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“
Your
background defines your DNA ”
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- Eilish Boyle
Lindsey Sarah Tait BA(Hons) Cordwainers Accessories: Product Design and Development Student Number: TAI08235311 email: l.tait1@fashion.arts.ac.uk 3 Word Count: 4,365
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Concept Development Report
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Contents
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Overview page 1
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Concept
2.1 Brand Concept . . . . . . . . page 2 2.2 Brand Context . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4 2.3 Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7
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‘skin deep’ Collection
3.1 Design Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . page 8 3.2 Collection Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12
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Consumer
4.1 Potential Consumer . . . . . . . page 14 4.2 Needs, Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 16 4.3 Technology and the Consumer . . . . . page 18 4.4 Questionnaires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 20 4.5 Consumer Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 22 6
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Market
5.1 Market Overview . . . . . . . . . . . page 26 5.2 Charitable Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 28 5.3 Market Perception Map . . . . . . . . . . . page 30 5.4 Micro and Macro Environments . . . . . . . . page 32
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Competitors
6.1 Comparitive Shop Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . page 34 6.2 Direct and Indirect Competitors. . . . . . . . . . . . page 36
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Retail Positioning
7.1 SWOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 38 7.2 Market Strategy. . . . . . . . page 40
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Conclusion page 55
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Bibliography & Appendix page 57
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Overview
Through extensive and thorough research and investigation, this report presents the findings and results into the proposition for the launch of “lindsey tait design�; a contemporary and sensitive luxury fashion brand which strives to embody craftsmanship, social responsibility, customer consideration and fashion appeal.
Fig. A
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Concept Brand Concept
As reinforced by Caryn Franklin, co-founder of All Walks Catwalk, at a lecture on 23rd October 2012 at London College of Fashion, the fashion industry has a huge impact and influence on the public and within industry sectors. It is an industry that has set itself up to be an authority on appearance and social and economical issues; an authority that has proven itself to be more influential than the arts, sport, film and even the media in general. ‘lindsey tait design’ aims to promote and use this influence to be an ambassador within the fashion and media industries. It intends to use the art of fashion as a tool of raising awareness of current and relevant social and economical issues, ultimately raising funds for carefully considered charities and therefore hopefully making a difference.
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Many fashion brands have been taking this approach in recent years and it is something that I personally believe is the responsibility of people within any position of influence to have a positive impact upon our world. Being an emerging brand fresh into the fashion industry, this puts lindsey tait design into an even better position of influence, as it is within the future generation of designers, full of energy, enthusiasm and innovative ideas. Technological aspects such as e-commerce, social media and continuing evolution of advances in fashion technology are also an important factor for the brand. Just how significant these will be for the development, launch and growth of the brand are fully discussed and evaluated later in the report.
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Brand Context
Use of Modern Technologies Quality of Make
Customer Consideration
Social Responsibility
Attention to Detail
Desireable
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DNA
Pushing the Boundaries
These brand ethos are ultimately the USP’s for the brand. As consumerism increases and the demand for mass produced, ‘fast-fashion’ products rises, traditional hand making techniques and bespoke pieces are becoming forgotten about. The dedication to high quality hand craftsmanship and use of intricate, beautiful detailing will make the products timeless and investment pieces, while the involvement of current technology also keeps the products modern and edgy. By using the latest body scanning or measuring technology with 3D printing or rapid prototyping, ‘lindsey tait design’ can provide customers with molded leather items that wear beautifully.
Unique Selling Points 5
Fig. B
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Mission statement
‘lindsey tait design’ is a fusion of traditional craft with modern technological advances; creating bespoke products which are beautifully hand made to fit for the consumer. Being in a position of influence to many levels of demographics, the brand is dedicated to supporting and engaging with charities, donating fair portions of profits and using its publicity as a platform to raise awareness while still remaining a desirable and luxury brand; it will make charities and good causes a stylish statement which is able to be supported by consumers in everyday life, without passing on the cost to the customer. This results in the consumer not only buying a beautifully crafted and unique investment piece, but also they are making their impact on a greater cause. As life becomes busier and busier with the drive to be successful in career, social and family circles, time to give something back to the community, or to the world, becomes almost impossible for most modern women. ‘lindsey tait design’ provides a platform to shop and buy with a social responsibility and, as such, provide a sense of well-being for the consumer.
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‘skin deep’ Collection As an eponymously named label it was important that the premier collection is a personal reflection and involved an investigation into the self.
“Remember that a good designer will explore aspects of their own personality, interests and viewpoints about the world around them”. (Seivewright, 2007:38)
As such, the debut collection is inspired by a very personal experience, the journey of self-injury. By delving into this rather harrowing subject, much research was gathered on the physical and emotional effects and experiences, including discovering some shockingly high statistics. This research presented that “the UK has one of the highest self-harm rates in Europe – 400 people per 100,000 populations” [www.counselling-directory.org.uk, n.d], and that “by age 16, up to 14% of adolescents will have self-harmed once in their life” (www.samaritans.org, n.d). Even more concerning is the fact that “3 in 100 people who self harm over a period of 15 years will commit suicide” (www.counselling-directory.org.uk, n.d). Self-injury is still very much a ‘taboo’ subject in today’s society, but these statistics prove that the shame and embarrassment needs to be overcome, awareness raised, and the unnecessary loss of lives reduced. 8
“self-harm is a ‘gift of survival’” (http://www.selfharm.net ,2002)
After reading many websites, articles and statistics on the topic of self harm, the natural progression in the research was to look at the healing and preventative measures. These topics were also much easier to record and convey visually. This then led to the investigation of prosthetic limbs as an aid for severe mutilation of the body, providing both an aesthetic and a functional purpose. This research and visits to the Wellcome Trust museum as well as the Hunterian Museum provided a lot of inspiration into shape and form. By translating these forms into a fashion context, initial designs were created and developed. Detailing was inspired by a variety of sources including cherry blossom flowers, the Evelyn tables and couture fashion. Fig. C
Design Inspiration
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Concept Board
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Collection overview
The debuting collection, titled “skin deep”, is a two-tiered collection; a conceptual, one off range of four items which will be used to raise awareness of the brand and also to stay true to the creative nature of the brand’s DNA - targeted mainly at catwalk and editorial campaigns; and a lower luxury level collection of six ready-to-wear pieces of innovative and beautifully crafted body pieces and accessories. As every product will be hand made with the finest quality materials and traditional craftsmanship, no two items sold will be identical, making each piece unique and special to the customer. The items are also unique in their design, pushing the boundaries of what an ‘accessory’ can be, and challenging design in itself. With the many advances in technology in recent times, ‘lindsey tait design’ wishes to utilize these opportunities to provide new ways of making and potential ways of customer interaction. The recent use of ‘Bodymetrics’ body scanning booths to provide made-to-fit jeans for users (See Appendix A)is an example of a way that the brand could use customer measurements and produce exact fitting pieces.
