still lifeless, I assume this is how the general zeitgeist felt during this time, so separated from everyone else, isolated. Despite being in lockdown, Bovan was still able to create and ensure there were historical references within the collection. ‘Bovan’s collection became a study of said Renaissance garment, sent through his sensory time machine that suspends every reference between the past and the future’ (Madsen, 2020). I think this is an important reference and summary of Bovan because it captures his energy, and his aims are communicated. It conveys the idea that the past, present and future will always be interlinked and there will be historical references throughout, no matter what century we are in. Matty Bovan expresses a love for heritage, and it is evident within his outcomes.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN INCORPORATE BEAUTY INTO HIS BRAND? When thinking about beauty, most of the time we look for physical beauty in people. There is always beauty within clothing, you just have to have the ability to break it down and observe for yourself. It isn’t always identifiable on the surface; you have to dig down deep sometimes. Thinking about Matty Bovan’s personal image, he is very much a supporter of physical beauty using products such as make-up on the face which help to enhance certain features. From analysing his selfies and personal image, he loves to incorporate colourful eyeshadows onto his face which show a creative side to the designer. Make-up is also used within his work, especially on the catwalk. In Bovan’s AW22 ready-to-wear collection, the models had black rectangle shaped eyeshadow under the eyes. This added a hardness to the face and echoed a strong physique alongside the collection being showcased. Although this differentiates from bright colourful make-up to previous times, the darkness to the collection can convey robustness and strength, in which beauty can still be found. As I look at the designer’s own make-up looks, it is not perfect, but I like an imperfect look sometimes. Slightly smudged? It doesn’t matter. I think this is where my initial ideas came about from how Matty Bovan could be trickled down to access a different consumer. What about his own make-up diffusion line? I think there could be some really creative concepts used within packaging ideas and this is something that I want to explore further within my final major project.
HOW IS THERE AN ELEMENT OF RAWNESS WITHIN MATTY BOVAN? Rawness with Bovan’s designs is all stemmed from his design process and how he approaches his ideas. “My work is a reflection of me really” Matty Bovan said in an interview (Whitfield, 2015). I believe seeing a designers own emotion helps elevate the rawness in the designs, supporting the narratives and helping viewers understand the designers current state of mind. Much within Bovan’s design process, ( Smith, 2020) highlights Matty’s love for the “non-sterile practice, the mess, the life, the energy, not lost from the pieces, no mere product design of blank ideas, but creativity, desirability and transparency”. Visually looking at Bovan’s work, one can identify immediately that it is not a clinical approach he takes to curating his collections. Some may say there is so much going on, but that is how emotions can feel, and overabundance of emotion. For me, when there is a lot going on within the silhouette either shape or use of colours, it allows me to feel more emotion to something. It is and can be very raw when viewing creations that have a purpose and substance to them. This is what I love so much about conceptual design, it tells the stories of real people, it’s not just to be sold in shop windows, but appreciated as more of an art form. Another way that an element of rawness is exuded within Bovan’s brand is from his ‘Your Space or Mine event’. He designed and created huge billboards for the streets in Yorkshire, brightening up spaces and advertising an exhibition where people could go. The whole point of it was that no phones were allowed. Primarily, the billboard images were using photographs that the designer had no means of sharing in the first hand, Bovan says “it allows them freedom and a sense of their own identity” (Rains, 2021). Personally, being able to see images of his work on the streets, would generate some form of reaction emotionally. Onlookers will feel a wave of appreciation for hand-crafted garments, and possibly generate their own feelings towards the designs. A rawness form within.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN OFFER ALTERNATIVE LOOKS? Alternative, being described as ‘something that is different form something else, especially from what is usual, and offering a possibility of choice’ (ALTERNATIVE | Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary, n.d.). Matty Bovan’s brand embodies this opportunity of being alternative. Despite his historical references within dress, he has to be forward thinking and look to the future. I share the idea with Bovan that the past, the present and the future are all intertwined, however Bovan has a responsibility to future-proof his business. This means that a lot of his conceptual designs seem unconventional on the surface, however he is simply re-defining what conventional wear is and the future that it holds within the fashion sector. Bovan also challenges societal norms surrounding gender and dress code. He himself wears dresses and skirts, that were historically designed for women only. He is integrating new norms into society that you don’t have to be a woman to wear a skirt. It plays a part of this androgynous identity, where Bovan himself is a pioneer in breaking these societal norms and showing the world you can be whoever you want to be. In my email interview I asked who Matty Bovan’s consumer was and he said “it’s across all ages, genders” – Bovan is an inclusive designer, allowing people to feel safe in whatever they wear. Fashion is about pushing the boundaries and sometimes you have to start shaking it up to lead the way. In the future I hope that we don’t have to use the specific word of ‘alternative’ as the creativity that runs within people who may be too scared to show it, should feel safe and it should be a complete norm. It is now time to re-write the pre-societal norms about how genders should and shouldn’t dress.
