Apparel Magazine // October 2017

$ 9.00

OCTOBER 2017 I VOL 50 I NO 10

UPDATE YOUR E-COMMERCE pg 8-13

PARIS: Through a Fashion Eye

THE ART OF DISCOUNTING As a consumer, we’ve all been there. That one sale that has a ridiculously steep discount that is hard to dismiss. While markdowns are crucial to moving excess inventory to increase cash flow, it’s important to know when to draw the line in order to make a profit. Many consumers don’t realise the effect a large discount has on a retailer and if done wrong can make a huge dent in your business.

As a retailer, it is very unlikely that you will sell ALL of your inventory at full price and excess stock is inevitable for an endless number of reasons that you can’t plan for. Despite this, you can PLAN when you need to markdown as incentives for your customers.

Good retailers aim to create and implement inventory solutions to grow their brand and optimise inventory. Great retailers do this using the gift of technology. Bad retailers don’t utilise basic technology to understand what is selling where, when and at what price.

This is essential to help retailers PLAN a product’s phase-out and determine its lifecycle.

Unfortunately, companies who simply ignore their internal backend systems are shooting themselves in the foot and stunting their own potential business growth. Markdown optimisation, invoicing, inventory management,

and image management are just some of the legacy systems that can help you.

Despite the 36 percent of brands that have a plan, a whopping 72 percent are still in the dark while they look into updating their systems. Technology has redefined how we look at retail business and if you are in the 72 percent, it’s time for a reality check. In this issue, we have an extended feature on e-commerce to push your business further.

Starting on page 8.

Vancouver Fashion Week was a roaring success showcasing a large variation of up and coming designers from across the globe. If you would be interested in showing at Vancouver Fashion Week in March for FW18, get in touch with me directly. See our highlights from Vancouver Fashion Week from page 21 onwards.

This month I travelled to Rome and found a small shop that handmade sandals. A couple was already in the store. “I have some special sandals I think you would be interested in,” said the male shop assistant to the couple. “They make you wild at sex!” The wife was intrigued, but the husband was not so sure. “How can sandals make you a sex God?” the husband asked. “Try them on and see,” said the assistant. As soon as the husband slipped them on to his feet, his wife noticed a wild look in his eyes. In a blink of an eye, the husband jumped the assistant and threw him on the table. The assistant screamed: “WRONG FEET! YOU HAVE THEM ON THE WRONG FEET!!”

caitlan@reviewmags.com @NZAPPAREL

@

by Megan Hess Fashion Illustrator Megan Hess gives francophiles and fashion lovers alike an illustrated guide to one of the four fashion capitals of the world. Paris: Through a Fashion Eye is an insider’s guide to finding the most stylish places to dwell when in Paris. This book is here to help you navigate through all the chicest restaurants, hotels, and boutiques in the city.

WORN IN NEW YORK: 68 Sartorial Memoirs of the City

by Emily Spivack Worn in New York is a compilation of personal, sartorial essays from various contributors. In this book, contributors like Anna Sui, Coco Rocha, Jenna Lyons, and Lena Dunham, share their stories behind a particular piece of clothing that reminds them of a significant moment of their lives in New York. Worn in New York pays tribute to the amazing city, the people in it, and the clothes they wear.

GIO_GRAPHY: Fun in the Wild World of Fashion

by Giovanna Battaglia Editor and stylist Giovanna Battaglia shares her fashion wisdom in her new book Gio_Graphy.

The international style star aims to provide readers with new ideas and inspiration through this fun, personal book. It includes everything from How-To’s, styling tricks, and advice from Battaglia herself.

THE HOUSE OF DIOR: Seventy Years of Haute Couture

Candian Designers

CHAIRMAN PUBLISHER GENERAL MANAGER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITOR STAFF WRITER

ADVERTISING SALES PHOTOGRAPHER

2 I October 2017

International Designers

Countries Represented

Peter Mitchell - peter@reviewmags.com Tania Walters - tania@reviewmags.com Kieran Mitchell - kieran@reviewmags.com Sarah Mitchell - sarah@reviewmags.com Caitlan Mitchell - caitlan@reviewmags.com Mark Fullerton - mark@reviewmags.com Courtney Macris - courtney@reviewmags.com Ankita Singh - ankita@reviewmags.com Caitlan Mitchell - caitlan@reviewmags.com

Looks Consecutive

Season

Years

SENIOR DESIGNER Raymund Sarmiento - raymund@reviewmags.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tay James Marriott - tjames@reviewmags.com ISSN 1171-2287 Level 3, Suite 9, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland, PO Box 37 140, Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 304 0142 Fax (09) 377 2794

NZ Apparel is published monthly under licence by Review Publishing Co Ltd. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to NZ Apparel. The opinions and material published in this edition of NZ Apparel are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated. All material appearing in NZ Apparel is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2017 NZ Apparel Magazine.

Text by Katie Somerville, Lydia Kamitsis, Danielle Whitfield.

The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture was created in celebration of Dior’s 70th anniversary.

With over 100 images, the book features garments designed by Christian Dior Couture between 1947 and 2017. It explores the rich history of one of the most iconic and prestigious fashion houses to ever exist. The book features work by the seven designers who have played key roles in shaping Dior: Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri.

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NZ TRIUMPHS AT WELLA INTERNATIONAL TRENDVISION 2017

Two New Zealand hair stylists were awarded platinum at the Wella International TrendVision in London competing against 83 finalists from around the globe. Mana Dave from Blaze Salon won the Colour Vision Platinum Award and Kylie Hayes of Moha Hairdressing won the Creative Vision Platinum Award. This is the first-time New Zealand has been awarded Platinum in any category on a world stage and is testament to the creativity of our talent. “This is an absolutely incredible result for New Zealand and Australian hairdressers and we couldn’t be prouder of Kylie Hayes and Mana Dave winning Platinum Awards,” said Gina Thomas, Wella’s Education Director Australia & New Zealand. Wella is committed to supporting the Australian and New Zealand industry and showcasing the extraordinary talent.

50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRUCKER JACKET

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1967 70505 Type III Trucker jacket, Levi’s have partnered with 50 icons and influencers from around the world. In honour of this legendary piece of clothing, these 50 icons and influencers (including Chance the Rapper, Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg, Diplo, Karlie Kloss, Solange Knowles, and many more), designed and customised their own Trucker jacket. In 1967, the Type III quickly became a major symbol of popular and music culture with George Harrison wearing one during the Summer of Love in San Francisco.

It was also branded as a companion piece to the new 505TM zipper-fly jean and was badged with the product number 70505. Until then, Levi’s denim jackets (the Type II and Type I) debuted back in the late 1800s and were little more than workwear. Riding the wave of 1967, the Type III Trucker jacket became a fashion icon and symbol of cultural revolution.

4 I October 2017

MISS CRABB GOES ON TOUR

Miss Crabb has banded together with Bic Runga to create band merchandise and show outfits for the 20th anniversary tour of Bic Runga’s iconic 1997 album ‘Drive’. Kristine Crabb saw the 20th Anniversary tour as an opportunity to reference the iconic 90’s Bic Runga images. They worked with Son La Pham of DDMMYY and Le Roy magazine to create the striking graphics, and were printed by local Auckland screen printer Seabreeze Apparel. “It’s helped me see another layer to having been around this long, almost a self-irony,” explained Bic Runga. “We had the best time making this stuff, she had a very clear idea of how bold it should be, it was such an exciting process.” Made 100 percent in New Zealand, they are a classic subversive Miss Crabb style. The brand is also promoting their Special Order service, encouraging customers to explore their options for bespoke pieces.

AN INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE OF FOOTWEAR AND LEATHER FROM AROUND THE WORLD

TUES 14 - THURS 16 NOVEMBER 2017 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE, SYDNEY

REGISTER TO VISIT: footwearleathershow.com.au Partners

Co-located with

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THE PERFECT SILHOUETTE Local menswear brand I Love Ugly have debuted the Nelson Low sneaker.

Handmade in Portugal from premium European leather, the Nelson Low is a timelessly minimal sneaker inspired by the classic mid-century tennis sneaker.

After multiple delays and countless samples, the brand has meticulously developed what they believe to be the perfect silhouette, materiality and most importantly the fit and feel for an everyday premium sneaker. The Nelson Low features perforated toe details, gold foil embossed branding,

heel and tongue cushioning, and a plush tan leather sole. Available in grey suede, white leather, and black leather.

