By Savannah Avery
Independent Retailers Boudoir Boutique “At Boudoir Boutique divine decadence is our style. We stock a number of show stopping gowns – making you stand-out from the crowd. Visit us to see the whole collection with amazing shoes, gorgeous handbags and stunning accessories. Winner of the Retail Fashion Award this year at The Juice Fm Style Awards.” (Flanagan, 2016) Boudoir boutique is an independent women's boutique, selling clothes, shoes and accessories in Cavern Walks, Liverpool. The style is vintage, chic and a lot of their garments are gowns and occasion wear dresses and skirts, however they do stock some more casual clothing, giving off a sort of hipster vintage vibe.
Resurrection Resurrection is a long established business selling branded casual and street wear clothing, shoes and accessories for both men and women. Founded in 1991, Resurrection has come from a small vintage shop in Quiggins Liverpool to its own shop on Bold Street.
Cricket Who are they? Cricket is one of the foremost, independent super-boutiques in the UK.
Founded in 1991 and located in Liverpool's Cavern Quarter, Cricket has reached extraordinary heights in terms of designer labels, customer loyalty and recognition. It's our co-founder, Justine Mills, with his expert eye, customer knowledge and insatiable appetite for fashion that has made Cricket the go-to place for the style-conscious, brand-savvy customer in search of 'that something special'. Shop the world's most covetable brands from the most sought-after international designers from CĂŠline, Christian Louboutin and Lanvin to Isabel Marant and Saint Laurent, in store and online, luxury wrapped and delivered to your door. (Flanagan, 2016)
What do they sell? Cricket aim to both genders and both children and adults, selling designer wear on the high-street. However, Cricket and Cricket Kids are located in Cavern Walks but are displayed as different shops.
The style of Cricket is chic, luxury designer wear from high end designers like Versace, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Louboutin.
Cricket fashion is well-known in the city where it is based, Liverpool, but also around the North West of the UK. They post their news and new in brands and products mostly on their Instagram page, were you can also purchase their products. This is a good way to keep in touch with their target market, they can post local celebrity shoppers buying the latest products and therefore allows more consumers to visit and shop at their store.
The shop floor layout is spaced out in a way that it is easy for the consumers to browse through different garments and designers, depending on their preference of what they are shopping for. It is not cramped for space and allows a lot of room for the customer to not feel trapped when shopping.
Brand History Cricket was founded in 1991 as a menswear boutique I Liverpool, Matthew Street before moving to Cavern Walks to stock exclusive high-end ladies fashion in 1999. The brand is known for being favoured by the WAGs of mainly Liverpool and Everton footballers, paparazzi outside a lot and have caught Abbey Clancy, Alex Curran (Gerrard) and Coleen Rooney who was first photographed at age 16 in 2003, in her uniform coming out of the shop carrying a recognisable cricket bag. Cricket has been mentioned in many fashion magazines, including being apart of VOGUE best fashion shops in the UK, outside of the UK’s fashion Capital London. “LONDON is great for shopping, it really is. But that doesn't mean that when you step outside the confines of the capital there isn't anything to whet your sartorial appetite. Far from it. There are lots of hidden gems out there.” (British Vogue, 2016) Cricket has also launched social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and has over 3400 followers for CricketMens and an amazing 79.4k following for CricketFashion (which mainly displays womenswear, shoes and accessories). Due to this high following, Cricket have created a snap chat account, to keep their customers updated with their latest stock and trends.
“The legendary Cricket boutique, founded by Justine Mills and Gerry Mannix, started up almost two decades ago - as a menswear retailer in Liverpool. The store's remit was to offer an exclusive collection of the most sought-after, International designer clothes available to men. Before too long, however, Justine and Gerry spotted a niche in the market for exclusive, high-end womenswear and began to buy in small collections from the top pret-a-porter designers.” (Flanagan, 2016)
Business Plan I have established a niche in the market for Cricket fashion in Liverpool. When conducting research for the brand, I found that Cricket only sells high-end brands, it does not have its own store brand of clothing, shoes and accessories. This is a great way to get their customers excited and keep them interested in their shop, if they open their own range they can sell it for high prices and create it as another designer brand to fit in with the shop floor. Cricket have a very large consumer group for their brand, especially womenswear range with 79.4k followers on Instagram alone. This is were I will make the first announcement of the new brand collection, it can be shared and seen by many of its main customers and using social media I am able to target a larger audience for all the Cricket’s, women's, men's and children. The range will be spring/summer 17/18 and the main focus will be casual daytime chic, fitting in with what the shop already sells with the brands they currently stock. I will look into the future trends for colour pallets, shapes and patterns and prints for the range and the collection between all three target customers will link together for a better link and look of the collection.
Aims: Short term – My short term aim is to create a successful collection for a original brand of Cricket for women, men and children. It will be displayed on the shop floor as the main range and will be complete with a chic, luxury look that Cricket customers are used to. Medium term – My medium term aim is to expand the collection and have it recognised by people as a luxury brand. It will also be available online for different countries to purchase, not just the United Kingdom. Long term – My long term aim is to have Crickets own label sold in other high end shops like Harvey Nicholas, Harrods and Selfridges. I want the brand to be recognised as its own label and displayed to consumers as a designer brand.
Customer Profile The Gerrard’s Alex Gerrard (WAG of Steven Gerrard, ex Liverpool footballer), Steven Gerrard and their three daughters are the typical customer that Cricket aim, their products at. They dress in designer wear like, Givenchy, YSL and Valentino. Cricket have ‘Cricket Women’s’, ‘Cricket Men’s’, and ‘Mini Cricket’ each one of these stores allows the whole family to shop in there. Because the shop only sells branded products, it is known for being expensive and therefore this is why a lot of local celebrities like wags shop here and what drives the people of Liverpool to follow. The Gerrard’s follow a luxury lifestyle of jetting of to sunny holidays whenever they please, eating in the top restaurants and being pampered to look their best nearly everyday. Because they get followed by paparazzi a lot they keep up their appearances and never get a bad shot in the local newspaper and fashion magazines. Stephen and Alex also own their own restaurant on the business square of Liverpool called the Vincent, it is a classy, high-up restaurant that people in Liverpool love to go and get dressed up for
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WOMEN’S CRICKET MOOD BOARD
MEN’S CRICKET MOOD BOARD
Evaluation on Market Research The research carried out was both primary and secondary data that I collected. Overall Cricket is a highly-priced, luxury designer brand seller, it has three shops in Cavern Walks, Central Liverpool, a women’s, men’s and children’s. They are separate stores but all in very close proximity to each other (store next to store), this gives their customers a easy access to shopping for all categories which is also a good way to increase shoppers and therefore profits. When looking into the store layout, it is very open plan, they have a lot of floor space to move around easy and have each garment type next to each other so that it is accessible to find what your looking for. Because, it is branded the brands are also easy to find, there staff are on hand and help you with whatever you need, create a friendly environment and make the customer feel welcome. Cricket was first opened in 1991 as a menswear shop and in 1999 opened up a women's range, this was good opportunity that Cricket took as their women's brand is even more popular than their men’s. They have three separate Instagram accounts, which is a very modern way to keep in contact with their customers. They sell products on these sites and have over 79.4k followers, which is astonishing and means that they are targeting people from other parts of the Country/globe, which higher’s their surplus and purchases of products. Social media is the gateway to most success in business nowadays and by advertising their products and being able to sell their products through the site has launched them into a successful company.
Their target customer was just young men and women from Liverpool, who had the money to spend on brands like YSL, and Valentino. The Gerrard’s reflect this, as they are a well-known family in Liverpool and are constantly seen in this shop. They cover all categories of men’s, women’s and children’s wear that Cricket sell and are able to be a ‘unpaid’ celebrity endorsement of the business by just paparazzi waiting outside the shop ready to catch a picture of them for the local newspapers. I would say that now Cricket have expanded to online, their target customers are also outside of Liverpool to place like Manchester, London and some even global. You can see by the mood boards created that Cricket are a luxury, celebrity inspired brand and are able to display their predicts in a way that makes the customer more willing to wanting their products, by posting pictures of high end celebrities like the Kardashians in some of the brands that they sell. This is a good strategy and makes their customers keep looking at their social media accounts for updates on the latest high end trends. Overall, Cricket is a luxurious, designer brand that has been developing since 1991. It is become more modern and kept up to date with modern day society and technology and therefore increasing its sales and appealing to new customers through this. While it posts about the latest products they have in store they are able to imitate this onto their online shop and social media accounts as well as being recognised in places like London as a luxury shopping experience.
COMPETITIVE SHOP FOR: -CRICKET -SELFRIDGES -FLANNELS
SELFRIDGES
CRICKET Product Image
Price
Description
£525
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Price
Description
Balenciaga Bazar cross body bag. crafted in Italy from textured lamb leather, features colourful contrasting panels and the designer's name printed in gold lettering. Inner description: fabric lining, internal slot pocket, four card slots.
£450
£50
Charlotte Simone Goody Gumdrops Keychain. Light blue and white dyed.
£275
FLANNELS Product Image
Price
Description
Versace cross body bag. Crafted from premium black leather and adorned with polished silver lion heads and further embellishment.
£625
Small classic grain clutch by Mulberry. This shoulder bag features the brand's signature lock closure and a intricate gold-toned, matching shoulder chain. Leather black.
£50
Charlotte Simone Gummy Gumdrop keychain. Ethically sourced fur.
£47
3D Orb keyring from Vivienne Westwood Accessories. Crafted in Italy, three dimensional style is accented with subtle branded detailing and a contrasting leather tab.
VERSUS VERSACE SANUR RED LEATHER CROSS-BODY BAG crafted from premium saffiano leather with silver tone hardware. Signature safety pin lion head makes a statement
£275
VERSUS VERSACE SANUR RED LEATHER CROSS-BODY BAG crafted from premium saffiano leather with silver tone hardware. Signature safety pin lion head makes a statement
£275
VERSUS VERSACE SANUR RED LEATHER CROSS-BODY BAG crafted from premium saffiano leather with silver tone hardware. Signature safety pin lion head makes a statement
£99.99
LOVE MOSCHINO ZEBRA BLACK MINI DOUBLE CLUTCH BAG crafted from premium faux leather with gold tone hardware. Signature LM branding adds detail to the front of these classic pouch style bags. Use together or individually.
£99.99
LOVE MOSCHINO ZEBRA BLACK MINI DOUBLE CLUTCH BAG crafted from premium faux leather with gold tone hardware. Signature LM branding adds detail to the front of these classic pouch style bags. Use together or individually.
£99.99
LOVE MOSCHINO ZEBRA BLACK MINI DOUBLE CLUTCH BAG crafted from premium faux leather with gold tone hardware. Signature LM branding adds detail to the front of these classic pouch style bags. Use together or individually.
£1175
Valentino Rockstud clutch Magnetic snap fastening Detachable wristlet strap, hand strap.
£1175
Valentino Rockstud clutch Magnetic snap fastening Detachable wristlet strap, hand strap.
£1175
Valentino Rockstud clutch Magnetic snap fastening Detachable wristlet strap, hand strap.
