Unit 11 and 12

Unit 11 and 12- Natasha Horsley

Independent retailorThe Dressing Room, Prescott, Liverpool.

The Dressing Room is a independent retailor based in Prescott Liverpool that opened in April 2015 by sisters Elivier and Ashley Hogan. Elivier is a makeup artist and Ashely is a nail technician specialising in CND shellac. Both sisters work in the store alongside two other makeup artists Jade Amber, Chloe Elston.

Despite being qualified in beauty techniques, the sisters buy in women's clothing from labels such as Naya as well as accessories which are sold in their studio and are popular amongst their regular clients. They typically sell occasion wear, however they also sell holiday essentials such as shorts and sarongs.

The store is entirely independent and only has the one location, however they can ship their products worldwide if requested to via social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter and Instagram.

The Dressing Room Layout and Visual Merchandising The images placed on the left and right of this slide display the layout of this independent retailor. The outside is very clean and well kept which gives a positive vibe to the store before you have even walked in. The front window has mannequins wearing clothes stocked by The Dressing Room as well are their accessories. As you walk in the store, to the right hand side there is a makeup station where MUA’s Elivier, Jade and Chloe work. The till point is placed directly next to the makeup station, where customers can purchase items, pay for treatments and ask a member of staff for any assistance they need. In front of the till point, there is a table where accessories such as sunglasses, hats, necklaces etc. are displayed. The left hand side wall displays all clothing stocked by the store and The Dressing Room is located towards the back of the store. Each season they change their visual merchandising to accommodate new stock, however their store layout remains the same.

The Dressing Room Management Structure Owners/Managers Ashley Hogan (NAIL TECNICIAN)

Jade Amber(MUA)

Elivier Hogan (MUA)

Chloe Eslton (MUA)

As the retailor is a small, family run business, the Hogan sisters manage the store and their staff. They are therefore in charge of most job roles including, buying products, merchandising (creating budgets set by own store profits), visually merchandising store, promotions, advertisements etc.

Jade and Chloe rent their makeup stations from the sisters and therefore have a responsibility to pay their managers on time. They also have to abide by the rules and regulations set

by The Dressing Room owners.

The Dressing Room- Competitors Name: Mahi Boutique Location: Tuebrook, Liverpool (6.3 miles from The Dressing Room)

This make over studio in Tuebrook offers more beauty techniques than The Dressing Room and more types of clothing. They specialise in women's clothing, both made to measure and ready to wear, baby clothing , makeup, lashes, nails, hair and eyebrows. Despite this, Mahi Boutique is not as popular as The Dressing Room and is less well known. My collections will compete with Mahi boutique well as they currently only offer women's and babies, and I will be targeting two new customers; men and children.

Name: Mabel Doll Location: Prescott (230 ft. from The Dressing Room) This boutique is in the closest store to The Dressing Room. This store sells made to measure items as well as ready to wear clothing. This store does have a larger following in comparison to The Dressing Room, and therefore I will have attempt to entice consumers by using various marketing strategies such as a celebrity endorsement and exclusive offers.

The Dressing Room- Brands NAYA- fashion design graduate (exclusive to The Dressing Room ) D.R exclusive range Other garments/accessories bought from wholesaler and sold in store

Pure Trade Show, London As a buyer, you will have to attend a variety of events such as catwalks and trade shows. A trade show is ‘an exhibition for companies in a specific industry to showcase and demonstrate their new products and services.’ (Staff, 2017) Pure London is the ‘UK’s leading fashion trade show which takes place twice a year in London Olympia.’ (En.wikipedia.org, 2017) Fashion buyers will attend pure in order to source new collections, meet new suppliers and discover new designers. The show is separated into six sections: Accessories, Agenda, Alert, Aspire, footwear and spirit. Each section features a variety of different brands and the whole trade show has over 600 brands. Over the next few slides I am going to analyse five different brands, comparing their style and discussing if they would be an appropriate fit for my independent retailor, The Dressing Room.

Pure London Brands- Access Access is a clothing brand that features in the Pure London show. Established in Greece 16 years ago, the company has three different types of clothing lines, access, spell and eight. Access ‘consists of elegant and sophisticated clothes’ it ‘offers affordable luxury to modern and open minded women, giving an elegant and contemporary angle to conservative classics.’ Spell is ‘for romantic women’ its ‘girly but with a trendy twist’ making ‘it edgy and glamourous at the same time.’ Eight is there casual wear line ‘with comfortable daywear.’ It has a heavy focus on ‘earthy tones’ and they are made from organic cotton. The Access websites states ‘ the collection embodies a fearless but playful woman who works around the clock.’ (Access Fashion, 2017) After looking into the brand and its previous garments I believe that access ands its three clothing lines would be appropriate The Dressing Room. The access collection would be ideal for occasion wear whilst spell and eight make perfect day time pieces whilst still being unique.

Pure London Brands- Celtic Gent This Irish brand is new to the Pure London trade show. It’s a men's tailoring expert brand that prides itself on the design and tailoring that goes into their garments. The company is based in Dublin, Ireland and offers to create a garment that is the ‘perfect fit’. As this brand offers a tailored, smart style, I do believe the brand would fit in well with The Dressing Room and would be a good way to introduce occasion wear for men into the store.

Pure London Brands-About Accessories

This Germany accessory company's kopka specialises in hats/headwear garments. The company was founded in Germany in in the 1950’s and supplies for ‘hat bodies and hat makers worldwide’ (About-accessories.com, 2017). They started their About accessories line in 2011 and then a ‘high end’ line no hats in 2014. Currently The Dressing Room does sell hats, however they are fur bobble pompom hats and tend to stay away from structured head pieces. This leads me to believe that this brand is not ideal for The Dressing Room, however the independent retailor could benefit by brining the brand in as it would fill a gap in their market.

Pure London Brands- Cdoux Cdoux is a Spanish brand that specialises In women's footwear. There style is very unique and stylish and ‘doesn’t follow the rules.’ (Purelondon.com, 2017) After visiting their website, I discovered the various styles of shoes they sell as well as their price points and quality. They use high quality leather and charge averagely 200 euros for a pair of their shoes. The Dressing Room currently does sell shoes and therefore a footwear brand would be ideal for the retailer, however I do not think cdoux would be the best fit. Their unique style clashes with the style of The Dressing Room and the price points are too high for their clientele.

Pure London Brands- Barqet This unisex brand focuses on the creation of ‘contemporary designs’ for both men's and women's footwear. They pride themselves on the fact that ‘each pair of shoes is completely handmade in Spain’ and they use ‘premium’ and ‘fair trade’ materials. Similarly to cdoux, it would be a good idea for the retailer to bring this brand to their store in order to fill their footwear gap, and, I believe this brands style would be the better fit for the independent retailer. It fits their casual daytime pieces and would target two different audiences. (Purelondon.com, 2017)

The Dressing Room- Business Idea I have decided to produce a new womenswear range for the independent retailor The Dressing Room in Prescott. The store currently sells womenswear occasion and casual wear, and I have decided to produce a new occasion wear for the retailor. I will also produce a new men's and children's wear range to release alongside the women's collection. All three collections will be realised for Spring/Summer 2017; specifically around mid march so that the products are ready to shop before the grand national horse races weekend in April. As not all customer attend the races and I am producing a children’s wear range also, the collection will run through April to the beginning of may, so that the products can be bought for other summer occasions such as communions, christenings, proms and weddings etc. The children's wear collection will feature approximately 12-16 pieces girl pieces ranging from aged 5-10.

Short •

Create three new occasion wear collections for The Dressing Room Men's, Women's and Children's • Fill the gap in the independent retailors markets

Mid

Long Term

• Boost The Dressing Rooms profits • Increase awareness of the retailor

• Create more collections for the retailor • Expand into other collection types for men's and children for example casual wear • Create boys children's wear collection • Expansion of the store • Expansion of the brand/store, for example: concession in larger retailors, online website.

The Dressing Room Customer Profile.

Jenifer (existing) Jenifer is 30 years old. She has been married to 32 year old Rob for five years and they an eight year old daughter named Ellie. Jenifer is a manager of a clothing store in Liverpool city centre. Her husband Robert is an electrical engineer for a well esteemed company. They live in a large house at the edge of St Helens and Prescott

The couple have a large group of friends and attend social events together such as charity balls, family occasions for example weddings and horse racing weekends such as the grand national and Chester. Despite enjoying their own time together, the couple love taking Ellie with them to these social events as well as taking her on day trips and fun days.

The Dressing Room Customer Profile.

Megan (existing) Megan is an 18 year old accountancy apprentice from Liverpool. She works five days a week and spends her weekends typically out with her friends. Looking amazing means everything to Megan; she cannot go anywhere without getting her hair and makeup done and loves getting a unique outfit for her nights out. She spends most of her wages on clothing, makeup and is saving up for her summer in Ibiza.

In her free time, other than going out with her friends, Megan enjoys going out on dates with her boyfriend to restaurants and cocktail bars and enjoys shopping days with her mum.

The Dressing Room Customer Profile.

Molly- New Target Market Molly is a 20 year old university student from Huyton in Liverpool. Currently Molly is living In student accommodation in the city centre and works part time in a clothing shop close to her accommodation whilst studying for a degree in business. She is a really girly girl; she is very fashion conscious and typically shops with Topshop, River island and Misguided.

Molly has a low income due to working only part time and therefore she isn’t always able to buy the clothes she wants. She is always on the hunt for a bargain whilst still looking fabulous.

She typically spends her weekends out with her friends and loves to get dolled up whenever possible.

The Dressing Room Customer Profile.

Alex- New Target Market Alex is a 30 year old makeup sales assistant from Liverpool. She works long, varied hours throughout the week and spends her free time with friends, family and her 10 year old daughter, Abbie. Alex loves fashion and beauty, a trait her daughter has picked up from her mother. She is social media mad and loves posting pictures of her and her daughter. She typically shops with River island, ASOS and Misguided and shops for her daughter largely in River island and then in designer boutiques Melanie Louise and Kids cavern when she can afford to. She loves following designer trends and consistently uploads her designer rip offs on Instagram.

The Dressing Room Customer Profile.

Jake – New Target Market Jake is a 25 year old financial consultant from Liverpool. He has recently moved in with his girlfriend Sarah to a large house in west derby and works full time weekdays to cover the cost. As his job requires a lot of face-to-face meetings with well established clients, Jake takes pride in his looks and always ensure he looks the part for any aspect in his life. He typically shops with Topman, ASOS and occasionally Ted Baker as a treat.

In his spare time, Jake enjoys nights out to town with his friends and attending friends parties with Sarah.

Comparative shop In order to discover more information about my competitors, I will produce a comparative shop looking at the competitors I mentioned previously (Mabel doll and Mahi Boutique). I will look at different items stocked by these competitors as well as The Dressing Room products and compare the differences in prices, quality and style.

I will also produce a comparative shop for men's and children’s wear. However as The Dressing Room does not currently have either of these types of collections, I will look at both designer and high street retailors, and see what they are stocking in order to help my collection compete with a new set of competitors as well as appeal to a new target market.

Women's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

White blazer-£45

The Dressing Room

Raccoon fur bobble hats£30

Mabel Doll

Blazer dress -£90

Mabel Doll

Bobble hat- £15

Mahi Boutique

Playsuit- £20

Mahi Boutique

Raccoon fur pompom hats£20

Retailor

Details

The Dressing Room

Product

Women's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

The Dressing Room

Product

Retailor

Details

Grey jumper£20

The Dressing Room

Raccoon fur trim coat- £100

Mabel Doll

Embellished jumper- £55

Mabel Doll

Fur trim coat£125

Mahi Boutique

Bow jumper-£45

Mahi Boutique

Khaki fur coat£50

Women's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

The Dressing Room

Product

Retailor

Details

Lace dress £60

The Dressing Room

Gold glitter bomber £40

Mabel Doll

Blue dress £45

Mabel Doll

Jessica top £50

Mahi Boutique

Red dress £20

Mahi Boutique

Khaki jacket £10

Women's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

The Dressing Room

Product

Retailor

Details

High neck cream lace top £40

The Dressing Room

Leather jacket £115

Mabel Doll

Mable doll batik shirt £45

Mabel Doll

Fur Gillet £50

Mahi Boutique

Hooded top £15

Mahi Boutique

Cape £10

Women's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

The Dressing Room

Product

Retailor

Details

Lace playsuit £40

The Dressing Room

Lace top £30

Mabel Doll

Ripped zipped embellished jeans £40

Mabel Doll

Embellished jumper £48

Mahi Boutique

Sports set £10

Mahi Boutique

Leather mesh jumper £55

Women's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

The Dressing Room

Product

Retailor

Details

Sequin jumper £20

The Dressing Room

Pink floral lace top £20

Mabel Doll

Sequin jumper £40

Mabel Doll

Hot pink lulu top £90

Mahi Boutique

Rolling stones tshirt £45

Mahi Boutique

High neck glitter top £20

Menswear As The Dressing Room do not currently have a menswear collection, I will look at retailors that sell menswear that follow a similar style to the collection I hope to create. I will look at shops selling men's occasion wear that are popular in Liverpool. As The Dressing Room has a designer ‘copy-cat’ style, with their ‘balmain inspired’ blazer dresses and their ‘Stella McCartney like’ bags; I will look specifically at designer retailors.

I have chosen to look at Reiss, Hugo Boss and Ted Baker.

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

Modern fit navy blazer- £170 (originally £265) 100% wool

Reiss

Slim Jacquard weave trousers navy- £90(originally £125) Composition - 55% Polyester 45% Wool

Hugo Boss

Slim-fit -grey 'Nobis2‘-£400.00 Material information: 55% Virgin wool, 45% Linen, Lining: 100% Cupro,

Hugo Boss

Regular-fit trousers with pressed creases: 'Hermand‘ grey£149.00 Material information: 100% Virgin wool, Lining: 100% Viscose

Ted Baker

SPROUTJ Checked wool jacket Grey- £365 Fabric Content: Shell: 100% Wool; Body lining: 100% Polyester; Sleeve lining: 50% Viscose, 50% Acetate

Ted Baker

SPROUTT Checked wool trousers Grey -£150 Fabric Content: Shell: 100% Wool; Trouser Lining: 100% Viscose

Retailor

Details

Reiss

Product

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

Slim-fit waistcoat navy- £85 (originally £110) Composition - 60% Wool 40% Polyester

Reiss

HERRINGBONE TIE Indigo- £40 (originally £50) Composition - 73% Wool 27% Silk

Hugo Boss

Knitted slim-fit waistcoat in cotton: 'Kralito‘ grey- Material information: 100% Cotton, Facing: 100% Cotton

Hugo Boss

2-tone silk tie: 'Tie 6 cm‘- £39 (orignally £69) Material information: 100% Silk

Ted Baker

SPROUTW Checked double-breasted waistcoat Grey- £130 Fabric Content: Front Shell: 100% Wool; Lining: 100% Polyester; Back Shell: 50% Acetate, 50% Viscose

Ted Baker TORTELI Circle jacquard silk tie Grey -£55 Fabric Content: Shell: 100% Mulberry Silk; Lining: 100% Polyester; Interlining: 100% Polyester

Retailor

Details

Reiss

Product

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

CHRISTOPHER CLASSIC-FIT SHIRT WHITE £80 100% Cotton

Reiss

EMPORER MERINO V-NECK JUMPER PLUM £80 100% WOOL

Slim-fit business shirt 'Elisha01' in easy-iron cotton £79

Hugo Boss

Slim-fit sweater in pure new wool: 'Leno-B £119 100% virgin wool

Ted Baker

MONROE Textured jumper £95 58% Cotton, 31% Polyamide, 11% Wool

Retailor

Details

Reiss

Hugo Boss

Product

100% cotton

Ted Baker

ICEREAM Geo print fil coupé shirt £89 100% Cotton

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

BLOC STRIPE HEM T-SHIRT GREY MARL £45 50% Cotton 50% Polyester

Reiss

DIVISION MID WASH JEANS MID BLUE £95 95% Cotton 4% Polyester 1% Elastane

Hugo Boss

Slim-fit t-shirt in stretchy material blend: 'Tianotech‘ £89 92% Polyester, 8% Elastane, Facing: 92% Polyester, 8% Elastane

Hugo Boss

Finely patterned regularfit jeans in stretch cotton blend: 'Maine3-20‘ £119 76% Cotton, 21% Polyester, 3% Elastane

