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T H E F I R S T C AT WA L K FA S H I O N I L L U S T R AT I O N P U B L I C AT I O N P R O J E C T P R O P O S A L _ C H R I S T O P H E R P R I N C E _ P R I 10 2 87 0 3 0 _ B A [ H O N S ] FA S H I O N J O U R N A L I S M [ P R I N T ]
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PROJECT PROPOSAL _ contents
01
THE C O N C E P T
02
THE R E S E A RC H
03 T H E S T R AT E G Y
04 BIBLIOGRAPHY 05 APPENDICES
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P R O J E C T I N S P I R AT I O N
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MARKET COMPETITORS
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CONTENT OVERVIEW
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styleyes T H E F I R S T C AT WA L K FA S H I O N I L L U S T R AT I O N P U B L I C AT I O N
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01.
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1 / THE CONCEPT Styleyes is a fashion illustration magazine inspired by seasonal runway collections. styleyes magazine Published quarterly in line with the fashion week schedule beginning with Ready to Wear A/W in April, Menswear in July, Couture in August and Ready to Wear S/S in October, styleyes will be marketed as a covetable collectors edition. The magazine will unearth designer collection drawings, back-
stage sketches and live-action illustration, as well as discovering creative fashion bloggers and fashion lead artists. Inspiration will be taken directly from the medium of instant catwalk imagery, only in styleyes the photography will be married with illustration. Content will showcase typical catwalk coverage but in a more comprehensive way than any other fashion magazine. Features will introduce new and established sketching talent, interview backstage artists, and discover big brand art directors. Styleyes will be available as an app for on-the-go fashion updates. It will feature live action runway sketches as the shows happen, catwalk streams and collection photography giving buyers the chance to relive the show.
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/ THE INSPIRATION
The idea of a fashion quarterly such as s t y l e y e s is not novel, but delving into the content of this market shows that other publications are less about catwalk and more about cutting-edge, quirky style. This concept holds a unique position that offers accessibility and mass-market appeal. It is a niche product because it focuses solely on fashion, but it will attract both industry and high-street readers. On a personal note I too am a passionate fashion illustrator. I find the medium fascinating - can fashion illustration be considered art? I have built up an extensive knowledge of fashion illustrators and, from personal experience, have collected a bounty of fashion and art-based publications yet none have focused solely on catwalk fashion. I wanted to create a magazine myself which combined both elements.
/ THE APP
s t y k y e s will also have a proposed app created specifically for the fashion week schedule. This app, distinct to the print magazine, will be updated daily with current show reviews, fashion news and live-action fashion illustration - a concept utilising the interactive tablet touch-sensitive sketchbook pro interface. Viewers will be able to witness catwalk looks and detail shots reinterpreted into sketches live from the front row, with the ability to doodle on screen also available. Think of it as Nowfashion meets Style.com with fashion art intertwined.
[CHANEL DESIGNER KARL LAGERFELD SKETCHING HIMSELF ON THE IPAD]
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The publication will take the form of a print magazine, with each issue focused specifically on a particular fashion season. Content will range from trend-lead articles to regular quarterly features featuring contributions from guest artists, bloggers and fashion writers. s t y k y e s is your fashion pass, giving readers an exclusive preview of the creative process behind the creation of catwalk collections, and exposing those who draw from the front row to backstage artists sketching the models.
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/ THE FACTS [Did you know?] Circulations of specialist fashion magazines, which are particularly bucking the trend with readers; are up 5% year on year in terms of category sales, while the women’s monthly market is down 4% [UTalkMarketing, 2008] Mintel has recorded a 28% drop in print magazines distributed between 2006 and 2011 [Mintel, 2012] Women’s magazines contribute around 46% of the UK magazine market, and around 23% of consumers regularly read interest-specific magazines [Mintel, 2012]
/ DEMOGRAPHIC / TARGET READER
The target audience for s t y l e y e s are creative, cultured women with an unrivalled knowledge of fashion. They are the consumers who buy interest magazines and enjoy reading niche subjects. They have a passion for art and have travelled the globe, with the majority visiting fashion capitals in Europe and Asia. They are driven businesswomen, preferably in the creative industry as curators, stylists, designers or buyers. These women seek in-depth articles, those that illustrate the creative process behind fashion and interview its contributors. One participant suggested that “fashion magazines shouldn’t be scared to actually talk about fashion, and fashion only” whilst another pointed out the severe lack of fashion art magazines, referencing “I used to buy Amelia’s magazine until it went defunct, now all that’s available is pricey coffee table fashion magazines which are far too large and feature just moody photography, I want something with a little more substance that is visually stimulating.”
