Unit 11 and 12

UNIT 11&12

Task1

INDEPENDENT RETAILERS-BOUDOIR BOUTIQUE Independent retailer Boudoir Boutique is very much centred around the style of ‘Vintage Glamour’. This is clearly seen through their use of 1920’s dress styles, love of tassels and above all the attention to detail and embellishments. Their store can be found in Cavern Walks In Liverpool, amongst other high end stores such as Vivienne Westwood and Cricket. This establishes the couture aura of the store and the potential customers they are aiming towards. This is their only store and therefore all social media accounts are based around this store.

The store stocks a number of items including; Evening gowns, casual clothing, shoes including their iconic Inuit Sneaker and various accessories, mainly statement necklaces with semi precious stones. Embellishments are of upmost importance to this retailer, tassels, fringing, embroidery and gemstones can be seen strewn across the majority of their clothing. The individuality of the store is evident when scrolling through their social media accounts as they state ‘each stone is hand chosen individually to ensure no two necklaces are alike’ for their statement necklaces and describing new ranges as ‘exclusive digital print womenswear’.

Although the evening gowns and the décor of the store centres around vintage lux, lace and a feminine atmosphere, much of their new stock exerts a boho chic look offering loose fitting funnel sleeved dresses, tie dye tops and fringed jackets. In my opinion the store is almost a pick and mix of many different styles however all exert a high end look and alternative to the more accessible look of high street stores such as Topshop and Urban Outfitters.

The store offers around ‘20 labels’ selected by owner Louise Kavanagh and her team in store. These include the liked of Manoush, Finders Keepers, Forever Unique and even stretch to Dior and Comme des Garcons. The stores owner has a certain love for the British fashion and has a whole section of the store dedicated to the brand Barbour. Louise ‘attends Pure London but prefers to do most of her buying in showrooms or by dealing with brands directly.’ Average pricing ranges from £300-£500 however they also offer prom dresses and casual wear, targeted to a younger audience for as little as £65. Kavanagh states that she wants to give an ‘experience’ to shoppers through her store and that shoppers are likely to leave with ‘a dress and a lamp’ because ‘Everyone deserves a bit of glamour in their lives’. (Geoghegan et al., 2016)

Clothing

S T Y L E

Accessories

One of the main styles of clothing that is stocked in the store is evening gowns. These include floor length, designer inspired gowns with lace embellishments, cut out styles, and unique fits.

These dresses can be seen in so many different genres from 20’s pearl encrusted floor length shift dresses to Grecian inspired halter neck with gold neck details. These are described on the site to be ‘perfect for prom’ or alternatively for the races. If I was going to give the dresses an overall description I would say they were vintage inspired, heavily embellished gowns.

Shoes are imperative to the looks created in the store as they encapsulate the style most. Again, they are heavily embellished with studs, straps, fringing and elaborate rocks. They range from knee high boots to summer sandals and big evening heels. The shoes are exciting in their materials and their colours. The colours that are consistent throughout their shoe ranges are blacks, browns and above all metallic’s. The shoes are daring, with thick chunky soles, knee high fringing and especially the bright red studded court shoe. These shoes show how even basic styles can be dressed up to create a visually exciting shoe.

Although they begin with a basic design, gladiator sandals, court shoes trainers, the outcome of the designs are congruent of their clothing, unique and exerting distinction.

However, the store doesn’t simply offer evening attire, they also sell daytime wear, particularly showing a festival inspired look, perfect for summer. It is difficult to group these clothing styles into one simple genre as they give the impression of both a free spirited bohemian look, however a high maintenance party girl style can be spotted also. This ensures the store is versatile as it stocks a diverse range of clothing, on trend (from a number of eras) to attain a diverse range of customers, all looking for good quality, unique yet fashionable clothing.

A fringed shift dress paired with a pair of jewel encrusted black court shoes creates a relaxed, fun evening look. A metallic shoulder bag brings the outfit together taking it from the 1920’s and giving it a modern, on trend look.

For a more casual, everyday summer look, a neck embellished black loose blouse worn with denim shorts allows for a fashionable yet comfortable day look. By using a colourful overlay on the denim shorts, you can show your individuality and fun side. The embellished fedora is one of Boudoir Boutiques favourite summer pieces and is perfect for dressing up a practical accessory.

They also sell necklaces and bags, clutches in particular. Both of these give the feeling of reworked vintage antiques, being transformed into art that is accessible for this generation.

The necklaces are under the category of statement pieces. They are created using golds, bonzes and silvers as well as pearls, big jewels and stones and come together to create a necklace worthy of royalty.

Again, this shows how disparate each of their clothing types can be.

From glamorous gowns to floral chiffon kaftans to vintage statement jewellery.

ONLINE SITE Boudoir Boutique has more than one online platform, this includes a blog, giving monthly reviews deals, promotions and outfit ideas as well inspiration and descriptions into the process of choosing their stock. This offers a newsletter and a choice to subscribe to the site. This is a descriptive site however does not offer the customer anything in terms of quality, pricing and how the clothing will look on. It is also jumbled and is not consistent in when the posts are posted and months are often skipped.

The other site is more successful. It is a blog using a popular social media platform Tumblr. This gives daily inspiration of clothing and clothes that are arriving or already existing in store. It shows members of the shop showcasing these allowing the customer a better idea of what the clothing looks like. Not only this but it keeps the customer up to date with events and promotions that are going on in store. The blog also shows interesting posts of the dĂŠcor of their store showing beautiful furnishing and window and wall displays. This helps to build the overall feeling of the store and its unique style. It also helps to build the stores identity and what they as a retailer would like to be seen as.

For my Mid Term aims I have stated that I would hope to create an online outlet where customers are able to purchase their buys online, this would be in a similar style their blog as it would be visually appealing, with bright colouring to match the store and the logo. It would be easily accessible and have clear style, type and genre options to search for exactly what you wanted. It would not only sell clothing however, it would also offer furnishings and accessories which would have deals and offers, for example, there will be a ladies day offer, buy a Boudoir Boutique dress and get any clutch bag half price. These types of offers will be advertised on the online site making customers aware of the deals and encouraged to purchase both the dress and the bag.

VISUAL MERCHANDISING

The shop floor has a thrown together, low maintenance feel about it with décor and furniture pieces strewn around in a seemingly unorganised fashion. However at closer look, most of the clothing is actually organised into areas of style and colour. It further exerts the idea of vintage antiques with chests, decedent chandeliers and shrubbery.

The style of the décor is an urban fairy-tale look with large fairy print posters and renaissance horses with masquerade masks. The overall affect, a dream. Their ‘mission’ as stated on their Facebook page is ‘In here, life is beautiful’ and the stores layout certainly lives up to this. The ambient lighting paired with the wooden floorboards gives a relaxed feel, placing all emphasis on the colours and shaping of the clothing. This is the same with the almost dishevelled looking ceiling, the most high quality thing in the shop is actually the clothing.

The layout of the store also contains the theatricalities of the clothing. The style of clothes often favours big billowing skirts and ruffles, the glamourous mannequins with Venetian masks also give out this dramatic look to the customer, showing them what they can expect from the clothing.

COMPETITORS AND SURROUNDING AREAS Cavern Walks- Boudoir Boutique is located in the Cavern Walks in the heart of Liverpool’s shopping district, located on Matthew Street. This means that all stores that reside in this area are very similar in price however not necessarily in style. Its described as a ‘boutique shopping centre in the heart of Liverpool. Boutique retail is described as ‘a business serving a sophisticated or specialized clientele’ (Google.co.uk, 2016). This establishes the customer base as shopping for high end fashion, designer clothing that is both fashionable and high quality. This means that the stores that are here will be unique, desirable and competitive against one another. These stores include; Weavers Door Vivienne Westwood- This is obviously a high end designer shop, well known amongst fashionable and fashion conscious women and men. This means that it would act as a competitor to Boudoir Boutique. However Viv Westwood stocks much higher priced items therefore the Boudoir Boutique customer may only buy essential items in the store and not shop regularly. Cricket- Cricket is a store that stocks designer clothing, again ideal for the fashion conscious shopper. Currently the competition is not as much of a threat as they have dissimilar styles and therefore different customers shopping there. However for my range, the store Cricket poses a greater threat as it stocks both men’s wear and kid’s wear. This means that I will have to look into the styles pricing and quality of their stock when creating my range. This will be difficult as they stock designer clothes, often associated with high quality materials.

Competitors- Other shops in Liverpool that I will have to compete with for my customer will be TOPSHOP Boutique.

Topshop Boutique is a fashionable TOPSHOP range that offers high quality, fashionable designer inspired items for a higher price than your average TOPSHOP price tag. These include high couture turtle necks and over sized jumpers but also has daring outfit alternatives such as velvet pants in bright vibrant colours, satin floor length dresses and silky red tops. These are similar to the style of Boudoir Boutique as they are very dramatic in their style and also have loud colours that are attractive to the Boudoir Boutique customer. I would need to keep In mind that the price range of my collection will be significantly higher than that of TOPSHOP Boutique. However, the age range of my retailer is slightly younger than the student aimed marketing of the TOPSHOP customer. Even though this is true, I need to ensure that the ranges that I create are attractive and tailored to the needs of the Boudoir Boutique customer.

Task 3

CUSTOMER PROFILEEXISTING CUSTOMER The ideal female customer of the store enjoys dressing down as much as dressing down, they are a natural beauty who loves all things sparkly and eye catching. They like to be seen and make an entrance, known for their individual style they are willing to give most things a go. They are an activist for the people and enjoy the free living spirit of gypsies and hippies.

This is Jenna, she is 28 years old and has just graduated from the University of Liverpool studying Graphic design and has a keen eye for colours and shapes. For this reason she indulges in clothing and loves new innovative designs and styles. She loves the ‘wow factor’ in clothes and likes bold colours, bold designs inspired by high fashion designers. On a night out, she enjoys going all out. Big curly hair, bold makeup and lavish, extravagant dresses in her usual unique style. Usually she would shop for this in local Liverpool stores like The Dressing Room, Topshop’s boutique floor and Mark Melia. She enjoys horse-riding in her spare time and is always up for a scenic horse trail along the beach at Crosby with her boyfriend John. They often go on date nights together and his job in events planning means they are constantly attending balls, events and weddings. This means that both of them need to be conscious of there attire and need to have a good supply of evening wear that they can utilise when the time comes.

Their shared flat is styled to the max, and they both care about how they come across, even in their interior.

This is Jenna’s boyfriend John. He is an Events planner in Liverpool but comes from London, this means he is used to a fast paced way of life. His Dad is a banker and his mum is a stay at home mum, who John loves to spoil. He enjoys sushi and reading in his spare time, if he has any. He owns his own company doing various events in Liverpool including weddings, parties, christenings, proms and others. This means that he is very hands on and likes things to be orderly and run smoothly.

He often gets invited to these events and any follow up ones and has many contacts as a result of the nature of his work, this means that he is frequently going out to events. He brings Jenna with him and so they both often need to have coordinating or complimentary outfits, this is easiest to achieve when they can purchase these outfits from the same store.

They spend their spare time taking John’s niece and nephew out to the cinema, going for meals and other activities, sometimes they will even dress the five year old twins up and take them to the events with them.

BUSINESS PLAN Summary- I am hoping to introduce three new ranges in store in Boudoir Boutique, catering for Wedding and Event Wear. This will include decedent and extravagant items of clothing suitable for balls, evening events and weddings. The store already offer high quality gowns and dresses for women with other matching accessories, clutch bags, statements necklaces, and gorgeous fashionable heels. However they don’t stock men’s nor children's lines in the store. I’m aiming to bring in an event range for men, this will include high quality suits, bringing in the vintage style that already exists in store. This will include checked two piece suits, pinstripe patterned suits, and velvet blazers. Not only this, but as the store aims to offer an experience, I also am going to bring in cufflinks, neckties, packet squares and brogue style shoes. I also am hoping to introduce a girls range. For the girls range I will take similar ideas to pre existing components that are already available to women in Boudoir Boutique, this includes vibrant colouring, embroidery and embellishments. This Is ideal for a children’s range as its fun and cute however also shows off the styles that are important to Boudoir Boutique as a brand.

The three ranges will be linked in the fact the clothes will mimic a vintage dream with ruffles and velvet, with statement pieces. The stores existing strapline is ‘Divine Decadence Darling’, the definition for decadence is ‘excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury’, the range will exert this with excessive use of materials that are both luxurious and high quality, it will be visually appealing and a pleasure to wear.

It will be released for S/S17 as this is when a lot of weddings and other events occur such as the races and ladies day. This means that the clothing will be in demand. It is also good for S/S as a season as much of Boudoir Boutiques existing clothing is visually vibrant and floral often using pastel colours, perfect styles and colouring for S/S17.

Short term aims- In the short term, I am hoping to create and release the Women’s, Men’s and Kidswear Event wear ranges in store in Boudoir Boutique Liverpool in the Cavern Walks. This will be done in early March, in time for spring and the summer. I also hope to rework the décor and VM of the internal store, splitting it into Kids, Men's and Women's. This will be done by sectioning off the store into the individual components, Womenswear remaining the largest portion as it is primarily a womenswear store, however showcasing the two new ranges in a separate part of the floor space. This will be bought together with a scene using mannequins in the middle of the floor space, with a family in the new range, with the same vintage décor that can be seen throughout the store.

Mid term aims- Following the initial release of the range I would like to continue to create and bring in kidswear and menswear clothing for other seasons, beginning with A/W17. Through this I will be able to offer the same vintage glamour style to a whole new audience including whole families. Not only this but I would continue to sell furnishing items like couches, lamps but would also turn my attention to kids with rocking horses, playhouses and vanities. This means that I am broadening what it is I am offering to target customer however also begins to develop the store not only as a clothes retailer, but as a sort of department/family store, where you are able to pick up shop for a plethora of items. I would also hope to develop Louise Kavanaghs idea to become technological and to develop an online outlet for people to purchase our clothing.

Long term aims- In the long term I hope to have a fully functioning online digital store selling both clothing and furnishing. Not only this but I would like to open another two stores, one in Manchester and another in London. I think both of these UK cities have a fashion flare, and both are open-minded about high quality luxury fashion that is sold in Boudoir Boutique. The people here are known for their unique fashion, an ideal that means a lot to this independent store. Not only this but I would like to continue Boudoir Boutique’s VIP customer days. In December 2015, designer Zanda Rhodes came in store to Liverpool to interview and sign customers Zandra Rhodes bags. This encourages customer loyalty by offering these VIP days but also shows how we are connected to the fashion world, and care not only about the clothing but the places it comes from. For these VIP customer days, I hope to invite more independent designers in store for meet and greets and signings however would like to introduce less well known ones, giving them a chance to flourish and to be known.

COMPARATIVE SHOP- WOMEN'S S/S16 Product

Task 5

Cost and Retailer

Wash Care

Boudoir Boutique £210

100% Viscose

Boudoir Boutique £145

Boudoir Boutique £125

Boudoir Boutique £125

Product

Cost and Retailer Boudoir Boutique £195

Boudoir Boutique £195

Boudoir Boutique £45

Boudoir Boutique £65

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

Product

Cost and Retailer Boudoir Boutique £425

Boudoir Boutique £140

Boudoir Boutique £125

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

Product

Cost and Retailer

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

£385 Flannels

100% rabbit fur Specialist Fur Clean Only

£265 Flannels

Dry Clean Only Lace: 50% viscose, 50% polyamide

£285 Flannels

Dry Clean Only 70% acetate, 30% viscose

£220 Flannels

Hand Wash Only 100% cotton

Product

Cost and Retailer

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

£133 Flannels

Machine Washable 72% nylon, 28% elastane

£81 Flannels

Dry Clean Only 96% polyamide, 38% viscose, 2% elastane

£165 Flannels

Hand Wash Only 100% wool

£140 Flannels

Dry Clean Only 100% polyester

Product

Cost and Retailer

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

£90 Flannels

Dry Clean Only 65% viscose, 31% polyester, 4% elastane

£59 Flannels

Machine Washable 100% polyester

£60 Flannels

Dry Clean Only Shell: 80% Acrylic, 20% Polyester

£113 Flannels

Machine Washable 100% Ramie

Product

Cost and Retailer

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

TOPSHOP Boutique £120

Dry Clean Only 96% Wool, 4% Elastane

TOPSHOP Boutique £160

Dry Clean Only 86% Viscose, 14% Polyamide

TOPSHOP Boutique £95

Dry Clean Only 100% Nylon

TOPSHOP Boutique £60

Machine Washable 63% Viscose, 37% Nylon.

Product

Cost and Retailer

Wash Care and Fabric Composition

TOPSHOP Boutique £95

Dry Clean Only 100% Silk

TOPSHOP Boutique £60

Machine Wahsable 63% Viscose, 37% Nylon

TOPSHOP Boutique £49

Machine Washable 100% Polyester

TOPSHOP Boutique £245

Specialist Leather Clean Only 100% Leather

COMP SHOP EVALUATION As these retailers, Flannels and TOPSHOP Boutique, are high quality shops with a designer label, they are already well known to offer high quality items, this accounts for the good quality materials used in the clothing; cotton, leather and silk. This already establishes competition as I will need to offer an equally high quality appeal to my clothes ensuring that I use robust and decedent materials for example silk, velvet and heavy embroidery. The prices range from £65-£425, my clothing would be priced at a more affordably price ranging from £80-£200 from accessories to statement dresses.

The styles seen in all of the items are flashy, glamourous and especially flamboyant in the TOPSHOP Boutique items such as the leather sack dress. This is similar to the style that I am aiming towards in my women's range as this is similar to the current Boudoir Boutique style. They offer clothing that stands out from the crowd however from the comp shop I can see that similar retailers on the high street do this aswell. This means that I will need to ensure that I add an extra flare to my women's collection, convincing consumers that we are ahead of other designer brands, offering new and innovative occasion wear.