Ted Baker

LAZARO Graphic branded T-shirt £39 60% Cotton, 40% Polyester

Ted Baker

SIMMS Straight fit mid wash jeans £109 99% Cotton 1% Polyurethane

Retailor

Details

Reiss

Product

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

CEYLON PREMIUM LEATHER BROGUES DARK BROWN £245 100% Cow Leather

Reiss

BILLINGS TEXTURED BACKPACK BLACK £175 Composition - 100% Nylon Lining Composition - 100% Polyester

Hugo Boss

Patent-leather lace-up shoes: 'CRISTALLO‘ £270 Upper material: 100% Calfskin, Lining: 100% Calfskin, Sole: 54% Leather, 46% compressed wood fibres

Hugo Boss

Rucksack in embossed leather: 'Traveller_Backpack‘ £450 £450 Material information: 100% Cow skin, Lining: 100% Polyester, Facing: 100% Polyamid

Ted Baker

SIMEEN

Ted Baker

AVALON Textured leather lock backpack £499 Shell: 100% Bovine Leather; Lining: 46% Viscose, 20% Acrylic, 17% Polyester, 11% Nylon, 6% Cotton

Retailor

Details

Reiss

Round toe moccasins £100 upper: 100% bovine leather; lining: 90% cotton, 10% bovine leather; sock: 100% bovine leather; sole: 100% resin;

Product

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

MITCHELL SUEDE AND LEATHER BELT BROWN £50 Composition - 100% Cow Suede Lining Composition - 100% Cow Leather

Reiss

AMBIEM SILK PATTERNED POCKET SQUARE WHITE £25 100% SILK

Leather belt: 'Froppin‘ £85 100% cow skin

Hugo Boss

Patterned Tailored pocket square in pure silk: 'TPocket sq. 33x33 cm'

Retailor

Details

Reiss

Hugo Boss

Product

£85 100% silk

Ted Baker

WILSON Leather colour block belt £45 100% Bovine leather

Ted Baker

ROLAPOK Geo floral print pocket square £29 100% Silk

Men's Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

Reiss

MILTON RIBBED BEANIE HAT NAVY£40 60%Wool 35% Nylon 5% Cashmere

Hugo Boss

Hat in pure new wool: 'Xaffano'

Ted Baker

Product

Retailor

Details

Reiss

BENSON HOUNDSTOOTH SCARF NAVY £70 90% Lambswool 10% Cashmere

Hugo Boss

Plain scarf in silk: 'Scarf 140x35 cm‘ 100% silk

Ted Baker

TERRY Ribbed textured scarf £49 41% Polyester, 30% Acrylic, 20% Polyamide, 9% Wool

£49

ARCHAT Twill knitted bobble hat £40 40% Merino Wool, 30% Viscose, 20% Polyamide, 10% Cashmere

Children's wear The Dressing Room also do not have a children's wear collection and I will therefore look at popular retailors in Liverpool that sell children's wear. Similarly to the men's comparative shop I have conducted, I will look at designer brands in order to fit in with The Dressing Room style. I will look specially at independent retailor kids carven which sells a variety of different designer brands both online and in their two stores located in Liverpool city centre and Kirkby town centre. I will then look at two popular high street retailors; Zara and River Island.

Girl’s Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

Kids Cavern

Fendi Girls AW16 Grey Dress JFB052 £157.00

Zara

SEQUIN DRESS Details- £23.99 COLOR: Copper OUTER SHELL 100% polyester LINING 100% cotton

River Island

Mini girls black metallic floral dress £16.00 3% Elastane, 26% Polyester, 71% Viscose

Product

Retailor

Details

Kids Cavern

Melissa AW16 White Space Love Shoes £65.00

Zara

LACE-UP BALLERINAS Details £19.99 COLOR: Grey UPPER 100% polyurethane LINING 100% polyester SOLE 100% thermoplastic rubber SLIPSOLE 100% polyurethane

River Island

Girls silver metallic brogues £20.00 Upper PU, Sole Rubber

Girl’s Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

Mayoral AW16 Black & Blue Glitter Flower Headband 10.084 £9.00 100% Polyester

Kids Cavern

Monnalisa AW16 Pink Fur Gilet £125.00 100% Polyester

Zara

SHINY TULLE HAIRBAND Details £3.99 COLOR: Golden OUTER SHELL DETAILS 100% polyester MAIN MATERIAL 95% polyester, 5% elastane

Zara

SHORT DIAMANTÉ JACKET Details £14.99 COLOR: Pastel pink OUTER SHELL 46% viscose, 28% nylon, 21% cotton, 5% wool

River Island

Girls silver diamanté bow hairband £5.00 100% Cotton

River Island

Girls black pleated cardigan £14.00 100% Cotton

Retailor

Details

Kids Cavern

Product

Girl’s Comparative Shop- Current AW16 Stock Product

Retailor

Details

Kids Cavern

T-Love AW16 Grey Applique Flower Sweater £78 56% Viscose, 40% Polyester, 4% Elastane

Zara

PATCHES SWEATSHIRT £14.99 MAIN FABRIC 52% cotton, 48% polyester SECONDARY FABRIC 51% cotton, 47% polyester, 2% elastane

River Island

Girls blue floral embroidered denim shirt £16.00 100% cotton

Product

Retailor

Details

Kids Cavern

Relish AW16 Wine Puffer Jacket Fur Hood Mier £142 100% polyester

Zara

Fleece coat £29.99 MAIN FABRIC 45% acrylic,, 35% polyester, 20% wool DETAILS 100% cotton

River Island

Girls khaki floral embroidered shacket £25.00 100% cotton

Comparative shop analysis Women's: After completing a comparative shop, I have discovered that women's independent retailors within Liverpool are very similar. They stock similar products that follow popular fashion trends. For example embellished shirts and jumpers. They all had similar price margins which I will have to address when deciding RRPs, in order to remain comparative.

Men's: Similarly to women's, all three stores I have used in my comparative shop have similar price points and styles. Even though I will be taking inspiration from these brands, I will not keep to the same piece points as they are too high for my retailor, however I would like to retain the quality.

Children's: As kids Carven sells children's designer wear, it generally has a higher RRP margin In comparison to high street retailors Zara and River Island. The style in the independent retailor differs slightly to the high street stores, however the quality of the materials generally stays the same. I will be drawing inspirations specifically from kids cavern as they are a highly successful independent children's clothing retailor, however in order to remain competitive and appeal to my target market, I will look at the high street retailors RRPs when deciding the prices of my own collection.

Missguided: double breasted blazer suit white £30 (96% polyester, 4% elastane).

Directional shop

This blazer is from a fast fashion online retailor and is cheaper than the garment from The Dressing Room. It is very similar to the Pucci piece as it has white buttons instead of gold. This is of a lower quality in comparison to the designer ones.

Net-a-porter: Balmain double breasted basket weave cotton blazer £1,325 (100% cotton, lining: 52% viscose, 48% cotton).

This blazer is the inspiration behind The Dressing Room white blazer. You can see the similarities between the colour, fit and detailing of both blazers. The blazers outer is 100% cotton making it a good quality.

White blazer-£45 Yoox: Dsquared2 blazer £599 (96% cotton, 4% viscose).

This blazer by dsquared2 has a lower price point in comparison to the Balmain and Pucci pieces. It has a mixture of materials, however the 4% elastane will have been used to improve both comfort and durability of the garment. The style is slightly different to The Dressing Room piece as it only has a single button close.

My Theresa: Emilio Pucci crepe blazer £1155 (95% viscose, 5% elastane).

This white Pucci blazer is very similar to The Dressing Room garment. It has a similar colour and shape but the detailing's are slightly different. The buttons on this blazer are white The Dressing Room piece has gold buttons.

This Blazer is made from man made materials that are used within all type of retailors and therefore does not necessarily mean it is of a high quality.

Directional shop Harrods: Burberry wool cashmere pompom beanie £295 (73% wool, 27% cashmere, real fur pom).

River Island black knit bobble hat £13 (100% acrylic, faux fur pompom).

This Burberry hat is more expensive than both the Eugenia kim and The Dressing Room hat. The designer name is more desirable and therefore makes it more expensive. Also the added 27% cashmere makes the hat softer and more expensive as cashmere items cost more.

This is cheaper than The Dressing Room piece as it has a faux fur trim. This hat is also 100% acrylic and therefore is of a low quality in comparison to the designer pieces.

Raccoon fur bobble hats- £30 Michael Kors fur pom pom beanie £130 (70% acrylic, 30% wool).

This Michael Kors hat gives no information about the pom pom and therefore whether it is real fur or not. It has a similar shape to The Dressing Room piece. It has a lower quality of fabric composition however its price suggest the opposite. This suggests the high price point is decided by the brands name rather than its quality.

Harvey Nichols: Eugenia Kim rain black fur pompom wool beanie £225(100% wool, 100% fox fur pom).

This bobble hat is very similar to The Dressing Room versions. They are a chunky wool knit with a fur pompom placed on top. However on this piece fox fur is used. Both furs are very popular but have different qualities. Raccoon fur is very soft but fox fur dyes well, explaining why the designer chose this fur specifically.

Directional shop Dorothy Perkins grey frill yoke jumper £24 (100% acrylic).

Burberry cable knit wool cashmere sweater with ruffle bell sleeves £2500 (72% wool, 28% cashmere).

This grey frill jumper is a high street version similar to The Dressing Room piece. It is 100% acrylic and therefore has a low quality. It is higher price in comparison to The Dressing Room piece possibly due to the retailor its sold in.

Farfetch: Antonio Marras ruffle detail jumper £460 (wool 75%, angora 25%).

This jumper is produced by well known Italian designer Antonia Marras. It has a similar structure and shape to The Dressing Room piece as well as colour. It has a slightly lower quality of fabric composition than the Stella McCartney piece and therefore explains why is it a slightly lower price.

This jumper is not as similar as The Dressing Room piece in comparison to the other designer jumpers, however you can see the ruffle trend that has inspired it.

Grey jumper- £20

Farfetch: Stella McCartney ruffled detail jumper £535 (100% virgin wool).

This Stella McCartney jumper is very similar to The Dressing Room piece. It has similar frill patterns and colour scheme.

However not only is Stella McCartney a well established brand, this particular jumper has a very high quality of fabric composition and therefore makes it more expensive.

Directional shop Barneys: Moncler fur trimmed down quilted Clio coat £1544 (100% polyamide; lining: 100% polyamide; fill: 90% down, 10% feathers; trim: 100% dyed fox fur).

Rare London khaki faux fur hood belt coat £69 (100/% polyester).

This coat produced by British brand rare London is the high street equivalent to The Dressing Room however its faux fur lining and polyester outer makes it a lower quality and therefore cheaper.

This coat is very similar to the piece from The Dressing Room. Is has a fur trim hood however The Dressing Room piece uses raccoon fur. Moncler have possibly used for fur due to its ability to dye well. The Moncler coat also uses feathers as a fill in their lining to provide insulation.

Raccoon fur trim coat- £100 Bloomingdales: Phase Eight Kayln faux fur trim puffer coat £311.35 (Self & lining: polyester; faux-fur trim: acrylic/modacrylic; fill: duck feathers/duck down).

This phase eight coat has a similar structure to The Dressing Room piece, however its fur trim hood is made from faux fur. This suggests the coat of a lesser quality, however its duck feather fill increases its value.

Burberry down filled coat with fox fur trim hood £1250 (Outer: 100% polyamide Trim: 100% leather Hood trim:100% real fur: farmed blue fox fur, vulpes lagopus, fur origin: Finland Upper body lining: 100% polyester Lower body lining: 100% polyamide Sleeve lining: 100% polyester Filling: 80% goose down, 20% goose feathers Wadding: 100% polyester).

This Burberry coat has slightly different detailing's in comparison to the Moncler and The Dressing Room coat. It is longer and has a tie waist belt. However its fur trim is also made of fox fur and therefore is the same as the Moncler coat. It has many different materials within suggesting a lot of work has gone into the coat making it a high quality.

Directional shop Forward: GIAMBATTISTA VALLI FLORAL LACE MINI DRESS £2,339.77 (Self: 100% poly Contrast Fabric: 100% polyamide Contrast Fabric: 100% silk).

Dorothy Perkins Flocked Lace Pencil Dress £30 (100% nylon).

This Dorothy Perkins dress has a similar structure to The Dressing Room garment. It has short sleeves and a slim fit. It is made entirely of nylon and therefore makes it cheaper due to its compostion.

Selfridges: FRENCH CONNECTION Emmie embellished lace dress £180.00 (36% nylon, 34% cotton, 30% viscose; lining 100% polyester).

This French connection dress is triple the price of The Dressing Room piece. It does differ slightly to The Dressing Room lace dress as it has long sleeves and a v neck cut. It is mostly made out of man made fibres and therefore does not have a high quality suggesting the price is expensive due to the brands name.

This dress has lace detailing all over making it very similar The Dressing Room piece. It has a silk contrast fabric making it a high quality.

Lace dress £60

Selfridges: Valentino Floral-lace and wool and silk-blend mini dress £1,995.00 (65% virgin wool, 35% silk; 71% cotton, 21% viscose, 8% polyamide; 100% polyamide; 100% silk).

This Valentino dress is not lace all over, however is it very similar to The Dressing Room piece. It has lace upper and skater style skirt made of silk. It has high quality fabrics such as the silk as well as the virgin wool making it more expensive.

Directional shop After researching into gold glitter bomber jackets I found that not many high street or designer retailors are producing anything similar. I then looking into glitter jackets in general.

This included other shapes including blazers.

Reiss Dinah Glitter-sequin cover up gunmetal £145 (100% polyester).

This black glitter jacket has a more cape structure in comparison to the bomber. It has a single button close at the top and curved edges. This jacket is 100% polyester meaning it is not of a top quality and the price is so expensive due to the brands name.

Gold glitter bomber £40

Farfetch: Armani collection glitter jacket £631 (lining 100% polyester, outer viscose 35% polyester 47% cotton 17% other fibres 1%).

This is another Armani jacket but this has a different structure again. It is more rounded in shape and has a blue cotton glitter finish. It has a mixed fabric composition and a lower price point that the Armani jersey jacket. It is more expensive than the reiss jacket as it is a more expensive brand In general and has better quality fabrics.

Nordstorm: Armani glitter jersey jacket £1145.93 (94% acetate, 6% elastane with 92% polyester, 8% elastane contrast).

This Armani jacket has more of a blazer structure and has a single button close at the centre. Armani have used a metallic glitter as the finish of this piece and have used man made fabrics to complete it.

Directional shop River Island cream floral lace top £35 (46% Cotton, 54% Nylon).

Harrods: Oscar De La Renta £1850 (pure silk).

This river island top is very similar to The Dressing Room piece. It has ¾ bell sleeve top with lace placed all over and a boxy structure. Due to the delicate cotton lace, this top is dry clean only. This top does is not to the standard of the quality of the designer tops, however the use of nylon gives the top more flexibility and therefore makes it more comfortable.

This white lace top made in Italy is very similar to The Dressing Room piece. It has bell sleeves, a high neck and it made entirely of silk; this will make the garment expensive. It can only be dry cleaned due to the delicate nature of the fabric used.

High neck cream lace top £40

Matches fashion: Rebecca Taylor floral-lace silk blend chiffon top £355 (78% silk, 22% cotton.

Fabric 2: 65% cotton, 35% nylon. Fabric 3: 100% polyester).

Similarly to the Dolce and Gabana top, this Rebecca Taylor piece has a mixed fabric composition but includes a large percentage of silk; due to this the top is dry clean only. This top does not have the bell sleeves, however the peplum edge resembles the shape.

Neiman marcus: Dolce & Gabbana Floral-Lace 3/4-Sleeve Ruffled Blouse £1,682.43 (rayon, cotton, nylon).

This Dolce and Gabana top is also made in Italy. It has a mixed fabric composition of natural and man made fibres. The fabric quality of this shirt is not as good as the Oscar de la Renta shirt and therefore may be expensive due to import costs or the name on the shirt.

Directional shop Selfridges: Steve J and Yoni P Kissing Me leather biker jacket £1,115.00 (100% sheepskin; lining 100% polyester).

ASOS: Glamorous Petite Badge Faux Leather Biker Jacket £65.00 (100% Polyurethane).

This jackets ties in with the badging trend as it features heart and word badging across the entire piece. It differs however by its material. This jacket is made from sheepskin whereas The Dressing Room piece is made from leather. This SJYP piece requires dry cleaning maintain. The use of the sheepskin may be why this jacket is so expensive in comparison to the Maja piece.

This glamourous jacket is the high street equivalent of The Dressing Room piece. It features the badging trend across the front back and side of the jacket. This piece is made entirely from man made fibres making its quality less In comparison to the other jackets on this page and explains why its cheaper.

