Unit 11 and 12 by Matilda Amphlett

Fashion Retail Range Planning and Building Unit 11 Matilda Amphlett

Task 1: Independent Retailers Resurrection began in 1991 as a small vintage shop in Liverpool. Originally located in Quiggins arcade, a popular location for alternative and independent retailers, the store has since moved to a bigger premises on Bold street and sells not only vintage clothing but also branded men and women’s wear, shoes and accessories. The store encompasses both well-known brands and more unique pieces, and is a popular destination for shoppers in Liverpool, even drawing in a number of celebrities such as Jared Leto and Samuel L Jackson. The store’s quirky identity is clear from the outset with effective visual merchandising both in their window and over the two floors that make up the shop. Their window display showcases a wide range of products, as well as current offers to entice the customer into the store, and mannequins are placed throughout the store to show off various styles that can be achieved with their products. The store also has a large online presence with pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as their own blog. This means that they are able to interact with their customer, make styling suggestions or find out from the customers themselves how they style their products. They also run various competitions through social media campaigns, meaning the customer is often at the very heart of their business. All their products are also available to buy online, meaning that they can now reach a wider customer base, while still maintaining their eclectic front of house on Bold Street. It position about halfway up Bold Street is well suited to their target market, as the whole street is rife with independent retailers and eateries, and is therefore a popular haunt for students and young professionals, as well as tourists coming to Liverpool to sample its shopping districts. Their typical customers are men and women aged 18-30, and their price range goes from around £5 for small garments, such as socks, up to £200 for a good quality coat.

“The clothes sit comfortably amongst arcade games and retro scooters in an amazing juxtaposition of retro and most modern of fashion which is the perfect medium of cool and trendy.” “The infusion of hip-hop culture into the identity of Resurrection is one that is natural and we think if Biggie were alive today, he’d be filling his wardrobe with garments from Resurrection.” - Independent Liverpool, 2013.

“Mashing up branded and independent designers perfectly sums up the ethos of the store - just be unique.” “Emblazoned in a bright orange exterior, the store makes its mark before you even step foot inside.” - Marggraf-Turley, 2013.

Independent Liverpool, (2013). Resurrection. [online] Available at: http://independent-liverpool.co.uk/resurrection/#.VmgmwkqLSUk [Accessed 9 Dec. 2015]. Marggraf-Turley, L. (2013). Best of Independent Liverpool - Resurrection > Vintage Clothes > Fashion | Purple Revolver. [online] Purplerevolver.com. Available at: http://www.purplerevolver.com/fashion/vintage-clothes/123547-best-of-independent-liverpool--resurrection.html [Accessed 9 Dec. 2015].

Task 1: Independent Retailers Lady K Loves is a Bristol based retailer for women’s vintage style fashion. Having recently announced the closure of their Bristol boutique, the store still maintains great success as an online retailer. It is hugely popular among lovers of vintage and rockabilly fashion, and appears as a stockist almost every month in Vintage Life Magazine’s street style article, with garments suitable for vintage loving women of any age, and prices ranging from around £10 to £65. Most of their garments are only allocated a certain fabric, meaning that much of their stock is limited edition. Staple pieces, however, such as jeans, are replenished regularly. All items are made in the UK with much attention to detail, with the aim to deliver to customers classic styles for a modern fit. This is evident in their most popular garment, the “Hug Me Baby jeans”, which have a wider hip to waist ratio than most other brands of jeans. This sort of catering to modern shapes and sizes has quite possibly been the cause of much of their success, and sets them apart from many of their competitors. As with many stores nowadays, Lady K Loves has a big online presence, and posts regularly on social media sites, often interacting with customers. Among the sites that they operate on is YouTube, on which the store posts videos on BTS activity, fashion tips and vintage styling. They can also be seen at various vintage fairs and markets, which allows them to still come face to face with their customers despite having had to close their boutique. Travelling around to such events also brings the store ever more publicity around the country.