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Fig. D & E
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Consumer Potential Consumer
Due to there being two levels of product ranges within the collection, there are two levels of consumers. The top level, more conceptual range, is targeted for use within editorials, advertising and magazines; therefore, the target consumer for these items are ultimately stylists, critics, and editors who would want to include the pieces in their articles, photo-shoots or galleries. (See Appendix E)
The other level, the luxury accessories range, is targeted at, but not necessarily limited to, the following customer demographic:
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Aged 20 – 45, Middle class, city dweller. Unmarried, no children, lives alone or with partner. Career driven possibly within arts, politics, media or events. Interested in culture and the arts – attends exhibitions and events. Social creature with a wide circle of friends yet also appreciates time alone. Lives in a city apartment – modern, minimal, with unique pieces. Enjoys holidays with friends or partner – up to 3 a year. Technologically savvy. Enjoys browsing fashion and culture blogs on her tablet and smartphone. Fashion comes naturally to her – her style is chic and muted, easily transferable from day to evening. She occasionally indulges in luxury brands as investment goods. Enjoys discovering new, unknown brands. World conscious of ethical and social issues
Consumer Board
The consumer profile opposite was created by evaluating the results of the following research... 15
By Ruth Marshall-Johnson, WGSN, 07 September 2011
Summary: in 2013 your consumer willINbe... 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL BE ...
Needs, Lifestyle
Dealing with a new reality where physical, emotional and mental changes in the way we live have taken place Connecting with stories about real-life issues, people and realistic commerce IN 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL BE ... Looking to be inspired, educated and relevant Dealing with a new reality where physical, emotional and mental changes the way and we live Looking for in services experiences that are simpler and more efficient have taken place Keen on decent behaviour and equating being good and ethical to quality of life Connecting with stories about real-life issues, people and realistic commerce Inspired by new layers of global reference - some from their own locality, some from further Looking to be inspired, educated and relevant afield Looking for services and experiences that are simpler and more efficient Balancing with hedonism, creativity with calm, and reconsidering luxury in terms Keen on decent behaviour and equating being good and ethical to qualityresponsibility of life of expression of individuality Inspired by new layers of global reference - some from their own locality, some from further afield Finding and sharing the good things in life Balancing responsibility with hedonism, creativity with calm, and reconsidering luxury inwith terms Balancing technology humanity - realising there is a value in being disconnected, but also of expression of individuality more accustomed to paying for digital content and services Finding and sharing the good things in life Craving calm space and actively de-teching parts of their lives Balancing technology with humanity - realising there is a value in being disconnected, but also more accustomed to paying for digital content and services Wanting their learning to be rewarded with proof, honesty and efficiency from brands and retailers Craving calm space and actively de-teching parts of their lives Wanting their learning to be rewarded with proof, honesty andFinding efficiency from brandsappropriate and that looking is correct again, and can be fun retailers Sending, and responding to, neutral messages and trying to be their own best self
By Ruth Marshall-Johnson, WGSN, 07 September 2011
Finding that looking appropriate is correct again, and can be fun Sending, and responding to, neutral messages and trying to be their own best self
(See Appendix B) IN 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL WANT ...
IN 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL WANT ...
Apps, ads and magazines focused on presenting a clean, readable format
Apps, ads and magazines focused on presenting a clean, readable format Thinner, lighter, higher-resolution and more power-efficient technology Thinner, lighter, higher-resolution and more power-efficient technology To be a better person, community member and global participant To be a better person, community member and global participant A more open-minded approach to the world that helps deal with huge change A more open-minded approach to the world that helps deal with huge change A new cultural dictionary and dialogue that speaks to and of the emerging hypercultural A new cultural dictionary and dialogue that speaks to and of the emerging hypercultural mainstream consumer mainstream consumer explore new tastes in fundamental things, such as eating, speaking, dancing, working, To explore new tastes in fundamental things, such as eating,To speaking, dancing, working, exercising and learning exercising and learning To seriously improve education To seriously improve education You to help them balance the urge to completely de-tech with useful technology You to help them balance the urge to completely de-tech with useful technology You to behave appropriately and decently as retailers, brands, celebrites and image-makers You to behave appropriately and decently as retailers, brands, celebrites and image-makers For you not to lose sight of how important it is to have marketing efforts that somehow embody something bigger and even iconic For you not to lose sight of how important it is to have marketing efforts that somehow embody bigger and even iconic To balance reality with wonder and strike a balance betweensomething art and commerce
To balance reality with wonder and strike a balance between art and commerce
no images
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no images
In the wake of the recent recession, the needs and wants of consumer lifestyles have changed and evolved. As such, there are emerging gaps within the market to respond to these demands. According to WGSN, there is “a new breed of consumer [who] is demanding brands that are both luxurious and sustainable in order to justify their post- recession spend” (Clark, 2011) They go on to discuss a selection of high profile brands who have adapted this approach by focusing on environmental issues to entice customers to spend – finishing by asking “are we moving into an era where consumers are effectively offset-
ting their guilt”?
This prediction is reiterated in another report, in which the future consumer lifestyle and wants are outlined. It describes the consumer to be more socially and ethically aware in an attempt to improve the self, searching to adapt to a “new reality” of life and commerce, both on a local and global scale. It also touches on the area of technology, where the consumer craves being in one sense more detached from technology, yet it becoming a more natural part of their lives.(Marshall-Johnson, 2011(2)) As for what the “consumer will want”, the report outlines a desire from the consumer for a more simplified version of technologies. They also want to embrace culture at a better level, while becoming part of a global change in world improvements; and want to see this improvement led by the “image-makers” such as brands and celebrities.
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Technology and the Consumer As advances are made within technology, so the new generation of consumers has to adapt to the revolutions. Recent years have introduced and seen the fast growth of e-commerce, which has proven to be invaluable to retailers. As described in a recent report by Mintel (Sender, 2012 (2)) “mobile-optimised websites and applications for
smartphones and iPads are becoming considered an essential part of retailers’ multichannel offering. Those which lag behind will forfeit a substantial generator of sales”.
The target consumer is tech-savvy and, also due to their busy lifestyle, will appreciate the ease and quickness of browsing and purchasing the label online if they desire. Mintel advises that “M-commerce…will be key to the future of retail” due to the observation that it has “burst onto the fashion scene with today’s technologically adept shoppers responding well to the flexibility and convenience of shopping on the go”(Sender, 2012 (2)). ‘lindsey tait design’ plans to provide an online and interactive platform for consumers so as they can fully immerse themselves with the brand ethos and projects. It will be an interactive experience which tells a story, rather than only selling products. There will be a stylish free app to download that is compatible with tablets and smart phones. Social networking is not a new concept anymore and is increasingly becoming more important and relevant for brands to invest their time in sites such as facebook and twitter to reach their consumers and grab their attention. It is another way of interacting with a target audience and generating interest. Some really interesting statistics from an American blog-website called AdAge.com illustrates the current growth and hence potential for brands using social networking sites to reach their consumers:
“It is vital for retailers to plan for a mobile future and invest in the technology to guarantee a rapid and enjoyable mobile shopping experience” (Sender, 2012 (2)) 18
By using social networking sites, as well as an interactive website and smartphone/tablet app, ‘lindsey tait design’ can stay true to using modern and advancing technology within the brand. The outcome is 2-fold; the customer benefits by engaging on a personal level with a luxury brand, while the brand gets first hand and instant feedback, information and statistics on their consumer, allowing further tailoring to target even more audiences and to answer more specifically to the growing and constantly evolving demands and wants of the consumer.
(See Appendix C)
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Questionnaires
To gain a better understanding of the modern consumer and what they want, three surveys of ten questions (each addressing a different area of the consumer) were constructed using the website www.surveymonkey.com and distributed via Facebook and email. They were sent to various women between the ages of 19 and 55, from varying backgrounds and demographics.
Fig. F & G
From the first survey, ‘Consumer Demographics’, a general profile of the consumer can be built up. Taking a summary of the responses and by evaluating the results it can be seen that the average is a 21 to 26 year old student or professional with an average salary. They are city dwelling, unmarried and without children. They take at least one holiday a year to Europe and are educated to University degree standard.