CRICKET Product Image
Price
Description
£390
Price
Description
Isabel Marant reversible bomber jacket. Framed with the trims of a classic MA-1, this padded layer is embroidered with the word 'Africa' on one side, and clad in panelling on the other simply choose which way to wear it
£535
Opening Ceremony celebrates
£390
Givenchy Bambi Tee. Graphic print on a black t-shirt. Short sleeve, made from pure cotton
£570
£445
Givenchy Denim mini skirt. Star motif has become as synonymous with Givenchy as the screaming monkeys. Washed out denim and embodied trio of stars across the back of the skirt
£350
CHARLOTTE SIMONE 'KALEIDOSCOPE MONGOLIAN' SCARF. Lamb
Fur 100%
FLANNELS
SELFRIDGES Product Image
Product Image
Price
Description
£445
JUST CAVALLI PRINTED BOMBER JACKET. Zip closure, this long sleeved style features contrasting ribbed trims and faux pockets to the side. Featuring a bold all over print. 100% viscose Lining: 100% polyester
Gucci print t-shirt. Distressed to try and reflect a 1980s style retro look. Made from pure cotton
£320
Gucci ‘blind for love’ t-shirt. Black short sleeved top with ‘Blind for love printed in sequins. Made from 100% cotton
£445
Givenchy denim mini skirt. Star motif has become as synonymous with Givenchy as the screaming monkeys. Washed out denim and embodied trio of stars across the back of the skirt
£350
Moschino denim skirt. This style features a central button closure and two imitation pockets to the front. 98% cotton, 2% other fibres
£99
Helen Moore. Pom Pom faux fur pink scarf. Quality 100% faux fur design
£141
PATRIZIA PEPE FAUX FUR SCARF. Crafted with a soft touch faux fur, this design is finished with a contrasting colour striped panel pattern. Size selection: One size Length: 186cm, Width: 30cm Outer: 80% Acrylic, 20% polyester Lining: 100% Polyester
diversity through sportswear. For its latest show, the brand revealed new versions of its iconic silk bomber jacket, with this reversible style flying the flag for a whole list of countries. 100% silk
SELFRIDGES
CRICKET Product Image
Price
Description
£310
Product Image
Price
Description
Lanvin low-top trainers. (Round toe, patent leather toe caps and trim, gunmetal eyelets, comes with spare laces, leather lined, leather insole, ridged rubber soles)
£310
£495
Mens Givenchy jumper. 100% cotton Embroidery coloured stars printed style
£62
FLANNELS Product Image
Price
Description
Lanvin low-top trainers. (Round toe, patent leather toe caps and trim, gunmetal eyelets, comes with spare laces, leather lined, leather insole, ridged rubber soles)
£310
Lanvin low-top trainers. (Round toe, patent leather toe caps and trim, gunmetal eyelets, comes with spare laces, leather lined, leather insole, ridged rubber soles)
£475
Givenchy Star-appliqué knitted jumper. Crewneck, long sleeves, contrast appliqué stars at neckline, ribbed trims 100% cotton; 100% polyester
£475
Givenchy Star-appliqué knitted jumper. Crewneck, long sleeves, contrast appliqué stars at neckline, ribbed trims 100% cotton; 100% polyester
Comme des Garcons, mens tshirt. Crewneck, short sleeves, stitched hem 100% cotton
£62
Comme des Garcons, mens t-shirt. Crewneck, short sleeves, stitched hem 100% cotton
£62
Comme des Garcons, mens t-shirt. Crewneck, short sleeves, stitched hem 100% cotton
£650
Balmain Paris. Ribbed-thigh slim-fit tapered jeans Slim-fit, tapered, mid-rise, faded, belt loops, two zipped pockets at front, two welt buttoned pockets at back, ribbed panelling detail at thighs, branded patch at back waistband 96% cotton, 4% polyurethane
£650
Balmain Paris. Ribbed-thigh slim-fit tapered jeans Slim-fit, tapered, mid-rise, faded, belt loops, two zipped pockets at front, two welt buttoned pockets at back, ribbed panelling detail at thighs, branded patch at back waistband 96% cotton, 4% polyurethane
£465
DOLCE AND GABBANA RIPPED JEANS. Distressed detailing to the legs, this style is constructed with a slim fit, featuring a multitude of pockets, a zip fly closure and subtle logo detailing. 99% Cotton, 1% elastane Leather applique: 100% leather
£195
Givenchy men’s sliders. Scalloped insole, branded foot strap Synthetic upper, synthetic lining, synthetic sole
£195
Givenchy men’s sliders. Scalloped insole, branded foot strap Synthetic upper, synthetic lining, synthetic sole
£210
Givenchy men’s sliders. Scalloped insole, branded foot strap Synthetic upper, synthetic lining, synthetic sole
SELFRIDGES
CRICKET Product Image
Price
Description
£425
Product Image
Price
Description
Sophia Webster sandal heels. Buckle fastening Ankle strap, leather wings, open toe All leather
£425
£2150
Valentino silk men’s bomber jacket. stand up collar, a press stud fastening, two front pockets and long sleeves.
£35
FLANNELS Product Image
Price
Description
Sophia Webster sandal heels. Buckle fastening Ankle strap, leather wings, open toe All leather
£450
Sophia Webster sandal heels. Buckle fastening Ankle strap, leather wings, open toe All leather
£1940
Gucci, Mosaic-print silk bomber jacket Stand collar, long raglan sleeves with striped detailing, all-over tile print, two front jet pockets with contrasting trims, embroidered detailing at back, striped ribbed trims, two interior pockets, fully lined 100% silk; lining 100% cupro
£1940
Gucci, Mosaic-print silk bomber jacket Stand collar, long raglan sleeves with striped detailing, all-over tile print, two front jet pockets with contrasting trims, embroidered detailing at back, striped ribbed trims, two interior pockets, fully lined 100% silk; lining 100% cupro
Stella McCartney tiger face print cotton t-shirt. Short Sleeved. Children’s
£35
Stella McCartney tiger face print cotton t-shirt. Long Sleeve. Children’s
£35
Stella McCartney tiger face print cotton t-shirt. Short Sleeved. Children’s
£175
Minna Parikka tail sneaks leather trainers. Leather and faux fur
£175
Minna Parikka tail sneaks leather trainers. Leather and faux fur
£355
GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI CHILDREN BOYS NICKI CROC TRAINERS. Upper and lining: leather Sole: other materials
£40
Stella McCartney Kids, short sleeve t-shirt. 100% cotton
£40
Stella McCartney Kids, short sleeve tshirt. 100% cotton
£58
PAUL AND SHARK JUNIOR BOYS LOGO T SHIRT. 100% COTTON
SELFRIDGES
CRICKET Product Image
Price
Description
£95
Product Image
Price
Description
JUICY COUTURE '78 logodetail velour tracksuit. Hoody- zipped, hood, two pockets, glitter logo to back Bottoms- elasticated waist, tied waist detail, logo detail 78% cotton, 22% polyester
£95
£240
Pyrenex, boys duck feathered down coat, real fur trim hood. Outer: 100% polyamide Coating: 100% polyester Lining: 100% polyamide Padding: 80% white duck down, 20% duck feathers Trims: Real Racoon fur
£97
FLANNELS Product Image
Price
Description
JUICY COUTURE '78 logo-detail velour tracksuit. Hoody- zipped, hood, two pockets, glitter logo to back Bottoms- elasticated waist, tied waist detail, logo detail 78% cotton, 22% polyester
£80
DIESEL CHILDREN BOYS COOL GUY TRACKSUIT SET. 100% COTTON
£286
Moncler quilted jacket Front zip fastening Hood, long sleeves, elasticated cuffs, ribbed hem, pockets, waterproof, 100% Polyamide; Padding 90% Down 10% Feathers
£240
Pyrenex, boys duck feathered down coat, real fur trim hood. Outer: 100% polyamide Coating: 100% polyester Lining: 100% polyamide Padding: 80% white duck down, 20% duck feathers Trims: Real Racoon fur
Stella McCartney fluorescent star round cross-body bag. Kids mini bag. Zip closure Adjustable shoulder strap, fluorescent star and trim, faux leather.
£97
Stella McCartney fluorescent star round cross-body bag. Kids mini bag. Zip closure Adjustable shoulder strap, fluorescent star and trim, faux leather.
£419.99
ROBERTO CAVALLI IT GIRL PONY SKIN MINI SATCHEL. crafted in a metallic leather with a pony skin effect pane
£110
Girls Juicy Couture, tracksuit top. Hood, two slip pockets, Scottie dog logo at back, ribbed trim 78% cotton, 22% polyester
£110
Girls Juicy Couture, tracksuit top. Hood, two slip pockets, Scottie dog logo at back, ribbed trim 78% cotton, 22% polyester
£110
Girls Juicy Couture, tracksuit top. Hood, two slip pockets, Scottie dog logo at back, ribbed trim 78% cotton, 22% polyester
£61
DSQUARED2 INFANT GIRLS LOGO T SHIRT 100% cotton
£52
Chloe girls, short sleeve t-shirt. 100% cotton
£61
DSQUARED2 INFANT GIRLS LOGO T SHIRT 100% cotton
Analysis of Competitive Shop A competitive shop is a good way to see what your competitors are selling and figure out their price ranges. Knowing this ensures that your business is matching prices, lowering prices or offering deals and discount for some products to make your shop stand out. Many shops also focus more on the quality and compare their products to their competitors through the quality control, this will allow them to have a reason for higher prices and drives customers in. When putting my competitive shop together for, Cricket (business I am creating a range for, Selfridges and Flannels I was able to see what similar products they all sell. All of these shops sell designer products and therefore price can be not as important to their customers, rather the brand is the most important. In the branded industry of fashion many designers come and go depending on their latest products but many also stay quite mild, for example Calvin Klein will always be a go to brand for underwear and other fashion products and will never go out of style for consumers. They know this brand is reliable, good quality and recognised therefore it is a brand that is always around. I found that a lot of products being sold in Cricket were also being sold in both Selfridges and Flannels for all women, men and children, because they are branded as well the price didn’t alter between shops as the designer makes the fixed price that their items are sold at. This makes it a little difficult to compete in the price part of the other shops, so Cricket would haven t find other ways for people to shop in their shop over Flannels and over Selfridges through social media and advertisement.
Pure Trade Show: Research Pure trade show invites all fashion buyers to their trend-inspired fashion exhibits held in Olympia London. They usually take place mid February and have over 600 brands for both menswear and women’s wear, exhibiting their products. They have look books, blogs, inside retail information and seminars about the trends for the season year, it is one of the biggest fashion trade shows and helps many fashion buyers get inside into what trends are going to take over in the future. The website purelondon.com gives insight into what brands, keynote speakers, catwalks and much more are going on there, they also have show previews and exclusive tours that show the most trending fashion. Tickets are free and anyone in the fashion industry is welcome to go along and get stuck into the exhibits, runway shows and other interesting things going on.
Premium Women’s Wear Brand – ALOURA LONDON “Aloura is the creation of London College of Fashion graduates, Rachel O’Mahony and Emily Hill. Fusing modern eveningwear with elegant embroideries, hand-stitched embellishments and chic tailoring, Aloura offers premium cocktail dresses skillfully created to bring style and femininity to every woman.” ALOURA LONDON’s product categories are, Beach & Swimwear, dresses, Evening wear/occasion wearSkirts. “THE STORY British designers Rachel and Emily established the Aloura brand after graduating from London College of Fashion in 2014. With combined experience at some of the most reputable fashion establishments including McQueen, Burberry, Celine, Mulberry and British Vogue; the young designers founded Aloura in response to a gap in the market for high quality, fitted, elegant and reasonably-priced eveningwear that appeal to outgoing yet sophisticated woman. The ready-towear collections are inspired by designers’ inimitable sense of style; sophisticated, classic and daring”
“THE COLLECTION The Aloura aesthetic is inspired by the structure and compositions of traditional London architecture mixed with contemporary. The collection combines the original curves and the glass silhouettes to create a modern combination. The collection demonstrates contoured eveningwear dresses that feature a variety of exclusive stretch satin and soft neoprene fabric with elements of delicate sequin hand-embellishments. The concept of structured figure defining garments flows throughout the collection with considerations of carefully placed cut-outs making them inclusive for every occasion. Dropped shoulders, cross-over elements and high-neck sophistication creates an emphasis on the confident and empowering fitted designs that have been constructed to make every woman look and feel extraordinary.” http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/Aloura-London
Contemporary & Lifestyle Women’s Wear Brand – ZAHJR “Zahjr was founded in 2006 by the idea of its founders with the mission to create a brand dedicate to women. Zahjr meets the needs of costumers with products of quality and taste. This brand is always looking for innovative products and is totally manufactured in Italy.” “Product Categories Fashion accessoriesDressesEvening wear/occasion wearJeansJumpers & cardigansSkirtsTops & t-shirts”
Zahjr is new to the Pure Trade Show in 2017. It is a new, quality brand that is originated from Italy, some of the best designers suppliers are based in Italy because of its high quality.
http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/Zahjr
Young Fashion & Athleisure Women’s Wear Brand – DON’T DO PRETTY “Don't Do Pretty. Do Powerful. Do Smart. Do Extraordinary. Our collections hold a contemporary edge with stylish statement pieces that get people talking. Wearing Don’t Do Pretty empowers confidence and embodies individuality. Don’t Do Pretty promotes women to be recognised for being powerful, smart and extraordinary; not be simplified by just being pretty.”
Don’t Do Pretty, is a brand that is originated from Sweden and new to the Pure trade show 2017. It is a company that is based in Australia and trends young fashion and athleisure women’s clothing. The brand is seen as a luxury brand and their collections hold a contemporary edge with stylish statement pieces that get people talking.
http://www.purelo ndon.com/Exhibit or/Dont-DoPretty#lookbooks
Footwear Women’s Wear Brand – Collection & Co “Created in 2016 by Felesha Papa, that began with an active attitude towards providing handmade vegan footwear, by utilising non-animal leathers. Collection & Co continues to explore new ways to become a forward thinking brand, by searching for on-trend and ethical materials. The footwear collections move with a woman's get-up-and-go lifestyle, expressing the new modern vision”
This company is based in Somerset, UK. It is a women’s footwear brand and focuses on animal friendly, vegan fabrics that make their shoes fit in with modern day society. They have elaborate and funky styled designs and keep their target customers intrigued and excitement by new collections.
http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/Collecti on-and-Co
Accessories Women’s Wear Brand – Batucada Located in France and producing accessories that are also known as Art On The Skin for this brand since 2005. Product Categories include women’s and girl’s, Belts Fashion, accessories, Jewellery Beach & Swimwear, Flats Sandals
“Batucada Jewels & Accessories: Art on the Skin since 2005! Designed in France, Batucada's exquisite designs are made from our signature eco-friendly materials. Each ethereal piece lies effortlessly against the skin to create a sophisticated and elegant look. Our products are composed of 100% recyclable materials. The manufacturing process is premised upon our respect for the environment and extensive efforts are applied to avoid waste. We received the Museum Buyers Association Award in April 2016, in New-York, as "Product of the year". http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/Batucada#pressreleases
Compare and Contrast of the Different Categories The categories that are shown in Pure trade show are quite different, the brands I have found for premium, contemporary and lifestyle, and young fashion and athleisure all have individual styles that suit their target market. All the brands I have focused on seem to appeal to the 18-35 year old, which is a good way to see what is trending with the target market I am focusing on with Cricket.
