Brand Report: Delpozo

BRAND REPORT SHANNON PURDY / 26023047

CONTENTS Executive Summary: Page 3 Delpozo Introduction: Page 6 Brand Identity: Page 8 Brand Consumer: Page 10 Brand Positioning: Page 12 Communications Mix: Page 14 - advertisement, p.16 - public relations, p.18 - personal selling , p. 19 - sales promotion, p. 20 - direct marketing, p. 21 - social media, p. 22 Bibliography: Page 24

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The research collated on this Delpozo report highlights the growth of the label from its very beginning and the techniques it has used to get there. The findings emphasise how the brand has developed since Josep Font’s reign through advertisement techniques, their celebrity connections and the power of social media. It also discusses the brand identity and how their subtle nod to heritage mixed with contemporary qualities attract a wide range of clientele.

The information discussed in this report has been collated from primary and secondary research. Primary research was gathered by a trip to London to visit the Sloane Street store and speaking with the assistant. Secondary research has been gathered using online journals, books and websites.

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DELPOZO:INTRO

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Delpozo is a luxury designer brand, first established in Madrid in 1974

by Jesus Del Pozo. Originally a menswear brand and only progressing to pret-a-porter womenswear in 1980, Del Pozo had no interest in taking it outside of Spanish borders; despite being renowned for his exquisite hand-crafted garments and celebrating multiple awards. Sadly, Jesus del Pozo passed in 2011, but his legacy lasted with the help of new creative director Josep Font, who was appointed in 2012 when the Perfumes & Diseno Group bought the label. According to the Business Of Fashion (2016), Font studied an architecture degree ‘to please his parents’, but knew deep down that his passion lied within fashion. Knowing this, he decided to squeeze a fashion design course in on the side. However, his architectural knowledge didn’t go to waste, as it’s an obvious backbone for all of his designs.

Font, and his team in

the same small atelier in Madrid, make each and every garment, and each and every garment celebrates the relationship between thread and fabric, with hand-embroidered garments made with the most avant-garde and natural materials (Delpozo, 2015). Even though he was given full control of where to take it next, he still kept the heritage and philosophy of the brand, introduced his background in architecture and then took it straight to New York Fashion Week. In an interview with Elle Magazine (2013), Font described New York as “the window on the world”. The label now has 82 stores and outlets around the world offering beautiful occasion wear, bridal wear, accessories and fragrance, and is growing increasingly adored for its couture approach to ready-to-wear fashion: better known as pret-acouture.

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BRAND IDENTITY

According to Kapferer and Bastien (2009), the brand identity can be defined as the DNA of the brand. This includes how their logo, symbol, name, design and communication differentiates from its competitors. Delpozo’s logo is simple, minimal and clear. When you see it, it is immediately obvious which brand you’re looking at, and you develop an idea of the brands aesthetic. According to the sales assistant inside the Sloane 8

Street store, the logo was designed with an open ‘O’ at the end to represent an openness to ideas and creativity. The design of the store features brass rails, vintage velvets and rare Japanese marble. Gemma Balmford of Retail Focus (2016) has said the front area is designed as a welcoming living room, and uses a combination of antique furniture and custom-made pieces to define and connect the different areas, and encourage movement through space. She also stated that Font said he

designed the store to ‘match the profile of a Delpozo woman; a woman who is not defined by her age, nationality or profession, but by her delicate and modern essence’. A spokesman for Culdesac (who collaborated with Font in the design process) added that they wanted to convey a sense of harmony to elevate Fonts designs and make the store almost reminiscent of a museum.

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BRAND CONSUMERS

“When I design, I never design for anyone in particular. It could be an anonymous girl walking on the street, but when she stops at your side, you realise that she transmits a special attitude.” This is what Font said in an interview with Vogue in 2013. The statement is interesting because the appearance of the garments appears youthful, fun and contemporary. Does this reflect the type of consumer? Mostly, but not necessarily. In conversation with the sales assistant inside the Sloane Street store, she said that the age of clients can range from 20 up to 80 years old. A story she told was a lady in her 70s who came in and bought a voluminous midi-length skirt and paired it with a bowed strapless crop top: she looked amazing. What does this tell you? Sharon Feiereisen of The Fashion Spot (2014) said Font has a 10

delightful description of the Delpozo woman: “Women, like art, have no age. They have no determined shape or size. Delpozo’s women are defined by a mixture of intelligence, elegance and a particular way of relating to the world.”

