A Brief Encounter
A creative partnership has existed between Photolink Creative Group and the University of Salford since 2011. Our links to the institution however go back even further. Photolink founder David Walter completed a fine art degree at the university and we have employed some of its most promising graduates over the years. These graduates now fill a variety of roles across the company from account management and fashion production to graphic design and creative research. So it would be fair to say that we have vested interest in their preparedness. The idea behind the project was to give Fashion Design and Fashion Styling & Image Making students completing the BA (Hons) Fashion degree a brief that was as close to a working brief as possible. As a creative agency can never rest on its laurels and must constantly find ways to boost its profile within the industry it operates, we asked the students to help us communicate our three brands – Photolink Creative Group, Little Black Dress and HT&E – to potential and existing to clients within the retail sector through their medium: fashion and fashionable accessories. In the end we set three briefs between three sets of groups. Over the next few pages we include the original briefs and show how each group answered their chosen brief.
Brief One Photolink Creative Group Photolink Creative Group is a multi-disciplined agency that creates ideas and produces content for multi-channel retailers. The company was recently described as a creative ecosystem, which is effectively what it is. Photographers, producers, designers, writers, artworkers, stylists, all working together in one integrated group. On any working day or project, the peoples of the Creative Republic of Photolink will often be joined by freelancers, clients, models and various other creative migrants. “Your challenge is to create a piece of fashion that encapsulates the vibrant characteristics of the Group that visitors can take away with them, spreading the word about Photolink far afield and afterhours.�
Team One
TeamTwo
TeamThree
TeamFour
Photolink Creative Group
Team One Canvas tote and drawstring
bags featuring reworked print of the Photolink flourish logo.
Brief One
Team Two Classic white Tee with ironed-on
print of vintage camera and the year Photolink was established.
Photolink Creative Group
Team Three Quilted laptop clutch bag with chunky zip.
Brief One
Team Four The Photolink flourish logo
reworked on a casual white Tee with flouro fascinator accessory.
Brief Two Here There & Everywhere
As much a description as a name, HT&E is a boutique team of specialists that sits within Photolink Creative Group, providing creative and intuitive strategy for our roster of retail clients. Understanding the consumer and maximising the potential of the brand experience allows brands to reach their target audiences through print, online, on screen, on tablets, in advertising, on smart phones – here, there and everywhere, in fact. And that’s where HT&E can help. “Your challenge is to translate this multi-platform creative thinking onto a shirt that can be given to clients to reinforce the diversity and scope of our work within HT&E.”
Team One
TeamTwo
TeamThree
TeamFour
TeamFive
TeamSix
TeamSeven
Team Eight
Team Nine
Team Ten
Team Eleven
Here, There & Everywhere
Team One Continuous screen print
pattern with stiching detail on unisex sweatshirt.
Brief Two
Team Two Cowel neck shirt with chunky
zip and HT&E logo framing the vibrancy of a modern cityscape.
Here, There & Everywhere
Team Three Abstracted HT&E logo print
referencing Manchester & Mumbai with additional accessories.
Brief Two
Here, There & Everywhere
Team Four Splashproof shoulder
bag with bold HT&E logo.
Brief Two
Team Five Conveying the creative
strength of HT&E with logo-framed bodybuilders.
Here, There & Everywhere
Team Six Systematic repetition of HT&E
logo creates a new tribal print.
Brief Two
Team Seven Dual action courier bag/back
pack in striking flouro colours with HT&E logo on underside.
Here, There & Everywhere
Team Eight Geometric interpretation of the HT&E business methodology.
Brief Two
Team Nine
asual white Tee with HT&E C logo framing the open road.
Here, There & Everywhere
Team Ten
and sewn pixels complete H 3D rendering of HT&E logo on grey sweatshirt.
Brief Two
Team Eleven
lobally positioning HT&E G logo on world map and vintage grey v-neck.
Brief Three Little Black Dress
Little Black Dress – or LBD as it’s known to its friends – is an online portal for all things concerning little black dresses. It’s both an ecommerce store and fashion magazine dedicated to classic and contemporary women’s party fashion and is a bona fide business operating within Photolink Creative Group. Don’t worry, we are not asking you to create an iconic piece of haute couture, just something LBD devotees would throw on the morning after the big night before. “Your challenge is to extend the Little Black Dress brand experience into the next morning making stylish ladies look as good putting the coffee on, as they did treading the red carpet the night before.”
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Team One
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TeamFour
TeamFive
TeamSix
TeamSeven
Team Eight
Team Nine
Little Black Dress
Team One Diva-inspired vintage
underwear and black nightshirt.
Brief Three
Team Two Flapper girl inspired hair
towel with diamantĂŠ detail.
Little Black Dress
Team Three Slashed back American-style sweatshirt with chain detail and sheer sleeves.
Brief Three
Team Four Classic cocktail dress inspired printed white Tee with images of the night before.
Little Black Dress
Team Five Punk inspired nightshirt with feather and chain detail.
Brief Three
Team Six White night/day dress with printed peter pan collar featuring LBD logotype.
Little Black Dress
Team Seven Oversized cotton night vest with vintage corset print detail and overnight bag.
Team Eight Morning after shirt with
LBD url and logo print with matching tote.
Brief Three
Team Nine Baby doll nightdress
with faux leather and diamantĂŠ collar.
A Big Thank you Photolink Creative Group would like to say a Big Thank you and well done to every student involved on the day. We’d also like to extend our special gratitude to BA (Hons) Fashion Programme Leader Bashir Aswat for organising the project and introducing us to the next generation of creative talent. We always value the opportunity to meet and work with enthusiastic and applied creatives of all levels and disciplines, and the Fashion Design and Fashion Styling & Image Making students were just that. They impressed us greatly with the execution and professional presentation of their ideas and we very much look forward to working with them again in the future. Until then, thanks again.
Alexandra Keeling Ashlea Williams Bethanie Elsa Jacob Bridi Foden Camilla R Holmes Charlotte Bateman Charlotte Jones Davean Kaur Deshna Akram Dhaval Joshi Ellen Woolf Ellie Brooks Emma Sankey Faye Oliver Georgia Beth Kennedy Jade A Dixon James Greig
Jamie Erin T Morrison Jessica Wood Jordan Leah Shacklady Karen Patricia Coyle Kate Marsland Kelsey Howard-Smith Laura Dickinson Laura Gonzalez Murphy Laura Kathryn Grealy Laura Simms Lauren McCafferty Lauren Morris Lauren Walker Louise Dwyer Lucy Knapp Makeda Tafari Megan Daisy Bergin
Michael Mayren Natalie O’Hare Natashia E Maclachlan Rachael Chan Rachel Hannaway Rachel Stewart Ruth Armitt Sadie Marie Pantelides Samantha Hunter Samuel Gallagher Sophie Heald Sophie Smith Victoria Farnworth Victoria Kate Wheeldon Yingxin Jiang
Photolink Creative Group The Old School House, Thirsk Street, Manchester, United Kingdom, M12 6PN
+44 (0)161 273 7551
info@photolink.co.uk www.photolink.co.uk
www.photolink.co.uk