However, the magazine will also cater to those fashion enthusiasts who can only afford high-street labels - the art students, fashion lovers and bloggers who will utilise s t y l e y e s as a collectable fashion tome for future design inspiration. They are of the younger age demographic, with less disposable income but a greater capacity for imagination. They seek the latest trends and covetable fashion from their media. During focus groups interviewing the above demographic the main issue was the lack of ‘fashion’ in actual fashion-based magazines. They wanted a publication which did what it preached - speak a consistent fashion language. The focus group also lead me to the particular medium of fashion illustration after interviewing degree level illustrators who felt there was a gap in the market for such a publicaiton.
AGE
18-30
SEX
Female
LOCATION
Urban
OCCUPATION
Creative + Intellectual
INCOME
£25 - 40k per annum of which £600 pm is disposable
MARITAL STATUS
Single / Living with partner
CHILDREN
None
PETS
Small domestic animals
PROPERTY
Renting, or early mortgage
HOLIDAYS
European capitals / City breaks
ABC
AB
EDUCAITON
Degree
TRANSPORT
Company driven, car, public transport
TECHNOLOGY
Smartphone, laptop, work desktop, tablet
INTERESTS
Fashion, art, culture
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s t y l e y e s ______ T H E R E S E A RC H
/ AUDIENCE The
pimary
focus
for
the
target
s t y l e y e s audience was discovered through
extensive focus groups carried out with both industry and student professionals. I felt it was necessary to profile both my A and AB target market so as to cater the content of the magazine appropriately.
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I chose to survey industry professionals prior as the ideal audience for s t y l e y e s would be working women, preferably in the creative industry between the ages of 2030. With the outcome I obtained more accurate feedback based on my concept. The first survery I carried out propsed the initial feature ideas I had for the publication. I wanted to discover, out of a selection, which would be the most appealing to the reader. The results proved that over half of the participants 69.2% wanted content focusing on catwalk inspiration, including showcasing designer sketches for the collections. Whilst 61.5% wanted in-depth interviews with industry creatives such as Art Directors and Illustrative fashion designers.
“I think that for such a niche publication, two times is too little, it may lose it’s audience. Maybe four times a year with key findings for inspiration is enough.” Whilst another commented “Too infrequent. Would prefer four, even numbers are good especially for a twelve month radius.” “Publishing four times yearly allows the trends in fashion to be explored competently.” In another survery and focus group I carried out, I wanted to discover the possibilites of a proposed app for the magazine, to be available over the main fashion week schedule. The app will feature live action runway sketches as the shows happen, catwalk streams and collection photography giving buyers and fashion followers the chance to relive the show. 76.7% of those questioned thought the app was the right idea, as opposed to an online website. One participant noted, “I think the pull of this magazine is that it’s a collector’s item and the people that want to see collections immediately would rather get catwalk photos, detail shots and reviews immediately.”
Furthermore, my survey exposed a gap in the market for graduate creatives, particularly in the realm of fashion illustration. 46.2% of participants wanted features on new sketching talent, covering old and new creatives.
I think it was beneficial to ask about the interactive possibilities for s t y l e y e s so as to ensure the magazine would stay journalistic, up to date and fresh, whilst the print version would ideally be cherished for reference like a collectors issue.
My proposal also brought up issues with what the appropriate frequency of the magazine should be throughout the year. I initially set out with the concept of printing s t y l e y e s bi-annulay, however this didn’t give me enough scope for a consitent journalistic language. I decided to ask both in my focus groups and in my survey what the best frequency should be.