Leather jacket £115 Selfridges maje Bicoeur leather jacket £529.00 (100% leather; 100% polyester, 100% cotton).

Selfridges: Sandro pattie leather jacket £739 (100% leather; 100% polyester; 100% cotton).

Moroccan born designer Judith Milogrom has created this embroidery leather jacket. Unlike The Dressing Room piece there are no badges, however the blue embroidery on the shoulder ties this piece in with the trend. As the outer is 100% leather, it requires specialist leather cleaning to maintain it.

This Sandro leather jacket is very similar to the Maje jacket. It features the embroidery across left side and the jacket has the same composition. This also requires specialist leather cleaning and can only be dry cleaned.

Directional shop LilyLulu plunge lace playsuit £38 (100% polyester).

This is highstreets(fast fashion/online retailor) equivalent) to The Dressing Room piece. It has a very similar shape; it features the same bell sleeves and v shapes neck line. It is made from 100% polyester meaning its quality is not as high as the Lace playsuit £40 designer ones making it cheaper.

Currently, not many designers are making lace playsuits. The three bellow reflect similar pieces that fit in with the lace trend.

Net-a-porter: Miguelina £370 (100% cotton; lining: 100% rayon).

This Miguelina playsuit was the most similar to The Dressing Room piece. Even though it doesn’t feature the bat wing sleeves, this playsuit has wide sleeves, the same V-neck shape, colour ad material used. The outer is 100% cotton making it a good quality which makes it more expensive.

Unlike many designer items, this playsuit does not need dry cleaning, however it does require hand cleaning due to its delicate nature.

Net-A-Porter: Zimmermann Tropicale Antique lacetrimmed embroidered silkgeorgette playsuit £565 (100% silk; trim: 100% viscose; lining: 100% polyester).

Although this playsuit is not a direct inspiration source, you can see it has followed similar trend paths.

Zimmermann has taken lace and created a deliacte playsuit. It has a loose fiiting and longer bell sleeves. This playsuit has a 100% silk outer meaning it is of a high quaility and therfore makes it expensive; it can also only be dry cleaned.

Directional shop Littlewoods: Miss Selfridge high neck lace blouse £45

Selfridges: Etro Frill-trim silk blouse £505.00 (100% silk).

Littlewoods provided no fabric information about this blouse. Its is a slightly higher price than The Dressing Room piece despite being a high street brand. This suggest it may be of a better quality. It feature the same high neck structure with lace detailing, making it also similar to the French connection piece.

This Etro blouse has a similar structure to The Dressing Room piece. It is fairly boxy with a short length. Made in Italy, this blouse is 100% silk and therefore has an extremely good quality, making it more expensive.

Cream blouse £30

Selfridges: French connection Polly Plains lace-detail and crepe blouse £55 (100% polyester; Lace 100% polyamide).

This French connection blouse is of a lower quality in comparison to the higher priced blouses. Despite its polyester fibres, the top is still delicate and therefore has to be hand washed. It features a rounded neck and lace detailing.

Selfridges: Elizabeth and James Sophia silk-georgette blouse £300.00 (100% silk).

This blouse is slightly longer than The Dressing Room piece. It still retains the high neck line and vertical pattern across the front. This blouse is also 100% silk making it a high quality and because of this it is dry clean only.

Directional shop Boohoo Selina sequin panelled jumper £16 (65% Cotton, 35% Polyester).

Farfecth: Caroline Herrera sequin stripped jumper £2423 (100% wool).

This Italian made jumper is a very high quality as it is made entirely of natural fibres. As it is 100% wool; this jumper is dry clean only. This jumper is slightly different to The Dressing Room piece however you can see the trend path both have followed, sequin and stripes.

This is the high street equivalent to The Dressing Room piece. You can see the similarities with the sequin trend and the jumpers style.

This jumper can be machine washed.

Sequin jumper £20 YOOX: Marc by Marc Jacobs £208 (53% Cotton, 47% Rayon).

This marc Jacobs jumper is very similar to the Emilio Pucci piece featured right.it it of a slightly lower quality in comparison to the Caroline Herrera jumper and is therefore cheaper.

Italist: Emilio Pucci natural sequin front jumper £963.37 (no fabric information). ‘natural sequin front knitted jumper from emilio pucci: beige natural sequin front knitted jumper with ribbed neck, cuffs and collar, crew neck, long sleeves and shimmering brown sequins’ (Italist, 2017)

Very V by Very Premium Mixed Lace Peplum Top £45 (100% polyester).

Directional shop Saks Fifth Avenue: Rebecca Taylor sleeveless lace peplum top £317.11 (100% cotton).

This top by very has the same fabric composition as the shoptiques piece below. Despite this is it significantly cheaper. This example is more expensive than The Dressing Room piece due to the retailor its sold under. It features the v shaped neck line and peplum finish in white lace with long sleeves.

This Rebecca Taylor top is very similar to The Dressing Room piece. It features both the lace and peplum trend as well as a pastel pink colour scheme. This top is of a high quality and due to its delicate nature can only be dry cleaned.

Pink floral lace top £20 Shoptiques London Lace tank £166 (100% polyester).

This lace tank top is very similar in structure to The Dressing Room piece; it features a v shaped neck line and peplum, finish in white lace. Despite its high price point, this top is of a lesser quality in comparison to the pieces to the right therefore explaining its lower price point.

Intermix: LOVESHACKFANCY Jane Lace Crop Top £202.89 (100% cotton).

Similarly to the Rebecca Taylor top, this Loveshackfancy piece is 100% cotton and therefore of a high quality. Although it is not pink, it does feature a similar v neck structure, lace detailing and a peplum finish.

Directional shop evaluation After completing my directional shop, I can conclude that the majority of the Dressing Room pieces are designer look a likes at a cheaper price. Despite the fact The Dressing Room garments do not provide any information on fabric quality, you can see the difference in comparison to the designer pieces. The top end priced pieces such as the Stella McCartney jumper or the monclair coat use top quality fabrics which makes them more expensive.

Within my directional shop, I also discussed high street garments in order to show the similarities of the independent retailors pieces. From the images alone, you can see the similar fabric qualities and the prices also suggest this similarity.

From this directional shop, it is evident that their customers want designer garments for the best price. Therefore The Dressing Room buy in designer copies and sell at affordable prices in order to appeal to their customers. They try to buy in the best copies by using real furs and higher quality fabrics in comparison to high street stores which use cheaper materials and this makes it more desirable.

Women's trend forecasting report The Dressing Room SS16

In order to ensure my concept would appeal to the existing customers, I firstly looked at the comparative shop I conducted as well as their SS16 Pieces on social media. I found that the boutique has a heavy focus on shape, using belted waists, tight fittings and cut out areas. The majority of their SS16 pieces were constructed of lace in pastel or bright colours; a material that carried on through to their Autumn/Winter collection, suggesting the use of this material appeals to the customers and is successful for the boutique.

To then develop a potential concept for my womenswear collection, I began to look at the predicted trends for Spring/Summer 17 on trend forecasting website WGSN. I found four major concepts for the season which featured a variety of colours, materials, patterns and shapes, and found that the trend ‘edgelands’ was the best fit for my retailor. Within the reports on this trend, I found that cinched waist was a key shape for the trend, inspired by designer catwalks such as Victoria Beckham and Isabelle Marant. I also discovered key colours such as pastel blues and dull oranges, which contrasted from the bright bold colours usually found in high summer, making this ideal for my collection, as it will be released early spring. It was also evident that many designers had used soft, light and delicate materials such as lace and organza, this is again something that I believe will fit in well with the boutique.

After completing this research I then decided on my concept and created a concept board. I decided to call this concept ‘cinched styling’ in order to put emphasise on shape.

Rick Owens ss17

Chloe ss17

Social influences The perfect hourglass silhouette with a tiny waist reminisces of the Victorian era, however over the past few years, the cinched in waist appears to be making a comeback. In 2014, Kim Kardashian posted a picture of herself using a ‘waist trainer’; a corset like garment worn daily is meant to help you loose weight and helped the infamous Kimmy K to loose 7lbs. Since then the waist trainer fanatic has grown with more and more people trying to achieve the perfect hourglass look. Designers such as Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham, use colour blocking and belts to define shape and create that ‘perfect 36-26-36’ proportions. (Mail Online, 2017) This shows how societal trends influence fashion as the belt and cinched waist is due back in for Spring/Summer 2017.

Men's Trend Forecasting Report

Paul smith SS16

As I have decided to create a men's occasion wear collection for my independent retailor, I have looked at predicted trends for tailoring in Spring/Summer 2017. The report on WGSN detailed key shapes and structures for the up coming season. There were three particular structures I believe would appeal well to the audience I am targeting. The 3BS slim suit (top left) is a classic slim fitting style ‘with a subtle nod to the 1960s’ (Wgsn.com, 2017) and can be seen within the AW16 pieces of the designers in my comparative shop. The second structure that I believed would fit In well with my retailor was the 1950s suit. This shape is more relaxed and lightweight in comparison to the 3BS and therefore would be ideal for the summer months. An example can be seen on the bottom right hand side and you can see the ‘tampered hem’ with ‘blocky’ turns ups made with ‘natural fabrics’. (Wgsn.com, 2017) The final style I found to be the best fit for the retailor was the Bermuda short suit (bottom left). The jacket within this style keeps the shape of the 3BS suit, whilst the pants are cut into long shorts, making this style ideal for the summer months.

Once I had found a few key shapes, I decided to look at colours and fabrics in order to gain an idea of the key trend paths for the season. Despite the fact I believe the ‘edgelands’ colour scheme is more suitable for the women's wear collection, I believe the ‘encounter culture’ colour scheme is more suitable for my male target audience (top right).

The shapes and styles predicted are ‘inspired by the grandeur of old Havana’ (Wgsn.com, 2017) a city in Cuba that’s been stuck in the 1950s for decades. Because of this; I have decided to call my concept ‘Habana Vieja’ which is Spanish for old Havana and kept a strong theme of this global influence throughout my concept board.

Vivienne Westwood SS16

Girls Trend Forecasting Report As my girls wear collection will be released in the early spring, I decided, like the women's wear concept, a light pastel colour scheme would be the best fit. The decided the ‘Pause’ colour palate (top right) featured colours that were the most appropriate for my collection. I began looking into the ‘pause’ trend in more detail on WGSN and discovered key shapes and textiles. The trapeze dress (top left) ‘is a key item for SS17’ (Wgsn.com, 20170, it features an A line structure and light weight organza materials, finished with a fine detailing such as bow tie backs, making this style the perfect piece to add to an occasion wear collection.

The culotte short (left) was the next piece to catch my eye. They appealed to me for my children's wear collection as it still a smart, dressy look whilst retaining the young girly style.

Similarly to the frilly culotte short, the pleated skirt was another item that I believed would fit in well with my collection. Its light materials and soft layers make it an ideal piece for a summer collection. The final piece I thought would be a good fit for my collection was the peasant blouse. Despite its boho inspiration, the peasant blouse can be transformed into the perfect occasion top to pair with a skirt or shorts.

According to the pause report, ‘texture is key’ (Wgsn.com, 2017) for 2017. This is something that my collection will have a heavy focus; I will use ‘translucent’ layers and ‘metallic shines’ to create pearlescent, dreamy and soft touch occasion wear garments.

Opaque/sheer fabrics

Women's Trend Forecasting Alexandra McQueen SS17 ‘Sarah Burton continues to do 'McQueen‘(Harris, 2017)

Ruffles

SS16

Long, light dresses

The Alexandra McQueen's SS17 collection, produced by Sarah Burton, continued to follow that classic McQueen style. The lace, soft and opaque materials that can be seen across many of the houses collections were not left out for the SS17 catwalk. The two images to the right are last years Autumn Winter and Spring Summer catwalks and you can see the use of the opaque materials which has carried through to the new season.

AW16

Bright colours against sheer backgrounds

‘This was a collection that delivered all the McQueen hallmarks’ (Harris, 2017)

Women's Trend Forecasting Balenciaga SS17 Boxy shapes are an evident theme in the SS17 Balenciaga collection. The straight shoulders and straight cut edged define this collection. A heavy focus on trench coats provides a silhouette due to the belted waist, however certain pieces retain the absolute box structure.

‘plastic box carrier bags…’ (Sheffield, 2017)

‘The trench coats and boxy jackets…’ (Sheffield, 2017)

SS17

Women’s Trend Forecasting Tapered Trousers Culottes, cigarette and palazzo pants are just a few of the many trouser trends over the past few seasons.

The predicted shape for SS17, the tapered trousers, features a ballooned shape, a high waist and a detailed cuff.

Key FabricsOpaque

For this concept board I chose to keep a close focus on the predicted SS17 trend of opaque materials, inspired by Alexandra McQueen's catwalk collection. I used images from Pinterest that are natural opaque or see through. For example images of water, glass and ice. I added the image of the butterfly in order to demonstrate the delicateness of these materials and added the central image of the top to demonstrate the fashion concept.

On photoshop I used a variety of tools and techniques to create this board. For example to isolate the butterfly from its background I used the quick selection tool and erased the originally green background. I also used the rubber too so that the images blended into one. For the image of the water I changed the texture of the photograph. I also added a drop shadow to the central image in order to make it stand out slightly more than the background image, in order to keep the focus on the fashion.

Inspired by SS17 Alexandra McQueen

Women's Trend Forecasting Review Shapes: On my first women's trend forecasting report I discussed the cinched waist as a key shape for SS17. Designers have used belts and wrap waist to define the hourglass figure. Other key shapes include the box shape. After researching designer catwalks, I found that Balenciaga had a strong focus on boxy jackets and accessories using straight cut edges and shoulder pads to achieve this key shape. Contrastingly, according to WGSN, ballooned pants are due to be a key shape for the SS17.

Colour: After researching the SS17 catwalks as well as using trend forecasting website WGSN, pastels combined with a pop of colour seem to be a key for SS17.

Social and Cultural influences: As previously discussed, the desire to have the perfect hourglass figure by using a cinched in waist garment derives from influence celebrities have had on society. Many people look to celebrities for style inspiration, therefore it is evident why the cinched waist style of the Victorian area is coming back into fashion.

Prints and Patterns: After looking on WGSN. I discovered some key prints and patterns for women's wear SS17. Abstract prints, floral, natural patterns, and defining lines are key prints and patterns for the season. (Although my four trend reports do not consist of patterns or prints, I have included some on the next slide.)

Fabrics: Key fabrics for the season include opaque, transparent fabrics such as organza and chiffon. Lace is another big material for this season which will fit in well with my retailor.

Examples of Prints and Patterns

Men's Trend Forecasting Ombre Colour

Dip dye has been a popular technique, particularly for festival and boho looks. Now the ombre effect has taken over men's fashion. Ombre shirts, shorts, jackets and collars are key.

Prints

The patterned jumpers of the 80s are making a comeback. ‘Angular patterns’ printed on ‘fine knits’ brings back the retro style. Crew neck jumpers seem to be the key shape and

Men's Trend Forecasting- Colours ‘a bold ‘17’ graphic dates the collection and offers the hope that 2017 will be brighter, happier and more peaceful than the year that preceded it.’

(Paulsmith.co.uk, 2017)

Colour burst through Paul Smiths SS17 catwalk collection. Bright blues, greens and yellows combined together to make all over check prints and stripes for tailored and relaxed wear.

‘For spring/summer '17 Paul Smith promotes a message of peace and positivity expressed through an optimistic use of colour and print.’ (Paulsmith.co.uk, 2017)

ColourTropical, Bold, Bright

For this concept board, I decided to keep the focus on colour. Predicted colour trends for men's wear SS17 are varied, however I took inspiration from Paul Smiths SS17 men's catwalk collection, and kept with his theme of tropical colours.

As this concept boards theme was colour, I didn’t want to add too many objects to distract away from its theme. I used the image of the palm tree to represent the ‘hot Caribbean’ colours that are mentioned on the Paul smith website that describes the collection. I also added the image of the sea and the embroidery denim to show the blue tones within this colour trend. I used the image of the steps and the stripes to put emphasise on the red, yellow and orange tones of this colour trend.

I used a variety of techniques and tools in order to build this concept board on photoshop. For example to change the colour of the tree trunk on the palm tree, I used the quick selection tool and changed the areas hue and saturation as well as its colour balance.

Inspired by SS17 Paul Smith

Men’s Trend Forecasting Review Shapes: From the first trend report I conducted, I discussed key tailored shapes which included turned up edges, shorts, and structured shoulders, which are reinforced in the Paul Smith trend forecast report.