The target market I am aiming towards is young women aged 20-27. The ranges from Flannels are I feel aimed at an older target market as the shapes could be described as modest, classy and frumpy. This means that they are not much of a competitor towards me and I will know to not use these designs in my range.

The colouring is mainly dull colours for the Flannels clothing, blues, greys blacks and whites. Although a lot of my range will be neutrals I aim to include pops of colour like purple and pinks, this will add an extra flare to my range encouraging consumers to buy from me opposed to other retailers like Flannels.

TASK 6-PURE TRADE SHOW 'Pure London is the UK’s leading fashion trade show which takes place twice a year in London Olympia'(Anon, 2017) Trade shows are useful for buyers at they help them to discover new brands and sources to buy products and materials from. This helps them to find and build relationships that will aid them throughout their buying careers. Trade shows like Pure are large and therefore stock a variety of fashion clothing ranging from casual wear to occasion wear in different styles and fits. There are over 1000 different brands and during the trade shows there are seminars, catwalk shows and styling workshops. As they are paired with WGSN the products are at the forefront of trends and are a good way to identify popular trends for the next season.

Brand- Ella Boo; 'We are a fashion wholesale business, with a range of brands to suit different audiences and occasions.'

This brand offers different styles of occasion wear including two pieces and dresses. These are mostly in bright and vibrant colours including blues, pinks and yellows. This means that they are ideal for spring summer, necessary for my collection. However for my collection I want to offer exciting fits and cuts and the majority of the clothing on offer from Ella Boo are A-line dresses and tight fit mid length skirts. This is boring and does not fit in with my target market. Boudoir Boutique are known for their interesting and unconventional styles, therefore I don't feel they would work for my retailer

Brand- James Lakeland; 'The James Lakeland brand is 20 years old and has a strong hold in its cut and design. The collection offers unique dresses with a twist in contrasting textures, sophisticated neck lines and on the pulse designs in knitwear, coats and wardrobe staples. James has adapted into the ever evolving fashion market and has created a unique stand out collection. James Lakeland, a niche brand appealing to women who are contemporary, fashionable and who appreciate quality and design at affordable price points.' This brand offers both bold prints and bold colours, similar to those seen in existing ranges for my retailer, the designs are also different to others on the market for example the blush cross over dress and the high necked sleeve dress. These are the type of different designs that are seen in Boudoir Boutique, offering an alternative to the more plain items seen on the market. I would buy from this retailer because of this. My target market is similar to the one stated in their description, indeed I am looking to appeal to the 'contemporary, fashionable' woman.

Brand- Linea Raffaelli; 'Elegant, Chic Luxurious Our special occasion-wear made in soft coloured fabrics, completed with the finest accessories, lace and applications.'

This brand is too sophisticated and classic for my retailer. The shapes are too plain and boring offering A-line skirts, fitted blazer jackets in dull creams and whites. This has a completely different age group in my opinion as the clothing seems very modest and covered up, more appealing to a woman in her 30's-40's, not a younger woman like my target market. All the clothing on offer is very similar and none stands out visually to me, this is contrasted to the clothing in Boudoir Boutique which is positively eye catching. This is not an appropriate brand for my retailer.

CORIDAKNIT DESIGN SRL are a design company based in Bucharest. Their designs centre around 3D florals, bight contrasting colours and wool. They mainly stock accessories such as bags, gloves and scarves however they also create unique knitted dresses. ‘Bits of knit, crochet, felt and nuno-felt are used to bring back a warm, bright and sophisticated look to her contemporary designs.’ This is very different to my range at Boudoir Boutique as I am preparing an S/S range, however the 3D floral scarves are light and vibrant, an ideal accessory for spring, light but still practical for occasion wear. Not only this but the applique black floral clutch also fits in well with the innovative and unique designs found in Boudoir Boutique. Therefore I may be inclined to source from this designer for accessories rather than garments.

The Ottoman Collection -’Neither a robe nor a kimono, an Ikat Pasha or silk Sultini & Sultana, where passion meets purity; for breakfast, boardroom or a banquet.’

This designer uses lots of patterning and contrasting colours evoking a Turkish design, full of culture. This would deter me from sourcing from this brand as the shapes are too loose and modest for my collection. However the silver silk dress does exert high quality and trendy clothing therefore I may be inclined to look into their clothing for their use of high quality materials. Despite not being a brand I would source my current occasion wear range from, if Boudoir Boutique where to in the future need a outer wear brand to source from, I would look into this brand. Their coats are stylish and practical while looking sophisticated and fashionable.

Boudoir BoutiqueCurrent Range Mood Board

Task 8

WOMENSWEAR CONCEPT S/S17 My initial concept I would like to take for my womenswear collection Is vintage with modern day reworked glamour, particularly shown through experimentation with embroidery and texture. This would include sheath and netting overlays, embossed materials and mix and matching materials such as velvet with cotton.

On WGSN I found a womenswear textiles trend that I think I will use in my collection. The concept encapsulates the vintage, dreamlike essence I want my occasion wear to have, loose fitting materials and playful textures, perfect for spring/summer, but then also brings in the new and technical side to clothing with pearlised materials, embossed fabrics and textures cotton creating new looks with already existing materials. It is described on WGSN as ‘calm and sensually feminine with the simple technical and stripped back for an elevated approach to understated luxury’. This is exactly the effect I want to give within my range of extravagance and of giving the customer something extra.

The shapes and styles of the clothing will maximise the use of materials allowing them to be almost repurposed into new designs. For example exciting shapes and layering to create a textures effect as seen on the dress on the left. This can be done with organza and other light materials, perfect for spring. Not only this but two pieces are often neglected as occasion wear however the matching top and bottom combo can be a winner as it strays from the normal full length dress however still can achieve the same luxurious effect. Other styles I would include in my womenswear collection is winged arms and shoulders. This is a timeless look and certainly is a vintage look, however it is also glamourous especially when embellishments such as pearls or garnets are added. As well as this ruffles and pleats will be present on the clothing, both feminine and timeless.

In terms of colouring for the collection, I want to keep the existing bold and vibrant colours of Boudoir Boutiques collections, pinks, purples blues and greens however I want to twist these into a more relaxed state toning them down into more neutralised versions such as forest green, deep purples, nude pinks and peach tones. This keeps the idea of a s/s collection however allows for a more vintage feel to the clothing.

Although this may feel as if using less pronounced colours may detract from the statement making effect of Boudoir Boutique clothing, by adding patterns and graphic designs, the same effect can be achieved.

Trend Forecasting Report: Vintage Influences- Past ranges

One of Boudoir Boutiques biggest influences shown through their past ranges is ‘vintage glamour’. This includes tassels, showing a 1920’s influence, pearls and loose fitting clothing, again showing the 20’s and 30’s flapper style dresses. However as the brand is known for its vibrant eye catching looks, they often pair these with statement jewellery and accessories like bright shoes and clutch bags as these add the classic zest to the basic outfits. Embellishments are also essential to this concept of vintage glamour using tassels, pearls and lacy designs in floral shapes and patterns. Sheer materials also add a classic look when layered giving the effect of a vintage dream. These are some of the concepts that I will be building on for my occasion wear range.

One of the trends that came through for S/S17 was pink. The colour is perfect for spring summer and is so versatile because of the wide range of shades that can be created in clothing. It compliments other colours perfectly especially toned down nudes all the way to black.

Light, delicate and translucent materials are another big trend from S/S17. The looseness of the material suits many shapes and sizes and also allows for comfort in the summer months. Its classy and feminine and works well with Boudoir Boutiques brand identity as they enjoy layering.

Ruffles are a classic summer look as they give a feminine look but they also give a visually appealing look. They can add an extra something to a boring design with ruffles sleeves or a ruffled hem. This evokes a similar design to 1930’s dresses using layered ruffles instead of fringing for a flapper girl dress.

Women's Trend Forecasting Plumage Plumage is a big trend for S/S17 and keeps mainly to trims on cuffs and hems. On Vogue.com it warns ‘Just ensure your choice of feathers is light and preferably pastel.’ This is because feathers are a bold fashion statement as it is and can be seen as overdoing it so my keeping the feathering light it creates a nice effect without taking over the rest of the outfit. (Ogunnaike, 2017) The trend was evident especially in the Prada Spring collection.

Elle.com described the collection as ‘70’s inspired’ and that this era ‘shaped’ the entire collection.

For my collection I would definitely incorporate the use of feathering into my clothing as it is feminine and delicate, works well with the season but also runs with the concept of my collection’s vintage feel, as these are said to be 70’s inspired however can be seen as far back as the 18th + 19th century when women would wear feathering in their bonnets as a sign of wealth and beauty

Ruffles Ruffles where a trend that first became popular in S/S16 however has remained strong coming into S/S17. They can be used subtly, similarly to the plumage on hems and cuffs or can be used I the while outfit, for example skirts and skirting of dresses by layering the material. Both of these create a feminine look.

‘The SS17 show season has come to an end and a clear trend from the catwalks is the ruffle.

Big, small, neat or in disarray, clean lines have been banished from many a brand's silhouette, as this season looks set to embrace a more playful, feminine way of dressing. Ruffle up, we're in for a wavy ride.’ (Cooper, 2017)

WOMENS CATWALK TREND http://www.vogue.co.uk/shows/spring-summer-2017-ready-to-wear/kenzo/ Kenzo S/S17-The Kenzo S/S17 ready to wear collection was a eclectic array of fashion, from denim on denim, metallics, overpowering sequins to midi knit dresses, flamboyant pink dresses and above all a military undertone, the line up of clothing on offer was without a solid theme. Vogue.com described the collection as a ’disco-tactic with a line up of embellished slip dresses and mini tank dresses strewn in noisy outsize palettes’. The main trends that can be extracted from the collection were military, seen through the straight boxy silhouettes, khaki green and cream colouring and modest shaping. Denim also came through as a big trend throughout the catwalk show, billowing denim tops paired with simple denim shorts, denim dresses but always denim on denim, a daring look in itself. This is a fashion trend that will never be out of fashion and is always expected in S/S. However contrasting to patterns seen in other catwalk shows for S/S17, there was seldom any pink in the Kenzo’s S/S17 collection with the colour trend being paid homage to in both the makeup of the models and the accessories on show. Sequins were seen throughout the show, along with the metallics a less frequently seen trend for S/S17, following on nicely from the A/W16 trend of metallics.

Task 10

Women’s Mood Board: Shape- Ruffles Ruffles have been a trend that has been seen in the past, particularly in A/W16 however it has followed into S/S17 perfectly with big billowing sleeves, layered sheer material and ruffled hems giving a dreamlike, summer trend. The best colouring used for this trend is pinks/neutrals allowing the delicateness of the shape to be seen. The effect of the layering of materials is almost petal like, a floral shape for spring is ideal. This trend is especially perfect for an occasion wear range as it adds a flare to dresses and two pieces and give an extravagant effect on outfits with the surplus of material used to create the look.

Women’s Wear Concept Board The concept of this board is ‘vintage glamour’ adopting the ideas of existing ranges in Boudoir Boutique. This takes ideas from the 50’s and 60’s taking the style from icons and starlets of the time like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. As my range is occasion wear, the over the top style of embellishments and pearls works perfectly for the range as it works in a number of environments from weddings to christenings.

The colours used are neutrals and soft tones of purples and pinks. These colours all compliment each other and work well for a S/S collection.

The images I sourced where from Pinterest and help to portray the vintage feel of the range.

OVERALL TRENDS WOMEN’S S/S17 The overall trends for S/S17 for womenswear is a dreamlike, feminine, delicate clothing style. This includes both colour and material as both are loose and light, the sheer trends seen at Alberta Ferretti the material is loose and floaty giving interesting shapes to the clothing. However a contrasting trend of metallics, military style clothing and sequins undoubtedly are also big trends for this season Sheer has remained a loved material to use on the catwalk for S/S17 but may have become more developed than simple chiffon dresses. The materials that were shown included netting, Perspex, lace and crochet. This is ideal for spring summer as it is loose material but also can be layered to create a new summer look.

Colour wise, there was a mix between dark deep colours like purple and deep blue tones however pink was certainly an evident favourite for S/S17. The shades ranged from a deep fuchsia to a feminine pastel blush colour. This is ideal for S/S as it is a classic summery tone and can be played around with regarding tone. Other colours that have been prominent in S/S17 have been khaki, cream and vibrant purple.

In terms of shapes, ruffles and oversized shouldering and sleeving have been very prominent on the catwalk of S/S17. The large oversized shouldered coats and blazers seen at Celine and Balenciaga where a ‘revival’ of the classic 80’s style and give a playful look to an otherwise boring piece of clothing.

CUSTOMER PROFILE WOMEN’S This is Mia, she’s 26 years old and works as a hairdresser in Liverpool. She has been hairdressing for four years and co-owns an independent salon in Liverpool, and specialises in big up do's and curly blows; she has always believed that bigger is better. She loves shopping and believes that details are what fashion is all about. Her favourite things to buy are jewellery, shoes and bags, clutches in particular as she is always known to be up for a night out.

She is seen out often with her gay best friend, Joshua who she takes out with her to help with style advise. Her favourite designers are Chanel and Fendi and she loves the classiness of Chanel’s designs; the lace, florals and neutral colouring. She listens to charts music mainly but also loves The Beatles and other old style music as her dad used to play it for her when she was younger.

As she has a very large family (even when not including her boyfriends family) she is often invited to events and family do’s including weddings, birthdays, christenings, any excuse for a party! Because of this she is always on the lookout for stylish occasion wear clothes and loves big sweeping gowns and above all pearls, first introduced to her by her mother.

COMP SHOP-MEN’S S/S16 Product

Cost/Retailer

Fabric Composition

Ted Baker £447

•Fabric Content: Shell: 100% Wool; Body Lining: 100%

Ted Baker £275

100% Wool; Shell Lining: 100%

Ted Baker £157

100% Cashmere

Product

Cost/Retailer

Fabric Composition

Flannels (Canali) ÂŁ900

40% Wool, 35% silk, 25% linen

Flannels ÂŁ495

100% wool; Lining: 100% viscose

Flannels (Vivienne Westwood)

100% cotton

Product

Cost/Retailer

Fabric Composition

Hugo Boss £530

98% Cotton, 2% Elastane, Lining: 100% Viscose

Hugo Boss £430

100% Virgin wool, Lining: 100% Viscose

Hugo Boss £109

100% Cotton

Product

Retailer/Price

Fabric Composition

Vivienne Westwood £119

100% Cotton

Vivienne Westwood £180

100% Cotton

Vivienne Westwood £138

100% Wool

Comp Shop Evaluation

Most of the clothing on offer for menswear in terms of occasion wear gives men a bland choice of plain block coloured three piece suits. This is unappealing and boring, certainly for the spring and summer seasons. This would not appeal to many men that want to show their true colours or play around with styles and fits therefore I have identified a gap in the market where I can style a new more playful range for men’s occasionwear Although Hugo Boss and Vivienne Westwood's clothing was visually unstimulating, Ted Baker showed some exciting designs shown through their hidden images in the lining of the blazers. This included a bookshelf and the other a floral design. This is the type of fun look that I am hoping to bring into my range and therefore I need to be aware that Ted Baker may be my biggest competition on the market.

I intend to use designs similar to the stripy shirts seen on Vivienne Westwood pieces however instead of using the classic colours of black, navy and white, I would like to bring in more intense colours like reds, purples and greens. Not only this but none of the retailers offer much in terms of accessories, I will use accessories like pocket squares and braces in bright colours and patterns to appeal to a new range of male customer.

In terms of quality, the materials used in the items from the comp shop were highest quality and they included; virgin wool, silk, cotton and cashmere, these are therefore the types of qualities that my target customer is used to receiving and because of that I will have to match the quality in my collection. This however is alright as I am pricing my range at the top end of the middle, ranging from ÂŁ80-200, this means I can show quality for the price I am charging.

MEN’S CONCEPT S/S17 This concept board concentrates around the main concept of the collection which for me is patterns, in particular stripes and chequer. The colours I found where mainly neutral colours, beiges and pastels however I’ve included a mustard yellow and navy blue, colours that stand out which would be integrated into the designs giving them a summery look. This colour palate was sourced from WGSN and the mood was described as ‘comfort and simplicity’ both of which I want to come through in my collection. (Wgsn.com, 2017)

TREND FORECASTING

From Vogue.com I found that patterned suits where projected to be popular for S/S17 menswear. This included pinstriped suit and pant combo’s and chequered jackets and pants in dullish colours. This would be ideal for my menswear collection as I wanted the range to be strayed from the norm, no block colouring but patterns and prints.

Most of the colours I intend to use in the menswear collection will be beige’s cream’s, blues and greys.

These may seem more like A/W colours but they exert the vintage old style suits that I want my items to exert while allowing the consume to concentrate more on the unusual designs and pairing of patterns rather than the colours. This draws attention to the uniqueness of the suits and not simply the colours.

Building on the ideas of prints and patterns, in particular, the stripy idea, I would like to experiment with the width, pairing and colouring of my stripes. This adds an interesting look to the suits and as I intend to use duller colours I will use the out there designs to fit the needs of S/S17 occasion wear.

To forecast future trends, I also looked into menswear street style. This included many styles many of which I would be unable to use in my range as they are casual and unsuitable. These include; reworked sportswear, and logo t-shirts.

However one street style for S/S17 that I would like to use in my collection is the neck tie. These add a certain zest to otherwise boring outfits and I feel hold a large amount of personality, essential for the type of man that I would like to be targeting for my range. Other accessories that I would like to include in the range would be tote bags, braces, and brooches. Brooches are a big S/S17 trend and are also very formal, ideal for an occasion wear range. They can bring a whole outfit together with one colour or design.

Men's Trend Forecasting A colour trend that I found on Vogue.com was yellow. For my collection I would like to incorporate yellow into my designs as I am using mainly A/W colours like browns, creams and deep blues. By using yellows I can brighten up the designs while also pairing colours off with each other to create a fresh look. The tones I would be more inclined to use would be mustard yellows opposed to sunshine yellow as it compliments other colours I am using in my clothing.

