Case Study Lindsay Sawers Level 5 February ‘15
AW 2015 ALICE’S PIG Season
Year
Alice’s Pig is an up and coming womenswear brand- with a twist. Written by Lindsay Sawers This brand differs from any others that I have come across. With the ‘thrift shop trend’ that’s currently going on within teenagers and student, Alice’s Pig are right on time. Currently, most students spend there days hunting through charity shop after charity shop, trying to find the weirdest and most unusual finds they can. In theory, this idea is cheap and successful; until they discover an old rip in their garment or that the size 12 they think they bought will not be the same size as that of a size 12 from 60 years ago. This is the beauty
behind Alice’s Pig- brand new vintage look clothing. The style of Alice’s Pig combines a beautiful love for the fabrics and patterns of vintage clothing with a modern day twist, mainly within the silhouettes of their collections. The company by line is ‘a fusion of granny chic, English tweed and a quirky rebellion.’ Alice’s Pig takes the love of vintage, and instead of dressing people in 50 year old, baggy, mismatching clothing, they allow vintage to be worn how it should be; elegant and sleek.
AW 15
German sibling due Amanda and Nicolai founded Alice’s Pig in May 2013. The pair’s different minds combined together; Amanda’s contacts through Puma HK allowed the duo to have all of the production contact they needed, and Nicolai’s business contacts in London made for the perfect platform for a UK based Fashion Company.
Designer Amanda grew up with an obvious creative flare, she studied at the Fashion Management at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and went on to look into Fashion Merchandising at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. These skills lead her to work at Puma, Amanda worked through many departments including visual merchandising and global sourcing’s for three year up until the beginning of 2013. Her brother Nicolai Schuemann grew up with a business mindset. He graduated Miami University with a degree in international business in 2000 and then continued to Fachhochschule Wiesbaden in Germany to complete a masters in Media Business. Since education he has worked within many areas, from marketing to working for BBC News as a strategy analyst, he is also an ongoing guest lecturer at Cass Business School.
LETS GET INTRODUCED
The INSPIRATION behind Alice’s Pig came from a love for Alice in Wonderland. They have focused on the line from the book: “Where crazy is normal.” This inspiration is demonstrated through the quirkiness of the brands collections. The beauty behind Alice’s Pig’s inspiration is that they have not directly related their products back to the book. 4 years ago Glamour magazine published an article in which the clothing was completely Alice in Wonderland inspired: an explosion of heart covered socks, crown pendants and hair bands. However Alice’s Pig has shied away from this predictability; they have avoided the blue frock and the bow addiction and chosen to follow their inspiration in a subtle way. The beautiful use of lace and the geometric hint of stripes throughout their collection are all that Alice’s Pig needs to demonstrate their feminine inspiration.
I CAN’T EXPLAIN MYSELF BECAUSE I
“where crazy is normal” The name Alice’s Pig has been stated on the website to be ‘A reminder that colliding styles and cultures can produce something interesting and that there can be beauty and surprise in anything; even in a pig.’ With a name that is so unusual it almost asks for a double take. On first reading the brand name it’s difficult to relate a clothing company to a farmyard animal. The unusual quality of the brand name eventually, once the shopper has got used to it, works well in the brands favor; it’s memorable. Due to it being different to any other brand name and the fact that the company hasn’t gone down the predictable road of adding ‘vintage’ or ‘retro’ (Revival Retro & Lady Vintage for example) into the title, Alice’s Pig has an individual flare.
The logo is simple: a cartoon sketch of ‘Alice’ holding a pig. Both Alice the cartoon and Alice the text are in black, where as the pig cartoon and text has been created in white. This allows the pig’s presence to stand out more than Alice, in a way that indicates the unusual and unpredictable to be the main focus.
AM NOT MYSELF YOU SEE
USP
Alice’s Pig has a range of different unique selling points. The most obvious of which is the idea that they bring the look of vintage clothing into there collections, something that is rare to find in a fashion world that is currently focused on looking to the future, where brands use technology to flash print onto there clothing and catwalk pieces are sporting a futuristic vibe. The brand is based on the idea that they offer high quality clothing without breaking the bank. Their other main selling point is that they have to be absolutely sure that their product is perfect before they allow the public to purchase it. They are insistent that all of their pieces are worn and tested before release; that if there is any flaw the product will be reconstructed until they feel that the fit and quality is perfect. The company ethos states that they only produce what they themselves would wear and that they have an emphasis on quality, this adds a very personal touch to the brand, allowing the wearer to feel a fashion connection with the designer, knowing that they would wear their own product is something that’s surprisingly rare within designers. From the above unique selling points it is quite clear as to what Alice’s Pig mission statement is. They want to connect with their customers. They want to insure that the customers feel part of the company. On focusing on the slogan ‘where crazy is normal’ the brand seem to almost be encouraging their customers to be themselves within expressing their creativity. The brand source ethically and screen all factories they work with before signing a contract. The brand offers a range per season: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Their price points and the fabrics used remain the same throughout. The main fabrics used are polyester, cotton, rayon, viscose, faux leather, spandex and wool. The prices begin at £40 and stretch up to £125 for more detailed pieces.