Colour: Key colours vary for men’s wear predicted trends vary, my reports took particular interest into the tropical colours inspired by the Paul Smith Catwalk collection, however my original trend forecast report discuss’ darker tones associated with the retro Havana trend. Another colour discussed was the ombre effect. This is not a colour trend in itself but rather a design technique that uses colour at its core. The images used on the WGSN report suggest cool blues and dark tones.

Social and cultural influences: Within my first trend forecast I discussed the Havana/Cuban cultural influence, whilst my Paul Smith report discusses the Caribbean colour influences. The angular pattern trend isn’t a social or cultural influence, however it provides a sense of nostalgia of the 80s decade and therefore was influenced by past fashions.

Prints and patterns: As previously mentioned, the angular pattern print is a predicted print for SS17. other prints include stipes and checks.

Fabrics: within the reports, fabrics are not discussed in detail, however predicted textile trends include fine woven knits, lights cottons and linen.

Girls Trend Forecasting Hip Hop Prints

Tropical Burst

Similarly to the men's angular shapes, the ‘hip hop hooray’ pattern trend reminisces of the 80s. Yellows, blues combines with pinks are used to create graphic prints and words. ‘digital wave renews street wear and casual sportswear with hip hop inspiration.’ (WGSN, 2017)

Bright pinks oranges and reds combined with aquatic blues and tropical greens. ‘dragon fruit and ackee dominate this sundrenched story.’ ‘raw coconut and cocoa bean provide a necessary anchor.’ (WGSN, 2017)

Floral’s

Florals are always a key feature in summer girls wear, for SS17 the pattern has made it onto active wear. Racer back top, transparent socks and mesh materials feature soft delicate floral prints. ‘floral decorations elevated light weight and active wear staples from casual to beautiful.’ (WGSN, 2017)

PatternsFloral

This is my girls wear trend concept board based on the trend forecast of Active florals.

The trend report featured on the previous discusses different materials, patterns and colours. The three embroidery flowers in the top left corner as well as the organza/chiffon dress and the lace in the bottom right corner represent key fabrics. The flowers In general represent the concept. The little girl in the field represents the target audience.

I used a variety of tools in photoshop in order to construct this board. This included the quick selection too, the erase tool and the opacity tool.

Girls Trend Forecasting Reviews Shapes: I discussed shapes in my first trend forecasting report and some can be seen on my ‘Innocent Sophistication’ concept board. Key shapes include relax fittings such as the trapeze dress, peasant blouse and culotte shorts. Pleated and frilled decoration seem to be key for SS17.

Colour: Similarly to men's, the predicted colour trends for SS17 vary for children’s wear. Within my first report I discuss pastel colours, whilst my hip hop prints report clearly displays bold bright colours. The tropical colours report discusses sun-drenched, raw coconut and coco colours.

Social and cultural influences: The Hip Hop prints trend gives instant indication of is 80s-90s inspiration and therefore you can clearly see the social influence.

Prints and patterns: Key prints and patterns included florals, hip hop slogan prints and tropical natural prints.

Fabrics: Fabrics are varied for predicted SS17 trend for girls wear. Opaque organza’s, soft nets, lace and pearlescent leathers are included in the trend reports and can be seem within my concept board.

Blog- Tash Talks

Pinterest Boards SS17 Street Style Length is key to SS17. Designer catwalks from house of Holland to Marc Jacobs are showing off (or rather not showing off) longer lengths. skirts, shirts, jackets…you name it it’s longer! It’s a statement that’s seemingly shifted itself into street style for SS17.

Key colours: neutral pale tones, splashes bright bold colours.

Key fabrics: sheer/ silk Investment pieces: Belted shawl collar Coat £20 http://www.boohoo.com/duster-coats/kate-belted-shawl-collar-coat/invt/azz08018

Pair with plain boxy tee, seriously ripped or cropped jeans and bow detail flat form trainers. Add a structured shoulder style tote to give a bit of glam.

(blog post)

Pinterest Boards SS17 Street Style Prints and patterns galore seems to be the key phrase for men’s SS17 street style. Whether it’s embroidery florals, bold lettering or wacky graphic patterns, you guys need to make sure your Jacket is as packed a tin of sardines with detailing.

Key Colours: Black, Blue, Multi.

Key Fabrics: Denim, Leather.

Investment Pieces: ASOS Denim Jacket With Embroidery & Borg Collar In Blue Wash £55 Pair with: plain top to make the jacket really stand out! http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-denim-jacket-with-embroidery-borg-collar-in-bluewash/prd/7298620?iid=7298620&affid=14173&channelref=product%20search&mk=abc&currenc yid=1&ppcadref=333136221|20505847101|pla273028951839&gclid=CMLjyfyqhdICFaW_7QodutkKYg

(blog post)

Pinterest Boards SS17 Street Style My other blog post have discussed SS17 street style for Men and Women but for Kids and Girls wear street style isn’t really a thing. So my Pinterest board features images from designers and high street retailers from across the globe such as Latvian, Spanish and Italian brands. very similar to the men’s street wear trend, prints and patterns are big in girls wear trends. floral’s, badging and embroidery is all over their clothing.

Key colours: pastels, pops of colour and of course patterns of all colours.

Key Fabrics: Denim, Fine cotton, organza.

Investment pieces: Embroidered Denim Jacket £29.99

Pair With: Tutu skirt, printed tee or loose fitting dress. http://www.zara.com/uk/en/kids/sale/girl/tops/embroidered-denim-jacketc705501p3647128.html

(blog post)

Pinterest Boards and Blog SS17 Street Style Street style from around the world has had an increasing impact on the fashion trends we see each season. Buyers will look into street style across the globe as another method into trend forecasting and help them when making purchasing decisions.

The women's trend of longer clothing is a global street style trend with cities such as Milan, Paris and New York taking this not so daring length into their daily outfits. This trend is sure to make its way from the streets into our wardrobes. As a buyer looking to bring a new range into the independent retailor The Dressing Room, I will take the Longer length style into consideration.

The men’s prints and patterns trend is quite literally taking over their jackets. Whether its flowers or bold lettering you can guarantee you will see It on their jacket. My range for The Dressing Room is going to be occasion wear and therefore this more casual look may not feature in my collection. However if the collection was casual wear based I would look into purchasing some printed jackets in order to keep in with this street style inspired trends.

As mentioned In my Girls SS17 blog post, children's street style isn't really a thing, and therefore I looked at predicted SS17 girls trends In general on Pinterest. I found various designers and retailors from across the globe using a variety of similar trends within their collections. The main trend that sticks out on my board is the patterns and prints on the girls wear garments, which is strangely taking its inspo from the menswear trend( you would expect it to be a women's trend copy‌right?). My collection is occasion wear and just like the means wear, this girls wear trend is typically casual wear. However as a buyer for The Dressing Room, I will look into adding patterns to my collection or use trends displayed on Pinterest if I were to create a casual girls wear collection. (blog post)

Strengths: • Ship world wide • Offer a delivery service • Items can be put on hold upon request • Many social media pages including twitter, Instagram and Facebook • Offer beauty treatments which bring more customers into the store (professional MUA's & CND Shellac nail tech ((Facebook.com, 2017)) • Fast fashion based- can respond to quick changes in trend • Loyal customer following • Designer copies/look a likes • Responsive to customers- restocking best sellers upon request

s

Opportunities: • Expansion, The Dressing Room official range could look to expand into a small concession within department stores • Website/ omnichanel- making shopping with the retailor easier and accessing more audiences • More types of collections (baby, children, men, shoes etc.)

• Celebrity endorsements (social media) • Offer new services in store (e.g. personal shopping, beauty treatments) • Globalisation of sourcing • Digitalisation

O

SWOT After completing my swot analysis, I am able to see how I can overcome my retailors weaknesses and threats in order to ensure the success of my collection.

By cross referencing my strengths with my threats, I was able to work out how to overcome these threats. For example the stores loyal customer following to overcome the threat of my competitors. I will also use the strength of being able to deliver world wide to overcome my competitors who only deliver locally or not at all. Being a fast fashion retailor has many positives, but the threat of not being able to restock a popular item is a negative. To overcome this I will look into using various suppliers that sell similar items. Economic factors are always unpredictable, I will therefore use the designer copy items to entice customers to shop with the retailor as it will be cheaper than buying designer goods.

To overcome my retailors weaknesses I will look the opportunities the store has. For example the location of the store is a big weakness. I will therefore look into the opportunity to expand into concessions, more stores, online etc. I will also overcome the weakness of only selling womenswear by creating more collections such as men's and children's collections.

Whilst producing the swot analysis, I began to look into the supply chain and how this specific area of the business can have its own strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.

For The Dressing Room , I found a lot of opportunities throughout the supply chain. For example while the retailor could also invest into the website, they could look into further digitalisation and the introduction of omnichanel retailing, such as smartphone apps. Another opportunity within the supply chain is globalisation. The Dressing Room could globalise themselves in two ways; expand by creating more stores around the world or expand the range of the suppliers they work with. By doing this they could increases profits and source better quality products at a lower price.

Weaknesses: • Location, out of town • No website, many people shop through their social media accounts • Currently only sells womenswear • As it is a boutique it is a small store meaning it could become overcrowded • Small window space • Small following (in comparison to high street, online retailors etc.)

W

Threats: • Competitors- Mabel doll is close to The Dressing Room , has a larger following and offers made to measure. Mahi offers baby clothing and more types of beauty treatments. It is also closer to Liverpool city centre.

• Fast fashion- once sold out a popular item might not be available to restock • Economic factors • Possible sourcing from overseas- exchange rates, natural disasters etc.

Sourcing also carries threats for The Dressing Room. By expanding globally with both stores and suppliers, you would have to consider global economic factors such as the exchange rates as well as other issues such as natural disasters.

T

Supplier choices As a buyer, you will have to consider the countries around the world you are purchasing from and what risk they carry. There are five main external factors you would haver to consider when choosing a new supplier. These are as follows: • Natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions etc.)

• Local disasters (fires, collapses) • Epidemics (Ebola, bird flu, etc.)

• Wars/conflicts (civil war) • Cost (brexit, exchange rates etc.)

Examples can be seen on the following slide.

Natural Disasters Italy is well known within the industry as a producer of high quality silk and fine knitwear so many retailors and designers use the countries factories to produce their garments. However Italy lies upon a seismic fault line which means it is venerable to many tremors which cause earthquakes and even volcanic eruptions.

Buyers will have to consider and evaluate the risks of using suppliers within Italy as natural disasters such as earthquakes can cause unintentional delay in the critical path which could lead to a loss in profits.

In order to reduce the risk in this situation, buyers could look at introducing a safety net of back up suppliers. In this way buyers have a small guarantee that their products can be made without delaying the critical path drastically. (environmental factor)

Local Disasters In 2012, a garment production factory in Pakistan caught fire due to a ‘faulty generator’ inside the building. (Mail Online, 2017) The working conditions within the factory were awful and the police had previously raided the building looking for the owners. The fire killed hundreds of people and left many injured.

This disaster would have a negative effect on the critical path as well as the retailer. By using a factory with such poor working conditioners, retailors are supporting the owners of the factories and could face serve backlash from the public and media.

Unfortunately, buyers cannot prevent these conditions within factories around the world, however they can stop using them as a source due to the poor working conditions, which will eventually force the owners to improve upon this. They can also visit these factories and ensure that heath and safety conduct is up to date, before purchasing with these suppliers.

(Legal factor)

Cost In June 2016, the UK voted out of the European union.

This received a large amount of backlash within the media and has caused further controversy with the announcement that prices of clothing will increase.

Officials from various British companies spoke out about the price rise warning and how this will effect their profit.

Next officials stated that ‘the weak pound would result in prices of its garments rising by up to 5% in its financial year to January 2018.’ (EurActiv.com, 2017)

This price rise directly effects the buyer as they will now have to consider dealing with new suppliers in order to get their garments into cost. As the pound weakens, it becomes more expensive to import from other countries as well as purchase from there, therefore buyers will also have to discuss increasing store price points in order to make a profit on an item more expensive than it was the previous year.

(Political/economic factor)

Analysing External Influences and Potential Impacts In Relation To PESTLE and Sourcing Decisions.

The three articles on the previous slide show three different external factors that can affect a buyers sourcing decisions and the developments of a range. When considering where to source ranges, a buyer might conduct a PESTLE. PESTLE is an anagram that lists six different topics buyer will have to consider when working with a factory. PESTLE’s can also be produced for retailors.

olitical

The Earthquake in Italy was a natural disaster that effected hundreds of people. This was an environmental factor that could have effected sourcing decisions. Buyers may have to consider sourcing in other countries or having back up suppliers so that production can be completed on time as earthquakes are common in Italy due to the location of the country, and will set production.

nvironmental

ocial

echnological

The factory fire in Bangladesh was a natural disaster that was caused by negligence from the owners. The factory fulfilled no health and safety requirements and broke several laws in the process. Buyers will have to ensure they use factories that are up to heath and safety codes in order to ensure that their production is ethical. This may mean paying more for the range; which could effect the development or using a factory in another country.

The article that describes the BREXIT price increases shows an economic factor that can effect sourcing decisions and the development of the range. Because the UK will be leaving the European Union, the prices to import form countries within Europe will increase. Therefore buyers may consider sourcing outside the EU which could cheapen the cost. However sourcing further away from the UK could mean shipping will take more time and this would have to be considered when developing the range.

Overall from researching into the pestle it is evident that various external factors can influence sourcing decisions and the development of the range. It is important that buyers consider these factors in order to ensure theirs collections are produced, ethically, on time and for the best price.

How will external factors determine how you will develop your range? egal

conomic

When completing my SWOT analysis, it became evident that there are further external factors that can effect the development of the range. The opportunity and the threats part of the SWOT analysis are external factors that effect the retailor. Buyers can look at these external factors and look how to overcome/fulfil them when developing a new range. For example The Dressing Room currently works on a fast fashion basis, which means once a product is sold out, there are no more. In order to correct this I would success replenishment costs with the suppliers. This will effect the development of my range as I would have to consider order quantities as well as the price needed to cover the replen. Within my opportunities I have discussed expansion, therefore I will expand my range further stores such as concessions. This helps to fulfil the opportunity as well as positively impact the development of my range as the ranges may take more sales due to the larger quantity of store types. Similarly to the store expansion opportunity, I will also expand the range to an online retail environment (a website) in order to fulfil another opportunity and help further develop my range.

Focused vs Single Sourcing Focused Advantages: Buyers do not have to rely on one supplier More option available Buyers have a safety net of suppliers if anything was to go wrong with one single supplier Suppliers will more than likely bargain with you as they have to consider their competitors.

Disadvantages: Relationship is not as strong in comparison to single sourcing as buyers haver to communicate to many different companies and teams It may also be hard to negotiate a better price due to this weakened relationship

Single Advantages: Strong relationship with the suppliers More efficient as buyers do not need to shop around, this could lead to getting more on trend items into store faster Buyers fully aware of the quality and standards of the products the suppliers make Disadvantages: Negotiation of prices is harder as you cannot persuade suppliers to lower their costs by mentioning competitive prices Any disruptions with the suppliers or their factory can slow the supply chain down and therefore disrupt the critical path, for example collection not delivered on time which could lead to a loss in profits.

Sourcing Video Sourcing does not always bring problems, the link below will show a video of garment production factory in India called Assi, they pride themselves on their extremely ethical way of production whilst still producing a high quality garments.

Unlike many garment production factories abroad, Assi offers a fairly paid wage to all staff, provides safe working conditions and does not contribute to child labour. The company began in 1994 as a rehabilitation programme set up by two brothers. The company employs physically challenged people as well as women from under privileged background.

Overall this clip shows how ethical garment production is possible and how we as consumers should help to encourage businesses to trade with factories such as Assi. However companies have the most responsibility to use ethically trading factories such as Assi to source their products in order to encourage other factories to replicate this factories excellent ethical ways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkM1usJLnTs

Sourcing Videos Unfortunately, not all factories are like Assi; it well known that a lot of garment production factories have extremely poor and dangerous working conditions. A prime example of this is the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh which collapsed in April 2013. The factory traded with big high street retailors such as Mango and Primark and employed thousands of people to work in the eight story building. The collapse was caused by complete and utter negligence from the factory's owner which lead to thousands of peoples deaths and life changing injuries.

