Fashion Matters
Research book 5502DFT Fashion communication and promotion Megan Louise Connolly “The challenge of diversity (particularly African American) models within the fashion industry�
Contemporary / directional magazine Contemporary magazine SUNG I-D Wonderland CODE Fashion trend Complex PULP Style MSGN Dazed Traditional magazine Vogue Bazaar Love 10 magazine Horvore Elle Instyle
Case study – chosen mag and why Dazed Dazed magazine is quirky, edgy and unique to its market. They aim to target young creatives like myself, with a more sassy style. They do this by having more savvy photo shoots for there front covers and inside pages, that are completely unique to there competitors. There branding again matches the same theme of youth and fun. They use contrasting bold colours, use celebrity endorsement like there competitors on there covers and are always looking for unique quirks to add to there photo shoots. There identity is one of the most well know magazines that target there customer market and the most successful. They target political and social issue and portray this in a clever way through out, which will actually appeal and attract there market. I plan for my magaine to have the same fun and edgy look as Dazed. I would like to make a strong political view, however in a way which will not scare my target market away by being to bold and boring. My photoshoot will be fun and exciting, using no serious facial exspressions or poses. I want my target market to be comfortable while reading my magazine, while also being able to relate. But I still would like my conspect of the lack of diversity that there is within the fashion and modeling industry. The magazine does not have many long winded articals as they know that it will loose there target markets intrest. They clever get there main points across using bold, striking quotes. Again I plan to use this idea throughout my magazine to express facts and percentages.
Case study - Dior For my case study I was given the magazine Dazed. I was told look through the magazine within my group of three and chose an advertise to look into further. I chose a four page campaign spread by Dior. On the first two pages it showed two men dressed in similar Dior clothing of different ages. One was rather young I would say within there early 20’ while the other was much older I would say late 60’s early 70’s. Both images of the men were also in black and white. On the third and fourth page showed the two men again dressed in the same clothes on opposite pages. However this time the third page showing the younger model was in colour. The younger model is African American and the coat that Dior have dressed him in is bright bold red. This is very contesting on his skin and draws the eye to the add straight away. I feel that this add is trying to express a lot more than just there clothing. I believe it is trying to portray that any one can wear Dior and look good in it. No matter your age, due to the contrasting ages of the models and also no matter your race or religion. Due to the contrast between the two models as the older model is Caucasian and also though the contrast within the colour of the jacket ad skin colour. I feel the brand do this in order to attract a wider target market. Dior is such a well known, well established fashion label that has been around as one of the longest. This means that customers who wore the brand years back when they was in the youth have now aged and Dior does not want them to leave the brand or feel forgotten about. Dior is timeless and by targeting all customers that have ever loved the brand is something that will keep the brand so popular internally, which is something I believe the brand is so clever for. Overall I feel the ad is to shown how controversial Dior actually is.
Victoria’s secret During my research I discovered a piece of writing on the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show which took place in Paris in 2016. I wanted to discuss and research an issue as recent as possible to emphasize the current scale of this problem. The announcement of who will wear the VS fantasy bra (a bra worth millions) is something for which many people wait eagerly every year. The bra is hand made with diamonds, unique every year and creates a publicity hype. It represents the star of the show and generates excitement and anticipation both in regards to how it looks and who will wear it. This is because the model is chosen very carefully by VS as it is who they feel deserves it after years of being an Angel for them. In 2016, the African American model, Jasmine Tookes, was chosen. She is only the third African American model to wear the bra in nine years.
United Colours of Benetton One campaign that I was shocked by was named the odd bouquet. It shows three hearts lined up next to each other with the words, white, black and yellow spread across the three. The brand has been very clever to returning each different ethnicity body to its essential value: the inner body, the organs. Portraying the never ending quotation that we are all equal and the same on the inside, forever bleeding the same colour blood. The brand use such unique and bold advertisement techniques to get their message global. They like to get consuming talking about these important issues, while it promotes the brand. The brand has always targeted social/political issues in the world to use within their advertisement meaning the public consumers are used to this idea. However, if a higher end brand such as Dior was to do a campaign so raw and true it would gain much more diverse comments of its consumers.