The Italian brand that was researched, ZAHJR is a luxury brand, it features real leather and high end designs. This is a brand that would be perfect to get ideas from for my collection of Crickets own label due to it being a high priced, quality brand. I will also take inspiration from the young fashion and athleisure brand of Don’t Do Pretty, as this brand gives of a edgy, individual look for their clothing, which is what I am potentially looking at for my collection. I also realised that a lot of my products from my competitive shop are manufactured in Italy, they are all designer brands that are known for their quality and fame on the most high end catwalks. This shows that Italy are identified by their luxury fabrics and manufacturers and being a part of Pure means I could potentially research this more. The premium brand Aluora London, is a chic, classic glamour girl brand that is different from the previously looked at brands in terms of pricing, It is reasonably priced for the average high-street shopper to afford. Cricket’s own label is going to be high prices, similar to its currently sold brands, therefore their target market will still be spending similar amounts of money on products from Cricket. Something that was controversial when discovering the different brands and what they sell were the footwear brand I research that are part of Pure this year, Collection and Co focus on using ‘vegan manufacturing’ this means no animals are used in the process or fabrics of their footwear collections, however Cricket sell brands like Canada Goose who are famous for the fox fur hood trimmings. Many people see this as unethical and against all animal rights and Collection and Co see their footwear as the modern day attire that people want to be a part of these days. Batucada has given me some inspiration for my collection I am designing, they call it ‘Art on the skin’, I would like my collection to be original art and be seen as more than a pattern. Batucada have been awarded for being product of the year, meaning their accessories relate to their customers, this is a great way to get your customers loving your products and keep them buying them, if they feel a sense of relation to the product it is an easier sale and good way to keep reliable customers.
Customer Profile: Women's Chloe is the typical Liverpool ‘Scouse prin’, always has her nails, hair and makeup done and loves the designer brands. Chloe is a student of John Moore’s University studying Business Marketing whilst working part time at Lipsy London in Next Liverpool One. Chloe's social life consists of going out drinking and clubbing with friends on the weekend and jetting off for little city breaks like Amsterdam or summer breaks like Ibiza. Chloe lives at home with her mum, dad and three little sisters in Anfield, and although her parents support some of her financial social events, Chloe usually pays for her fashion and social life herself with the money she gets from her part time job and student loan. She loves having the latest designer wear that Cricket stock and also loves travelling to Manchester to shop in Selfridges (designer department store). When Chloe goes out she is quite a big spender, going to nightclubs like Mansion, Graffiti and Hause with paid entry and not sticking to the regular vodka and coke combination but instead spends her time sipping on cocktails and the occasional glass of presseco. She usually hires out booths with her friends in these nightclubs paying around £100 each for the private hire of a table and high end alcohol like Cîroc, Belvedere and Grey Goose vodka. On the nights she doesn’t go out, Chloe likes to spend her nights in the house with friends, family and her boyfriend, watching films and ordering food in her loungewear, “quiet nights are just as fun as nightclubs, still drink wine I just get to do it in the comfort of my own home while I cheat on my diet, hahahaha”. Health and fitness is also quite important to Chloe, her self confidence all lies with her appearance and keeping up to date with the latest trends and brands, therefore she has a huge interest in Instagram, Twitter, Facebook at looking through the different pages she follows on fashion and health to ensure she doesn’t fall behind in this aspect.
Cauley Wilson
Customer profile: Men's
Cauley lives in Liverpool and studies Event Management at John Moore's University. Living the life of luxury in a penthouse in town with his friends and loves to go out fashion shopping for his daily hobby. He is 20 years old and enjoys going out to socialise any day of the week. Cauley works part time at JD Sports in Liverpool city centre as a sales associate and works as a PR in Midnight Lounge, Victoria Street on Friday and Saturday nights. As well as loving a good night out, Cauley also loves the party life, festivals like Cream fields and EDC, also has been to ladies day the past few years and has travelled to Ibiza for Radio One weekend like the typical ‘scouse’ boy, flashing his designer gear to add to his Instagram and Facebook. His favourite brands are Givenchy, Balenciaga and DSQUARED. When Cauley goes out he likes to splurge on cocktails in clubs and fancy restaurants like The Vincent, eating sushi and avoiding unhealthy foods to keep in shape. He goes to pure gym in Liverpool One, and meets with a personal trainer at least once a week when he isn’t busy with work and university.
Customer Profile: Children's Sophia Moorcroft Sophia Moorcroft loves in Liverpool with her family at age 4. She is full of energy and speaks to anyone she comes across, a real bundle of joy. She loves to dance, sing and shop with her mum. Sophia attends primary school and loves to be involved in afterschool activities in and out of school, she is in the drama. Dance and choir in school and also is a part of Extreme Dance Company outside of school learning, ballet, tap and musical theatre. “Since Sophia was old enough to walk she would love to try on my shoes and fish things out of my wardrobe, I could tell she would take after me and be into fashion at so young” quote from her mum. Her mum has her own cake business but it is very small as she takes care of Sophia for the majority of the time, Sophia’s dad works as a business man, investing and becoming owner of small and up and coming resturants. Because of this, the family are quite wealthy and can afford to shop in places like Cricket for their clothes and shoes. Sophia has an older brother 7 years old who is also a fan of shopping and loves to visit the Cricket shop for new clothes.
S/S 18 Women’s wear. This concept board displays the communication through free hand artwork and doodles. The artistic licence is a youthful outlook on the bold, expressive prints shown in the concept. The feel of the clothing from this board is quite relaxed, athletic and oversized covered in original artwork to express the fun of being youthful.
S/S 18 Men's wear. This concept board displays the original artwork and graffiti in a more street style, chilled out spring summer vibe. The colours are vibrant and the artistic prints communicate with the customer the freewill and freehand ambiance for the collection. The range will be a lot of jackets and athletic wear with many patterns and graphics.
S/S 18 Children’s wear. The youthful look carries on through to the children's wear. Artistic, cute drawings of emotions are expressed through the inanimate objects like fruit and houses, making the intention of the concept playful and childish. It allows the children to express themselves and display their happy, playful side like a child should be.
Trend Forecasting / patterns and prints
Women’s SS/18 for patterns and prints. Badges and embroidery are the key patterns for women’s wear, the bold and eye-catching pictures that are sewn onto the clothing are becoming larger and the placements are more considered. The badges are even appearing on swimwear, especially triangle bikinis, making the style more retro. This use of embroidery allows the artistic side of designers to come out, they can use their imagination to voice their favoured objects, people, places on their garments.
Trend Forecasting / fabrics and materials
Women’s SS/18 for fabrics and materials. Denim in the main aspect of this seasons fabric, it features mainly in jackets with added embroidery and distress but also in jumpsuits and maxi skirts giving off a more gothic, rebel vibe. Elongated sleeves and dropped shoulders come through as the most significant detail on jackets, while garment piercing and statement embroidery through badges and print-ons are the significant print added appear on designs, which become a way of communicating beliefs.
Trend Forecasting / colour
Women’s SS/18 for colours. The colour wave is a mix of vibrant and pastels this season. Youth tonic is all about mixing, matching and mismatching with colours that range from electric pastels such as Fizzy Green to urban greys such as Concrete Jungle. This multiple-choice palette has versatility at its heart and enables the clothing to speak for you in a way that speaks more volume then average speech. This colour palette is quite loud but offer a subtle feminine side, there is no clear pattern for the colour wave it is just how you personally want to mix it to fit your style.
Trend Forecasting / colour and fabric
Men’s SS/18 for colours and fabric.
Sharp tailored silhouettes of cool and luxurious denim blends. Nighttime is the right time for dressing up in sharp tailored silhouettes of cool and luxurious denim blends. Silks and satins give 1950s items such as blousons, souvenir jackets and loop-collar shirts an elevated feel. Decorate shirts and tops with tropical bird and floral embroideries. Use a midnight palette of darkened blues, purple and sunset orange.
Trend Forecasting / patterns and prints
Men’s SS/18 for patterns and prints. Graphics are inspired by signage and exude a customised punk aesthetic, while bold repeats and inverted photo prints reference underground club culture. An overall lo-fi mood illustrates this anarchic and individual attitude. Original artwork and expressive prints on white and black background makes the message stand out on the products and clothing. Men this season are mixing subcultures and eras for this street style, punk inspired look.
Trend Forecasting / shape and texture
Men’s SS/18 for shape and textures. This SS18 displays that the trending shape for men's jackets this season is quite sharp, oversized with the added loose materials to make for a softer edge on some outwear garments. Denim is quite a strong fabric therefore making the shape of the jackets more structured, they come in oversize to give of a street style look.
Trend Forecasting / fabric
Children’s SS/18 for fabrics. Denim is all in when it comes to children's wear this season. Badges, prints, patterns and embroidery all play a part in making the street style look cuter and attract the children to the bright colours and inanimate objects printed on them. Denim gives the clothing structure and features mostly in dungarees and jackets with children.
Trend Forecasting / colour
Children’s SS/18 for colour. Colour for children's garments in SS18 is a mix between pastel and vibrant bursts. The vibe of youth tonic gives of a fresh and feel good atmosphere therefore making this almost perfect for children's wear, happiness and fun is key to their garments. These colours are also energetic comparing to children themselves, bundles of energy and playfulness.
Trend Forecasting / patterns and prints Children’s SS/18 for fabrics. Express yourself is the message in these patterns and prints for SS18. inanimate objects suddenly become expressive in their feelings of emotions, showing children the fun and playful side of them. This is a learning and educational set of prints you could say as you are teaching the children that things matter and its ok to express your inner feelings to people. ll manner of objects can be personified, from everyday fruits to abstract balls of fluff, to create that all-important cute factor.
Evaluation of Trend Forecast Women’s When looking into the trends of SS18 for women I found that the fabrics were quite heavy, like denim that featured a lot through the clothing and accessories. Denim is being used as a grungy look for women, being covered with badges of ‘girl gang’ and other feminists quotes and symbols which sends a message of women coming together and displaying they are equals to men and shouldn’t be judged stereotypically. The fabric denim is also being given the ‘distressed’ look, rips and tears in the fabric give off a strong, cool, street vibe that allows the outfit to be seen as ‘thrown together’. Colours that stand out the most for women and this season are a mixture of vibrant and pastels, however keeping light and bright for a cute, pretty, upbeat sense of the garments. A lot of pink, purples are featured in the trend forecast for women, this is in contrast of feminist style as the colours chosen are paired with women because of their ‘relatable aspects’ of soft, cute and pretty. However, I do think that this colour wave is in the spotlight due to women not wanting to loose their so called ‘resemblance’ colours not matter if people think that it is typical or not.
Men’s Men’s SS18 all came down to a edgy look. Eras and subcultures are mixed to create the style, shape and patterns of the garments trending. For colours they resemble midnight, darkened blues added with metallic streams and other darkened colours like mustard, greens come through also. From what the trend boards have displayed, you get the street style vibe and laidback, athletic type products that are popular this SS18, the added patterns and prints are also quite edgy, punk and street style come through quite a lot in them and the colours compliment this to display this vibe. Original artwork also features a lot through the boards, its show expressiveness of emotions and opinions, giving the clothes personality and individuality. Denim also comes across like in women's and children's, showing that this fabric is unisex and for all ages, just depends on how u shape it and what patterns u use for it to suit the different collections for men, women and children.
Children's Children’s wear for SS18 is very fun, playful and expressive. The main effect these garments have and ambiance they give off is cute, fun and upbeat, the colours are vibrant but also quite subtle and soft imitating children's attitudes and personality. Original artwork is also featured for this age group also, it allows the emotion and opinion and individuality of each product and designer to come through, especially for children this is a good way to keep the patterns interesting to them and making them look cute and fun at the same time. Denim is the main fabric with children's trending also, along with women. This is mainly styled in dungarees, mini skirt and added patchwork and badges to keep the garments fascinating to the target market.
Blog
Directional Shop SELFRIDGES
CRICKET
GIVENCHY ZARA £1635
£1320 • •
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Grey suede and calfskin material. Detachable carry handle at top with lanyard clasp fastening. Detachable and adjustable shoulder straps with post stud and lanyard clasp fastening. Logo embossed at face. Approx. 10" length x 10.75" height x 5.25" width.
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£29.99 • • • • • •
Backpack available in various colours. Topstitching detail. Exterior zipped pocket. Gold-toned hardware. Handle and adjustable and detachable shoulder straps. Zip closure. Height x Width x Depth: 25 x 29 x 11 cm.