The clip we watched discussed the collapse in detail, the lives of factory workers a year on from the disaster as well as the conditions of other factories in Bangladesh. They focused on the story of a young lady who lost both her legs in the disaster and how angry she was that this had happened to her. She talks about how her bosses knew the factory was not safe and how this could have been avoided. The employees not only had to endure horrific working conditions but also were paid an extremely low wage, barley enough to live on. The victims such as the girl in this clip were entitled to compensation but haven’t received any money at all.

Overall this clip shows the negative impacts of unethical sourcing by large clothing companies and how low cost fashion in the west can have a high costs of life in the east.

Mimco X is a Australian fashion brands that sources its products from Haiti and Africa. Like the Assi factory, this brand also prides itself on its 100% ethical ways of trading. The staff who create their products in both Kenya and Haiti are paid a fair wage for reasonable hours of work in safe working conditions. Both Assi and Mimco show how ethical trading has a positive effect for their workers and for garment production factories world wide; The more companies that trade with these sustainable businesses, the more other factories will begin to trade in this way, making garment production fair and 100% sustainable.

Arcadia Sourcing Research The arcadia group is renown for its ways of ethical sourcing and trading. They pride themselves on it and provide a lot of information on their website in regards to this. They discuss their relationship with the different suppliers they use stating that they ‘‘have strong working relationships with our network of international suppliers, 57% of which have been with us for three years or more. ‘(Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2017) According to their own website page on ethical trading, they use a number of measure in order to ensure all collections are produced fairly and efficiently. In the previous year the company initiated a new measure which uses a colour coded system which helps them to decide who to trade with; these colours are red, amber and green. A supplier that has red coded issues will mean the company cannot trade with them due to ethical issues such as underpayment, this means the company will not purchase from them until the issue is resolved. A supplier that has amber coded issues will mean that the company will still trade with them as long as they are continuing to improve their standards. They usually allow six months for this transition to happen, however any serious issues will lead to a suspension in trading. A supplier under a green code are working to an 100% standard and therefore are the most ethical.

This system not only allows arcadia to remain ethical in their sourcing but also helps to increase the standards in which suppliers operate world wide.

On top of their new coded sourcing system, the Arcadia group also conducts country risk assessments with all their suppliers to ensure they are working to a 100% standard; examples of these include Bangladesh, turkey and even the UK factories.

The company also oversees various ‘strategic labour projects’ (Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2017) in order to remain ethical in their trading, this includes: monitoring the living wage, the use of modern slavery and protecting vulnerable workers.

Despite all their measures, in 2016 staff from their Solihull depot began a strike on a day of peak trading; cyber Monday. The workers are currently paid the minimum wage of £7.20 an hour, however the workers are ‘demanding they be paid £8.45’. (Alexander, 2017) This figure has been calculated independently by the team of living wage specialists. So in spite of their efforts to be an ethically trading company, this strike suggests the company is not in fact as ethical as it first appears. However it could be argued that the staff are still being paid a fair and legal wage and therefore the company is still ethically trading.

Trade Show Reports Buyers have to attend trade shows in order to help build their collection. There are various types of trade shows and these include: yarn, textile and branded shows. They typically occur twice year and each show showcases their products for the following season.

Yarn: Yarn trade shows are visited by buyers when they are looking to particularly invest in knitwear and various types of yarn. Yarn trade shows also provide buyers with the chance to view up and coming designers that specialise in yarn and yarn garments. An example of a yarn trade show is Pitti Immagine Filati.

This Italian trade show is available to attend usually at the beginning of January and July in the popular city of Florence. The show can display over 1000 exhibitions, and therefore is quite small in comparison to textile and branded trade shows.

Textile: Textile trade shows are slightly more broader in comparison to yarn trade shows. They specialise in various types of materials and therefore have more products available to view. An example of a textile trade show is Premier Vision.

Premier Vision typically occurs early February and September. It contrasts to Pitti Immagine Filati as this trade show is not based in one location but serval around the world which includes Paris, Moscow and New York. As there is more types of garments and materials to view within this trade show, there are over double the amount of exhibitions in comparison to Pitti Immagine Filati.

Branded: Branded trade shows greatly contrast to textile and yarn shows. Branded trade shows provide buyers with the opportunity to view new brands and discuss buying in potential new brands. A prime example of a branded trade show is Pure London. Others include bread and butter and magic.

Branded trade shows usually occur in February and August. Pure trade show is based in London. Bread and Butter is based in Berlin and Magic is in Las Vegas. These trade shows include various types of brands and therefore are of a very large scale.

Sourcing From Trade Shows vs Sourcing From Factories Abroad Sourcing At Trade Shows

Sourcing Direct From Factories

Advantages-

Advantages-

‘Trade shows and expos are among the best places to network, establish rapport with potential clients and find new suppliers. Fairs attract exhibitors and visitors from around the world and afford a prime opportunity to see what’s out there.’ (Startups.co.uk: Starting a business advice and business ideas, 2017)

More communication with factory and its workers

Hundreds of suppliers under one roof

Speeds up the sourcing process Disadvantages-

Can personally check health and safety standards

DisadvantagesExpensive travel expenses ‘does your factory have English-speaking staff, or can you speak the local language? How easy will it to communicate what you want?’ (Enterprisenation.com, 2017)

Less communication with factory owners, no guarantee they trade produce 100% ethically.

Overall sourcing at trade shows seems to have more advantages and less disadvantages in comparison to sourcing directly from factories. After completing this research I have decided as a buyer for The Dressing Room, I will source textiles and yarns from trade shows as I believe this is the better option for the retailor. As the trade shows feature hundreds of suppliers showcasing their products, the textiles will be coming from around the world. However I will source my accessories from Pure London Trade show; they will therefore will be sourced from around the world also.

Zara and Primark Supply chain Zara

Primark

‘Zara has maintained it’s stand as a leader in the apparel industry and what makes it so profitable is it’s unique supply chain strategies’ (Somaiya, 2017) • •

‘The fast fashion retail model model pioneered by companies such as Zara and H&M has been taken a step farther by Primark, the U.K. and Irish retailer offering clothes at rock-bottom prices.’ (Ieseinsight.com, 2017) Advantages:

Advantages

•

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

•

•

Zara has a quick response to demand principle, they follow a pull model in their inventory and supply chain management. This means that they release small, new product lines to test what is more popular on the current market, they then react accordingly with the popular pieces through their next designs. This ensures that all products sell well.

•

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

Zara producing smaller batches of garments allows them to quickly gauge what is going to be more successful, leading to sell outs of garments which reduces the amount of stock that has to be discounted and would eat into profit margins.

•

‘Faced with the task of organizing these larger stores, Primark has hired interior designers to outfit them with innovative floor layouts and colour plans to facilitate efficient shopping.’- As well as visual Merchandisers, Primark hired interior designers in order to achieve the best possible layout for their larger scale stores.

• Central distribution centre – ‘Zara has very strong IT systems which back its distribution’ this allows all of their products to be shipped back to the central location in Spain and from here, distributed to their stores in other countries effectively. This is done by monitoring sales closely in order to send the correct quantities and products to suit the needs of each individual store.

• •

•

‘Value takes priority over snobby attitudes about labels and brands.’ –This quote discusses the views of consumers today, stating that value is more important than branded goods nowadays. Therefore low cost labels such as Primark ‘that has earned a nationwide reputation for bargain shopping ’can succeed over high cost brands. Primark are able to keep to their low cost prices due to their effective supply chain.

•

Disadvantages

‘one day its in, next day its out’– this is also a disadvantage of Zara's supply chain strategy as it means that some customers may be disappointed if they cant find the product they wanted due to it being out of stock.

Releasing smaller batches of garments, although it has many advantages, in some cases it could mean that they lose out on any further sales which could’ve been made if a higher quantity of garments were released. Although they could simply repeat the order with the manufacturer, by the time the garments have been made and shipped, the trend might already be in its maturity stage shortly to decline in demand.

•

•

(Somaiya, 2017) (JoyCatesby-Mccabe,2017)

Disadvantages:

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

•

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

•

‘Corporate Responsibility. Primark supply chain has come under scrutiny ever since an activist group revealed that Primark goods sourced from Bangladesh did not comply with child labour laws.’- After the devastating factory collapse in Bangladesh, the world saw the true cost of low priced fashion. Primark states they no longer use factories with such conditions, however their tie to this factory do effect their reputation.

•

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

(Ieseinsight.com, 2017)

Zara and Primark's Supply Chain Supply chain options must be considered carefully in order top achieve the best possible outcome for their clothing lines. By managing the supply chain effectively, a company can boost its profits. Zara and Primark are both fast fashion retailors and therefore their supply chains do show similarities. However the difference in price points also suggest the do chose different options when dealing with their supply chain.

Similarities: Both stores have a large turnover as they buy smaller quantities of an item at a quicker rate than other retailors. This means that products do not stay in stock for long, however the stores can then make room for newer, more on trend items.

The two retailors do not invest money into advertising to help keep the costs of their products low.

The companies tend to invest in larger stores so that they can showcase almost all of their products.

Differences: Zara have a higher price point due to their investment into better quality fabrics.

Primark tends to invest in more out of town locations (for example Birkenhead) whereas Zara focuses on city centre locations. This also factors into the price difference between the two stores.

Despite their differences, both retailors are praised in regards to their effective supply chain management; however it could be argued that Zara’s supply chain works better. The Spanish founded company has many other retailors within its enterprise, these include Pull and Bear and Massimo Dutti; This shows how the company has expanded greatly due to their success. If Primark look into changing their supply chain in order to boost profits, the company may be able to expand further into Europe and create subsidiary brands.

The Buying Cycle As my retailor is entirely dependant, the owners of the boutique have to monitor everything going on within their business. Therefore they will have to organise and monitor both the critical path and the buying cycle. The buying cycle features 7 main sections which help in the buying process. These are listed below.

Monitoring sales figures: The owners would have to look at how much they had made in the previous year in order to see what kind of profits they made. This will help them when budget planning.

Retail Selling Period: The owners will have to ensure they have picked the correct selling period ensure a successful collection. They will have to consider the season(and it weather) and when their competitors are releasing their new products.

Monitoring Deliveries: Similarly to order processing and confirmation, the owners will have to keep an eye on deliveries ensuring they are delivered to stores on time for a release date/ in keeping with trends and seasons.

Review season performance: The owners will have to look at their previous season performance in order to help them when knowing what to repurchase or what to not invest in (best/worst sellers).

Budget Planning: After looking at the sales figures and reviewing season performance, the owners can then decide how much money to allocate to each sector of their business such as rent, bills and buying new stock.

Planning & Buying Schedules and Trips: The owners will have to decide where they are going to source from in order to ensure they allocate enough time to visit factories, organise meeting with suppliers etc. This well help to ensure a fluid production process, helping to make their collection successful.

Range Selection: The owners will have to be particular about what their range will consist of. Unlike larger organisations, Geographic's does not play a big part in the buying process for this retailor as usually they only have to account for the one area, in this case, Liverpool. However as The Dressing Room ships worldwide and if it ever hopes to expand, it will have to consider global trends when choosing what to purchase, without eliminating their Liverpool cliental.

Order Processing and Confirmation: The owners of The Dressing Room will also have to monitor the order processing and confirmation from the communication with suppliers in order to ensure collections are created and delivered on time. This will help them to plan how to market their Price Negotiation and setting retail price: In order to get the best quality at the best product/when to market their product. price, The Dressing Room owners will have to negotiate with factory owners/brand owners etc. By achieving the best cost price, the owners of the independent retailor can then chose an appropriate RRP in order to obtain more profits.

Concept Board This is my completed concept board for the SS17 trend of the belted/cinched waist. The central image was originally pink and entirely square however I used photoshop tools to alter it.

For example I used the erase tool to create the small middle section to represent the cinched waist. I then used the selection tool to focus on certain areas and changed their colour balance in order to make the image multi-coloured. This helps to demonstrate the key colours of the season. I then added images of fabrics such as lace as well as catwalk images and layered these on top of the primary background image; I used the rubber and opacity tool to blend the images. I then added a few cad images to demonstrate possible shapes.

Collection

Concept Board This is my completed concept board for Men’s wear SS17 trend inspired by the style of Cuba. The background image for this concept board is a street in Havana, the capital city in Cuba, renown for ‘being stuck in a 1950s time warp’ (NY Daily News, 2017).

The building's were originally colourful however I used the selection tool and the colour balance tool to change a few of the buildings, in order to match the colour palate. I added the image of the red car to show the lifestyle of the people in this city. Much like their style, Havana's transport remains stuck in the 50s, including their cars. The images of the men with the cigars show fashion from Havana directly whilst the two side images show predicted looks, sourced from WGSN. I also added some cad images in order to show key shapes that could be featured in my collection.

The concept is called ‘Habana Vieja’ which is Spanish for old Havana and I believe my board portrays the concept well.

Collection

Concept Board This is my concept board for the SS17 girls wear predicted trends.

As the ‘pause’ colour palate contained pastel and light colours, I chose images that represent the colour scheme. For example the purple/lilac organza, the blue flowers and the pink balloons.

To merge the three background images of the organza and the floral cake together I used the erase tool and blended the edges together. I used the same technique to layer the images of the little girls as well as the fabric images on top. The images of the balloons on the left not only represent occasions but also the innocence of childhood. I changed the colour of this image using the colour balance tool in order to make it fit in with the board.

The cad images on the bottom represent the key shapes that could feature in my collection, which I found from my trend research on the previous slide.

Collection

Range Evaluation After completing my SS17 trend forecasting report on men's, Women's and children's fashion, I produced a concept board and used these as starting points for the inspiration behind my collections.

My women’s collection features thirteen different pieces in total with a different colour way for each piece in order to provide more options for the customers of The Dressing Room.

Each of these pieces has an emphasises on shape by adding a belted, having a high waisted belt line or using wrap around techniques in order to define and highlight the ‘cinched styling’ look. The central image of my concept board was highly inspiring when it came to producing my collection. The pattern of the image itself was very intriguing and I used the define pattern tool on Photoshop in order to add this pattern into my collection. I then also used the same central image as a colour palate in order to keep the link from my board to my collection strong. Despite the cinched waist line, I also wanted my collection to be comfortable and therefore chose pieces with wide leg pants and large short sleeves; I also decided to use soft fabrics such as silk, organza and lace in order to give both the desired effect as well as keeping the garments comfortable. My men's wear collection features 12 pieces in total composing of suits, shirts, trousers, jackets, accessories and shoes. There is averagely a fair proportion on each type of garment and therefore each piece can be paired up. Each garment has up to three colour ways in order to provide more variety for consumers. The tie within the collection has six colour ways so that customers have the option to match this accessory to their suit as well as purchase it to accompany other suits they may already own. My children’s wear collection features 12 pieces in total composing of blouses, skirts, shorts, dresses, cardigans, accessories and shoes. Each garment either two or three colour ways in order to provide more variety for consumers. As stated on my concept board, the collection has a ‘soft touch’ emphasises as I have used fabrics such as silk, organza and faux suede.

The Dressing Room currently stocks accessories such as hats, bags and jewellery, however the intendant retailor does not sell shoes. I therefore decided to add two pairs of shoes to my women’s collection; each has a secondary colour wave. I decided on heeled shoes as the collection is occasion wear. One pair of the heels are quite high in order to accommodate that type of customer. However the second pair have more of a relaxed, low heel structure with a platform in order to provide extra comfort which helps in accommodating a second consumer. The clutch bags have a similar pattern to the concept board image with the different strains of colour running through it. I decided on a box structure rather than a flat clutch for the collection as it is a more durable structure that will keep its place. Also as the collection has a strong emphasises on shape, the clutch structure fits in well with the collection.

I believe that the value of the garments are priced well in accordance to the retailors usual price points. The women’s prices range from £10 (jewellery) to £100 (dress) and looking back at my comparative shop I do believe these price points are accurate. Furthermore I feel that the price points appeal to The Dressing Room existing customers as well as the new target market as they are reasonably priced without being too expensive in accordance to the fabric quality. As The Dressing Room does not currently sell men’s wear clothing, their was no typical RRP prices to look at. I looked at the typical prices of the designer goods from my comparative shop and decided those price points were to high for the independent retailor. I then looked at high street and online retailors such as Topman and ASOS and their price points will be more competitive in relation to my typical target market. Similarly to the men's collection, The Dressing Room also does not currently stock Children’s wear and therefore there were no average RRP’s to look at and consider. I therefore looked at the typical prices of both the designer and high street goods from my comparative shop in order to see my competitors price points. I decided that the prices at Kids Cavern were too expensive for my retailor and chose to compete more with high street prices.

Range Evaluation As there are three different types of ranges with different items within each one, there is a variation in price points. The women's and the men's wear collection generally have similar price points, however girls wear has lower price points as children’s wear is cheaper than adults wear.