BIGG NEW STORES

Johnny Bigg is the first brand in the Southern Hemisphere to provide big and tall guys with fashionable, comfortable and affordable clothing. Founded in 2014, the menswear retailer is opening their first standalone store in Westfield Manakau City, Auckland on November 14th and their second standalone store in Westfield Riccarton, Christchurch in early December. Previously, the brand distributed to New Zealand via its online store and was stocked exclusively at Farmers. The team is excited to expand, providing their NZ customers with a stylish in-store shopping environment. “The expansion into the New Zealand market was a natural opportunity for the brand,” said Julian Hayman, General Manager of Johnny Bigg Australia & New Zealand. “Following the success and popularity of the e-store and inclusion in selected Farmers stores we are excited to introduce JOHNNY BIGG standalone stores across the country and offer customers a one stop shop.”

Get Ready for Summer with hair removal products from Veet

Reckitt Benckiser, Auckland.

6 I October 2017

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BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE Barkers are no new kid on the block. The iconic Kiwi bloke brand has been around since 1972, but they are by no means behind the times. If you’ve visited their new guide store in Ponsonby, you will have noticed the large flat screens perched on the walls. The monitors display Barker’s website, which at first glance may seem superfluous given that visitors are already in a Barker’s store, but nothing could be further from the truth. According to Glenn Cracknell, Barker’s General Manager, the screens were a simple way to make up for lack of space.

Setting up a store inside a small, converted villa might seem like the average experience for a Ponsonby store-owner but add in Barker’s Groom Room and Archie’s Cafe from Mr Toms, and there isn’t a whole lot of shelf space. “Working with limited space, we had to include only certain styles, but still wanted to give customers the option of browsing the entire collection,” said Cracknell. Technology provided the solution, but Cracknell faced a variety of options for potential solutions. “Smaller screens are hard to navigate, so we decided to use the large, touch-enabled screens.”

The formal name is ‘omni-channel’, and it’s somewhat of a buzzword. Referring to the integration of digital, social media and bricks and mortar, omnichannel is increasingly popping up in both small and large retailers wanting to keep up with the times.

“People still want to go to a store, still want to touch garments and try things on,” explained Cracknell.

However, the abilities online and the many facets of modern websites can offer add value to shoppers in addition to a bricks and mortar presence. “A trend we have seen more of is customers visiting shops during the day, especially during lunch hours, and then purchasing online after hours,” he noted. The reason: increased convenience. The shopper does not have to deal with cash registers, shop assistants, POS systems or carrying shopping bags around with them.

From a store perspective, the customer experience is more intimate and engaging, retail assistants are now be more focused on styling and helping the customers find the right products, instead of trying to close the sale. Additionally, this change in buyer behaviour also means a shift in the physical layout of the store. When the majority of shoppers are not concerned with purchasing, there is no need to have a traditional counter, something Barker’s guide store dispensed of. Instead, they use iPads, which connect with their POS system via the internet. Transacting on a device quickens the process, and means that the whole purchase system is more relaxed - customers can sit down and have a coffee while paying for their new goods and a lot of the formality in the purchase process is gone.

For smaller retailers, integrating technology into bricks and mortar stores may sound expensive. “There are so many options now,” said Cracknell. “Many POS systems have smaller costs and can offer different cost plans to different sized businesses.” It all boils down to consumer demand, which is strongly swaying towards convenience and more digital processes. Granted, some capabilities such as Paywave have higher transaction costs, but consumer expectations mean not having it can be detrimental. “Businesses who don’t make the switch will fall behind,” added Cracknell. “Having digital and physical integration gives a store the ‘wow-factor’.”

CAUGHT IN THE WEB E-commerce and website design are areas of increasing importance in building a successful business in any industry. However, in the fashion and retail arenas, these fields take on even more of a vital aspect. If we remove our business hats and put on our consumer hats, the underlying reason is fairly obvious. No one wants to buy clothes off an ugly website. It’s not that consumers are consciously discriminating based on layouts and font sizes, the reaction is more subconscious. The experience is directly comparable to walking into a cluttered store — there is the instant feeling of claustrophobia and the resignation which comes with realising that if there are hidden gems, it will take a lot of work to find them. So you leave the store or close the tab, and move on to another shop or website where the products are presented with more style and cohesion.

This example is not as isolated or extreme as you might think. Apparel caught up with Nami Hampe from Hamilton’s Marketing Fuel to discuss website design. According to Hampe, one of the most common mistakes Marketing Fuel sees with online stores is over-crowding. “Trying to showcase everything is unnecessary,” explained Hampe. “It overwhelms shoppers.” Another problem which impedes customers is the use of non-mobile friendly content. “A lot of shoppers now come to online stores directly from Instagram bio links, on their mobile or

8 I October 2017

device,” said Hampe. “When the website is not optimised for mobile, the images do not load or are the wrong size for the screen, it definitely affects the customer’s experience.” In these instances, customers usually close the site and have had a disappointing encounter which inevitably discourages them from interacting with the brand again.

Outdated websites such as these are Marketing Fuel’s speciality, and Hampe has seen many websites relaunched and given a boost thanks to Marketing Fuel’s mobile-friendly web-designs. “A website is never finished,” noted Hampe, who believes continuous updates are needed to keep product selections and designs looking fresh and appealing. “By the time you finish making a website, it will need updates, which is why Marketing Fuel’s website platforms come with a Super Easy Website Editor, which allows retailers to keep updating their websites themselves.” This selfediting may take a little time for retailers to get used to but means that they can reformat or make changes based on trends. Just like their products, keeping up with trends in digital content and design is crucial.

“Moving images are a popular trend at the moment, which we have incorporated into some of our clients’ websites,” explained Hampe. “We have also seen a lot of retro-inspired designs recently.” Minimalism is undoubtedly the over-riding design trend, and it fits well with most online fashion stores as well as having

the bonus of functionality.

Whether businesses decide to capitalise on trends or not, Hampe emphasised that a focus on branding is essential. “Unlike other industries, fashion e-tailers cannot just have a basic website with necessary contact information. It also has to look nice, and be consistent with their brand.” Without a streamlined branding message, there is a fundamental disconnect between the products and the business voice - which is critical in achieving sales.

With advances in web-design platforms, making the perfect online store for your brand is no longer costly or complicated. Companies like Marketing Fuel provide an indispensable starting point for brands launching online operations and ongoing support which keeps e-tailers feeling like the best version of themselves.

THE INTERNET IS KILLING KIWI RETAIL BUT YOU CAN STOP IT Wendy Thompson

CEO & FOUNDER, START SOCIAL

High street and online retail has taken a huge hit in the New Zealand market, and fashion retail most of all.

Living in our isolated paradise is a double-edged sword.

Our beloved fashion brands and boutique stores are under real threat every day, competing with every online shopping site in the world.

And when a forceful global brand like Topshop can’t even survive in New Zealand’s busiest shopping precinct, eyebrows should be raised. So what’s going to light a fire under consumers so they choose your brand over any of the thousands that are a literally at their fingertips?

Brand personality is key. Creating an aspirational, attainable and unique online presence will keep your brand top-of-mind ahead of competitors. Australian label The Daily Edited has nailed this and I want to share why their success story is relevant to your future, plus a Kiwi story that’s proof it works here.

TDE creates affordable luxury monogrammed leather accessories, from iPhone cases to pouches and bags, with capsule collections co-designed by the likes of model-

celebs Hailey Baldwin. It has a fiercely loyal customer base that buys multiple items.

Yet, creating leather accessories is not an original idea. Nor is stamping them with a monogram. But cofounders Alyce Tran and Tania Liu’s must-have objects of desire brand is today valued at nearly $15 million.

How did they do it?

Simple: TDE built an online social personality.

The Daily Edited began life in 2011 as a blog and an Instagram account. The business then hit its straps in 2015. One of its most compelling draw cards for bringing fans back is the team’s prioritising of customer service and producing ever-evolving “fun and exciting” social media activity, culminating this year with a collaboration with Hollywood It-girl sisters Sistine, Sophia and Scarlet Stallone.

This could be your story. But you must be in the ring to have at least a fighting chance of this stratospheric level of success.

Doing social media well is simple, and learning how to create captivating content is fast, effective and will definitely grow your business. You’ll reach more customers, ace customer service 24/7, and reach out to brand-aligned influencers who’ll want to work with you.