The use of creating real African like Barbie dolls is a unique way to get the idea of diversity out there from a young age. Strongly I feel that diversity should be promoted and acknowleged from a young age to bring up a generation that accepts all. This is something that would have a roll on effect in afew years time towards the modeling and fashion industry. It is shown that over the years the percentage of diverse models used within the likes of fashion weeks is low, however is growing every year. This is something I think comes from new generations and there different ideas for the industry. Everyone is uniqe and different so why should this not be celebrated in everday objects like dolls.
Models of Diversity is a campain set in place to do just that, promote diversity within the modeling and fashion indusrty. I find it exciting and intresting that it is seen as such a huge issue to others aswell. Not only is there a lack of diversity in races, but there is also a lack of ages, shapes, sizes and ability. Differnce and uniqueness is forever being celebrated within the fashion industry for there clothes and accessorys, so why not there models. Some collections may even look better on a more diverse range of models rather than the same as all there competitors.
The lack of race within my modeling industry is big enough. However when this small percentage of models turn up to professional high end brand, shoots and runways it is shocking that there highed in backstage help is also not properly prepaired. It is such an embarresement for both brand and professional make up artist that both are not accknowledable that they will have diverse models and need to be prepared for this. I do not know in the case weather it is the brands fault for not contacting there employees and letting them know who they will be working on. Or weather it is the make up atrists fault for assuming that they will not have a diverse range of models, or will not have to be fully prepared. This is just a clear indication of the lack of race within models in the industry as professional make up artists as such so not asspect there to be when working with these high end brands. These models are miss treated enough by the lack of them selected, but to then again be treated differently during these hard earned jobs is a discrase to the indusrty.
Model Nykhor Paul is fed up with the fashion world and is making her feelings known. The South Sudanese model posted an open letter on her Instagram account Monday addressing all the “white people in the fashion world” — specifically makeup artists — who don’t know how to work with models who have darker complexions. The 25year-old model, who has appeared in shows for Calvin Klein and Rick Owens, blasts the particularly unprofessional makeup artists who “try to make her feel bad” about her skin color when they are unprepared with cosmetic hues that will match her skin tone. She asks, “Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all the other white girls don’t have to do anything but show up?” Paul clearly doesn’t hold back. And the South Sudanese beauty, who is also a well-known human rights activist, isn’t alone in her struggle. She is just one in a chorus of black models who have bemoaned their experiences in the highly homogeneous fashion industry. Supermodel Jourdan Dunn once dealt with a makeup artist who outright refused to work with her because of her skin color. In addition, fashion icon Beverly Johnson was confronted with the same ignorance decades ago and would arrive at shoots with her hair already done and her own foundation in tow so she didn’t have to interact with makeup artists. Clearly not much has changed over the years. But we’re glad Paul is bringing the issue back to the forefront. Let’s hope we don’t have to hear any more of these sad tales again.
The stats are in, and Black models were severely underrepresented during fashion weeks across the globe. The stats are in, and Black models were still severely underrepresented during fashion weeks across the globe. According to The Fashion Spot, after factoring 373 shows and 9,926 models in New York, London, Paris and Milan, almost 80 percent of models on the runways were White. Black models accounted for only 8.5 percent of castings, with Asian and Latina castings coming in at 7.7 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. When it came to each individual city, New York came out on top as far as diversity goes with 10.7 percent Black models. Brands like Chromat, Tracy Reese and Sophie Theallet led the way with the most diverse shows. #ModelsOnDuty: TCM Pushes for More Models of Color in New York Fashion Week Erdem, Giorgio Armani, Nina Ricci and Saint Laurent all lagged behind, hiring just two models of color to walk their runways. Coming in last place was Comme des Garcons, Junya Watanabe and Erin Fetherston with absolutely no models of color featured in their shows. The fashion industry has seen a slight improvement in diversity in recent years. In Fall 2015 7.4 percent of models were Black and in the previous spring it was 6.8 percent, compared to this season's 8.5 percentage. Yet, progress has still been significantly slow. Although industry veterans like Bethann Hardison, Beverly Johnson and Andre Talley have been vocal about the impertinent need for models of color to be represented on runways, the statistics prove that there is still work to be done.