Moschino leather jacket backpack Rear zipped compartment with three pockets and one card slot Two front zipped pockets Top grab handle, adjustable straps Height 40cm, width 32cm, depth 16cm
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£785 Givenchy nylon backpack Zip closure Top carry handle, adjustable shoulder straps, front zipped pocket, twin monkey print, leather detail Use specialist cleaner Height 47cm, width 35cm, depth 20cm
SACAI
CRICKET
ZARA ELLIE SAAB
£255 • • •
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Self-Portrait lace dress Exposed zip fastening at back High neck, long sleeves, buttoned cuffs, all-over star-motif lace, structured waistband, ruffled tiered skirt, fagotting lace trims, fully lined 100% polyester; lining 97% polyester, 3% elastane Cool hand wash, wash inside out, do not soak, do not bleach, cool iron on reverse Size 8: Length 34" Model is 5ft 10" and wears a size 8
£1080
•Sacai lace dress •Slips on •Crewneck, short sleeves, grosgrain trims, contrast panelling, all-over sheer lace, scalloped eyelash lace at hem •65% cotton, 20% rayon, 15% nylon; 73% cotton, 27% polyester •Dry clean •True to size •Size 8: Length 32"
£4025 •Ellie Saab lace dress •Concealed hook-and-eye and zip fastening at back •Crewneck, short flared sleeves, overlay detail at front, all-over embroidered floral lace, fit-and-flare silhouette, partially lined •72% cotton, 23% polyamide, 4% polyester, 1% silk; 54% silk, 46% polyamide •Dry clean •True to size •Size 8: Length 35" •Model is 5ft 10" and wears a size 8
£59.99 •Zara lace dress •Slips on •V-kneck black olace, A-line, mini dress with white lace collar •65% cotton, 15% nylon; 73% cotton, 27% polyester •Size 8: Length 32"
CRICKET
LOEWE (in Selfridges)
£525 • • • • • • • • • •
Gold-stamped logo at topline. Polished silvertone hardware. Lined with black fabric. Red leather large slip pocket and four card slots at interior. Detachable, adjustable flat leather strap. Top zip closure. 5.0" height x 8.0" width x 1.5" depth (approximately). 19" to 22" strap drop (approximately). Available in Vert (green)/Multi. Made in Italy. Balanciaga Bazaar
£1395 • • •
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Loewe leather shoulder bag Zip fastening Grab handle, gold-toned hardware, zipped pocket at rear, embossed branding, hand-painted edges, two internal zipped pockets, removable adjustable strap, lined Height 17cm, width 25cm, depth 14cm, handle drop 6cm
JW ANDERSON
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ZARA
£1965 J.W. Anderson medium leather shoulder bag Magnetic flap closure Adjustable shoulder strap, stud detail, silver and gold-toned hardware, barbell piercing, cut-out detail, suede lining, interior slip pocket Use specialist cleaner Height 20cm, width 29cm, depth 9cm Made in Spain
£79.99 • • • • •
PRINTED LEATHER CROSSBODY BAG from Zara Contrasting colour leather crossbody bag. Animal print effect. Metallic details on the edge of the flap. Lining with pocket. Chain shoulder strap. Height x Width x Depth: 58 x 49 x 31 cm. / 22.8 x 19.2 x 12.2″
SOPHIE HULME
CRICKET
BURBERRY ZARA
£50 • • • • •
£125
Charlotte Simone green and grey fox fur keyring Striped, suede tag, designer-stamped heart charm Clasp fastening Drop: 30cm Tail dimensions: 22cm x 12cm
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Sophie Hulme keyring Feathers, rainbow colours, silver metalwork, googly eyes, ring, branded charm, lobster claw clasp
£250 • • • • • • •
Burberry cashmere and lamb shearling keyring Clasp fastening Embossed metal brand detailing, faux-fur detailing, metallic bow, gold-toned hardware Main: 100% cashmere Outer: 100% lamb shearling Use specialist cleaner Height 15cm, width 11cm
£9.99 • • •
Light pink Faux fur Key chain with gold ring
CRICKET
OPENING CEREMONY
BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
ZARA
£390 •Isbael Marant reversible bomber jacket •COMPOSITION: 100% cotton. Lining: 100% cotton. Padding: 100% polyester. Rib: 77% viscose, 23% polyester. •CARE: Dry clean •White, yellow and red geometric print, padded cotton •Round neck, long sleeves •Black and cream striped ribbed-knit neckline, cuffs and hem •Slanted-slip pockets •Back red ‘Africa’ embroidery •Centre-front zip fastening •Fully reversible: khaki-green cotton, long black sleeves, sideslip pockets, centre-front zip fastening
£550 • • •
£1900 Brunello Cucinell cashmere-cotton blend bomber jacket •Exposed zip fastening at front •Stand collar with striped trim, long sleeves, elasticated cuffs, diamante motif at front, slip pockets at front •83% cashmere, 17% cotton •Size 8: Length 24" •Made in Italy
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Opening Ceremony wool-blend varsity jacket Exposed popper fastening at front Stand collar, long sleeves, embroidered floral-motif pattern, embroidered logo at chest and back, jet pockets at front, embroidered route detail at back, striped pattern ribbed trims, fully lined 65% wool, 35% viscose; lining 57% polyester, 43% viscose Dry clean
£99.99 College-style bomber jacket with patches on the back and shoulder. Shoulders with a contrasting leather detail and hem and cuffs with contrasting rib. Side pockets with contrast piping and front press stud fastening.
CRICKET
VALENTINO
JIMMY CHOO
£1445
• Valentino leather courts •Ankle buckle fastening •Pointed toe, t-bar design, stud embellishment, stiletto heel •Leather upper, leather lining, leather sole •Heel height: 4" •Made in Italy
£425 •Sophia Webster Evangeline winged heeled sandals •Buckle fastening •Ankle strap, leather wings, open toe •All leather •Use specialist cleaner •Heel: 4"
ZARA
£795
•Jimmy Choo suede and leather platform sandals •Ankle buckle strap fastening •Stiletto heel, open toe, gold-toned eyelets, mirrored leather fringe detail •Leather and suede upper, leather lining, leather sole •Heel height 5.1" / 130mm •Platform height 0.8" / 20mm •Made in Italy
£49.99 • • • • •
Fuchsia high heel sandals. Fringing detail on the back up to the heel. Rounded toe. Side buckle fastening. Stiletto heel. Heel height of 10.5 cm. / 4.1″
CRICKET GUCCI
£215
£195 •Givenchy flat sandals •Slip on •Scalloped insole, branded foot strap •Synthetic upper, synthetic lining, synthetic sole •Use specialist cleaner •Made in Italy
GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI
•Gucci canvas slider sandals •Slip on •Open toe, logo and tiger print strap, moulded footbed •Canvas upper, rubber sole •Made in Italy
ZARA £330 •Giuseppe Zanotti Neil Sliders •Leather upper, rubber sole •Brand logo •Made in Italy
£49.99 White backless sandals. Contrasting black insole. Contrasting coloured sole. Sole height 4.4 cm. / 1.7″
HAIDER ACKERMANN
CRICKET
BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
£2150 •COLOUR: Tonal-green and black •COMPOSITION: 57% viscose, 43% cotton. Fabric 2: 62% viscose, 38% cotton. Fabric 3: 71% polyester, 26% polyamide, 3% elastane. Fabric 4: 100% cotton. Lining: 100% cotton. •CARE: Dry clean •COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Italy
ZARA
£2215
£3795
Product details •Brunello Cucinelli reversible leather bomber jacket •Exposed zip fastening at front •Hooded with drawstring, long sleeves, silver-toned hardware, leather at one side, cotton at other side, elasticated cuffs, two slip pockets at front, fully lined •100% leather; 100% cotton, •Size medium: Length 25" •Made in Italy
•Haider Ackermann metallic leather bomber jacket •Concealed two-way zip fastening at front •Stand collar, long sleeves, contrasting trim at sleeves, ruching at sleeves, one jet pocket at chest, two welt pockets at front, frilled trim at waist, ribbed trims with striped pattern, two interiror pockets, fully lined •100% leather; lining 51% cotton, 49% rayon •Specialist dry clean •Size medium: Length 25", chest 42" •Made in Italy
£59.99
Camouflage bomber jacket. Zip fastening. Exterior zipped pockets
BORIS BIDJAN SABERI CRICKET
ZARA
AMIRI
£650
•Balmain stretch-denim jeans •Concealed hook-and-eye and zip-fly fastening at front •Slim-fit, tapered, mid-rise, faded, belt loops, two zipped pockets at front, two welt buttoned pockets at back, ribbed panelling detail at thighs, branded patch at back waistband •96% cotton, 4% polyurethane •Hand wash •Size 32: Rise 10", inside leg 35", leg opening 10"
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£965 AMIRI stretch-denim jeans Exposed button and concealed zip-fly fastening at front Mid-rise, skinny-fit, belt loops, five pockets, branded hardware, distressed, ribbed patch detailing, leather brand patch at back yoke, vshaped yoke at back 98% cotton, 2% elastane Dry clean Size 32: Rise 10", inside leg 32", leg opening 12" Made in USA
£870 •Boris Bidjan Saberi denim jeans •Exposed button and concealed button fastening •Pulls on •Mid-rise, skinny-fit, tapered leg, asymmetric button fly panel, internal drawstring, belt-loops, all-over distressed with oil and paint stains, with creased effect, two slip pockets at front, tonal hardware, stitch detail at pockets and crotch, vshaped yoke with toggle and cord detail, two patch pockets with creased detail at back •98% cotton, 2% polyester with 0.6g 925 sterling silver •Hand wash •Size medium: Rise 11", inner leg 34", leg opening 13" •Made in Spain
£39.99 Ripped biker jeans. Skinny fit. Zip and button fastening. Five pockets. Knee patches with faux leather rips. Zipped hem.
CRICKET
ROBERTO CAVALLI
BURBERRY
ZARA £299.99
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•Size selection: One size •Height: 14cm •Width: 20cm •Depth: 8cm •Leather and metal components
£97
Stella McCartney fluorescent star round cross-body bag. Kids mini bag. Zip closure Adjustable shoulder strap, fluorescent star and trim, faux leather.
£350 •Burberry cotton and leather cross-body bag •Magnetic closure •Multi-tonal design, raining cloud appliqué, check print, adjustable strap, interior slip pocket, handpainted edges •Use specialist cleaner •Height 14cm, width 16cm, depth 5cm, strap drop 41cm
£12.99 Crossbody-style bag with a clip fastening and adjustable strap. Bow on the flap. Height x Width x Depth 12x15x4cm / 4.7 x 5.9 x 1.5″
GOLDEN GOOSE CRICKET
£200
FENDI £135 •Sophia Webster leather trainers •Velcro-strap at front •Round toe, tonal stitching, embroidered butterfly in pink at vamp, glittering panel at rear •Leather upper
•Golden Goose leather trainers •Lace-up fastening at front •Round toe, side air vents, star logo at side, distressed detailing, contrasting glitter panel at rear, pull tab at rear •Leather upper, leather lining, rubber sole •Made in Italy •Sizing: Sizes 10-12.5 (kids): 6-7 years, Sizes 13 (kids)-1 (adult): 7-8 years, Sizes 2-2.5 (adults): 8-9 years
ZARA
£270 •Fendi suede skate shoes •Slips on •Round toe, contrast coloured panels with ‘monster eyes’ design embroidered at vamp, elasticated gores, leather edges, leather panel at rear with logo •Suede upper, rubber sole •Sizing: Sizes 10-12.5 (kids): 6-7 years, Sizes 13 (kids)-1 (adult): 7-8 years, Sizes 2-2.5 (adults): 8-9 years
£25.99 Plimsolls with contrasting coloured sole. Bead shapes detail on the sides. 100% cotton insole. Adjustable lace-up fastening.
Evaluation – Directional Shop When looking at my directional shop I found that a lot of designers use the same sorts of fabric but are priced very differently. Cricket sell high end brands like Sofia Webster, Valentino, Stella McCartney which are all between £300-£2000 depending on the garment and the designer. However, designers like Elle Saab sell their products above £4000 meaning that it depends on the designer, source of supplier and quality of fabrics to determine the price. I found that a lot of the products are quite similar for high end designers but they all interpret ate them differently, they are very different from high street brands and fast fashion brands who find the trend and imitate high end designers. As you can see, when you look through my directional shop is that a lot of the garments are ‘made in Italy’ European countries pay their workers more than other developing countries like India and Bangladesh. This means that the products will therefore be a higher price for a high profit margin, due to the wages and the suppliers of the fabrics made in these countries which are known for their high quality and long lasting properties. The suppliers of their materials are also going to be expensive as all the products use real pure leather, cotton and even some real fur. This means that they can up the prices based on the quality of the product, it is guaranteed long lasting and durable. Brands have a fairly different target market than high0street shops, they look for more elite, upper class audience who can afford to buy luxury clothing and therefore a lot of the styles are quite out there and straight from the catwalk of the designers which allows the products to be even more desirable.
STRENGTHS • Staff – CRICKET train their staff about products and brands they sell • Customer services – shop floor and head office help and guidance for customers • Advertisements, social media accounts and promotions from local celebrities like Alex Gerrard • Stock management in store and online – Knowledge of stock • Visual Merchandising – In store the brands are separate and there is a clear order for the different collections • Supply Chain Management
OPPORTUNITIES • • • • • •
Celebrity endorsement Location Expansion both UK and globally – pop up shops in other areas of the U.K Online expansion Social media – They have Instagram, blogs, twitter, Tumblr – promote the brand more to consumers Customers are able to purchase items from their Instagram account (helps when the website is down)
I N T E R N A L E X T E R N A L
WEAKNESSES • • • •
Customer service – Some staff are untrained and young working on the shop floor, they don’t have much background knowledge about customer care and merchandise Stock management – Some stock is not replenished enough therefore loosing sales Cricket is a shop that sells only designer brands, nothing of themselves and therefore are in danger of loosing their customers to flannels, Selfridges and Tessuiti if they don’t stock enough Ethical Trading – many people will see Cricket as not being ethical as they buy in designers who use real fur on their products
THREATS • Competitors like Flannels which is in close proximity • Changes in trend – have to keep up with the latest trends and still sell the old trend stock • Economic factors, e.g. the recession • Bad publicity – there are usually protestors outside the shop, to fight against the use of fur on products
SWOT Analysis There are strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats when it comes to Cricket. However, they are strategic in they way that their weaknesses are helped by their opportunities and their strengths help their threats. For example, a threat of theirs is that they have to keep up with the fast changing trends of the designers world, however they have a very good supply chain management which means they can keep up with this recurring trend change in branded fashion and are able to get new stock into their shop in a set, quick time. Making a SWOT is very important for a business. It displays is a easily read manner the things that the business have to focus on in order for their new collection or shop as a whole to be successful, in Crickets case it shows the target market also and what ideas we can have and proceed to so that the business grows and makes a good profit.