Instagram Head of Fashion Partnerships, Eva Chen says “Fashion and Instagram are so intrinsically linked right now. I don’t know that one can exist without the other these days.” And the stats are staggering, with more than 200 million Instagram users following fashion accounts, because it makes them feel like they are part of the brand’s inner circle.

My mission is to supercharge Kiwi businesses, and my faith in social media to make it happen is so strong that I created New Zealand’s online learning program, Start

Social. It’s where you can learn everything you need to know to smash social media and go global. I built it based on my years of experience working with Kiwi juggernaut brands like Spark in my business Socialites, and it’s designed specifically for small and medium businesses across every industry.

I know you’re busy. So this course is fast learn and has easy application to your real life brand. And it works!

Co-creator of Start Social’s content, Céline Chapman, owner and fashion designer of Céline Rita, not only put the entire program to the test, but she has been so successful in creating a desirable brand ahead of this summer’s wedding season, with more than 50 weddings booked in, that she’s had to turn off her social media strategy and Facebook ads.

She’s all full up.

This could be you.

In Start Social you’ll learn how to create beautiful Instagram content and use the right hashtags, use Instagram Stories to instantaneously get people to click to buy from you, find influencers for your brand, create punchy, targeted Facebook ads that will work, and retarget content to people who have your brand in its purchase consideration set. Basically, Start Social will save you time in getting new customers, and definitely make you money.

Become your own success story at startsocial.nz or email me today at wendy@ startsocial.nz.

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#NOFILTER ikes, comments, links in bios - social media has well and truly taken over, and if you don’t exist on social media, to many consumers you might as well not exist at all. Considering the average person looks at their phone 2,800 times per day, most of which include social media, steering clear of a digital presence is no longer an option for most businesses. It’s a shark eat shark world out there, and social media often provides the hype that can put one fashion brand squarely ahead of another. Having said that, the area is still shrouded in a level of exclusivity and mystery, making a ‘social media following’ an elusive and intimidating goal for many brands who can’t seem to get their engagement right. So what does increase your following? Is social media even necessary?

And will slipping Kylie Jenner a cool $75,000 in unmarked bills in return for an Instagram post finally get your brand off the ground?

At the centre of social media, beneath all the likes (and photos without proper credits), is the central purpose of communication. This is, arguably, part of the reason consumer print media has faced difficulty, as many consumers who previously turned to a glossy fashion magazine for brand updates can now get news and inspiration straight from the brand themselves via social media accounts. Magazines are not the only people with declining traffic due to social media’s rising influence, digital is also being usurped. The majority of customers now simply open up Instagram to get the news — which, of course, is curated to their interests based on the brands they follow.

This change in behaviour means social media managers need to be at the top of their game in order to capitalise on all the eyeballs viewing their posts, as well as widening their following in order to increase brand reach. “The important thing for brands to consider is why they are on social media,” explained Murray Bevan, Director of Showroom 22 and a veritable fountain of knowledge on the topic of fashion social media. A common mistake Bevan has observed across fashion brand accounts is the posting of large amounts of content which brands think their followers want to see. Often this content comes across as transparent and only serves to dilute the brand’s personality. “ Without a purpose, social media just becomes white noise. It is much more important to have well thought out content, which is cohesive across all platforms, and sends a clear message to consumers.” Tone and voice are vital, as these set brands apart and can reshape how customers perceive the brand. A sophisticated monochrome aesthetic sends a different message to consumers than a caption including multiple emojis.

Playing into meme culture or jumping into a social media trend because competitors are doing it is a quick way to derail a unique brand voice - a pitfall which often traps less confident brands. “Engagement and authenticity are the keys to a successful social media strategy,” said Bevan, who believes the best examples of fashion social media are the brands who are having real conversations with their customers.

He cites I Love Ugly as an excellent example of social media use; for their genuine approach to consumer interactions and unique tone. “I Love Ugly was born

10 I October 2017

on social media and grew with it. It’s where they live, and it’s also where the core of their database is.”

While longevity is not something one necessarily associated with social media, neglecting to consider the future may be the downfall of brands who see it only as a method of increasing immediate sales. “It’s important to remember that social media is a long game, it’s a way to build a relationship with customers which will bring benefits over a long period of time,” added Bevan.

Herein lies the frustration for many fashion businesses; a quick fix overnight (hundreds of likes or views) will not translate into direct sales or revenue and can feel like a waste of time. But wait it out, and over time a bond of trust can be established which can bring a greater degree of customer engagement and brand loyalty. “A lot of people think you have to post on social media all the time, but it’s more important that what you’re posting is worthwhile.”

Again, the example of I Love Ugly is applicable, despite recent difficulties with their bricks and mortar stores, the brand remains stable and with a social media following involving high customer engagement. The reason; because they were one of the first brands solely marketing through social media, their social media presence is the central pillar of their brand strategy which stimulates sales and continued growth regardless of their bricks and mortar presence. They’re thinking long term and not aiming for the immediate sell, a method which earns trust and evokes stability.

For the record, Showroom 22 does not manage any of their clients social media accounts. The exception to that rule was Topshop NZ’s social media accounts, which were used in place of a New Zealand Topshop website and provided a succinct communication vehicle for the New Zealand stores. As Showroom 22 were the only people handling brand communications, the arrangement was successful. But according to Bevan, the outsourcing of social media is where discrepancies in message and style can creep in.

“No one, not even a PR agency, can speak in the brand voice like people working in-house,” explained Bevan. “That voice is ingrained in the philosophy of the brand, and it usually comes naturally.” Showroom 22 does, however, offer their brands a wealth of guidance

regarding tone, aesthetic and post timing to help brands maximise the impact of their social media while ensuring their content conveys the brand message.

While traditionally, fashion designers needed a significant amount of capital in order to launch themselves as a bonafide brand, social media appears to be levelling the playing field slightly. Whether this will change the industry in the long term is yet to be seen, but it is clear that a strong social media strategy can put a brand ahead of the game.

However tempting it may be to look for that strategy externally, the first step should undoubtedly be looking within- to the heart of the brand. From that basis, a brand can establish their unique voice and rise above the barrage of other brands posting copycat content.

One final top tip from Bevan; “It isn’t a number of followers which is important, it’s the quality and engagement of followers - that is what translates to brand loyalty in the long term.”

Without a purpose, social media just becomes white noise.

It is much more important to have well thought out content, which is cohesive across all platforms, and sends a clear message to consumers.

FOCUS ON EXPERIENCE - INCREASE SALES Solutionists’ clients grow their online revenue at two times the industry norm. What’s the secret? Continued focus on the customer experience with the goal to provide a seamless online and in-store shopping journey.

With the rise of mobile commerce, consumers expect to have an exceptional experience on any device. The entire shopping experience needs to be smooth and get your customers through the checkout fast. 40 percent of users abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load and even a second delay in page load time can result in a seven percent drop in conversion. It’s therefore crucial to offer customers a slick browsing and checkout experience.

The process of conversion rate optimisation

can help businesses understand what that is.

It allows them to identify and implement changes that will make online shopping easier and more enjoyable, increasing the bottom line.

Another sticky point for customers is website content itself. Nearly 75 percent of online shoppers get frustrated when content is not relevant to them, but when they are presented with useful and relevant content, they don’t have to hunt around for what they want, which makes browsing faster and customers happier.

Chances are they will keep coming back, and who doesn’t want their customers coming back for more?

Personalisation can also lead to an increase in basket size. Solutionists’ clients on the MaxCommerce platform have seen an average order value increase of 18.7 percent utilising personalised product recommendations. What’s more, paying customers clicking on these personalised recommendations also convert 3.5 times better. Happier customers and more sales; it’s a ‘win-win’.

To create the ultimate online experience, businesses need a platform that can collect quality data on user behaviour and an e-commerce provider who will continue to work with them to identify opportunities

and optimise the customer experience through innovative digital implementations. Conversion rate optimisation, page load performance, ongoing R&D efforts and support should all be part of the solution. And let’s not forget, personalisation is not just for customers, but also for the business. This is why Solutionists provide complete e-commerce solutions that are tailored to business’ needs and goals, no matter if it is a retailer, wholesaler, distributor or manufacturer.

Offer your customers something your competitors don’t. Whatever that may be, Solutionists are ready to join you on your journey to do exactly that.