I also met with a group of people from ShowStudio to discuss the visual aspects of my magazine, including the use of typeface and visuals. The group felt the use of Xtreem as the magazines masthead font was appropriate as it signalled ‘fluidity, expression and art.’ whilst the main body font of GeosansLight received a warm response for its legibility.
The evidence from my survey showed that 61.5% of those questioned would prefer at least four issues a year [quarterly], whilst 38.5% wanted s t y l e y e s to be marketed as a bi-annual collectors edition.
I also brought up the fact that the magazine would feature fashion illustration heavily throughout, and some suggested I should also include different art mediums such as photography to keep the magazine from reading as one-note.
In my focus groups I discovered that the majority of people prefered the quarterly frequency in-line with the fashion week schedule beginning with Ready to Wear A/W in April, Menswear in July, Couture in August and Ready to Wear S/S in October. One participant noted,
Between the options of the above mediums and the choice of including all, over 65% chose all with one commenting that, “photography is a massive element of magazines and it kind of brings fashion to life in different contexts.”
The smartphone revolution is here – and it’s changing the way we access the internet. 8.7 million of us already own a smartphone, and a further 11 million want one. Smartphone technology is likely to have a substantial impact on the way we live our lives and on the success of standalone gadgets such as cameras and touch pads. In today’s techno world, the internet is an integral part of daily life. Three out of five of us now regularly shop online, while 24.1 million consumers regularly manage their finances and businesses online. [Mintel, 2012] I also think it is important to highlight the AB proportion of my demographic, in terms of their approach towards high-end fashion in consideration of the content within s t y l e y e s . Within the dynamic clothing category, the worlds of high-end fashion and fast fashion have never been so intertwined, with the boundaries separating them becoming
It is also interesting to analyse how popular fashion websites and magazines have transferred their content into a smartphone interface and in doing so have increased their target audience spectacularly. Fashiolista: The European style app saw a 200 percent increase in traffic from Facebook after a month of using open graph, and that figure is currently nearing 300 percent. In addition, nearly one-third of new daily registrations are arriving via the style app. Pose: The style app has experienced a tenfold increase in daily signups since launching an open app, and its total poses viewed per month has skyrocketed to 40 million from fewer than 10 million prior to the launch. [Allfacebook, 2012] Fashion illustration also dates back to vintage magazines, particularly Vogue which saw a boom in the art medium over the 1970s. In an extract from In Vogue: An Illustrated History of the World’s Most Famous Fashion Magazine, Alberto Oliva explains, The years between 1973 and 1979 constituted one of the most flourishing periods of Vogue’s history. From an average of 400,000 copies, Vogue’s circulation grew to one million by the end of the decade; gross profits increased from $9.1 million to $26.9 million over the same period thanks to an influx of editorial illustration. [Oliva, 2012]
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Social media may have once been labeled as “nerdy” by fashionistas, but now style-mavens are embracing it to spread their passion for fashion to others around the world. Websites and interactive apps dedicated to fashion sharing, voting and of course shopping are allowing style-conscious consumers to connect to each other online, making fashion an integrated experience. [TrendHunter, 2012] s t y l e y e s will market itself with an app to achieve an interface for readers of the magazine to catch instant fashion news, updates and shows.
increasingly hazy. Consumers are broadening their retail scope, and mixing top-end designer pieces with mid-market and value garments. A flurry of designer and high street collaborations has burst onto the retail scene, with shoppers jumping at the rare opportunity to get designer pizzazz at affordable prices. – Emma Clifford [Mintel, 2012]
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There is literally a handful of creative fashion based illustration magazines in circulation today. The vast majority of them are branching online to increase their target circulation. According to TrendHunter:
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/ THE INDUSTRY
/ COMPETITORS 1 / POPSHOT
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Popshot is a bi-annual British based art publication that champions contemporary poetry and illustration. Gently intent on hoodwinking poetry back from the clammy hands of tweed jackets and school anthologies, Popshot looks to celebrate the poetry of today and tomorrow with the whimsical arms of illustration wrapped tightly round it.