Following on from the decision to use patterns, stripes, checker and pinstripe, WGSN built on this with the trend of the ‘contrast pattern suit’. This is an exciting and visually appealing development on the simple patterned suits as it allows you to experiment with design and the compatibility of certain shapes when paired together. This is something I would like to look into for my collection as the men I am hoping to appeal to are fashion forward thinkers who are looking for new innovative styles such as these. The fact these are suits orientated is also ideal for my range as it is appropriate for occasion wear.

MEN’S CATWALK TREND The Balmain menswear S/S17 collection was riddled with bright colours, daring combinations and holey knitwear. The main colours from the collection were rust orange, turquoise, electric blue and khaki green. These colours were paired off together in duos and triplets, creating a visually exciting experience. This embodies spring summer with a refreshing take on colour blocking.

The shapes were mainly loose fitting long line jackets, tight fitted pants and above all, layering. Similar to womenswear trends of S/17, denim on denim was also a big trend in this collection. Embellishments and embroidery was also noticeable in the collection primarily on jackets, blazers and tops. This created a Moroccan look, along with the colouring used to create this. A particularly interesting trends for Balmain was their use of colour blocking in an almost Aztec design using loose knit items of clothing. This mixed two different designs we usually wouldn’t see paired off and gave an interesting and summery look. Knitwear itself is a difficult fabric to use for an S/S17collection as it mustn't be too heavy for the season, by using loose knitting items with bright colouring this assured that the look would be appropriate for a spring/summer trend.

MEN’S MOOD BOARD: PATTERNSSTRIPES&CHECKERS This mood board clearly shows how the pairing off of two dissimilar patterns can create a fresh effect rather than the boring look that has been used in the past when creating suits of one pattern e.g. pinstripe suits. The colouring is basic with blues and browns, this would be different in my collection as I would add subtle yellow hues into the clothing.

OVERALL TRENDS MENSWEAR S/S17 A large portion of Menswear for S/S17 included a revitalisation of the 90’s.

This included shell suits, baggy jumpers and bright, contrasting patterning. This is a trend that will continue to come in and out of fashion in some terms one that has not actually left in the fact that we still often see shell jackets, logo/patterned jumpers and old style trainers wherever we look. Another trend that ties in well with the 90’s is sportswear as everyday wear. This included sports branded clothing such as Umbro and Fila and a plethora of collaborations.

Patterning also was a big trend for menswear, including stripes, checker and camouflage. This is an interesting trend as it allows for the wearer to experiment with pairing different patterns to create a fresh look. The stripes also give a French/Parisian look to the clothing, magnified with the nautical accents in Gucci and Topman clothing including neckties, thick striping and anchors.

Unusually, the colouring seen for S/S17 were creams, forest greens, beiges and navy blues. Considering these are quite dull colours it is a strange choice for these to be the most obvious colouring in the clothing.

However, there was a splash of colour throughout my trend spotting, this included reds and yellows. The contrast between these two colours is interesting and allows for the brighter colours to really stand out in the clothes.

Accessories was also a key trend, this included the backpack, the bucket hat and the cap. These are trends again that stem particularly from the 90’s, especially a festival feel.

CUSTOMER PROFILE MEN’S This is Jacob, he’s 23 years old and studied law at University of Manchester. He now works at an independent law firm in the heart of Liverpool. Despite being deeply involved and passionate in his job, he is not he classic lawyer type, he likes everything that is different and bright and always manages to sneak in a patterned tie or bright socks into his suit in work. He is the youngest in the law firm and brings a zest to the rest of the team, he is loud and outspoken. He has been seeing his boyfriend Michael for 3 years, the two of them met in university.

They are very similar in their style and like to be individual in the way they dress and act. He loves Lady Gaga because of her unique style, despite the backlash she gets from the media, something he feels that he can relate to in the office.

He also likes to listen to Alicia Keys and Beyonce as they are strong independent women which he respects. On his days off and at the weekends he and Michael enjoy visiting art galleries and shows as they appreciate art and support aspiring artists. He himself also draws and paints in his spare time, that is if he gets any. He is a big family man and has a large family also, they spend all holidays together and make a big fuss about the tiniest achievement meaning he often has places to be and celebrations to attend with Michael. He likes to shop at Topman, although he hates the dull everyday jeans and t-shirt combo that they promote. He loves ASOS as they have exciting designs in their suit ranges and their clothing in general, something he finds hard to see in other shops like Burton and Hugo Boss.

Product

Retailer/Price

Fabric Composition

Kids Cavern (Vivetti) £170.00

97% Cotton 3% Elastane

Kids Cavern (MSGM) £121.00

N/A

Kids Cavern (Moschino) £71.00

100% Cotton

Product

Retailer/Price

Fabric Composition

Kids Cavern (Paul Smith) £69.00

100% Cotton

Kids Cavern (Ralph Lauren) £45.00

100% Cotton

Kids Cavern (Paul Smith) £72.00

100% Cotton

Kids Wear- Girls, Trend Forecasting

Embroidery is an evident trend that can be seen frequently in trend reports for S/S17 kids wear. This is good for a kidswear range as it us very playful and appealing to the eye, enhancing the cuteness and natural loveablitiy of babies and toddlers. The colours that work best are bright, vibrant colours such as pinks, electric blues, yellows and reds. This is because the brightness of the colouring against the material allows the intricate details of the designs to be seen, making them pop and stand out.

As the range will be for girls aged 0-5 years, the clothing will be little dresses, skirts and jackets. The designs that will be on the clothing pieces will be floral and delicate designs. This is very feminine and perfect for spring/summer.

Pom Pom’s and Tassels create an almost Boho, festival look, a novel choice for such a young age group. However this is still an embellishment and is playful and trendy. The 3D look adds some fun to the kidswear clothes.

KIDS WEAR-GIRLS TREND FORECASTING One of the colour influences for S/S17 kids wear that I found on WGSN was ‘Infusion’. This consists of neutrals, pale blues and other pastel colours. This is perfect for a S/S kids wear range as it is young and fresh with relaxing and calming tones, described by WGSN as ‘harmonious’.

These colours are also ideal for creating designs on top of foe example embellishments and embroidery. As the colours are not very vibrant this allows for any designs on the surface to pop and be really exaggerated.

Kidswear Mood BoardColours There were two colour ways for this seasons kids wear.

There was a pastel/relaxed tones colour pallet, consisting of pastel blues, pinks and browns, forest greens and a flash of colour in orange and red. This is ideal for kids wear, particularly in my age range of 0-5 years as it is comforting and calm colours, and leaves allowance to build on these colours with embellishments and embroidery meaning these will not be overpowered by the initial colours of the clothing. The other colour palette that I found for S/S17 was a bright, vibrant array of colours including bright pinks, blues yellows and reds. These are classic colours for a tropical summery look and also playful in their vibrance. I would personally adopt both of these colours ways for my kids wear range, the softer tones for a base colour for my clothing and the brighter colours for embroidery in floral patterns and Aztec patterns, along with pom pom’s and tassels.

OVERALL TRENDS KIDSWEAR S/S17 The trends for kids wear S/S17 are a mixture of both bright and subtle tones in terms of colour palettes.

On one hand we have the neon, vibrancy of pinks, blues and yellows coming through with the trend of graphic contrasts in kids clothing, however on the other hand a strong delicate watercolour feel comes through in retailers like EMC and PLAYUP. This creates a free spirited feel with beiges, powder pinks and blues.

In terms of pattern and design, the jungle theme along with a hint of florals is obvious within kids wear this season. This includes again, a wide spectrum within this design ranging from delicate flowers with sequin applique, to bold foliage and exotic animals. This is ideal for kids as it is visually playful and exciting but also fits the season in both colour and concept.

As well as this design, there is another prominent concept shown through mainly girls wear with a boho, festival chic vibe. This includes Aztec print embroidery, pom poms and tassels.

General embroidery is a big trend in kidswear, on jackets, dresses, jumpers and even accessories like bags. This can add colour to an otherwise boring piece and also adds life and personality to clothing.

Shapes for kidswear S/S17 include shift dresses with frilled and ruffled hems, ruffled arms and tulle skirting. This was mainly for girls wear and is ideal for summer as it is loose and girly. Bomber jackets were also a frequently seen shape in kidswear. These are a good choice of outerwear for S/S as they can be made of looser materials like silk or organza. This means they can accommodate the transition from autumn to spring while also being comfortable throughout the summer months.

Kids Wear: Girls Concept Board

The concept for the Girls wear range focusses on details of clothing, in particular embroidery, a prominent trend I found on WGSN for children’s wear. This allows fairly plain garments in the colours chosen; pastel pink, purple, blue, beige and green, to be transformed into a more playful and eye-catching style. The use of tassels and pompom’s builds on this also, giving more life to the outfits. The childish designs are ideal for young children. I found the colour palette from WGSN also and I chose it for its S/S qualities and the vibrant qualities it possessed.

The name I chose to call the range was ‘Embroidered Fun’. This clearly showed the concept of the collection as it centres around the use of embroidery but also shows the childlike characteristics of the clothes as they aim to be fun shown through the designs of the embroidery on the clothes. Such designs will include, rainbows, florals and swirly abstract shaping.

CUSTOMER PROFILE KIDS-WEAR This is Kelly 28 and her daughter Molly, who is 2 years old. She is in part time work as a secretary for a beauticians, this means that she is a full time mum and constantly busy.

She is engaged to Mike, they have been together for 7 years, he is an engineer for Ferrari and often spoils his two girls to holidays and luxury clothing.

Kelly loves to dress Molly in cute dainty dresses but also loves to add her own style in to her daughters clothing, this includes tassels and bright colouring as she loves vibrant clothing for herself. As she is very busy she likes going to shops where she is able to buy both her clothing and Molly’s clothing, she finds that there are only few places where this can occur, her favourite is Zara. Kelly loves the idea of children's clothing that is similar to her own clothes and loves the classy yet playful style in Zara.

DIRECTIONAL SHOP Boudoir BoutiqueGraphic print, red wrap over, loose fitting midi dress.

Clinched waistband detail. £210

Task 12 Vivienne Westwood- Side slit burgundy, crossover, ruched waist midi dress.

68% viscose, 28% polyamide, 4% elastane. Made in Italy. Dry clean only. £265

Lanvin- orange-red colouring, 100% viscose, material gathering at right shoulder, tulip hem sitting above left knee. £2011Orange

draped faux-wrap dress. Bold

Boudoir Boutique, one shoulder, above the knee black and gold long sleeved dress £144

Jessica Howard, glitter shift dress in black and gold.

Nylon/spandex, scoop neckline above the knee. Three quarter sleeves, exposed zip.

Dry Clean Only £84.38

Love Moschino clinched waist logo print, black and gold patterned dress.

Above the knee, similar to the Boudoir Boutique dress, 100% polyester £174

Lafayette, shift dress with gold leaf details. Concealed zip, sleeveless with a round neck. Cotton/Polyamide.

Imported, Dry Clean only.

Same black and gold colouring, similar length. £299.20

Boudoir Boutique Strapless, frilled top, midi dress.

Bright red, tight fitted £125

Likely Draped ruffle strapless with non slip rubber binding at top hem. Hidden Zip. Dry Clean only, Imported from China 73% polyester/22% rayon/5% spandex £143.95

Camilla and Mark Off-the-Shoulder Popover Sheath Dress, Red. Strapless neckline, sheath silhouette, hidden back zip. 100% Polyester Dry Clean only, imported £425

Badgley Mischka Off-the-Shoulder Pleated Stretch Crepe Cocktail Dress, Red. Off the shoulder neckline, sheath silhouette, hidden back zip.

Polyester/spandex. Imported £468

Boudoir Boutique Strapless black jumpsuit with ruffles neckline, cropped at the ankles, slim fit legs £125

Diane von Furstenberg "Olivi" jumpsuit in stretch wool, strapless neckline, seam under bust, satin band across waist, slim fit on the leg, cropped above ankle, wool/spandex. Dry Clean only, imported Itallian material £381

Michelle Mason Strapless jumpsuit Hidden back zip, loose fitting, side slit pockets• Self & Lining: 100% silk •Contrast Fabric: 62% rayon 30% nylon 8% spandex Made in China, Dry Clean only £477.24

Roland Mouret Off the shoulder, stretch knit neckline w/peplum waist.

Exposed zip fastening at side 63% Viscose, 34% acetate, 3% elastane Straight leg trousers Dry Clean Only £1550

Boudoir Boutique White skater dress with cut out waist and chest detail Short sleeved mini dress £195

BCBGMAXAZRIA White sleeveless, skater dress Mid thigh length Lace overlay detail 100% Cotton, LiningPolyamide Dry Clean Only

Victoria Beckham Ecru wool, cotton and silk blend V-neck skater dress Clinched waist Concealed zip at back Dry Clean Only £880

Mugler Cut out detail stretch crepe dress Concealed side zip with hook and clasp Asymmetric hem, fully lined •95% viscose, 5% elastane; 57% viscose, 43% polyester Made in France Dry Clean Only £1225

Boudoir Boutique Two piece, midi skirt and long sleeved cropped high neck Blue and white vintage pattern £195

St John Blue floral jasmine dress.

Knit dress, abstract floral pattern, scoop neck, sleeveless.

Rayon/Wool/Polyester/Poly amide Imported Dry clean only £884

Oscar de la Renta Textured stretch-cotton, navy floral pattern print, pleated skirt adds to silhouette Jewel neck, sleeveless, front button closure with hidden placket Side seam pockets 99% Cotton 1% elastase Dry clean only Italy £1824 Oscar de la Renta White and blue, cotton blend and silk floral pattern dress Knee length, mid sleeve, split neck detail Lining- 100% silk Composition- 10% Nylone 29% Polyester 61% Cotton Dry clean only Italy £2840

Boudoir Boutique Black halter neck, mini skater dress Floral embroidery/patter ned overlay Sleeveless Oriental style floral pattern £45

Asos Premium Mini embroidered dress Embroidered cotton, high neck Button-keyhole back with concealed zip Slim fit, mini 100% Cotton Hand Wash Only £75

Temperley London Sailor embroidered cotton, silk blend, mini dress Black cotton and silk blend faille Concealed hook and zip fastening at back 62% cotton, 38% silk; lining: 92% silk, 8% elastane Dry clean Only £648

Herdem Embroidered silk organza mini dress Button and zip fastening at the back Vibrant floral embroidery, entire dress Made in the UK Dry clean Only £1288

Boudoir Boutique Box shouldered, black mini skater dress with tulle underskirt Wide shoulders with plumage detail, clinched waist and structured skirt £65

Ted Baker Lace bodice, round neckline black.

Structured material, skater dress style reaching to mid thigh.

Zip and button fastening at back.

Pleated design 100% Polyester. Dry Clean Only £83.00

Claudie Pierlot Stretch knit fabric with a fit and flare skater skirt. Tonal stripe detailing, black, round neckline, short sleeves.

63% viscose, 37% nylon Hand Wash £119.50

Theory Black with white lining.

Stretch skater silhouette, sleeveless with polo neck.

73% triacetate, 27% polyester Dry clean only

Boudoir Boutique Sleeveless mid thigh skater dress.

Flippy skirt with ruffled sleeves.

Vibrant blue, pink colouring with floral design £425

ROBERTO CAVALLI Foral stretch jersey dress.

Floral pattern in blue, pink and green, a- line with tight waist detail. Scoop neck, knee length. Concealed zip fastening at back 95% viscose, 5% elastane Dry clean only £650

ERDEM Eastern inspired blue and yellow floral design, nipped in waist, prim collar with pleated skirting.

Back zip fastening 100% silk £1606

Tight fitted stretch material body with a tulle ruffled skirt, knee length.

Blue, white and pink floral design. Back button-andloop keyhole closure, sleeveless 96% polyamide, 4% elastane Dry clean only Italy £761

Boudoir Boutique Fitted blazer, loose waist bottom Jewelled detail with green and gold stripes on body Gold/cream colouring, zip front £140

Phillip Lim Bomber style jacket with waist drawstring, front zip fastening, rounded collar. Cream and gold colouring Elastic sleeving Lightweight non stretch fabric 46% rayon, 27% cotton, 23% nylon Dry clean £246

Jeannie Champagne Boutique Grey and cream stripe and Aztec design with gold tone studs, cropped Zip front linen jacket, open neck, front zip fastening.

Pockets on the face of the jacket 100% Linen Dry clean £337

Versace Bomber jacket, trademark Versace design (Baroque style graphics), gold and white tones, high standing collar, zip front fastening with rib hem and cuffs Dry clean only Made in Italy 100% Silk £2539

Boudoir Boutique Cropped fur gilet with lace bottom detail Blush pink colouring, front button fastening £125

Meyer Faux Fur gilet, textured oversized style, chestnut pink colour, high necked with minimal silhouette Concealed hook front fastening, fully lined Composition - 80% Modacrylic20% Polyester Dry clean only £225

Jayley Pink Mongolian Wool Fur Gilet Slight racer shaping on back panel, suede tabs and long tassel detail 100% fur, 100% Viscose lining Hand wash only £330

Stella Mcartney Faux fur, nude/Pink gilet, wrapover design, clasp fastening on front 100% Modacrylic, Specialist clean £482

DIRECTIONAL SHOP ANALYSIS The differences seen between the high end designer clothing and Boudoir Boutiques clothing is obvious in both price and quality.

On the Boudoir Boutique blog, there is no sign of material or fabric composition however pricing is mid range, therefore we can assume cottons, faux fur and silk blends made with some synthetic fibres. The materials stated on the sites of the designer clothing brands, for example Ted Baker, Erdem and Versace include; silk, nylon, cotton and 100% fur. From this we can already establish why a higher price range may have been cast for these particular items. Customers for these high end designer brands have come to expect a certain quality in the clothing that these retailers often, a high quality that exerts opulence, however in Boudoir Boutique although the material used is high quality and the items are durable, the retailer does not exclusively offer as high quality of items as a designer store.