How will external factors determine how you will develop your range?
It is important to know that what external factors may come around when developing my range, for example, what is my supplier in risk off?, what threats or weaknesses does my shop have? and how will I stay within my budget and make a good profit? These questions are all crucial for an answer/resolving strategy in case anything is to happen that interrupts my critical path and slows down my lead times. If my supplier and manufacturer are shipping for international Countries, there could be risk of natural disasters or wars and conflicts within that county that stops my production or shipping. If something like this were to happen and I knew that it was a risk, I have a back-up supplier in place to take over my production and supply me with the fabrics so that I can get my range out onto Crickets shop floor in the time it is supposed to be there. Cricket run the risk of bad press because they sell products with animal fur on, this is seen as ethically wrong to many people and in modern day society it can be widespread on social media very easily. This will stop a lot of people from entering the shop or visiting the website, therefore loosing sales and customers. Because of this, I will not use fur in my first range so that it can be seen as somewhat ethical compared to the other products. Finally, I will find ways to keep my spending to a minimal, negotiating prices and making deals with the supplier will be a skill that I have to accommodate right in order to keep the price down, I will also be sure that when shipping my products I will find the most efficient low price as I can so that I can stay within my budget and have extra money in case of emergency like, extra fabrics etc.
External Impacts Affecting Choice Of Supplier Natural Disasters
Cost
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ilana-winterstein/rana-plaza-clothingfactories_b_9719782.html This link takes you to an article about Rana Plaza and explains how the cracked and poorly structured building came crashing down, killing over 1000 workers and injuring many also. It is a good idea and strategy to have more than one supplier, if something unexpected were to occur that affected the factory, warehouse etc, then having a backup that could try to start up your garments immediately is important to keeping to the critical path.
Costs can vary when doing deals outside the UK, exchange rates are in constant change throughout the year and therefore it is important that the buyer sets a price at which the exchange are at the time the deal s made to stop confusion and risk of paying more. Brexit has had an impact on exchange rates, the pound is suddenly not as strong as it was, therefore the prices are more expensive then usual and budgets must alter to fit with this.
Local Disaster http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/fea tures/severe-burns/ Local disasters are disasters that happen with the factory itself due to poor health and safety built building and dangerous equipment's, wiring etc. The link above takes you to an article about a fire in a toy factory in Ontario.
Epidemics
Wars/Conflict Some countries are in constant conflict and wars like, Pakistan, Syria. This is an issue with the buyer as if they are doing deals with suppliers who manufacture in this area then it can be a risk, the orders could be late if something unexpected happens to or around the factory, it could be hard to get shipments as well. Buyers usually use these countries because they are cheap but they are also a big risk, therefore it’s a difficult decision to make.
A lot of Far East countries and European Countries are prone to developing and spreading diseases like Ebola, bird flu, swine flu etc. If something like this were to start in the country of your supplier than you must check if hygiene is ok before shipping your products and follow all rules and regulations to ensure that nothing s brought over that could harm the UK.
Epidemics The plan to close down sweatshops in the UK comes as a shock to the public, due to the employees of these workshops being paid less than minimum wage. The UK is a developed, rich country and therefore people don’t see this type of poorly treated workers very much as oppose to other underprivileged countries like India. “Following recent reports that British workers were being paid as little as £3 an hour – half the legal minimum wage requirement – to manufacture clothes for top high street chains including New Look and River Island, the committee toured suppliers in the region.” “Ms Harman said that a visit last week to factories in Leicester revealed that between a third and three-quarters of workers were paid below the minimum wage, working in unsafe conditions or without employment contracts.” (Ashley Armstrong)
Costs Costs of wages for employees in poorer countries then the UK, mean less money spent on manufacturing for top companies like Primark and H&M. "Ten years ago, you could only buy a T-shirt for US$5. Now you can buy a sweater for US$6, and for US$9 you can buy a jacket," says Mandarin Lui Wing-har, managing director of the low-profile but highly influential Top Grade International Enterprise. "Of course, at the high end of the market, people will still pay US$500 for a Tshirt. They don't care about the price, only the brand, and maybe only 50 T-shirts will be made in that style. But we are making maybe 50,000 T-shirts in each style - and that is why we can sell them for US$3 or US$4.” ("The True Cost Of Your Cheap Clothes: Slave
Ethical Trading Arcadia follow 7 different procedures to ensure that they are trading ethically for their stores and brands. “Our code of conduct applies to the supplier, manufacturer or any other person involved in supplying goods to our companies. The code is part of our terms and conditions and is backed-up by a process of self-evaluation and independent inspections. The code is designed to be fair, achievable, and easy to check, and to promote the ongoing development of our suppliers. It is based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and recommendations.”
https://sourcingjournalonline.com/labor-unions-call-ethical-treatment-garment-workers-bangladesh/ - this link takes you to an article about Bangladesh garment industries and how they are going against human rights of increasing the workers wage when inflation has increased in the industry by 10 percent. The workers that are apart of this industry are treated poorly in the sourcing world, they don’t receive proper wage and work long hours everyday meaning that trading with Bangladesh is risky and buyers would need to look into background detail about the factory before agreeing to source with them to ensure that it is ethical. “Over the past year we have carried out internal training sessions for functional teams to build understanding on regional specific issues and our Accord commitments. These training sessions are meant to ensure all teams are engaged and knowledgeable about the area in which they are sourcing and the issues facing workers in Bangladesh. The Accord features include: Legally enforceable agreement – IndustriAll, UNI-Global, 220 global companies, 4 witnesses Independent, credible safety inspections Public reports and information disclosure Mandatory safety remediation Mandatory safety committees Right to refuse dangerous work Occupational safety and health (OSH) complaint mechanism Equal status and responsibilities of signatories”
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIRhdZxYwhsA mIY0nIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBzdXJjMXI5BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0a WQDBGdwb3MDMzU?p=positive+fashion+factory&vid=2dbca54d530065b5fdbb9b25293 d2df4&turl=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOV P.MtomzaoOC4qh7k5WDMv5owEsDh%26pid%3D15.1%26h%3D225 %26w%3D300%26c%3D7%26rs%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.y outube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbXrjNpD47Ss&tit=Ethical+from+the +start++Statemeant&c=34&h=225&w=300&l=191&sigr=11b7859aj&sigt=1 13cnpr57&sigi=12r35gcjn&age=1385740233&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av &hsimp=yhs-yhsifmclone1&hspart=Babylon&tt=b
This is a video link to a supplier in India talking about their factory being ethical and respecting and rewarding employees of the factory. He talks about what the procedures are and what a workers day is usually like in the facility.
Video Evaluations MIMCO in Kenya has a positive impact on its workers. They get paid enough money to fund their child's/children’s education and for food and well-being in their lives. Mimco produce shoes, bags and accessories that are hand crafted using beads and other decorative components, this mean that the products take a lot more time to make then other products, therefore the prices of these products are at a medium retail price, e.g. £35 for a bracelet to £250 for an embellished bag. Mimco stock in Australia and ship to the UK, USA and some European countries, giving their brand an international market. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuwkiM8c9V8
This video looks at 1 year after the Bangladesh factory collapsed and the workers that survived it. One woman in particular lost both her legs in the event of the factory collapse and is now learning to walk again, she struggles and is worried that she might not get a job in the factory again due to her not being able to use the peddles on the sewing machines. Although she has been compensated, the tragedy and shock of what has happened will always be with her and have a negative effect on her life. A lot of the survivors have got new jobs in fashion factories and get a cut of the profit (more money) then what they got paid previously before. This event has also lead to the legislation being stricter, all buyers must visit and do regular health and safety checks on the factories were they are getting their supply from, it must pass the legal guidelines that have been put in place for the companies to be allowed to open for business. https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/04/21/a_year_after_rana_plaza_collapse_ consumers_demand_more_accountability.html
£35.99
£182.99
£78.99
Trade Show Sourcing “TEXFUSION is the first trade fair within the UK catering exclusively for international fashion fabrics and accessories, home textiles, functional fabrics and garment manufacturers. Due to the escalating success the show has been moved to the Business Design Centre and we expect about 140 exhibitor for the March 2017 edition.” (Texfusion, 2017) There are 4 things that this trade show focuses on: Fashion Fabrics and Accessories Hall: Lycra, Silk, prints, Synthetic, Wool, Jacquard, Cotton and Blends, Denim, Ecofriendly Fabrics Embroidery & Lace, Fake fur, zips, Knitted fabrics, Trims and Accessories and more Technical Hall: Functional & Sportswear Linen, active wear, technical fabrics, waterproof, fire resistent, medical fabrics and more… Home Textiles: fabrics for duvet covers, sheets, blankets, carpets, towels, kitchen wear and more Garments: From March 2017 Texfusion will have a new hall completely dedicated to international garments manufacturers The most popular sourcing of fabrics from trade shows is Heimtextil in Germany. “Heimtextil Frankfurt is the name to reckon with when it comes to sourcing of the best quality textile transformed into bed linens, upholstery, furniture fabric, household decorative covers, garments etc. Being held for four days at the very start of the year, this event helps designers, retailers and manufacturers stock up on their year†s quota of the best raw materials at the cheapest of prices. Leading textile ™ manufacturers from all over the world bring to this fair the best of their materials enabling sourcing professionals to pick the desired products from the spread at great prices. With an increased focus on sustainable products, this fair held at Messe Frankfurt invites all to buy the best in textiles.” (Fair et al., 2017)
Both of these trade shows are very popular when it comes to the fashion industry. Heimtextil is a textile trade show that takes places in Germany and has a very large audience and fashion buyers attending the event. A lot of the exhibits taking place in this trade show are similar to the ones that take place in Texfusion which is held in the UK. They cover, fabrics, accessories, garments and home textiles to suit all different buyers that come and find suppliers for their brand and new collections.
Trade shows TEXTILE – Premiere Vision This trade show is held at Paris-Nord Villepinte and includes the six major industries supplying materials and services to the global fashion industry: Yarns, Fabrics, Leather, Design, Accessories, Manufacturing. Companies that want to showcase their products and fabrics need to meet the criteria that Premiere Vision have, there is a list of requirements that you must meet before being able to be a part of this trade show, this way the customers who attend the show are only shown the best and most legitimate companies so that there future products are of good standard and quality. I visited the website to get more information about the different places and companies that would be part of the exhibition, you can search this by country, activity and other shows, for example if you wanted to see the different companies showcasing from Korea you can advance your search to only see them, giving a quick and simple way to find exactly what your looking for. This trade show appears in a number of locations including, Paris, Moscow, New York and Shanghai and usually takes place early February and September.
YARN – Pitti Immagine Filati This trade show is based is an Italian company offering information and knowledge to the buyers and public interested in the fashion industry worldwide. The believe that their trade shows should create clear and stimulating relationships between the buyers, exhibitors and public. This trade show specialises in knitwear with over 1000 exhibitors showing trends in colour and yarn development. They also have a range of other smaller shows within this trade show like, Zoom and Indigo which take place around early September. This trade show caters to women, men and children wear fabrics and has catwalks to show future trends for each.
Compare and Contrast of Appropriate Fabrics and Garments From Trade Shows Where I Will Source From I have decided to source from Italy. After weighing up my options I have found that this is the most reliable and efficient place to source my products from and to manufacture them, this is mainly because when looking back on my competitive shop and directional shop, I found that the designer brands sourced their products from here meaning that I know my products would be of high quality and designer standard for the prices I am going to charge. When choosing my supplier I have to think of the brand, in regards to Cricket I would source my garments mainly from branded Trade Shows like PURE Trade Show, which is one of the most loved and attended trade shows worldwide. In Textile, Premiere Vision trade show, many fabrics are displayed from many suppliers. They talk about what the fabric is good for and how it is appropriate for particular garments and why, attending this trade show is important so that I get to know my fabrics and which will work best before producing my collection. Ambassador, is an Italian based company that centres on leather garments, especially footwear. This would be a good supplier of my material as their products are top quality split leather suede and embossed finishing's, animal printings and fancy designs for shoes and leather goods. Their market is, casual wear, footwear, high street fashion and leather goods. This would be good to source my shoes from due to my designs being artistic and will feature in a lot of patterns and prints even on the footwear.
Bello was also a good supplier when it comes to my leather products because they cater for women, men and children and do a range of suitable, high quality finishes. However, sourcing my fabric from this company means sourcing from Iceland, this will take up more of my budget because it will cost more to send it to the manufacturer in Italy, whereas Ambassador is in Italy and is accessible and cheaper to source and produce in the same place.