“Jeans have always made me very nervous and bring back awful memories of all those times I’ve tried them on and felt absolutely terrible about my body afterwards” “I then promptly ran into the other room where Matt was and tried to explain to him how momentous it was that I had jeans on that fit perfectly EVERYWHERE.” - Miss Victory Violet, 2015. “Each and every garment is made at the factory in the United Kingdom with high quality materials that allow each piece of clothing to fit perfectly and suit virtually any body type.” “Whether you’re looking for a costume, day to day outfit or a dress to wear to work and then out on the town in the evening, there is something for you at Lady K Loves.” - Delay, 2011. Delay, Z. (2011). Lady K Loves - Pinup-Fashion.co.uk. [online] Pinup-Fashion.co.uk. Available at: http://pinupfashion.co.uk/672/lady-k-loves/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2015]. Miss Victory Violet, (2015). Lady K Loves: Hug Me Baby Jeans. [online] Available at: http://www.missvictoryviolet.com/2015/05/18/lady-k-loves-hug-me-baby-jeans/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2015].

Task 1: Independent Retailers Verge Girl began in 2008 in Brisbane and is the brain child of sisters Daniella and Natalia Dionyssiou. Aiming to provide girls aged 18-25 with attractive clothing, shoes and accessories, and with prices ranging from ÂŁ13-ÂŁ75, Verge Girl combines affordable fashion with support for young and upcoming designers, buying in both local and international brands. Split across two stores, both located in Brisbane, as well as an online store, their belief is that customer service should be at the head of everything. The interiors of their boutiques are simple and elegant, providing a fresh and pretty atmosphere that mirrors their brand identity, and their window displays portray an array of outfits and brands. By supporting emerging designers, Verge Girl is able to offer young women garments that do not saturate the high street, but rather provide customers with stylish and unique outfits. Most of the garments bear a typically bohemian style, with loose fits and flowing fabrics well suited for the Australian climate. Their online store has the same stock as the boutiques, but is open to the world and provides the clothing value in a number of currencies to make the shopping process even easier for their foreign customers. The store is also active on Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram, and makes use of the social media sites to not only advertise clothing but also to post style ideas and inspiration.

“Verge Girl is an eclectic mix of modern youth fashion, vintagestyled and boho clothing which means there's something here for everyone.” “It's now pretty rare to get such invested staff in retail stores so it was a really refreshing experience.” - Chown, 2014.

“The girls, who currently own two boutiques after opening a second store in West End late last year, consider their customer service and quick turnover of stock to be two main aspects that contribute to the popularity of their business.” “The business owners, who at most recent count have over 34,000 followers and likes on both Instagram and Facebook respectively, believe their active use of social media has positively assisted their business in developing a loyal following of customers.” - Arnold, 2014.

Arnold, E. (2014). Verge Girl sisters’ social media success. [online] Emily Arnold. Available at: https://emilyarnoldjournalist.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/verge-girl-sisters-social-media-success2/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2015]. Chown, K. (2014). Verge Girl Fashion. [online] Weekendnotes.com. Available at: http://www.weekendnotes.com/verge-girl-west-end/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2015].

Task 2 Located half way up Bold Street in the city centre, Resurrection is at the heart of ones of Liverpool’s most popular retail districts. It’s orange exterior and large window displays mean that it really stands out on the high street. The store began selling only vintage items, hence the name Resurrection, but after about 5 years the owner, Rob, began to buy in new ranges. Having started out life as a small store in shopping arcades, and only entering the high street in 2006 (Michalkiewicz, 2014), Resurrection now boasts two stories of menswear and womenswear, both branded and vintage. The visual merchandising in store reflects the company’s quirky style. The various recreational items scattered around the shop floor, such as the arcade machine and the moped, reinforce the store’s ethos of fun, and make the shop a relaxing and enjoyable environment in which to be. They also have an eclectic mix of CDs that they play in the shop, including many that have been dropped in by local bands. The store seems to celebrate youth culture, as well as support it. Resurrection launched its online store 4 years ago and ships worldwide, meaning that their eclectic retro style can now reach people across the globe. They have a dedicated person that deals with the online side of the business, which includes not only online sales, but also running a blog and utilizing social media sites Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The store also run competitions through their website, in which customers can win various bits of merchandise or tickets to events. Once again this shows the store’s support for local youth culture and recreational activity. Michalkiewicz, A. (2014). The Feed - Local Heroes - Resurrection, Liverpool | Merc Clothing. [online] Merc.com. Available at: http://www.merc.com/mercblog/local-heroes---resurrection-liverpool2222/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015].