The difference in styles between Boudoir Boutique and the designer retailers is obvious despite chosen clothing pieces being similar to one another. For example, with the faux fur gilet, Boudoir Boutique offer a cropped, button fastening, laced gilet. As the price ascends we see more and more differences to this piece. This includes length, coverage, material and style. Although the clothing item doesn’t have a fabric composition we can assume that it is not 100% fur as it is too low of a price, however a similar style offered by Jayley is stated to be 100% Mongolian fur. This shows that the demands of a designer store must ensue in the highest quality materials sourced to create their ranges. Similarly the Stella McCartney wrap-over gilet introduces a more abstract take, typical in designer clothing. This means in my range I may also have to mimic this individual look that the designer clothing is known for.

Task 11

STREET STYLE WOMEN’S- PINTEREST

Street style for women’s S/S17 is both varied and consistent, particularly in the presence of denim. Whether it is denim on denim or layered denim, the jean material is present in street style this season. Pop’s of colour amongst otherwise dull outfits also seems to be a trend in street style that I have seen. For example, same coloured outfits with a single bright colour coming through in a subtle way, the most common colour this has been done with is a mustard yellow. This is good for S/S17 as it is a fresh look without being too out there with colouring. Slips and cami’s, a trend that was big in S/S16 still remains present in street style for, this includes layering with t-shirts and lighter duster jackets and simply pairing with jeans. In terms of shape, ruffles are a big trend in street style, particularly shown through hems, sleeves and skirting of clothing. This is a feminine and cute summer style.

STREET STYLE MEN’S- PINTEREST

The two main trends I can see in men’s street style for S/S17 are embroidery and logo tee’s. Embroidery can be seen on denim jackets, t-shirt’s and even beanies. This is great for both the transitional period between autumn and spring as denim jackets are a lightweight, jacket suitable for cold and warm weather, however by adding a colourful embroidered pattern this evokes a summer flare to the jacket. T-shirt’s are a fairly plain, boring item however practical for S/S, despite this they can be played up with well known patterns, logo’s and brands to make them a popular item to have for spring summer. This may include famous paintings, nike, dates or random abstract shaping. Pair these with a pair of cropped jeans or straight pants to create a trendy spring look. Similar to women’s trends both layering and denim is prominent in men’s street style, double denim, denim jackets layered with shirts, jumpers or other jackets and even denim caps, the material is important to this season.

STREET STYLE KIDS-PINTEREST

Kids street style for S/S17 shows us an array of styles. One of the main styles seen is embroidery, especially on outerwear. Outerwear is often know for its boring yet practical look with plain denim jackets, macs and bomber jackets. However by adding bright embroidered florals and lettering, the jacket pops and becomes interesting and fun. Another big trend for girls wear is ruffles, this is similar to the women's wear clothing with big billowed sleeving, cute flippy skirting and abstract ruffles on the face of clothing. This is playful as it plays on the mini-me trend allowing mothers and daughters to match their clothing but also its feminine and fun for young girls. In terms of colours there is a mix of ranges, from pale pinks and beiges to bright blues and yellows. This allows for a transition from autumnal trends to a bright and vibrant summer collection.

Task 13 Strengths •

SWOT

Location; in Cavern Walks busy high fashion district of Liverpool shopping area Celebrity/Designer endorsements e.g. Zandra Rhodes Large variety of clothing styles: Casual wear, occasion wear, accessories Different looks from other shops on the high-street, new designs Wide, advertised clientele e.g. Hollyoaks cast, Geordie Shore cast Online blog advertising products and upcoming stock ‘Winner of the Retail Fashion Award this year at The Juice Fm Style Awards’ (Kirichik, 2017) Competitions in store for %/money off clothing Over 50 brands sold in store, wide variety of clothing Source only from the UK so will never be affected by exchange rates therefore may be cheaper sourcing. Also increases the chances of ethical sourcing Are responsive to customers as they may only stock small amounts of their stock, but they re-stock popular bestsellers

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Only one store so opportunity for expansion, perhaps worldwide More designer talks/appearances, perhaps bringing in ranges for the store Development of online market e.g. an online store, omnichannel Sourcing and selling more popular brands to sell in store More competitions and deals for committed customers More ranges for men’s and kid’s Globalisation of sourcing, find other countries overseas for cheaper/higher quality fabrics and clothing

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Internal

Opportunities •

Weaknesses

•

Not obvious location, could deter people from coming in store Focussed style so may constrict potential target market No public advertisements Social media inconsistent with posts e.g. no pricing Omni-channel, no online store so cant ship worldwide Outdated brands sold in store Only sell women’s, narrower target market Only buy in small amounts of stock so customers might not get what they want Stock fur, unethical, possibly could deter customers

Threats External

• • • • •

Other high fashion stores in the surrounding area e.g.

Cricket, Vivienne Westwood Expensive pricing with not a lot to show for (with certain items) Competitive pricing with designer stores without the brand name to account for price Economic problems e.g. recession/ the weakening of the pound Designs are often innovative and new, risk being copied by smaller fast fashion retailers

SWOT ANALYSIS The internal strengths in Boudoir Boutique can help me to overcome potential threats to my retailer from competitors and other risk factors.

Boudoir Boutique is located in one of the most well known shopping areas of Liverpool, Cavern Walks. This is a small shopping district located in the heart of Liverpool that is home to other high fashion, high quality retailers such as Vivienne Westwood and Cricket, retailers of designer clothing. This is one of the retailers strengths as it gains the title of designer boutique as it is amongst other designer stores, it also means that it is central and customers can easily access the store. However this could also be seen as a weakness as it means that the store has to compete with already established names of brands, in particular, Vivienne Westwood, who sell both men’s and women’s. Boudoir Boutique is not as established as this store so the competition may be more intense because of this and they only stock women’s clothing meaning they may have less to offer in comparison. To overcome this, I will bring in a new collection for men’s, women’s and kid’s. This means that I am more desirable to certain target markets, for example families meaning that I have broadened my customer base, increasing my profit. Another strength is the bringing in of designers to the store to do appearances and signings, this is a strength as it acts as an advertisement for the shop, can work to bring in new customers, shows that the retailer stocks only the best designs and that the have good contacts and relationships with the brands and designers that they work with and stock. This is good as it shows that we are an ethical store and that we care about both customer and supplier. This works to eliminate threats such as overpricing.

If a customer comes to an event with a designer present in store, they can see that the clothing/accessories they are purchasing come from a designer source and are worth the price the retailer is offering. Boudoir Boutique often have competitions and seasonal offers such as 10-30% off, also as they are a boutique clothing frequently goes into sale and not just seasonally. This shows that we care about the customer and may increase customer loyalty as they can see there are perks to shopping in out store. It also helps to eliminate the threat of competitive pricing as we show that despite our high prices we are fair and offer perks to loyal customers. Other strengths include the fact that in 2015, Boudoir Boutique were awarded ‘Winner of the Retail Fashion Award’ at the ‘Juice FM Style Awards’ ’ (Kirichik, 2017). This is a strength as firstly, it is advertisement for the retailer, it also shows that they are a good and worthwhile store for fashion clothing, more so that all other stores in Liverpool, this helps them to remain competitive with other designer stores as they have been chosen above them, showing they are equal/better. Other opportunities that show themselves externally include the globalisation of sourcing. This could include expanding their areas that they source from, this could mean potential cheaper sourcing and therefore a larger profit margin.

However the store also has a plethora of weaknesses that put them in danger of losing both customer and therefore profit. Although the location shows that they are a high end retailer, the actual physical location of Cavern Walks would not be obvious to people not from Liverpool. This means that visitors to Liverpool come for leisure and shopping may skim over this area and miss out on the store altogether. To combat this, I would hope to expand Boudoir Boutique to other big cities in the UK for example Leeds, Manchester and Chester.

This would increase opportunity for sales and increase out customer base. Another weakness is the lack of online or digital sales opportunities. Boudoir Boutique, although having a Tumblr and Instagram page, do not have an online shop were they are able to ship worldwide. This means that they lose out on global consumers that would like to buy from the store. It also limits their sales opportunities locally as the only means of purchase is in store. To improve this, I would develop more of an online market for consumers that allows them to purchase and return items to their homes. This would increase profit as it means there are more chances for customers to buy and browse ranges in Boudoir Boutique. Boudoir Boutique stocks both womenswear and homeware, they do not sell men’s nor kid’s clothing. This narrows their potential target market to simply women. This means that they are missing out on lots of potential sales. This gives me an opportunity to expand the clothing and collections on offer at Boudoir Boutique. I am going to offer both menswear and kids clothing and introduce a new collection for each of these, this means that I have automatically broadened my target market and therefore hopefully, sales. As my retailer is a Boutique, they only stock small amounts of the clothes they bring into store, this means that if customers aren’t quick enough, they may not be able to purchase the clothing that they want. This is a weakness as they are missing out on customers and customers may become frustrated when unable to purchase what they want, therefore may not shop in store in the future.

SWOT ANALYSIS – 3 POINTS External factors, both opportunities and threats to the retailer can help you as a company and business to expand your ranges and develop as a brand. This can lead to a ranges being more successful and less threat from other surrounding retailers.

For example, in my SWOT analysis for Boudoir Boutique I have said that they have ‘Expensive pricing with not a lot to show for in some items.’. This was down as a threat as it potentially could deter consumers from paying those prices for our clothing. With my new range I will add heavy embellishments and applique to the garments. This means that the customer is getting more for their money. Not only this but I will be using high quality fabrics throughout my range for example, cotton, wool and silk. This again means that the customer may be paying higher prices however they will have a garment that will be durable and high quality.

Another external factor that can potentially help the retailer and your range to succeed is the opportunity of ‘Globalisation of sourcing, find overseas cheaper/higher quality fabrics’. A lot of Boudoir Boutique’s ranges are sourced locally and from braded suppliers. I would be inclined with my new range to broaden my contacts and suppliers as to find better deals and cheaper prices to create the range with. This is good for the company as it means that I may have cheaper prices for my garments and therefore will be able to generate a higher gross profit.

‘Designs are often innovative and new, this means as a retailer you risk being copied by smaller, fast fashion retailers.’ This should be an opportunity as it means that as a retailer, Boudoir Boutique is unique and therefore will have a very focussed clientele however, it also poses the threat of being copied by other surrounding retailers. To combat this, I would develop my range to be quick changing and always have new designs for each new range, trying not to repeat designs and styles.

Task 14

EXTERNAL ASPECTS AFFECTING THE CHOICE OF THE SUPPLIER

Local Disasters- Local disasters include; fires, collapses of factories and even floods. These can affect a buyers choice of supplier as they need to be aware of ethical sourcing and ethical trading. When a building collapse happens, this is usually caused by dangerous conditions and general negligence by the supplier, usually the owner of the factory. For example, in the Spectrum collapse of 2005 in Bangladesh, the building collapsed due to illegal levels being built into the already unsteady building in order to keep up with orders. The damage ‘cost the lives of 112 workers and injured scores of others’, this was due to ‘illegally built constructions’. As a company, you often have an obligation to ensure ethical standards are tight and within the law, as a buyer therefore you must be aware of whether your supplier’s conditions and treatment of workers is within the laws that have been set

Natural Disasters- Natural

disasters in countries that buyers source clothing and fabrics from often can affect whether the buyer will continue to work with that particular supplier. This could be due to the negative impacts this has on the supply chain. When natural disasters occur, for example flooding, earthquakes and fires, much of the stock in the factories can be lost as a result. This means that the buyer is either going to lose out on stock or have a substantial delay on delivery schedules. This disrupts the entire buying cycle and means that ranges and collections can not be released on time. As a result of this, a buyer may choose to have two suppliers for the same area of clothing, if it be a type of clothing or a certain fabric so that if a natural disaster occurred, they would have a back up supplier to ship on time. This is an environmental factor that as a buyer you need to be aware of.

since these disasters have occurred for example The Safety Agreement and the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement. (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2017)

‘The Safety Agreement allows for independent building inspections, worker rights training, public disclosure and a long-overdue review of safety standards.’

‘Factories for major manufacturers including Toyota, Sony and Honda were closed, disrupting supply chains around the country.’ (Reuters, 2017)

‘Brands sourcing from Bangladesh should join the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement, signed last year by the US company PVH Corp (owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger) and the German retailer Tchibo.’

Epidemics- Epidemics can affect the choices of the

Video-

buyer on their suppliers for many reasons. When an epidemic occurs, for example the Ebola crisis, the workforce of factories can be affected negatively. This is because workers can contract the disease and therefore have to be out of work for weeks-months. This will affect production substantially meaning that delivery dates may not be met. If a country is more prone to epidemics or more likely to be affected largely by epidemics, for example third world countries or countries that do no have good access to healthcare, buyers may be deterred from using these suppliers when buying in new ranges. Not only this but it also may pose a danger as there may be chance of contamination. This is unethical and a danger to all parties included.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2015/s4447256.htm

(Environmental Factor)

(PAPERMAG, 2017)

The article tells of some workers in India, making clothes for retailers in Australia and the unfair treatment they are subject to. There are two main negatives associated with the article. One, the treatment of the workers is not up to standard, they are kept in bad working conditions, paid only slightly higher than the minimum wage and have described how they are under ‘pressure’ and how ‘one person must do the work of two’. This is unethical towards the workers who they are sourcing clothing from however, these retailers in Australia have also failed to show safety audits and couldn’t say where the clothing in the store was actually sourced from. This is illegal in the current sourcing situations in Bangladesh following the collapse of a factory in 2013. Since then retailers have been forced to sign an accord that stops things like this from occurring during the buying cycle.

VIDEO EVALUATIONS MIMCO, an Australian retail company have worked to improve the lives of women in Africa.

They have begun to source their materials for jewellery and accessories from Africa, giving jobs to multiple women in this area. This has helped to improve the lives of these women, and given them chances that they wouldn’t have otherwise be given. For example the women have described how the work has helped in the ‘development of community’ and means that they no longer have to worry about money. The initiative to source globally has also helped to raise awareness for ethical sourcing with the hashtag #ethicalfashionartisans. This encourages other companies to do the same, and to help women and workers globally. A typical bracelet made by the women and sold in store is about £35.00. Compared to the average prices of popular UK stores, for example Primark who sell jewellery for a mere £4.99, its clear from these pricing differences that the African women’s time and talent is being fairly paid for, unlike the prices for Primark, from which a fair pay can not be taken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuwkiM8c 9V8

I could integrate a similar system into my range as Boudoir Boutique Is know for its statement jewellery and its embellishment usage in clothing. As a buyer I could set up a similar opportunity for women in third world countries and employ them to hand finish certain items in the range of accessories that I choose to use. This would improve the ethicality of my range and maintain the reputation of Boudoir Boutique. It would also encourage customers to buy from the range as they know significant time, effort and talent was undertaken to make the clothing.

In 2013, a factory crash in Bangladesh changed the sourcing rules for retail companies. This video shows the effects a year on from the disaster. The disaster killed 1000 workers and I injured a further 2000, this shows the negative consequences that can come of negligence of workers, and unethical sourcing. However, despite the overall occurrence being a negative situation, it has helped to improve the lives and conditions of workers and factories in other countries, India in particular. An example of this is the increase in minimum wage by 77% to $68 a month. This is more ethically sound as companies are no longer exploiting their workers and can be seen as more ethical in the eyes of their customers. Although the workers have received little to no compensation, the disaster stemmed some positives therefore retail companies have most definitely learnt from it, looking more into health and safety, conditions of the workers and robustness of factories.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/20 14/04/21/a_year_after_rana_plaza_co llapse_consumers_demand_more_account ability.html

Task 15

SINGLE SOURCING Single sourcing describes a method of sourcing fabrics and clothing for buyers from one supplier opposed to a number of suppliers. This has many advantages, for example it allows you as the buyer to develop and build strong working relationships with the buyer that you do use. This means you are able to negotiate good prices as you have a trustworthy and strong relationship often allowing perks like deals and cheaper pricing. It also allows communication to become easier to handle and keep on top of, essential as deliveries and orders need to be kept rigid and in time with the rest of the critical path. As the buyer is only liaising with just one buyer, this means there is less hassle with calls and meetings as there aren't multiple places that you need to be. Carrying on from this, this may also mean the buying cycle may be achieved in a more efficient way when only using one supplier, this is because as a buyer you don’t need to scope for other buyers with each new collection, you already have a reliable contact and therefor may be able to have your collection on the shop floor quicker than other retailers getting you ahead of the fashion game.

However, there are also a significant amount of disadvantages to single sourcing, for example although with some relationships you may feel you are getting the best price, you are unable to shop around and find new competitive prices as you simply rely on one supplier. This means that you are potentially missing out on cheaper materials and clothes, saving you money. Not only this but if there is a disruption to the making or delivery of your goods, the supply chain will be significantly put back, meaning ranges may not hit the shop floor on the scheduled dates. If you were to have multiple suppliers, you may have back up deliveries that could be delivered to make up for disruptions.

FOCUSSED SOURCING Focussed sourcing is a strategy of sourcing whereby the buyer will use more than one supplier to source their materials and clothing from. This also has many advantages, for example it allows the ability to find and negotiate the best prices. You are able to compare pricing and therefore choose the cheapest supplier for what it is you are hoping to buy in. With single sourcing this often cannot be achieved because you are only able to order from one supplier who may have fixed prices. With single sourcing, the new and competitive prices that are on the market ae unavailable to you. This also gives buyers back ups if things go wrong, for example floods, fires, or other natural disasters. If these occur and a buyer is using single sourcing, deliveries can be put back substantially, however with multiple suppliers, if you have a set back you can simply use another buyer meaning you can still get your stock out on time.

Another advantage is that you are able to really shop around for good quality.

When using single sourcing you are confined to one supplier who may be consistent with their quality of products. This means that you may be missing out on potential higher quality materials. Whereas when buyers use focussed sourcing they can find most top quality clothing and materials by scoping out new suppliers.