Monitoring sales figures while the collection is in the shop and viewing the latest sales figures for the other products already in the shop will allow me to see what is selling most and what is popular compared to what isn't selling as good so I can order the stock for the collection correctly. Also seeing previous products that have been selling well will ensure that I chose what products are going to feature in the new collection and predict what products would be best for the range that appeals to my customers most. Because Cricket sells designer, branded products, some of their products are sold at all times and never really see sales or deduction is price simply because its an all time trend with that particular brand. However the collection I am putting together will have a set selling period of 6 months due to it being a first time Crickets own range and the collections are very set to certain trends for SS18. Cricket already have a sufficient buying cycle and monitoring deliveries t make sure that their products get to the shop floor in time for the season and trend for their customers is an important part of it. For Crickets own brand collection the deliveries will go through the proper procedure and have back up couriers for any unexpected mishaps when the collection is being delivered to the shop. This is a vital step in the buying cycle, Cricket have kept their business efficient and up to date with the latest trends and brands, therefore seeting dates and being sure that all the paperwork is up to date and signed ready for the supplier to start producing the products and sending them out on time is very important. Cricktes own line will be of good quality fabrics and high end designs, therefore my RRP will be of high end shopping. This means that I will have to buy fabrics and use suppliers that will cost more than a high street shop supplier, negotiation is key to getting a good price on producing the collection to get the best surplus possible.
The Buying Cycle The buying cycle helps buyers to monitor the collection before launch. It explains all the different stages of what you need to consider and process before you can release a collection. However, the buying cycle can vary slightly due to different retail environments, from fast fashion to designers.
All buying environments work with the merchandisers to look into the best sellers to see what was most popular and made the most profit when reviewing season performance. They also look into their competitors to see what is trending for them and at what price. Because I am bringing pout Crickets own line there is no latest collection to compare with, therefore I will look at the newest items and what has been selling out of the brands and styles, by this I can build my range accordingly to what my target customer wants.
Crickets own line will mean their own suppliers of fabrics and production, they also need to keep within a time space so that their collection comes out on time but still have quality products. I will need to be keep within my budget to make sure I get a substantial profit from the collections .
The collection that I am putting together for Cricket means that I will have to visit fashion factories around the world and trade shows to get the best quality fabrics and ideas about the upcoming trends. Planning trips and keeping on schedule is important to keep within the time period I have to put the range together.
Picking the key and core pieces in the collection I have put together for cricket is important to know so I can figure out the budget and how much of it I will be spending. The range selection counts on what the trend forecasting is for spring/summer 18 and what was the best sellers on last years spring/summer collection for all women, men and children.
Critical Path Process
Lead Time
Dates
Planning
4 weeks
11/07/2017
Research
3 weeks
08/08/2017
Design
3 weeks
29/08/2017
Proto sample&costings
2 weeks
19/09/2017
Pre range selection meeting
1 week
03/10/2017
Negotation/Trip to factories
1 week
10/10/2017
Final range selection meeting
1 week
17/10/2017 Same
Place order
1 week
17/10/2017 Week
Garment fittings
4 weeks
24/10/2017
Fabric order
6 weeks
21/11/2017
Trim&colour approvals
1 week
02/01/2018
Bulk production plus shipping
13 weeks
09/01/2018
Warehouse - Store allocation
1 week
10/04/2018 Same
Product launches in store
1 week
10/04/2018 Week
A critical path allows the buyer to see how long the process is going to take to create and manufacture a new range, to get onto the shop floor. They usually pick a date of release and work backwards from then, calculating how much time (usually in weeks) each procedure in the process is going to approximately take. This Critical Path shown is for my range, it will take a total of 40 weeks for my range to be planned, designed, manufactured and shipped before hitting the shop floor on the 10th April 2018.
Warehouse – Store allocation
Product launches in store
Planning
Bulk production plus shipping
Trim&colour approvals
Research
CRITICAL PATH
Design
Proto sample&costings
Fabric Order
Pre range selection meeting
Garment Fittings
Place order
Final Range selection meeting
Negotiation/Trip to factories
Women’s Range: ARTISTIC LISCENCE This range has been created by the influence of original artwork and emotion shown through the free hand drawings. This is how expression is expressed through clothing, the bold prints displayed and printed on the garments represent a statement of youthfulness and being relaxed and fun. This suits my target market as they are between the ages of 18-35 meaning that they are still in a youthful period in life and being fun and out there with their clothes is imitating this. I have chosen these particular garments like mini skirts, block heeled boots and cropped jackets to make the point of young, free and showing off your figure while your still appropriate to do so.
Men’s Range: Youthful Deviance The men’s range created is a more street, deviant look. Graffiti features a lot in the patterns, symbolising youth deviance amongst society, edgy freestyle artwork communicates the freewill that is not excepted by some laws in society. You could say that this range is quite political in the way that art on walls (graffiti) is seen as a deviant act towards culture and this is how some subcultures form. The colours are vibrant but also quite dark like blacks and greys come across a lot to keep it some what calm and chilled out.
Children’s Range: Express Yourself The children's range is a lot more ‘happy-clappy’, fun and cute. This is also a lot of freehand artistic drawings, however in this case its bring inanimate objects alive and full of emotions. The concept of playful and childish comes through on the prints, and the type of garments like the dungarees and dungaree dresses, their cute and can be styled with all jackets created.
This is a breakdown of costs of shipping different items of different quantities. You can see that larger quantities require containers which are more expensive than boxes, shipping takes a big part of the buyers budget and so making sure you are getting the best price and shipping your item efficiently is important on saving money. This is an example of a range being shipped, displayed in the blue box is a way to get round spending so much money on shipping, if you were to put everything in boxes the price would reduce by quite a bit. However, some high street shops buy in bulks of clothing e.g. Primark and therefore containers are more efficient and less hassle when loading and unloading and saves time and space in warehouses which could save money also.
Lead Times Lead times refer to the amount of time from placement of an order and delivery in the supply chain, this can impact the critical path in a negative way as lead times can vary due to holiday and unpredicted external factors like natural disasters. Key dates in a critical path cant always be stuck by if anything were to go wrong with the lead time in the process and therefore the preferred times that the process should be happening may be pushed back or forward and changing the dates made. Lead times can affect profits of a company if the dates are not met in time, for example processing lead time (time taken to manufacture an item) can be changed if something were to happen with the factory like earthquake or even low staff, mistakes made within the manufacture etc. If anything like this were to happen this would slow down the manufacturing process and therefore postpone the dispatch and shipping of the products and taking more time out of the critical path. This leads to not meeting the target of the date you want your collection to be released on the shop floor, showing you are incapable and unreliable and customers may be more inclined to go to your competitors or even if the collection isn’t as in trend as the week before this could really drag sales down therefore losing profits. There are different types of lead times; . Pre-processing - Time needed for planning, research sampling, fabric buying, negotiation etc. This is the buyers job to travel to different factories and find the best supplier that suits them and negotiating for the best price and quality. . Processing – Time required to manufacture an item. This all depends on the supplier, how fast they can produce what you need them to and be reliable enough to give them a set amount of time for it to be complete. . Post-processing - Time needed for dispatch, transportation, customs, delivery of goods to warehouse. If this lead time isn’t met than the buyer could be paying more for the collection, extra shipping days and extra days of storage can mess up the budget and profit. Shipment to UK could take up to 12 weeks from China, 10 weeks from India - this is a cost effective way to transport goods but incurred port costs & duty. Because this is a lot of time the pre-processing needs to be done properly and in a lot of advance, knowing the different dates of which these places celebrate (non working days) is important to keep the lead time to what you agreed n and what you are relying on. European suppliers can take from 7-15 days delivery via truck, however manufacture is more expensive than the far East. For my range imp articular I will be using a far East country and be shipping via boat as it is a cost effective way to ship my products. I also want to be ethical in what supplier I use so I will be paying more for the manufacture and processing of my range due to staff working conditions and quality of fabric and manufacture and so I will be spending more in this department and saving money in this method.
Assess of Women's Range Design Issues
Warehouse
During the design process issues may occur with the patterns on my fabric. If the fabric is not put together properly in terms of matching the patterns up from body to sleeve etc to form the garment then the pattern will look odd and garment will be unusable in my range. This can lead to having the make the garment again and slowing down lead times, shipping and getting it out on the shop floor in time. This can be overcome by regular quality control checks and pattern matching checks before every manufacture of a garment.
When thinking of the warehouse to stock my products rent and staff will have to be taken into consideration to ensure that I keep within the budget. My range is not going through mass production therefore the warehouse does not need to have much space for it, lowering the cost.
Shipping Exchange rates can be a problem when sourcing from other countries, it could mean that the cost goes up and down depending on the change of the rates throughout the process. It is important to finalise a price in one currency and stick to it no matter if the exchange rates change. This allows the budget to not alter in any way.
Sourcing
Problem Areas and Constraints Language barrier between the supplier and the buyer. If they buyer is unable to communicate with the supplier clearly then lead times can be confused and the critical path will slow down due to misunderstanding and miscommunication. Therefore, the buyer will need to find a supplier that speaks their language or have a translator on hand at all times.
Fabric
Costs Shipping takes up a lot of the budget, the supplier is manufacturing in Italy. Therefore it is coming a long way and takes more time. The time may have an effect on the critical path also if any external factors occur slowing down the process meaning I need to leave enough lead time for the process. I will have to look into other suppliers of the same price of manufacture but cheaper shipping costs.
Assess of Men’s Range Warehouse Design Issues
Monitoring the stock and determining what needs to be shipped where is the employees of the warehouse responsibility. Depending on the size of the warehouse depends of the amount staff needed for my process alone, however the price does not change because of this so finding a smaller warehouse with less staff may be a better option for lowering the costs.
During the design process issues may occur with the quality of fabric. It is important to make sure that the quality is up to standard for the range and so samples are crucial before manufacturing the products. If you do not sample the fabric and fabric with the selected pattern then the range could look complete different to what it is supposed to be. Having samples shipped out or visiting the supplier to check them is very important for not loosing money in having to start over again and not disappointing customers and bringing the brand down.
Shipping
Costs Problem areas and Constraints Sourcing Natural disasters are something that is seen as an external factor. It can not be controlled but it can be worked around if you plan properly. Sourcing from somewhere that is known for floods, earthquakes are other occurring natural disasters can be a risk as the process could come to a complete halt if anything were to happen meaning that the process would need to be started all over again with a different supplier, courier etc. Research is important to finding the right supplier for your range and having a backup just in case you take the risk on a country is a must.
Fabric The fabric sourced for garments to be produced is the most important factor to the range as it is important not only to source fabric for a good price in order to make a good profit but it has to be of good quality or the consumer will not purchase the product. Research into what designer brands suppliers of fabric are is a excellent way to get the best fabric of the best price for the range.
When looking into your budget there are a lot of aspects that make up the costs. Wages for the employees in the manufacturing process, warehouse process, shipping process, then fabrics, machinery, rent, storage costs etc. If something like fabric costs more than expected you should try to cut back on other things like finding a more efficient and cheaper way to ship the products.
Assess of Children’s Range Design Issues
Shipping
For children's wear especially, you have to be careful with the components and fabrics that are used. They have to meet all safety regulations and be ensured that nothing can be swallowed, choked on, flammable and so on. If in this case the garments are made and for example the buttons are lose and are easily pulled off/fall off then the manufacturing will need to be re-done and assured that nothing is lose and dangerous for wearabilty. This will however, waste time and money out f the budget and lead times will be mixed up therefore I will be sure to check regulations with the fabrics and components and get samples of the fixings of components on the fabric so I can see for myself whether it is safe enough before carrying on with the batch manufacture.
As a buyer I need to consider the cost of sample shipping as oppose to just shipping the collection out when it is manufactured. Sample fabrics and products are important as I can see if the garment is correct both design, fabric choice and that it meets safety regulations for it to be sold. The collection will need to be seen tougher before I continue with the manufacturing process therefore shipping out samples is crucial for the collection to be successful. Sample shipping will also save costs in the future, it means that if the garments are not correct then you are not paying for a full re-manufacture and wastage f products.
Costs Warehouse Problem areas and Constraints I am using patterns and prints for my children's wear range, therefore I will need to ensure that I am not in breech of any copyright laws concerning fictional characters. If I do then I will face costing the company money and having to go through the design process again.
Fabric Sourcing As a buyer I have responsibility to make sure that the warehouse and factory that I am using fit all legal restrictions and regulations. I want the employees of these business's to be treated right and get paid a fair wage in a safe environment. To avoid any disasters that may occur I will visit the places myself and have regular check-ups from people throughout the manufacturing and storing process to ensure that they are always met.
The fabric chosen for children is a mix of cotton, polyester and denim. This is because these fabrics have been tested for flammability and overall safety due to them being worn by babies and children who are somewhat carefree. This will make the garments safe to be worn in any environment they may find themselves in. I have also chosen patterns and prints of a fun, educational nature. The fabric allows the children to see in animate objects like fruit can shows emotions and express feelings.
Examine and Evaluate Supply Chain Advantages
Advantages
•
Focuses on speed and responsiveness
•
•
Zara controls more of its manufacturing and supply chain than do most retailers
Primark's nice is rock-bottom prices. Costs are kept low by making cheap garments from man-made materials, using cheap production processes
•
Zara keeps a significant amount of its production in-house and makes sure that its own factories reserve 85% of their capacity for in-season adjustments
•
Floor space has tripled in the past decade, resulting in higher sales densities
•
Faced with the task of organising these larger stores, Primark has had an interior designers to outfit them with innovative floor layouts and colour plans to facilities efficient shopping.