Ground Floor/Menswear

First Floor/Womenswear

Resurrection’s owner puts the success of the store down to the fact that people can go in and find things that are unavailable elsewhere on the high street (Michalkiewicz, 2014). The ranges in store are varied and constantly renewed, so there is always something new and exciting to look at for the customers. The ranges are aimed at 18-35 year olds, but customers tend to range from 14-70 years of age. The store has many regulars that have been going in for years, some of which now bring in their own children. This helps to maintain the store’s popularity across the generations and hopefully means that the store enjoys many more years of success to come. While the store does have many regular customers, its location means that it also attracts a lot of other shoppers and tourists in the city, so it reaches a wide customer base. Offers and promotions are also advertised clearly in the windows and on the door, which helps to further coerce passers-by into entering the store.

Resurrection faces competition both on the high street and online. On the very same street as the store are various competitors such as Pop Boutique and Little Red Vintage, and just down the road is Total Recall, another vintage specialist, not to mention chain stores, such as Sports Direct and Schuh, that stock brands such as Vans, Caterpillar, Eastpak and Ellesse. Online retailers such as EMP present competition for music and film themed clothing, while websites such as ASOS present competition for branded fashion. I will compare the ranges available in some high street and online stores with those available in Resurrection to give an idea of the price ranges the store’s target market is willing to spend on certain items.

Resurrection stocks a large number of men’s and women’s brands, such as Abandon Ship, Bellfield, Ellesse and Vans. Their website lists 38 brands in total that they currently stock, but they also provide vintage fashion and are constantly bringing new brands into the store. The wide array of brands means that customers have a lot of choice with regard to style and cost, so that there is truly something for everyone. Brands such as Carhartt offer high quality clothing that is durable but expensive, with a men’s shirt typically costing around £70, while brands such as Glamorous and Dirty Velvet offer more affordable, on-trend garments. Brands such as Fanpac and Chunk offer music and film themed clothing, fitting in with the store’s focus on youth culture. While there are many well-known brands available in store and online, Resurrection also prides itself on working with new and independent businesses, especially on a local scale. RMJ Leathers and ‘We Are What We Are’ are two independent companies from the North West that Resurrection has helped to promote, through selling their items in store and discussing them on their blog. Different customers visit Resurrection for different reasons. Many people go into the store seeking out certain brands, like Carhartt or Bellfield, while others shop for more of a look rather than a brand name. Resurrection therefore enjoys a reputation as a reputable brand retailer and also as a stockist for changing trends.

Michalkiewicz, A. (2014). The Feed - Local Heroes - Resurrection, Liverpool | Merc Clothing. [online] Merc.com. Available at: http://www.merc.com/mercblog/local-heroes---resurrection-liverpool2222/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015]. Resurrection-online.com, (2015). Resurrection |. [online] Available at: http://www.resurrection-online.com/blog/ [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015].