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The ‘Consumer Buying Habits’ survey was targetted at identifying the modern consumer’s lifestyle and provided more insight into what is important to them. It is interesting to note that the average consumer has not been majorly affected by the recent recession. This could be because the targetted respondents are in a more affluent position, or in fact students who have yet to experience the full experience of the economic downturn. It is illustrated that the average consumer is willing to spend between £100 - £200 on accessories a year. Despite this being alot lower than the level that ‘lindsey tait design’ aims to sell at, the respondents to the surveys were not within the ideal market level. It is also noted they are not particularly trend driven and heavily consider quality to be an important aspect when buying a product, although not perhaps caring so much as to whether it is produced in Britain or not. The responses to the final two questions were most interesting; when questioned about thoughts on supporting a brand who actively supported charities, there was a very positive response. The average consumer seemed very willing to invest within such a brand, citing it to be “guilt free” shopping and feel that the fashion is a highly influential industry and so should use this influence as best they can.
The final survey, ‘Consumer Likes and Dislikes’ was more personalised to the individual and perhaps less helpful in the research. Some interesting responses, however, came from the final four questions; it is apparant that the modern consumer is career driven and appreciates a balance with their social life. Finally, as far as product is concerned, it appears that due to imi-leather becoming much better quality, the preference for genuine leather over the former is more blurred, with more concern towards the actual quality and longevity of the product over the material used.
(See Appendix D1, D2 & D3for full Questionnaires) 21
Consumer Profiles To present the potential range of customers who ‘lindsey tait design’ may attract, a survey was conducted in two locations in London – Regent Street and Broadway Market at peak times.
People were approached judging on the following observations: Confidence in their stance; Confidence in style of dressing; mainly muted colours with little or no pattern; Potentially within the age group of the target consumer; Some were approached also on the observation of the shopping bags they were carrying (possible competitor brands).
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Fig. H , I , J
Name:
Joanna
Clarice
Sabrina
Age:
25
19
19
Occupation:
Sales assistant at Kooples
Unemployed
Student
Simple, Neat, Tidy, Tailored
Combination of trends somethimes “fashionista” It can depend on her mood
Simple, minimal
Style:
Inspirational Icon:
Alexa Chung, Lana Del Rey
Alison Mosshart (Singer in The Kills)
The blogger of “Love Aesthetics”
Carnaby Street, coffee shops and French Wine Bar
Stoke Newington
Favourite Place in London:
Walking around everywher... Telegraph Hill by Home
Activities in Spare Time:
Draw, Go walking, Take Photos
Shop, Go to the Park
Doesn’t have much! Meet up with friends, Go to Bars
Support any Charities:
No, but gives loose change
No, but parents do. Would like to when she has more money
No - can’t afford to but would like to support Cancer Research
Vision for the future of Fashion:
People will buy brands more. It will become more sport inspired. More emphasis on one off items.
Still reinventing what has already been done before
Will become more conceptual rather than repeating itself 23
Name:
Sara
Adrianna
Claire
Age:
28
21
35
Occupation:
Menswear forecaster at WGSN
Owns shop “Strut”
Make-up artist
Style:
Varies Mainly Scandinavian, Minimal, simple
Anything in Black! Shapey, drapey, silhouette, boxy
Minimalist Goth A bit Rock ‘n’ Roll
Tim Burton
Joanna Lumley
Coco Chanel Natalie Masonet (Head of Net-a-Porter)
Any cafes in Stoke Newington
Any coffee shop or bar in Stoke Newington or Clapton
Hampstead Heath or Victoria Park
Looking at clothes, visiting archives. Anything to do with shop!
Drink, play drums, exercise
Yes - Hosts charity nights and fundraises for The Trinity Hospice, NSPCC and RSPCA
Yes - donate weekly NSPCC, British Red Cross
Inspirational Icon: Favourite Place in London: Activities in Spare Time: Support any Charities:
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Vision for the future of Fashion:
Travel, make leather bags, movies, cook, dinner parties, hang out with friends Not regularly but gives when sees them. Likes to support Breast Cancer charities Will be focus on quality and detail. Customer will want updated key items rather than trends
It’s in a strange place... Probably more conceptual, and more designer led. Every- There will be more elitism one will want designer pieces, within brands. Celebrities even through collaborations will define fashion more
Fig. K, L, M
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Market Market Overview Despite the recent economic downturn, the accessories market has continued to grow and even “outperformed the rest of the clothing, footwear and adornment markets” (Sender, 2012 (1)). This is an encouraging statistic for an emerging accessories brand in an already competitive market and uncertain economic climate. There is also research to support facts that women are making more considered choices when shopping, and are beginning to buy more for quality, willing to spend more money on investment pieces “as the economic outlook remains
uncertain women are becoming choosier about what they buy and quality appears to have become more important” (Sender, 2012 (1))
Due to this considered spending, it seems that the luxury sector of the market are benefiting. According to a report by Verdict, “In 2011 a strong recovery in the luxury goods market has continued, with retail expenditure on branded, luxury goods in dollar terms forecast to expand by 17.3% year on year”. (Verdict, 2011) As ‘lindsey tait design’ aims to sell luxury level goods at the top end of the range, it is important to consider this potential growth, yet it must be aware of the already difficult to penetrate luxury market and understand that conflicts in sales statistics could be a fore-warning of a decline in demand: “While Burberry’s profit warning in mid-2012 could be
heralding a slowdown in future demand for the premium end of the accessories market, other brands such as Prada and Hermes have reported strong results in 2012 suggesting that there is still room for growth in the luxury sector” (Sender, 2012 (1))
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Another encouraging trend for ‘lindsey tait design’ is that of e-commerce and that this market “marks a key area of
growth for the fashion accessories market as the fact that most accessories do not need to be tried on for fit” (Sender, 2012 (1)). “Mintel forecasts that the fashion accessories market will grow by 53% to reach £3.3 billion by 2017 as men and women continue to spend” (Sender, 2012 (1)) This should all be taken as an encouraging sign for ‘lindsey tait design’ as it seems there is a continuing growth and demand within the market sector that can be responded to.
Fig. N
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Charitable Giving
“Nearly half of people who donated in the past year have a positive association with brands that make charitable contributions� (Mitskavets, 2012)
Fig. O - S
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It is important to consider the current market for charitable organisations, as ‘lindsey tait design’ will be donating a portion of profits to a chosen charity, so the public perception of giving will impact upon the brand image to an extent. It is unfortunate to see through research that the charitable market has been hit badly by the recent recession, as well as being greatly affected by recent government spending cuts. Despite these implications, there seems to be a potential gap within the market for brands who support and don’t to charitable causes. “Women are more enthusiastic about supporting brands that donate to charity, with over half (53%) who bought a product with part of the proceeds going to charity” (Mitskavets, 2012). Yet there is still a lot of uncertainty among consumers as to whether the proceeds do actually reach the charity, and also they do not want to pay extra for these products, as outlined by Mintel; “there is a general reluctance to pay more
for such products, as adults feel that companies should donate without passing the cost on to consumers” (Mitskavets, 2012).
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Market Perception Map More Expensive
Avant Garde
Commercial
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Less Expensive
By considering factors such as similar market level, aesthetics, consumer demographic or ethos, a Market Perception Map has been constructed to show the gap in the market which ‘lindsey tait design’ can target. As well as showing the market gap potential, the map also shows that there should be a strong market for the brand, as there are already brands which exist on a similar conceptual design level, although at a lower price point, and brands which offer more commercial products but at a similar price level.