However with focussed sourcing, the buyer supplier relationship may lack in the trust and strength that single sourcing relationships have. This is because your communication and negotiation may have to spread between many different suppliers, this means you may not have the time to communicate on a regular basis.

Potentially this means that suppliers may not be as likely to supply you their products in the future, nor will they give you the best prices. Having more than one supplier may be negative also as you have a lot more delivery dates and schedules to keep on top of, this means more work for the buyer and more potential for slip ups and missed delivery dates.

ARCADIA GROUP-ETHICAL SOURCING Arcadia group is a retailing company responsible for a number of well known high street retailers including Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Topman, Topshop and Wallis. They source goods from ‘1,034 factories through 679 suppliers’ from around the world including; China, Turkey, Romania, India and Vietnam, these are their top 5 factories.

To ensure that they remain ethical when sourcing goods, they follow an Ethical Audit Programme, this follows a red, orange, green structure and allows them to decide in a simple way whether suppliers are ethically sound for them to use. For example, if a factory/supplier is deemed as ‘Red’ then Arcadia will not allow any of their brands to source from these factories. A ‘Red Flag’ for a supplier may include breaking Arcadia’s code of conduct. This includes ‘non payment of national living wage’ and ‘ locked fire exits’. By grouping suppliers into three obvious groups, they ensure that they are able to see clearly whether factories are ethically sound to use or not. Not only this but they still will use these suppliers with red flags, however only when the initial problems are addressed. This means that they are helping to improve living conditions for the workers. (Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2017) One of their main suppliers is in Bangladesh, this has been known in the past to have unethical connotations as in April 2013 one of the main factories in the Rana Plaza building collapsed killing over 1000 workers. This was due to poor working conditions including multiple layers built in the building, poor electricity and water and not only this but the workers were already treated poorly with pay that fell below the minimum wage and child labour. Because of this Arcadia Group have begun conducting country risk assessments in countries, including Bangladesh, from which they source from. They have both signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and wish to enforce it even after the ‘dissolution of the Accord in 2018’ (Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2017). This includes; • defining the level of response from suppliers, such as inspection, remediation and training; • providing a framework for Governance, including an Advisory Board and Steering Committee and dispute resolution systems;

• appointing an independent, qualified Safety Inspector who will oversee safety inspections with all factories covered by the Accord to be inspected within the first two years of the agreement; • defining approaches to remediation, including the protection of workers’ employment relationships during any factory closures while renovations are carried out; • enabling an extensive fire and building safety programme; By doing this they ensure that they are upholding their responsibilities as ethical sources of garments and goods, they are helping to improve the lives of workers through different strategies and ensuring their safety while working, which should be a given in the workplace regardless.

In terms of upholding the living wage to workers from which they source from, Arcadia ‘are part of the multi-retailer initiative ACT (Action, Collaboration, Transformation)’. This was specifically set up to address the issues surrounding the living wage in the garment and fashion industry. The whole initiative ensures that all members of the supply chain including ‘piece rate, subcontracted, informal, home and migrant workers, should always receive sufficient wages to meet their needs for nutritious food, clean water and other needs as well as a discretionary income’. (Arcadiagroup.co.uk, 2017)

TRADE SHOW SOURCING

Task 16

Trade shows are an important tool in the fashion industry which both allows new and budding brands to flourish but also are ideal for creating relationships between buyers and suppliers. Trade shows traditionally occur twice a year, seasonally, in February and August, this allows the buyers to scope out new trends and materials six months ahead of the release date of that season, allowing them to be well ahead of the game.

Trade shows are split into three main components, 1. Yarn, this includes specialists in types of materials for example knitwear or jersey and showcase upcoming trends in both colour and yarn development. 2. Textiles, these shows occur in early February and September and showcase specific materials. 3. Branded, the branded shows brings together new and upcoming brands showing innovative trends, one of these includes Pure London.

Textiles

There are six main shows within Premiere Vision; Yarn-The international show of yarns and fibres. Fabrics-The world’s premier fabric show.

Leather-The international leather and fur specialist show. Designs-The international show for creative textiles and surface design. Accessories-The international accessories and components show for fashion and design.

Manufacturing-The show of fashion-manufacturing specialists. (Première Vision Paris, 2017) For my range, it would be wise of me to attend and source from a textiles trade show. This is because a large part of Boudoir Boutique is accessories within clothing for example heels, lace and embroidery, jewellery, feathers and beading. These are all part of the accessories component of the trade shows for textiles, by attending these I would be able to source appropriate embellishments for my range. My range also as an occasionwear range is to be luxurious but also have a vintage edge to it therefore I need to source extras like plumage and garnets for my dresses.

Not only this but the trends that has stood out for menswear this season in patterns and contrast designs. Within the textiles trade shows there is a component of designs. To source trends and patterns, I would be likely to attend a textiles trade show for menswear also.

Yarn

Pitti Immagine Uomo is a knit yarn trade show held in Florence, Italy. On the site they describe their services as ‘research laboratory but also Observatory for new global lifestyle trends, Pitti Filati presents excellence in yarns to its audience on an international scale, buyers from around the world and designers of the most important names in fashion who come to Florence in looking for ideas and inspiration.’

(Pittimmagine.com, 2017) Yarn is mainly associated with knitwear and heavier items of clothing. As a buyer for my current range of occasionwear for womenswear In Boudoir Boutique, I feel that knitwear would not only be too casual but too heavy for the S/S season therefore I would be less likely to attend this type of trade show.

Branded

‘’Pure London and Pure Man trend-inspired fashion trade shows, take place 12-14 February 2017 at Olympia London.

The AW17 edition features premium, new, emerging and established brands and designers, showcasing menswear, womenswear, footwear and accessories.’ (Purelondon.com, 2017) For my range I would definitely use Pure London to source products from. This is because Boudoir Boutique often brings in ranges from multiple brands external to the actual retailer.

Because of this, when buying for my retailer it would be ideal for me to visit Pure, scope out particular brands that would be suitable for my retailer and buy these clothing types in. For example I will source my bags and shoes, headbands and other accessories from here. This means that I can ensure the best quality in my items opposed to if I sourced these from multiple suppliers around the world.

THE BUYING CYCLE

Review season sales When starting on a new seasons collection, you must first review the sales of the previous season.

For example you can work out the profit and what products made up most of these to see what trends and styles sell best. You can also assess what the bestsellers where and repeat or take components of these for he current season e.g. style, colour, fabric. Likewise, the areas you lost profit from can help with the current season as you know what styles not to repeat. In a small boutique like Boudoir Boutique this is important as you are buying in so little stock that all garments must bring in as much profit as possible, therefore reviews of previous sales need to be thorough

to ensure as many bestsellers as possible.

Monitoring Sales Figures Sales figures must be monitored to ensure that as a buyer you know what is selling and successful to the target market. This also allows you to see clearly what is unsuccessful and not to be repeated in future ranges. This also can give you an indicator if your profit will be high or low.

Retail Selling Period An appropriate selling period needs to be picked by the buying team. This must fit in with delivery dates and also the season you have picked. For example for a S/S collection like mine, your selling period would be around 8-12 weeks, from April-June. This stays in line with other retail stores and allows you to remain competitive with other local boutiques.

Monitoring Deliveries This is important in a similar way to the order processing In the terms of communication. If the deliveries are not properly monitored, dates could be missed and the release of the range may be delayed. This is detrimental to a small boutique as there are smaller amounts of stock, therefore a missed delivery makes a big difference to the store.

Order Processing & Confirmation You need to ensure that the dates you choose to confirm with your factories and suppliers fit into the schedule of the release of the range. It also needs to fit into the critical path so you are aware when you need to market the range, in time for the release. Constant communication needs to be maintained between supplier and buyer

Budget Planning After gathering the information from the sales reviews, the owners of the business can then begin to plan the budget, taking information and guidance from the figures. In a small boutique, the profit is going to be smaller than a larger retail store such as River Island. The budget will be spread across trips, wages, rent and collections. In a Boutique, the budget will be spent differently, for example many choose to source locally or do much of their design in store therefore less budget will be spent on shipping or factories as you may only need to buy fabrics, and will be shipping from the UK therefore prices will be different.

Buying Schedule/Buying Trips The owners of the store will then have to decide on whom they are going to be sourcing their products from and if they are going to buy in brands, fabrics or ready to wear garments. In a boutique, a lot of the products are bought wholesale and brands are bought in, this means that not as many trips may be undertaken. A buyer for a boutique may simply choose to visit Pure London, a branded trade show, to source their products. This will lower the budget for buying trips. The schedule must fit into the critical path, ensuring that all

fabrics/clothes are selected at an appropriate time.

Range Selection The selection of the range in a boutique may be more focussed than for larger retail stores.

This is because their demographics are not as widespread as there is only one Liverpool location. In my chosen boutique, the clothing has a certain style to it, high quality, vintage look, often brightly coloured. Therefore the range should not simply have trends that are current for that season, but must also incorporate the classic Boudoir Boutique look that customers have come to expect.

Price Negotiation & Setting Retail Price When negotiating the prices for your ranges for a small boutique, you need to be aware that when buying braded clothing from wholesale suppliers, these prices are non negotiable. This means that the clothing bought wholesale needs to be on trend and desirable as you may be paying a higher price for the garments. As the mark-up from cost price to RRP may need to be steeper, the clothing needs to be focussed and exactly what the target market want. The retail price needs to be consistent with your previous pricing, for a boutique, the prices may be a bit higher than the average high street brand as they have less customer demand and less stores to sell their clothing in .

Industry Practises and Procedures Task 19 Both

Production

Organisational

Another requirement for retail is that the company ensures it can meet production goals and health and safety requirements.

Meeting production goals is so important from season to season as it ensures that ranges are out on the shop floor in time for the right season, making sure the retailer remains competitive with other surrounding retailers. If production goals are not met, customers are going to be unsatisfied as they will be unable to purchase garments for particular seasonal events, e.g. the races, weddings and christenings. This means that the retailer will miss out on a plethora of sales and the seasonal profit may not be met. Not only this but if you as a company do not meet health and safety requirements, the reputation of the company would be tarnished from bad press and upset customers. For example if customers where to discover, for example, from the media, that the company was sourcing from an unsafe environment they may be deterred from shopping in your store. In Boudoir Boutique, a lot of the products are sourced from brands therefore as a buyer I must ensure that I have had a detail look into the sourcing and suppliers that these brands use for their garments, and if I find any that do not meet health and safety standards, cease from buying from these particular brands.

An important organisational requirement is for the company to create a revised business plan outlining targets, projections, short mid and long term aims. This is important as it ensures that targets are met to confirm success of ranges. This means that at each point of the ranges release and post release sales, buyers and members of the head office team know whether their projected sales are matching with their current sales, ensuring target profit is met. It also helps and encourages deadlines to be met, for example deliveries. If you have planned in your business plan for the range to be released in time for S/S then you will plan for a February release, by having this on your business plan you are able to keep track and ensure deliveries arrive in time to be placed on the shop floor. If this doesn’t occur, the company will miss out on sales as they have missed the seasons highest sales time, the weather may have changed when you had a delay in your release meaning less units sold. This also gives you a bad reputation as a retailer as customers will be aware that you delay your seasonal releases and may be less inclined to shop from your store. For my retailer in particular, I need to aware of releasing on time as I have small amounts of stock bought into the boutique therefore it is imperative this is all bought on season, ready for next seasons stock.

Within a company developing garments there are certain requirements that need to be upheld in both organisation and production. For example there must be a centralized production development centre and dedicated sample room for all sample garment development. By having one set area that the whole team is aware of, this minimises risk or errors within sizing, fit and quality. This allows the critical path to stay on track and makes sure the collection hits the floor on time. It also ensures that the clothing is the correct fit and quality for the customer, ensuring they are satisfied with their buys.

The company also must have staff that have the correct skills and developed abilities to fulfil the job role to the best of their ability. This is imperative to the company as the sales assistants are in a way, the face of the company. They are the first people that consumers see when they enter the store and therefore carry with them the reputation of the store. If a sales assistant is unsure of the products and have bad product knowledge they comes across as unprofessional and so therefore does the company. Not only this but by having customers that are knowledgeable, this can help them to push sales and increase profit in the company. In a smaller boutique such as my own, I would need to ensure all my sales assistant are well educated on products, where they are sourced from and their quality.

This is because Boudoir Boutique is renowned for the high quality of their products, this must then be reflected through the sales assistants.

Both

Organisational

As a company you require equipped offices or premises in the correct locations, ideal for your retail store. This will help with many of your everyday liaisons, in particular with your budget. If as a company your head office is located in a big inner city for example London, you will be able to easily spot big and upcoming trends that you may want to source for your next season. Not only this but you may also be closer to the fashion central and other fashion related locations, for example Pure Trade Show. This means that you can go to trade shows on a smaller budget as you are as close to the areas as possible. Not only this but having a head office in the right location also helps with your buying cycle. For example, if you are located near docks or a shipping area, you will be easier and more logistically located for deliveries to arrive on time ready to hit the shop floor on time for the next season. Boudoir Boutique has a style that is very outgoing and eye catching, something that girls in Liverpool are renowned for loving, therefore having their sole store in the centre of Liverpool shopping district is ideal to boosting the sales and profit of the company. This is similar with the companies distributors. They must ensure that their distributors are reliable and experienced. The fashion retail industry is very fast paced but runs a tight schedule and therefore deliveries must be distributed and arrive on time, if this doesn’t occur the effect on the company can be dire as they will not sell as many units of stock because the season of clothing will no longer be desirable as the ranges wont make it out at the right time

Another organisational requirement that should be met within a company is that there is an internal personnel policy put in place within the company. This may include recruitment, introduction to the retailer or business and basic sales training. This is important as you need to ensure that your sales assistants and managers have the qualifications and skills to work in retail. For example If they had an introverted personality, they would perhaps lack the ability to give good customer service. This would look bad on the company as it gives the customers a negative shopping experience and therefore may decrease there desire to return to the shop. In small boutiques such as Boudoir Boutique, training is imperative to the stores success. This is because many of our items are custom made and have luxurious materials and accessories. By having knowledge and training on these items, the sales assistants can educate the customer, hopefully increasing their sales.

The action of fabric testing being carried out before production is an imperative requirement for both organisation and production teams. Fabricating includes testing for quality, flammability and durability of a piece of clothing. This is not only useful to save money, by testing the cheapest material that is a high enough quality to enter production, but also helps to avoid potentially dangerous complications in the company and in the production further down the line. For example, if a test for flammability was not carried out and a customer was harmed, the company would potentially receive bad press and a tarnished reputation leading to a decrease in sales and less profit. This Is bad for both the company and the customer. In boudoir Boutique a number of high quality materials are used in clothing products including fur and silk, therefore the customers have come to expect a certain quality within the purchases they make. Because of this, fabric testing must be thoroughly undertaken by the company before the clothing hits the shop floor.

As a company, you will need to ensure that a fully developed marketing plan is set in place for your ranges.

This will include promotions and advertisements set in place to encourage the customer and increase product desirability, hoping to increase sales and therefore create more profit. Not only will it do this but also advertisements can help the company to expand to a larger target market, particularly internationally. This is certainly so with my retailer as they are not yet digitalised as they do not have an online site. By developing an online site and store this gives room for global expansion and to reach new customers globally. Not only does this give the potential for new customers but generates awareness of the boutique itself.

Both

Organisational

Within a retail company there must be a working communication system. This can include multilingual buyers able to communicate with various international suppliers. This aids the whole buying cycle at it ensures all communication is understood throughout all members from buyers to suppliers, this means less mistakes will be made during the buying process so less money is spent. Not only this but by having multi-lingual buyers, you are able to expand the range of areas you buy your products from, as you become able to communicate internationally. Also, by using several forms of communication, for example skype international face to face trips, calls and emails you can ensure communication is maintained throughout the process. This decreases the chance of mistakes but also may strengthen and reinforce the buyer supplier relationship. In Boudoir Boutique, there is only one Liverpool based store therefore the store may only have a few suppliers, however if they were to expand stores internationally, a multilingual buyer should be hired. Not only this but communication on the shop floor is also very important. In Liverpool there is a large percentage of Chinese students therefore it would be wise to hire a Chinese speaking sales assistant. This makes the shopping experience more personal and encourages customers to re-visit the store.

Within the company there must be total clarity about finances including accounting, policy, merchandising and sales reports. The budget needs to be distributed fairly and according to the importance of the area in which it is being spent. In particular to the buyer however, merchandiser spreadsheets and past sales reports are imperative in predicting future trends and isolating bestsellers. Everyone on the team must be able to understand the merchandisers spreadsheets and have the ability to analyse these. If this is not so, it may be hard to know where money has been spent in past seasons and therefore buyers are unable to predict what will sell and may create ranges that will generate least profit. As a small independent boutique, everyone must be aware of the budget as only small amounts of stock are being bought into the shop per season. If someone where to be unaware of the current bestseller, as found from analysing past sales, they would fail to buy in similar/repeat buying the same item, and therefore sales may be affected negatively. This also affects the customer as they learn to expect certain items from the store, however if these cease to be sold they may be less inclined to come and make purchases in store.

Both an organisational and production requirement in a company is that the structure on which you base your decision making is clear to all members of the company, stated clearly in the business plan. By ensuring that everyone is informed, this ensures that mistakes are minimised as everyone knows that any decisions are to be checked with other members of the board. This means that everyone is aware of new developments in the collections and decision making so the whole operation can run more efficiently.

It is imperative that within the company, employees have technical knowledge and also international experience. Technical knowledge is necessary as as you are making, checking and fitting the clothing, you need to know the warning signs for badly made clothes, e.g. loose threads. By being able to recognise signs of durability in clothing, you can warn the design teams prior to release and therefore save the company money. To the customer, this is important because it reduces the chance of them returning clothes and being dissatisfied with their buys. International experience is important, especially to big retail stores. This is because different areas take to certain trends more than others. By being educated in this, you can ensure that the appropriate clothing is sent and bought into the right stores. This is important in Boudoir Boutique as they have only ever stocked to the Liverpool store, however if they were to expand internationally, they would have to have knowledge of trends that are prominent in other parts of the country to ensure that sales are maintained in potential new stores.