IS MATTY BOVAN LUXURY? AND HOW SO? Luxury designer fashion aims to withhold sentimental values and encourage less throw-away items than ever before. As Matty Bovan is a conceptual designer and creates one-of-a kind items, consumers will have an understanding that the item they have purchased will be unique and there won’t be one the same. In an interview with (Milligan, n.d.), Bovan expresses his feelings of each item acts and feels like an heirloom. Each piece is touched by hand, crafted to expertise which will add to the emotional attachment that a consumer will hold between themselves, the object, and the appreciation for the Bovan himself. We must also note that Bovan regularly showcases at fashion weeks, and you can find his clothing items online in stores such as Matches Fashion which sells predominantly luxury designer labels. Bovan has also incorporated the use of Liberty Fabrics within his collections where Liberty holds an important place within the fashion scene. From its opening in 1875, by 1890 to today, Liberty Fabrics was and remains a leading location for the ‘very best of avant-garde textile design’ (Liberty Fabrics - Our Heritage, n.d.). With Matty using the best materials, it adds to the luxuriousness of his pieces. Nonetheless, Bovan embodies mindful practices as he will recycle and use materials found around him, he also uses local suppliers from his hometown in Yorkshire which means that he is supporting British heritage, and this can help with the luxury stamp to his work.
HOW
IS MATTY BOVAN DISTINCTIVE?
Matty Bovan specialises in knitwear, and he has been experimenting how he utilises the materials since his career began. He challenges societal norms surrounding the codes of what each gender should wear, but in fact makes his clothes for all. There is no gender section as he is a strong believer that people can dress however you would like to. Distinctive meaning ‘something as clearly different from others’ (DISTINCTIVE | Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary, n.d.) is applicable to Matty Bovan from his creative processes and final outcomes. The way Bovan uses layering, shapes, materials, and colour is unique to him where his work is recognisable. Although these concepts are not solely his own, the way he utilises them are a part of his methodology. Matty Bovan is very easy to recognise as he has a unique application of methods towards his pieces, making him stand out in the crowd and not seem as if he is copying ideas off of other designers. His work is all his own, created all by hand.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN PROMOTE AN EMOTIONAL SIDE TO HIS BRAND? This can relate back to my earlier point made about sentimentality being found within Matty Bovan. During my research, in many interviews, Bovan always credits his inspiration from his mother and grandmother, both being very creative and glamorous individuals, they have been anchors in Bovan’s inspiration and creative skills that he was exposed to from an early age. During his SS22 collection ‘Hypercraft’ it was apparent that he had used screen-prints of his family photographs that were used to make garments for the collection. This projects sentimentality but also supports the love and emotion that he has towards his family. It adds to the personal touches within his work and others can see the good-natured will within him.