Visit www.solutionists.co.nz to find out more.

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The sampling campaigns can be geared around an event, area or even time of day.

These targeted campaigns are impactful and fun and can be localised within a city or targeted to main centres.

We provide unique exterior vehicle wraps that are supported with interior sampling opportunities, each ride-share vehicle is equipped with cargo room for samples, giveaways and other promotional materials and can carry ambient or chilled product samples.

For more information contact us on +64 9 304 0142 or sampling@reviewmags.com

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BORING IS BETTER eStar Client Services Director, Richard Berridge, on thinking boring for your eCommerce buck.

Allocating an eCommerce budget is an increasingly complex decision. So who do businesses listen to and how do they prioritise? ‘Boring’ fundamentals are the foundation of eCommerce success, consistently providing the greatest ROI – but what exactly are the boring fundamentals?

An outage during peak trade has significant impact on revenue and brand. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Amazon Web Services outage this year cost companies in the S&P 500 index an incredible $150m.

Retailers need a stable and robust infrastructure – target uptime should be 99.95 percent or greater.

Customers have little patience for navigating slow loading sites. Hubspot provides a compelling statistic – a “one second delay means a seven percent reduction in conversions”.

Ideally the Time to Interact should be sub-three seconds.

If businesses don’t present their

range online, the assumption is that it is not stocked, and the sales opportunity is lost. Retailers should start with 100 percent of SKUs, then exclude only where absolutely necessary. A business should invest in technologies that can assist with expanding range, like integration capability and fulfillment options.

Online customers can’t physically sight and handle stock, so it is

particularly important to present accurate information. Accurate pricing and availability relies on frequent or live integrations, a powerful and flexible promotions system, and, of course, good source data.

Incorrect price and availability information results in cancellations and refunds. Even for loyal customers poor customer experience will reduce repeat purchase or referral.

Poor fulfilment processes will affect online growth, as well as repeat custom and referral. The primary KPI retailers should track is Delivered in Full on Time (DIFOT) – what percentage of orders are delivered to the customer in full within the published service window. A 98 percent DIFOT would usually represent an acceptable target.

These fundamentals might be considered boring, but failure to measure and excel in these areas will render investment in the latest and greatest near worthless.

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12 I October 2017

Digital Strategy

Laybuy allows your customers to receive their purchase today and pay later. Increasing your customer’s basket size, improving conversion and removing credit risk – all while making purchases more affordable for your consumers. For retailers, Laybuy eliminates the cash flow impact and administrative requirements of an in-house layby or layaway system. It takes responsibility for customer payments while ensuring the sale is completed immediately. The merchant receives full payment within 48 hours.

With 20 years of banking and 17 years of retail under his belt, CEO Gary Rohloff first thought of Laybuy during his years at Ezibuy, a predominantly online shopping destination. “My son was wanting to buy a pair of jeans and said ‘Wouldn’t it be good if you could Layby online?’,” explained Rohloff.

“He was a university student with a part-time job. I thought, why not pursue the idea from my Ezibuy days?” Rohloff spent the next couple of days locked away in his office drawing up a business plan and a financial model. He then rang a friend who introduced him to a business ventures company called Spring who works with start-ups, and from there Laybuy was created.

Rohloff likes to think of his team at Laybuy as an extended family and an immediate family. They have the ability to scale up to 50 people if necessary but has a small core staff, and this has been an excellent way for them to move quickly without the bureaucracy of a corporate environment. Every core staff member has been involved since Laybuy started and knows the business inside out.

His core staff include; his wife Robyn who is in charge of brand strategy, human resources and banking, and his two sons – James who is head of marketing and Alex who looks after merchant sign-ups. “Working with family is the greatest and hardest of challenges. Especially when everyone is so invested and passionate about the business,” added Rohloff. “Working with family members who each bring different skills to the table has meant we can be nimble, adaptive and, most of all, brutally honest with each other. In four months, we have done what

we thought we would achieve at the end of 2019. We wouldn’t do it any differently.”

Over 800 merchants have joined Laybuy since inception in May. The concept has remained true since day one; creating a system that is simple to use for both merchants and customers, which Laybuy has used as their mantra. They still have the philosophy of not overcomplicating anything, and any obstacle they face they have the attitude that they will find a solution. “The biggest evolution was the pace that we were able to make our in-store solution available to our Merchants.

We had planned to make this available in 12 months and in reality, that was done in two months.” Rohloff said it was easy when you are working with the latest technology and had their endgame planned from day one. Their plan from the beginning was to think big. They have no barriers to where they can take Laybuy, and the team has some exciting new additions to their merchant list coming up and some very powerful user innovations for both merchants and shoppers in the works. “We know where we are going and have a very clear roadmap for our future expansion.”

Their audience changes with each retailer they take on. When baby stores join, they get young mothers shopping. When New Zealand designers join, fashion shoppers are using Laybuy, and so on. “As our number of merchants grow in specific categories, we see a whole new shopper audience joining Laybuy.”

Social media has been an extremely powerful tool in growing their brand and generating awareness.

“We’ve received an extremely positive reaction from shoppers and merchants, and all we know is that everyone tells us they see us everywhere.” A large number of their shoppers are millennial and have been brought up in the social media and e-commerce era. Rohloff said they are fortunate that they receive social media support from their merchants in addition to relying on their own channels. “This has

been highly beneficial. A win-win for all.”

Laybuy was created by retailers for retailers. It is the only New Zealand buy now, pay later platform that operates online and in-store. They have also developed some unique features that no other players in the market can offer. Available to any New Zealand resident over the age of 18 years old, when they sign up to join Laybuy a credit check is done through Centrix, and a limit is created for them depending on their pre-existing credit score, and then the shopper is ready to go.

Laybuy has quickly become the payment platform for New Zealand designers. They were even invited to New Zealand Fashion Week because of the number of designers already using Laybuy. “What happens when a designer or retailer joins Laybuy is they become part of a database that is viewed over 900,000 times a month and growing by the day.

The exposure to new shoppers for the designers and retailers is huge.”

For more information visit www.laybuy.com or to join Laybuy as a merchant email Alex Rohloff at arohloff@laybuy.com.

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I 13

VICKI TAYLOR “Being third generation of our family in the New Zealand Fashion industry, I spent my younger years trying desperately to do anything but fashion.

Then having realised the addiction to constant change and my love of textiles, the touch, drape and fluidity of fabrics, I headed to Melbourne to study Fashion Design away from any family connections.

I was away for five years and when I returned to New Zealand I learnt to commercialise my craft in a big Auckland based fashion house, before I was ready to step out and start Taylor.

From one small store on Jervois Road, to now days having five physical retail stores throughout New Zealand and two online e-commerce channels.

From three employees to 30, from using faxes to communicate to daily emails and instant messaging, from photographing everything on film to digital immediacy, from print media to the new and constant changing social media platforms, the changes as the industry has become a global entity have been constant.

Taylor is known for everyday luxury that empowers and inspires through its design and has seen steady and constant growth. Now days Taylor holds a quietly strong market identity where quality, creative individualism and design integrity are coupled with social responsibility to create the corner stones of our business.

Our unparalleled quality fabrications and textiles are sourced from some of the best mills in Europe and Japan, and luckily these bi-annual trips to Europe to source textiles keep our creative energies aligned with the world and makes us appreciate the beauty and synergies that come from living and working in a place as special as New Zealand.

Taylor still proudly manufactures in New Zealand and this is how we maintain our attention to detail, and infuse our garments with hidden unexpected details.

14 I October 2017

This area of the industry has seen such huge change over our business life. As the global marketplace and price competitiveness become the main consumer driver, we have watched our industry struggle to align with falling prices, rising local labour costs and now days over supply — as any consumer can shop the world for their needs. We stress when you buy New Zealand manufactured garments from Taylor you help to keep five other skilled New Zealand business in business.

Taylor still proudly manufactures in New Zealand and this is how we maintain our attention to detail, and infuse our garments with hidden unexpected details.

In a world where brands can be built in a day by fashion influencers and celebrities who are given everything with very little brand alliances, hundreds of thousands of dollars of free things are thrown at these people in the hope that they may one day wear one piece and then will hopefully be photographed while wearing it…

Taylor does not operate in this world and stands by enduring quality and the fact our hard working clients, who are clever, thoughtful and chose to spend their disposable income with us are our brand ambassadors.