LEAD TIMES AND SHIPPING COSTS Product Line

Quantity

Box

Box Price

Container

Container Price

Trouser

5060

3

3x2.51=7.53

1

1x1176.21

Jeans/Cords

5360

20

20x2.51=50.20

1

1x1176.21

Shorts

7500

18

18x2.51=45.18

1

1x1176.21

Jog Pants

4616

39

39x2.51=97.89

1

1x1176.21

Trouser Suits

4000

0

0

2

2x1176.21=2352.42

Trouser Jacket

4000

0

0

2

2x1176.21=2352.42

Casual Jackets

2000

0

0

1

1x1176.21

Padded Jacket

3000

0

0

3

3x1176.21=3528.63

Raincoats

6000

0

0

3

3x1176.21=3528.63

Casual Shirt

7070

221

221x2.51=554.71

0

0

Formal Shirts

7000

0

0

1

1x1176.21

Polo Shirt

7102

22

22x2.51=55.22

1

1x1176.21

T-shirt

342

6

6x2.51=15.06

0

0

Sweatshirt

4660

3

3x2.51=7.53

1

1x1176.21

Fine Sweater/Cardigan

76

4

4x2.51=10.40

0

0

Medium Sweater/Cardigan

4232

2

2x2.51=5.02

1

1x1176.21

Heavy Sweater/Cardigan

3533

3

3x2.51=7.53

1

1x1176.21

Men’s Shoes

480

80

80x2.51=200.8

0

0

Total Boxes=421

Total Box Price= £1056.71

Total Containers=20

Total Container Price= £23524.2 Total Cost=£24580.91

LEAD TIMES AND SHIPPING TIMES ANALYSIS While working out the quantities of products that I needed and their shipping costs, I found that although using boxes is the most price effective way to order, sometimes buying in containers is more time effective and organised for the buying team. For Formal Shirts, I worked out that to order a container, it is ÂŁ100 more expensive than ordering the 7000 units in boxes. However, it may take up more money and time loading and unloading each individual box than it would take doing the same for just one single container. This is similar to Casual Shirts however the loss in money for buying in a container is significantly more at around ÂŁ500 when compared to buying in boxes. Therefore for Casual Shirts I chose to order in boxes opposed to containers as this was more cost effective.

Overall, it was cheaper on all products to order in boxes however this is not time effective and is less organised than having the bulk of your products ordered in containers. Therefore as a general rule, it is more efficient to order the bulk of the products in containers and then box the excess.

When it comes to shipping, however for a small boutique such as my retailer, Boudoir Boutique, shipping whole containers and buying in bulk would not be a likely course of action. This is because most garments sold in store are only bought in and sold in small quantities as they are an independent store, less established and only have one location opposed to many worldwide. This means that the most cost efficient way to ship would be in boxes.

Process

Lead Time

Dates

Planning

4 Weeks

18th April

Research

3 Weeks

16th May

Design

3 Weeks

6th June

Proto Sample and Costings

4 Weeks

27th June

Pre Range Selection Meeting

1 Week

25th July

Negotiation/Trip to Factories

2 Weeks

1st August

Final Range Selection Meeting

1 Week

15th August

Place Order

1 Week

22nd August

Garment Fittings

4 Weeks

29th August

Fabric Order

6 Weeks

26th September

Trim & Colour Approvals

2 Weeks

7th November

Bulk Production plus Shipping

12 Weeks

21st November

Warehouse-Store Allocation

1 Week

27th February

Product Launched in Store

1 Week

6th March

Evaluation-

When shipping from China we must take into account the Chinese New Years as there will be no deliveries or shipping's over this two week period. This accounts for the extra two weeks from November-February as this takes place at the beginning of Feb. The planning, research and design are probably the most time consuming parts of the process as they are the basis of the whole range.

This is where the concept, the trend forecasting and the initial design of the garments will take place and therefore will take a large bulk of time. As you often only source from 1 or two factories, the negotiation and trips are only going to take a couple of weeks, however communication will need to be maintained across the whole process. The fittings are so important as they are essential to the success of the range therefore a larger portion of time will be allocated to this. The design and research is in time for many trade shows for example Pure and UCEXPO. The range will be released on the week starting the 6th of March, this means that it will be released in time for spring summer and will be able to have a long enough selling period.

CRITICAL PATH REPORT Lead times are described as the amount of time from placement of you orders to the actual delivery of you products. This means that It is important to have all your lead times carefully calculated so that each component of the critical path is completed in time for the intended range release date. If this doesn’t occur, the critical path can be disrupted.

For example if you lead time for fabric buying is one wee, however a problem occurs with the fabric on delivery, you critical path will be set back and disrupted as you have not factored in this possibility to your lead time. This could mean that your range may not be released on time resulting in a loss of profit for the company. However this is not the only scenario that can occur resulting from the lead times in a loss of profit for the company. If certain problems aren’t factored into lead times, more time and money will need to be spent in these areas to make up for initial mistakes. This could include trims and embellishments. The lead time for an order on trims could be one week however on delivery, the design team discover the trims, for example buttons for a cardigan, do not match the colour stated in in the initial design, extra time and money will need to be spent firstly, sourcing new buttons and then delivery for these. This sets the critical path back both on time and financially. This could be rectified by adding an extra week to the trim lead times, or ordering in several samples from different suppliers.

Lead times are made up of pre-processing lead time- This includes planning, making a schedule of dates that each component of the critical path will be completed by, these deadlines are essential for the success of the range, ensuring it will be released on the intend date. Research, attending trade shows assessing past ranges and scoping out new trends is also included in the pre-processing lead time. It also includes buying in samples, an important part of the critical path. This means that buyers are able to assess fabrics, shape, fit, colour and design of the garments that are eventually to make up their ranges prior to the full delivery, allowing for any important changes to be made. It also means that quality control can be undergone, the fabric samples that have been bought in can be assessed, or alternatively the buyer can visit the factory and asses how the garments are being made. They will look at the design and style or the garments. After this is done, buyers are then able to choose the most appropriate fabrics to fit the design visions of the range and buy these in. Negotiation with suppliers and factories therefore is another important part of the pre-processing lead time as this is were you ensure you get the cheapest price for your fabrics resulting in more profit for the company. Once a buyer has negotiated deals with the factories, processing lead times then take place, this is the time spent manufacturing the garments, done by the factories. The garments will then be dispatched from factories, these times can vary based on the distance for transportation and on time spent in customs. This is knows as post-processing lead time. These lead times are different for every company as a company may choose to source their products from abroad or alternatively may source them locally. When sourcing locally you reduce the lead time significantly as the transportation time will be much faster, but also you may not have to deal with customs. However most buyers choose to source clothing abroad e.g. India and China as the manufacturing of the garments themselves are cheaper. An example of the disparity between lead times from country to country is the difference of China and India. Lead times from China to UK can take up to ten weeks. As a buyer you may need to weigh up the pro’s and con’s of cost VS time when buying in you ranges. For example although the lead time for transport from Europe are much faster, 7-15 days via truck, but manufacturing is much more expensive. Therefore you may choose it is more efficient to ship from the Far East despite longer lead times.

For my range I will be shipping the garments by container ship from multiple countries e.g. India and China where my chosen suppliers factory is kept, this will be consistent through all three of my ranges as this will save me money and time. However I am also sourcing from trade shows for both accessories and trims and embellishments. This means that some of the garments will be shipped to England to in house designers to add the final details to the clothing.

Shipping-As I am shipping my accessories and shoes from China I will need to ensure that within my critical path, these items are ordered up to 10 weeks before the England based clothing is being ordered. For this I will need to take into account the exchange rates and ensure that this is worked out in conjunction with my budget

Fabrics- The fabrics need to be high quality, a reasonable price as I need to take into account the mark-up, they also need to be safe as they are being worn by children, for example they need to have no small pieces attached that children can potentially choke on.

kids ranges, the design issues of clothing needs to be checked thoroughly.

Examples of this include the flammability of the material, the durability and if there are any dyes that could ensue in allergic reactions. With children's ranges, the durability needs to be sturdy as children are known to be rough and therefore clothing could split and scuff easily. This could affect the critical path as if this hasn’t been done prior to orders, re orders may need to be ordered therefore setting the release date back.

planning.

Costs- Within my children's range, I have used trims and embellishments throughout the range. The production for this costs more than a plain garment and therefore I must look for the cheapest factory to source this from. If this is too expensive and doesn’t fit in with my budget I will need to make sure I see this with the samples as I may need to source a new supplier for the whole range. If this isn’t done prior to deliveries, this can set me back and disrupt the critical path.

Design Issues- Especially with

Warehouses- You need to ensure

Sourcing- As a buyer it is important that I go and take trips to my factories that I am sourcing from to ensure that they are ethically sound. Not only this but as I am using both fabrics and trims and embellishments, I may have to source from multiple suppliers, this may be time consuming and therefore I must factor this into the critical path so I do not fall behind.

that the cost of the warehouse in terms of rent is put into your budget at the start of the planning of the range. You also must ensure that it can hold all of your orders, this needs to be addressed before placing your orders. If this isn’t done, you may have to disrupt the critical path and cancel certain orders.

This is less likely with kids wear as the clothing will take up less space.

Design IssuesShipping-

For the same aspects of my range I am using heavy embellishments, for example plumage on the hemming of my playsuits and full pearl coverage on my over the shoulder bag. Therefore I may find during the process this should be hand stitched to ensure durability and no manufacturing faults occur. I therefore must factor this into my lead times to ensure my range is released on time.

As a buyer you must be aware of the different costs of shipping from country to country. For example shipping from China will be more expensive than shipping from England. Therefore it is important as a buyer to order in samples of garments before the bulk of the order is processed. This allows you to assess the quality, look and fit and durability of the garments for your potential collections and therefore any amendments can be made prior to the main orders, saving you both money and tine.

SourcingWhen sourcing and liaise with your chosen suppliers must ensure communication can be achieved. For example it is wise to only source from factories that have multilingual workers, likewise, as a buyer its important to have members of the team that can speak other languages. This is important particularly to my women’s wear range as there are many small details in the design that are important o the garments for example different materials and embellishments. These details need to successfully communicated to the suppliers and their factories to ensure a successful design of the vision of the garments.

FabricsFabrics need to be chosen that are appropriate for this retailer in terms of; previous qualities, what fabrics the store already offers and fitting to the price range of the retailer. As my retailer has previously offered high quality fabrics, I will mimic this in my range. Not only this but my RRP’s for the collection are high end this means a high quality of material must be used to show for the increased pricing.

WarehousesYou must ensure that if you are ordering large bulks of stock that there is sufficient amount of space for you warehouse to accommodate all the clothing, if you don’t you may have to find alternative storage space which would have to be factored into your budget and may set you back financially. For a boutique like Boudoir Boutique, the opposite problem may occur. As you only order small amounts of stock, you must ensure that you don’t choose a warehouse with too much storage space as this may be too expensive and a waste of your budget.

Design Issues- Menswear ranges are fairly simple clothing ranges in terms of occasion wear, they usually consist of shirts, trousers and blazers Shipping-Not only do you need to be aware of the costs of shipping, as a buyer you also need to be aware of the time differences. Shipping from various areas take different amounts of time.

Not only this but you must also be aware of cultural differences, for example Chinese New Year. If you are ordering in February, you need to be aware that Chinese take two weeks off work at this time and therefore there will be a set back in delivery. You may therefore choose to source and ship from another supplier

therefore they must all be made to fit well. This means all the stitching must be durable and well done, the fit is a general fit for the average man and the clothing does not sag in places it shouldn’t. Not only this but colouring in men's wear ranges is usually neutral and not much patterning Is seen however in my range I have chosen to use patterns and designs on my clothing. Here I must be careful to choose and appropriate place of manufacturing that specialises in these designs, for example Italy. This ensures that they will be manufactured in a high quality way, appropriate for the pricing of my range.

Fabrics-The colour scheme is very important when it comes to suits and men’s wear as they are often worn in two’s or three’s, for example trousers and shirt, shirt and blazer, trousers shirt and blazer. Therefore each of the fabrics chosen must look as they do in their samples so the colours of each of the components of the suit compliment each other and can be worn well together. This is why samples are so important to the buyer, if you don’t sample fabrics before manufacturing the garments, you leave room for mistakes and the whole range may need to be re manufactured as a result. Sampling saves money in the long term.

Sourcing- When sourcing you need to keep in mind the possibility of natural and local disasters, This could include flooding, volcanic eruptions or even civil war within the country of manufacture. This could mean that deliveries may be significantly set back as a result therefore when sourcing you may wan to visit the country that you’ve chosen to manufacture of course from to check for any warning signs for these possibilities.

Girls Wear Range S/S17

Girls Wear Range S/S17- Range Plan Overview- The girls wear range was made around the concept of embroidered fun, therefore is heavy on the embroidery. The designs I decided to incorporate into the embroidery included soft floral patterning and animalistic imagery. This is playful and soft, ideal for children's clothing, it also sots nicely into ‘summer’ imagery and compliments spring and summer. The colour was also intended to bring out the spring/summer feel with soft earthy tones and soothing pastels, each of which work well together.

Of the two colour schemes proving most popular for S/S17. I chose the softer pastel pallet opposed to the vibrant one. I chose to do this as I already was including embroidery and embellishments in the range and didn’t wasn’t the colour to detract from the designs. However I found I was able to incorporate these colours subtly in the pom poms and embroidery. As for the style I chose to use a mix of styles, not just girly outfits. Two pieces and cute ruffle dresses are included in the collection, however soft tartan dungarees can also be seen. This adds choice to the collection and keeps it fresh and competitive against other similar retailers.

As previously discussed, the range has many components building together to create the garments. Firstly, both embellishments and embroidery play a large part in my range as well as patterning. This is playful and visually appealing evoking childhood designs, perfect for a children's range. However the embellishments, in particular pom pom’s add a but of outgoing innovative and fresh style that Liverpool boutiques pride themselves on.

There are eleven garments in the range with colour ways in the Pom Pom Skater Dress and the Chequered Dungarees. Accessories are also included in the range, a bow headband and baby pink espadrilles. The main fabrics used for the girls wear range are polyester and cotton, a mix of the two. Cotton is a high quality fabric and is natural, comfortable, warm, perfect for transition from winter to spring. By adding a polyester fibre this increases the elasticity and therefore comfort of the clothing, an essential for kid swear. Not only this but synthetic fibres like this are often wrinkle resistant making it ideal for kids wear.

The RRP’s range from £9.99-£35.99. This is fairly expensive for a kids wear collection however because of the embellishments and embroidery needing hand stitching, ensuring the best quality in the clothing, the price was increased. Not only this but the material used is also higher quality than most kids wear clothing, this explains the higher pricing range.

The range size is set at 0-5 years, the sizes will be as follows; 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, 9-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2-3 years, 3-4 years, 4-5 years.

As the clothing has many different components, denim, patterning and trendy two pieces, it is appropriate for the older child- 4-5 years but the cute styles and playful embroidered patterns make is equally as ideal for younger toddlers and babies.

The customer profile for children's wear stated that they liked bright colouring, tassels and embroidery. This fits in with my range perfectly as I a lot of the clothing is brightly coloured with corals, blues and purples. Not only do these colours fit in with my customers needs, these colours are also associated with spring and summer and bring about a floral feel to the clothing. The style she wanted was similar to that of Zara, classy yet playful. The clothing has childlike embroidery such as the Embroidered Rabbit Smock, this can definitely be seen as playful and is also visually appealing. Some of the clothing is also of a more grown up style, for example the two pieces. This is seen in teen and women’s clothing and is different to have in a girl swear range. This exerts a more fun look for a kid swear range and is certainly unique on the market.

The visual marketing for the girls wear range will be similar to the pre existing one that is in the Liverpool store, however this will be played up in a more baby/childlike manner. For example, instead of lamps and lights being used in the area where the range will be located, night lights and fairy lights will be used instead. This is cute and appropriate. Not only this but instead of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling above the range, I will replace these with children's mobiles. On this I hope to have similar styles to my range, for example flowers and rabbits. This works parallel to the range and also looks exciting and eye-catching to the shopper.

Women’s Wear Range S/S17

Women’s Wear Range S/S17- Range Plan Overview- The main concept of the women’s wear range was ‘vintage glamour’, this was difficult to exert through the range as todays idea of glamour is so different to glamour in the 50’s.

Therefore I took components from both then and now. The colour scheme is very basic, consisting of blush pinks, nudes but then I decided to add more vibrant colours, purple and mustard yellow.

This added more updated accents to the range. I also chose to add black to the range, this may seem an unnatural choice to make considering it is an S/S range however I felt it paid homage to the importance of the role o black in vintage glamour, e.g. Dior’s LBD. To separate the range to other occasion wear that is available on the market, I added various embellishments, this will attract my target customer who is both daring and fashion forward. It also kept the brand or Boudoir Boutique in mind as they are know for their unique looking clothing, often exuberant with various extras.

Components that can be seen throughout the range are shape and embellishment. The shapes are important to the range as they are modest, while being daring in their design. For example the mermaid pencil skirt is a twist on the classic pencil skirt. The peplum skirting adds a flare to this garment and the colour ways allow the customer to choose how daring their outfit will be. This is also seen in the pink tulle two piece. This outfit is fun and summery, the ruffles on both skirt and top give an interesting look, however both worn individually can add an extra something to an alternatively boring outfit. The loose fitting shapes and ruffles are a feminine look and the layers of material are both flattering and fashionable, they also are ideal for occasion wear as they are usually associated with big extravagant ball gowns and shirting. However by subtly incorporating them into the clothing, they are still an obvious fashion statement without being too overbearing and in your face. Another important component of the range is the use of embellishment to enhance the idea of glamour and bring in the vintage concept in a modern manner.