3 / ELLE COLLECTIONS Elle Collections is a catwalk fashion title and a spin-off from Elle magazine. The magazine is picture-led and showcases the season’s trends whilst delving in-depth behind the scenes of catwalk shows and buying presentations.
2 / DASH DASH Magazine is the London-based illustrated magazine on fashion and fashion art. Published biannually and distributed worldwide, DASH is aimed at opinion formers of all genders with an interest in fashion and art-related fields. There is a strong focus on fashion illustration – a previously underappreciated art form currently celebrating a vivid comeback – which makes the magazine one of a kind.
4 / AMELIA’S MAGAZINE Amelia’s Magazine was printed biannually for 5 years from 2004-2009 across 10 issues, many of which are now collectors’ items sought after by creatives across the world. Amelia’s Magazine online is the place to come for exclusive articles on the best underground creative projects in the worlds of art, fashion, music, illustration, photography, craft and design. Amelia’s Magazine is updated daily in four sections: art, fashion, music and earth.
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/ THE COVERS There has been a significent rise in huge fashion and arts publications creating special edition magazine covers over the past few years. From vintage Vogue covers right up to present day Dazed & Confused anniversary issues, there is proof that fashion illustration can be relevant in whatever decade.
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03.
s t y l e y e s ______ T H E S T R AT E G Y
/ LAUNCH FEATURES
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OVERVIEW The magazine will include a selection of quarterly features throughout its publication. For the launch issue I will be focusing on the Ready to Wear A/W season which will be published in April 2013. The launch issue will contain five in-depth features that will sit alongside regular pieces allowing for both a trend-lead and journalistic language.
FORMAT Each article will range in size according to subject topic and the use of visuals such as illustration or photography. I intend on focusing on a spectrum of topics for the proposed target audience of industry women, some profiling designers, others more flamboyant in theme and finally a selection of in-depth articles which will take on each issues point of interest. These will be between 1000-1500 words in length with the main articles central to the magazines format whilst regular features will bulk out the magazine throughout.
FEATURES To illiustrate such a breadth of themes I will be taking on both a backstage and a up-close-and-personal tone to distinguish articles from one another and create an entertaining visual read. For instance, ‘Access All Areas’ will discover a selection of fashion illustrators who specialise in backstage drawings, and unearth just how quickly and how strong your technique is to have to draw in such a fast-paced environment. Whilst ‘Designer Dossier’ will take readers actually into the studio to discover, first hand, the artistic process behind the creation of catwalk collections. I also intend on producing a profile article which will include an in-depth feature interview [see Research File] this will involve choosing the freshest fashion illustrators of the season and discover how their technique sets them apart from other artists.
/ APP FEATURES As I outlined prior, s t y l e y e s will also include a proposed app created specifically for the fashion week schedule. This app, distinct to the print magazine, will be updated daily with current show reviews, fashion news and live-action fashion illustration. Therefore content length will be cut down to no more than 200 words, with the app itself being much more visually driven as opposed to the print magazine. I also aim to use the touch-sensitive technology ‘sketchbook pro’ to provide a self-drawing interface for viewers to doodle on screen.
/ REGULAR FEATURES OVERVIEW Regular quartlerly features will be used to bulk out the magazines content. These will be light-hearted easy reads, focused particular on trendlead themes or fashion nuances. The secondary AB audience for s t y l e y e s are younger in age demographic and will be looking for quick, easy pieces to read on the move.
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Regular features will be in each issue of s t y l e y e s , but explore a different season. For example, fashion detail shots will look at the latest trends, whist street style will focus on the latest fashion destinations around the world.
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Topics will range throughout but focus will be particularly on fashion how-to’s, as well as taking a satorial stance on backstage photograhpy, street-style, detail collection shots, covetable items and fashion illustration tutorials. Pieces will be 300 - 600 words in length with the option of including smaller visuals to illustrate each article.
