Joy unit 11 12

Joy Catesby-McCabe Unit 11 / 12

Business Plan : Diamonds & Pearls Summary Pearl Boutique have a good reputation in Liverpool for their selection of ladies evening ware, inspired by the latest celerity

trends. However, recently they have introduced more casual pieces to their boutique which have proven to be a success due to them being inspired by some of Kanye Wests designs and clothes seen on current fashion icons such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.

I plan to expand their range of casual wear in order to create the levels of success which they have previously achieved

through their evening ware. Currently Pearl Boutique only supply women's fashion, however in order to grow the business through expansion of product ranges, named ‘diamonds and pearls’ I will be bringing in both children's and menswear collections.

Business Aims : Diamonds & Pearls…

Short Term : Produce a S/S17 range for men, women and children under the name ‘diamond’ for men’s ware and ‘pearl’ for women's ware.



Base the collection on current celebrity styles to appeal to their current target market, whilst also creating coherent ranges



based on casual & lounge wear.

Mid Term:

Release the range with suitable marketing strategies. (eg. First 25 products sold half price, online discount etc.)



Sell the products through Pearl Boutique online and through their social media as this is their most popular form of sale.



Long Term:

If the collections are a success, release them in store ( this may require expansion of the store as it is only a small boutique,



however this is due to their high online sales)

Activity 1

Activity 1

Pearl Boutique An award-winning, independent fashion boutique in Liverpool with exclusive labels and celebrity styles.

‘Here at Pearl Boutique we strive to get affordable luxury brands without compromising on quality. Designer inspired and latest trends don’t have to come at a cost. Everything we stock is affordable and is catered to the girl who wants the latest looks but not the hefty price tag’.

(Liverpool Ladies Fashion Boutique, 2016)

Brand History

Activity 1

Pearl Boutique was launched in March 2011 by Katrina Smith. Based on Aigburth Road, the Boutique

also has an online website and a strong presence on social media in order to attract customers. This also gives the brand a friendly feel rather than expressing a cold corporate image as you can message Katrina, the owner any time over Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or E-Mail.

Katrina attends a number of fashion shows and is constantly on the look out for the next big brans

which are exclusive to Pearl Boutique. The majority of brands found in Pearl Boutique cannot be found elsewhere in Liverpool, giving their customers the satisfaction that they will be getting an exclusive item and therefore will not be upstaged on any night out. ‘Who wants to look the same as everyone else? We

don’t and neither does our customer!’ – (Facebook.com, 2016 Pearl Boutique)

‘Our items are seen on celebrities bought straight from Pearl Boutique such as Atomic Kitten ladies, Liz,

Kerry and Natasha, TOWIE members and more recently Kimberley Marsh wearing one of our dresses for the NTA’s. It just proves that our customer is getting the celebrity exact look at affordable prices. Dresses

start from as little as £50’-(Facebook.com, 2016 Pearl Boutique)

Pearl Boutique take inspiration from the hottest celebrity styles to bring them into Liverpool for an

affordable price. This has allowed them to be award winners of both ‘Juice FM Best Fashion Boutique’ and ‘Lifestyles Best Independent Fashion Retailer’.

‘At Pearl Boutique we value our customer and seeing how happy our wise choices of brands and collections make us love our job!’ ’-(Facebook.com, 2016 Pearl Boutique)

Store Location & Visual Merchandising

Activity 2

Pearl is based on a main road in Liverpool,

therefore it has a lot of traffic passing by, this means that the window display has to be eye catching whilst also representing the brand

through using the best looking products. The

visual merchandising for pearl boutique is very minimal and classy, giving an expensive, high end feel to the store.

One of each product is placed out on display so that customers are not overwhelmed by the

amount of garments and it is easy to see what is there. They then simply have to ask if they have the item in their size. The clothing rails run

almost the full length of the store so that there is an open space in the centre, giving the shop a

light, airy and welcoming feel.

There is a table with more casual pieces on so

that more than one product can be folded and displayed. This is done as the boutique mostly sells occasion ware, however are slowly introducing more casual ranges.

Online Platforms

Activity 2 Pearl Boutique has 4 different online platforms in order to reach their target market.

It has its main website from which it sells their products.

This allows customers to browse through products and see images of them on both the hanger and also on a model, this is a useful tool when online shopping so that you can see what the garment looks like on the body. Furthermore, the website allows you to see what they have in

store so that customers can see whether or not it is worth visiting the store, this helps to save any disappointment. Some of their more

celebrity inspired looks have comparisons to the celebrity wearing a similar garment on the website, this may help to encourage the

customer into purchasing the garment. Shipping and return details are also listed onto the website.

Pearl also has a variety of social media accounts such as Twitter, Instagram

and Facebook. Their Facebook site has much useful information on such as location shown on a map, constant updates on new releases, news and sales. It is also a very useful way to

connect with current customers about orders etc which gives a very

personalised touch. It also allows customers to see previous customer reviews which help to give new

customers confidence in purchasing garments from pearl boutique.

Mood Board – Current Store

Mood Board – Current Store

Existing Customer Profile

Activity 3

Gender : Female Age : 18-30

Employment : Fashion Retail Manager This is Emma, 25 from Liverpool. She is a young mum and busy retail manager for Outfit , who enjoys nights out in Liverpool city centre when she has her weekends off. She is a typical

scouse girl who likes to make a big effort for a night out and will shop in boutiques such as Pearl Boutique in order to stand out from the crowd in the latest trends. She follows social media closely and is inspired by celebrity looks.

Emma chooses to shop in boutiques to support local businesses whilst receiving friendly

customer service and good quality garments for an affordable price. Emma shops at Pearl

Boutique in order to wear evening and party garments she sees on her favourite celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.

EMMA

When planning for a night out, everything has to be perfect. The day leading up to the special evening will consist of getting her hair, nails and make-up done so that she is ready to put on

her dress and go. This is why I have decided to create a more casual range for the boutique, in order to give customers a range of casual clothing to wear in the day time to give them that feeling of pearl luxury all day & night.

Future Customer Profile

Activity 3

JAMIE

Gender : Male

LUKE & SOPHIE

Age : 18-30

Employment : Human Resources Manager

This is Jamie, 28, married to current customer of Pearl Boutique, Emma. Together they have two young children Luke & Sophie. Through the week Jamie is in an office in busy Liverpool City

Gender : Male & Female Age : 5

This is Luke & Sophie, they’re twins and children of Jamie and Emma. They have just started primary school and are adjusting to wearing a uniform 5 throughout the

Centre where he has to wear a suit 5 days a week, attending meetings daily and has a busy

week. When they get home from school they put comfortable clothes on to play and

or if they get time off together they spend the day relaxing at home, playing games or going on

need to have comfortable clothing which is also practical. Emma chooses the

looking stylish. Due to wearing the same suits week after week, he likes to spend time looking for

important that the twins like the clothing too so that getting ready is easy because

lifestyle both in and out of work. At the weekends he looks after the kids whilst Emma is at work,

watch TV in. At the weekends they play at home, outside or at friends houses so they

walks. This is the time where he needs to relax in comfy clothing while still being practical and

majority of their clothing so usually they wear fashionable outfits, however it is also

fashionable outfits to wear outside of work, however also doesn’t want to spend too much as they will only be used after work or over the weekend.

they want to wear an outfit therefore wont fuss about getting ready.

Key Points Based in Liverpool : A fashion conscious city where evening and occasion wear I sought

after.

Styles mainly featured on celebrity style: This means have to stay up to date with latest trends which are constantly changing. Fast paced.

Online store : attracts customers from outside of Liverpool as well as local customers.

Social Media : posts regularly to Instagram to keep customers updated on new products

Evaluation Of Initial Research Overall, I am pleased with my initial research as it has allowed me to gain a greater understanding of Pearl Boutique, this will help me massively when planning my three ranges which I am releasing for the business. I firstly learnt from visiting their website that they are an award winning company, this means that they clearly do a good job of providing evening wear fashions to the women of Liverpool. This means that a new release of three ranges, two of them being a completely new concept to Pearl, will be very much so a talking point for previous customers to Peal. Furthermore, great expectations will need to be met from the range therefore I need to come up with a fresh yet trendy range to appeal to their existing and future target market.

From researching into their brand history by reading about things online and also speaking with the owner of the Boutique, I was able to come to get a holistic view on how the business runs, who visits the boutique, the type of garments they sell and also their online platforms. I learnt about their typical customer, this will allow me to design my range around them and what I believe they would be interested in purchasing. From speaking with Karina I learnt that celebrity style is one of their USP’s which attracts the style conscious girls in Liverpool to their Boutique.

This therefore, will also come into my range and so I will have to conduct some more research into relaxed celebrity styles as I have already come up with my concept for a casual, lounge wear type range to bring something new other that evening wear to Pearl Boutique, helping to expand their customer base.

I also created some mood boards based on their current store to visualize their current target market. I did this in order to help me make decisions on styling and to further understand their target market. To find some of these images I used social media sites such as twitter and Instagram to find genuine customers of Pearl boutique which provided me with a true understanding of whom I would be creating the women's range for. From looking into the women's range I could then grasp some thoughts on who the men's and children's range would appeal to most, allowing me to form my new target markets.

I then conducted customer profiles to get more in depth detail about the target market. This helped me to understand what I can provide in my range which will appeal to all three different categories as there is a mix of ages and genders. Finally, this research has helped to shape my thoughts on what I need to do next to provide a successful range.

Activity 4

Comparative Shop Image

Shop

Price

Description

Image

Activity 5

Shop

Price

Description

£40.00 Pearl Boutique

Black off the shoulder mini dress.

£60.00 Pearl Boutique

Cream ruffle top

Boudoir £50.00 Boutique

Black plunge dress

Boudoir £95.00 Boutique

Garden pussy bow blouse

£55 April Boutique

Gestuz drap black long sleeved dress / Top Sheer panal detail 100% Viscose, 100% Polyester

£80 April Boutique

Pinko T-shirt with gold print featuring a lace look cut out detail at the back.

100% Cotton

£83.00 Coco Boutique

Forever Unique Lola Black & Gold long dress with plunge neckline and shoulder padding.