One of the main strengths that Alice’s Pig has as a company is their online presence. Their website is simple, yet stylish with easy access to everything from their look book, to buying the clothing, to dealing with returns. The layout of the website allows the viewer to get to grips with the style of Alice’s Pig clothing right from the homepage. With a jigsaw puzzle style collage, clicking on one of the images expands the photo and allows the customer to purchase the item. Once selecting, each item has an ‘about me’ area where the clothing is written about in first person: “I am Polly’s Parka, you can belt me up”. This draws the customer in due to in not being a boring how-to-wash paragraph. Some of the pieces also come with a cartoon drawing of the product for outfit inspiration or a video of the product being worn. Each piece is offered in sizes 6-16, covering a whole range of figures. The website has direct links to their social media and uses a beige and black colour scheme throughout. The offer of free global delivery and a 14-day return service is a definite selling point. There is an option of paying with credit card or PayPal, giving the buyer choice.
Alice’s Pig seem to have all of their social media areas covered. Their Facebook page is kept up to date, with reminders of sales, new collections and the company’s inspirations. The page is peppered with invitations to the public; a You’re Invited poster with the information to their next pop up shop and welcoming messages to explore their website. The daily posting on their Facebook page will engage the pubic without them having to even click on their website and with an impressive 27,000 likes, Alice’s Pig is going to be a constant reminder on Facebook homepages everywhere. Their Twitter page is updated around 3 times a day, if the brand doesn’t have anything to announce they simply post an entertaining video, photo or quote, which always relates back to their vintage styling. Their Instagram page is clearly a new addition, but it is also kept up to date daily and has gained a fair amount of followers. An unusual addition to the social media area is the Alice’s Pig LinkedIn page. The page is incredibly informative; it is created in a more business manner, informing the viewers of the next showcase, it works perfectly for potential investors or stockiests to see when they are next showing their clothing. An individual touch that the brand have, is allowing the customer an insight into their inspiration pages by adding their Pintrest board link to their website. This works perfectly for the customer that not only wants to wear the clothes, but also is interested in the location, celebrity influence and the hair and make up behind the brand. At the moment the brand sells only online and are yet to have any brick and mortar shops, but they currently have 150 stockiests in 15 different countries, mainly in the US. The company works with PR agencies in Berlin and New York and is a member of the UK Fashion and Textiles Association. Alice’s Pig is featured at many trade shows such as Pure London, Who’s Next in Paris and the Magic Show in Las Vegas. They also participate in seasonal pop up shops. The company is funded by an external private investment.
There are many opportunities for a company like Alice’s Pig. The first, starting a flagship store. This would allow the public to get a feel for the clothing and try them on before purchasing. Especially in the UK, where they do not have as many stockiests, this would be a huge development, and, depending on the location, could allow the business to expand majorly with this one simple move. Once they have allowed an in person shop to take off, the brand could consider other audiences, whether it’s men or children or simply taking their womenswear to another level and looking to appeal to other age ranges, a more mature woman for example. Another opportunity would be to create different ranges, a party range, a higher priced boutique range, an outwear range or a sports range, which is something that is currently really popular within high street brands.
CLIENT PROFILE
The brands biggest competitions are a range of different high street stores with similar price ranges. Shops such as Urban Outfitters, Modcloth, Fever London, Louche, Anthropology and some Topshop Concession brands are the main stores that Alice’s Pig should keep an eye on. Not only do they have similar styles within all of these competition brands, but they are also aimed at a similar target market. Alice’s Pig should insure that they know what all of these businesses are doing strategically, whether it’s creating a fragrance or introducing a celebrity model, the brand need to know what they can be doing to compete with these larger brands and take inspiration from them so that they do not get left behind. Their first step as a brand would be to spread the word; for example, they will never be in the same market as Urban Outfitters, unless they are equally as well known.
On researching Alice’s Pig, it is easy to created a short description of the type of person you can visualize wearing the brand. The client is a student between the ages of 16 to 25; she’s potentially studying a creative subject. She is on a student budget and has a very specific taste. She listens to her parent’s vinyls and has an obsession with green tea. She likes to stand out, but keeps this to herself, she doesn’t like wearing what’s on trend; she decided for herself what’s fashionable. She mixes vintage finds with modern high-street buys. A blast of red lipstick and a pair of wooly tights bring every outfit together. She has a fringe and a love for antiques; her jewellery box is overflowing with her grandma’s silver necklaces. Her role model is Zoeey Deschanel. She loves to look sophisticated and wishes that it were acceptable to wear heels every day at every occasion. Her nails area always painted perfectly. Floral and two pieces are her go to this year.
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Alice’s Pig is constantly looking to the future. On speaking with Nicolai in regards to their business plan for the next few years, he was bursting with ideas.