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FORMAT / FEATURES
/ VISUAL COMMUNICATION
L AYOUT
Two/three column text on singular page facing a graphic/illustration. Produce white space whilst maintaining a visually appealing magazine interior Titles will either overlay a DPS or sit centre-header above the text column. In the case of an editorial the title will be greater in dimension and situated sporadic on the page There will be a 2cm border edge on pages so that everything is central. Where graphics are concerned there will be no bordering or layout
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COVER
Title in holographic foliage; indented, in typeface Xtreem Either a collage or a single drawing of a fashion illustration [drawn/created by myself] Cover quality thicker/contrast material – e.g. mirrored card Issue theme (i.e. Ready to Wear, Menswear, Couture) centre-foot below header in main article body typeface GeosansLight size 11pt Magazine itself will feature a bookmark [satin/silk]
COLOUR PALETTE
The majority of the colour will be in large graphics/photography rather than the main body page itself. Therefore where body font is concerned the text will be standard black with a white background Main page titles will have one union colour based on the magazine issue [e.g. for Couture the title colour theme could be gold] Editorial title colours may be subject to colour change concerning the theme
IMAGERY
Photographic images will be shot digitally with an editorial eye. Consider catwalk/backstage photography techniques; thematic and sporadic. Detail static photography will also be used [appealing to fashion buyers] with apparel/designer collection illustrations shot in fine detail under spotlight lighting. Illustrations will be a fundamental component of the magazine. The majority of which will be created and drawn by myself [or a commissioned illustrator] however articles will feature a plethora of other fashion artists and their work will be showcased within the magazine also
FONTS + TYPOGRAPHY
Titles in typeface Xtreem as it feels sporadic and sketchy voicing the artistic aesthetic of the magazine Body font needs to be legible - choice of GeosansLight reads well Where numbers and sub-headings are concerned the font will be in F U T U R A with 210pt spacing Editors letter will feature the same body font with logo centre-header and title in Xtreem
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[65PT]
S U B - H E A D I N G / N U M E R A L S [ 15 P T ]
Body font [11P T ]
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/ WEBSITES Allfacebook, 2012. Shopping, Fashion Timeline Apps Ride Facebookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Open Graph. [online] Available at: < http://allfacebook.com/shopping-fashion-open-graphb_ 90864> [Accessed 3 November 2012] TrendHunter, 2012. Social Style. [online] Available at: <http://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/Fashion-Networking-Sites> [Accessed 3 November 2012] UTalkMarketing, 2012. UK Magazine ABCs. What marketers need to know. [online] Available at: < http:// utalkmarketing.com/pages/article.aspx?articleid=11387&title> [Accessed 28 October 2012]
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/ REPORTS Mintel, 2012. Consumer Attitudes Towards Luxury Brands - UK-November 2011. [online] Available at: <http://academic.mintel.com/display/545468/> [Accessed on: 4 November 2012] Mintel, 2012. Magazines-UK-June 2010. [online] Available at: <http://academic.mintel.com/display/590328/?highlight=true#searchthisreport> [Accessed on: 8 November 2012] Mintel, 2012. iPhone-Generation-UK-November 2009. [online] Available at: <http://academic.mintel.com/ display/395911/> [Accessed on: 28 October 2012]
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/ BOOKS Angeletti, N., Oliva, Alberto., 2012. In Vogue: An Illustrated History of the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Famous Fashion Magazine. London. Rizzoli International Publications
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/ FOCUS GROUPS Appendix 1 - Focus Group 1 Who - FASHION ILLUSTRATORS STUDYING [BA] FASHION ILLUSTRATION AT CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS Where - At Granary Square, Central Saint Martins When - Focus Group carried out 29/10/12 TOPIC - CONCEPT [THE AB AUDIENCE] Questions asked [1] IS THE THEME OF s t y l e y e s - A CATWALK ILLUSTRATION PUBLICATION - APPEALING TO YOU AS AN AUDIENCE? - I think its an amazing idea, I can’t think of any top shelf magazine which caters to that. It’ll be a niche market but a wonderfully creative one. - I’d buy it in an instant, especially for design referencing and for my studies. [2] WHAT CONTENT WOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A MAGAZINE WITH THIS TYPE OF THEME TO SET IT APART FROM OTHER FASHION PUBLICATIONS? - Well fashion magazines shouldn’t be scared to actually talk about fashion, and fashion only so ironically enough, for your concept to be unique you’d have to do just that, focus on fashion.