£205.00 Coco Boutique

Milly New York Tie Neck blouse in Petal with front button fastening

Comparative Shop Image

Shop

Price

Description

Image

Activity 5

Shop

Price

Description

£70.00 Pearl Boutique

Black Diamond Roll Neck Dress

Pearl £29.99 Boutique

Sheer plunge dress

Boudoir £70 Boutique

Black high neck flare dress

Boudoir £100 Boutique

Sheer panel dress

£60 April Boutique

Gestuz drap black long sleeved dress / Top Sheer panal detail 100% Viscose, 100% Polyester

April £70 Boutique

Sheer shift dress

£90 Coco Boutique

Rosemunde black lace dress

Coco £135 Boutique

Forever unique slit side bodycon

Comparative Shop Image

Shop

Price

Description

Image

Activity 5

Shop

Price

Description

£40 Pearl Boutique

Tuxedo mini dress

Pearl £70 Boutique

Plunge cape jumpsuit

Boudoir £70 Boutique

Structured mini dres

Boudoir £55 Boutique

Black belted dress

£295 April Boutique

Shakuhachi black panelled silk chiffon long flared dress.

Sweetheart fitted bust with adjustable straps and side zip with a mini dress lining.

100% Silk

April £115 Boutique

Black torn cut out dress

£314 Coco Boutique

Black mini dress with wrap front

Coco £120 Boutique

Juicy shift dress

Comparative Shop Image

Shop

Price

Description

Image

Activity 5

Shop

Price

Description

£40 Pearl Boutique

Black lace gothic maxi dress

Pearl £125 Boutique

Pink woven moon river mini

Boudoir £275 Boutique

Forever Unique delicate lace ‘Rena’ dress

Boudoir £145 Boutique

Virgos Lounge Amy dress

£110 April Boutique

House of Dereon Black long sleeve maxi Sheer Detail

April £185 Boutique

Sequin tunic dress

Coco £355 Boutique

Taj Samur kaftan dress

96% Viscose 4%Elastane 100% Polyester

££165.0 Coco Boutique 0 £89.00

Michael Kors Embellished Stretch Satin Gown

Comparative Shop Image

Shop

Price

Description

Image

Activity 5

Shop

Price

Description

£45 Pearl Boutique

Embroidery denim shirt

Pearl Boutique

£70

Fuchsia lace choker mini

Boudoir £56 Boutique

Printed denim jacket

Boudoir Boutique

£95

coral peplum dress by Pretty Dress company

£67 April Boutique

Embroidered kimono style jacket

April Boutique

£100

Valentine yellow drape dress

£99 Coco Boutique

Embroidered jacket

Coco Boutique

£150

Diane Von Furstenberg Kera Combo Dress

Comparative Shop

Activity 5

Conducting this research into three different competitors

of Pearl Boutique has allowed me to gain an understanding of what other Boutiques in the area are charging for

similar items. This will help me to price my collection

Image

Shop

Price

Description

Image

Shop

Price

Description

accurately without either being too expensive so that customers go elsewhere and also not under-pricing items to ensure a good profit margin is made. However, due to

Pearl Boutique

£20

Embroidery denim shorts

Pearl Boutique

£309

Maxi plunge dress

my collection being made of entirely different pieces which aren’t evening ware, I have tried to find a selection of items ranging from their most expensive dressy pieces to more

casual items. Although, as they are boutiques the majority

of items are evening party dresses. However, it has allowed Boudoir Boutique

£39

Freak Of Nature embroidered short

Boudoir Boutique

£340

Sequin maxi dress with pleat underskirt

me to see overall trends in price, for example that Pearl tends to be the cheapest boutique of all, followed by

Boudoir Boutique, with April and Coco Boutique being the more expensive. Looking at some of Pearl Boutiques items,

they are similar to some high street stores such as Topshop April Boutique

Coco Boutique

£40

£55

Wrap short

Embroidered shorts

April Boutique

Coco Boutique

£180

£152

Gestuz Fitted Maxi Dress 62% Cupro, 38% Viscose, 100% Polyester Keepsake strapless dress

/ River Island. To extend my research into price points, I may look at similar items from high street chains, as

although they are not direct competitors they could be selling similar garments.

Comparing the price differences between the different Boutiques was difficult due to the lack of information

provided on their websites as barely any of the Boutiques provided information on the fabric compositions of the

garments. This means that even though two dresses may look exactly the same, in fact one may be of a much higher

or lower quality than the other.

Pure Trade Show Report

As a buyer, it is vital to conduct research into upcoming trends. This is why it is important to attend trade show events, catwalks and further research such as using trend forecasting websites. A trade show is usually focused on one particular industry and consists of traders within that particular market exhibiting their products and services. ‘Pure London is the UK’s leading fashion trade show which takes place twice a year in London Olympia’ (En.Wikipedia.org, 2017).

As a fashion buyer, you would attend Pure for the opportunity to source garments and accessories, create contact links with new suppliers and gain inspiration for future designs.

The show consists of 6 different segments. Accessories, Agenda, Alert, Aspire, Footwear and Spirit.

Each section has many different brands to choose from, with the show exhibiting over 600 exciting brands.

I will now look at some of the brands which showcase their products at Pure to see whether they would be an appropriate fit to help build my range for Pearl Boutique.

Activity 6

Blake Seven

‘The brand produces four collections a year and offers a range of luxuriously soft printed tees, embroidered sweats, singlets and jackets. All with a statement, rich in detail, of high quality but affordable.’ ("Pure London | Olympia London, 23 - 25 July 2017 - Blake Seven") I have chosen this brand to research as from looking at some of their products, they are exactly what I am looking for.

They provide luxury leisure and casual wear for an affordable price, yet for a high quality.

This is one of the main aspects of their collections which Pearl Boutique pride themselves on.

They create clothing in areas such as dresses, cardigans shorts, sportswear, t shirts and sweatshirts. I would definitely consider Blake Seven for my women's range as their designs are simple, yet very fashionable and use small details to make them stand out from normal, timeless leisurewear such as a plain tracksuit This rand creates clothing very different to that of Pearl Boutique currently as Pearl mostly stocks party and evening ware.

Activity 6 Cotton Brothers

‘Great knowledge of trends, flattering shapes and silhouettes, comfortable quality and excellence and care for details at an affordable price, reflect on every style. Designed with passion and produced with dedication in Portugal’ ("Pure London | Olympia London, 23 - 25 July 2017 - Cotton Brothers") At first glance, the cotton brothers brand seemed to be for more sophisticated garments. However, after looking at their website they also produce a wide range of casual leisure wear, but that is made to an extremely high level of quality by using cuts and shapes which may not usually be used for tracksuits etc.

This element of the brand has really made them stand out to me as they take casual designs which would usually be pretty shapeless and make them feminine. They have also done this through the use of the velvet on the sweatshirt sold above.

I would definitely consider taking design inspiration from this brand as they create some lovely feminine pieces which I believe would really appeal to the target market of Pearl Boutique due to their very girly customer base. However, there price points are slightly higher than I would have liked to go for my range, considering that Pearl prides itself on its affordable prices and also good quality.

Casual Friday

Casual Friday describes itself as a brand for a ‘young man who has the desire to speak through his wardrobe – and that message is, “I’m ready to conquer the world!” It’s less about which brand he buys but more about how he puts the pieces together to demonstrate individuality and attention to fine details.’ ("Pure London | Olympia London, 23 - 25 July 2017 - Casual Friday") I chose to look into the Casual Friday menswear brand as they stock clothing very similar to what I am looking for to create my collection.

Their designs consist of casual joggers, t-shirts and bomber jackets.

There pricing is slightly higher than that of Pearl Boutique, however this is due to Pearls clothing being quite timeless and simple, without much intricate detail. From looking at Casual Fridays ranges, they put a lot of thought into small design features such as embroidery.

This is something which I would like to incorporate into my range to help achieve a high quality feel to the garments.

Activity 6

Stepney London

‘Made in Portugal, utilizing many years of experience to produce Modern Design with Indpendent Style,using the Finest Quality Leathers on a Leather or Goodyear Welted Sole.’

Stepny London’s unique designs would fit in well at Pearl Boutique as the shop already stocks pieces which have a few quirky designs. However, due to the premium quality of their footwear, the prices of the shoes are much higher than what would be expected to sell at Pearl Boutique.

I would therefore nut purchase the shoes from Stepney London, however I would instead take some inspiration from the design and look for suppliers overseas who could provide me with some similar design features such ad the nude pink colour with glitter designs and grey sole. Rather than producing them from real leather I would use a man made material, this would bring the cost of the item down and therefore fit with Pearl Boutiques target market as their main selling point is good quality and high end looks but for an affordable price.

Concept Board – Women's S/S17

Activity 8

Concept Board – Men's S/S17

Activity 8

TrendCelebrity Relaxed Mood Board

Activity 9

Trend Forecasting – Women S/S 17 FABRICS & PATTERN

SHAPE Bralettes for every day casual wear, an

Activity 9

COLOUR ‘Intense shades of vivid violet to rich orchid

easy way to look stylish for S/S 17.

appear fresh.’ ‘mid-to-bright shades of of

‘Casual bralettes and bra tops are

lavender through to amethyst create a more

inspired by sports bras’ (wgsn). They

directional feel’ ‘ shades of pink sweep the

are used for casual layered and athletic

catwalks of London this season, with designers

looks, mostly used for loungewear.

using everything from baby and pastel hues to

‘Stretchy jersey fabrics and elastic

punchy fuchsia and raspberry tones to add

under bands with branding or stripes are key. Lightly moulded cups, mesh

vibrancy to looks. Contemporary updates

plunging silhouettes are influenced by

neutral colour’ (wgsn) The pale and dusty

include using pink as a contrast tone to a

inserts, peekaboo openings and lingire’ (wgsn)

Defining Lines ‘focus moves to the importance of

Other looks include, sporty midi dresses, casual crop tops and ‘the luxe hoodie’ all oversized and in cool, dusty tones.

craftsmanship, as fragile, linear prints elevate women's

basics and loungewear with delicate detailing’ This fashion is perfect for spring/summer 2017 ‘as warm apricot and deep coral are paired with champagne and muted gold neutrals for a luxurious feel.’ ‘overhaul geometrics with ultra fine lines for subtle graphic appeal. For a luxurious

touch, decorate silks and satins with tonal line work and highlight a selection of shapes in a contrasting colour.

Micro dots can be used to create cascading prints for an elegant and simple gradient effect.’ (wgsn)

pinks are influenced from Asian street style.

Activity 9

Trend Forecasting – Men S/S 17 PATTERN ‘Contrast monochrome allovers take and abstract direction for S/S 17, giving a contemporary update to tops, shirts and

shorts’ (wgsn). Nature is embraced with prints such as animal skins, feather, floral and marble.