This statement gives a strong sense of Fonts vision; a vision that leaves his market widely open as he isn’t just focusing on one particular body shape or age. However, you could argue he is only focusing on one particular cultural background; one with a lot of money. Prices range from knitwear at £400 to embellished dresses at £8000. This and the

@dashofgold nature of the garments mean that people rarely come in for everyday wear, but more for special occasions. However, according to K. McKelvey in the book ‘Textiles and Fashion: Materials, Design and Technology’ (2015), markets have developed in recent times, with consumers becoming more sophisticated and more interested in ‘niche’ markets rather than ‘homoge-

nised’ markets. Niche markets supply specialist products that are a targeted at specific audiences with the focus being on quality, exclusivity or function. With this in mind, it seems the whole luxury brand sector is moving in this direction, so the idea that Delpozo is excluding themselves from the lower end market seems reasonably logical.

“WHEN I DESIGN, I NEVER DESIGN FOR ANYONE IN PARTICULAR. IT COULD BE AN ANONYMOUS GIRL WALKING ON THE STREET, BUT WHEN SHE STOPS AT YOUR SIDE, YOU REALISE THAT SHE TRANSMITS A SPECIAL A T T I T U D E . ” - josep font

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Images Right: Indre Rockefeller Bottom left: Delpozo atelier Bottom right: Details of S/S15.

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BRAND POSITIONING

Before Jesus Del Pozo’s death, the label didn’t really have a place in the global market and was only really known in Spain. Inside Spain, it was one of the most celebrated names and still is. According to Christina Binkley in her article ‘Behind Delpozo’s Growing Cachet’ (WSJ – 2014), it was Indre Rockefellers social connections that set Delpozo into the limelight after they invited her to attend their relaunch in Madrid in 2012. She said, “it was one of those happy accidents”. From that moment on, she became the U.S. President of the label and planned to increase its retail presence and brand awareness in the states, and that she did. However, according to Kristi Garced in her 2015 article on WWD, Rockefeller decided to leave the company in 2015 to pursue her own entrepreneurial adventure. Maybe Rockefel-

ler was so interested in Delpozo because of the labels individuality. The designer’s background in architecture gives him a huge advantage in creating phenomenally structured garments that compliment every age, body shape and skin colour. The fact they aim for quality and not quantity could also set them apart from other labels, as they aren’t mass producing or using factories in the making process unlike labels such as Prada and Burberry.

They are also different in the way they treat you in the store. The garments make the wearer feel incredibly unique. From walking in, they make you feel part of their brand, compared to their competitors, such as Chanel, who seem to favour those who look like they can afford the products and ignore those who do not.

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COMMUNICATIONS

mix

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Spring/Summer 2016 Campaign by Ernesto Artilo 16

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The platforms Delpozo use to advertise their products are magazines and social media. Short fashion films, produced by Wise Films, are posted on their social media platforms to advertise their garments in a more creative and true way. Delpozo uses the same art director, Lara Ubago, who also does some styling, for all of their films. The fashion films seem to display a surreal world inspired by Fonts favourite artwork, novels, movies, and where the garments are the real focus.

All of the labels advertisements seem to

adopt the same artistic approach. The Spring/ Summer 2016 ad campaign by Ernesto Artilo (an artist, photographer and art director from Madrid) uses collage techniques by combining fashion and art, which is what Font does in his work. This particular campaign uses fashion photography and watercolour painting to create an abstract image that radiates the rich culture in which Font enjoys and his strong relationship with colour. Their perfume

advertisements are typical of the perfume advert: sensual, lustful and attractive. They usually include flowers in dark colours and a model with a smouldering look.

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PUBLIC RELATIONS According to McKelvey (2015), the right public relations company will have strong relationships with press and other media, but the wrong one will waste money by not getting the brand message across in the right medium. It is clear that Delpozo has the right public relations company, and that is KCD. KCD also work with other big labels such as Chanel, Calvin Klein and Versace, and will deal with celebrity endorsements, press releases and organising events.

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If the brand has links with a well-known celebrity, it helps add credibility and the individual brings their good taste to the label.

Delpozo has built a very long list of celebrity fans which includes Hilary Swank, Michelle Obama, Poppy Delevinge, Keira Knightly and Olivia Palermo, all of which are independent, strong, influential women. Delpozo has also been featured in editorials for the world’s most well-known prestigious magazines. Ex-

amples include Rose Byrne for C California Style Magazine in May 2015, Karlie Kloss in Glamour US in January 2015 issue and Keira Knightly in The Edit on Net-A-Porter in 2014.

