All of the interior design renderings in this book were created by Isabel Caruncho
Katava Davis Retail Management FASM 410 Cory Quach
The Brand Market Research Customers & Competition Location Trend Report Merchandising Plan Planogram Marketing Plan
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The Designer
Howard
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The brains behind Numb Workshop is Howard Chan. Howard was born and raised in Hong Kong. After working as a barista Howard began creating leather goods. He soon realized that he enjoyed developing and creating his own pieces.Unlike many designers today he has no formal background in design however his urge to create pushed him into the world of design. In 2010 he opened Numb Workshop in Causeway Bay. Howard is devoted to his vision of what clothing should be and his clothing stays true to his aesthetic. (Chan)
Chan
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Brand Concept
Numb Workshop aims to reflect the team’s spirit through reinventing and reinterpreting classic designs. Much more than creating merely pretty clothes, Numb Workshop speaks for the team’s passion in producing designs that stand on their own, while the numb crew has been relentlessly promoting a new attitude, the beauty of craftsmanship and individuality. As Numb opens their second shop in 2014, Numb is still one of the few names, which remains original and stays true to their own aesthetic. The ultimate goal of Numb is to create a language and to speak as a collective conscious of self-expression and originality. (numb.hk)
Business Strategy
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To stay true to the mission of the brand Howard has decided to operate his business very differently than most fashion retailers. His business strategy is to avoid commercialism and mass market retailing. To carry out this strategy he has only opened one location and offers very limited supply of merchandise. The current store is in a very descrete location and the price points are in the mid to high range to attract a specific customer. The Numb team doesn’t put much time or money into marketing because they want to maintain their exclusivity. (Chan)
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SWOT Analysis
Below is the SWOT Analysis we have created to visually display the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for Numb Workshop. The main strength that Numb possesses is their devotion to bringing authenticity back into the fashion industry. Their main weakness at the moment is the fact they are not easily accessible to their customer. They have a huge opportunity to expand and open a new location in a more accessible area in Hong Kong. Their main threats are well known designers in the Hong Kong area.
Market Research
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Market Numb Workshop is a speacility menswear boutique. The store provides custom designs, handmade garments and leather goods. The aesthetic of the garments are urban, industrial, and minimal. The store falls into a high end urban market segement. Howard creates the garments and places them in the store to be sold directly to his customers. Since the merchandise goes directly from the design room to the selling floor the market channel would be considered manufacturer to consumer.
Description
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Market The world seems to be experiencing a “manaissance�. Men from all around the world are paying more attention to their apperance. They are no longer satisfied with looking the same or lacking personal style. This has been proven through the increase of sales in menswear fashion in the past few years. The menswear market has increased by 14% since 2009. It is forecasted that the market will exceed $450 billion by the end of the year. For the first time menswear is outperforming womenswear. This has created a shift in focus when it comes to fashion retailing. Numb is at the forefront of this change and stands to increase their profit because of the expanding opportunity within the market. (Businessoffashion.com)
Opportunity
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Economic The economy has taken a hit due to the current protest in major Hong Kong areas. Towards the beginning of the protests several stores, schools, restaurants, and office buildings had to close due to significant streets being occupied by protesters. Hong Kong is dependent on the tourist and retail industry. The economic forecast has changed slightly due to the decrease in retail sales. While there is no end in sight for the protesters they have decided to make it a little easier on the rest on the city. They have cleared several streets allowing businesses and schools to reopen. Since this development the economic climate has been slightly more optimistic which is great news for Numb. (Forbes.com)
Climate
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Customers & Competition
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Target Customer Numb caters to a very specific crowd. Since Numb predominately sales menswear the typical customer is a male in the age range of 20-28. Due to our unique urban designs our customers are usually students, artists, graphic designers, or entrepreneurs. Their social class is within the upper to middle range. Our customers are mostly based in Hong Kong and enjoy more artistic hobbies. The Numb clientele consists of guys that are eclectic, edgy, forward thinking, and free spirited. We are currently expanding our clientele and branching into womenswear.