‘digital variations reinterpret animal skins’ (wgsn) Prints have a ‘blurred distorted feel while

graphic block

placements have a sharp defined appearance.’ (wgsn)

COLOUR White and shades of blue for S/S 17.

‘Statement white styling continues … particularly for sporty looks. Combine with cool greys to enhance the contemporary appeal’(wgsn).

Different shades of blue are used to create different looks, soft blue for a fresh summer vibe, aqua blue for a relaxed and vibrant look and dark denims and navy for a more formal outfit. ‘soft shades of washed stone blue have relevance across all

product categories, adding a fresh summer lift.’ (wgsn). This is a shade used on catwalk looks from Prada, Valentino and Giorgio Armani.

‘Saturated aquatic blue succeeds the cobalt and denim shades what have dominated previous

seasons. A shade with broad commercial appeal, this fashion blue is relevant across all product areas and is translatable across both apparel and accessories. Vivid shades ranging from bold blue to French blue’ ‘white accents for a fresh high-

summer mood. Use on casual prints and sporty silhouettes’ (wgsn) .

SHAPE ‘head to toe looks feel newest in loose-fit layers, teaming oversized tops with relaxed bottoms in tailored constructions’ (wgsn) ‘Bomber jackets are versatile for casual days and keep looks cool and comfortable.

Channel this trend with the variety of new colours and materials available to keep things more contemporary.’

(Fashion Trends and Style Blog, 2017)

Activity 9

Trend Forecasting – Girls S/S 17 COLOUR Pastel shades such as pink are paired with

clean white to give a cute light summery look to outfit. The metallic theme is carried through from

previous seasons to

add detail to garments and create an edgier look to outfits with it being used on

outerwear, shoes and accessories. ‘colours of pewter, gold and rose gold are paired with everyday

core essential items, elevating casual looks.’ (wgsn)

SHAPE Dropped waist is extremely popular for girls casual

dresses, perhaps made from a stretch material to make

getting dressed simple and

PRINT

FABRIC Floral prints and patterns are the

perfect way to welcome the spring and

providing comfort all day

summer months

continues to gain momentum

embroidery

different market levels for S/S

brought through

long. ‘the dropped waist dress as a key trend across 17.’ (wgsn)

with the

trend being from previous seasons. ‘flower prints are flourishing on collarless bomber jackets’ ‘contrast rib trims offer a sporty look’ (wgsn)

‘Light washed denim adds to the 70’s direction’ ‘ fishnet knit and lace

offer sheer layering options while jacquard trickles

through for S’S 17 to introduce a formal /

casual alternative’ (wgsn)

Trend Forecasting – Boys S/S 17 COLOUR & PATTERN

Activity 9

SHAPE ‘Invigorated by a clean ceramic blue

Boys casual wear in S’S 17 sees the return of the

core and crocus establish a refreshed

drop-crotch trouser. ‘featuring a skinny leg and

and directional edge for the boyswear

exaggerated dropped crotch. Keep design details

market.’

simple to allow for multiple styling options’ ‘muted colourways or update using geometric colour – or

print-blocking. ‘ (wgsn)

The lounge short. ‘athleisure continues to dominate boys Different shades of blue mixed with denim makes up the main colour scheme for boys casual wear spring/summer 17.

Shades of blue are mixed with light neutrals such as cream, white and grey to create a relaxed look.

Marble patterns create abstract looks as well as

other inspirations from nature such as animal

print. Geometric lines are used on top of these

casualwear, the long-line

lounge short, defined by a mock draw cord waist and side-entry pockets , remains one of the most popular pieces among brands. Working well in a

palette of gym-ready neutrals, surf or camouflage prints, this

patterns to add detail and create a more

versatile item is likely to

market.

(wgsn)

contemporary look, perfect for the young boys

continue into seasons to come.’

‘sportswear continues to be a huge fashion influencer for boys’ ‘two piece track suit is key’ (wgsn) Stretch & comfortable fit is perfect for young boys.

Blog: Additional Trend Forecasting using Pinterest

Activity 9

Activity 10

Women’s

Activity 10

Men’s

Activity 10

Children’s

Overall Trends- Diamonds & Pearls S/S 17 Collection

Activity 10

‘CASUAL WEAR IS GIVEN AN URBAN UPDATE’ ‘SPORTSWEAR CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE DESIGNERS’ ‘ATHLEASURE BOOM GAINS STRONG PRESENCE’ ‘FRESH DUSTY PINKS WORK AS STRONG TRANSITIONAL FASHION COLOURS’ ‘GYM TO STREET STYLES’

‘THE BRALETTE IS A MUST HAVE ITEM’ ‘ CUFFED LEG TROUSER REMAINS A FASHION STAPLE, WHILE DROPPED CROTCH GAINS MOMENTUM’ ‘RECOLOURED CAMO PRINTS FEEL NEW’

‘OVERSIZE PROPORTIONS’ ‘STYLING, COLOUR & DETAILS ARE OVERLY ATHLETIC’

‘BOMBER JACKET IS THE KEY’

Directional Shop

Activity 12

I will now conduct a directional shop in order to compare Pearl Boutiques products to those of more expensive and innovative brands. This will help me to see the differences between Pearl boutiques collections and those of various designers, it will allow me to be inspired by new and different design concepts. This will therefore broaden my ideas for the range which I am planning and enable me to see what it is that allows designer brands to charge high prices for their garments. Whether this is down to design aspects, quality of making or quality of fabrics and components. Buyers would usually visit fashion capitals such as London, Paris, Milan and New York to look for upcoming trends, however this is dependant on the companies travel budget and type of merchandise being sourced.

Pearl Boutique : Black diamond roll dress £70.00

Valentino: Floral-lace & wool & silk blend mini dress £1,995.00

Ted Baker: Nadine ottoman ribbed knit dress £159.00

Self-Portrait: Mack layered lace and crepe midi dress £280.00

Directional Shop

Activity 12

Directional Shop

Activity 12

Conducting this directional shop has allowed me to see the difference in prices from Pearl Boutiques garments to those of higher end designers. This task is difficult to analyse and evaluate due to the lack of information provided on the websites of the boutique and of the designers. I was hoping to be able to compare the fabric compositions and trims etc to see what exactly it was which made the price difference so great. However, from looking at the garments there does seem to be some main differences. For example the cut of the garment, the Saint Laurent Asymmetrical Structured Mini dress clearly has a better shape and therefore a more quality, expensive look to it. Secondly, attention to detail, for example the use of finer lace than that used on garments from pearl. However, overall the garments have similar designs. This is what Pearl promise there customers, the high end designs for an affordable price. One of the ways in which they achieve this is by perhaps not using as good of a quality material than the high end designers.

S.W.O.T

SWOT Analysis

S W O T Small store



Only caters for sizes 6 – 14 (XS, S, M, L)

Very well known within the local community



Use of social media ( directly targets majority of target market)



Good customer service with welcoming staff, returns policy and personal



  

touches

Not much advertising coverage

Slightly higher price points than large high street commercial

brands

UK only shipping

Celebrity styles for affordable prices



Sleek website, easy to use



Good store layout, all products are easy to see with an inviting shop window



  

display

Womenswear only

Not in a prime location

Limited number of garments



5 days to receive product after ordering online

Activity 13

Creating this SWOT analysis of Pearl Boutique helps to show the strengths and weaknesses of the brand, as well as highlighting useful ways in which I could improve upon weaknesses and prevent any of the threats from damaging the brand.

Firstly, the first weakness of having a smaller store, I think can be overcome through the use of their online platforms as e-commerce transactions are

rising. ‘The online retail sector is the main driver of growth in European and

North American retailing, achieving in Europe growth rates of 18.4% (in 2014), 18.6% (2015) and expected rates in 2016 of 16.7% and in 2017, 15.7%.

In comparison the annual growth rates for all types of retailing range between 1.5% and 3.5% pa.’ (Retailresearch.org, 2017) This means that there is much

Loyal customer base



Ability to pre-order garments, creating a hype for new releases



Critical path & effective supply chain management to ensure garments are



less need for a ‘bricks and mortar’ business as many people now tend to shop

garments – this means that Pearl Boutique may not be able to

online before visiting any stores. However, Pearl boutiques online sales could be

  

delivered to store and ready to sell online in time to sell.

Omni-channel business



Source from UK suppliers which is more expensive Wholesalers may only have limited amounts of certain

INTERNAL

have quick responses to sales e.g restocking best sellers.

EXTERNAL

E-commerce transactions are growing



Use of celebrity endorsement



Expand size of store



Competitors having a better location i.e city centre

Expand product range



Expand sizing range



Ship to beyond UK



Release men's / children's wear

businesses selling cheaper items through Instagram accounts

Introduce new brands

etc.)

Selling their garments to larger retailers



Student discount



Faster delivery service



Sourcing from overseas to get cheaper prices, this could help the business



        

stay competitive by lowering prices, or alternatively increase profit margins.

Competitors undercutting prices

Introduction of purely online boutiques (many small

Not able to compete with the high street

Unable to gain a big enough brand profile to compete.

Rivals providing next day delivery or click & collect service Competitors sourcing from overseas may be able to achieve

lower prices.

improved through expanding the countries which they ship to and also perhaps provide next day delivery as most retailers now do, putting pressure on those who don’t.

Secondly, one of the main weaknesses I’d highlight, is that Pearl Boutique is not set in a prime location, unlike some of its competitors. However, due to the

increase in online sales, store location may not be as much of an issue as it may have been 5 years ago. Furthermore, I would link this to the threat that high street stores can undercut prices through using cheaper materials but in the same styles. Moreover, I would further link this with the opportunity or expanding ranges and selling their ranges in larger retailers. I would plan to overcome all of these factors through firstly expanding their ranges and then finding a high street retailer who would take on the brand and have an exclusive part of the shop dedicated to pearl boutique in order for them to get their products into Liverpool city centre without having the expense of opening a new store. This would also increase brand awareness and if they did get a high street store to stock their garments could also improve delivery and shipping options. This would be a long term aim which I would implement if my introduction of the new ranges proves to be a success.

Sourcing Decisions

Activity 14 In the video clip, Mike Barry is interviewed regarding Marks & Spencer's “Plan A”. This plan contains 100 commitments to sustainability covering every aspect of retail business.