IS THEREACERTAIN ENERGY THAT MATTY BOVAN’S BRAND ENCOMPASSES? There is something almost untouchable about Matty Bovan’s creations, as if the piece he has created shouldn’t be touched, only seen, as it looks totally abnormal to how we imagine ‘normal clothes to look like’. During my email interview I sent to Bovan himself, he said that the energy of his brand has changed, “it has become stronger in its identity”. I then asked him how he would summarise his own brand and he used the words “storyteller, emotion and dystopia”. As discussed previously I have identified that Bovan’s work can stimulate emotions and also there is a dystopian element to his work. I believe Bovan has a strength in the power of passing on energies, allowing onlookers to feel what the designer himself feels. The energy I feel is not a threatening one, merely an inviting one to see what stories you can identify for yourself. There is more to clothing than just the shape or colour, it’s how these are used which can convey a multitude of meanings.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN USE TEXTURE WITHIN HIS PIECES? As Matty Bovan is a pioneer within the use of knitted textiles, texture can be achieved with the type of wool he uses, and other materials. Also, by applying a mindful practice attitude to his method of working, he has used items such as plastic, cans and lines of cord on his pieces. By layering and mixing different materials and the not so obvious together, abstract textures can be achieved. Visually looking at a piece by Matty Bovan on the catwalk, you will identify many layers that consist of different materials. It is a skill to be able to use other items that fabric to produce fashionable pieces. Although more watered-down looks will contain less materials, texture is still achieved through his knitted garments and the shape of them.
IS MATTY BOVAN TANGIBLE? From an early age Matty Bovan has been surrounded by creativity and arts and crafts, especially from his mother and grandmother. In an interview with Leeds Beckett university where he has lectured, he said that he loves the self-expression of clothes and the styling within fashion (Leeds Beckett, 2021). He enjoyed making things and I suppose having the physicality of a garment or final product is what offers his work a tangible side to it. He also mentions about his love for books and searching for things in physical copies rather than searching online. Even if it is a colour, a texture or a shape, a book will be able to provide inspiration for what you’re doing. I think this is why I love physical magazines as a source for aspiration and inspiration, it’s that physical side to everything that you can’t always achieve digitally. Bovan released his own zine in 2020, and the imagery used in that was amazing, it shows what people can create and I think having a hard copy at the end is a great way to showcase the final outcomes. In the interview, he notes that he is not against digital, but he’s not against physical, and he likes a mixture. This is how I like to work myself; I love a combination of both digital and analogue methods of working.
HOW DOES MATTY BOVAN USE COLLABORATION? Within collections by Matty Bovan we have seen him use repurposed materials from the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Calvin Klein, Converse Allstar and Adidas which can be seen in his most recent AW22 ready-to-wear collection called ‘Cyclone’ (Madsen, 2022). Matty Bovan is always willing to re-use and support good causes. I have briefly mentioned the ‘Your Space or Mine’ collaboration where he shared billboards around the North. Another collaboration that Bovan has participated in was with Tom Hingston, founder of the creative agency Hingston Studio (SHOWstudio, 2021). Hingston has worked with some really successful people and hosted an online auction in July 2021 for the Teenage Cancer Trust that Matty Bovan has contributed to by producing a series of prints that are a single oneoff edition. They hoped that it would make people feel inspired to play a part in raising funds for the incredibly important organisation. By Bovan participating and collaborating with companies for beneficial reasons shows the generosity that he can pay forwards. Collaborations allow both parties to come together, merge and widen their consumer bases. It can be a very positive and rewarding project to work on as people with strengths in different areas can come together and produce something bigger and better. Bovan has collaborated with designers and charities, showing creativity can be such an amazing thing.
HOW DOES MATTY INCORPORATE DIGITAL ELEMENTS WITHIN HIS WORK? Despite Bovan being very much an analogue designer when it comes to his methodology of working, he has more recently been incorporating digital elements to his work. His SS22 ‘Hypercraft’ collection was showcased virtually. Matty used a green screen method where he was able to layer different background settings to make it appear as if the models where in a dolls house. This altered the proportion and scale, making the models feel tiny in this house setting. The green screen allowed the different back drops to appear glitchy and the layering of shots on video added to the crazy and upbeat tempo of the film. Also following the designer on social media, Bovan uses Instagram to share his behind the scenes work and final outcomes, where he is and where he is being featured. From my research in my contemporary Fashion Communication module in my second year of university, I highlighted the importance of Instagram and brand presence on these platforms. Bovan has widened his consumer base as he gains followers who are genuinely interested in what he is creating. Not only is his presence important on places such as Instagram, but he also uses filters that offer this digital, glitchy, colourful aesthetic to his work. Recently he has been working on a hat collection, where Bovan will film himself wearing the hats and then the frame will freeze and then melt the same shot in a continuous line or circular shape. It gives off this sci-fi feel to his work and it makes his posts more immersive and creative compared to a static photograph. In an interview, Bovan said “with Instagram, it’s more of a zeitgeist, it’s more of a moment, it’s more ‘now’”. (O’Toole, 2020). Bovan also has a digital presence through his website where his consumers can see more focusses content, compared to Instagram.