Sizing works differently for men, women and children and therefore each collection have a different size guide. My womenswear collection will range from size 6-16 in order to accommodate a varied range of body shapes and sizes. For my men’s collection, the blazer jackets size ranges from chest 32 inches and arm 81cm to chest 42 inches and arm 106cm. The trouser sizing ranges from waist 26 leg 30 inches to waist 38 leg 34 inches. Shirts and shorts range from extra small to extra large. Shoe sizes range from a UK 6-12. Within my business plan, I discussed how my girls wear collection would be aimed at an age range of 5-10 years old and I believe my collection will appeal to parents with children of this age. I have decided to make the collections sizes based on age in order to make it easier for parents to shop. The sizes will be 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10.

The country of origin for each garment relates to the fabric used. For garments that use largely cotton, I have sourced from India as they are renown for natural cotton fabrics. For delicate materials as well as leather (shoes) pieces I have sourced from Italy. For garments with a lot of prints I have sourced from China as they have better technologies to create the desired patterns. The fabrics that are used most within my men’s collection are cotton and linen as the collections season is Spring Summer and these fabrics will make the garments lighter. I have therefore chosen India and south Asia as my two main counties of origin. Accessories such as the sunglasses and tie pins have been sourced from china; shoes and silk ties have been sourced from Italy as they are renown for these materials. The fabrics that are used most within my girl’s collection are Silk and organza. For these materials, I have decided to source from Italy. Other materials used include cotton, faux suede and fine knit materials such as wool. These will be sourced from around the globe from countries India, China and the UK.

When creating my women’s collection I had to ensure the products related to both my existing and new target markets. My customer profiles age ranges from around 18-32 and I believe the pieces in this collection are suitable for this age ranges. I also believe the pieces within this collection target the customers for the types of events they attend such as the races, weddings, nights out etc. As the men’s collection will be the first of its type for The Dressing Room, I have no current target market to consider for, however I still had to ensure the collection appealed to a target market. My general target market has an age range of 18-32 however the collection could also appeal to an older audience. My customer profile consists of a 25 year old male who owns his own home and has a stable and fairly paid job. He has to dress smart everyday and takes pride in his clothing. He also enjoys dressing smartly for date nights, nights out etc. which is demonstrated by the photos on the customer profile. It states how he can afford high street but likes designer garments and I therefore believe the collection I have created will appeal to the target market as the collections pieces follow designer trends such as Vivienne Westwood at affordable prices. As with the men’s wear collection, this girl’s wear collection will be the first of its kind for The Dressing Room, I therefore have no current target market to consider for, however I had to ensure the collection appealed to a target market. As this is a children's wear collection, I had also had to consider both the parents buying this collection as well as the children who will wear the clothing. The parental ages within my customer profiles stay close to the age of 3, but this collection can range from younger parents, carers, siblings etc. from around 18-45. the collection I aimed at children aged 5-10. Older girls nowadays can be very fashion conscious and want to choose their own clothing and I believe the pieces within my collection will appeal to girls of this age as they do not have the younger styling of many other retailors.

Range Evaluation In order to guarantee my women’s collection was suitable for The Dressing Room, I referred back to my comparative shop and directional shop research. I used the price points, fabrics, shapes and garment type information to inspire my collection as well as make sure it appealed to their current target market. Because The Dressing Room does not currently have a menswear collection, I could not complete a true comparative shop, however I did compare three designers brands that are popular in Liverpool and their products in order to see the kind of items they are selling. I then used the information from this research to help with the inspiration for my collection. For example the shoe styles, fabric compositions and garment types. The Dressing Room also does not currently stock children’s wear, therefore I could not complete a true comparative shop; Instead I compared three retailors that are popular for girl’s wear in Liverpool and their products in order to see the kind of products they are creating. From this research I was able to see style types, fabric compositions and prices which helped me when creating my collection.

The store is quite small and therefore I will have to consider how to visually merchandise each collection. I have decided to dedicate one section of the store to all three collections. Each collection will be given one mannequin with one piece of the collection displayed on it. Each week the piece displayed will change in order to ensure most of the products are showcased. Each time the mannequins outfit changes, this will be showcased on all social media platforms in order to reach more consumers across the globe.

Order quantities per style refers the amount and ratio of garments that are ordered. Each garment in a collection will have to be ordered in various quantities and sizes in order to ensure there will be enough stock for a retailor. In larger companies, these figures will be given to buyers by a merchandiser, however as this Is a small independent retailor, the figures will have to either be provided by the owners or calculated by myself. These figures will provide information on the previous years sales, including how many sales per week there was and which sizes sold more units. From these figures, I will be able to determine my order quantities per style.

Cost prices are determined by numerous factors including quality, factory choice and shipping costs. A garments cost price helps to generate a RRP as companies will need to set price points that will make a big enough profit margin. If a garments cost price is too high, the RRP will increase and therefore I would have to consider ways to lower each garments individual cost. The general profit margin for each of my garments is 67%.

My range will have many financial influences that determine its overall cost, however I have to keep the collection within my Budget. Budgets are determined by numerous factors including previous sales, stores rent and staffing prices. Once the budget has been calculated, it is spilt into sections and allocated to various parts of the business.

Industry Practices and Procedures Requirement

Why is it important? What effects does it have on the company and consumers?

Organisational or production requirement

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

This is an important requirement as it ensures the success of a range by keeping it on track; the success of the range leads to the success of the company. This could lead to new possibilities such as growth and expansion. However if the company does not fill this requirement, they could face loss of sales due to lack of proper planning which would be clear to see within a collection. This would then cause a loss of profits and a tarnished reputation.

Organisational

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

The company must fulfil this requirement in order to make sure the staff, particularly in the retail environment, will be able to push sales by using product knowledge. If the company fail to fulfil this requirement, it could lead to a loss of sales and therefore profits as well as a tarnished reputation as they are not hiring staff who are correct for the positions.

Organisational

There is an internal personnel policy in place. (recruitment, introduction, training)

This requirements means all staffed are trained up in order to fulfil their job role. This ensures that they will deliver excellent customer service which improves the reputation of the company, which will improve sales and boost profits.

Organisational

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

This requirement has to be fulfilled by both the organisation and the production company in order to ensure all trading and production is ethical. This means all staff work in a safe environment. This will give the company a positive reputation which will in turn boost profits.

Both

The company will need a fully developed marketing plan.

By have a fully developed marketing plan, a company can increase its target audience and appeal to a wide range of customers.

This will boost profits.

Organisational

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

Location is key within industry. Companies have to carefully consider where their head office and warehouse locations will be so that they can fit logistic timing into their planning. For example a UK based warehouse may cost more money in rent, however companies will not have to pay shipping costs or wait as long for items as they would if their warehouse was abroad.

Organisational

The company will need experienced and reliable distributors.

Suppliers and distributors need to be reliable in order to avoid shipping issues whenever possible. If there is a shipping issue it could lead to a collection being delivered late, which leads to loss of sales and profits as well as a tarnish reputation for the company.

Both

Industry Practices and Procedures Requirement

Why is it important? What effects does it have on the company and consumers?

Organisational or production requirement

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

Is it important to be clear about different finances within a company. For example the organisation will need to look at sales reports in order to plan budgets for new collections. If this requirement is not fulfilled, RRP’s, Budgets and Margins could be wrong which would lead to a loss off profits. If garments are priced too high, it could lead to the loss of loyal customers and ruin the companies reputation.

Both

There is no communication systemfor example, varied language speaking buyers. For example, skype, telephones, internet, emails.

Without an effective communication system, trading with businesses/suppliers will be harder and could lead to complications with collections. By fulfilling this requirement, companies will be able to communicate with businesses and people overseas. It could also help the company with globalisation. A production team will also have to ensure they have an effective communication strategy in place so that they can discuss ranges and items with the companies who hire them.

Both

There should be a clear decisionsmaking structure within company's business plan.

This requirement is important because hard decisions will have to be made within both the company and the production company. The person who makes the final decision should be chosen carefully as they will be the person who has the ultimate effect on all departments, including the buying team.

Both

Managerial roles within the organisation should be clear moments of evaluation of coordination/ leadership.

By having a clear management structure, company staff will know who to report too; it is important the correct person in charge, especially for times where there are issues within the business.

Both

Fabric testing should be carried out before production.

Fabric testing should be fulfilled as both an organisational and production requirement. The production team should test the fabric to ensure quality and safety, this should then be double checked by the company in order to make sure that the garment is 100% ready for purchase. This is why most companies have a sample system in place, especially when dealing with factories aboard who may have different safety standard than our own. If fabric testing is not completed before production, companies could experience backlash for imperfect items, leaving a negative impression of the company for consumers.

Both

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

As mentioned in the previous requirement, sampling is a process carried out by most companies in order to ensure all garments are up to a 100% standard. Companies should have organised space in which samples and kept, developed and tested so that buyers can review the products and communicate any issues with suppliers. Without this organisation, sampling could become more time consuming and could lead to mistakes with products; ranges could be completed later than expected and therefore not ready for its release date.

Both

Technical knowledge and international experience is integral.

It is essential that all team members know how to do their jobs correctly; technical knowledge and international experience is necessary as both and organisational and production requirement. Without the correct knowledge and experience staff may not be fulfilling their full job role, this could lead to incorrect decisions, mistakes may be made and this could effect a collection.

Both

Lead Time And Shipping Costs Product Line

Quantity

Box

Box Price

Container

Container Price

Trouser

5060

3

£7.53 (£2.51 x 3)

1

£1176.21

Jeans/Cords

5360

20

£50.20 (£2.51 x 20)

1

£1176.21

Shorts

7500

18

£45.18 (£2.51 x 18)

1

£1176.21

Jog Pants

4616

39

£97.89 (£2.51 x 39)

1

£1176.21

Trouser Suits

4000

2

£2352.42 (£1176.21 x 2)

Trouser Jackets

4000

2

£2352.42 (£1176.21 x 2)

Casual Jackets

2000

1

£3528.63 (£1176.21 x 3)

Padded Jackets

3000

3

£3528.63 (£1176.21 x 3)

Raincoat

6000

3

£3528.63 (£1176.21 x 3)

Formal Shirt

7000

1

£1176.21

Casual Shirt

7070

221

£554.71 (£2.51 x 221)

Polo Shirt

7102

22

£55.22 (£2.51 x 22)

1

£1176.21

T Shirt

342

6

£15.06 (£2.51 x 6)

Sweatshirt

4660

3

£7.53 (£2.51 x 3)

1

£1176.21

Fine Sweater/Cardigan

76

4

£10.04 (£2.51 x 4)

Medium Sweater/ Cardigan

4232

2

£5.02(2.51 x 2)

1

£1176.21

Heavy Sweater/ Cardigan

3533

3

£7.53 (£2.51 x 3)

1

£1176.21

Men's Shoes

480

80

£200.8 (£2.51 x 80)

Final

76033

421

£1056.71

20

£23,524.20 Total shipping cost £24,580.941

Lead Time And Shipping Costs ‘The time between the initiation and completion of a production process’ (Google, 2017) Once the production of a collection is complete, it is important to consider how to ship the garments in the correct way. Typically garments can be shipped in boxes or if the collection is larger in shipping containers. As a buyer or a merchandisers you will have to factor in the shipping costs to you budget. The previous slide shows a table which demonstrates the charges for boxes and shipping containers for different types of garments. Each garment has a different surface area and therefore each garment has a different quantity that can fit into these casings; there is also a different amount of each garment and this helps when deciding which to ship your garments in. shipping containers are very expensive in comparison to boxes, however they can hold more items and this can sometimes mean it is cheaper to use this type of casing. A shipping container costs around £1176.21 and a box costs £2.51.

When figuring out the costs, it became clear that it was typically cheaper to put all garments into boxes rather than containers, however it would be very time consuming to unpack hundreds of boxes and therefore is not logical; it is also would not be cheaper in cost as a company would have to employ staff to unpack boxes. For this reason I placed some garments in containers, some in boxes and some across both types of casing.

The product highlighted in red (the formal shirt) has been put into a shipping container despite the fact it would be cheaper for it to be shipped in boxes. I made this decision because it would be less time consuming and cost less in staffing in comparison to the boxes.

As my independent retailor is a single store and therefore it quite small in comparison to a high street chain, it will more than likely be cheaper to ship the garments in boxes rather than shipping containers.

Lead Time And Shipping Costs Process

Lead Time

Planning

4th April 2016 (4 weeks)

Research

2nd May 2016 (4 weeks)

Design

30th May 2016 (3 weeks)

Proto Sample & Costing

20th June 2016 (4 weeks)

Pre Range Selection Meeting

18th July 2016 (1 week)

Negotiation/ Trip To Factories

25th July 2016 (2 weeks)

Final Range Selection Meeting

8th August 2016 (2 weeks)

Place Order

22nd August 2016 (1 week)

Garment Fittings

29th August 2016 (4 weeks)

Fabric Order

26th September 2016 (6 weeks)

Trim & Colour Approvals

7th November 2016 (4 weeks)

Bulk Production Plus Shipping

5th December2016 (1 week production and 12 weeks shipping from China) Chinese new year beginning of February delays production by 2 weeks.

Warehouse – Store Allocation

20th March 2017 (1 week)

Product Launched In Store

Monday 27th of March 2017 (Spring)

The critical path is an important part of buyers job. You have to consider how long each task of the cycle will take in order to ensure a collection will be ready for its release date.

The table to the left hand side shows the lead times for my collections when sourcing from china. They are due to be released in store on the 27th of March 2017; in order to ensure this was possible, it is important to keep to the critical path. The buying process begins with planning which typically starts around 1 year before the release of a collection, so I needed to have begun my planning by April 2016. as I have sourced form china, there are certain dates I have to take into consideration, the most important date was Chinese new year which is at the end of January- the beginning of February. For this time of year, the factories will be closed and will set the bulk production and shipping times back by two weeks.

Lead Time And Shipping Costs- Critical path ‘The time between the initiation and completion of a production process’ (Google, 2017) The statement above is a definition of lead times; lead times must always be considered when producing a new collection in order to ensure each part of the critical path is completed by the ranges release date. Lead times can affect the critical path in a number of ways, for example if the lead times are estimated incorrectly, the production of the range could be held back, meaning it would not be ready to ship in time for the collections release date. Lead times also dictate when the planning of a collection should begin and this will help buyers/merchandisers to plan buying trips within the correct time frame.

As previously discussed, if the critical path of production is held back due to inaccurate lead time estimations, the company are likely to loose profits as their collection may not be in store for its original release date. The company may also have to correct this mistake by paying more for shipping from overseas or delivery from warehouse to store.

‘Pre-processing Lead Time: The time required to create a Purchase Order from the time you learn of the requirement. As for Make items, the buy item pre-processing lead time is also known as "planning time" or simply "paperwork".’ (En.supply-chain-consultant.eu, 2017) Preprocessing refers to the time frame in which pre-production tasks occur, these include ‘planning’ your range and filling out the necessary ‘paperwork’. Pre-processing lead time is followed by Processing Lead Time; ‘The time required to buy an item’ which includes the production of an item. (En.supply-chain-consultant.eu, 2017) The next part of the critical path is referred to as Postprocessing lead time, this occurs once the item has been produced and is ready for shipping. The postprocessing lead time includes task such as shipping, ‘quarantine, inspection time’ and distribution. (En.supply-chain-consultant.eu, 2017) When souring from different factories, lead times can vary due to factory staffing, equipment and shipping times; the amount of days to ship a collection can also vary when delivering to different countries. When sourcing from China and delivering to the UK, shipment could take around 12 weeks; shipping from India to the UK can take approximately 10 weeks. European suppliers tend to deliver to the UK by truck and this takes the much quicker time of 7-15 days, however despite the quicker time difference, it is much more expensive to produce clothing in Europe rather than the far east.

Different countries specialise In particular garment and fabric making. For example, Italy specialises in leather and a lot of leather based goods such as shoes. China specialises in the production of printed fabrics and garments as they are well known for the wide variety of advanced technologies they have.

For my collection, I will be sourcing fabrics from different countries as I will be attending a textile trade show which will display fabrics from around the world. Because of this, the lead times will vary greatly. Shipping by air is a lot faster than by sea, however shipping by sea is typically cheaper and as my retailor is independent and therefore smaller, I will try to ship by sea where possible.

Influences on The Critical Path- Women's Collection There can be issues that arise on the critical path which can influence decisions made and the time taken for different tasks. This slide discusses the issues that may occur with my womenswear Design issues: collection.