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Micro - Environment SCCIP analysis Suppliers
Customers
Competitors
Intermediaries
Publics 32
Factors for Consideration - Suppliers must adhere to time scale for delivery of materials and fittings - Cost of materials and fittings could rise in future, impacting upon pricing and profit margins of final products - Suppliers will be sourced within UK where possible, to reduce brand’s global carbon footprint. - Constant evaluation of consumer and what they want is critical - Mailings lists and monthly newsletters could be a way to engage customers with brand - Customer service will be crucial in creating sense of a ‘luxury’ brand - they must be number one
- Constant evaluation of competition and what they are offering is important - Staying ahead of game through innovation, trend research etc will give edge over competitors - Consumer may already be loyal to other brands and persuading them to come away may be difficult - All lead times must be long enough to allow for any mistakes or delays to be rectified. - A good relationship with suppliers and any manufacturers will be valuable in future when orders may become potentially very demanding - Marketing and PR companies may charge highly for materials. Brand must be selective in what areas it wishes to target specifically. - Charitable organisations will need to be punctual in working with brand’s timescale. - Charitable organisations will also be able to promote product to an extent which will raise brand awareness.
Macro - Environment PEST analysis
Factors for Consideration
Political
- Rights to trade must be considered as well as costly factors such as copyrighting, registering the brand, etc. - May be able to claim some tax relief for its contribution of profits to charity. - Recent cuts in government funding to charities may impact their willingness to dedicate paid time in liasing with the brand. - With unemployment rates within the UK at a high, the brand may benefit from government schemes such as “Right to work” or apprenticeship schemes where they could directly train young people the skills.
Economical
- Recent economic crisis has caused many consumers to be more considerate of products they buy. - Higher-income consumers have been less affected by recession, and have not altered their buying patterns to such a considerate degree.
Social
Technological
- Hopefully the collaboration with charities will attract wide consumer base who are looking to improve their moral lifestyle. - “The UK population is experiencing demographic ageing, with the number of over-55 women predicted to grow by 7% in 2011 and 2016 to reach 9 million, accounting for just over 3 in 10 (31%) females” (Sender, 2012 (2)). This may have an impact on the brand due to target consumer being in younger demographic age. - Huge advancements in technology in recent years have opened up many new possibilities which the brand has embraced - As advances are made, technologies are gradually becoming cheaper and more accessible. - “Unlike in-store shoppers, online consumers peak amongst those with a gross annual household income of £50,000 or over” (Sender, 2012 (1)) 33
Competitors
Comparitive Shop Analysis Fig. T & U
Store
Address
DNA / Ethos
Price Range Consumer
Key Info 34
Emin & Paul
44 Hanbury Street London E1 5JL
Brand history is last 4 – 5 years, only supply to British brands eg. ASOS and anthropology, V&A museum. Follow main trends but bring conceptual inspiration from human form, architecture, movement. All hand made products. Around £50 to £500
127 Brick Lane
127 Brick Lane London E1 6SB
Minimal concept and designs. Non feminine, adrogynous pieces. Customer service is very important. Hand chosen products for the store.
From £500 to £2500, depending on designer
Their typical customer is artistic. Also stylish and fashionable.
Alot of tourists, especially Asians. Some wealthy students. Mostly young customers.
Their passion lies in the unique, bespoke pieces they make for exhibitions and brand awareness. Around 10 pieces of these, sometimes 50 for smaller products. Do collaborations with UK designers.
They don’t want to sell online as want to stay as an exclusive boutique. Stock current season as well as keeping archive pieces. Rick Owens sells best.
Fig. V & W
Feathers
42 Hans Crescent London SW1X 0LZ
Dover Street Market
17-18 Dover Street London W1S 4LT
“With labels such as Bill Gibb and Ossie Clark amoung other emerging local talents, as well as a list of International de- “I want to create a kind of market where various creators from signers, Feathers swiftly established its reputation as one various fields gather together and encounter each other in an of London’s most innovative shopping experiences. For ongoing atmosphere of beautiful chaos: the mixing up and forty years Feathers has successfully maintained its ethos of coming together of different kindred souls who all share a presenting a unique, friendly retail environment where the strong personal vision.” Rei KAWAKUBO fashion enthusiast always loves to come back.” From £50 to £4000, depending on designer (only including accessories)
Very wide range depending on which designers are stocked. Anything from £100 to £10000
Luxury customers Fashion followers People interested in investment pieces
Alot of tourists. Stylish, fashion conscious individuals. Artistic
Family run business “An eclectic mix in constant evolution each season” Stocks homeware and toys as well as fashion.
Set up as an exhibition space rather than a fashion outlet. Have done many collaborations Stock a wide range of international designers.
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Direct Competitors Competitors have been considered due to the similar concept or aesthetic to ‘lindsey tait design’, they may or may not have similar price points but are still comparative to the brand in some sense.
Who:
MA Artefact graduate from LCF. Uses traditional leatherworking techniques. “pieces of wearable art”. Irish Designer
Owned by Ilya Fleet and Resha Sharma. They have training in traditional saddle making and graphic design. Originally “a collection of hand-crafted luxury accessories for the sexually playful”
Brand DNA / Ethos:
Ethical – only uses by-product leathers. Challenges the borders between fashion and art. Inspired by military and methods of protection.
No boundaries, traditional leather working, cultural heritage.
Materials and Style:
Leather Conceptual products
Leather / PVC. A cross with fashion, bondage and interiors. Mainly restraint fused with fashion pieces.
Price Points:
£95 for Sam Browne Belt £535 for Strapped Corset £1025 for Hunchback Jacket
£45 for keyring £246 for Classic Harness £715 for Droplet catch clutch £1030 for holdall
Heart Bag £529
Body Brace £675
Spiral Cuff £195
Classic Harness £246 Spike Cuff Black £148 Cage Corset £430
Key Pieces: Fig. X, Y, Z
Stockist: 36
www.notjustalabel.com www.savoircouture.com UK boutiques: Unconditional , Wolf & Badger Also stocks in other boutiques worldwide
Fig. A2, B2, C2 www.shop.fleetilya.com www.louisaviaroma.com London independent boutique Darkroom
Indirect Competitors Slightly different market levels or aesthetics but reminiscent of ‘lindsey tait design’ in some areas.
London based jewellery brand
British brand founded in 1994, high street brand. Strong connection with music industry. Currently supports the charitable “Not For Sale Organization” which combats human trafficking
Brand DNA / Ethos:
“All pieces are handformed and produced in London”. Uses industrial processes alongside “artisan experimental techniques”. Aims to accentuate the most beautiful aspects of the female form.