They have supported us and nothing gives us more pleasure than seeing them succeed through their lives

and knowing that their Taylor pieces have empowered them to do this.

A few of our brand achievements have been dressing the Silver Ferns when they were world champions in 2005, in made-to-measure off court uniforms, being selected by Harpers Bazaar as one of the New Zealand brands to watch, and discovering one of our 2016 campaign images on Italian Vogue’s Top 50 Images.

Collecting two NZ architecture awards for The Shelter store design, and more recently being in the first three NZ brands to be selected to sell on Farfetch.com, the biggest luxury fashion site worldwide.

The Shelter, our second business was started in 2014 with an aim to adapt and give a platform to the changes in the industry. This space is a sanctuary from the everyday, a place where the time challenged consumer can now shop for inspired design and discerning objects from fashion to homewares, fragrance, skincare and food, all under one roof. In a curated design environment we allow emerging New Zealand talent across many sectors to showcase their products in an award winning designer environment. With highly qualified sales and strong brand teams it allows emerging designers to bring their brand identities to life in a real market place and play with window displays and retail assets without being burdened by the full costs of an individual stand alone store.

The Shelter aligns some of the best New Zealand design talent beside inspiring global designers and artisans and we love the way the quality of design can easily stand side by side and resonate and connect.

Now days so many things in our industry have changed, although the one constant is that I am still inspired when I see an amazing fabric. I see garments I want to make, I see outfits and combinations and I still love making people feel great about themselves when they wear my clothes. There is nothing that will make you succeed when you feel uncertain or have a better day or night out, than when you have a new outfit to wear - the perfectly designed outfit matched with the right person = success.”

MELLOW COSMETICS

Mellow Cosmetics has gone from a modest one to ten sales per month in 2014 to now selling her products online in New Zealand, Australia, America, and Canada across a number well-known retailers and boutiques. To think that it all started with a simple YouTube video that sparked Ima Asali’s ambition to establish a beauty brand. Despite not knowing where to start or what to do, Asali threw herself into starting Mellow Cosmetics. Her first product was lipstick, she made a creamy matte formula with a range of colours to suit different skin tones. Her determination to work for herself and see her son growing up gave her the ambition and motivation to succeed.

When she was a child, she moved from Iran to Auckland and went on to study Management and Human Resource Management at AUT while managing retail stores in Auckland’s CBD. The inspiration for Mellow came when she was watching a makeup tutorial on YouTube during her maternity leave after a number of years of working at

an insurance company. The name Mellow is reflects the values of the brand. “Mellow in the dictionary means colourful, soft and free from harshness which represents my brand perfectly,” she said. All Mellow products are cruelty-free, paraben free and vegan.

“When I first started I thought I care about people and animals so I decided to make this brand as ethical as possible,” she explained. “I wanted to reduce the nasty chemicals from my ingredients and did not want my manufacturers to test my products on animals.”

Working with a small team, Asali explained that demand is increasing. “My husband always helps and inspires me with new names and ideas too.”

Asali designs new products and works closely with the manufacturers to turn the idea into a reality.

“Creating a great formula and beautiful eye catching packaging are my top priority.”

Gaining more stockists is high on Asali’s priority list. In July, Mellow gained local retail giant Farmers.

Mellow is also stocked at Tryano, a newly established department store in United Arab Emirates. “I want Mellow to be the top selling makeup brand in the major department stores in the western world, working with David Jones, Myers and Sephora is definitely a huge goal,” she added. Despite her lofty ambitions, she doesn’t want to lose sight of what is important. “Creating and designing makeup is my passion but I have a bigger goal and that is to help and support women and children in need.”

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I 15

Delpozo Resene Cupid

Brandon Maxwell Resene Pink Lace

t’s the clashing colour combination for years touted as an aesthetic abomination the unbreakable fashion rule your mother warned you against. But pink and red are surprisingly complementary, and the unexpected combination is being put forth by designers and stylists as the epitome of new-season cool. While pink has been creeping in for a few seasons, it has reached fever pitch and is likely to drop out of style after this summer. Red is also having a moment of its own - and many designers presented head to toe looks in pink and red respectively. However, it was the combination of red and pink which has caught the imagination of designers this season. If you aren’t

Oscar de la Renta Resene Hopbush

pairing pink with red is it even Spring Summer 2018?

Juicy Couture has departed the bargain bin and your nostalgic 2000’s eBay wishlist to spring up unexpectedly in the realms of high fashion. If you’re surprised, you wouldn’t be the only one. After a high-profile collaboration with Vetements for Spring/ Summer 2017, the brand stepped out on their own at New York Fashion Week with a show at the Rockefeller Centre attended by Paris Hilton (appropriate, no?).

Instead of going full steam ahead with the aughts resurgence, creative director Jamie Mizrahi showed 70’s influences, as well as garments which referenced the iconic Juicy tracksuit. The youthful, zingy colour palette consisted of sky blues, neon greens, crisp

Prabal Gurung Resene Cabaret

whites and bubblegum pinks. The collection was uncharacteristically refined, including maxi dresses, pussy bow blouses and midi skirts printed with ladylike polka dots in contrasting Resene Azalea pink and red.

Plastic fantastic! Burberry presented sheer layers of matte plastic sewn into skirts and jackets which gave the Fall/Winter 2018 See Now/Buy Now collection the look of trans-seasonal layering and functionality. Thick knits in rich crimson and red tones gave the collection a laid-back, handmade feel. Tartans, loose-fitting trench coats and argyle knit socks added to the traditional British look. Accessories were styled to give the heritage house’s show a new-season aesthetic which was mainly felt through summery sandals layered over thick

socks, and tartan baseball caps. The palette was winter appropriate; with deeper purples, browns, turquoise and blues. Pink made a rare appearance in a hue similar to Resene New York Pink in the form of a faux fur jacket accessorised with a contrasting red tartan tote bag and red socks.

Prabal Gurung’s collection was shiny and chic on the surface, with floaty garments and bold hues.

However, look closer and the collection centred around deconstruction. Garments held together with unexpected horizontal seams, rows of buttons which were half undone, and holes in the middle of garments. Behind the of-the-moment palette, there was a subtly garish air, brought about through the use

Burberry Resene New York Pink

Zero + Maria Cornejo Resene Smitten

The pinks were bold, and a pink suit close to Resene Hopbush - a look which has been seen across multiple collections - was layered atop a sequined corset top.

Racy for de la Renta.

Garish tones of red and pink were boldly colour blocked at Zero + Maria Cornejo’s Spring/Summer 2018 show. A hue close to Resene Smitten mixed with neon red - which transitioned into monochromes and closed with a return to clashing red and pink stripes.

Loose-fitting shapes which swamped models’ frames were accented with thick ruching - giving the silk fabrics unexpected volume and movement.

Colours available from

of shiny metallic fabrics, lines of beaded fringing and loud florals patterns covering full-length garments.

Sculptural draping and tucking added a 2000’s red carpet feel. Red and crimson (close to Resene Cabaret) slipped together on sheer, floor-length gowns.

Woven headwear is everywhere for this summer and Delpozo created more must-have, new-season head accessories. Their raffia bows perched on the heads of models were quirky and fresh. Delpozo played with colour combinations, not just in styling but also in their garment design. Unmissable neon hues were paired together; mint with sky blue, yellow with two differing shades of light blue, and - you guessed it red and pink (close to Resene Cupid). Aside from the

Resene ColorShops

Sies Marjan Resene Sweet Pink

Brandon Maxwell showed 2000’s Barbie vibes, with a palette built around varying shades of pink combined with mid-wash denim and pops of red. The girly, millennium aesthetic came through in belted blazers styled with flared jeans, halter neck tops and structured handbags. White, black, buttercup yellow and both bold and soft pinks (akin to Resene Pink Lace) were colour-blocked in head-to-toe looks which were striking and yet classic. Out of the context of a fashion show, Maxwell’s designs are wearable and female-friendly, sure to be best sellers for luxury consumers.

www.resene.co.nz

colours, the designs themselves were soft and reserved, full of vintage hemlines and shapes. Wide ruffles and dashes of dramatic construction gave the collection somewhat of a maximalist look.

Oscar de la Renta served up splashes of colour in bold combinations, which were wearable but still firmly in the vein of high-fashion. The whole collection had a New York feel, with elements that were youthful (oversized parkas and t-shirts layered under ball gowns) combined with the whimsy and extravagance typical of the brand. In many ways, the collection was a sleeker, more modern version of de la Renta’s usual fare, and the colours used played a significant role in keeping the collection current.