It is important that I consider all the issues that may Shipping: arise with my designs. For example, my collection As previously mentioned, shipping can be one of the larger costs in features a variety of different features such as lace, the critical path. It is important as a buyer to consider the shipping embellishments and trims; as these are delicate method and if there is anyway to avoid overspending. For example, it features, it may be possible for them to tear under can be cheaper to ship by sea than by air, however this method of heavy machinery or for embellishments to become transport takes much longer. Therefore I will have to factor in the loose. In order to avoid this, I will have to make sure the time difference to my lead times in order to remain on track with the production team know about their delicate nature. critical path. It is also important that I consider exchange rates when shipping; these can vary from each country and I will have to plan these rates into my overall budget.

Sourcing: Sourcing fabrics can come with many complications.

For example, I will have to ensure the factories I am sourcing from have a high regard for health and safety so that the sourcing is ethical. If they are not entirely up to code, I will have to look for new suppliers and this could be very time and money consuming. In order to avoid this, I will conduct extensive research into the factory. Other issues that may occur with sourcing, especially from overseas is language barriers. It is important as a buyer that I consider the language that the suppliers speak; if I cannot find a way to communicate with these suppliers I may have to consider trading with a different company.

Fabric: As a buyer you always want the best quality for the best price. My womenswear collection features many different materials such a lace, cotton and organza and each of these materials are sourced from different countries.it is important that I consider the availability of a fabric as well as the cost in order to try and avoid sourcing issues with the fabric and to try to achieve the biggest margin.

Costs: Each part of the critical path costs time and money.

The biggest cost tends to be the production and shipping, this means I may have to consider a more cost effective way of shipping, for example by sea rather than by air (despite the large time difference). I may even have to consider changing suppliers in order to find a better price.

Warehouse/stockroom: As my independent retailor is a single store and therefore does not require much stock space, it is unlikely that I will use a warehouse to store the collections. However if the independent retailor decided to invest in a warehouse, I would have to ensure health and safety regulations were up to date in order to ensure all staff working within the warehouse are earning money in a safe environment. As I am more likely to use a stockroom for storage, it Is important that this area of the store remains highly organised; this will help staff in store to find garments easily.

Influences on The Critical Path- Men’s Collection There can be issues that arise on the critical path which can influence decisions made and the time taken for different tasks. This slide discusses the issues that may occur with my men’s wear collection.

Design issues: Unlike my womenswear collection, my men’s wear collection does not feature many delicate embellishments, however issues with the designs could still occur. This collection is very colourful and it can be hard to get these colours correct. When consulting with suppliers, it is important that colour samples are sent across and looked under various types of lights, in order to ensure the garments are the correct colour when produced in bulk.

Sourcing: Sourcing fabrics can come with many complications.

For example, I will have to ensure the factories I am sourcing from have a high regard for health and safety so that the sourcing is ethical. If they are not entirely up to code, I will have to look for new suppliers and this could be very time and money consuming. In order to avoid this, I will conduct Fabric: extensive research into the factory. Other issues Similarly to my womenswear collection, my that may occur with sourcing, especially from men’s wear collection features many overseas is language barriers. It is important as a different fabrics. Not only do I have to buyer that I consider the language that the suppliers speak; if I cannot find a way to communicate with consider sourcing issues with the fabrics but these suppliers I may have to consider trading with a also the types of fabrics used and weather they are correct for the season and the different company. customer audience. If the fabrics aren't correct, this could impact the critical path as it would be time and money consuming to correct this mistake.

Shipping: As previously mentioned, shipping can be one of the larger costs in the critical path. It is important as a buyer to consider the shipping method and if there is anyway to avoid overspending. For example, it can be cheaper to ship by sea than by air, however this method of transport takes much longer. Therefore I will have to factor in the time difference to my lead times in order to remain on track with the critical path. It is also important that I consider exchange rates when shipping; these can vary from each country and I will have to plan these rates into my overall budget.

Costs: Each part of the critical path costs time and money.

The biggest cost tends to be the production and shipping, this means I may have to consider a more cost effective way of shipping, for example by sea rather than by air (despite the large time difference). I may even have to consider changing suppliers in order to find a better price.

Warehouse/stockroom: As my independent retailor is a single store and therefore does not require much stock space, it is unlikely that I will use a warehouse to store the collections. However if the independent retailor decided to invest in a warehouse, I would have to ensure health and safety regulations were up to date in order to ensure all staff working within the warehouse are earning money in a safe environment. As I am more likely to use a stockroom for storage, it Is important that this area of the store remains highly organised; this will help staff in store to find garments easily.

Influences on The Critical Path- Girl’s Collection There can be issues that arise on the critical path which can influence decisions made and the time taken for different tasks. This slide discusses the issues that may occur with my children’s Design issues: wear collection.

Shipping: With children’s wear, there are a lot more issues that As previously mentioned, shipping can be one of the larger costs in could occur due to higher health and safety regulations. the critical path. It is important as a buyer to consider the shipping It is important to consider these when designing method and if there is anyway to avoid overspending. For example, it children's wear the embellishments used and if they are can be cheaper to ship by sea than by air, however this method of secure or could cause a chocking hazard. It is also transport takes much longer. Therefore I will have to factor in the important to use fire resistant fabrics (this is an time difference to my lead times in order to remain on track with the important safety feature on all clothe types), and the critical path. It is also important that I consider exchange rates when length of garments must be both appropriate and safe. shipping; these can vary from each country and I will have to plan these rates into my overall budget. Children's wear is generally smaller in size and weight and therefore might be cheaper to important in comparison to the adult collections.

Sourcing: Sourcing fabrics can come with many complications.

For example, I will have to ensure the factories I am sourcing from have a high regard for health and safety so that the sourcing is ethical. If they are not entirely up to code, I will have to look for new suppliers and this could be very time and money consuming. In order to avoid this, I will conduct Fabric: extensive research into the factory. Other issues As previously mentioned, the choice of that may occur with sourcing, especially from fabric is key when creating a children’s wear overseas is language barriers. It is important as a collection.

Children's skin is more gentle and buyer that I consider the language that the suppliers therefore the fabrics have to be softer. It is speak; if I cannot find a way to communicate with also important that the fabrics are fire these suppliers I may have to consider trading with a resistant in order to ensure full safety for all different company. children. This measure should also be taken with adults clothing.

Costs: Each part of the critical path costs time and money.

The biggest cost tends to be the production and shipping, this means I may have to consider a more cost effective way of shipping, for example by sea rather than by air (despite the large time difference). I may even have to consider changing suppliers in order to find a better price.

Warehouse/stockroom: As my independent retailor is a single store and therefore does not require much stock space, it is unlikely that I will use a warehouse to store the collections. However if the independent retailor decided to invest in a warehouse, I would have to ensure health and safety regulations were up to date in order to ensure all staff working within the warehouse are earning money in a safe environment. As I am more likely to use a stockroom for storage, it Is important that this area of the store remains highly organised; this will help staff in store to find garments easily.

The critical path and production issues- Resources that are required for production Boxes- To ship small amounts of garments from factories; also to distribute products to stores.

Some products may come in boxes, for example shoes.

IT- To keep all company information on an electric file so that it can be accessed by all. To have an effective communication system.

Packaging Plastic Wrapping/tissue paper- To protect garments, footwear and accessories from damage.

Meeting room- To meet with suppliers discusses cost, new ranges etc.

Shipping/ Distribution- To distribute products from factory to store, warehouse etc. Shipping can be done by road, sea or air.

Promotional packaging- Retail bags, gift boxes etc. To give customers a positive image of the brand.

Resources

Cutting tables- To ensure all fabrics are cut correctly leading to less waste.

In order to ensure a smooth and correct production process, it is important that all resources are available. The spider diagram above states various resources and why they are required for production. For example the machinery within a factory such as sewing machines to make the garments. Without these resources/ structures in place.

Head office

Design- To design garments

Teams

Finance- To approve orders and monitor budgets.

Sample room/ fitting room- To keep samples organised and easy to source; this helps to keep communication with suppliers effective also. Fitting rooms are required so that all samples can be tested for fit quality.

Fabrics- To make the garments.

Budgets- To ensure all collections make a profit. If you spend more than your budget, your range will not be cost effective. Each team will be given a budget; this includes within a head office environment, a shipping company environment and a factory environment.

Health and Safety- to ensure all collections are safe and fit for purpose. Also to keep head office environment safe.

Buying- To source and create collections

Merchandisers

Sample room- To keep samples organised and easy to source; this helps to keep communication with companies effective also.

Factory

Staff- To help with production and smooth operation of the factory. (Staff are a resource that is required throughout all parts of the production chain; To keep the whole process running smoothly and correctly. )

Fabric dying room- all chemicals are stored in a safe place. Reduced the risk of other garments being ruined by the dye.

Machinery

CAD Machines- To help with specialised designs

Sewing Machines- To make the garments IT/ Computers- To help with communication around the world, monitoring costs/ performance, writing reports etc.

Women’s Merchandising Spreadsheet

Total Women's Profit: £1,064,833.35

Women’s Sales Per Week Figures

Men’s Merchandising Spreadsheet

Total Men's Profit: ÂŁ957,889.91

Men’s Sales Per Week Figures

Girl’s Merchandising Spreadsheet

Total Girl's Profit: £495,084.42

Girl’s Sales Per Week Figures

Merchandising Spreadsheet Evaluation Merchandising spreadsheets display financial detailing's about clothing within a collection. The previous slides show both a merchandising spreadsheet and eight week sales figure table for all three of my ranges.

There are various columns within the spreadsheet that display different figures that will be included in the financial planning of a range. The spreadsheet also includes garment details which help to link the costs to each individual garments. As previously discussed the RRP is determined by numerous influences including competitors pricing, country of origin and its cost price. Cost price refers to the ‘the price at which goods are or have been bought by a merchant or retailer’ (Google, 2017). The cost price is generally the RRP minus 20% VAT; to work this out I took each individual RRP divided them by 1.2 then by 2.5.

Store grade refers to the different types of store my collection will be sold in; there ate four main store grades which are as follows: A-flagship store found in city locations, B-High street/ town centre stores, C- Concession/out of town location, D- Online retailors. As my retailor and currently has the solo location of Prescott town centre, I will be selling my collection in Store Grade B, I will then launch the collection into three small concessions (Store Grade C) as well as launching a website to sell online(Store Grade D). The final store is another Store Grade D and refers to selling through social media platform, which the retailor currently does. In total my collection will launch in six stores.

My collections will be launched on the 27th of March and will be on sale for 8 weeks. The tabs located next to the spreadsheet displays the 8 week sale figures for each garment; these figures are typically generated by previous sales figures and the store grades. For example a women's dress in store B sold 60 units in week one, in store c it sold 60 units and in store d it sold 40 units(see women's sales per week slide). Each store grade unit is added up per week then all 8 weeks are added together to calculate the total quantity sold over 8 weeks.

It is important to plan for the replenishment of stock, especially for best selling items, and therefore my spreadsheet shows the amount of Replen units needed for each product. Replen is typically 15% of the total quantity sold; to work this out I divided the total quantity by 100 and then multiplied the answer by 15.

To work out total cost and RRP I multiplied the total quantity plus Replen by the cost price and then repeated with the RRP. In case of a best seller entirely selling out and still having high demand, it is important that buyers have set aside an open to buy budget. Typically, the OTB is 30-40% of the overall budget.

The profit on each garment is typically around 67% (margin) and the total cost on all three collections is £1,211,551.25 and the overall profit is £2,411,591.61.

In larger companies, these figures are typically generated and provided by the merchandisers, however as this business is independent and therefore a smaller store with a smaller team, the buyer may have to perform both roles.

Appraise The Commercial Potential For Success When Planning The Range Marketing/ advertising campaigns help to ensure the success of the range by enticing existing and new customers; as I am creating three collections, two of which are new types of ranges for the retailor, I will have to create various ways of advertisement. For each type of collection, I have produced either a poster add campaign or look book in order to demonstrate the ranges visually. I have also used various marketing techniques to try and create a larger following of the range.

The women’s wear collection could possibly be the easiest range to advertise and market as the store currently sells women's occasion wear and therefore appeals to their target market. For this range I have produced two different advertising posters using photoshop (see next slide). The first poster to the left hand side displays a single model wearing a pair of pants from the collection in a park location underneath a blossom tree. The warm setting and natural spring elements help to show customers the season the collection is released. The slogan ‘perfect for any occasion’ gives the impression that The Dressing Room has something for everybody. The second poster located in the middle of the slide has a strong theme of the races. Two models in two different outfits are located at a horse stables with a horse walking passed in the background. The Grand National is a big event within the city of Liverpool and even bigger to the ladies who have a dedicated to them.; ladies day. This poster will be released approximately 6 weeks before the release of the collection so that customers can pre-order garments for the races. As the poster only displays two outfits, the other 13 pieces of the collection will be able to view upon request via social media or in store. Pre-ordering will be limited to 100 orders. In order to appeal the new target audience as well as generate further business for the independent retailor, I will have a makeover offer for the second week of the ranges release. For each purchase made from the ‘Cinched Styling’ collection, the customer will be given a makeup voucher to use between the 3rd of April to 14th of May. This will allow customers to get their makeup done for the event their garment is for. This will help to entice both new and existing customers as well as generate further business for the retailor and the makeup artists. A poster will be realised in order to visually demonstrate this offer (see next slide, right hand side).

As the men’s wear collection is the first of its kind for The Dressing Room, I will have to carefully consider the new target audience. For this range I have produced a slightly plain photo which has an emphasis on colour to show the Havana colour theme. I will also have special event day for the men’s wear collection within the first week of the ranges release. This event will be held on the Saturday morning (1st of April) and will consist of an alteration specialist visiting the store to help the new male customers to find their suit and make it their perfect fit. This will be free of charge when you buy any full suit combination including pants shirt and blazer. This event will be advertised via social media. I will use a local tailoring business ‘The Sewing Shop’ in order to generate business for more local stores as well as establish strong ties to local companies; male customers may then shop with The Dressing Room again as they have both their clothing and alteration specialist all in one small area. To demonstrate this promotion visually, I have produced a poster that will be released on the launch day of the collection.

Similarly to the men’s wear collection, the girl’s wear collection is the first of its kind for the retailor and I will therefore have to carefully consider the new target audience. The target audience will not only have to appeal to the children, but also the adult who will be purchasing the garments. For this range I have produced an advertising poster that will be released via social media. It features four little girls of various ages between 5-10; they are also wearing garments from the range so that customers can see the type of clothing being sold. I will also have an offer running through the eight sales week of the collection. For each ladies or men's wear garment purchased, a 10% off voucher will be given to spend on the children's wear collection. This will be limited to one voucher per person. This also helps to target families and therefore family purchases.

There will also be a social media competition running for the first week of the ranges release. The Prize will be a £50 voucher to spend in store on whatever you choose. To win this customers will have to like the competition post and share on their social media feeds tagging The Dressing Room in their comment. The post will be a picture of all thee ranges in order to generate knowledge about the new collection.

The posters will be released on social media as well as printed leaflets to put within shops, office etc. I have decided to make the campaigns social media based as this is a free way to advertise and therefore saves The Dressing Room money. The Dressing Room currently has no marketing strategies other than posting images of some of their garments through social media.

These campaigns will improve and widen the knowledge about both The Dressing Room and the new collections; by doing this I am helping to ensure the success of the ranges and therefore the brand.

Women’s Advertising campaigns

Men’s Advertising campaign

Girl’s Advertising campaign

What amendments could you make to your designs to ensure faster and cheaper production?

Sourcing: This fabric is originally made in India, I could shop around and look at cheaper suppliers.

Design issues: In order to make this playsuits design cheaper I could remove the belt and replace it with a side zip fastening.

Fabric: Instead of using a polyester/ cotton blend I could use polyester as the only fabric content.

Sourcing: This fabric is originally made in Italy, to make the garment cheaper I could source the fabric from another factory in a cheaper area such as Bangladesh.

Design issues: In order to make this bralet cheaper, I could make it elasticated rather than a zip fastening at the back.

Fabric: I have used entirely lace fabric to create this garment. In order to make it cheaper I could use a blended fabric content or have the garment made out of man made fibres.

Sourcing: This fabric is originally sourced in India, therefore it may take a while to ship over. In order to make this faster I could look at suppliers closer to the UK. Design issues: In order to make this jumpsuit cheaper I could change the belted neckline and make it a simple halter neck with an attached belt.

Fabric: I have used an organza, silk and cotton blend for this fabric, however to make it cheaper I could use polyester instead of silk and cotton.