Top models 1. Jourdan Dunn 2. Nykhor Paul 3. Jasmine Tookes 4. Liya Kebede 5. Maria Borges 6. Joan Smalls 7. Chanel Iman 8. Sessilee Lopez 9. Naomi Campbell 10. Arlenis Sosa
Magazine name ideas? I want my magazine to have a name that represents no colour. This is so that the colourless idea is represented to my readers right before they even look through my magazine. • Transport • Clear • Colourless • Translucent • Iridescent • L’eau – water (French) • Eua • Whimsical • Whimsy • H20 • Aqua • Water • Bubble
Definition of a promotional strategy A successful product/service means nothing unless the benefit of the product/service can be communicated clearly to the target market. The way in which to do this is by creating a promotional strategy. These can consist of many different types of things utilising all aspects of the promotion such as advertising and discounts. Product Price Place Promotion
My promotional strategy AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Aims To formulate a strategy to reach out to young creative between the age of 16-25 about the lack of diversity between models, particularly African American within the fashion industry. Demonstrating the equality of us all through a magazine containing subtle yet hard hitting images to address the current issue and also a range of articles, slogans, Objectives • Reaching out to young creatives about the lack of diversity within the modelling industry. • We aim to demonstrate the equality of us all. • Showcasing that every diverse model can do it. • Combine the hard hitting context into something more fun and subtle for my readers to enjoy. I plan to create a chic, exciting, girly magazine containing a variety of images and articles that promote diversity. The text will be minimal and will support the images. Quotes from brands, models and designers will be used to enliven and support the text, underlining the core message of my dissertation with reference to statistics about ethnically diverse models within the industry. I will handwrite my quotes to add style, humour and prevent the tone from being too serious. I plan to do a fun photo shoot using two different models of different ethnicity, some striking the same poses to portray that regardless of background, everyone can do the same shoot and look equally amazing. I would also like to shoot some fun photos of the models interacting together, which will include them laughing at one another and communicating so that the magazine is always seen as fun and not as hard hitting as UCoB. The use of bubbles is another technique I will employ in order to relate to the title of the magazine and lend a sense of whimsy to the images. I will create a segment on the Victoria’s Secret fantasy bra as I have referenced it frequently during this piece of writing, then shoot the finishing products on the models.
Fashion communication Fashion is communicated in many different ways. One of the main ways in which we do this is visual. We communicate fashion through things like magazines, television, cat walks, billboards, internet. From this we then need to thing about what we want to communicate. We do this by using celebrity endorsement, choosing the location, back drop, models, styling, props, hair and make up and angles and poses. For example if you chose to make a fashion film, the way in which the garment looks on the model’s body and moves is a real large element that needs to be considered.
where how who when what why
Fendi – Creative director : Karl Lagerfeld Name of collection : Legends and fairy tales Location : Rome, Trevi fountain Inspiration : Fairy tale story about East of the sun and West of the moon Illustrated by Danish artist Kay Nielsen Overall I feel this whole collection is very well planned and organised. The audience are well and truly transformed to a magical bewitching water side show. Viewing intricate detailed garments, with clear indicates of were the inspiration was taken. The use of the illustrations from Kay Nielsen in the 10th century added amazing hand crafted shapes and patterns on each garment making the whole show in depth and enchanting. I feel Lagerfeld has through about all aspects of the catwalk to make the whole show as special as it can be for the audience. I feel the location really complements the collection and creates that over all fairy tale look that the collection was inspired by.