Menswear

£199.95

£139.95

£9.99

£39.95 £79.95

£39.95

£27.50

£17.50

£109

£54.95

£49.99

£19.95

£44.95

£29.95

£21.95

£84.95

£55

£35

Womenswear

£169.95

£79.95

£39.99

£35.99

£51.95

£44.99

£27.95

£10.95

£54.95

£37.95

£34.99

£24.95

£20.99

£29.95

£24.95

£53.95

£34.99

£24.95

Task 3: Customer Profile This is Michael. He is 21 years old and studies Biomedicine at Liverpool John Moore’s and lives in a student flat with 2 flatmates. He goes out with his friends most Friday nights but keeps one Friday free each month to go out with his girlfriend. He also has a Sunday job in Foot Asylum. His favourite place to go with his friends is Django’s bar and when he goes out with his girlfriend they usually go for dinner, somewhere inexpensive like Pizza Hut, followed by the cinema. He usually buys something for himself each month like a new t-shirt or hoodie, and spends about £30 per month on clothes on average. He tends to spend more on a pair of jeans or a coat when it is necessary. The most he has spent on an item of clothing is £100 on a coat that was reduced from £160. He likes to shop vintage because he’s often able to find good quality brands like Levi’s or Nike for much less than their original RRP. Other shops he tends to visit are Blue Inc., JD Sports, and Burtons when he wants something smarter. His favourite type of music his hip-hop, but he also likes indie rock. His favourite film genre is sci-fi, and he absolutely loves the Star Wars franchise. In his spare time he likes to watch films or play on his PS4 with his flatmates; his favourite game is Mass Effect but he will usually just play Fifa with his flatmates. Him and his flatmates also watch the Superbowl together every year. He doesn’t spend long getting ready on a morning but rather just has a quick shower and gets dressed. He doesn’t tend to buy bath products as he gets a lot every Christmas, so will just buy Lynx from a corner shop if he needs any.

Michael Hip-hop

Cinema

Pizza Hut Student at LJMU

Gamer

Task 3: Customer Profile This is Emma. She is 22 years of age and is studying English at the University of Liverpool. She is from Wallasey but now lives in the city centre in student accommodation, and she works part-time in Sainsbury's as a sales assistant. She loves to go out with friends and goes out to bars and clubs most weeks. She also loves to go shopping most weeks, usually with her flatmate. She will update her wardrobe every month, often spending around £50-£70 each month, but at Christmas time she gears her budget towards presents for friends and family rather than herself. She loves vintage fashion, particularly 80s and 90s style clothing. She likes indie rock and 90s dance music, and her favourite band is Pulp. Her favourite television programme is The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which she says is what sparked her love of retro fashion. Her favourite shops are Resurrection, Pop Boutique, and she also loves to go around the charity shops. She does not tend to wear make up but usually puts mascara on for a night on the town, in which case she uses Maybelline. She moisturises every night with The Body Shop’s Vitamin E moisturiser and washes every morning with their Tea Tree Facial Wash. Most of her bath products come from The Body Shop, but she sometimes shops in Lush as well. Her favourite place to eat out is Moose Coffee, because she loves pancakes, and it is her go-to place when she has a hangover. On an evening she likes to watch television or listen to music while she colours in – she is a huge lover of the adult colouring book fad! She likes to cook her own meals and usually makes pasta on an evening because it’s a quick and easy option for her when she comes home from uni/work, except on Tuesdays when her and her flatmate order Domino’s pizza together. Her flatmate is her best friend and every year they go to Glastonbury together, where she usually picks up a few new items of clothing. She does not know what she wants to do with herself in the future but is not worried about that at the moment as she has both work experience and a good education under her belt.

Emma 80s/90s Fashion

Friday nights out Pizza nights in Festival lover

Vintage lover

Task 4: Evaluation In my research on Resurrection I have found out much about the store and its customers. I have looked at the history of the store in order to gain a better understanding of its position in the market, as well as the types of things available to men and women. After learning the history of the store I feel I have a much greater understanding of what the store is trying to achieve, through the way it operates and through the clothes they sell. It is definitely a shop centred around youth culture, and this is reflected in everything they do: their online presence, their visual merchandising, and their actual stock. Their connections to local brands further reinforce the image of them supporting youth culture, as it means they are giving new and upcoming designers a big boost to their business. Selling these lesser known brands alongside big names such as Ellesse means that they are able to attract a multitude of customers, from those wanting to support their local businesses to those wanting to buy brand name only. As well as researching the history of the store, I have examined the ranges available in store and have created customer profiles for both men and women. This means that I now understand the kind of people at which the store is aiming its ranges, and this puts me in a much better position for buying in my own range. By creating both a written and a visual customer profile for the male and the female customer I am able to get a general feeling for the customer and their needs and habits, as well as a more in depth look at their personality and lifestyle, which of course impacts hugely on their shopping habits. Although Resurrection has customers of all ages, my customer profiles are both of young people, as their target market is 18-35 year olds. I also looked at the visual merchandising of the store, and have included a number of photos of both floors (a mix of my own and those taken from Google Street View) that show clearly the way the store is laid out. The ground floor is where most of the fun stuff is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the football table, the moped, etc. The upper floor, which houses womenswear, is more like a boutique, decorated with lots of accessories and a place to sit. This may reflect the fact that women tend to browse products more than men do, or it may be due to the issues of getting the larger recreational items up a flight of stairs, as there is no lift in the store. Also available upstairs is the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vintage collection. It seems that nowadays the store is mostly concerned with menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s branded items, as these take up the whole of the ground floor, and are therefore the first image you get of the store as you go in. I also think the vintage may be upstairs with womenswear as women tend to be more interested in vintage clothing than men.