Juicy Couture Resene Azalea

Silky pyjama-inspired garments were the order of the day at Sies Marjan Spring/Summer 2018. The collection was a mixture of pastels; mint paired with lavender, rust with lemon yellow and sky blue striped with red. Marjan played with draping and garments were softly folded into themselves as if tucked in by accident or twisted around the body in a seemingly natural shape. Garments themselves had an airy feel and blurred together leisurewear and daywear. Pops of neon broke up Marjan’s pastel palette, including a brilliant neon red fur jacket layered over a peach silk dress in Resene Sweet Pink.

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18 I October 2017

COLLETTE DINNIGAN ollette Dinnigan is an iconic Australian designer, with shows at Paris Fashion Week and a chain of her own stores under her belt. Having put all that on hold approximately five years ago, Dinnigan scaled back her own brand and worked on a variety of creative projects with different partners - the most recent of which is her collaboration with Specsavers.

Dinnigan has designed a collection of eyewear for young girls, drawing inspiration from a source close to her heart. “My daughter, who is 13, has been wearing glasses for the last three years,” said Dinnigan.

Young girls often have no options but Disney-brand frames or to buy frames from the adult collection.

“The problem with young girls buying glasses from the adult collections are their petite faces, which are often too small for the frames,” explained Dinnigan.

The solution was clear; a collection which was fun and bold, but not too grown-up, which would make girls feel excited about wearing their glasses and showing their personality.

Collaborations are increasing in the fashion industry, and Dinnigan is an expert at ensuring she works with the right brands. “I find collaborative collections really exciting. I always make sure they can produce good quality products ethically,” added Dinnigan. Working with a large company meant Dinnigan could achieve economies of scale, due to the size of Specsavers’ production runs. This ability means Dinnigan could create a beautiful collection with high-quality materials, while still passing savings onto the consumers. Being able to offer a well-designed, well-made product at a good price is a win-win for the company, designer and customer. In eyewear, the price point is vital as the products are part of the consumer’s health, and an essential purchase. Having said that, collaborations are not always smooth sailing. “There’s nothing more frustrating than companies who don’t use designers,” said Dinnigan. “Or companies who have a mixture of departments who all sign things off, but work on different schedules.”

Designing and managing her own brand came with its own unique challenges - namely managing people and being reliant on fabric manufacturers. “In fashion, everything hinges on fabric manufacturers and merchants, and they can hold up the rest of the process.” In an industry with so many components — sales, design, manufacture, delivery — being let down by a third party can be the ultimate frustration.

But what about the technical differences between fashion and eyewear? According to Dinnigan, the principles are very much the same, although eyewear is, understandably, more technical. Both are also steeped with emotion for purchasers. Body shapes, proportions, colours, and trends are the basis of clothing purchases. Whereas eyewear makes an instant statement about the wearer, so consumers need to decide what they want to convey. “Eyewear is about emotional feelings, do you want to feel noticed? Or do you want to dissolve into the wall? Do you want something special for after dark?”

Face shape is also a factor which is very personal for eyewear purchasers. Eyewear design has fundamentally changed, noted Dinnigan, as the optics industry has become more trend based. “People are starting to experiment with eyewear and are not just looking for

something practical,” explained Dinnigan. “The clear acetate frames which are on-trend at the moment are a great example of an optics trend.” As for kidswear, Dinnigan has been more drawn to the area since becoming a mother and has discovered therein a level of freedom not offered in womenswear. Bright colours and loud patterns draw children in, - they don’t want to wear clothes that are tonal. There is no worry that an item might not sell because it is too bold, which means the design process can be much more carefree and fun.

Across her already expansive career, Dinnigan has experienced the industry in its entirety. Despite that, her unequalled career highlight is travel. “I love travelling with a purpose, not just for a holiday,” she explained. “It’s amazing meeting artisans from all over the world.” Whether it is the seamstresses who crafted garments for her brand or the retail assistants who sold her clothes, Dinnigan’s creativity was her ticket to meet people from all over the world. Even though it has only been five years since she closed up shop on her clothing line, Dinnigan has noticed changes within the industry occurring in the interim. When launching the eponymous brand, Dinnigan felt that using your own name was a good way of identifying yourself, and letting your personality shine through the brand and designs.

“The media is very different now to when I started, there is a rush with social media and online, and everyone wants to know more,” Dinnigan noted.

While consumer media used to focus primarily on the designs and clothing, Dinnigan now feels that there is a constant push for content, a focus on being

The problem with young girls buying glasses from the adult collections are their petite faces, which are often too small for the frames. backstage and more emphasis on personal aspects.

Always protective of her family, Dinnigan now tries to keep the brand image and her own life separate.

As for the future of her own label, even as recently as the start of 2017 Dinnigan would have said she had no plans for re-launching the Collette Dinnigan clothing label, but now she isn’t so sure. After a busy year designing for Specsavers and guest editing Vogue Living, Dinnigan has had ample creative outlets presented in small, manageable chunks. A return to the life at the helm of her own brand empire would be a significant change in pace, but unable to give a solid answer either way, perhaps there might be more Paris Fashion Week runway shows in the future for Dinnigan.

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A DARING COLLABORATION It is Uncharted; a daring collaboration from two of the world’s great hatmakers.

Hatmosphere, by New Zealand’s Hills Hats (est.

1875) and Goorin Bros, America’s Bold Hatmakers (est. 1895) are joining forces to design and make fresh, extroverted Uncharted hats.

Hills Hats first connected with Goorin Bros making Oilskin, Deer Nappa and technical fabric Hydrotex hats for their label three years ago. The potential to expand into uncharted territory followed visits to each other’s factories, sharing specialist hatmaking knowledge, skills

and ideas like mad scientists.

“Uncharted is an opportunity to reach beyond the norm for both retailers and customers,” said Hatman, aka Simon Smuts-Kennedy, from Hills Hats.

“Our hats will shock, entertain, and make people giddy with excitement.”

Hatman’s Uncharted collection will be based on one off master pieces featuring the finest faux furs, Italian leathers, cashmere wool and signature satin linings. Goorin Bros are busy collating their Unchartered collection, made in Newark.

Ben Goorin said Uncharted will be “punchy and ever evolving”. Uncharted hats will be released in early December 2017 in selected Goorin stores across America and in hat specialist stores in New Zealand and Australia.

The backbone of Hills Hat’s Wellington factory was in making uniform hats. This has steadily turned

Our hats will shock, entertain, and make people giddy with excitement. into a high-end fashion department, running with Hatman’s combination of classic designs, elaborate fabrics and twisting traditional silhouettes.

Hatman’s persona has evolved from adventures worldwide, wearing a mask and hat while armed with two suitcases of hats creating export markets in Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and

America. Goorin Bros have thirtyfour stand-alone stores throughout North America and are an entrenched international brand. With a growing appetite for statement hats, Uncharted will change the hat mould.

Follow their journey at www.hillshats. co.nz and www.goorinbros.com

AUCKLAND BASED APPAREL TUTOR VACANCY Innovative fashion design school seeks motivated industry professional to deliver a Diploma programme.

You have:

• a solid manufacturing background • a comprehensive understanding of design, pattern making and garment construction • computer skills (including C.A.D.) • the ability to communicate clearly • a passion for helping others • the desire to share your skills with like-minded adult students Send your CV to AndrinaS@sewtec.ac.nz or phone (09) 250-1515

20 I October 2017

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Hunsel

A.SEASON

Made up of two designers Jeehyun Jessica Lee and Shin Young Park, both 30-years-old, A.SEASON values the fit of clothing on the human body. The brand explores fashion practices and designs through the process of transforming the intangible beauty found in mundane everyday life into a tangible human structure. “We believe that the element of beauty exists within all things and it can be realised with efforts to see it.”

Using high-quality fabrics and timeless design, the duo launched the brand this season at Vancouver Fashion Week. Friends from high school, the two grew up in entirely different cultures after that. “We had the same career, taste, and vision, so we decided to start the business together,” explained Lee. The brand’s name embraces the meaning of all season, no season, any season, one season and the best season. “Which speaks our commitment to creating clothes that draw no seasonal or age boundaries.”