“Marks & Spencer is very committed to tackling the environmental and social issues with challenges of today. For 100 years we've been working on the words ‘trust’”

Their aim is to tackle major issues and change retailing forever regarding climate change, waste management, raw materials, fair partnership with people and health.

He talks in detail about an example of how they plan to resolve some of these issues. It is that reducing the carbon footprint of the business, will have less of a negative effect regarding climate change. Mike Barry then goes onto explain that 5% of their emissions comes from running the

stores lights, freezers etc. 60% occurs through the supply chain and 35% occurs at the consumer end.

to reduce the total emissions which the business creates, they are working with manufacturers to come up with energy saving production, they are fitting energy saving refrigerators in stores and also helping to promote washing at 30 degrees as this uses less energy, therefore releasing less harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Marks & Spencer sell 350 million items of clothing per year, Mike describes how if all 350 million items are washed at 30 degrees, less harmful emissions would be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2EGIkIO7Sw

released than if the entire business were to shut down for a year.

Overall, this video shows hoe small changes to a business can have huge impacts

across the world. If every retailer were to follow a few simple changes like those of Marks & Spencer, some retailers may increase their numbers of customers due to good publicity etc.

Sourcing Decisions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3xrXC9wcZg

In the video, it is explained that there are thousands of workers living in crowded and unsafe buildings with “rubbish and sewage everywhere”. Both parents have to work long hours in order to make enough money to live off, this leaves the children to fend for themselves most of the day with the eldest sibling looking after them as there is no school for them, the parents simply cannot afford it.

This had led to the issue of many factories using child labour as parents are willing for their children to go to work in poor conditions underage, simply to help pay for basic living costs due to extremely low wages.

When one underage worker was askes “what do you do when international teams come to inspect the factory” she explained that they either hide in the bathroom or pretend they are not working. This is an example of how inspections are mot carried out thoroughly enough in order to prosecute factories which are not following regulations. This is what leads to the further damage to societies which the textile trade is having in less economically developed countries.

However, as one girl said “what else can we do, we have to get money to buy food with” this sadly for many is the case which has resulted in this vicious cycle formed by the textiles industry. Prices are demanded at increasingly lower prices by consumers in the western world which is damaging people in places such as Bangladesh where this was filmed.

“it took the worst garment factory accident in modern history to teach consumers the real price of a £8 Tshirt” This powerful statement is about the Raba Plaza garment factory disaster which killed over 1,000 on the 24th April 2013 when the 8 story building collapsed in Bangladesh.

This was due to lack of health and safety checks which should have been carried out. Huge cracks were noted to have been seen on the factory walls before the incident, however nothing was done about them.

This lack of care taken in order to produce fashion garments for low prices resulted in disaster, effecting thousands of people. Since the accident there has been a “concentrated push” for change by consumers demanding more accountability by clothing brands.

Clothing vendors now have to provide the names of the factories in which their items are being produced and their locations. Furthermore, factory inspections will be much stricter. However, it may all be too little too late as the damage to the workers of the Raza Plaza garment factory has already been done.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/04/21/a_year_after_ra na_plaza_collapse_consumers_demand_more_accountability.html

Activity 14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuwkiM8c9V8

“MIMCO X Ethical Fashion Artisans continue to collaborate to assist in overcoming poverty and empowering women in some of Kenya's most marginalised communities” MIMCO have hired women of the remote Maasi Village to create beaded accessories to be used on their bags etc. This gives the women a skill and regular wage. This has helps to give them greater self esteems and helped them to gain a “sustainable and independent livelihood”.

One of the workers for MIMCO said that there jobs have “ assisted in the development of our community and has helped our families” she followed this with stating “I can now feed my children healthy, fresh food”.

Overall, I think that the first two case studies could learn something from the final video. The brand MIMCO clearly has a very strong corporate social responsibility element to their business model. This ensures that all staff are treated fairly and given the opportunity to improve their lives. This helps to encourage consumers to buy MIMCO products as they are aware that there money is being invested into not only a new accessory, but also someone's life whom may be less fortunate than themselves.

I think that this would overcome the price point which is likely to be more expensive than a cheaper brand whom are more likely to use factories which can provide cheap deals through the use of child labour etc.

Arcadia : Ethical Trading

Activity 15 Arcadia Group describes its ethical trading work as ‘wide ranging, multi-

layered and involves different stakeholders’. They say that they have a ‘number of on-going areas of activity, many of which have seen good progress’. These have been put in place in order to create more ethical business trading. Some examples of these are :

Ethical Audit Programme

•

Country Risk Assessments

•

Joint Turkey Project

•

Strategic Labour Priorities

•

Code of Conduct Guidebook

•

Management Systems

•

‘Under our ethical audit programme our suppliers must submit an independent third-party factory ethical audit no older than a year to receive a grading for a new factory set-up. In order to help reduce audit fatigue we accept audit reports from a small number of recognised initiatives and audit bodies as long as they are independent are non-modifiable.

Prohibited Activities

•

They have recently introduced a simple colour coded system to evaluate

whether or not a supplier should be used to supply goods to the shops within

the Arcadia Group. Suppliers have to provide a factory ethical audit to then

Last year we simplified the system, moving to a red, orange and green model.

If the audit is graded red, we will not allow any of our brands to use this factory until the issues have been resolved, irrespective of whether it is a new or existing factory. ‘Red flags’ include serious breaches of our Code of Conduct and local laws, such as non-payment of the minimum wage or locked fire exits.

receive a grading which informs their final decision on whether or not to use

Orange rated issues are often quite complex and we provide those suppliers with up to a six-month window for remediation. However, our expectation continues that non-compliances should be resolved as quickly as possible.

Green graded factories are audited annually.

We provide tools such as our Code of Conduct Guidebook to accelerate the resolution of problems identified during audits.

always been at the forefront of large businesses priorities. Arcadia Groups

We continue to work towards 100% of our factories operating with a green rating.

We have made progress against our targets and now work with no factories with out-of-date audits, 79% of our factories were graded green (low risk), 20% were graded orange (high risk) and 1% were graded red (critical risk).’

these factories are visited by inspectors from the Arcadia Group itself. This

(Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2017)

that manufacturer. Their aim is to eventually only source from ‘green graded

factories’ to make their business as ethical as possible. For example all staff on, or above the legal minimum wage and good working conditions etc.

This new system seems to be a huge improvement as ethical trading has not

ethical audit programme promises to be the solution to any suppliers slipping through the net by creating an ‘auto-disengage function that ensures no new orders can be placed with a factory if it’s audit has expired’.

This all sounds well and good, however there is no evidence in the article that may lead to some of the audits being falsified, which could mean that some important information is missed and therefore result in Arcadia Group, unknowingly not trading ethically.

Activity 15

Types Of Sourcing

Focused Sourcing

Single Sourcing

Advantages :

Advantages :

Grow a very good relationship with suppliers which may The buyer does not rely on one supplier give you access to good deals, negotiation and order More options for back up priority Suppliers may bargain with you to use them over others It is also an efficient way to place orders as there is no Quality may be better from one supplier in comparison need to shop around for other suppliers. Moreover, this to another may help to get a product into stores first You're very well aware of the quality that the particular Disadvantages: supplier can achieve Relationships not as strong as if you only had one single Disadvantages: supplier If there is a disruption, for example strike from workers at A lot of upkeep ensuring you stay in contact with other that particular factory, then the supply chain can be suppliers massively slowed down as you cannot simply switch to May not be able to negotiate the best prices from another supplier who can give you a similar deal. This can suppliers as orders are not constant and perhaps not in heavily disrupt the critical path very large quantities Failure to see new innovations from other suppliers 

External Factors Influencing Choice Of Suppliers.

Epidemics Bird flu / Ebola These can: •Cause massive disruption with exports / imports •Cause illness to workers •Bring whole villages / countries to a standstill Epidemics cannot be foreseen, therefore as a buyer I would have to keep up to date with the global news in order to be aware of these events which can cause so much disruption and upset to a country. Similarly to a local disaster, it would have to be a case of knowing other suppliers who could take over the order in the case of such a horrible event where orders do still need to be met. ("Ebola: Mapping The Outbreak - BBC News")

Activity 15

Cost Exchange rate / Negotiating These can: •If exchange rates fluctuate this will effect the price which the buyer pays for their products •Negotiating the best price with suppliers to ensure maximum profits are made •Ensure that the cost of the products match with the budget

As a buyer it would be my job to find a supplier which could manufacture my products for the cheapest price as possible, this can be don’t through negotiating with different suppliers and agreeing on a price. However, it is important to take into consideration the current economic climate of both the UK and country from which I would plan to source from. For example, due to Britain leaving the EU, the pound isn’t as strong as it once was, this means that as a buyer I would be getting less for my money than I would have a year or so ago, therefore it is vital to arrange a good deal at a good time and agree on the price and set it. This is because exchange rates are constantly changing and so it is good to set the deal before anything changes in a negative way.

("Trading Off Costs And Benefits Of Brexit And The EU | Letters")

Analysing External Influences & Potential Impacts In Relation to PESTLE On Sourcing Decisions Natural Disaster

("Syria: The Story Of The Conflict - BBC News")

Earthquakes / Volcanoes / Tsunamis These can : •Put critical path behind schedule •Late deliveries – cant get the stock out on time – might miss out on sales •Damage to stock •Damage to factories •Damage to infrastructure causing logistic issues •Mortality to workforce As a buyer this would effect my choice of supplier / suppliers as it would mean that the logical thing to do would be to spread my orders across a number of suppliers which are based in lower areas of risk of these sorts of natural disasters happening. For example staying away from using suppliers whose factories are in countries such as Thailand as there have been many tsunamis here in the past. If I were to use a supplier who operated in a high risk country, I would make sure that I was aware of a supplier who could also provide the same products at the same quality etc.

Wars / Conflicts

Activity 15

Local Disaster Factory fire / Death in the workplace These can: •Seriously injure staff •Damage company reputation •Damage machinery •Force the factory to shut down •Effect surroundings •Damage orders ready to ship •Put a halt to all manufacture As a buyer this type of situation would effect my choice of supplier massively as the death of a worker would indicate that health and safety standards are not as high as they should be. Clearly this would depend on the type of accident which occurred, however as a buyer I would ensure that all of the relevant health and safety standard certificates were up to date and relevant for the supplier I planned to source from to minimize the risk of such a disaster from occurring.