Appendix 2 - Focus Group 2 Who - UNIT.C.M.A FASHION CREATIVES Where - Stockholm, Sweden When - Focus Group carried out 3/11/12
- It’s interesting actually, because theres no catwalk illustration magazine out there to compare it with. Personally I’d want to see the sketches designers actually draw for their collections as it would be beneficial to my studies. - It’d be nice if you profiled new illustrators, graduates like us, so we can showcase our work. But it would be also great to see step-by-step guides or something, like tutorials on how to illustrate in the industry. - I want to see some trend lead articles, maybe even trends in fashion illustration. They always showcase the hottest designer, so why not the hottest fashion illustrator? [3] WHAT MAGAZINES ARE YOU READING AT THE MOMENT? - I used to buy Amelia’s magazine until it went defunct, now all that’s available is pricey coffee table fashion magazines which are far too large and feature just moody photography, I want something with a little more substance that is visually stimulating as well. - I tend to buy the mandatory Vogue, Harpers and Elle. I push the boat out sometimes and purchase Tiger which is this hugh photography magazine. I don’t ever buy illustration magazines because there’s nothing out there really.
- Would prefer four times yearly, even numbers are good especially for a twele month radius. Publishing four times yearly allows the trends in fashion to be explored competently.
TOPIC - INTERACTIVITY + USABILITY Questions asked [1] DO YOU THINK CREATING AN APP FOR s t y l e y e s WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ITS AUDIENCE AND THE MARKET ITSELF? - I think the pull of this magazine is that it’s a collector’s item and the people that want to see collections immediately would rather get catwalk photos, detail shots and reviews immediately. - Fashion people are rarely at their desks, so yes! - It would give a welcome dimension to your print magazine, we all know how rocky the market is for magazines at the moment.
[3] WHERE COULD I VISIT TO FIND CONTRIBUTORS FOR THE MAGAZINE? - Well as you know, Unit. C.M.A is a collective fashion company which represents hundreds of designers specialising in illustration, photography, typography and graphic design so you can always look to us for help! But try and visit creative databases like Behance and deviantArt because you’ll find thousands of young, talented people eager to showcase their work. - It would also be useful, especially for your project, to have input from other creatives so the magazine doesn’t read as one note. You don’t want to see the same fashion illustrations over and over again if the whole point of the magazine is to look at a diverse range of fashion sketches. Not every catwalk collection is the same is it?
[2] IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST FREQUENCY FOR THE MAGAZINE, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET AND THE FASHION SEASONS? - I think that for such a niche publication, two times is too little, maybe four times a year with key findings for inspiration is enough to keep content fresh and relevant for your audience.
[4] DO YOU THINK PROPOSING AN APP WITH TOUCH-SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY WOULD HELP WITH THE INTERACTIVITY OF MY AUDIENCE? - I think it’s a great idea. I’ve never heard of anything like that before. It would be useful for art students because we all know bloggers and fashion editors use instant fashion photography to review the collections. But to have this interface it would give a tactile approach to catwalk fashion.
Appendix 3 - Focus Group 3 Who - INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS FROM THE SHOWSTUDIO TEAM Where - At the ShowStudio HQ in Mayfair, London When - Focus Group carried out 5/11/12 TOPIC - THE VISUAL AESTHETIC Questions asked [1] I INTEND ON USING THE TYPEFACE Xtreem FOR THE MASTHEAD OF MY PUBLICATION. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? - It’s quite a beautiful font actually. It’s very fluid almost like an ink pen. - The typeface is very expressive, it definitely reads ‘illustration and art.’ I think the key point is that it’s still legible and not too ‘scripty’ and fancy for the reader. [2] I ALSO INTEND ON USING THE TYPEFACE GeosansLight AS THE MAIN BODY FONT OF THE PUBLICATION. WHAT IS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THIS? - Very legible. I like the almost rounded, yet angular qualities to the font. It isn’t too harsh on the eyes. - I agree, I think it would be a nice typeface to read in it’s physical print.