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Direct Competition Analysis Izzue a Hong Kong based clothing company is one of Numb’s direct competitors. They have become a global brand with locations in nine countries. Izzue showcases three proprietary brands IZZUE COLLECTION, ARMY, and NHIZ. This company is a strong competitor because they are a highly favored Hong Kong brand that offers a large variety of clothing that satisfies their target market. However their downfall is that they don’t offer the authentic garments that Numb specializes in. While the two brands share similarities their differences lay in their business strategies. Izzue strives to be globally recognized while Numb wants to remain discrete and unique. (izzue.com)
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Indirect Competition Analysis Chocoolate is a brand under the parent company I.T. This brand houses both mens and womens wear. They produce everyday wear with an edgy sporty vibe. They were established in Hong Kong and have locations in Macau, Taiwan, and China. Chocoolate is viewed as an indirect competitor for Numb. They target the same type of customer however their product aesthetic is very different. Chocoolate is a mega brand in Hong Kong and their main strenghth is their loyal customer base. Their main weakness is their lack of unique designs. Stores like H&M sell clothes with very similar designs. Numb differs from Chocoolate because they don’t create mass market fashion and the clothes don’t have a sporty aesthetic. (chocoolate.hk)
Location
Current Location
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Numb Workshop is currently located at 25 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. It is a free standing store positioned on a dead end street. Although Causeway Bay is a prominate shopping area there are no fashion retail stores located on Haven Street. The location is quaint and descrete.
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New Location After much deliberation Howard and I decided that the best place to open a new Numb would be Sheung Wan. This location is perfect for our new storefront because it is an up and coming art district. Sheung Wan is full of cutting edge art galleries and swanky restaurants. The people who venture to this part of town are explorers looking for new and innovative experiences. The new unit is located at 55 Tung Street right across from Konzepp. The unit is two stories and has private entrances on both floors.
Sheung Wan
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Sheung Wan is located in northwest Hong Kong between Central and Sai Ying Pun. The area is home to many local markets and stores that sell Traditional Chinese Medical remedies. However Sheung Wan is currently experiencing a renaissance of sort. Prominent art galleries are popping up all over the place and well known restaurants are bidding for property in the area. These attractions are bringing in a younger more hip crowd. The people seen on the streets of Sheung Wan today are artistic hipsters looking for unique boutiques like Numb.
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Surroundings 3 Konzepp This retail store caters to eclectic collectors. They sell limited edition pieces that are hard to come by. (shop.konzepp.com)
IDENTITY This art gallery stands behind the concept that art is long and life is short. They discover and promote artists around the world. (idnworld.com)
Man Mo Temple Built in 1847 this temple pays tribute to Man (God of literature) and Mo (God of war). This historical building is an escape from the chaos on Hollywood Rd. (discoverhongkong.com) (parasite.org.hk)
Para/Site Art Space Despite having one of the smallest exhibition sites this gallery produces extremely provocative exhibitions.
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Accessibility The new location will be more accessible than our current location. This location is in an area that is frequented by our target customer and has moderate foot traffic. 55 Tung Street is perpendicular to the very popular Hollywood Road. There are three MTR stations surrouding our location Central, Sheung Wan, and Hong Kong. Our new storefront will be an eight minute walk from the Sheung Wan station. (googlemaps.com)
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Design Needs
The new Numb Workshop will be an artistic center open to the public for shopping and artistic expression. We will have an open floor plan that allows for gallery exhibits and performing arts. This space will be transformable and will also have the facilities needed for tattoo artists. The main floor will be the selling floor that features our exquisite merchandise. Our outside foyer will have bike racks to encourage sustainable transportation.
Renderings
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First Floor
Second Floor
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Trend Report
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Mood Board The mood for the upcoming collection depicts the beauty within destruction. When destruction occurs it allows for new things to be built and created. The color pallet will be consistant with the current collections. Dark tones like black, navy, and charcoal will be used alongside whites and greys.
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Backpack Trend Men around the world are grabbing their backpacks before they leave the house this season. Whether it be leather or canvas the backpack is a huge trend this season. As we move towards a more practical sense of style it only makes sense that men have a way to carry their belongings with them. This season Numb will be focusing on their leather goods and backpacks so that our customer is on trend.