Political unrest e.g current situation in Syria These can: •Prevent stock from being transported, stopping them from being shipped •Cause damage to factory •Effect all of the staff, leaving them unable to work •Stop trading between certain countries

As a buyer I would have to keep up to date with global news in order to give me an idea about which countries would be best to make deals with regarding their current status as the country needs to be as reliable as possible in order to ensure the range being released smoothly through sticking to the critical path.

("Bangladesh Factory Death Toll Could Reach 1,400: Primark Says It Will Compensate Families Of Killed And Injured")

Activity 16

Trade Show Sourcing Branded

The three different types of trade shows, all

Trade shows are events

where buyers and sellers

Yarn

Textile

meet to trade their products.

Yarn trade shows specialise in

Branded trade shows are where

There are a variety of fashion

knitwear, trends in colour and

An example of a textile trade

items sold here, from textiles

yarn development and also

inspiration for collections and buy

well as gain inspiration for new ranges.

to finished garments. Trade

show new up and coming

shows usually occur twice a

designers.

branded trade show is Pure

although buyers may visit a selection of them.

August. However there are

show is Pitti Filati. It is an

‘The Premier Market for Surface and Textile Design in the USA, holds two shows a year in New York City.’ ‘the hub for the worlds top creative talent’

throughout the year also in

knitting yarn industry’ and

of collections from across the

for your store, department or

Trade Show because boutiques tend to

many shows as possible. This

lifestyle trends’.

Italy, Australia and the U.S.A. The

event provided over 3 days for

already made, therefore visiting yarn or textile

men’s, children’s and women’s

inspiration and the opportunity to

such as bed and bath.

connections. Buyers attend Pure

to gain inspiration on what types of fabrics,

resources in textiles design for

from brands and order them at the

incorporate into their next range.

such as Calvin Klein, Converse,

They have hundreds of brands to

year around February and

An example of a yarn trade

many shows which run

‘international event for the

order for buyers to visit as

‘Observatory for new global

is so that the show can

Pitti Filati presents excellent

exhibit collections for the

yarns to its audience on an

buyers tend to purchase

buyers and designers from

ahead.

names in fashion go to

following season as fashion

international scale therefore

products at least 6 months

around the world and big

Trade shows are split into

Florence where the show is

three categories :

Yarn (Approx. Jan)

•

Textiles (Approx. early Feb)

•

Branded (Approx. late Feb)

•

held, looking for ideas and

inspiration. This year the show will last three days from both 28th January and July.

(Pittimmagine.com, 2017)

show is Print Source New York

have the same purpose, to let traders and

fashion buyers visit to get

buyers interact in order to buy/sell products, as

for their ranges. An example of a

However they are meant for different purposes,

London.

‘Pure London and Pure Man is the

For building my S/S collection for Pearl Boutique I would be most likely to visit Pure

Print source showcases hundreds

best place to source new collections

world including England, France,

online showroom.’ It is a trade only

purchase their branded garments once they are

show covers industries such as

opportunities to gain trend

trade shows wouldn’t be as relevant.

apparel, textiles and other things

network and make buying

This show is one of the main

tradeshow to discover products

colours, textures and patterns that they could

some of the worlds biggest names

show.

Visiting Pure Trade show would allow me to

Gap and Polo Ralph Lauren.

(Printsource New York, 2017)

choose from, across a wide range of products such as clothing, shoes, accessories etc.

(Purelondon.com, 2017)

However, a buyer could visit these trade shows

gain buying connections and give me a chance to network with other suppliers, this is an important part of the role as it would help to give the best deals as possible.

Women’s Range

Activity 17

RRP:£20

RRP:£20

RRP:£15

RRP:£15

RRP:£15

RRP:£20 RRP:£25

RRP:£25 RRP:£25

RRP:£40

RRP:£3O

RRP:£3O

RRP:£40

RRP:£40

Men’s Range

Activity 17

RRP:£20

RRP:£20

RRP:£20

RRP:£15

RRP:£40

RRP:£25

RRP:£20 RRP:£25

RRP:£40

RRP:£40

RRP:£30

RRP:£30

Activity 17

Children’s Range RRP:£15 RRP:£15

RRP:£10

RRP:£20

RRP:£20 RRP:£15

RRP:£15

RRP:£10

RRP:£10 RRP:£10

RRP:£25

RRP:£25

Range Evaluation

Activity 17

Overall, I am very pleased with how all three of my ranges have turned out as I think that they all work well together as well as on their

own.

Firstly, my women's range turned out this is due to is looking exactly how I envisioned it when initially researching into trends for the S/S 2017 season. The shape and style of the collection in my opinion matches with my trend forecasted styles such as the bralette, oversized hoodies and geometric, simple prints.

The colours which I have used reflect the themes I picked out very well with toned down light pink and grey to give a feminine yet relaxed

look to the garments. The bright green details I have added to some of the garments give the collection a pop of colour. This gives the range a fresh and sporty feel, along with the sporty shapes of some of the items such as the shorts and trainers.

All of the pieces in the collection could be worn together as outfits as the colours and styles all compliment each other perfectly. I designed the range with a ‘mix & match’ idea in mind. For example, for a sporty look, the bralette could be worn with shorts and trainers, however for a more casual at home relaxed look could be paired with the hoodie and tracksuit bottoms. This aspect should hopefully encourage customers to purchase more than one item from the range in order to create their own personal look.

Secondly, my men's range also has the same ‘mix & match concept which allows for two completely different styles to be made. Each of the pieces has another colour way, this allows the customer to choose whether they would like the bright patterned garments to stand out, or wear the more plain items to give a simplistic and fresh look with the light grey and bright blue combination.

I think the menswear range reflects my research into future trends well, as I have incorporated many of the elements which I picked out as key themes to put into my range. Colours, shapes and patterns which I have used are all relevant to the forecasted trends of S/S 2017. One

trend which I chose to not put into my collection was a bomber jacket, as they are already a big trend and I felt as though it wouldn't fit into my collection as well as the hoodies did. After seeing the sales figures of the range and decide whether or not to expand, a bomber jacket would definitely be an option to help grow the collection. However for the initial range I felt it was best to keep the pieces simple with a more relaxed look.

Thirdly, I am very happy with children's range which I have created as I think that they match up with the adults clothing nicely, without looking like adults clothing. This may appeal to the parents who like the idea of the 'mini me' trend. The items I have chosen are very

practical to make getting dressed an easy task which could often be a stressful situation for the parent. I have done this through the use of elasticated waists and slip on trainers, therefore my children's range offers both style and practicality, both things which parents look for when selecting their children's clothing.

The Buying Cycle

Activity 18 Reviewing last seasons performance helps to see what sold well and perhaps what

didn’t. This information is used to make

Monitoring these sales figures will be vital for multiple decisions, for example whether or not to re-invest in the range and release more

pieces or higher quantities of the existing designs. Secondly it is very important concerning whether or not my long term plan to put the range into stores and expand the store go ahead.

The retail selling period, is the amount of time

which my range will be selling at full price for,

predictions on future ranges and helps to inform buying decisions .

Budgeting is an essential part of the buying cycle as it gives the buyer an idea of

how much they can spend on their new range, this can impact many factors such as the fabrics and trims selected, to the quantities of garments and who they

decide to buy from. As the buyer for Pearl Boutiques new range, I wont have such a big budget to work with in comparison with a buyer for a high street store. This is because Pearl Boutique is a small retailer so negotiating on price will be

it is the period in which I plan to have my range

essential to the profit margins I will be creating.

sold online at Pearl Boutique. This will be during

the spring summer season and will hopefully

This step helps to organise the collection so that it is released on time to

sell well during these months.

avoid disappointment and ensure they do not miss any trends, as fads tend to have a much shorter selling period than staple items etc. This type of research can involve trips to trade shows, online research,

Monitoring deliveries is also vital to

fashion show visits and using trend forecasting websites. For my

releasing my range for the same reasons as

collection I have mostly used trend forecasting websites, blogs and trips

order processing and confirmation

to boutiques to see what is already in stores, and what is up and

coming. This is due to a tight time schedule and a small budget/

Ensuring and confirming that orders are met and will be

shipped on time is essential to the success of my range as if the items are late to stores and miss the spring season they

Range selection helps to ensure the range fits customer needs. It is important that my S/S range meets customers needs in order for it to sell well. I decided to release a casual family range so that the

are less likely to sell as all of the high summer ranges begin

shopping experience is made easier for the whole family.

to come out and the focus is more shifter to holiday wear such as kaftans, bikinis and dresses .

It is important that I keep within the budget when planning my range so that profit margins are healthy. To be able to sell my range for a good affordable price, negotiating with suppliers will be essential.

Industry Practices & Procedures

Activity 19

Requirement

Why is this important/what effects does this have on the company/consumers

Organisational or production requirement

The company will need a revised business plan outlining targets, projections, short mid and long term aims.

Ensures the success of the range, keeps the buying cycle on track and helps to support growth and expansion. If these were not set and the business was not organised deadlines would not be met, and some tasks unfulfilled which could be damaging to their reputation or profits.

This is an organisational requirement, however it could also be a production requirement e.g. sourcing strategies.

The company will require staff who have the correct skills and abilities to fulfil the job role.

It is important that staff have the correct skills in areas such as customer service etc. to have good product knowledge in order to promote sales.

This is an organisational requirement.

There is an international personnel policy put in place (recruitment, introduction, training)

This helps to ensure that all staff fulfil their job role to make the business run as smoothly as possible.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

The company will need to ensure it can meet production goals and health and safety requirements.

This is important as if they can’t meet production goals they may disappoint customers by releasing the range late. Any health and safety issues may also lead to bad press, which would damage brand image.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

The company will need a fully developed marketing plan.

It is important to get the brand name well known in order to make people aware of their products and therefore grow the company.

This is an organisational requirement.

The company will need equipped offices or premises in the correct locations.

It is important to have a good locations for offices, shops and warehouses in order to prevent most logistical issues, ensure good communication and also create as much business as possible. This can be done by having stores in prime locations etc.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

The company will need experienced and reliable distributors.

It is important to have reliable distributors to ensure stock gets delivered safely and on time to its desired location.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

There is clarity about finances. (accounting, policy, merchandising and sales reports)

Accuracy about finances and sales data is key to a buyer / merchandiser as if helps to predict what is going to sell well, in order to create new ranges.

This is an organisational requirement.

Industry Practices & Procedures

Activity 19

Requirement

Why is this important/what effects does this have on the company/consumers

Organisational or production requirement

There is a communication system- for example, varied language speaking buyers for use on skype, phone calls, emails etc.