Lee and Park were born in Seoul, South Korea, but Lee immigrated to Vancouver when she was a teenager. Lee graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BA in

ALEX S. YU

Twenty-seven-year-old Alex Yu was born in Taipei, Taiwan, but grew up in Vancouver. He was obsessed with models and designers during secondary school and went on to do a diploma at Blanche Macdonald Centre in Vancouver and Post Graduate Degree at London College of Fashion. “In my second year at university, I suddenly realised that I wanted to try out fashion, so I took some part-time sewing classes and never looked back,” Yu said. Yu now works with manufacturers to create his collections, but he does around 85 percent of the samples. Currently, he is a one-man-band, and occasionally has a team of interns every season for fashion week.

24 I October 2017

Economics and Theatre Design. Afterwards, she pursued a fashion design career which had always been her dream. Lee finished her Fashion Design diploma at Blanche Macdonald Centre Vancouver and then moved to London. There, she graduated from Istituto Marangoni London with her Masters in Fashion Design Womenswear and then worked with some prestigious fashion houses including Lisa Redman.

Park studied Clothing Science at university, and after graduation, she worked as a designer for four years at renowned fashion brands such as Italybased womenswear brand Sisley Korea.

She then furthered her education with an MBA so she could study and experience the fashion scene in Paris as an exchange student as well. Now, Park is conducting a doctoral course in the fashion department at Seoul National University.

The two designers believe that Vancouver Fashion Week will continue to grow rapidly and gain influence as it becomes the ideal marketing platform for

emerging designers like A.SEASON. “Everything from the first look to the last one; everything was a highlight to us as it was the beginning of A.SEASON. Also, we had a sales booth at the VFW, and it was an amazing experience as well. We had so many customers loving our garments and buying from us. Thanks to VFW and our customers, we have another popup store next week,” added Park.

Their plan for the coming year is to do a show in Tokyo with Vancouver Fashion Week.

The duo wants to expand A.SEASON globally and reach out to other cities in Canada and America, as well as other major cities such as Tokyo, Paris, and Seoul. “We want to consolidate our brand identity as the one that provides the best quality and fit for customers at a reasonable price.” Still in the process of gaining new retailers, Lee and Park said they are interested in partnering with stores who share the same values as them. For more information, visit www.aseason.net.

“I started my label in Sept 2014 after graduating not long ago from London College of Fashion,” he said. “I entered and won a competition held by Niche Magazine which was searching for the Emerging Designer of the Year. The prize was to create and showcase a 16 looks collection at Vancouver Fashion Week.” Inspired by Rei Kawakubo from COMME des GARÇONS, Yu believes in creating good quality pieces with fair prices. Moving forward, Yu is looking to expand his brand and gain more stockists. Almost 100 percent of ALEX S. YU’s marketing is through Instagram and Facebook. His label has its own online store and also does biannual pop-up shops. The

brand is also stocked at several boutiques in London, Vancouver, and Taipei. “A dream stockist would be Dover Street Market.”

Yu credits Vancouver Fashion Week for basically starting his brand. “I started my label here and have been showing here every season since.” This season was his seventh time showing at Vancouver Fashion Week and added that the experience is great. “The local support is strong, and the team is very reliable.”

Yu’s highlight of Vancouver Fashion Week’s SS18 season was meeting with GQ Insider Bryan Griffin and Adriano Batista, editor-in-chief of Fucking Young magazine.

BIANCA BARR FE E L TH E D I FFE R E N CE 2 0 17 E D I T.

upgrade to style Bianca Barr creates unique jewellery pieces that show off her style. Barr makes each piece herself which she said is satisfying but can also be exhausting and sometimes hard on the body. “I wish I didn’t need to sleep!” Barr said jokingly. She grew up in Surrey, British Columbia and did a fashion design program at Vancouver Community College. Barr started her brand in 2004 with several purses that had old records attached to them. “I print on vintage clothing, sew original clothing that is hand printed and make jewellery,” said Barr. “I sell my designs in local shops, markets and online.” In her spare time, she DJ’s a weekly 1980s music night at the Fox Cabaret and plays music in her band Black Magique.

When Barr was younger, she always paid attention to outfits on TV, movies and music videos. As a teenager, she was obsessed with fashion magazines and watching the Canadian television show Fashion

Television. Her father was the one who got Barr and her brother into making things. “He is a jack of all trades with an awesome workshop. Eventually, he got us into making jewellery out of metal and stones, we had a rock tumbler and would make cabochons.”

After that, she loved making weird found object jewellery, and her glue gun was her best friend. Later in her 20’s, she was making things out of resin, leather and vintage jewellery. “It’s only been in the last couple of years that I decided to finally learn proper silversmithing and stone setting techniques,” Barr explained. She took some classes at a local jewellery shop and recently taught herself how to use a glass enamel on copper. Barr hopes to keep learning new techniques to develop her skill set further while gaining more stockists. For more information, visit www.biancabarr.com.

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MARILYN YEO Born and raised in Vancouver, Marilyn Yeo worked in retail during her teens because she loved clothing. This experience exposed her to trends, colours, textures, and curating outfits.

As a child, Yeo was always drawn to fashion due to her love of fabrics and texture. “Even as a child, I wanted to pick my own clothes to wear. Styling has always been important to me,” she said. Yeo is self-taught and designed her first garment in 2016. She explained that browsing through a fabric storeroom is like a candy store. “Once I see the right fabric, it inspires me and I start to visualise the outfit.

Using a dress form, I begin to bring the picture into reality.”

Currently, Yeo works with a seamstress to complete each one of a kind garment, and is thinking about exploring manufacturing options. She explained that the incredible experience and feeling of creating a garment that women feel empowered and beautiful in is what she values most in her practice.

Moving forward, Yeo wants to create one of a kind seasonal collections and expand into personal shopping and styling. The brand is not stocked anywhere as of yet and with no online store, Yeo works privately with her clients. Social media has been a big help for brand awareness. “It’s been wonderful exposure! It has expanded my brand overnight.”

Vancouver Fashion Week also created a lot of awareness for her brand during her first showcase this season. “This was my first experience being a part of VFW. I met wonderful people from all different parts of the world and industries. I loved the energy I received from viewing all the creativity, colours and textures.”

A highlight for Yeo was seeing her logo on the back screen, watching the models wearing her designs down the runway and hearing the crowd’s reaction. “Vancouver Fashion Week gave me an amazing opportunity to share my passion and designs to an audience of designers, media and potential clientele. It was magical a dream come true.”

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2/08/2017 12:31:46 PM

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The trends retail really needs for Spring 2018 If continuous discounting and long-lasting trends are anything to go by, consumers are suffering from retail ennui. Katie Smith, Trend Analyst, EDITED What’s going to pick retail up? Probably not more bomber jackets, hoodies and ruffled tops. (But rest assured those trends were of course on the runways and will naturally be backed by the mass market again).

What we need is a blast of the new to invigorate retail and to reignite consumers’ passion. We need to push new categories, moving boldly into new opportunities.

But embattled retailers aren’t in a position to take dramatic risks on out-there product. They need to lure consumers without backing mad-cap trends. So what is the perfect balance that delights consumers while making purchasing a no-brainer?

Here are the five trends, products and categories that retail needs in Spring 2018 to engage consumers and revitalise the retail experience.

DO MORE COLOURS! Millennial pink was a hoot. We all had a moment there, right?

The thing is, a supremely specific trend like this can limit sales more than it supports them. As we all know, trends these days are adopted at breakneck speed.

Therefore, if you have one dominant color story for a season, everyone is very visibly going to have it fast.

So why limit sales by just serving singular color stories? Those dominant yellows and oranges right now are polarising. But the customer who doesn’t want to buy into orange, doesn’t necessarily want to just wear neutrals, so where is the alternative story?

There’s a whole rainbow of color, so use it! There’s a current gravitation towards unique color pairings fit for striking social media updates, that’s working in retail favor.

So for Spring 2018, go after the lilac, the red, the electric blue, the lime green and don’t forget those shades your own shoppers have a track record of adoring. The merchandising fun will come in clashing unexpected combinations.

TRY THE NEW MODESTY

building in seamless drops.

Spring 2018 gave us many ways to bolster assortments with hyper-wearable garb: • Outerwear – There were lots of options for technical outerwear – you could go for oversized and colorful raincoats like those seen at Calvin Klein and Mary Katrantzou. Or try the season’s checked print on rainwear from Burberry and the checkerboard longline styles from Dior.