The White Bear approaches a poor peasant and asks if he will give him his prettiest and youngest daughter; in return, he will make the man rich. The girl is reluctant, so the peasant asks the bear to return, and in the meantime, persuades her. The White Bear takes her off to a rich and enchanted castle. At night, he takes off his bear form in order to come to her bed as a man, although the lack of light means that she never sees him. When she grows homesick, the bear agrees that she might go home as long as she agrees that she will never speak with her mother alone, but only when other people are about. At home, they welcome her, and her mother makes persistent attempts to speak with her alone, finally succeeding and persuading her to tell the whole tale. Hearing it, her mother insists that the White Bear must really be a troll, gives her some candles, and tells her to light them at night, to see what is sharing her bed. The youngest daughter obeys, and finds he is a highly attractive prince, but she spills three drops of the melted tallow on him, waking him. He tells her that if she held out a year, he would have been free, but now he must go to his wicked stepmother, who enchanted him into this shape and lives in a castle east of the sun and west of the moon, and marry her hideous daughter, a troll princess. In the morning, the youngest daughter finds that the palace has vanished. She sets out in search of him. Coming to a great mountain, she finds an old woman playing with a golden apple. The youngest daughter asks if she knows the way to the castle east of the sun and west of the moon. The old woman cannot tell her, but lends the youngest daughter a horse to reach a neighbor who might know, and gives her the apple. The neighbor is sitting outside another mountain, with a golden carding comb. She, also, does not know the way to the castle east of the sun and west of the moon, but lends the youngest daughter a horse to reach a neighbor who might know, and gives her the carding-comb. The third neighbor has a golden spinning wheel. She, also, does not know the way to the castle east of the sun and west of the moon, but lends the youngest daughter a horse to reach the East Wind and gives her the spinning wheel. The East Wind has never been to the castle east of the sun and west of the moon, but his brother the West Wind might have, being stronger. He takes her to the West Wind. The West Wind does the same, bringing her to the South Wind; the South Wind does the same, bringing her to the North Wind. The North Wind reports that he once blew an aspen leaf there, and was exhausted after, but he will take her if she really wants to go. The youngest daughter does wish to go, and so he takes her there. The next morning, the youngest daughter takes out the golden apple. The troll princess who was to marry the prince sees it and wants to buy it. The girl agrees, if she can spend the night with the prince. The troll princess agrees but gives the prince a sleeping drink, so that the youngest daughter cannot wake him. The same thing happens the next night, after the youngest daughter pays the troll princess with the gold carding-combs. During the girl's attempts to wake the prince, her weeping and calling to him is overheard by some imprisoned townspeople in the castle, who tell the prince of it. On the third night, in return for the golden spinning wheel, the troll princess brings the drink, but the prince does not drink it, and so is awake for the youngest daughter's visit. The prince tells her how she can save him: He will declare that he will marry anyone who can wash the tallow drops from his shirt since trolls, such as his stepmother and her daughter, the troll princess, cannot do it. So instead, he will call in the youngest daughter, and she will be able to do it, so she will marry him. The plan works, and the trolls, in a rage, burst. The prince and his bride free the prisoners captive in the castle, take the gold and silver within, and leave the castle east of the sun and west of the moon.
Articles Photo shoot that is fun and excited
Contrasting with colours / paint mixing as one
Magazine structure
Use bubbles within my shoot to add colour
slogans
Make your own fantasy bra
One hard hitting article about the industry Very visual
Magazine layout
LOCATION BOARD
HAIR AND MAKE UP BOARD
POSES AND ANGLES BOARD
PROPS/BACKDROPS BOARD
EDIT BOARD
MODEL SOURCING BOARD
STYLING BOARD
Date
Action
5th
Research into vs and United Colours of Benetton Email modelling agency's for percentages from rare
12th
Hand in first two sections of dissertation Have personal statement done
19th
Have all boards for mag done primary and secondary Have Promotional strategy done
26th
Complete full dissertation Create and gather all props needed for photo shoot
2nd
Photo shoot Create any charts and pieces needed to add to mag Vs segment Placement of each page/layout
9th
Submit final draft dissertation Final magazine
16th
Research book and dissertation fixes
23rd
Fixing everything to make sure spellings are correct and it all makes sense
30th
deadline
Conclusion Overall I am really pleased with the in-depth research that I have put into place. I feel I have found many avenues in which diverse models, in particular African American have to deal with everyday within the fashion industry. Not only do they struggle being selected, they also have troubles with racism back stage with staff. The issue that I have selected has so many avenues that I could research into I had to be sure I did not over expand and forget the question I set out to answer. Something that I did struggle a lot with was my photo shoot for my magazine. At first I found it extremely hard to find models of ethnic to agree to model for me. My original idea was to have three different models with different skin tones to contrast one another. This way my promoting would be subtle enough for my target market to enjoy but not too much. However the day before my shoot my make up artist and two models cancelled on me. As I had already held back my shoot for a week or two for these unreliable models it had to be done that day. I managed to find another model meaning that I had to change the concept of my photo shoot to fit around my two new models the morning of my shoot. I also had to do there own make ups. Although I am please with the way my shoot came out after the struggles I had, I am upset that it could of looked a lot more professional and complete. Next time I will plan my shoot a lot more and give myself more time in case I have any cancelations. I will also have to plan back up models just in case so that I am fully prepared.