A/W 2015
Within the PR aspect of the company, they believe that it is very important to get their clothing out in the open for the public to view. Recently folk singer 25-year-old Lucy Rose was spotted wearing a piece from Alice’s Pig. The singer attends many small, family based festivals where the brand would fit in perfectly. The brand is making a decision to be more involved with music as a way to advertise their clothing, by sending out samples to singers, songwriters and bloggers, this will allow the company to in contact with their wearers. With this duo working behind the scenes at
The Opening Page from Alice’s Pig’s Autum/Winter collection 2015, this lookbook will be released by the end of the month.
The brand is currently working on a website makeover, Nicolai has stated that he believes it is important to have the best of the best when it comes to being a brand that, for the time being, only sells online. He is insistent that the website will stay as user friendly as it is at the moment, with maybe even more personal touches that get the viewer involved. For example, they are looking to brand out with their product descriptions, there are far to many dull descriptions on the internet at the moment and Alice’s Pig are looking to add a back story to every piece of clothing they sell, if it’s a funny story to do with the design of the outfit or even where the material was sourced from.
Alice’s Pig, this is obviously just the beginning for the brand. Their up to date and of the moment clothing ideas tie in perfectly with the current trends and sites such as ASOS Marketplace. Their new lookbook, which is to be released in the next few weeks, is shot in bars around London and ties in perfectly with their new collection of clothing, adding an old school, retro theme to the brand. There is a gap in the clothing market for vintage look clothing with a modern twist, such as that of Alice’s Pig, and they will be sure to fill it in making their fashion debut.
© UK FASHION AND TEXTILE ASSOCIATION 2012 3 QUEEN SQUARE | LONDON | WC1N 3AR EMAIL: INFO@UKFT.ORG TEL: 020 7843 9460 FAX: 020 7843 9478. UKFT, UK FASHION AND TEXTILE ASSOCIATION, AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.UKFT.ORG/MEMBERSLIST. PHP?PAGE=JOIN. ALICE IN WONDERLAND BY GLAMOUR MAGAZINE. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.GLAMOURMAGAZINE.CO.UK/FASHION/SHOPPING/2010/02/12/ALICE-IN-WONDERLAND-FASHION/VIEWGALLERY/447610. ‘ALICE’S PIG (@ALICESPIG) | TWITTER’ AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/ALICESPIG. ALICE’S PIG - A NEW URBAN VINTAGE CLOTHING EXPERIENCE FROM BRIXTON - WINTER 2014 1034F3202109501F1982BC55A5C0B42E. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://ALICESPIG.COM. ALICE’S PIG FACEBOOK AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ALICESPIG?FREF=TS. ALICE’S PIG FIRST EVER POP-UP SHOP FOR CHRISTMAS AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.TH-INK. CO.UK/2013/12/12/ALICES-PIG-FIRST-EVER-POP-UP-SHOP-FOR-CHRISTMAS/. ALICE’S PIG INSTAGRAM (@ALICESPIG) • INSTAGRAM PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://INSTAGRAM.COM/ALICESPIG. ALICE’S PIG- LINKEDIN AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/ALICE-S-PIG. ALICE’S PIG PINTREST (ALICESPIG). AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.PINTEREST.COM/ALICESPIG/. ALICE’S PIG PURE LONDON AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.PURELONDON.COM/EXHIBITOR/ ALICES-PIG.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
AMANDA MELEGHY’S LINKEDIN. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/PROFILE/ VIEW?ID=75554679. ANTHROPOLOGIE AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.ANTHROPOLOGIE.EU/ANTHRO/INDEX. JSP?CM_MMC=GOOGLE_UK-_-ANTHROPOLOGIE_BRAND_EXACT_MTE -ANTHROPOLOGIE. DISNEY ANIMATION- ALICE IN WONDERLAND. FEVER. VINTAGE STYLE WOMEN’S CLOTHING & OCCASIONWEAR. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW. FEVERDESIGNS.CO.UK/. LADY VINTAGE: DRESSES AND PETTICOATS, MADE IN LONDON AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://LADYVLONDON.COM/. LOUCHE .AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.JOYTHESTORE.COM/WOMENSWEAR/BRANDS/LOUCHE. LUCY ROSE MUSIC. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.LUCYROSEMUSIC.COM. MODCLOTH AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.MODCLOTH.COM/SHOP/NEWARRIVALS?UTM_ SOURCE=GOOGLE. NICOLAI SCHUEMANN’S LINKEDIN. AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/PROFILE/ VIEW?ID=32390399. (2006) ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND (WEBSTER'S ITALIAN THESAURUS EDITION). UNITED STATES: ICON REFERENCE. REVIVAL RETRO. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.REVIVAL-RETRO.COM/. TOPSHOP CONCESSIONS. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.TOPSHOP.COM/EN/TSUK/CATEGORY/ CLOTHING-427/BRANDS-AT-TOPSHOP-4075785. URBAN OUTFITTERS. AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.URBANOUTFITTERS.COM/UK/INDEX.JSP.
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