Meanwhile, Valentino and Balenciaga offered up ultra-luxe technical jackets in block colors. Staying dry never looked so chic.

• Functional footwear – You should take note that Crocs returned to the runway. The Balenciaga ones will get picked up, but you shouldn’t try to emulate them – instead think about the customer need behind such trends.

Waterproof, lightweight, comfortable, pull-on, plastic, colorful. There are things you can do around these key aspects that will tap into the ugly-shoe moment.

• Fastenings – Spring 2018 is about fastenings you could secure a tent with in strong winds. Drawstring waistlines, hems and even necklines at Céline, flyaway straps, d-rings and popper fastenings, making their way onto daywear and eveningwear.

MAKE STATEMENTS Logomania is back, right across the board. It makes sense for luxury brands to tap into branding right now.

For one, today’s shoppers are hyper-loyal, ‘collecting’ their branded purchases. They carefully curate their online personas, bringing together identifiable branded items to tell their personal ‘story’.

And as the mass market is getting speedier at adopting luxury trends, having logoed items differentiates luxury, and spins the brand’s heritage story, so vital in connecting with shoppers. Versace, Loewe and Gucci all put their name front and centre on sweaters and tees, while Max Mara and Fendi brought back their house monograms.

BLUR SEASONAL LINES Most retailers have been stung by overt seasonality and unpredictable weather. And thanks to globalization and e-commerce, geographically-specific allocations aren’t defined like they used to be. Now you have to speak simultaneously to your customers on both coasts and, for some brands, even across both hemispheres.

Thankfully, consumers want to dress functionally and comfortably right now. That means layers and versatile fabrics which will help retailers lure new season spend from the very start of the season,

28 I October 2017

While that’s desirable from a luxury brand, there are also ways for mainstream retailers to tap into the statement need. Try limited runs of slogan tees, illustrator collaborations, selfie-worthy earrings and look-at-me sunglasses.

There’s a buttoned-up look coming through for Spring 2018. We’re talking covered busts, long sleeves, ankle-length skirts and a general modesty that feels cool and understated. It’s also hyper-inclusive demographically, which is a great thing.

This trend doesn’t mean that flirty looks are overlooked for the season – far from it. The sheers, side split skirts, revealing cutouts and dishevelled sexiness are there for sure. Just as they were last season, and the one before it. Instead, embracing modesty feels new.

So how is it done? At Off-White and Stella McCartney it was leg o’ mutton sleeved tops giving a hint of the puritanical, even more emphasized in the nightshirt-style cotton dresses in crisp white at Jil Sander, Anya Hindmarch and Victoria Beckham.

Then there’s the high-necked maxi dresses with a romantic feel from Valentino, Etro, Tory Burch and Temperley. There’s even something quite straight about all the classic checked prints coming through.

REVITALISE WORKWEAR! In recent years, the workwear category has been pushed out thanks to oh-so-casual millennial dress codes. In many work places, skinny jeans became de rigour, followed soon after by a parade of leggings and sneakers.

The problem is, it’s the same stuff people right now want to wear outside of work, meaning retail misses out on an entire category of apparel.

Spring 2018 offered some ideas on how to lure trend-led consumers to 9-to-5 clothing. Namely, blazers. They’re back, in a big way. Double-breasted, sharp-shouldered and oversized or pinch-waisted, the best on show were at Dior, Tom Ford, Givenchy and Versace.

Pair them with midi-length pencil skirts, as at Tibi and Fendi, the aforementioned modest dresses, checked and skinny stripe prints and fuller-volume dressy pants. Trench coats, pleated kilts and smart shirts complete the look.

Importantly, the workwear movement hits upon three key thematic trends for the season: the 80s, the 90s and androgyny. Follow it at the right time and the pay check will be all yours.

IZZY BUTTLE Massey University

From a young age, Wellingtonian Izzy Buttle has been fascinated with fashion. With fond memories of prized clothing and accessories - like her favourite burgundy lace-up boots, Buttle always had an eye for detail. “Clothing and fashion work as an extension of your identity, what you wear speaks for you, and to you. It can tell others what type of person you are, what your values are, and who you want to be affiliated with,” explained Buttle. The proud owner of her first sewing machine at only nine years old, Buttle took her creations very seriously - despite an incomplete knowledge of sewing. As she only knew how to sew forwards, she would fully rotate the fabric to properly back-tack - an arduous task, but one detail-oriented Buttle never left out. An early source of inspiration were the dance costumes designed and crafted by her aunt, who owned a dance company and made all the outfits herself. “Going to her studio was like going to a candy shop; the colours, prints and the designs were so outrageous, I couldn’t stop looking.

I wanted to be part of it,” said Buttle. Through high school, Buttle drew on everything schoolbooks, receipts, even bus tickets - her design ideas were endless.

After high school, the next step was clear; Buttle enrolled at Massey University and embarked on a Bachelor of Design (Fashion), which she will graduate from this year with Honours. Starting out with a love of design, Massey University’s programme quickly illuminated Buttle on how the fashion industry functions, as well as the problems with sustainability which urgently need to be addressed. This knowledge informed Buttle’s core values and gave her a platform to explore those values constructively and creatively. “Fashion on the surface is sold as luxurious, a lifestyle which is highly desired but is unattainable for most. But beneath the surface, there is a lot of ugliness related to the ethics of fashion, including labour exploitation, reckless consumption of resources and environmental disregard,” explained Buttle.

This frustrated Buttle and had a large impact on her design process.

“My graduate collection ‘Nausea’ is a representation of how I feel

about the current state of the fashion industry,” added Buttle. The collection utilised incredibly complex pattern making and construction, which overwhelmed Buttle at times, as well as utilising highquality fabrics which give the collection a luxurious feel. Working at The Fabric Shop also influenced Buttle and her collection. “Being surrounded by fabrics has undoubted shaped my design aesthetic and identity. I have definitely become a bit of a fabric snob and cannot seem to buy clothing made from synthetics anymore,” she explained. ‘Nausea’ uses slippery, sheeny fabrics in rich, jewel-like tones juxtaposed alongside thicker drapey wools and leathers. The overall effect is avant-garde and infused with both intelligence and artistic flair.

Buttle’s inspiration can come from anything and everything, although she is currently enthralled by unexpected colour combinations. The influence of other designers cannot be understated, similarly to students of any artform. Buttle is influenced by big players in the field as well as local creators. “When I first got into fashion, and only really knew the big names, Prada always stood out with their bright colours and bold use of patterns, as did Dries Van Noten,” said Buttle. On the home front, Buttle loves conceptual brand Otsu, for their intriguing and unique pattern-making. Other influences include Margiela and Comme Des Garçons.

When it comes to the physical skills that back up her penchant for design, Buttle is firmly of the belief that sewing skills underpin excellent design. She loves both the challenge of crafting a garment and the artistic expression of design. “The full process of physically making a garment I can’t seem to get enough of - I get totally sucked in,” said Buttle. It’s this basis of garment construction that now informs Buttle’s design. “The more construction techniques you know, the more possibilities you can design from,” she added. “Every designer wants the image in his or her head or on paper to translate the same way, or better on a 3D form.”

Buttle learned, even more, construction techniques during a brief internship with leather accessory brand Yu Mei, as well as gleaning insights into the process of launching a brand and running a small business.

Buttle currently works on a commision only basis, under the name Izzy Thom (@izzy.thom.design). While her love of design has endured, the path to being a fashion designer is no longer as simple as it seemed before her studies. “I’m not sure if I want to jump straight into starting my own label yet,” explained Buttle, who has her sights firmly set on working within the industry in a revolutionary way. She wants to slow down fashion, and disrupt the cycle of environmental and ethical abuses, potentially creating a new system.

According to Buttle, the biggest change she has witnessed in the industry is also the slowest. This change is, of course, the push for more sustainable collections by designers and brands, and informing consumers of that much-needed change.

“I feel very passionate about trying to do my bit to make fashion a more environmentally friendly industry,” said Buttle. “I would love to work for a company that aligns with the same values that I have. This may be tricky to find; I just don’t want my values to become secondary.”

Exposure Fashion Show Massey University 10.11.17 and 11.11.17 4pm and at 7pm Purchase tickets at eventfinda.co.nz #EXP17 @masseyexposure exposure17.com

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