Pearls have been used on both the neutral twist dress and the over the shoulder black bag. They are used classically on the dress, draped around the neckline creating the effect of a pearl necklace for the wearer. This encapsulates vintage glamour and the sophisticated luxuries associated with this item. Light plumage has been used on the cullote playsuit sitting both on the waist line and the bust. This adds a delicate feel to the garment and ensures that time and effort have been put into the range, the detailing is both important and obvious here.

There are 12 items in the range, 9 pieces of clothing and three accessories. There are three colour ways for the Feathered Cullote Playsuit, three colour ways for the Mermaid Pencil Skirt and two colour ways for the Twist Front Maxi Dress. The range also includes block sandal heels, a feathered gem headband and pearl shoulder bag.

The main fabrics that are used in the range are polyester, cotton and viscose. However for some of the items, the shapes require different and more diverse materials. These include velvet, silk and tulle. The items that include these materials are slightly higher priced to accommodate the steeper manufacturing prices, however the overall effect and look of the clothing is desirable and I don’t feel that the higher prices of these will deter the consumer. These materials are light and comfortable, ideal for March-August however as I have included velvet jackets into the range, this will accommodate the colder months of March and April and the unexpected changes in weather. The different materials also changed the place of manufacture that I would choose to create certain items. For example as China is more technologically advanced and they specialise in silk, the items such as the Plumage Culotte Playsuit and the Open Flare Shirt will be manufactured in a China based factory. Another change in my place of manufacturing can be seen for the Ruffle Tweed Jacket which I sourced from Italy. This Is a statement piece for the range and has various different components, the pattern design is unique and the ruffles add interest to the shaping of the jacket. Therefore I wanted care to be taken in to the making of it and European factories are known for this.

The customer profile stated that accessories were important to include in the range. I have included both an elegant, versatile, pearl covered clutch bag, perfect for nights out or other events.

Not only this but the feathered gemstone headband also brings the idea of the importance of accessories in an outfit to life while also encapsulating the vintage feel that I chose to base the whole range around.

For Visual merchandising of the Liverpool store, I would keep most of the internal designs the same with large chandeliers, overstated lamps and a messy feel to the layout however I also would want to achieve the feel of a ball in store, this would include a red carpet running through the centre of the area where womenswear is in store, mannequins with masquerade masks and hair pieces in and light classical music playing. This reinforces the idea of the clothing being vintage but also glamorous as shows they are literally fit for the ball.

Research I conducted helped me to improve and construct my range, in particular my directional shop. From this I saw how designer stores differ from the regular high street store. Although I know my range is not designer standard, I aimed to take components from these clothes and integrate them into mine, showing their opulence and individuality. This mainly was shown through the shaping. Designers in high fashion are know for the experimentation with shape, I also experimented with shape. This can be seen in the ruffles of the Mermaid Pencil Skirt and the Ruffle Two Piece. Both of these items, without the overlays of ruffles are basic clothing items however by adding this shape, I made them more exciting, this is appealing to the fashion conscious individual.

Men’s Wear Range-S/S17

Men’s Wear Range S/S17- Range Plan Overview-The main concept for the menswear range was experimentation with different, even contrasting patterns. These primarily consisted of stripes, chequers and diamond patterns. In particular, I wanted the range to play with the different types of the same pattern, for example with stripes. Although there is a lot of striping in the collection, they are all unique. They range from thick contrasting coloured stripes, skinny pin stripes and thin coloured stripes. Each of these bought a different look to the range. Although there is a lot of pattern and design within the collection, I also chose to use some block colouring in order to tone the collection down and allow for mix and matching within suits. For example although there are a lot of patterned smart trousers, there is a large choice of plain, similar coloured shirts to pair these with. This allows the wearer to show off their bold look without looking too extravagant.

The colouring of the range is toned down and fairly neutral including blues; pale and navy, browns, beiges and yellow. The yellow may seem a strange choice to add into the range but as the majority of the tones are A/W colours, I feel that adding accents of yellow, for example in the stripy shorts, sunglasses and slim tie, this created the essence of summer while also appealing to a range of men. The colour is added subtly and means that even men who prefer a relaxed, plain look can play with the colour.

The main components of the range is occasion wear therefore the majority of the clothing is smart however, also suitable for summer. There are long sleeved shirts and full length trousers, appropriate for a plethora of events, however I also chose to include short sleeved shirts and shorts. This adds a more casual vibe to the range and means that the ‘occasion’ is not contained to simply weddings and christenings but can also be worn as casual smart wear to other events like garden parties. This means there is a wider scope to the range and therefore means there are more opportunities for sales. The shoes also add a more relaxed, cool look to the range as they are chunky based and very on trend. They are made from ethically sourced leather and therefore are good quality however the colour means that they can be worn for smart situations while also being fashionable and comfortable. The bestseller from the range is the pinstripe blazer. This is because it is a very versatile jacket, working both as part of a suit but can also be worn with jeans and a shirt to smarten up a casual look. The colour means that it works well with numerous other colours and the playful stripes allows it to be a classic piece with a twist.

There are eleven items in the range with colour ways in the Long Sleeved Shirt; navy blue, beige, sky blue and chequer, the Smart Shorts; sky blue, yellow and blue stripe, the Diamond Pattern Slim Leg Trouser; beige, sky blue, the Striped Cigarette Pants; blue and beige, the Coloured Long Leg Slim Fit Trousers; navy blue, brown, chequer and the Coloured Short Sleeved Shirt; sky blue ,light brown and chequer. The main fabric used for the range is Wool, Cotton, Polyester and Viscose. These are high quality materials, particularly the wool, this is used only in the Check fitted blazer and the Navy pinstripe Oversized Blazer. These are the two most expensive items however the quality of the fabric used explains this. Although I chose to use cotton as it Is light, durable and prints well, I also used it as it retains colour better than many other materials. A big part of my range was the existence of the patterns and therefore I needed to make sure I used a material that would maintain the contrast of these patterns. Also, by using a cotton/polyester blend, this reduced the costs of my clothing.

The customer profile called for ‘individual’ ‘zesty’ and ‘exciting designs’ all of which I feel my range comprises of. For example, although subtle, the use of bright colours within the accessories of the range allows if to be exciting and different while also retaining a professional feel. The designs in the range may not be seen as exciting as the patterns are basic, everyday patterns however how they can be worn and paired together to create an interesting, unique look will definitely attract the type of customer I want.

Both the competitive shop in particular helped me to form certain ideas and make decisions when creating my range. For example, initially I said that I was going to incorporate bright colours into the clothing for example reds, purples, greens and blues but after reviewing the comp shop and similarly looking at other retailers in this area, I saw that this was not a popular trend within this range of clothing, occasion wear. The colours in the comp shop were plain and consistent, deep reds, blues whites and browns. Therefore I changed my original idea to use vibrant colouring as this would have meant that the range may not have been as successful.

ACTIVITY 23- SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT Having an efficient supply chain and good management of the processes within this in a company can result in the instant success of a business in the retail sector. This can include the use of models, organisation within the company and especially good logistics.

An example of a retail company that have excelled within the market as a direct result of its efficient supply chain management is Zara. Zara is a Spanish based retail company known for its fashionable items, striking in their similarity to high fashion pieces. However, Zara’s retail success is down to its supply chain strategies. These include their choice of deliveries and schedules. Zara receives ‘regular batches of small deliveries twice a week’. By delivering in small amounts of stock, this creates the idea of exclusivity at Zara meaning customers feel the need to buy clothing from here regularly as so they don’t miss out on the new looks they offer. Not only this but they also use an Inventory Optimization Model, this means that they only order in stock precisely in the amount that is necessary to the needs of each particular store. Not only does this reduce stock wastage and excess stock taking up necessary space in the warehouse, it reduces the effects of the potential damage to the company of unsuccessful trends. If a batch of clothing arrives in store that is not desirable to the consumer, the company will not lose out on a surplus of potential profit because there is only a small amount of stock being wasted or marked down. However, by buying in small batches this could deter or frustrate consumers, unable to get their hands on items that they want. This could potentially cause disappointment and negativity surrounding the brand as a result of not enough stock being available to the consumer.

Zara also have a very quick turnaround between trends being showcased on the catwalk and the design of similar items being released into the store, this is said to be ‘2 weeks’. This is both efficient and necessary to their success as they are able to give the customer what they want, quicker than their competitors. Not only this but Zara also produces a lot of their garments in house, and other ‘sophisticated fabric sourcing and sewing facilities’ can be found near the Spanish headquarters. This means that logistically speaking, the production is very centralized meaning a faster turnaround time. Not only this but by being manufactured in Europe, dispatch and delivery time will be reduced significantly meaning that shipments are processed and delivered quicker and more efficiently into stores.

Although Zara design many items throughout the season, they prioritise popular styles that have proven successful among the consumer but also that have been successful in similar retailers. As well as prioritising only the most popular styles, the design team work all season, not simply at the start of the season. Fashion is a constantly changing environment and by leaving this time all year round for design of new collections, Zara ensure there is room for adaptation throughout the whole season. This means that no trend is left out and customers needs are constantly and consistently being satisfied. Unlike other stores, customer feedback is also important to Zara. Managers and in store teams take the feedback of customers e.g. likes and dislikes and they are ‘instantly funnelled back to designers’ who begin to correlate ideas and design adapted styles ‘on the spot’. This is a responsive technique and takes in the feedback of the consumer. This is an ideal strategy to use as the customer knows what they want and can work to improve the designers knowledge of what will work within the market and what wont. However you need to be careful when taking feedback from customers as often this may no reflect the overall view of the mass consumer of Zara, if only some feedback is taken into account you may potentially disappoint other customers, therefore you need to be balanced and gain a large amount of feedback before making big changed to both stock and designs.

Zara is also organised and coordinated within all of its departments from buyers and suppliers to shop floor assistants. Everyone is aware and educated on the ‘precise’ routine that is followed in the company concerning deliveries, orders and shipments to and from warehouses. This means that everything is done on time and in a certain order resulting in the most efficient process, this leaves little room for mistakes.

ACTIVITY 23 CONTINUED Another retailer that conducts its supply chain in an efficient way, resulting in the success of the company is Primark, although very different to Zara in their strategies, they still achieve the same quick, profit generating results.

Similarly to Zara, only limited amounts of stock are reordered into the store after the initial orders have been undergone. This means that visits are more frequent from customers as the ‘average store turnover is 6 weeks’???

Arguably the main reason for Primark’s success is its lack of advertising, stretching all the way to its non existent online presence. The store relies on ‘word of mouth’ to generate awareness of the deals and low prices, this has worked as Primark is known worldwide for its ridiculously low prices. The money saved from this can then be allocated elsewhere for example extra labour, more frequent shipments on popular items and to smarten up the shop floor creating a nicer environment for customers to shop in, encouraging more sales. Not only this, but Primark save in other areas including their location, choosing to locate their stores in ‘downtown’ areas means that rent is usually lower, again this money can be redistributed where necessary. However another way in which they save money has been damaging to the company. The company only hire minimal amounts of staff to both man checkout lines and manage inventory, this means that they may skimp on quality customer service. Although this may save them money, it may be damaging to the reputation of the store as it may deter customers from visiting meaning sales will be reduced. Not only this but Zara’s online presence only increases their sales, by their lack of an online store, Primark miss out on potential extra profit but also popularity among a wider target market.

Primark is also known for its big stores with pretty layouts and unique interior decorating. This can both encourage customers to shop but also may help to generate more sales. This can be done in two ways; firstly, the actual floor space is larger than most stores meaning capacity of stock is larger, this can result in larger sales figures, also visual merchandisers can strategically place cheaper items in places that customers are going to notice e.g. near the entrance and exit of the shop. This entices customers from entry of the store and encourages them to shop more.

In terms of sourcing, Primark has been known in the past to make up for its cheap pricing with cheap labour, often unethical and illegal. This can be seen in their choice of supplier in a Ranza Plaza factory in Bangladesh, of which in 2013 collapsed claiming multiple lives. This tarnished the reputation of Primark despite its attempts to source from more ethical suppliers. Zara’s choice to source and manufacture a large portion of their stock locally, both in house and from factories in Europe ensure that their reputation for ethical sourcing and manufacturing is upheld, unlike Primark’s.

A lot of Primark’s constant stock comes in the form of its ‘Basics’ range, the lead time on these items is a meagre 90 days from Asia which when compared with the average in fast fashion of 8 weeks from the likes of Turkey and Eastern Europe, is a admirable and efficient time. This means that Primark has the ability to response quickly to the demand on popular items such as these, increasing their sales and profit. ("A Successful Retailer Without An Online Presence? | Eft - Supply Chain & Logistics Business Intelligence")

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Women’s Merchandising Spreadsheet

Plumage Cullotte Playsuit

Tulle Box Top

Double Ruffle Skirt

Women's-Total Sales Per 8 Week Period Examples

Girl’s Merchandising Spreadsheet

Peter Pan Collar Rabbit Smock

Embroidered Two Piece Top

Large Knot Headband

Girl’s-Total Sales Per 8 Week Period Examples

Men’s Merchandising Spreadsheet

Check Fitted Blazer

Coloured Long Sleeved Shirt

Men’s-Total Sales Per 8 Week Period Examples Diamond Patterned Slim leg Trousers

MERCHANDISING ANALYSIS I used past sales data to aid me in conducting a merchandising spreadsheet, to work out how much stock I will bring in to the store and how much gross profit I will make over an eight week period. To project the amounts of stock I actually needed, I used a like for like data of sales in similar stores to help me decide the amounts for each item in my collections. My RRP’s were allocated based on the detail of the items, the quality of fabric used and the COO, these all contributed to the price of the clothing. From this I was able to work out the cost price by taking away 20% VAT. Once this was done I was able to check the margin was set at a healthy percentage and the gap between my RRP and cost price was not too high or low. This was worked out to be 67%.

My range release date I chose to be the 6th March, the first week meaning the range will be released in time for Spring/Summer, ahead of many other retailers. This means that I am able to be competitive within the retail environment, especially those of which surround my main store in Liverpool. By setting my release date in early March, this also ensures that the demand for the range remains high as it will be released early enough that it can run through the 8 weeks and still be appropriate and desirable to the consumer. To aid sales, I also worked out and added a 15% replen for each item In the range. This ensures that sales continue smoothly along the course of the 8 Weeks, and any popular bestsellers can continue to thrive throughout the 8 week period.

I used store grades to help me to decide on quantities based on the stores that I would be selling through. For example, Boudoir Boutique only has one store based in Liverpool therefore I had one B, a high street store. As I would want to expand further for the release of this collection, to do this I would release it in several small concessions, broadening my scope of consumers and ensuring more awareness of my store and therefore more demand for the clothing. Also, as Boudoir Boutique has not yet got an online selling service, I have set up an online store service through Instagram. Boudoir Boutique already have an Instagram account through which they post outfits and prices as well as promotions, I will use this to advertise the items in the range as well as give consumers a chance to place orders through the social network, adding another place for potential sales to occur.

Overall, my gross profit across the whole range is ÂŁ4381399.9. This was worked out by taking my total cost prices away from the total RRP.

APPRAISE THE COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL FOR SUCCESS WHEN PLANNING THE RANGE Advertising is important to the success of a range throughout all retail types but in particular fashion retail. For my three ranges I will advertise In three appropriate ways. This can be done in many ways for example using look books, posters, business cards and celeb endorsements. This allows the general public to be aware of the new range and also generates desirability with promotions and outfit examples.

For my range I will produce a general poster/ promotional leaflet to create awareness of the new range for the target market. These will be available on the desk of the Liverpool store and the leaflet will also be available digitally on both their Tumblr page and Instagram page. This is a good way of advertising as it means that it will grab the attention of pre existing customers that are already keeping up to date with these accounts but is also cheaper than paying to advertise outside of the retailer. Not only this but by having copies readily available in store, both new and existing customers can be aware that a new collection is coming.

The leaflet will show the general idea of the ranges and will show the release date. This is both informative and by keeping the information limited and minimal it creates intrigue within the target market and created the idea of exclusivity It will include colours that are seen throughout the range, showing that there is a wide range within the whole range, something for everyone. On the back of the leaflet the words IN HERE LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL will be posted I big bold lettering. This is the tagline for Boudoir Boutique and can be seen on the window of their Liverpool store. This brings the advert back to the store and helps to create and strengthen the brand identity. This could increase sales. I will also conduct a competition along the three ranges, I will ask consumers to post a picture on social media with the #lifeisbeautiful wearing their items that exist in the range, either men's women's or girl’s at their chosen occasion and a winner will be picked from this and will receive a £100.00 voucher. This is good as it not only encourages people to buy from the range, it also acts as a secondary advertisement, one that would not come out of out financial budget as when customers use the hashtag and post on their social medias, this also acts as advertisement to friends and family.

Not only this but for the men's range, I will arrange an in store tailoring service for the first two weeks of the range, free with every suit or suit item (Blazer, Trousers, Shirts). This encourages men to buy from the range as they are getting an add on, a service that they would have otherwise needed to pay for. This shows attentiveness and care for the customer and will encourage them to visit the store again. I will also create a

Front of Promotional Poster

Back of Promotional Poster

10% DISCOUNT CARD

THE CRITICAL PATH AND PRODUCTION ISSUES TASK 21 PACKAGING PREMISES • •

Factory Warehouse

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Head office

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Boxes/Containers for transport Plastic Wrapping

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Promotional Packaging (Gift bags)

RECOURCES DISTRIBUTION • • •

Ships Trucks Aeroplanes

FACTORIES • • • • • • •

Staff Machinery Sewing machines IT (CAD machinery) Cutting tables Sample room Fabric dying room

HEAD OFFICE • • • • • •

Design Team HR Healthy and safety Sample/Fitting room Quality control room Budget

There are many recourses used within a retail company that help and are necessary within production. The most important of which is possibly the staff that you employ. Staff are needed in each part of production from factory workers, who actually create the garments, to the buyers who source and buy in the fabrics needed for the clothing but then you also need to employ staff in head office. These help production as they are used for ordering in stock, designing the garments, gathering important statistics and data that will help the range to succeed and also, they help when it comes to quality control and checking that the garments are okay for selling purposes.