“AllSaints collections mix Culture, Fashion & Music into a powerful formula of confident clothing that expresses individuality”
Materials and Style:
Plexiglass, wood, metal (ie Gold) Striking and challenges the bounderies between jewellery and sculpture
(considering accessories only) Leather, suede, cotton, linen, wool Rock Chic, Stylish, Dark
Price Points:
£395 for Thin Gold Palm Piece £1550 for Gold collar necklace
£20 for Repose Beanie £65 Polanski Pochette £195 for Jackson Tote Bag
Who:
Gold Palm Piece £495
Gold Lower Arm Piece £1460
Kubrick Tote bag £195
Bolshevik Folio Clutch £125
Hoist iPad case £45
Key Pieces:
Fig. D2 & E2
Stockist:
www.fab-vintage.com London boutique Kabiri Japanese boutique Permanent Modern
Fig. F2, G2, H2 Over 40 standalone stores within the UK Number of online stockists Sold in department stores
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Retail Positioning SWOT analysis
Strengths
Accessories Market is currently Strong New and creative label Strong awareness of market and consumer Quality Craftsmanship Attention to details Hand made rather than mass-produced The product is “made to fit� in a sense, it is bespoke and personal to the customer Utilizes new and evolving technology combined with traditional artisan techiniques
Threats
Highly competitive market Rejection from consumer Technology is too expensive to ultimately be justified Consumers are not prepared to go to the trouble of engaging with the technological side of the bespoke items
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Weaknesses
Inexperienced New to market Financial restrictions Speed of production restrictions Potential of high end consumers not liking the lower end product availability – it is not exclusive enough The technology is extremely expensive to implement The bespoke items include customer involvement that they must be prepared to take part in
Opportunities
Raising awareness of charities also works two fold, the brand will benefit from advertising campaigns which the charity uses as well as its own advertising Collaborations with designers to make exclusive items / collections is a strong prospect Technology is constantly being improved and becoming less expensive, which the brand can take advantage of Potential to attract a wide range of consumer with different levels of products available The brand could move into a wider range of products such as apparel due to the nature of the body scanning and made to fit concept.
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Market Strategy Product
See accompanying sketchbook for further designs
The design of the products will begin at a conceptual level, consisting of a gauntlet-style arm cuff, corset-style belt, shoulder/neck piece and a mask fused with a head piece. The luxury level products will then take design elements from these products and be designed with a more commercial aesthetic. Materials have been considered for there function (ie mouldable) as well as their aesthetic qualities. It is important that leathers are of very high quality. 40
Materials Consideration
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Colours within the collection will be quite natural and muted, conveying a ‘skin’ like quality, while feminine, accent colours such as pinks and yellows will be used subtly within linings for example.
Colour Board 1
Colour Board 2 43
The logo for ‘lindsey tait design’ needed to be simple, easily recogniseable and timeless. After looking at a number of other brand logos, a ‘signature’ style logo was decided upon as this also gives a sense of a personal touch from the designer.
Final logo for ‘lindsey tait design’
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Initial ideas from sketchbook – range overview Packaging will be kept clean and simple, keeping in key with the brand’s aesthetics. Simple white boxes to package the goods with the brand logo embossed on the lid. Memory foam to cushion the product inside the box and prevent damage. Any tissue paper that the products are wrapped in will be made from recycled paper. Also the tags attached to the items will be made from recycled paper, with the brand logo embossed onto it. Using recycled paper is something which ‘lindsey tait dsign’ feels is their duty to do to encourage sustainable living in everyday lives.
Fig. I2
Fig. J2 Fig. K2
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Price Architecture Bespoke, Made-to-fit items for specific customers Conceptual Pieces Avant-Garde items made for exhibitions and editorials.
Luxury Level Products Larger body pieces, large handbags, large belts / corsets, shoulder pieces, head pieces, etc.
Entry Level Products Smaller items such as cuffs, belts, clutch bags, neck pieces and other small body adornment.
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There will be a number of factors that will affect the pricing of final products within each range. The pricing must take into consideration the intricate craftsmanship and detailed nature of the products within ‘lindsey tait design’, and the labour time which is put in. As the brand is dedicated to superior quality materials, this must also be accounted for in each piece, alongside any costs of shipments, distributions, technologies, fittings and services. The conceptual pieces for exhibitions and editorials will be at a higher production price due to their complex nature and larger size. Finally, the bespoke customer-specific pieces will be the most expensive. This is justified by the amount of labour time plus time taken in liaising with the customer to ensure perfect fit, etc. and use of technologies. Proposed Price points for each range are as follows: Entry Level Products: £150 - £499
Luxury Level Products: £500 - £1,200
Concptual Pieces £1,200 - £1,500
Bespoke Pieces: £15,00+
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Place Supply Chain - Bi-annual Inspiration & Design
Design Development
Range Confirmation Prodction of initial Spec sheets
Sampling
Reasearch into Charitable Organisation
Consideration of materials & fittings
Liason with charities to discuss marketing strategies 48
Packaging ordered (lead time of 3 months)
Materials sourced & ordered from Metropolitan Leathers (lead time of 3 months)
Customer liasing for any specific, made-toorder products
In-House Prototypes Produced
Online Sales
In-House Production
Final development & Confirmation
Warehouse packaging & storage Customer
Sales & Orders
Recieve & confirm materials & fittings
Attendance to trade shows with prototypes to promote sales
PR & Marketing
Distribution of product to retailers for season launch
“The supply chain will play a massive part in your fashion business and your management of it will go a long way towards determining the success of your label� [Meadows, 2009:17] 49
Fig. L2
East Vs
Product placement within East London: Places like Brick Lane , Spitalfields Market and Broadway Market are already home to smal, home-grown brands, hand crafted goods and vintage goods. It seems an ideal place to stock ‘lindsey tait design’ due to the heritage and attraction of existing consumers who already go to East London for hand crafted goods. However, price points of resident brands are much lower which could affect ‘lindsey tait design’ sales as consumers will not be prepared to spend on the higher price points.
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Fig. M2
Fig. N2 & O2
West Product Placement within West London: Places such as Kensington High Street and Sloane street offer luxury brands for consumers, as well as being home to luxury department stores Harrods and Harvey Nicholls. Stocking ‘lindsey tait design’ within this area may attract the correct market level of consumer, catching them as they shop at competitor level brands. Yet there is a risk that the brand may not be so popular with consumers due to its conceptual design nature, as consumers who shop within these areas prefer more commercial luxury products.
Fig. P2 & Q2
Fig. R2
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Promotion Promotion of ‘lindsey tait design’ will be executed in a variety of forms. The brand believes that advertising and promotions is an important part of brand awareness and support of the chosen charity.
Fig. T2
Fig. S2
Magazine and Blog editorials for conceptual pieces will be effective in attracting the attention of buyers and consumers. Strategic placement of advertising campaigns such as along the escalators on the underground in London serves to target supliminal as well as conscious advertising to potential consumers.
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Fig. U2
Some advertising campaigns will be in conjunction with charities. This effectively creates a two fold awareness strategy by raising awareness of the supported charity as well as ‘lindsey tait design’.