Good communication is vital for global business and building relationships with suppliers / customers.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

There should be a clear decision-making structure within the company’s business plan.

Having structured levels of hierarchy ensures that everyone knows who they can report to, this allows problems to be solved as soon as possible.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

Managerial roles within the organisation should be clear. For example, there are clear moments of evaluation of co-ordination / leadership.

This is important also due to the factors above.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

Fabric testing should be carried out before production.

This will help to make sure that products are of a good quality, are safe for customers and also save money by reducing the amount of returns made due to faults.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

All sample garment development is carried out in a centralized product development centre and dedicated sample room.

This will ensure good quality products.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

Technical knowledge and international experience is integral.

Making sure that good quality products which are fit for purpose and meet standards in many countries if they are to be sold globally.

This is both an organisational and production requirement.

Product Line Shipping Costs Product Line

Quantity

Box

Activity 20

Total Costs : £25,109.84

Box Price

Container

Container Price

Lead times are the length of time expressed by a supplier for them to complete a process, for

example shipping lead times. Each supplier will have different lead times depending on

Trouser

5060

3

£7.53

1

£1176.21

Jeans

5360

20

£50.20

1

£1176.21

Shorts

7500

18

£45.18

1

£1176.21

Jog Pants

4616

39

£82.77

1

£1176.21

critical path in order to plan out exactly when a range will be released.

Trouser Suits

4000

0

£0

2

£2352.42

company want to release a product which is more of a fad, and is only likely to have a short

Suit Jackets

4000

0

£0

2

£2352.42

selling period. If the lead time to ship the product was a long period of time, then the trend /

Casual Jackets

2000

0

£0

1

£1176.21

will not sell as well as it would’ve done earlier on and therefore may have to be marked

different factors such as the product they are manufacturing, location, size of the factory etc. It is vital that the buyer understands the factories lead times in order to anticipate how long it will take to complete processes to meet delivery times. This is how lead times impact critical path, as the exact timings of manufacture, shipping etc will be worked into the Lead times are important can effect profits for a company, for example if a fast fashion

fad may have already gone out of fashion by the time that the product reaches stores, this down in price, eating into the profit margin.

Padded Jackets

3000

0

£0

3

£3528.63

Raincoat

6000

0

£0

3

£3528.63

Formal Shirt

7000

438

£1099.38

0

£0

Casual Shirt

7070

0

£0

1

£1176.21

Polo Shirt

7102

22

£55.22

1

£1176.21

T Shirt

342

6

£15.06

0

£0

Sweatshirt

4660

3

£7.53

1

£1176.21

Fine Sweater/Cardigan

76

4

£10.40

0

£0

Medium Sweater/Cardigan

4232

2

£5.02

1

£1176.21

Heavy Sweater/Cardigan

3533

3

£7.53

1

£1176.21

Mens Shoes

480

80

£200.80

0

£0

TOTAL

76577

638

£1,585.82

20

£23,524.02

There are three stages to lead processing; pre-processing, processing and post processing lead times.

Pre-processing lead time is the time used for researching, planning, sampling and negotiation etc. Basically, anything which goes into the preparation of getting a product to the manufacturing stage.

Processing lead time is the time required to manufacture an item, this can depend massively on the individual manufacturer due to factors such as, size of factory, number of workers

and also other variable factors such as late delivery of fabrics/ trims etc.

Post-processing lead time is the time needed for dispatch, transportation, customs and delivery of goods to warehouse. This also has dependant factors such as traffic disruption or where the products are coming from. For example, products being shipped from China usually have a lead time of 12 weeks, whereas shipments from India take a maximum of 10 weeks. European suppliers usually take 7-15 days delivery via lorry / truck to the UK rather than ships. However manufacture is usually more expensive than the Far East.

Overall this shows how manufacturing overseas is cost effective, however manufacturing in Europe is more time effective.

For my ranges, I will be using shipping from the Far East, as manufacturing is cheaper which will therefore allow my profit margin to be larger whilst still providing an affordable range for my customers. However, this will mean that shipping times may be longer.

Lead Times & Critical Path

Activity 20 Lead times and critical path are vital parts of the

Process

Date

Lead Time

Planning

04/04/2016

4 Weeks

plan precisely when the range will be in store.

Research

02/05/2016

4 Weeks

figure out when certain steps of the process need to be

Design

30/05/2016

3 Weeks

carried out, I first had to set my release date. This is the

Proto Sample & Costings

20/06/2016

4 Weeks

Spring/Summer seasons when the weather begins to

Pre Range Selection Meeting

18/07/2016

1 Week

get warmer and people are on the look out for pieces

Negotiation / Trip to factories

25/07/2016

2 Weeks

Once I had set this date I could then move onto

Final Range Selection Meeting

08/08/2016

2 Weeks

working backwards to see when every individual stage

Place Order

22/08/2016

1 Week

they would take.

Garment Fittings

29/08/2016

4 Weeks

This is fairly simple as it only required me to look at

Fabric Order

26/08/2016

6 Weeks

Conducting this task allowed me to see that planning

Trim & Colour Approvals

07/09/2016

4 Weeks

for a product launch isn’t always going to run

Bulk Production Plus Shipping

05/12/2016

1 Week production / 12 weeks shipping

take longer than usual due to Chinese New Year

Warehouse – Store Allocation

20/02/2017

Product Launched In Store

27/03/2017

1 Week

buyers planning process as they enable the buyer to On the left is a table of the lead times for my ranges, to

27th of March as it will be out just in time for the

to update their wardrobe with.

of the process would need to be started and how long

factors such as shipping and production times etc.

smoothly, for example the production time is going to delaying production by 2 weeks. Although this should

be a schedule which is set in stone, as I have discussed in previous slides, there are other variables which could delay any of these steps e.g strikes/bad weather.

The Critical Path & Production Issues

Activity 21

Evaluating the resources required for production and their availability.

Resources • Staff

Factories

Packaging

• Machinery

• Sewing Machines

•

Boxes

•

Plastic wrapping

•

Promotional packaging

• CAD / CAM software

Head Office

• IT Equipment

• Design Team

• Cutting Tables

• Marketing

• Dying facilities

• Finance

• Sample room

• Buyers

• Quality Control Team

• Merchandisers

• Human Resources

Distribution

• Health & Safety

•

Containers

•

Ships

• Meeting room / Board room

•

Aeroplanes

•

Trucks / Lorries

• Fitting room

•

Warehouses

• Sample room

• Capital (budget) Premises

•

Factory

•

Warehouse

•

Head Office

•

Stores

All of these resources are necessary for the process of creating initial concepts to getting products onto the shop floor. They are all used throughout the buying process and are all as important as the other as the critical path would not run smoothly if any one of these things were to fail. They are dependant on each other.

For example, it is necessary to have the correct machinery, in order to manufacture the designs which the designers have created.

All of the resources listed for the factories are important as the staff need to be correctly trained in order to use the machinery properly to create high quality garments. The machinery needs to be properly serviced so that they run smoothly, this is important to keep production times fast to meet deadlines. Having the latest CAD / CAM machinery and software allows for fast production with minimal errors, also helping to create a high quality finish. Quality control teams are vital for spotting any issues with garments, these can then be resolved before shipment, rather than wasting time and money finding issues once they reach the shop floor.

Good distribution and logistics are also vital for working to the critical path, however it is also necessary to look for the cheapest methods of getting the products from the country of manufacture. This usually involves shipping products to ports and then using lorries to transport them to warehouses.

Packaging is also important as the goods may get damaged in transit therefore they need to be packaged safely to stop them from getting damp / misshaped etc.

All of these processes could not be made possible without all of the teams in head office to plan and oversee these resources.

Influences On Sourcing & Critical Path Women’s Fabric

Activity 22

When sourcing fabrics it will important to consider each individual pieces qualities to make a decision on which fabric to use. For

example, I couldn't just buy the same fabric for all of the items, even though it may be the same colour. For example a stretch jersey may be perfect for the casual skirt, however the

leggings may not hold their shape correctly in

this fabric. Therefore it is vital that the correct fabrics are sourced.

Problem Areas & Constraints

Due to these garments being manufactured overseas, communication with the supplier

could be difficult. This is because of language

Shipping & Costs

As a buyer, it is important to take into account the shipping costs when planning the budget as shopping around for good prices of shipping could

save a lot of money. It is also important to make sure that no space on the shipping container is wasted, to get the cheapest price per CBM possible.

barriers and being unable to actually be at

the factory to oversee what is happening. If something were to go wrong, or the supplier needed more information etc, then the

problem would take longer to resolve due to these communication issues. This is where using a UK manufacturer would be

beneficial. However it would be much less cost effective

Design Issues

Influences On Sourcing & Critical Path Men’s Fabric

Activity 22

Sourcing the fabric for the range is one of the most important stages as the buyer I need to

One design issue which could prevent the range from selling well

find the best quality material to use on my

as a 'mix & match' concept is the

garments, but also for the best price. This is to

different fabrics being used for

encourage repeat custom whilst also providing

colouring of the garments. Due to some of the pieces, the dyestuff may

ensure customer satisfaction which will a good profit margin.

take differently to some fabrics.

This would make the garments not

compliment each other very well

and therefore it will be important that sampling is carried out to see

which combinations of fabrics and dyes will work best.

warehousing costs are important to budget for as

for the buyer it is vital that the goods are handled and looked after correctly to avoid any damages etc.

Technical issues with machinery may slow

down production or cause the garments to be of a low quality

Sourcing from a different county can come with some issues such as, not being able to

Costs

Additional costs such as

Problem Areas & Constraints

fully control social responsibility factors like

Shipping

When shipping goods from abroad it will be important that as the buyer I set aside money from the budget to pay for suitable packaging so that the garments are not damaged / ruined in transit. For

ensuring the workers re being paid a fair

wage and that the environment isn't being

harmed by harmful dyes being disposed of incorrectly etc. Although these things can be

example having them shrink wrapped in plastic to avoid any damp getting to them and to also be

checked through certification and site visits,

critical path that I set enough time for the products not only to be shipped but also have the

suitable for the production of my range

able to fit more in per carton to save money. It is also important when looking at shipping in the

logistics planned for them getting from the port to the warehouse in time for the launch.

therefore I would ensure the factory was before placing any orders.