Another recourse that is important to production is the financial budget. Without money, a retailer cannot succeed within the market as they will have no money for premises, research staff or manufacture.

Factories and the recourses found within factories are imperative to the success of a company and the production of ranges. The recourses within a factory may include staff, needed to create and manufacture the garments and materials themselves, machinery, this can include sewing machines and other heavy machinery which is needed to speeden up the process of manufacturing certain key items, fabric dying rooms and cutting tables. If these were not used, there would be no way to manufacture your clothing designs.

Recourses within head office are important in production too, in particular quality control rooms. This is important as the clothing needs to undergo rigorous testing to see if it is fit for purpose, this includes safety checks, is the clothing hypoallergenic, is it flame retardant but also may include quality checks, how durable is the clothing is it water resistant, will the dye run. All of these checks within the quality control room are essential to the production of clothing.

As a retail company you need to have premises for numerous reasons and functions. For example you need to a centralized area for head office to be located. This is important as it is were all decision making concerning new ranges occur, it means that the production can remain organised and everyone Is well informed on what is going on. You also need a warehouse, this is important as much of the stock needs to be kept somewhere while waiting to be placed on a shop floor. A warehouse means that stock can be held in a safe and clean environment remaining undamaged until the retailer needs it. Factories are other premises you may need, as a retailer you need factories as well, this is important to the retailer as this is where the majority of production takes place, however some of the production may happen in house therefore it is important to have certain production recourses, for example sewing machines in head office.

WHAT AMENDMENTS COULD YOU MAKE TO YOUR DESIGNS TO ENSURE FASTER AND CHEAPER PRODUCTION

Sourcing-I sourced the material for this blazer from Italy, this was because they are known for their fabric printing and print designs. However manufacturing in Europe Is more expensive than overseas.

Therefore to make the item cheaper I could manufacture it in India instead.

Design Issues- There are typically three pockets in a blazer however there isn’t need for all three. I could have faux pockets on the bottom two and keep the breast pocket as a real pocket. This would save time on the manufacture of the item.

Fabric- Because this item Is a high priced and high quality item, it was made from wool. However a synthetic material would also work just as well for the item and would also save a lot of money.

Design Issues- To make the manufacture of the trousers cheaper, I would choose a zip fasten instead of buttons. This would also be less time consuming.

Fabric- The pattern on the face of the pants is intricate with detailer diamond patterning. For cheaper production I could use block colours instead of patterning.

Shipping- I would ship my clothing instead of bringing it in by air, although this may take longer, it will be cheaper.

Sourcing- I have said that I am sourcing this item from India however this takes 12 Weeks to ship. Therefore I could source it from a European country to cut down the length of time it takes to ship.

Design Issues-The colouring of the pattern in the design of the shirt is several colours including red blue grey and white. To make the fabric cheaper I could use two main colours for example blue and grey.

Fabric- The fabric for this is a cotton polyester blend. For cheaper production I could simply use polyester.

Sourcing- I sourced the fabric from China, although cheaper, this takes a long time for shipping and may set me back for the release of my range, therefore I may choose to source this from a closer country for example Turkey.

Design Issues-The sole of the shoe is very chunky, to reduce the cost for the rubber sole I could change the design to a thinner sole. This would save money.

Fabric-For the fabric I have chosen to use real leather, this means that the price of the shoes are inflated greatly. To make it cheaper I could use a synthetic faux leather.

Sourcing-The fabric for the tie was

sourced in China and they were manufactured here too. This may be expensive therefore I could look around at other suppliers to see if there are cheaper places.

Design issues- The tie is long and therefore uses a lot of material. To make this cheaper I could produce a shorter tie, saving money on material.

Fabric- The ties are made of cotton.

To make this cheaper I could choose a lower quality material like polyester.

WHAT AMENDMENTS COULD YOU MAKE TO YOUR DESIGNS TO ENSURE FASTER AND CHEAPER PRODUCTION

Sourcing- I sourced this garment from India, this means that the delivery time will be long, I could source from European countries like Bulgaria to reduce the lead times for shipping.

Design Issues- The design has a pearl neckline across the front of it, by using a trim instead this could reduce the cost of the item.

Fabric- The fabric is cotton/elastane, to make the garment cheaper I would use a polyester cotton blend instead.

Sourcing-This item was sourced from China however the majority of the range was sourced from India, to make the process more efficient I would choose to source all the garments from India.

Design Issues- There is a feathered trim on the neckline and waist of the playsuit, this could be removed to make the production both cheaper and quicker Fabric- The fabric is a silk blend, instead of using this I would replace it with synthetic material, this will be cheaper

Sourcing- This is sourced from China, I could look at other suppliers to see whether they are cheaper Design Issues- Although the item is sourced from China, the pearl embellishments are going to applied in house. By removing the pearls this speedenes up the process of manufacture and will also mean that the item is cheaper Fabric- The chain and fasten is made of metal this might be expensive therefore I may choose to use a fabric strap instead. This may be cheaper.

Sourcing- I have sourced this from Italy however manufacture in Europe is known for being expensive, Instead I could source from overseas Design Issues-The ruffles on the face of the jacket may take time to manufacture, therefore I could change this to only on the hem of the jacket and the neckline. This would reduce manufacture time Fabric- The fabric is cotton, for a cheaper garment I could use polyester or viscose

Sourcing- This was sourced from China as china is known for producing more advanced garments e.g. velvet however I could choose to change the material and source from a cheaper location and supplier Design Issues- There are buttons on the sleeving of this blazer are unnecessary and may increase the cost, these could be taken off Fabric- The fabric used is velvet, this is a naturally produced fibre, however I could reduce the price by using a man made velvet

WHAT AMENDMENTS COULD YOU MAKE TO YOUR DESIGNS TO ENSURE FASTER AND CHEAPER PRODUCTION

Sourcing- This item was sourced from India, by looking around at other overseas countries I could find a cheaper country to source from Design Issues- The face of the garment has an embroidered design on it, by using a print instead this can save time and money Fabric- The fabric used was a cotton/polyester blend, by only using man made fibres, this will make the range cheaper

Sourcing- This item was sourced from India however if I was to source it from England It will be quicker delivery and therefore faster production Design Issues- The design has a stripy print over the front, by using just one block colour, this may be cheaper to source. Not only this but the sleeving is ruffled and uses lots of material, changing this to a normal short sleeve will reduce cost for material Fabric- The fabric used is a cotton polyester blend, by using only polyester this will mean that the fabric sourced will be bought for a cheaper price

Sourcing- This item is sourced from Turkey, this is different from the rest of the range which is sourced from India, by sourcing from all same areas, less orders need to be placed and the buyer can save on time and money therefore I would be inclined to source these materials from India also Design Issues- There is embellishment on the face of the garment, this is expensive to manufacture, instead I could buy ready made applique and have this sown on Fabric- I have used denim in the making of this item, this is often expensive to buy therefore I may buy a blue dyed material that looks like denim rather than the actual fabric

Shipping- Because I am shipping this item from India, I would be more inclined to order it by sea in large containers rather than by air, this is cheaper Design Issues- The garment has pom pom’s on the arms and the hem of the top. This will be expensive to manufacture as it is detailed. Instead I could just add a spotted pattern to the hem of the garment, this created a similar effect but is cheaper to manufacture Fabric- The fabric is a polyester cotton blend, instead of using cotton, synthetic fibres are cheaper to buy

Shipping-Similarly this has been sourced from India, again it would be cheaper to ship it by container ship rather than order it by air therefore saving me money Design Issues- The design has two bits of embroidery on the front of the skirt, I could take this off as this will be cheaper and quicker to produce Fabric- The fabric is cotton and polyester blend, however this will be more expensive as I am using a lot of it to produce a ruffled effect, I could change the design to an a-line shape, this will be cheaper as less fabric is used

TASK 22 EVALUATION To make the products cheaper, you would need to concentrate mainly on reducing the detail of the clothing, creating more basic designs and using cheaper materials. For example an item that consists of many embellishments or elaborate embroidery is going to add extra time to manufacturing and therefore will cost a significantly increased amount of money, not only this but the same exists for complicated patterns or designs. These must be simplified to reduce potential expensive prices. Not only this but higher quality materials such as wool, velvet, silk and cashmere cost more to buy and therefore will increase the prices across a collection. By using similar textured and looking materials that are cheaper and easier to make, this will help to reduce the overall cost of the range. However, this may sacrifice the durability or look of the clothing therefore this must be weighed up and you may choose to use a blend of two materials instead. Again the concept of simplifying the original designs will help to save the buyer time and money but may decrease the desirability of the product. If an item has embroidery on it, this is expensive to manufacture and is time consuming. To create the same effect but also simultaneously save time, you may choose to simply sow a pre made design on to the item. The item will still retain the desired trend however will be cheaper and quicker to make.

Where you choose to manufacture and source you materials and garments from will also change you cost price and therefore may make your clothing cheaper. For example ‘More than a quarter of respondents said that higher costs associated with overseas production were the principal reason’ for why they chose to source from overseas opposed to locally, this might include countries like China, India and Turkey. Therefore to make a cheaper range you would want to source from overseas factories. However, this may result in your lead times being significantly higher as it can take from 1012 weeks to ship from places like China. This means that the efficiency and speed at which the clothing is reaching the shop floor is going to be reduced. This takes away from the concept of the clothing being produced being ‘fast fashion’.

The garment must be tested on the wash ability of it, for example is it stain resistant. This is particularly important as this is for young girls aged 0-5.

It must also be tested on whether it is fire resistant or not. This is important as it is a range for young children.

Every test that the garment has undergone must be logged in a way that everyone can see so to make sure that all fabric testing has occurred

The stitching on the embellishments must be well done and to a high standard as children often play and tug at loose strings which could potentially ruin the garment.

Fit for purpose

Fabric Testing It must also be able to be washed without the stitching of the embellishment coming loose.

Organisation al Requirements

Production Requirement The gap for the arm holes must not be too tight and must fit loosely.

Must be water resistant, tests for this should be carried out

Tests to test for flammability to be carried out. Must be fire resistant.

Must ensure that any chemical or dyes used to make material fire/water resistant is not dangerous or harmful to workers or consumers.

The target market must like the design and colours.

Fit for purpose

Needs to go with the rest of the range. Black goes with the chosen colour scheme.

The stitching for the pearl embellishment must be durable and to a very high standard.

The length of the chain strap must be to a popular length, must not fall below the hip.

Colour scheme goes with other items in the range, for example shirts.

The fabric needs to be tested on durability of stitching.

Stripes are a popular pattern for S/S17.

Stitching needs to be done in a way that is durable and looks appealing. The standard for this needs to be high.

The material cant be too stiff and must be comfortable and flexible.

The sizing must be appropriate and guidelines for each size must be clearly stated and expressed to the design team.

A sample should be sent to the buying team to ensure that the length of the trousers is not too long or short.

The material must not be too thick or heavy as it is part of a spring/summer collection

Needs to be tested to ensure that it is fire resistant.

Fabric must be tested to make sure the fabric isn’t irritable to sensitive skin.

The garment must be fit for a lot of movement and be flexible.

The straps of the dungarees must be adjustable to ensure that a range of sizes, within the set sizes, can be accommodated

Need to look into children’s wear clothing laws so that any small pieces e.g. the fastenings are acceptable and adhere to laws

Pearls around the neckline work well with the brand.

Needs to be tested for water resistance especially the bottom of the material as this may drag

Extravagant dress definitely fits with the idea of occasion wear.

Need to make sure that the length of the dress is not too long so that it does not sag on the ground

Need to test that the elasticity is strong so the dress will not be baggy The cotton and elastane that the dress is made of must be sourced ethically

Must order in samples to ensure that the slit on the skirting it appropriate and not too high up the leg

The product must be made of loose material as it is a spring/summer collection The Pom Poms’s must be tested to ensure that they are secure and don’t cause a choking hazard

The head hole should be wide enough for the child to easily put on the garment

The material should be stain resistant as it is a children’s wear range The material used must be soft and comfortable for the child to be comfortable all day The organisational team must be up to date with regulations on design and choking hazards to ensure the garment is safe and within the law

It needs to be tested being machine washed to make sure colours don’t run The fabric must be tested to make sure that it is stain resistant

Smart shoe so fits in with the theme of occasion wear

Fashionable and goes with the rest of the colour scheme for the range

Fabric must be tested to discover the easiest way to clean without damaging the material

The laces should be made of a strong fabric and should be tested to see If they snap under harsh pressure The fabric mustn't scuff at the bottom and must be durable

Must ensure that the leather is sourced from an ethically sound company or supplier

There must be a central area where product testing is taken place

The blazer should be washed multiple times under different conditions to see whether It must be dry cleaned or hand washed

As this item must remain smart looking, tests to see if it is wrinkle resistant should be undertaken

As this must be worn with other items of clothing the colours if versatile and goes with most other colours

A test to see how easily the colours run should be done and material should be changed if so

The material is light, this is ideal as it is part of a s/s collection

EVALUATION I feel that overall my range will prove profitable for my retailer and desirable to my potential customers. Firstly, the women’s range was fitted to the woman that I wanted as my customer. The range needed the characteristics of a vintage clothing range while also being trendy in the current times but also glamorous, as it’s an occasion wear range. This was portrayed with plumage, neutral sophisticated tones and exciting shapes, all of which help it to remain unique yet desirable. Many of the shapes in the range are daring and some of the colours, in particular the mustard yellow may be off-putting to some however Boudoir Boutique as a retailer are known for their outlandish looks and colourful clothing, therefore the range slotted into the brands existing identity. The range has many items however, the bestseller is the Ruffle Tweed Jacket. Although this is the most expensive item in the range, it is also the most versatile and unique. It is a light material jacket, ideal for the transition from winter to spring, the colour is fresh and feminine while the design and shape bring a new look to the piece.

When all this is tied together, the pricing of the jacket is irrelevant as it is so desirable to the customer.

As Boudoir Boutique originally only stocked Women’s clothing, the creation of both a men’s and girl’s wear range was difficult to both picture and design. The use of competitive shops helped me here as they allowed me to firstly find out what these types of customers want from their clothing but also helped me make decisions with pricing and materials to use, as I was unable to simply assess previous ranges from Boudoir Boutique itself. From my research and further looking into trends for S/S17 I was able to form appropriate pieces that worked for an occasion wear, S/S17 range for both men’s and girl’s.

Within the girl swear range, I feel the most important component is the colouring. I was faced with two colour palettes when researching up coming trends in Kids wear and instead of picking one prevailing colour scheme, I chose to merge both of these subtly to create the colouring. This meant that the outfits could be individual and different from other existing ones in similar retailers, it also increased the wear ability of the clothing as the mix of colours means that the clothing could be appropriate for a range of events, or even everyday wear.

When creating the range I wanted to keep in mind the potential for a new market to be introduced to Boudoir Boutique, families. This influenced my decision to use quite similar colour palettes for each of my ranges. Not only does this ensure that the colours used are similar to those seen already in the store, but meant that the clothing across all ranges could potentially be worn in unison and still look exciting and appealing.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Boudior Boutique- Geoghegan, J., Brown, H., Geoghegan, J., Geoghegan, J. and Kirsty McGregor, (2016). Shopwatch: Boudoir Boutique & Weavers Door. [online] Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/retail/shopwatch-boudoir-boutique-and-weavers-door/5058494.article [Accessed 13 Dec. 2016].

https://www.wgsn.com/content/reports/#/Future+Trends/w/Fashion_Forecast/24662 Purelondon.com. (2017). Pure London | Olympia London, 12-14 February 2017 - PILUCA BAYARRI - IBIZA. [online] Available at: http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/PILUCA-BAYARRI-IBIZA [Accessed 10 Jan. 2017]. http://www.smudgetikka.com/fashion/bubble-london-spring-2017-kids-fashion-sneak-peek/# Wgsn.com. (2017). Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. [online] Available at: https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/61224/page/2 [Accessed 16 Jan. 2017]. http://en.vogue.fr/vogue-hommes/fashion/diaporama/20-menswear-trends-for-spring-summer-2017/35352#tendances-homme-mode-printemps-ete-2017-jaune Ogunnaike, N. (2017). 4 Things You Need to Know About the Prada Spring 2017 Show. [online] ELLE. Available at: http://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a39470/prada-spring-2017-runway-trends/ [Accessed 16 Jan. 2017].

Queens Of Vintage. (2017). A history of style: the feather - Queens Of Vintage. [online] Available at: http://www.queensofvintage.com/a-history-of-style-the-feather/ [Accessed 16 Jan. 2017].

Cooper, L. (2017). SS17 Trend Watch: Ruffles. [online] ELLE UK. Available at: http://www.elleuk.com/fashion/trends/articles/g31014/new-york-fashion-week-ss17-trend-ruffles/ [Accessed 16 Jan. 2017].

Arcadiagroup.co.uk. (2017). Ethical Trading / Arcadia Group. [online] Available at: https://www.arcadiagroup.co.uk/fashionfootprint/our-products/Ethical%20Trading#Country Risk Assessments [Accessed 30 Jan. 2017].

Première Vision Paris. (2017). The shows | Première Vision Paris. [online] Available at: http://www.premierevision.com/en/presentation/the-shows/ [Accessed 30 Jan. 2017]. https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2014/feb/18/pros-cons-manufacturing-uk-far-east http://www.vogue.co.uk/shows/spring-summer-2017-menswear/balmain/collection/

Task 23 "A Successful Retailer Without An Online Presence? | Eft - Supply Chain & Logistics Business Intelligence". Eft.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.