HOW IS MATTY BOVAN A STORYTELLER? “My work is a reflection of me really - what I’m going through at that time – just really following my gut instinct; I am trying to free myself up the older I get, just to be more open. Things that inspire you can be anything, and often with me become abstracted: nothing is a clear, obvious reference – it’s all a big melting pot in my mind and I just wanna run with it.” . Having a clear narrative of expression of what you want to exert through a certain outcome helps provide substance to your ideas. Understanding that Matty Bovan is in fact a very abstract designer due to having a conceptual approach to his work, it is not doubt he mentioned about his ideas becoming abstracted. That is how he tells his stories, through ambiguous designs, with reference to his emotions, but can be left to interpretations. I like to think about it as an art form. The designer or artist has a reason as to what they create, but viewers can discover their own stories. This is one way that Bovan can communicate his ideas, through shapes and interesting silhouettes. His designs are often quite large in scale, to me this can reference the maximization of space and channelling all emotions and creativity. Sometimes we may feel so many emotions that this can be communicated through sheer size of garments. Another method of storytelling is the use of colour which I have briefly discussed earlier in how is Matty Bovan colourful? I resonate with the designer a lot as he states that he lives and breathes colour, that he uses it to communicate feelings where colour can reveal different emotions and spirits (Milligan, n.d.). Colour is a powerful tool as a method in storytelling where it can really make or break certain things. Knowing Bovan loves to clash colour and texture; it still manages to work seamlessly as there are so many elements and layers to the garment, to the stories he is telling, therefore it all has purpose, and nothing really ever feels out of place. I aspire to Bovan’s storytelling abilities, where you want your audience to have a reaction emotionally to your work, you want them to feel what you have felt during the whole design process. It is raw, it is honest, and it is distinctive.
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clothing label getting involved with make-up? We’ve seen it before, through the likes of Chanel, Dior, YSL, and more. Delving into the world of cosmetics can be risky as there still needs to be a brand story and reasoning for your doing so. Make-up has really changed over the years and has been influenced by the times that we’re living in. Most recently, the impact of Covid-19 has in turn affected all areas of our lives, including how we look. The effect on consumer habits since the Coronavirus pandemics and caused a seismic shift in all areas and cosmetics is one of them. (kantar.com, 2022) suggests that there is a notion that ‘less is more’. Naturally, being at home more meant that frequent make-up users felt it would be a good time for their skin to breathe. As make-up sales decreased surrounding items such as base products like foundations and concealers, lipstick usage went down by 40%. Makeup users were in more favour of clean looks which is still a trend today in 2022, me being one of those. A no make-up, make-up look is the way for a day out most of the time. Consumers were opting for more sustainable and vegan-friendly products, showing their interest in more premium luxury products. Today in 2022, we have not endured a lockdown for over a year now, where life is as back to normal as it possibly could. Going out more and socialising means people want to feel good in their skin and cosmetic users are likely to wear more make-up than during the pandemic.
The market size of cosmetic retailers, measured by revenue in the UK sits are roughly £2.4 billion in the economy in 2022 (IBISWorld - Industry Market Research, Reports, and Statistics, n.d.). The market size of cosmetic retailers is also suggested to increase by 28.1% in 2022, suggesting that it’s a growing area and would be a good place to expand brand business models. For Matty Bovan, the designer himself is pro-make-up and demonstrates to the rest of the world that you don’t have to be a woman to consume in this area of retail. With the brand so focussed on colour, both bright and bold, where does this leave the designer when ‘less is more’ is a trend among cosmetic users? He won The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, where the theme was ‘Less is More’ which demonstrates the maximalist designer can in fact provide for all. This is where Bovan will indulge in an area that has few products, enhancing certain facial features; subtle additions to make-up bags and also bold additions should individuals want to advance their look. I am proposing a conscious cosmetic range that consists of affordable premium products. Initially this will start as a lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow range, also having a setting spray and glitter available for people to bedazzle their looks. The pigments used will be buildable, where users can achieve natural looks, or a bold appearance which is more colourful. The consistency of the product will allow individuals to create their own suited look where identity can always be an experimental side to life.