Fig. V2 & W2
Fig. X2 & Y2
Promotion will be in the form of viral videos through social networking channels, online and through linking QR codes which will appear on advertising posters, leaflets, magazine ads and lookbooks. Blogs will be another platform for promotion due to their growing popularity within the fashion industry. Trade shows are an important opportunity to showcase the brand and range of products. Press packs for trade shows and media contacts including the brand’s history and biography, most recent lookbook, press releases and contact details will be key in promoting the brand’s status in the industry. 53
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Conclusion
The research conducted within this report and the findings presented are the groundings and foundations for the developmet from intial design stage into design development and finally to product realisation. Each of these products will be carefully designed and created with the brand’s USP’s and ethos in mind to finally produce a total collection. It is inevitable that there will be changes and developments along the way during the process, however this report has laid enough grounding to strongly support the design process and ultimately the launch of ‘lindsey tait design’
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Bibliography Books Frings, G.S. (2005) Fashion: From Concept to Consumr, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pierson/Prentice Hall Meadows, T. (2009) How To Set Up & Run a Fashion Label, London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd Seivewright, S. (2007) Research and Design, Lausanne, Switzerland: AVA Publishing Smith, G., Cox, D., Saradijian, J. (1998) Women and Self Harm, London: The Women’s Press Ltd
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Websites and articles Arthurs, D. (2011) Now You can find the perfect pair of jeans without trying them on as 3D bodyscanner hits the high street for the first time [Online] Available: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2050421/3D-Bodymetrics-bodyscanner-Find-perfect-pair-jeans-trying-on.html [Accessed 7th November 2012] Evans, S. (2011) Stats of the Day: 50 New Social-Media Stats to Kick-start Your Slide Deck [Online], Available: http://adage.com/article/adagestat/stats-day-50-social-media-stats-kickstart-slide-deck/231093/ [Accessed: 12th November 2012] Martinson, D. (2002) Why do people deliberately injure themselves? [Online] Available: http://www.selfharm.net/ [Accessed: 28th September 2012] www.allsaints.com [Accessed: 28th November 2012] www.bbc.co.uk (2012) Replicator maker talks up 3D printing tech [Online] Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19665625 [Accessed: 20th November 2012] www.businessoffashion.com (2012) 3D Printing, Copyright Nightmare or DIY Heaven? [Online], Available: http://www.businessoffashion. com/2012/10/3d-printing-copyright-nightmare-or-diy-heaven.html#more-37955 [Accessed: 2nd November 2012] www.counselling-directory.org.uk Self Harm [Online], Available: www.counselling-directory.org.uk/self-harm.html [Accessed: 3rd October 2012] www.doverstreetmarket.com [Accessed: 1st December 2012] www.fleetilya.com [Accessed: 27th November 2012] www.giveirishcraft.com Eilis Boyle [Online], Available: http://www.giveirishcraft.com/products/details/eilis-boyle-french-lace-dress-withbow/1264 [Accessed: 13th September 2012] www.mariapiana.com [Accessed 27th November 2012] 58
www.samaritans.org.uk (2012) Press release: Suicide Prevention Strategy 2012 [Online] Available: http://www.samaritans.org/news/ press-release-suicide-prevention-strategy-2012 [Accessed: 3rd October 2012] www.unaburke.com [Accessed: 28th November 2012]
Journals and Reports Clark, N. (2011) “Responsible prosperity: luxury marketing’s new focus” WGSN [website database] Hawton K., Casey, D., Bale, E., Ruthorford, D., Bergen, H., Simkin, S., Brand, F. & Lascelles, K. “Deliberate Self-Harm in Oxford 2009” University of Oxford Centre for Suicide Research [online report] Koster, H. (2012) “New Female Narratives: How to respond to shifting consumer identities” WGSN [website database] Marshall-Johnson, R. (2011) (1) “Future Consumer forecast 2013” WGSN [website database] Marshall-Johnson, R. (2011) (2) “Summary: in 2013 your consumer will be…” WGSN [website database] Mitskavets, I. (2012) “Charitable Giving – UK – 2012” Mintel [website database] Sender, T. (2012) (1) “Fashion Accessories – UK – October 2012” Mintel [website database] Sender, T. (2012) (2) “Women’s fashion Lifestyles – UK – May 2012” Mintel [website database] Verdict (2011) “Global Luxury Retailing: Market Size, Brand Strategies and Competitor Performance” Verdict [website database] WGSN Newsteam (2012) “Kenneth Cole launches “Wear Your Boice’ campaign” WGSN [website database] 59
Images Fig. A - Authors Own Fig. B - http://butterfly-project.tumblr.com/ Fig. C - www.thesciencemuseum.org Fig. D - http://www.unaburke.com/re_treat_2.html Fig. E - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2050421/3D-Bodymetrics-bodyscanner-Find-perfect-pair-jeans-trying-on.html Fig. F - www.surveymonkey.com Fig. G - www.facebook.com Fig. H - Author’s Own Fig. I - Author’s Own Fig. J - Author’s Own Fig. K - Author’s Own Fig. L - Author’s Own Fig. M - Author’s Own Fig. N - http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/fashion/selfridges-womens-designer-galleries-290212 Fig. O - www.lifelinehelpline.info Fig. P - www.nspcc.org.uk Fig. Q - www.rapecrisis.org.uk Fig. R - www.make-a-wish.org.uk Fig. S - www.rspca.org.uk Fig. T - Authors Own Fig. U - Authors Own Fig. V - Authors Own Fig. W - Authors Own Fig. X - http://www.notjustalabel.com/unaburke Fig. Y - http://www.notjustalabel.com/unaburke Fig. Z - http://www.notjustalabel.com/unaburke
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Fig. A2 - http://shop.fleetilya.com/HARNESSES/ Fig. B2 - http://shop.fleetilya.com/JEWELRY/ Fig. C2 - http://shop.fleetilya.com/BELTS/ Fig. D2 - http://www.kabiri.co.uk/gold-palm-piece.html Fig. E2 - http://www.kabiri.co.uk/gold-lower-arm-piece.html Fig. F2 - http://www.allsaints.com/women/bags/allsaints-kubrick-tote/?colour=5&category=332 Fig. G2 - http://www.allsaints.com/women/bags/allsaints-kubrick-tote/?colour=5&category=332 Fig. H2 - http://www.allsaints.com/men/new/allsaints-hoist-ipad-case/?colour=360&category=700 Fig. I2 - http://www.parcpackaging.com/Kraft-Tissue.html Fig. J2 - http://www.etsy.com/listing/89337773/gift-tags-rustic-gift-labels-just-for [Rendered] Fig. K2 - http://www.thefavourboxshop.co.uk/p/products.shtml [Rendered] Fig. L2 - https://www.facebook.com/oldspitalfieldsmarket Fig. M2 - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186338-d2057766-Reviews-Broadway_Market-London_England.html Fig. N2 - http://www.explorelondon.co.uk/brick-lane-market/ Fig. O2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_Lane Fig. P2 - http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/bus19/sloane_street.htm Fig. Q2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knightsbridge_tube_station Fig. R2 - http://acocksgreenfocusgroup.org.uk/2008/08/16/see-the-famous-kensington-re-design/ Fig. S2 - Authors Own Fig. T2 - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/mar/09/plasma-screens-posters Fig. U2 - www.samaritans.org.uk Fig. V2 - www.stylebubble.co.uk Fig. W2 - www.fashiontoast.com Fig. X2 - http://www.qrstuff.com/ Fig. Y2 - http://www.dreamtemplate.com/dreamcodes/documentation/sliders.html
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Appendix Appendix A Testing Out Bodymetrics, The Startup That Wants To Be A Denim Shopper’s Best Friend [TCTV] By Colleen Taylor, Sunday, September 30th, 2012 http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/30/bodymetrics-palo-alto-bloomingdales-video-demo-interview/ Testing Out Bodymetrics, The Startup That Wants To Be A Denim Shopper’s Best Friend [TCTV] Colleen Taylor Sunday, September 30th, 2012 2 Comments Few industries with mainstream visibility and appeal have remained as unplugged from serious tech disruption as apparel and fashion. Of course, the realm of shopping has had major shifts, as has the marketing of clothing from the runway to the mall clothing rack. But the way that clothes are actually made has remained surprisingly unchanged in many ways. When it comes to the incredibly popular category of blue jeans, for example, clothing samples are typically designed to the proportions of a single human “fit model.” Then, versions of that design are replicated in smaller and larger sizes to be sold to the masses. Different brands are known for having different shapes, but with the ever-increasing variety available in the premium denim category alone, it can be pretty daunting to know where to start. Basically, if you want more customization for fit, you better have a good tailor. A Bodymetrics scanner A company called Bodymetrics is keen to bring a bit more personalization to this whole process. The company, which is jointly headquartered in London and San Francisco, makes walk-in pods that use the same technology found in the Microsoft Kinect to get a full rendering of the shape and size of each shopper’s body. The program, which has software and hardware components, then recommends to you the best brands, fits, and sizes for your body type.