They’ve also been featured in international Vogues such as Japan, China and Germany.

Although Delpozo does not do pop-up shops, they participate in the biggest trade shows in the world: Fashion Week. The catwalks are the perfect chance for trade but also for those influential fashion individuals on the front row to share the show via social media for millions to see. Shows can be designed and curated to reflect the brand’s philosophy. For example, Delpozo’s shows are designed to be relevant to the collection and the inspirations, but they are also very minimal so

viewers are less focused on the surroundings and more interested in the clothing.

On a business to consumer point of view, the store assistants make sure the client feels special and unique. From walking in, you are encapsulated in their presence. This relationship that is built between these two individuals will determine whether or not the product is sold.

PERSONAL SELLING

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SALES PROMOTION

Sales promotion is where brands offer discounts, vouchers or loyalty schemes to generate brand loyalty. It is quite unusual for such high-end labels to sell their old collections for such low prices as they are afraid it will damage their brand image, but also because they do not need to reduce their prices in order for clients to buy. Delpozo is one of those brands who does not offer vouchers or POS discounts. However, they

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do have an online sale page. The page isn’t immediately obvious when you visit the website; in fact, there is no link to click on at all. It isn’t until you search for sale that you view the items.

Discount Delpozo garments are also on sale on The Outnet, an online luxury brand outlet.

DIRECT MARKETING Direct marketing is where brands send out mail to their targeted customers, whether online or through leaflets in the post, magazines, newspapers, etc. Delpozo has a subscription box which pops up when you very first visit their website which allows people to add their name and email address.

The customer will then receive emails about new collections, runway shows and events. This is a great way of com-

municating with consumers as it keeps them informed, on their toes and is a subtle reminder for them. It also makes people feel like they’re part of the brand. However, McKelvey (2015) believes that most of the mail delivered this way may just end up in the waste bin without being read, even if it is targeting the right customer, as people tend to disregard unsolicited mail.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

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Even though mailshots may not be the best tactic for Delpozo, they still have the biggest promotion platform on their side: social media. Delpozo uses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Youtube, meaning they aren’t shying away from any particular individual. Billions of people around the world will view and like their content, and therefore share it with their friends and family instantly. A recent study

by DEI Worldwide (2008) has found that 70% of consumers have visited social media sites to get information; 49% of these consumers have made a purchase decision based on the information they found through the social media sites; 60% said they were likely to use social media sites to pass along information to others online; and 45% of those who searched for information via social media sites engaged in word-of-mouth. This study emphasises the power of social media and makes you understand why brands rely on it so much.

Delpozo uses their social media to show details, collections, press releases and they also highlight when celebrities have worn the brand. They also include illustrations from creatives such as Vincent Moustache.

Their Youtube account is extensive and features runway shows, backstage videos, inspiration, fashion films and show invitations. These videos invite people to explore the brand and help understand the aesthetic of the label.

For example, the SS17 Runway Show Invitation features Josep Font hand-embroidering a small flower onto some fabric, which is suggestive of a particular message; the effort that goes into each detail.

Furthermore, the video is edited into very muted tones, almost black and white, which gives the impression that the label is minimalist.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Project: Delpozo London. Gemma Balmford. 5th July 2016. http://www.retail-focus.co.uk/ projects/2087-project-delpozo-london New designer: Josep Font for Delpozo. Veronique Hyland. 28th May 2013. http://www.elle. com/fashion/news/a13745/fashion-designer-josep-font-delpozo-profile/ Meet The Man Behind Delpozo. Ella Alexander. 7th October 2013. http://www.vogue.co.uk/ article/josep-font-delpozo-interview ‘Indre Rockefeller to exit Delpozo’. Kristi Garced on June 25, 2015. http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/indre-rockefeller-delpozo-exit-10168927/ Fashion Marketing and the Consumption of Luxury Brands. Angella J. Kim (2012). http:// www.sciencedirect.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/science/article/pii/S0148296311003584 Get to know Delpozo Design, Josep Font. Sharon Feiereisen, November 13th 2014. http:// www.theukfashionspot.co.uk/runway-news/495699-get-to-know-delpozo-designer-josepfont/#/slide/1 K. McKelvey (2015). Textiles and Fashion: Materials, Design and Technology. Woodhead Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk/science/article/ pii/B9781845699314000301 Kapferer, J. N., & Bastien, V. (2009). The luxury strategy: Break the rules of marketing to build luxury brands. London: KoganPage.

All images sourced through Google Images and Pinterest.

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