Dystopian Rose will be Matty Bovan’s brand that will embody individuality, your past self, your present self, and your future self.
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ystopian Rose is a sub-label of Matty Bovan, acting as a bridge brand that sits at high-end affordable cosmetics. Dystopian Rose is an extension to the emotional and symbolic qualities from Matty Bovan’s clothing line and is an opportunity for his label to expand into the world of cosmetics as a different market level.
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atty Bovan, designer and founder of his label, is pioneering the luxury designer world and what it means to cater for your identity and embody who you are. Expression of the person you want to be and being able to create your own identity is what Bovan channels. With the venture into make-up, Bovan can cater for his consumers that like to experiment with their clothing as well as cosmetics than enhance certain facial features.
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The new cosmetics line Dystopian Rose is sentimental to the designer and holds significance within his physical self and his brand. Matty Bovan is described as dystopian. A dystopia typically having negative connotations to elements of lifelessness and suffering, Bovan juxtaposes this to take us to a complete other world. Something untouchable. He is futuristic and the unconventional is turned into the conventional. A dystopia shows us the newness of a world we will live in, it shows adaptiveness and strength in individuals looking towards the future. Matty Bovan himself has strong ties to his hometown in York where the White Rose of York is significant. With heritage important to his creations, the past, present and future being intertwined as one, Matty plays homage to his upbringing in the region. With influences from his mother and grandmother, the White Rose of York is symbolic of purity and innocence, but to most Yorkshire folk, it can symbolise home. Bovan is content in York as he loves the freedom that the London scene can’t always offer and being in York allows him to reside in an area where the past, present and future can be with him. In short, Dystopian Rose embraces the past, present and future, where identity and how individuals travel and evolve is important in our evolution. Cosmetics allow individuals to experiment and play with different looks. Dystopian Rose will become a staple in enhancing features for anyone and everyone.
Demographic - 23, Gen-Z Geographic - City life during early career Psychographic - Individualism, not really a hop on the trend person, likes to go with what they think is best, aspiration within the luxury designer market and has begun investing in pieces such as shoes and coats, a sociable individual, likes to experiment and challenge dress norms, is into make-up such as enhancing their eyes. Reads LOVE, POP, VOGUE, iD, Perfect˙ Healthy diet, loves to eat out at small Individual restaurants with friends, supports local businesses, rather than big chains. Gender fluid individual – which can be used to describe a person’s gender identity, expression, or both. Gender fluid describes the individual as someone who moves fluidly between genders, or whose gender shifts over time. Attended a good high school and completed a foundation course in fashion textiles University he studied fashion communication Started as an intern for L’Oréal and is now a junior stylist at Selfridges. Values: equality as they surround themselves with positive and encouraging people who will stick with them during dark times, always open to new challenges, is spiritual rather than religious, has compassion for what they do every day, is considerate of others and will be attentive when needed, very driven person with some slight doubts in themselves.
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ystopian Rose is Matty Bovan’s new makeup range focusing on identity, celebration, and optimism. Visualising the designers sentimentality through his design approach, this make-up is about complementing and enhancing facial features down to personal choice. The ties that Bovan has with York comes naturally within the brands DNA which is continued through to his new make-up range Dystopian Rose. A conscious, vegan-friendly collection allowing mindful consumers to feel content in what they’re purchasing.
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With references to home through Bovan’s early upbringing, the significance of the White Rose of York, this collection will be packaged in containers inspired by products that we universally agree are home products. Kitchen cleaners, pots of paint, and other fragrance sprays are all items found around the home. This approach to packaging will add a creative side to standard make-up products, showing Bovan’s individuality and uniqueness when it comes to products. Each bottle will be screen-printed with a design by Bovan himself. Bottles will be made from other cosmetic packaging. The pans that eyeshadows sit in will be re-fillable so that Dystopian Rose isn’t adding to the surplus amount of leftover make-up containers. This also includes lipsticks, blushes and setting spray. All these items will be re-fillable.