Sourcing: Similarly to the bralet, this Fabric is originally sourced from Italy, therefore I could also try to source this fabric from another country in order to maker it cheaper.

Design issues: In order to make this skirt cheaper I could make the waistband elasticated rather than zipped up.

Fabric: I have used a lace polyester blend for this skirt I could however use cotton or 100% polyester to make it cheaper.

Sourcing: The leather for these shoes has been produced in Italy as they are renown for this material, however to make the product cheaper I could source for another country.

Design issues: In order to make these shoes cheaper, I could reduce the amount of embellishment that are placed upon the ankle band; this will also make the production process faster.

Fabric: I have used real leather to make these shoes however to make them cheaper I could use faux leather.

I have already decided to ship all of my collections by sea as it is cheaper, however if I would like to make production faster I could ship by air.

What amendments could you make to your designs to ensure faster and cheaper production?

Sourcing: This fabric is originally made in South Asia, in order to make this cheaper I could source from a different country.

Design issues: In order to make the production of this blazer faster I could remove the pockets or make the products fake.

Fabric: Instead of using a linen blend I could use polyester or cotton as the only fabric content.

Sourcing: This fabric is originally made in India to make the garment shipping faster I could source the fabric from another factory closer to the UK. Design issues: In order to make this shirt cheaper, I could have a less structured collar by using less interlining.

Fabric: I have used a cotton fabric content to create this garment. In order to make it cheaper I could use polyester instead.

Sourcing: Similarly to the long sleeve shirt, this fabric is originally made in India, I could therefore also make the garment shipping faster by sourcing the fabric from another factory closer to the UK. Design issues: In order to make this shirt cheaper I could remove the turned up sleeves and make them entirely straight.

Fabric: I have used a cotton fabric content to create this garment. In order to make it cheaper I could use man made fibres instead.

Sourcing: This Fabric is originally sourced from South Asia, therefore I could try to source this fabric from another country in order to maker it cheaper.

Design issues: In order to make this these pants cheaper I could have a simple zip fastening belt line in the black fabric rather than a grey belted waistline.

Fabric: Instead of using a linen blend I could use polyester or cotton as the only fabric content.

Sourcing: The silk for these ties has been produced in Italy as they are well known for this material, however to make the product cheaper I could source for another country.

Design issues: In order to make these ties cheaper, I could reduce the length of them or make them thinner.

Fabric: I have used a silk fabric content to make these ties however to make them cheaper I could use man made fibres.

I have already decided to ship all of my collections by sea as it is cheaper, however if I would like to make production faster I could ship by air.

What amendments could you make to your designs to ensure faster and cheaper production?

Sourcing: This fabric is originally made in India, I could shop around and look at cheaper suppliers.

Design issues: In order to make this dresses design cheaper I could remove the tie up neck at the back and replace it with a simple button fastening.

Fabric: Instead of using a cotton blend I could use man made fibres.

Sourcing: This fabric is originally made in India, to make the shipping faster for this product I could source the fabric from another factory, closer to the UK. Design issues: In order to make this dress cheaper, I could remove the flower belt across the waist and use a fabric pattern printed onto the dress instead.

Fabric: I have used cotton, organza blend to create this dress, however to make it cheaper I could use polyester instead of cotton.

Sourcing: This fabric is originally sourced in Italy; to make it cheaper I could have the garment produced in another factory outside the EU. Design issues: In order to make this dress cheaper I could remove the pearl band across the chest and replace it with a lace frill.

Fabric: I have used an organza, silk and blend for this fabric, however to make it cheaper I could use polyester or cotton instead of silk.

Sourcing: This Fabric is originally sourced from UK; I could try to source this fabric from a country outside of the UK in order to maker it cheaper.

Design issues: In order to make this cardigan cheaper I could make the sleeves ž as the garment if for Spring/Summer.

Fabric: I have used a fine knit material for this garment; to make it cheaper I could use an acrylic material.

Sourcing: The faux suede for these shoes has been produced in china; in order to make shipping faster I could source the material from a factory closer to the UK. Design issues: In order to make these shoes cheaper, I could use a simple rubber sole instead of a rope finish along the side.

Fabric: I have used faux leather to make these shoes however to make them cheaper I could use synthetic leathers.

I have already decided to ship all of my collections by sea as it is cheaper, however if I would like to make production faster I could ship by air.

What amendments could you make to your designs to ensure faster and cheaper production?

From completing this task I have learnt there are various ways to make the production of garments faster and cheaper; these factors are something a buyer would have to consider in order to ensure they get the best possible outcome and price in this part of the critical path.

Typically the way to make a garment cheaper is to use a cheaper fabric to produce the item in; this was the case for many of my garments. For example for the majority of my garments I have used cotton, however I could use polyester or other man made materials to make the overall cost of the garment cheaper. Another typical way to make a garment cheaper is to source from a different factory or country. Other ways you can make the production cheaper is to use less embellishments, simpler fastenings and a smaller volume/size of patterns.

To make production faster, you can use a factory closer to the country you store is located, for me this was the UK. This makes production faster as communication is easier and shipping takes less time. You can also use less embellishment, less complicated fastenings and patterns in order to make production faster.

Overall from this task it has become evident that as a buyer you will have to consider every possible way to produce you range in order to get the best quality, fastest production and the cheapest cost.

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

The fabric will need to be washed in various ways including dry cleaning in order to see which provides the best result. Particularly the pattern piece as the colours are more likely to run into each other on this garment.

Occasion wear piece therefore fits in with the collection

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing

Does this fit the customer profile?

This playsuit does fit the customer profile, it is an occasion wear piece that comes in a variety of colours and can be worn by various ages.

Fire resistant

Organisational requirement

It is important that the correct fabric dyes are used, this means non toxic liquids are used to ensure customers are not at risk.

The stitching must be durable In order to avoid unnecessary returns.

Productional requirement

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Suitable for varied ages

Two colours to accommodate different customers Neck belt must be strong enough to keep it tied up.

Belted neck mean changeable neck line, suitable for different customers

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing

Does this fit the customer profile?

I believe this jumpsuit would appeal to both new and existing customers, it is suitable for many ages and occasions

Fire resistant

Fabric, particularly neckline, must be stain resistant to withstand stains. For example from makeup.

Strong stitching to keep belt connected to the jumpsuit.

Organisational requirement

Belted neck not too long to avoid customers stepping on it/ getting caught on objects and causing a hazard, specifically choking.

Jumpsuit isn’t too long to cause tripping hazard but not too short to make it uncomfortable towards the top of the leg.

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Suitable for varied ages

adjustable strap to fit different size ankles. Great for people who require a half size.

Various colours to accommodate different outfits

Fire resistant

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing Fabric must be stain resistant to withstand stains from the floor, e.g. puddles mud etc.

Does this fit the customer profile?

The shoes are great for any occasion as they have a mid height heels and a platform to make them comfortable for all day wear.

Sole must be a strong and non slippery material; the sole must be tested on various floor types.

Strong stitching to keep various parts of shoes together

Organisational requirement

Ankle straps are long enough for varied widths of feet.

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Suitable for varied ages

Colours and structure are suitable for the season.

Various colours to accommodate different outfits

Material must be light enough and breathable for summer weather. A jacket is naturally insulating and therefore the fabric will have to be tested to make it appropriate for the warmer temperatures.

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing Fabric must be stain resistant and waterproof as it is outwear.

The fabric must be suitable for possible further tailoring.

Strong stitching to keep various parts together Fire resistant

Does this fit the customer profile?

The blazer is great to pair up with various suit types. It can be worn button closed to give the slim suit effect whilst an open button gives a relaxed fit.

Organisational requirement

Buttons and pocket correct size for blazer type.

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Various colours to accommodate different outfits

Suitable for varied ages

Colours and structure are suitable for the season.

Material must be light enough and breathable for summer weather.

Fire resistant

Fit for purpose?

Fire resistant

Fabric must be crease proof to an extent despite its natural cotton fabric The fabric must be suitable for possible further tailoring.

Strong stitching keeps button in place

Does this fit the customer profile?

The short sleeve shirt is great for both occasion and casual wear (e.g. nights out on holiday). It has a classic boxy structure making it suitable for various body types.

Fabric testing

Organisational requirement

Buttons correct size for shirt type

Spare button provided in case any are lost.

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Occasion wear

Shape of dresses appropriate for season

Durability of the fabric; the soft silk/organza fabrics are very delicate, however they must be durable to withstand rips, tears and stains and children are more trip, fall and spill.

Various colours to suit different customer needs

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing Does this fit the customer profile?

The dress is clearly an occasion wear piece that is suitable for children ages 510.

Health and safety tests on tie straps

Organisational requirement

Tie up back, make sure straps aren’t too long to cause a choking hazard but long enough to tie the dress together

Dress is an appropriate length for little girl

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Occasion wear

Various colours to suit different customer needs

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing

Does this fit the customer profile?

The dress is clearly an occasion wear piece that is suitable for children ages 510.

Durability of the fabric; the soft silk/organza fabrics are very delicate, however they must be durable to withstand rips, tears and stains and children are more trip, fall and spill.

Fire resistant

Health and safety tests on pearl embellishments.

Organisational requirement

Pearl embellishments wont bring any hazard, it is important that the organization conducts a health and safety test as well as the productional team.

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

Sensible flat shoe for a girl aged 510

adjustable strap to fit different size feet

Various colours to accommodate different outfits

Fit for purpose?

Fabric testing

Does this fit the customer profile?

The shoes are not too childish or too old for the age range, perfect for aged 5-10 who don’t want to wear typical girl flats.

It is important that the leather is soft enough for children's feet, soft enough to not cause blisters but hard enough to be durable to withstand scuffs and scrapes.

Fire resistant

Health and safety tests on embellishments.

Organisational requirement

Embellishments wont bring any hazard, it is important that the organization conducts a health and safety test as well as the productional team.

Productional requirement

Ensure average size fit models are used

Is you range commercially viable/ fit for use?

It is important as a buyer that you consider that the range is entirely suitable for its purpose. In order to ensure this I have looked at eight different products across all three of my ranges and discusses if they are fit for purpose, if they fit my customer profile, their organisational and production requirements and any testing it may have to undergo.

It is important that your range is fit for its purpose so that it the correct garment for the customer. For example, my collection is an occasion wear for The Dressing Room and I believe all of the garments reflect this garment type.

Production and organisational requirements have to be fulfilled in order to ensure that the range is designed and produced correctly. For example, an organisational requirement that kept coming up with my garments is that embellishments wouldn't fall off or parts of the garments were not too long so that they wouldn't cause a choking hazard. This also is a production requirement however it is important the organisation design these garments with these factors in mind and send the correct information, e.g. tie up neck strap length is given to the production company/team.

Fabric testing is an essential part of production, even more so with children’s wear. All garments should be tested against fire in order to ensure they wont cause harm to the customer, again this is especially important with children’s wear. Other fabric testing that may need conducting include, waterproof, durability, stain resistant and fabrics softness so that they don’t cause irritation to the skin.

Overall, from this task it has become evident that buyers will have to consider both these factors when designing and producing as well as the time these requirements take, specifically fabric testing in order to keep up with the critical path and have an accurate time frame for the lead times.

Unit 11 and 12 Evaluation After completing this unit, I feel that I have learnt further information about the role of the buyer and the various tasks they have to complete in order to ensure the success of the range.

At the beginning of the unit, I completed in depth research into the independent retailor The Dressing Room. I have never produced a range for this type of retailor before and therefore it was important to know about these stores work, who are there customer, who are there competitors and what type of products and services they offer. From this research I was able to produce a business plan to introduce a new range from the retailor. My business plan included the general idea for the new ranges; to introduce a new women’s men’s and children’s occasion wear range to a retailor that currently only stocks women's wear. The business plan also included short, mid and long term aims; these aims help the buyer to make sure their collection is working towards something, for example one of my long term aims was for The Dressing Room to expand further into children’s and men’s wear garments. In order to do this the first collections would have to be successful and generate enough profits to reinvest into new collections. Looking back at my business plan, I can confirm I have fulfilled my short term aims, the mid and long term aims would be fulfilled after the release of a range.

‘It’s very important to know how to create an accurate customer profile that helps define who the customer is that you’re trying to reach.’ (SumAll, 2017) After completing my business plan I produced multiple customer profiles including existing and new target markets in order to ensure my ranges would fit in with both the retailor and their customers.

Overall I believe my customer profiles are accurate and work well with the retailor. I also believe my ranges appeal to the target customer.

The next task I completed was a comparative shop for The Dressing Room and compared garments from their two main competitors, from this I was able to see price points and garment types stocked by both my retailor and my competitors. However as I could not compare men's and children's garments against other retailors, I chose three different brands to compare for each that my retailor style typically follows. From comparing three different retailors for each, I was able to see the differences and similarities between the retailors and helped me to determine the type of style The Dressing Room could follow. I also completed a directional shop for womenswear to see what designers are selling that are similar to The Dressing Room; this helped to confirm that this retailor stocks many designer copies. For example, their best selling blazer is a close copy to the Balmain blazer.

In order to ensure my collection would fit in with the trends of SS17, I produced numerous trend forecasting reports using WGSN and Vogue; this included what influenced these trends. I produced four different trend forecasting reports for each range which helped me to determine patterns, colours, fabrics and shapes as well as various other trend types.

From these reports I produced six concept boards which helped me to produce my collection. I also researched into street style trends on Pinterest and produced Pinterest boards as well as a street style report on my blog in order to see further influences on fashion. Once I had looked over this trend research, I looked back at my customer profiles and determines which trends suited my consumers most, this helped to make sure my collection would fit in with the retailor.

In order to ensure my range would be sourced from the best countries for the best price, I did some in depth research into sourcing. This included sourcing from factories aboard, trade shows and how different retailors source their garments. From this research I was able to see how buyers have to consider various factors when choosing how and where to source from, this included health and safety codes, PESTLE influences (political, environmental, social, technological, legal, economic) and lead times. From researching sourcing, I also learnt the high importance and responsibility buyers have to make sure the factories they are working with up to the correct health and safety standard; by ensuring this, buyers can guarantee their products have been ethically produced and are making factories around the world a better place to work for the employees.

As previously mentioned, Buyers have to complete many tasks in the correct amount of time in order to ensure the best possible outcome for their collection. In order to visually demonstrate these various tasks, I produced a buying cycle which I separated into seven main sections. Buyers will use this cycle in order to determine which order to begin their tasks in along with their critical path to keep on schedule.

Unit 11 and 12 Evaluation After completing the buying cycle, I then produced my ranges on photoshop using my three strongest concept boards. For each range I produced 12-13 pieces including clothing, footwear and accessories. In order to create desired patterns and colours, I used various tools on Photoshop including the quick selection tool, the define pattern tool and the image adjustment tool. After completing three ranges, I feel more confident using Photoshop and can locate and use the programmes tools more efficiently.

Once I had completed my range I began researching into the best way to ship my ranges. This included constructing a lead times report and any problems or constraints that could effect lead times and the critical path. From this I discovered the various ways of shipping including by air, sea or truck and how each country has a different typical lead time, for example china’s shipping takes approximately 12 weeks. Once I had completed these reports I chose the best option for my retailor which was to ship by sea.

It was important that I consider the financial costs for my range in order to keep within my budget; I therefore completed a merchandising spreadsheet for each range as well as looked into the costs of shipping, storing and how to make the production of my range cheaper and faster. After completing these tasks, I decided that If I were to change anything about my range it would be to change the fabrics used in order to try and cheapen the cost price which would lower the overall cost of my range.

I decided to try new marketing strategies for my retailor in order to try and boost profits and entice more customers into The Dressing Room. For this I created seven different poster/leaflets that could be uploaded to social media websites and handed out around the city. I created these advertisements using photoshop and I am pleased with the results. If I were to change anything about my marketing strategies, I would try to create more campaigns such as magazine advertisements or posters around the city.

When creating a range it is important to ensure the products are fit for purpose and produced in the correct way, making sure each garment has fulfilled its organisational and production requirements. In order to ensure this I looked into various organisational and production requirements as well as evaluate if my collections were commercially viable and fit for use. From completing these tasks I learnt about the various fabric testing that has to be conducted on a garments, the amount of health and safety rules that have to be considered, especially with children's wear clothing.

Overall I am pleased with the work I have produced for these units; I feel more comfortable and confident using new programmes such as photoshop and excel and I believe I have increased my knowledge into sourcing, creating and shipping ranges. If I were to change anything about my work it would be to create more products within my women's and men’s wear collection as well as produce more marketing strategies using photoshop.

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