Task 5: Comp shop: Menswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Bellfield Oakdale Vest Navy

Bellfield Idol Neptune Skinny Jeans Washed Indigo

Bellfield Coundon Gingham Check Shirt Navy/Grey

Bellfield PU Sleeve Wool Mix Bomber Jacket Black

Bellfield Artic Technical Fur Trim Parka White

£17.50

£29.95

£49.99

£84.99

100% Cotton

99% Cotton, 1% Elastane Machine Washable

Wash care

Wool Mix

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Ellesse DANTE T-SHIRT

Ellesse Modica Roll Neck Top Dress Blue

Ellesse Triesti Polo Racing Red

Ellesse Lombardy Jacket Anthracite

Ellesse TREVISINA JACKET

£21.95

£34.95

£44.95

£64.95

£74.95

100% Cotton

100% Polyester

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Carhartt STATE SOCKS

Carhartt Campus T-shirt Parsley/yellow

Carhartt Dalton Shirt Sky/White Heavy Rinsed

Carhartt Sid Pant Chinos Blacksmith Rinsed

Carhartt Trapper Parka Hamilton Brown/Black

£12.99

£29.95

£64.95

£79.95

£199.95

100% Cotton Oxford Flannel

46% Cotton, 38% T400®, 16% Polyester ‘Lamar’ Stretch Twill

65% Polyester, 35% Cotton

83% Cotton, 15% Polyamide, 2% Elastane

100% Cotton Single Jersey

Task 5: Comp shop: Womenswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Glamorous Knit Crop Top Purple Multi

Glamorous PONY MINI SKIRT

Glamorous SHORT DUNGAREES

Glamorous Suedette Shirt Tan

Glamorous Wide Legged Jumpsuit Navy/Brown Border

£16.49

£22.50

£32.95

£44.99

£54.99

Fine Knit Material

100% Polyester

100% Cotton

100% Polyester

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Bellfield PRINTED VEST

Bellfield Selena Skinny Jeans Blue

Bellfield Bude Fur Gillet Black

Bellfield Doris Parka Navy

Bellfield Aprel Parka Burgundy

£17.99

£34.95

£39.99

£49.95

£64.95

100% Viscose

70% Cotton, 28% Polyester, 2% Elastane

100% Polyester

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Girls On Film Floral Lace Bow Back Top Cream

Girls On Film FLORAL FRINGED TOP

Girls On Film STRIPE MIDI SKIRT

Girls On Film FLORAL CHIFFON PLAYSUIT

Girls On Film LACE TRIM FRINGED DRESS

£23.99

£29.99

£33.99

£49.99

100% Polyester

Task 5: Comp shop: Menswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

WORK JACKET STRIPE

HARRINGTON JACKET- BLACK

ANORAK- NAVY

PARKA – GREEN

MOUNTAIN PARKA - BLUE

£32

£38

£50

£60

100% Cotton

100% Cotton Outer, 100% Polyester Lining

100% Nylon Outer, 100% Polyester Padding & Lining

100% Polyester

Wash at 30’, Suitable for tumble dryer

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Wash at 30’, Suitable for tumble dryer

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

SHORT SLEEVE BRETON T-SHIRT RED/WHITE

RAGLAN CREW SWEATSHIRT BLUE

STRIPE SHIRTBLACK AND GREEN

STRIPE FLANNEL SHIRT - BLUE/ GREY

CORD BUTTON DOWN SHIRT GREEN

£16

£20

£25

£26

100% Cotton

65% Polyester, 35% Cotton

100% Cotton

Do not tumble dry

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Wash at 30’, Suitable for tumble dryer