[3] A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE MAGAZINE’S VISUALS WILL OBVIOUSLY BE ILLUSTRATION. HOWEVER, AS A READER WOULD THIS BECOME TOO ONE-NOTE? - Oddly enough I think you shouldn’t be too literal with the concept of just illustration throughout. I agree, it could become too one-note. In my opinion it should also include different art mediums such as photography to keep the magazine visually stimulating. - It would be important to break things up visually, maybe a few pull out quotes in different typeface, some stunning detail shots of the catwalk collections or maybe some street style snaps. Of course, it’s vital you stick to your illustrative roots and try and focus your attention on that as much as possible, but try and shake things up. - We at ShowStudio have just appointed a catwalk illustrator, Rei Nadal, who draws live from the runway and her sketches get posted alongside the instant catwalk photographs. It’s a really exciting project which is what makes your concept sound so innovative.
/ SURVEY Appendix 4 1. Styleyes is a fashion illustration magazine inspired by seasonal runway collections. Published four times a year in line with the fashion week schedule beginning with Ready to Wear A/W in April, Menswear in July, Couture in August and Ready to Wear S/S in October, each issue will be a covetable collectors edition. Do you think there is a gap in the market for a magazine of this kind? Yes: 95.7% (22) No: 4.3% (1) 2. Do you think printing Styleyes in line with the fashion week schedule four times yearly is too frequent or too infrequent? Please state why or why not below. Yes: 39.1% (9) No: 60.9% (14) Comments: - It refocuses one’s inspiration from each seasonal release period so you are right on top of the fashion trends and experience an influx of fresh fashion images 14/11/2012 7:00 - I think it fits fine, but may cause problems as there will be so many reviews of shows out there once fashion week hits, the magazine will have to be really something special and unique 13/11/2012 23:19 3. Can you think of any similar publications already on the market? Please list below. Yes: 27.3% (6) No: 72.7% (16)
4. Styleyes will also be available as an app for on-the-go fashion updates. It will feature live action runway sketches as the shows happen, catwalk streams and collection photography giving buyers the chance to relive the show. Do you think an app is beneficial to this publication? Yes: 72.7% (16) No: 27.3% (6) Comments: - Definitely an on-the-go option will be a welcome and appropriate format when people are out and about on their phones (which is quite often) 14/11/2012 7:00 - Must be accesible online without giving the reader the same content as the magazine and allows you to keep the reader interested. 13/11/2012 23:19 5. Styleyes will introduce new and established sketching talent, interview backstage catwalk artists, and discover big brand art directors. Which is the most appealing content to you as a reader? If other, please comment. a) Sketching Talent: New and established fashion illustrators 39.1% (9) b) Access All Areas: Backstage catwalk artists 34.8% (8) c) Interviews: Art Directors, illustrative fashion designers 65.2% (15) d) Catwalk Inspiration: Designer sketches for the collections 60.9% (14) 6. The visual language of the publication will feature heavily on fashion illustration. However as a reader, would you like to see a mixture of photography, typography and illustration? If Other please comment. a) Photography 19.0% (4) b) Typography 14.3% (3) c) Illustration 28.6% (6) d) All 66.7% (14) Comments: - Photography is a massive element of magazines and it kind of brings fashion to life in different contexts 21/10/2012 17:32 - Ithink if its purely about illustration you dont want to over complicate it with other strands 13/11/2012 10:56 7. Would you consider buying a more expensive, special collectors issue of Styleyes if it was released in line with the couture season? If Maybe please comment. Yes: 70.0% (14) No: 30.0% (6) Comments: - Should be same price all year unless offering more content. Just because close are high quality doesnt mean the publication should be more expensive. Fashion mags don’t increase in price when showcasing couture. 13/11/2012 19:05 - Depends if it had certain content that would be beneficiary to me. 16/11/2012 3:14 8. How much would you be prepared to pay for this publication? a) £3 - £5 21.7% (5) b) £5 - £10 60.9% (14) c) £10 - £15 17.4% (4)