Design Issues

Influences On Critical Path Kid's

Activity 22

Shipping

As a buyer it is important that shipping

As this range is for children I will have to ensure that any design

samples over to inspect is arranged

harm the child are resolved. These

supplier. This is to ensure that the

edge on a zip or choking hazard

match up to the designs and requests I

jacket etc. I would overcome these

any changes / developments to the

issues which could potentially

before placing any order with the

could be issues such as a sharp

products are of a good quality and

from a string in the hood of a

have set. I would then be able to make

by ensuring that quality control

products before going into batch

with safety requirements needed

faults down the line and therefore

will be where extensive testing

back and forth to repair any mistakes

things such as buttons come off do

process both time and cost effective.

measures were high and in line

production. This avoids any issues or

to sell my garments in the UK. This

prevents the order from being shipped

will be carried out to ensure

and make changes. This makes the

not happen easily from tugging on them etc.

Sourcing

It is a buyers responsibility to ensure that health and safety requirements are met in the factories / warehouses used to produce and supply the products. Any failure to do so could lead to accidents which could give the brand a bad reputation and also cause harm to workers. The cost price of inspection trips will need to be taken into consideration when planning the budget.

Activity 22

Amendments Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design For this bag I initially planned to use three different materials for the bag with light pink faux leather straps, canvas middle and rose gold crinkle PVC sides. To reduce costs I could use canvas straps rather than faux leather. I could also reduce the number of pockets I wanted to use inside the bag, this will mean less zips and details etc, however would bring the price down and therefore increase profit margins

Fabric & Design Similarly to the bag, I have used a few different colours and materials for the shoe, I have also used components such as a toggle pull string to tighten the shoe. To reduce the cost of the shoe, I could use normal shoe laces as they are faster to produce, saving time and therefore money.

I could also carry out more research into average shoe sizes in order to create the appropriate amount to ensure that all of the sizes sell well.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas. The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits.

As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design To make this garment cheaper, I could replace the metal zip with a plastic one, however this may damage sales due to it being of a lower quality. I have already attempted to make the production of the range as lean as possible, for example my initial design consisted of a hoodie which tied up at the front, however to save time and money I decided to replace it with a zip. Another way in which I could amend the design to make production more streamlined, would be to remove the pocket on the front, or make it from the same pink material as the rest of the garment.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design I have designed these bralettes with underwire and piping in them, this gives more shape and support to the wearer. However, if I were to amend the design to make them cheaper and easier to produce, the band could be made from a thick elastic rather than underwire as this would still provide some support.

Furthermore, I could change the design so that the metal hoop which connects the straps is taken away and they are instead stitched together.

Fabric & Design I have used a good quality polyester cotton fabric for these t-shirts with a high percentage of cotton as they are going to be worn in the summer therefore it is important that the tshirt is cool to wear. However to reduce costs I could use a higher percentage of polyester, this may have other advantages such as faster drying and easier to care for as products with lower percentages of cotton tend not to crease as badly. I initially wanted the diamond logo to be embroidered on, however it would be much faster and cheaper for the design to be printed on instead.

Activity 22

Amendments

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing

Fabric & Design I initially wanted to have the ‘Diamond and Pearls’ logo on the sole of the shoe, however this isn’t going to be seen when worn anyway and was just to give the shoe a better quality feel to it, as consumers are more likely to wear a branded trainer than nonbranded. However, for the initial release of the range when the brand isn’t very well known anyway, it wont make that much of a difference

Fabric & Design To make these designs faster and cheaper to produce I could remove the piping from the vests and just have them plain instead.

I could also use a cheaper material with a higher percentage of polyester used rather than the cotton polyester blend.

I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing

I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design I could remove the ruffle design on the bottom of the joggers and change them into a slim fit as this will take less time to produce and also use less material, therefore saving money.

Sourcing

I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design Using one fabric for the whole hoodie will be cheaper than using both printed and plain. I could also use a cheaper material to create the hoodies, this wouldn’t impact the garments design.

Sourcing

I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design To make this design cheaper to produce I could look into using different fabrics or different printing techniques.

Activity 22

Amendments

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Sourcing I have sourced all of my products from a Chinese supplier overseas.

The items will be shipped over on containers as this was the cheapest option. Flying the products over would have been a faster way to get the range to the UK, however it is more expensive and therefore would have impacted profits. As the range has been planned in plenty of time, shipping times are not an issue anyway.

Fabric & Design To reduce the cost of manufacture I could use less design on the shoe by not using the printed pattern.

Similarly to the other trainers I would remove the ‘Diamonds and Pearls’ logo.

Fabric & Design I could reduce the cost of making these shoes by using one fabric rather than the printed and plain.

I would also remove the ‘Diamonds and Pearls’ logo.

Fabric & Design To reduce the cost of making this product I could remove the pockets from the design and replace them with a cloud shaped applique instead. This would mean that the design would still look the same, but not as functional.

Fabric & Design To reduce the cost of this product in order to improve profits I could remove the draw string waist and replace it with an elasticated waist. This is faster to insert and also cheaper to produce.

Fabric & Design Removing the pockets from this jacket would make it faster and cheaper to produce as they don’t really add much to the design anyway and fake pockets could also be used.

Zara / Primark Supply Chain Strategies

Activity 23

PRIMARK : Advantages

‘Value takes priority over snobby attitudes about labels and brands.’ –This quote discusses the views of consumers today, stating that value is more important than branded goods



nowadays. Therefore low cost labels such as Primark ‘that has earned a nationwide reputation for bargain shopping ’can succeed over high cost brands. Primark are able to keep to their low cost prices due to their effective supply chain.

‘Costs are kept low by making cheap garments from man-made materials, using cheap production processes.’- The largest influence that makes their supply chain so effective is their low



cost suppliers and ways of production.

‘Faced with the task of organizing these larger stores, Primark has hired interior designers to outfit them with innovative floor layouts and colour plans to facilitate efficient shopping.’- As



well as visual Merchandisers, Primark hired interior designers in order to achieve the best possible layout for their larger scale stores.

Disadvantages: ‘As Primark main selling point is price, the company must forgo expensive advertising almost completely’- Primark could be missing out on more sales due to it lack of advertising. The company should look into cheap ways of promoting their stock; for example through social media.

‘Primark stores tend to be in shopping malls outside of downtown’- Due to their typical out of town locations, Primark stores could be missing out on high street footfall, and therefore new



customers.

‘Corporate Responsibility. Primark supply chain has come under scrutiny ever since an activist group revealed that Primark goods sourced from Bangladesh did not comply with



child labour laws.’- After the devastating factory collapse in Bangladesh, the world saw the true cost of low priced fashion. Primark states they no longer use factories with such conditions, however their tie to this factory do effect their reputation.

Advantage and Disadvantage: ‘There is also limited reordering of products, as they operate on a when it gone, it gone basis.’- This statement is both an advantage and a disadvantage for the retailor as its fast fashion retail type allows the company to keep up with newer trends and buy in more products year round. It also helps Primark to see what sells well in what locations, which can assist in future buying projects. However it can lead to disappoint with consumers, especially if a product becomes popular and sells out. (Ieseinsight.com, 2017)(Natasha Horsley 2017)

Zara / Primark Supply Chain Strategies ZARA : Advantages 

“one day its in, next day its out” – Zara's fast trend turnovers means that products are only in stores for a short period of time, this creates a demand for their products.

Zara has a quick response to demand principle, they follow a pull model in their inventory and supply chain



management. This means that they release small, new product lines to test what is more popular on the

current market, they then react accordingly with the popular pieces through their next designs. This ensures

that all products sell well.

Zara producing smaller batches of garments allows them to quickly gauge what is going to be more



successful, leading to sell outs of garments which reduces the amount of stock that has to be discounted and would eat into profit margins.

Central distribution centre – ‘Zara has very strong IT systems which back its distribution’ this allows all of



their products to be shipped back to the central location in Spain and from here, distributed to their stores in

other countries effectively. This is done by monitoring sales closely in order to send the correct quantities and products to suit the needs of each individual store.

Disadvantages: 

“one day its in, next day its out” – this is also a disadvantage of Zara's supply chain strategy as it means that

some customers may be disappointed if they cant find the product they wanted due to it being out of stock.

Activity 23

I have created a list of advantages and disadvantages shown through researching into both Zara and Primark’s supply chain strategies.

Despite there differences in position on the fashion market, they share some similarities.

One of the main similarities is that they both focus on providing fast fashion to their customers. They both have to react fast to the market, which is done by seeing what is selling well in their own stores, keeping up to date with the latest fashions via comp shops and also researching into future trends by trend forecasting. Both Primark and Zara are focused on fast critical paths and want the shortest time in-between design to shop floor as possible. They do this through producing small batches of items to get the fashions onto the shop floors ready for customers to keep up with current trends.

However, due to their different price points it is likely that Zara would spend more time on garment testing and pay more attention to detail than Primark, as a higher overall quality is expected from

Releasing smaller batches of garments, although it has many advantages, in some cases it could mean that

Zara clothing. This is also what helps to speed up production for

they lose out on any further sales which could’ve been made if a higher quantity of garments were released.

Primark as they are aware that their customers are not shopping



Although they could simply repeat the order with the manufacturer, by the time the garments have been made and shipped, the trend might already be in its maturity stage shortly to decline in demand.

(Somaiya, 2017)

there for the quality of the clothing and so they can afford to perhaps

produce a lower quality, as it is being sold for a cheaper price.

Sales Per Week Chart

Activity 24

Sales Per Week Chart

Activity 24

Sales Per Week Chart

Activity 24

Merchandising Spreadsheet

Activity 24

Merchandising Spreadsheet

Activity 24

Merchandising Spreadsheet

Activity 24

Financial Spreadsheet Analysis Creating the merchandising spreadsheets gave me an insight into the role of a merchandiser. Collating all of this data helps to spot trends within sales figures which are then used to improve profitability. A merchandiser would have to do this to identify the worst and best sellers to ensure that any poor sales are not repeated. In industry, these figures would be automatically loaded onto the system using an EPOS system. Which alerts the merchandiser to sales figures directly from point of sale.

From the sales data I have collected on my range, I am now able to see the best and worst sellers from my range. Overall, the best sellers across all three ranges are the t-shirts and crop tops, with the worst selling items being the trainers. I think that this is down to the trend of wearing branded footwear such as Nike and Adidas. However, I did expect this to be the case, as in every range they are the most expensive item.