Wash at 40’, Tumble dry low

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

GRUNGE JUMPER PURPLE BLUE

FAIRISLE JUMPER NAVY/ TURQ/ PINK

SKINNY CORD BURGUNDY

SKINNY CORDS BLACK

FLARED CORDS SAND

£20

£28

£30

100% Acrylic

97% Cotton, 3% Polyester

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Wash at 40’

Task 5: Comp shop: Womenswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

SUEDETTE WAISTCOAT PEACOCK

HARRINGTON JACKETBURGUNDY

ANORAK- NAVY

PARKA - GREEN

DUFFLE COAT BLACK

£22

£32

£38

£50

£60

100% Nylon Outer, 100% Polyester Lining & Padding

70% Polyester, 30% Wool Outer, 100% Polyester Lining

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

100% Polyester

100% Cotton Outer, 100% Polyester Lining

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry, Do not dry clean

Do not tumble dry

100% Cotton Outer, 100% Polyester Lining

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

VELVET DAISY DRESS - BLUE

LONG SLEEVED LACE DRESS BLACK

TWEED TUNIC DRESS - BLACK/ WHITE

JERSEY A-LINE BUTTON DOWN DRESS - BLACK AND WHITE

LULU DRESS NAVY

£24

£25

£28

£30

£32

60% Polyester, 40% Rayon

95% Polyester, 5% Spandex

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry. Do not dry clean

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

95% Polyester, 5% Spandex Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Wash at 30’, Suitable for tumble dryer

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

CHECK SHORTS GREY

JERSEY TUNIC TOP - BLUE PAISLEY

SUEDETTE A-LINE BUTTON FRONT MINI SKIRT - BLACK

STRIPE KNIT - RED CREAM AND BLACK

FAIRISLE JUMPER BLUE / BEIGE

£16

£18

£22

£28

100% Polyester

95% Polyester, 5% Spandex

100% Polyester

100% Acrylic

Dry clean only

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry

Wash at 30’, Do not tumble dry, Do not dry clean

Task 5: Comp shop: Menswear

Item Brief description

RRP

BLUE INC GREY EAGLE PREDATOR GRAPHIC PRINT TEE

BLUE INC GREY MARL JPN YURACKUCHO GRAPHIC PRINT TEE

£9.99

£12.99

BLUE INC BLACK TWISTED UPPER YOKE CREW NECK JUMPER

BLUE INC BLUE MASS DOTTED LONG SLEEVE CASUAL SHIRT

BLUE INC NAVY FUR TRIM HOODED BOMBER JACKET

£16.99

£39.99

Fabric composition

Wash care

100% Cotton

100% Acrylic

100% Cotton

Machine Washable

Body Shell Lower: 100% Nylon Body Shell upper Yoke: 100% Polyester Fur: 43% Modacrylic 32% Acrylic 25% Polyester Lining: 100% Polyester Padding: 100% Polyester Rib: 100% Polyester

Machine Washable

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

CROSSHATCH WHITE LAMONTE V NECK T SHIRT

CROSSHATCH TAN CASUAL DEEP POCKET TROUSERS

CROSSHATCH GREY ZIP THROUGH BORG LINED HOODY

CROSSHATCH NAVY CONTRAST STITCH UTILITY JEANS

CROSSHATCH BLACK NYLON CONTRAST JACKET

£14.99

£24.99

£29.99

£36.99

£39.99

100% Cotton

65% Polyester, 35% Cotton

68% Cotton, 32% Polyester

Shell: 100% Cotton

Machine Washable

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

TWISTED SOUL BLACK PALM PRINTED SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT

TWISTED SOUL BLACK HURRICANE PRINTED CASUAL JERSEY SHORTS

TWISTED SOUL WHITE STAR WARS GRAPHIC PRINT SWEAT

TWISTED SOUL BLACK HEAVY FUNNEL ZIP THROUGH HEAVY KNIT CARDIGAN

£14.99

£19.99

£24.99

£39.99

£49.99

100% Acrylic Outer, 100% Polyester Lining

Shell: 100% Polyester Body/Hood Lining: 100% Polyester Padding: 100% Polyester Faux Fur: 43% Modacrylic 32% Acrylic 25% Polyester Back: 100% Polyester

100% Cotton

100% Polyester

Machine Washable

Wash at 30’