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Bodymetrics has made quite a splash in the UK for several years, but just landed stateside this past summer when it installed a scanner at the Silicon Valley outpost of Bloomingdale’s. Like a lot of people I know, I’ve been eager to check it out, but also a bit skeptical — about both the technology and the platform’s actual usefulness. So I solicited TechCrunch’s head of events and partnerships (and resident fashion bug) Leslie Hitchcock and TechCrunch TV producer Ashley Pagán to make the trek down to the Palo Alto Bloomingdale’s to try out the Bodymetrics scanner in person. You can watch her experience with the technology along with Bodymetrics’ creative director Tania Fauvel in the video embedded above. It was also a big pleasure to meet with Bodymetrics’ co-founder and CEO Suran Goonatilake, who was on-hand to dive a bit deeper into the company’s technology and business strategy. You can watch our interview with him in the video embedded below.
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Appendix B Summary: In 2013 your consumer will be... By Ruth Marshall-Johnson, WGSN. 07 September 2011 www.wgsn.org/
Summary: in 2013 your consumer will be... By Ruth Marshall-Johnson, WGSN, 07 September 2011 IN 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL BE ...
Dealing with a new reality where physical, emotional and mental changes in the way we live have taken place Connecting with stories about real-life issues, people and realistic commerce Looking to be inspired, educated and relevant Looking for services and experiences that are simpler and more efficient Keen on decent behaviour and equating being good and ethical to quality of life Inspired by new layers of global reference - some from their own locality, some from further afield Balancing responsibility with hedonism, creativity with calm, and reconsidering luxury in terms of expression of individuality Finding and sharing the good things in life Balancing technology with humanity - realising there is a value in being disconnected, but also more accustomed to paying for digital content and services Craving calm space and actively de-teching parts of their lives Wanting their learning to be rewarded with proof, honesty and efficiency from brands and retailers Finding that looking appropriate is correct again, and can be fun Sending, and responding to, neutral messages and trying to be their own best self
64 IN 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL WANT ...
retailers Finding that looking appropriate is correct again, and can be fun Sending, and responding to, neutral messages and trying to be their own best self IN 2013 YOUR CONSUMER WILL WANT ...
Apps, ads and magazines focused on presenting a clean, readable format Thinner, lighter, higher-resolution and more power-efficient technology To be a better person, community member and global participant A more open-minded approach to the world that helps deal with huge change A new cultural dictionary and dialogue that speaks to and of the emerging hypercultural mainstream consumer To explore new tastes in fundamental things, such as eating, speaking, dancing, working, exercising and learning To seriously improve education You to help them balance the urge to completely de-tech with useful technology You to behave appropriately and decently as retailers, brands, celebrites and image-makers For you not to lose sight of how important it is to have marketing efforts that somehow embody something bigger and even iconic To balance reality with wonder and strike a balance between art and commerce no images
ŠWGSN 2012
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Appendix C Social Media Statistics 2012 - May 15, 2012 - Facebook,Infographics,Social Media Stats http://socialmediainbusiness.com/social-media-statistics-2012-2
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Source: Adage.com Although it is important to take them with a pinch of salt, statistics can be highly enlightening when it comes to describing states and trends. Social media is particularly well-described by statistics due to its very nature – it is essentially a game of numbers and this is part of what makes it compelling for so many users. A look into these statistics can therefore allow us to measure the magnitude of the social media phenomenon. 2012 has been a rather important year for social media as it has been one characterized by a lot of change and growth in this domain. Technologies have continued to move forward, and at the same time we have continued to see social media become more and more accepted by businesses and individuals. Social media has also been integrating itself into increasingly more facets of the Web and of business, and Google’s recent talk of ‘social search’ and its new baby Google Plus point towards social media becoming an ingrained part of SEO as well. This info graphic lays out a few impressive and often fascinating statistics regarding leading social utilities. It is fair to say that Facebook continues to dominate as the most popular form of social media, with more than 800 million active Facebook users at present. The news is very good for businesses trying to market themselves through Facebook: 56% of consumers claim that they are more likely to recommend a brand if they have become its fan on Facebook and 77% of consumers interact with brands directly by reading posts and updates from the brands. Another giant in social media is LinkedIn, which has 64 million users in North America alone as well as the 500 CEOs of the world’s top companies. Twitter is also booming exponentially, although behind Facebook in the social media race, with 100 million active Twitter users. 34% of marketers are taking advantage of the Twitter population by successfully generating leads through the network and 20% of these have actually closed deals. A huge indicator of how mobile technology is growing hand in hand with social media is that 55% of Twitter users access the site through their smartphones. That is, more than half use this social media tool on the move, from unfixed locations. In fact, mobile technology is increasing the pace of the Internet revolution substantially. Tablet users, for example, consume much more as well as more diverse content on the Internet as the interactive and visual features built-in these devices encourage users to explore more content. At present, an impressive 3,5 billion items - news stories, posts, web links – are shared each week. To give a quick example of how this is affecting the business world: a study conducted in 2011 and looking at the restaurant industry concluded that consumers who use social media – whether Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, UrbanSpoon and apps among others – dine out more and are more likely to be return customers than those who do not. So social media not only generates many more leads, but also optimizes on loyalty programs – two avenues which organizations can really strategize on. In short, social media is a big deal and continues to get bigger year on year. The obstacle with social media really lies in the fact that it is constantly changing and evolving and it is crucial that businesses stay on top of developments to utilize the sites in a positive and effective way.
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Appendix D1 Consumer Demographics Survey
Tally of Results: British - 32 Northern Irish - 3 Irish - 4 Polish - 1 Taiwanese - 1 German - 1 Swiss - 1 Lithuanian - 1
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Tally of Results: Student - 14 Designer - 6 Audiologist - 1 Speach Therapy - 1 Psyhologist - 2 Teacher - 8 Marketing - 1 Solicitor - 1 Police - 1 Bar Staff - 1 Business Development Executive - 1 Technical Analyst - 1 Child Minder - 1 Sales - 1 Administration - 4
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Tally of results: Variety of results mainly stating Europe or America. Also Asia and within UK. “Travelling and Festivals�
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Appendix D2 Consumer Buying Habits Survey
2.3
16.3
25.6
A lot Enough A li3le Not at all 55.8
High street stores
27.9
Online
7 81.4
11.6
Department stores Designer / Luxury label store
46.5
78
Independent BouDques
30.2
30.2 Impulse buying Occasion Sales
30.2
Seasonal for Trends 58.1
4.7 4.7
Very Important 32.6
Not very Important Not much 58.1
Hate
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Tally of Responses: Variety of responses including mainly high street stores such as Topshop, Zara, AllSaints, Oasis, Warehouse, Jane Norman, Cos and Uniqlo. Also ASOS. Reasons mainly for fit and value.