I also expected the t-shirts and crop tops to sell the most as they are the most wearable items and also some of the cheapest. In some of the ranges,

such as the women's one, the joggers and t-shirts sold in similar quantities. I think that this is down to customers buying the garments to wear as a set, having the ‘mix & match’ theme in mind. Looking at the data, I am now aware of which garments would need replenishing more than others.

These like for like figures have been useful to see as it now means that I have a better understanding of what will sell the best, giving me a greater idea of how the range can be developed / improved and also expanded. In the future, moving forward I would perhaps remove the footwear from all of the ranges and invest the money into something else which would sell slightly better. However, the shoes did make very healthy profits, providing

a 66.75% profit margin and a total of £161,812.95 across all ranges.

Overall, my range would make a total of £1,766,187.44 I believe that this indicates how much of a success selling the products through concessions could be. The range was only initially meant to be for a small boutique, however through making the decision to not only sell the range on the website I would be able to showcase the products to a wider range of customers. This strategy also solves the issue of not having enough room in the

Pearl Boutique store to appropriately visual merchandise the range as it can be laid out in a much more aesthetically pleasing way, in order to help increase sales.

Activity 25

Written Range Plan

Activity 25

Once I had my ideas and concepts in place I decided what garments to put into my range and designed them using Photoshop. Across all three ranges there is a total of 35 garments, with the majority of garments coming in two different colour ways. Using two different colour ways for the same garments will allow me to target customers who prefer a plain garment over a patterned one. Or also target a customer who like the fit of the garment and decides to buy both, this would work well for the range due to the mix and match element I have tried to incorporate into the ranges.

When placing orders for these garments, at first I wont be placing as many as a high street retailer would as I have less platforms to sell from and also much less brand awareness due to Pearl Boutique being a small company. I would purchase higher quantities of the plainer garments to start off with as customers are more likely to go for good quality essential pieces over current trends as they would match a larger quantity of other garments.

Sizing wise, I would be purchasing higher quantities of more common sizes, for example 30% of the range will be size 12, 20% size 10, 20% size 8, 10% size 6, 10% size 14 and 10% size 14. This will be for initial release, however sales figures on each size will help to determine how many of each size would need to be replenished.

I have based my RRP’s on what I think is an affordable price for the garments, while also using my research such as comp shops to establish price point. Due to the products being sold in only a few places, as well as online I cannot rely on high quantities being sold quickly to produce high profits like larger brands who are international may do. Therefore I needed to make sure I got the lowest cost price possible in order to make large profits. Conducting the comp shop and directional shop allowed me to see what Pearl Boutiques competitors are pricing their similar products at which has shown me that Pearl was one of the most competitive and therefore need to stay that way through the pricing of my range. The directional shop allowed me to see why certain brands are successful charging the high prices they do, I found that it was due to high quality and well thought out designs, therefore I also tried to incorporate this into my designs so that customers associate Pearl Boutique ‘diamonds and pearls’ with high quality fashion, but for an affordable price.

I will be able to achieve these affordable prices by sourcing my manufacturers from overseas. After conducting some research into ethical manufacturers of polyester cotton printed garments, I decided that China was the best option for my range as they could also provide good prices, which would help to make healthy profits for the range.

After constructing some financial spreadsheets, using like for like data, I was able to estimate the total profits of each range, which overall came to around £1,766,187.44 . This gives me confidence that the items I have chosen for my range, and the RRP’s which I have set are a good fit to be sold at Pearl Boutique and in some concessions.

Due to Pearl Boutique having a very small shop floor, using concessions in other stores is a great way to both attract new customers and also visually merchandise the range in a way which could not be possible in the Boutique itself.

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DIAMONDS & PEARLS

Activity 27

Activity 28

Is The Range Fit For Purpose?

Image

Organisational requirements

Production requirements

Ensure that the factories used for producing the goods are trading ethically and environmentally friendly manner.

Testing the bag to ensure it is fit for use by making sure that it can hold a certain weight without the strap coming off or ripping etc. It is also important that the zips on the pockets etc are fitted properly to make them functional.

Ensure the correct research is carried out into popular shoe sizes, to make sure that the correct quantities of sizes are ordered so that all sizes sell well.

To ensure that all of the sizes and designs are identical as they come as a pair and also that the tread on the sole will grip the floor properly in order to prevent accidents.

The requirements for children’s safety laws must be made clear to the manufacturer in order to produce products up to UK standards.

As this Is a child's garment it is important that all of the components are securely attached so that they are not likely to come off. This will mean high quality control throughout production is vital, as well as product testing.

Ensure that the cup and band sizes of the bralettes correspond with UK sizes to provide a good fit, ensuring a good quality feel and reducing the number of returned garments.

Due to the dainty design, it will be important that the straps are securely sewn on and secured to the ring which connects them, this will require quality control to test that this has been done correctly in order to reduce returned items due to damage.

Is The Range Fit For Purpose?

Image

Activity 28

Organisational requirements

Production requirements

Ensure the correct research is carried out into popular shoe sizes, to make sure that the correct quantities of sizes are ordered so that all sizes sell well.

To ensure that all of the sizes and designs are identical as they come as a pair and also that the tread on the sole will grip the floor properly in order to prevent accidents.

Ensure that the correct, detailed product spec is made clear to the manufacturer and provide them with the correct quantities etc in order for smooth production to save time.

Ensure through product testing that the two colours on the jumper do not run in the washing process and also to check that the sixing is correct so that the garments fit the body well to reduce the amount of items returned due to this factor

The requirements for children’s safety laws must be made clear to the manufacturer in order to produce products up to UK standards.

As this Is a child's garment it is important that all of the components are securely attached so that they are not likely to come off. This will mean high quality control throughout production is vital, as well as product testing.

The requirements for children’s safety laws must be made clear to the manufacturer in order to produce products up to UK standards.

Due to the design of this t-shirt it is important that product tests such as washing tests are carried out to ensure that the two coloured dyes of the top do not run into each other as this would ruin the design and also lack in quality.

Evaluation Overall, I feel that I have built what would be a successful set of ranges for Pearl Boutique. I began creating a women's, men's and children's wear range for Pearl Boutique in order to expand their product ranges. To do this I decided to target both existing and new target markets.

Firstly, I decided to carry out some research Into the boutique to gauge who their customer was and what they expected from the garments which they purchased from Pearl Boutique. I found that Pearl prides itself on providing celebrity styles and good quality clothing, but for an affordable price.

Carrying out this research enabled me to conduct further research more relevant to the retailer I was working with. Pearl Boutique base most of their collections on ‘Celebrity Style’, therefore I decided to create a celebrity trend theme board to start to build up some inspiration for my collection. I did this by looking through current celebrities social media accounts to see if I could find any consistent trends.

I found that loungewear and active wear was accounting for a huge part of celebrities styles such as Kylie Jenner, who has a huge influence on the fashions which some women choose to wear.

Once I had my initial concept, I then began to trend forecast by looking on WGSN, a website dedicated to trend forecasting. This helped me to expand on my ideas of a casual loungewear range by giving me further inspiration regarding key shapes, colours and patterns. Furthermore, I also carried out some trend forecasting through looking at global street style trends, which I found through Pinterest and then wrote about on my blog. From all of this information, I created a few concept boards to collate all of the main features which I thought would create a strong collection, this was challenging as I wanted all three ranges to be cohesive and aesthetically pleasing together so that when on display, it is easy to tell they are all from the ‘Diamonds & Pearls’ collection.

I think that the trends which I have chosen work well for the range as they suit Pearl Boutiques existing target market of young women with busy lifestyles who need comfortable, yet stylish clothing to do daily tasks in, yet also are looking for the perfect party dress for the weekend etc. However, the collection will also appeal to a new target market as the collection is to be sold through the Pearl website and also through a few concessions. This means that customers, who may not have even heard of Pearl Boutique, will e exposed to their products. This will hopefully lead to an increase in sales, and help to promote the brand through using good quality garments to secure repeat custom. There is also another advantage to selling the collection in another set of stores, which is that there will be much more room to display the ranges and visual merchandise them in a way which will attract customers. This simply isn’t possible in Peal Boutique due to the lack of floor space.

However it will also be sold online, and promoted on all of their social media accounts therefore should bring in good profits as the cost of expanding into a bigger store will not be there.

Evaluation I think that my range truly does appeal to the target market as I have chosen a trend which is known to sell well and will appeal to their busy lifestyles.

Furthermore, when I was completing the financial spreadsheets, through using like for like data I was able to get an estimate on what the profits for the collection would be over £1.7 Million.

However, as I have previously written about, my research into the supply chain has taught me that things are not always going to go to plan.

For example, researching into external factors has given me an insight into some of the things which may cause disruption through the supply chain, which would lead to the critical path also being disrupted. For example, natural disasters, the economy and political issues. These influenced how I would develop my range, firstly I chose to produce my collection in China, to reduce the risk of natural disasters such as tsunamis effecting the manufacture and logistical elements of the supply chain as these types of disasters are more common in areas such as Thailand. Secondly, I would make sure that the price for my range was agreed on and firmly set in a mutual agreement so that if the economic climate did change dramatically, then I would still be getting a good price for my goods, this would help to generate healthy products. Thirdly, being aware of any political issues, I learnt was an important part of the role of a buyer, as any conflict or trading deals could hugely impact how certain countries trade. This has taught me the importance of preparation through carrying out PESTLE and SWOT analysis’.

I think that the branding of my range works very well with the young, fresh look of the collection, I think that it has a lot of commercial potential as it links strongly to Pearl Boutique and could be advertised in so many different ways. It is simply dependant on how successful the range is. At the moment, Pearl Boutique is only a small retailer, therefore online advertisement using social media etc is a cheap and fast way of getting their ranges known. Posters and flyers would also be made for the range, similar to the one I produced earlier, to showcase all of the ranges. However, if the range were to sell well and it was expanded, the capital earnt from the initial collection could be used to market ‘Diamonds & Pearls’ more heavily. This would help to achieve the long term business plan of growth and expansion.

Finally, during this project I have learnt a lot about the role of the buyer, and the tasks which are necessary to carry out in order to create a successful range. I have also learnt that once the range is complete, what follows may be just as important as the collection itself. As it would be useless having a great collection, without marketing it properly or having a poor pricing strategy etc. Overall, I have enjoyed building a range for a small retailer and starting from a blank canvas as it has allowed me to develop both creative skills and also gain a huge insight into the role a buyer and merchandiser.

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