•
Uses Spanish sewing factories because the turnaround time is miraculous
•
Having 50% of their production happening in the middle of the season can be a positive because they can alter and change certain parts of their designs to fit in with the new trends and get them out into the store as soon as possible to catch the trend turnaround
•
Just In Time production
•
Fast Fashion
•
Small batch products
Disadvantages •
•
Commits six months in advance to only 15-25% of a seasons line, meaning that when it comes to the start of the season they only start with 50-60% of the clothing therefore meaning that half their range does not get manufactured until the middle of the season which can be negative if they run out of stock in the first month because they have to wait for the manufacture of their products instead of getting them from warehouses or stockroom. Sewing factories are in Spain and European workers get a higher wage than those in other countries
Disadvantages •
Quality of staff suffers due to staff service primarily focusing on managing checkout lines and managing showroom inventory.
•
Primark has come under scrutiny ever since an activist group revealed that Primark goods sourced from Bangladesh did not comply with child labour laws
•
Analysts say that Primark’s low gross margin prove that the business is suffering
Analysis Supply Chain’s Overall, Zara have a good system when it comes to their supply chain management, they are strategic when it comes to releasing the products as they keep the customers interested in what they are bringing out and make them feel like the product is harder to get driving them to purchase more as its low availability. The also use Spanish sewing factories because they are faster, more efficient and more reliable than others, plus they are based and controlled in Spain and so it is easy access. However Primark, focus on price and therefore can manufacture and sell their products for a lot cheaper, ensuring customers constantly. Primark also have a layout that their customers can easily find exactly what their looking for without any issue meaning that more products will be able to be sold. There are faults with both of these businesses, for example Zara pay their suppliers and manufacturers more due to it being in a European country and Primark have created a bad name for itself after the child labour story with their supplier in Bangladesh, this creates problems for them as customers will not continue to shop their due to moral and ethical rights. They both have a efficient supply chain and are able to keep up with fast fashion and meet their customers' wants and needs, because of this this personal methods work.
Women’s Range Merchandising Spreadsheet
Men’s Range Merchandising Spreadsheet
Children’s Range Merchandising Spreadsheet
Range Plan and Analyses on Financial Spreadsheet’s I created a merchandising spreadsheet for my collection to see what the predicted cost of quantity and profit will be made for the duration of the range. The merchandising spreadsheet starts with the individual products and quantity needed for each week of 8 weeks. For example: Faux Fur Coat will be sold in 2 A stores (London Ox ford Street and Manchester Centre shops), 2 B stores (Liverpool One, Newcastle City Centre), 1 C (London Selfridges Concession store) and 1 D (online). For each of these store grades for each week will be a replenishment of the specific item that will be sold , and the overall quantity of the item over 8weeks was figured out; Fuax Fur Coat = 2100. I then went onto figuring out the total cost and profit I would make on the whole collection. I have used the data from this merchandising spreadsheet to see what would be selling the most and therefore working out how much quantity and replen I will need for the different items. However, this could change throughout the collections sale time as products may become more or less popular due to external influences like celebrities, catwalks, social media trend etc. For example, a famous celebrity like Kylie Jenner may be seen wearing a similar bag to the one in my range and for that reason, consumers will be more likely to buy that product over the others. Influences like this can be really good for the collection, the more that the product is seen as the ‘in’ and ‘needed’ item then you get a higher sales profit as more are sold. This however, may consequent in other products struggling to sell, for example, the sweat is accounted to be the most profitable but if the long sleeved t-shirt suddenly hits a trend in the celebrity style and is shown all over social media then that will be more likely sold more than the sweat. The merchandise can be predicted however you cannot fully guarantee that what is predicted will become reality due to the impact of fashion society. Replen – Replen is the buying in of stock when it is needed aka, replenishing stock. This is worked out by using the forecasted sales spreadsheet and seeing how much will be sold each week. OTB – (Open To Buy) this is when merchandisers control a proportion of the buying budget for in season buying. It is generally between 30-40 of the budget and is used to repeat best sellers or purchase fast fashion. Like for Like data – LFL is a measure of growth in sales. This is widely used by retailers to get figures for their profit margin. Margin – The margin is worked out by; RRP – Cost Price = Gross Profit , Gross Profit divided by RRP x 100 = Margin% The margin measures the retail margin as percentage of the retail price. Knowing this is important because, the higher the margin the higher the profit. Using all the data I got from my merchandising spreadsheet I found that the ‘sweat’ top would be the most sold product in my collection and therefore the had the biggest margin. This has influenced my decision of making the sweat the main visual in the store and online. This will be carried out with the visual merchandisers so that they know what products to have at the front of the collection to up the amount of revenue.
Appropriate Advertising Campaign Crickets own label will need to be the same sort of style and layout to their previous campaigns, to fit in with the shop and appeal to the target market. However, this is Crickets first own label range and therefore it needs to stand out over what they already sell, its new, edgy and designer standard and needs to display this through the advertisement. When looking back into my research on Cricket, I found that most of the customers visit their online Instagram page, this is where the majority of advertising will be held as it will cover a large percentage of their customers. Social media is the best source for the camping, it can be seen easily and spread worldwide in a matter of minutes and therefore is the most effective form of advertisement, I will, do a countdown of the days until launch on their Instagram page to intrigue and keep people excited about the release, this will make the collection more desirable. Cricket have a different Instagram page for each different category they sell, Women's, Men's and Kids. This will mean that there should be three different, individual campaigns to post on each page. It is also important to keep the ranges separate but interpret ate them in them in the same way as they are still as part of the same brand they are just for different age groups and genders. The advertisements will all be similar layout so that the customers will know that they are all linked, they are all inspired by original artwork which gives them their own uniqueness, this is a good way to use images, prints and colours to draw the customers attention to the campaign. Social media will be the main source of advertising as their pages on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have such a large audience and you are able to see exactly what they sell on these sites. You are also able to purchase any items they post through their Instagram page, giving them more sales because it is such easy access. Posting pictures and sneak peaks of the range on the sites will keep the customers that follow their page close contact to the new range and keep them interested about what it will be about and what garments will feature. It is the modern day way for businesses to stay ahead of the game and in close communication to their consumers. Posters and billboards will also be around Liverpool City Centre, this way tourists will see, and the majority and their customers will see it being advertised. I will also have a billboard in Manchester and London because, Cricket is opening pop-up shops in these places exclusively for their own label, giving the range a chance to expand in different areas of the UK.
Women’s Campaign This is the women’s campaign, it will be displayed as posters, billboards and social media pictures. The posters will be put around Liverpool City Centre, and in close proximity to the shop so it is accessible and easy for customers to find. This poster is a excellent image set for the range created, it captures what the range is going to be like in both style and patterns and relates to concept of the range very well. It is very artistic and there is a lot of original artwork amongst the designs, this posters grabs the essence of this and allows the customer to have an idea of what the range will look like when it is released into Cricket. Social media is one of my ways to advertise Cricket’s own label for women. Instagram will be the main carrier of this because it has the most followers and the most accessible to the target market for both looking at new stuff in store and even purchasing the products through the Instagram site @cricketfashion. Social media is a very modern way of communicating with your customers, especially for Cricket as their consumers are of a young age 18-35, and are crazy about knowing all the latest updates both ion the news world and in the fashion world. If a celebrity is seen wearing a new brand or a new garment for a brand that Cricket sell, Cricket are able to post this picture on their page and use them as a kind of celebrity endorsement for free, their customers will be wanting to be like their role models and fashion inspirations and therefore Cricket’s sales of the item will increase. On their social media pages, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, there will also be a countdown a few week before and sneak peaks of some of the collection to keep the customers interested and excited to know what the collection is going to be. This idea was taken from Crickets Christmas day countdown, they posted a picture everyday of ’12 days of Christmas’ with something new and glamorous to get their customers attention. Other than social media I will also get the Gerrard family to model the range, this is because they are a regular customer and have been for years. They are in the local public eye and have expanded their own empire internationally, so that people around the world will know who they are and what they are famous for. This will get more customers to want to buy the products due to local customers supporting and liking the family and therefore wanting to shop and feel like they ca wear the same clothes as them.
Men’s Campaign This is the Men’s campaign for the Cricket own label of Youthful Deviance. I wanted to keep the men’s a bit more simple because there range is more chilled out, graffiti patterns and print and their style of clothing is a lot more relaxed. I therefore think that this really captures what the collection is going to look like and relate to the target market of youthful men. Social media is again going to play a big part in the campaign for the men’s range, they have their own sites like Instagram @crickmenfashion which has many followers and although it doesn’t get as much attention as the women’s page, it is still a huge success and is able to sell many products online. The men’s range will also have a countdown on their page and sneak peaks of some of the range. The men’s prints and patterns are street style inspired like graffiti and wall art. The poster will somewhat fit in with the surroundings of the street, making it more fascinating to the audience. It is crucial to grab the customers attention to the advertisment as they will want to know more about the product and be inclined to visit the shop or look online when the collection comes out into the shop.
Other than social media I will also get the Gerrard family to model the range, this is because they are a regular customer and have been for years. They are in the local public eye and have expanded their own empire internationally, so that people around the world will know who they are and what they are famous for. This will get more customers to want to buy the products due to local customers supporting and liking the family and therefore wanting to shop and feel like they can wear the same clothes as them.
Children’s Campaign This is the children’s campaign for Cricket’s own label, it is fun, upbeat and playful which is a resemblance to the collection for this range. Express Yourself, is the name of the range and features on this advertisement to state clearly what the garments will be like. It will be on posters around Liverpool Centre and be posted onto their social media account with regular updates on the date of launch and sneak peaks into some of the products in the collection, This will keep the consumers which are the parents or guardians of the children, excited and intrigued. Other than social media I will also get the Gerrard family to model the range, this is because they are a regular customer and have been for years. They are in the local public eye and have expanded their own empire internationally, so that people around the world will know who they are and what they are famous for. This will get more customers to want to buy the products due to local customers supporting and liking the family and therefore wanting to shop and feel like they ca wear the same clothes as them. Parents of the children are the target customer for the children’s range as children do not have the money or ability to buy the products. This advertisement will therefore need to pull the parents attention into the range for Cricket own label, children’s collection. It is clear of what they are selling and the colours make it appealing to what parents want their children to be like, happy, playful and full of energy and joy. This I why I have kept the advertisement simple but creative, it displays a clear picture of what the collection will be and links into what they want their children's personality to resemble.
What Amendments Could You Make to Your Designs to Ensure Faster and Cheaper Production
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Children’s Poncho Changed the fabric to something cheaper like 100% polyamide and had it lined with the same material, saving money and time. I could of left the outer arm pockets as this is a time consuming process with the manufactures. Could of used a Velcro fastening instead of press studs.
Children’s Jumpsuit • Could of made the fabric plain and not ad a pattern, less money of fabric. • No pockets would take up less time. • Could of changed the fabric from acetate to cotton, cheaper fabric.
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Children’s Pumps Make the shoe unpatterned which takes up time and I can save money by using a plain colour fabric. I could source my fabric from China instead of Italy but the quality will lack.
Children’s Socks • I could make take away the embroidery on the sock as it is time consuming for the manufacturing process. • Source my fabric from somewhere cheaper like Bangladesh as oppose to Italy
Children’s Denim Dungaree Dress • The underlining on the dress could be plain fabric. • The dress could be designed without pockets so that it would take less time in the process. • The added bow on the back of this dress could also be either just a print or non-existent, saving time and money on fabrics.
What Amendments Could You Make to Your Designs to Ensure Faster and Cheaper Production
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Men’s Shoe Change the fabric from real leather to faux leather to save money. Could have sourced from Bangladesh instead of Italy.
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Men’s Bomber Changed the fabric to something cheaper like 100% polyamide and had it lined with the same material, saving money and time. Take away the pockets for time saving. Make the sleeves a plain colour.
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Men’s Joggers • Panel’s on the knee could be removed to stop additional time from manufacturing . • Zips on pockets could be removed and the pocket be open. • Source fabric from different country where I can get it cheaper
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Men’s Sweat Jacket Changed the fabric to something cheaper like 100% polyamide and had it lined with the same material, saving money and time. Source fabric from cheaper country then Italy.
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Children’s Poncho Changed the fabric to something cheaper like 100% polyamide and had it lined with the same material, saving money and time. I could of left the outer arm pockets as this is a time consuming process with the manufactures.
What Amendments Could You Make to Your Designs to Ensure Faster and Cheaper Production
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Women’s Crop Jacket Change the fabric from real leather to faux leather to save money. Remove the buckles from the sleeves as these take up manufacturing time. Any extra unnecessary pockets like the one on the right chest can be removed to also save time from the manufacturer.
Women’s Messenger Bag Change the fabric from real leather to faux leather to save money. • Could have sourced from Bangladesh instead of Italy. • Extra pattern on the outside of the bag could be changed to the same as the rest of the bag. •
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Women’s Shoe Change the fabric from real leather to faux leather and make the shoe each other all one pattern or all one colour to save money on the fabrics. Remove the zip and have the slip on to save time when being produced
Women’s Mini Skirt • Source the fabrics from somewhere internationally and cheaper than Italy, however the quality will lack. • There are two separate patterns on this skirt so only use one for money saving.