UNIQUE SELLING POINT: EVERY DAY AND GLAM LOOKS, CHANNELLING INDIVIDUALITY AND NOT BEING AFRAID OF WHO YOU WANT TO BE. CUSTOMISABLE PALETTES TO RE-USE AND RE-FILL.
SETTING SPRAY - SPRAY & STAY FULL SIZE 100ml £23 HALF SIZE 50ml £14
GLITTER GROOVE JEL - GLITTER GEL £16
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE - SINGULAR EYESHADOW £17
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE - EYESHADOW PALETTE £44
DYSTOPIAN ROSEY - CHEEKS - BLUSH STICK £24
LUCK OF THE LIPS - LIPSTICK £23
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he price of the products within the Dystopian Rose cosmetic collection is important because this is the only area that will generate revenue, so the prices need to be realistic and accessible for Matty Bovan’s consumers. Dystopian Rose sits on the premium side to make-up, it is not drugstore makeup. To accumulate the total cost for each item, I researched similar brands that would be at the same market level, and a few below and above where Dystopian Rose is situated.
FINAL PRICE LIST: LIPSTICK £23 EYESHADOW – SINGULAR= £17 – 4 COLOURS = £44 SETTING SPRAY – FULL SIZE = £23 – HALF SIZE £14 BLUSH - £24 GLITTER GEL - £16
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COMPETITORS LIPSTICK - Mac lipstick = £18.50 - Jeffrey Star = £16 - Lancome =£28.50 - Dior = £29.50 EYESHADOW singular - Bobbi Brown = £28 - Mac = £16 - Laura Mercier = £22 SETTING SPRAY - MAC PREP +PRIME= £24 - MILK MAKEUP =£31 - MORPHE = £22 BLUSH - Nars = £27.50 - HUDA BEAUTY = £21 - PAT MCGRATH LABS = £35 - MAC = £16 GLITTER - URBAN DECAY = £17 - MAC LOOSE = £17.50 - NYX = £7
4 colours - Suqqu = £48 - Tom Ford = £68 - Mac = £30 - Charlotte Tilbury £43
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s seamless shopping experiences are increasing with the rise of social media purchasing, Matty Bovan’s Dystopian Rose collection will only be available on assigned stockist websites, including mattybovan.com and in-store retailers in limited locations. This retains the exclusivity that Luxury designer label that Matty Bovan withholds. Stockists of Dystopian Rose include Selfridges, Some Boots stores (locations yet to be released), Space NK and Harvey Nichols.
Despite the make-up range being more accessible for premium cosmetic products, the locations of where you can purchase will maintain the luxury image to Matty Bovan, where this will not affect the main label. Window display mock-up
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pon the run-up to the collection launching, Bovan will utilise his Instagram page to tease his followers on the launch of a new line coming soon.
The collection will be promoted online on his personal website and stockists websites. This will be a quick video campaign showing the products on a real person, rather than just putting a product on the shelves. In stores such as Harvey Nichols and larger boots stores where window installations can be installed, there will be a display showcasing the new collection as a way of drawing people in the store and generating some attention. This installation will be on display for four weeks. Matty Bovan will set up a new Instagram where he will showcase looks that he has created using his products and he can also utilise the platform as a place to share customers of Dystopian Rose and their looks. This may help generate a more wellknown consumer base and will allow Bovan to have more direct contact with his consumers.
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CAMPAIGN FILM
WATCH HERE SCAN QR CODE
LOGO DEVELOPMENTS
GIFT BAGS
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his is just the beginning of Dystopian Rose. It’s a safe service and space for all genders, all ages, ethnicities etc. No one should feel left out, or it they couldn’t rock a look using products from the range. They are buildable products, allowing users to create their own look. With the success of Matty Bovan’s e-shop, Dystopian Rose hopes to have the same impact, if not bigger. Moving to cosmetics is a great move in a growing industry and fortifying the strengths and encouragement to make others feel at ease and safe in their own skin. In the future, we could see products such as nail varnish and self-adhesive nails as part of the collection, in bright and impactful shades, these would be a storm in shaking up the industry further. Alongside this we could see Matty Bovan’s apparel line collaborate with his make-up line Dystopian Rose, on the creation of sunglasses and other eyewear accessories to join the lines where one can inform the other. The narrative behind the label is a personal and sentimental one, where hopes lie to save and celebrate individuals from not supressing themselves for someone they aren’t. It’s time for everyone to get creative and Dystopian Rose can offer the products to do this.