Tally of Responses: Majority of responses was in favour of updating with clothes. Some stated that updating with accessories required more thought than with clothing
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Tally of Responses: Mostly statements saying that the origin of the product does not matter to them so long as they like the aesthetic. A few noted it is important to support local talent and a sense of heritage
Tally of Responses: Majority of statements citing quality as a key factor, as well as a potentially longer lifespan of a product which is hand made.
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Tally of Results: High majority of agreement that the fashion industry is a highly influential market. Alot of statements about influence in particular over young people which could be used to advantage. Yet there were also negative comments on the negative influence which the industry already has.
Tally of Results: “Guilt free”, “respect” and “ethics” were repeated words. Most statements declared that it would be good to purchase products knowing some profits were going to a good cause. However a few did state that it would depend on wether they actually liked the products and the brand rather than the link to charity that would make them buy.
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Appendix D3 Consumer Likes and Dislikes Survey
Tally of Results: Mulberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chloe, Donna Karen, Celine, Kate Spade, Frey Wille, Hermes, CK, Victoria Beckham, All Saints, River Island, Tiffany, Kurt Geiger, McQueen, Fleet Ilya, Urban Outfitters, New Look, Roland Mouret, Ted Baker, Marni, Balenciaga, Gareth Pugh, Miu Miu, Pandora, Chemistry.
Tally of Results: Chloe Sevingny, Diane Kruger, Eva Longoria, Olivia Palermo, Tilda Swinton, Cheryl Cole, Victoria Beckham, Blake Lively, Kate Middleton, The Kardashian sisters, Holly Willoughby, Emma Watson, Sienna Miller, Kiera Knightly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olsen Twins, Heidi Klum, Nicole Richi, Millie Macintosh, Rita Ora, Alexa Chung, Erin Wasson, Pink, Rachel Bilson
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Tally of Results: Elle - 6 Grazia - 4 Heat - 3 Look - 7 Vogue - 7 Cosmopolitan - 6 iD - 2 Wallpaper - 2 Now / More / Ok - 7 None - 6
Tally of Results: Majority or responses included social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, as well as clothing websites such as Topshop, ASOS and River Island. Blogs included; The Cherry Blossom Girl, 5 inch and Up, Fashion Toast, They All Hate Us, stylebubble.com, stylist. com, The Satorialist.
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Tally of Results: Huge variety of responses - some of the most repeated were: Crocs, onesies, patterned leggings, pelum dresses, animal print, fur, bags with too many studs / adornment, neon coloured items, large branding on products, ugg boots.
Tally of Results: Quite a clear split between good quality leather being a preference, and imi-leather not being a problem as there are so many good quality imi-leathers out there now. It seemed that quality of product and longevity were more important than the actual material used.
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17.5 Leather Material 55
17.5
Both
35 Night In Night Out 65
87
20 Yes
5
No To An Extent 75
22.5 40
Yes No To An Extent 37.5
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Appendix E
INTERVIEW WITH 2LUXURY2.COM Conducted via email by Lindsey Tait and Christina Mikelis. 1. To what extent do you support emerging designers, and how do you find out about them? We are 100% positive in supporting young talents, because they are the progress, and the best of them are really the NEW LUXURY in every domain.You see, the sense of luxury was always to be where the creator is.Every designer, every artisan was a NEW talent at one date. And all of us are in the beginning. The really way of success is to push forward your ambition and to be in position to begin always a new stage of your personal development, to find always ways to innovate your self. The facts or the values of the concept of GREAT DESIGNER are the same now as they were few hundred years ago. Regarding your question - where we found them - the answers are few: during the events, Recommendations,or through an authority who has the power to express an specific opinion in a domain. etc. If you are looking in our Luxury Interviews rubric on 2LUXURY2 COM, you will see that young designers are as well represented as those who are already famous. 2. What sort of products capture your eye the most? Of course, we are dedicated on luxury market, and those products/services must to fit in the luxury : Innovation, Design, Craftsmanship, Creativity, Emotion. 3. When shooting an editorial, do you take a whole collection and base it around those products, or do you take singular items from different designers to create the concept? More the second variant. 4. Which are you more likely to use in a shoot.. statement pieces, which are wearable (possibly seen in the streets worn by bold characters) or real conceptual, avant garde show pieces (catwalk products)? Here I do not have the authority to express as a fashion critic, because I am not. But here are two different stories after all. The catwalk products are in fact the ART in FASHION. You cannot wear an piece of art, you only admire it. And those pieces of art who are weared by celebrities during galas or similar events are only for this purpose : to be seen , to be admired or not. 90
The ready to wear collections are the expression of art put it in everyday use. In comparison, is exactly like a concept car...you will never see it on the street but you will benefit from it’s innovations. 5. With editorials, are you trying to push the sale of products, or a concept? We try with all of our resources to push out the concept, the story behind it and the designer and his work, even in those cases when is about an advertorial. 6. As an editor would you be prepared to shoot a collection with a story, and have a small article about the pieces along side the shoot? Yes. 7. Would you be interested/ prepared to shoot products which are linked to another cause (charity) and to promote it in an ideological way? Yes, we’ve did that. 8. What makes a good editorial product? The exclusivity is one of the key to success . The best way of measure you success when you are publishing something is to see how many takes your news and spread it over. On the other side, the capability of those who are taking the interviews to put the questions to the subject - those questions who are capable to bring up the inner nature of the subject and his work. That means an excellent documentation on the subject and the domain also. The subject will be more relax, and more eager to share with you things if he will see that you - the journalist- are already familiar with his domain. It is a bridge connection. As many they are, as good your material will be. 91
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Personal and Professional Development After being away from university on a years placement in industry, I was initially quite nervous to return to university life and getting stuck back into work, particular the practical side of it. However, now at the end of my first term I feel extremely proud of what I have achieved and how I have progressed in both a personal and academic level. I have noticed a huge improvement in my time management skills - something that during the first two years at university I struggled with immensely. I definitely feel that being in a professional working environment for twelve months highlighted this issue and I learnt ways of improving myself within it. I also feel that my attitude and concentration towards my work has improved and I work at a faster pace now – again something which I attribute from my work placement experience. On a more personal level, this year is extremely important to me as not only will it provide me with my qualification degree, but it is also a chance for me to prove myself. I mean this in a sense that any doubts or weaknesses I have had over my past few years at university can be overcome. On top of this, I have not just been treating this year as my final academic year of study, but also as a year of preparation for entering the fashion industry and, hopefully, launching my own business. I have grown in confidence the past year tremendously and have set myself personal goals that I am determined to fulfill! As such, I have actually treated the Concept Development Report for this term as my own business plan. To my surprise, I have actually really enjoyed researching for and writing the report; and I am now even more excited for the future as it has truly began to bring my brand and business to life! As I mentioned, coming back to an academic platform after working in industry was an unnerving transition, but one which I think I have handled to the best of my ability. I had hoped that there would have been a few more scheduled tutorials with my course tutor, as well as more practical sessions to refresh skills and techniques. The most valuable sessions to me this term were most definitely the leather masterclasses with Volker Koch; I absolutely loved learning how to traditionally hand sew leather, as well as properly finish the edges. I am just extremely disappointed that it is only in my final year of study that I am learning such an important key skill – something that I would have expected to learn in first year. As an individual I can see a marked improvement in my work from past years, an improvement that I feel has came through a growth in confidence. I now feel ready to enter the industry as a professional and present my own thoughts and ideas. My placement year has shown me not to doubt myself so much, as I can do it! I am eager for what the rest of the academic year will bring and I hope that I continue to work with confidence and enthusiasm as I definitely feel it shows through my work on both a professional and personal level. 93