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Women’s Jacket Changed the fabric to something cheaper like 100% polyamide and had it lined with the same material, saving money and time. Remove the zip and make it a pull over, takes time of the manufacturing process. Collar could not be added to the design as this also take time and more fabric is needed.
Is Your Range Commercially Viable/Fit For Use? Easy fasten and unfasten Material should be stain resistant
Fit the customer lifestyle
Test the quality of the fabric, because it is denim it must be washed and taken care of properly to ensure that the fabric does not shrink, fray etc.
Keep the customer warm
Fabric Testing
Fit For Purpose
Lining will also need to be checked by the QC department against its durability and care
Must be durable and of high quality
Fabric testing must be done in order to ensure the workers and customers are not at risj from any harmful chemicals
Organisational Requirements
The QC department needs to test the fabric against how durable it is
Components on the jacket must also be able to be used a lot to avoid breaking on the customer
Measurement for each size must be correct, therefore checking samples of each size will make sure the manufacturers have the correct measurements
Leather fabric should be checked for any easy tears and rips during the manufacturing process
Not difficult to get on and off due to them being everyday shoe
Material should be waterproof and easy to clean if they become dirty Fit the customer lifestyle
The footwear must be able to stand up to wear and tear, especially the soles as they will likely endure a lot of physical activity.
Fit For Purpose
Fabric Testing
Soles of the shoe will need to be checked for durability and waterproof qualities
Must be durable and of high quality, due to the material being real leather they also should be resistant to creases and folds
Laces need to be tested for strength and durability
In manufacture quality should be checked upon each process to make sure that the pattern is in the right places and the shoes are all symmetrical
Organisational Requirements Stitching must be evenly spread and even lines for a high standard
The QC department needs to test the fabric against how durable it is
Prototype of the shoe should be made and tested for fitting and styling purposes
Easy fasten and unfasten when needed
Test the quality of the fabric, because it is denim it must be washed and taken care of properly to ensure that the fabric does not shrink, fray etc.
Comfortable to wear over tops and shirts
Material should be stain resistant
Fit the customer lifestyle
Patchwork must be able to avoid easy rips and tears and studs must be sewn on to avoid loose
Fabric Testing
Fit For Purpose
Fabric testers will need to check the patchwork for any running colours if it gets wet, this could produce the jackets high quality standard
Must be durable and of high quality
Must be a central office at which all fabric testing is done to ensure that all results are reliable
Organisational Requirements
The QC department needs to test the fabric against how durable it is
Components on the jacket must also be able to be used a lot to avoid breaking on the customer
When treating fabrics with substances to make them colourfast or water resistant, the company must abide by the correct rules and regulations, to ensure that neither the workers or the customers are at risk from any harmful checks
Easy fasten and unfasten the buttons and the zips on the jacket Material should be stain resistant
Test the quality of the fabric, because it is 100% cotton it must be washed and taken care of properly to ensure that the fabric does not shrink, fray etc.
Keep the customer warm
Fabric Testing
Fit For Purpose Material should not be too thick as it sa spring/summe r range and the jacket is more of a fashion of function garment
Collar will need to be attached separately and be able to stand up alone if customer decides to wear it this way
Must be durable and of high quality and the pattern must be continuous over the jacket
Ink used in the pattern should not be of non toxic or harmful chemicals so it does not endanger the manufacturer workers or the customer
Organisational Requirements
The QC department needs to test the fabric against how durable it is
Components on the jacket must also be able to be used a lot to avoid breaking on the customer
When treating fabrics with substances to make them colourfast or water resistant, the company must abide by the correct rules and regulations, to ensure that neither the workers or the customers are at risk from any harmful checks
Not difficult to get on and off due to them being everyday shoe
Material should be waterproof, including the sole of the shoe
The footwear must be able to stand up to wear and tear, especially the soles as they will likely endure a lot of physical activity.
The QC department needs to test the sole of the shoe to ensure it is comfortable to walk on and can withstand a lot of use
Fabric Testing
Fit For Purpose
Garment testers need to test that the shoe is breathable as well as water resistant, in order to create any infections or medical problems with the feet when wearing tem for long durations
Fit the customer lifestyle
Must be durable and of high quality, and the pattern must be water resistant so it does not run
Ink used in the pattern should not be of any harmful chemicals or toxins so it is not harmful to the customer or employees
Slip on shoes requires testing of durability as they will be stretched frequently to get on and off
Organisational Requirements
Stitching should be strong enough to withstand high level of activity and wear
When treating fabrics with substances to make them colourfast or water resistant, the company must abide by the correct rules and regulations, to ensure that neither the workers or the customers are at risk from any harmful checks
Easy fasten and unfasten with children as well as adults when needed
Material should be stain resistant
Must ensure components are not capable of endangering the child, e.g swallowed, falling off
Patchwork must be able to avoid easy rips and tears and studs must be sewn on to avoid loose
The fabric must be tested to ensure that the material does not fray or tear when being worn a lot
Comfortable to wear over tops and shirts and other garments
The QC department needs to make sure that the fabric is not to stiff so that the child can freely move in it and not get uncomfortable
Fabric Testing Fit For Purpose
Must be durable and of high quality and allow for free movement due to it being for a child
Garment testers need to test against flammability, and other dangers that could cause harm to a child, especially since they could be in a harmful environment and not know Must not use any chemicals that are prohibited in the fabric
Organisational Requirements
Stitching should be strong enough to withstand high level of activity and wear
Extra care must be taken when attaching components like the buttons to this garment as it is for a child and could be a choking hazard
Easy and stretchy so that the child can get the socks on and off
Test the quality of the fabric, because it is 100% cotton it must be washed and taken care of properly to ensure that the fabric does not shrink, fray , become bobbley/bitty etc.
Keep the child's feet warm and comfortable in and out of shoes
Material should be stain resistant
Should be durable of any rips and tears
Fabric Testing
Fit For Purpose
Colours must not fade after small amount of washes, they are socks and therefore will be washed very frequently
Must be of high quality and not cause irritation
Ink used in the pattern should not be of any harmful chemicals or toxins so it is not harmful to the customer or employees
Organisational Requirements
The QC department needs to test the fabric against how durable it is
Embroidery on the sock must be identical
When treating fabrics with substances to make them colourfast or water resistant, the company must abide by the correct rules and regulations, to ensure that neither the workers or the customers are at risk from any harmful checks
Evaluation Overall I think that my range links perfectly with each of my target customers for the different categories. All the designs are artistic, original and allow each individual who wears them to stand out in a way that makes them satisfied and love fashion. My target customers are all very into fashion, they spend large amounts of money on the best quality clothing which is trending on the designer catwalks and take their inspiration from the fashion role model celebrities. My target market also like to be individual and seen to others as an encouragement of the fashion world, my products reflect this using hand drawn and freestyle emotional drawings, and embroidery. Some of the patterns on the men’s garments are actually taken from local wall art in the city centre of Liverpool which imitates exactly what the range is about and why the name ‘Youthful Deviance’ is a good way to describe it. Financially the ranges are all profitable, selling for high prices link to what Cricket sell already and being of the same quality and a well known, reliable, trendy shop, it is simple to sell for top prices. All three trend ideas I have chosen for each category are what has been trending on WGSN, VOGUE, and in popular trade shows of SS18. Patterns and prints that are able to speak to the customer and relate to their emotions and opinions gives them a voice through what they wear. Women are able to feel empowered, men are able to express their inner deviant behaviour and children can express their joy through the clothing that is amongst this range. Because of this, the collection is a great way to start Crickets own label, it tells a story and is able to link in with the demand of belonging and expressing within fashion. The reason I chose particular suppliers and styles of garments was inspired by both my competitive shop, directional shop and different mood boards of the Cricket label and trend forecasting. All of this came together to display a picture of what I wanted my collection to be about and look like, comparing the fabrics from the different designers shows the high quality Cricket have to offer and therefore in order to keep up to standards and demands of their already existing consumers I decided to supply from Italy which is were a high amount of the designer brands source from and manufacture here as well to keep the quality and keep a good critical path which Cricket are used to using and know is reliable. Sizing with width and depth was also taken from my directional shop, the sizing they use for the designer brands is important to keep in mind when creating a high quality and priced collection, knowing the sizes of each size allowed me to know exactly what size guide to use so that my customers are comfortable with it. I was also able to gather information about how many of each garment I could need through my merchandising spreadsheet, because this is a first collection with Cricket it is not in proper demand and therefore I will only need a low stock at first to allow it to be seen and demanded by existing and future customers, it will also enable the clothes to be more appealing and seen as elite and exclusive. My best seller I think will be the women’s collection, I think this because the women that shop in Cricket always want the newest thing, they always want to show it off and be seen as unique. I also think this because Instgram for the women is a lot more popular than the men’s and children and therefore will get a lot more attention of the new range. The men’s and children’s will also be exclusive however not in as high demand due to the advertising of it. On the whole, my collection for Cricket’s own label is very distinctive and will be quickly spread across the social media fashion world. It will soon be on the way to becoming a brand that will be sold not only in Cricket’s shop but in Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrord’s along with the other designer brands. It will be a success in itself and as the trends keep changing, Cricket’s own label will be keeping up and bringing in new collections through the years.
BIBLIOGRAPHY Flanagan, J. (2016). Cavern Walks - Cricket. [online] Cavernwalks.co.uk. Available at: http://www.cavernwalks.co.uk/cricket.html [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016] Flanagan, J. (2016). Cavern Walks - Cricket. [online] Cavernwalks.co.uk. Available at: http://www.cavernwalks.co.uk/cricket.html [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016] British Vogue. (2016). Where To Shop Outside London. [online] Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/where-to-shop-outside-london [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016] Fair, F., GmbH, M., Events, A., Shows, T. and Textile, F. (2017). Heimtextil. [online] 10times.com. Available at: http://10times.com/heimtextil-frankfurt [Accessed 30 Jan. 2017]. Texfusion. (2017). The First World Textile Fair in the UK - Texfusion. [online] Available at: http://texfusion.co.uk/ [Accessed 30 Jan. 2017]. http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/Aloura-London Ashley Armstrong,. "Fresh Powers To Shut Down UK’S Clothing Sweatshops". The Telegraph. N.p., 2017. Web. 11 Mar. 2017. "The True Cost Of Your Cheap Clothes: Slave Wages For Bangladesh Factory Workers". South China Morning Post. N.p., 2017. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.
The Critical Path and Production Issues The resources needed for the production include both in factory and head office. Within the factory there are staff and machinery – Sewing machines, CAD machines, ICT (PC’s and laptops), cutting tables, sample room and sometimes they have fabric dyeing rooms. This is all important to the buyer for production as the factories they are manufacturing in, need to be able to produce the products in the lead time. Staff is a crucial requirement, without the staff production will not occur. There are a number of different staff members within the production environment that are equally important within their job role, and are controlled by the managers/directors of the production process. The manager/director is important to the team, they keep the staff in order and ensure that they are producing the products in a given amount of time so that the lead time and supply chain is correct, they are also there to show their employees guidance if something is to go wrong within the factory, like the machines breaking, or ICT is having trouble. Sewing machines are used to sew together the pieces of the garments quickly and securely, over lockers are used for the finishing touches of the garments to stop from any fraying of the material. CAD machines are used for any type of embroidery, illustrations on the garments. Chemicals and dyes are used to dye fabrics that require a change in colour and therefore this is why they have sample rooms and fabric dyeing rooms, the staff must be aware of the risks and dangers of the chemical in the dye and must be trained on the health and safety of these rooms and how to use them correctly. Head Office include, the design team, HR team, finance, health and safety team, meeting rooms, sample room/fitting room, and head office are in charge of the budget and money to buy what they need for the collection. Within the head office, each department focuses on different things however, they are keep in mind the collection as a whole. The design team are there to design the collection, keeping the budget and the trends they are wanting to follow in mind, HR team are there to deal with the protection of staff and employment. Finance team are there to set a budget for the collection and make sure that they are not over spending money and losing profits, they are there to keep the business successful and pay the employees of the whole production process. Health and safety team are a part of the process for the manufacturing process to deal with safe working environments and how to keep the safety of staff to a high level. Distribution includes the way that the products will be delivered, e.g. ships, aeroplanes, truck. This is important to a buyer because they need to make sure they are make the most cost efficient decision as to how the products are being delivered to them and their warehouses, and shops. They must also remember that they need to keep in consideration, the time taken for distribution so they chose the most effective method. Packaging includes, Boxes, containers (for shipping purposes), plastic wrapping (for protection) and promotional packaging like gift bags. Packaging needs to be within legislation laws when distributing and storing the products. Buyers need to ensure they are using the most eco-friendly type of packaging that is necessary so that they are not harming the environment within production. Fabrics are also another resource, the supplier will also come into this. Fabric sourcing is a number one priority for a buyer when building a range, as buyers must ensure that the right fabric is used for each individual garment. Fabric must be suitable for the shape and colour of the garment as well as reflect certain trends. Therefore, as a buyer you must ensure you are sourcing various pieces of fabric and exploring your options as well as delegating which is the most suitable. Buyers will produce a critical path to stay within a time limit when sourcing there fabrics as well as sampling in order to prevent the range from launching using bad quality materials as this will lead to a loss in sales and profit.