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Alice Cary. (2021, June 10). Matty Bovan Celebrates A Double Woolmark Prize Win | British Vogue. https:// www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/woolmark-prize-2021 ALTERNATIVE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved 9 May 2022, from https:// dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/alternative Anders Christian Madsen. (2020, September 19). “It’s How I Cope With Things”—Matty Bovan On HandCrafting His Spring/Summer 2021 Collection | British Vogue. https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/ar ticle/matty-bovan-spring-summer-2021-interview Birtish Airways 100 Modern Britons. (2019, October 29). British Airways. https://partners.newscorpsolutions. com/british-airways/100-modern-britons/matty-bovan-british-fashion-star/ CHAOTIC | Mirriam Wester. (n.d.). Retrieved 3 May 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/diction ary/chaotic DISTINCTIVE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved 9 May 2022, from https:// dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/distinctive IBISWorld—Industry Market Research, Reports, and Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https:// www.ibisworld.com/default.aspx kantar.com. (2022, April 11). Less is more: How the pandemic shifted the Beauty market. https://www.kantar. com/inspiration/fmcg/less-is-more-how-the-pandemic-shifted-the-beauty-market Kian Rains. (2021, September 3). Award-winning designer adds creative touch to Sheffield streets with be spoke art display. https://www.thestar.co.uk/arts-and-culture/art/award-winning-designer-addscreative-touch-to-sheffield-streets-with-bespoke-art-display-3370673
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Kristen O’Toole. (2020, January). Matty Bovan | Experiences of individuality and inspiration within fashion and career | Squarespace. Squarespace. https://www.squarespace.com/blog/frieze-academy-mat ty-bovan Lauren Milligan. (n.d.). The Interview: Designer Matty Bovan AW18. Retrieved 9 May 2022, from https:// www.matchesfashion.com/womens/the-style-report/2018/09/the-designer-spotlight-issue/the-inter view-designer-matty-bovan-coach-collaboration-aw18 Leeds Beckett. (2021, August 5). Fashion: In conversation with Matty Bovan and Lisa Stansbie. https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=ZRXMDcs10-0 Liberty Fabrics—Our Heritage. (n.d.). Liberty Fabrics. Retrieved 9 May 2022, from https://www.libertyfabric. com/our-heritage/ Madsen, A., Christian. (2022, February 18). Matty Bovan Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear Collection. Vogue. https:// www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2022-ready-to-wear/matty-bovan Matty Bovan Scoops Double Win at International Woolmark Prize 2021 | SHOWstudio. (n.d.). Retrieved 3 May 2022, from https://www.showstudio.com/news/matty-bovan-scoops-double-win-at-interna tional-woolmark-prize-2021 Ryder, B. (n.d.). Psychedelic prints and family portraits made for a homely affair with Matty Bovan this sea son. CHECK-OUT. Retrieved 4 May 2022, from https://checkoutmag.co.uk/fashion/psychedelicprints-and-family-portraits-made-for-a-homely-affair-with-matty-bovan-this-season SHOWstudio. (2021, July 20). Liam Hodges and Matty Bovan Donate Works to Charity Auction | SHOWstu dio. https://showstudio.com/news/liam-hodges-and-matty-bovan-donate-works-to-charity-auction Stephanie Smith. (2020, September 23). Leading British designer Matty Bovan stages London Fashion Week show in a York chapel | Yorkshire Post. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heri tage/leading-british-designer-matty-bovan-stages-london-fashion-week-show-york-chapel-2980833 Whitfield, Z. (2015, November 26). Matty Bovan. PYLOT Magazine. https://www.pylotmagazine.com/mattybovan/ Wolf, E. (2015, April 6). The New MA Graduates: Matty Bovan. 1 Granary. https://1granary.com/t/interviews/ matty-bovan/
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HELEENA HOUSTON - 1918689 MATTY BOVAN CONCEPT BOOK ‘MATTY BOVAN TRICKLES-DOWN INTO THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY’ AD6606 - BRAND MANAGEMENT