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Minimalist Trend This season less is more. Men no longer want to be bogged down with over the top garments and excessive accessories. This trend is all about getting back to the basics. Classic white tee’s, comfortable pants, and simple casual shoes are the must have items for this trend. Numb is all about being minimal and authentic. The upcoming collection will showcase all of the key items to satisfy this trend
Merchandise Plan
Overall Assortment
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The overall assortment for Numb is divided into coats/jackets, leather goods, backpacks, pants, shirts, and accessories. More than half of the assortment is devoted to coats/ jackets and leather goods. The other half is split between backpacks, pants, shirts, and accessories. In an effort to increase our revenue and stay on trend the three divisions we will be focusing on are backpacks, leather goods, and coats/jackets. Percentage of Sales
10%
5% 25%
Coats & Jackets Leather Goods
15%
Backpacks Pants 20%
25%
Shirts Accessories
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Overall Price List Price
Item
HK$799
Loose Fit Wool Parka
HK$999
Long Sleeve Waffle Knitted Baseball Jacket
HK$1000
Marble Print Wind Breaker
HK$1099
Urban Mobility Long Sleeve Wrinkle Jacket
HK$1499
Long Sleeve Hooded Waffle Knitted Jacket
HK$1399
Canvas Backpack
HK$1899
Rubber Roll Up Duffle Rucksack
HK$2699
Andre's Backpack
HK$3399
Double Fold Calf And Lambskin Rucksack
HK$1199
Big Clutch
HK$2699
Doctor Bag (Vertical)
HK$2999
Doctor Bag (Horizontal) (Chan)
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Price Assortment The new location will be focusing on coats, backpacks, and leather goods. The chart on the following page shows the prices of the key items that will be showcased in the store. The overall price range for what we will be carrying is around $799-$3399. Our coats range from $799-$1499. The backpacks range from $1399-$3399 and the leather goods range from $1199-$2999. Our pieces are handcrafted and very unique so the price points are moderately higher than average retailers.
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Backpack Assortment
Backpacks Percentage of Sales Canvas Backpack
10% 20%
40%
Double Fold Calf and Lambskin Rucksack Rubber Roll Up Du e Rucksack
30%
Andre's Backpack
Leather Goods Assortment
Leather Goods Percentage of Sales
25% 40%
Doctor Bag (Horizontal) Doctor Bag (Ver cal) Big Clutch
35%
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Coats/Jackets Assortment
Coats & Jackets Percentage of Sales Long Sleeve Wa e Kni ed Jacket 20% 30%
Loose Fit Wool Parka
Long Sleeve Wa e Kni ed Baseball Jacket
25% 25%
Urban Mobility Long Sleeve Wrinkle Jacket
Planogram
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Bags & Backpacks
This planogram depicts the wall installation that will feature our leather bags and backpacks. The installation consists of a series of 3 dimensional frames. There will be two tall structured bags, two trifold backpacks, two multistrap backpacks, and two structured backpacks. The assortment is heavily focused on the backpacks because the backpack is currently a very popular item in the fashion world.
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Coats & Vests This planogram depicts the central hanging fixture. Since we are showcasing a collection it was important to us that we have a fixture that grabbed the attention of our customers as soon as they walk in. The fixture is made up of frames that are hanging at different angles. We are displaying two convertible coats, two bomber jackets, 2 leather jackets, and two parkas. This assortment is more focused on the coats and jackets because they drive the majority of our sales in autmn/winter.
Marketing Plan
Marketing Numb is very different from most fashion retail stores. We do not aspire to be extremely well know instead we thrive on being descrete. This creates a challenge when considering ways to market our store and brand. So we have tailor made our marketing strategy for our new location to fit the aesthetic of Numb. To promote the new store we will have a grand opening event and two marketing pieces based around that event. The first piece will be an app that keeps our customers up to date with the events being held at the new location. The second piece is a special discount we are offering during the event. The objective of all of our marketing pieces is to raise awareness of our brand. (Chan)
Strategy
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Grand Opening
The grand opening will be an event that nourishes the artistic soul. To display the the facilities in our new location we will be hosting a gallery show and tattoo demonstrations. The gallery show will feature the works of Katrina Teh a SCAD alumni. We love to showcase the new comers of the art world. The tattoo demo will be a form of performance art and everyone will be able to take part if they choose. There will also be an open bar and all of the merchandise will be available for sale
How NUMB Are You?
Come out and show us how NUMB you are. The first five people to get a “NUMB� tattoo will receive a free garment. *Limited to the first five participants. Free garment with value up to $1000 HKD. We are not responsible for any health liabilities.
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Events
Who: The Numb Team What: Grand Opening of new location
Events
Where: 55 Tung Street, Sheung Wan, HK When: 20 November 2014
*App Icon
We want our customers to always be aware of the events we host at Numb so we have created an app that allows them to track our events with just the tap of a screen.
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