100% Polyester Front, 80% Cotton 20% Polyester Back & Arms

Machine Washable

Wash with similar colours

TWISTED SOUL CHARCOAL WOOL MIX FUR TRIM JACKET

Wash separately

Task 5: Comp shop: Womenswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK FLORAL VELVET TRIM KIMONO

BLUE INC WOMAN KHAKI BOMBER JACKET WITH LONG SLEEVES

BLUE INC WOMAN GREY LONGLINE FUR GILET

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK PU JACKET WITH OVERSIZED LONGLINE FUR COLLAR

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK PADDED JACKET WITH ELASTICATED WAIST & HIGH NECK

£19.99

£24.99

£34.99

£59.99

£69.99

100% Polyester

FAUX FUR PILE: 87% MODACRYLIC 13% ACRYLIC. BACKING: 100% POLYESTER. LINING: 100% POLYESTER

100% Polyeurethane

100% Polyester

Machine Washable

Dry Clean Only

Wipe clean

Machine Washable

Fabric:100% polyester Trim:95% polyester 5% elastane Tassels:98% viscose 2% polyester

Hand wash with mild detergent

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

BLUE INC WOMAN GREY OVERSIZED CROP SLEEVE PUPPYTOOTH TUNIC DRESS

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK TEARDROP CUTOUT SHOULDER SHORT SLEEVED CASUAL DRESS

DAMNED DELUX MULTI WILLOW BOHO DRESS

DAMNED DELUX KHAKI MATILDA PONTE DRESS WITH EYELETS

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK HEAVILY EMBELLISHED PARTY DRESS

£12.99

£16.99

£22

£25

£39.99

92% Polyester, 8% Elastane

90% Viscose, 10% Elastane

80% Polyester, 15% Viscose, 5% Elastane

95% Polyester, 5% Elastane

Machine Washable

Wash at 30’

Hand wash

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK MIDNIGHT FAIRISLE PATTERN LEGGINGS

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK ANIMAL PRINT CONTRAST PANEL 3/4 SLEEVE CASUAL TOP

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK FLORAL PRINT LOOSE FIT JOGGER TROUSERS

BLUE INC WOMAN BLACK HEAVILY BEADED SLEEVELESS TOP

DAMNED DELUX BLACK WIDE LEG PALAZZO TROUSERS

£6.99

£12.99

£16.99

£19.99

£20

90% Polyester, 10% Elastane

95% Polyester, 5% Elastane

100% Viscose

100% Cotton

100% Viscose

Machine Washable

Cold Hand Wash

Hand Wash

Machine Wash at 30’

Task 5: Comp shop: Menswear

Item Dickies Cornwell Winter Jacket

Lonsdale London Between-seasons Bomber Jacket

Lonsdale London Jarreth Winter Jacket

Gipsy Race Leather Jacket

£41.99

£67.99

£85.99

£114.99

£174.99

Fabric composition

80% Cotton, 20% Polyester

Outer: 100% Polyamide, Lining: 50% Cotton 50% Polyester

Outer: 100% Nylon, Lining: 100% Polyester

100% Polyester

Outer: 100% Leather. Lining 100% Cotton

Wash care

Machine Wash at 30’

Machine Wash at 30’, Do Not Tumble Dry

Brief description

RRP

Star Wars Imperial Stormtrooper Varsity Jacket

Item Urban Classics Raglan Contrast Tshirt

Star Wars Darth Vader Cross Sabers

£8.99

Fabric composition

90% Cotton, 10% Viscose

Wash care

Machine Wash at 30’

Brief description

RRP

Dickies Shortsleeved Work Shirt

Urban Classics Zig Zag Hooded Sweater

Lonsdale London Borden Sweatshirt

£16.99

£32.99

£41.99

£51.99

100% Cotton

65% Polyester, 35% Cotton

65% Cotton, 35% Polyester

60% Cotton, 40% Polyacrylics

Machine Wash at 30’

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Nova Rock Shorts

Brandit Industry Vintage ¾ Shorts

Shine Original Westside Jeans

Dickies Alamo Cloth Trousers

Lonsdale London Base Cargo Trousers

£16.99

£29.99

£41.99

£51.99

£67.99

100% Cotton

64% Cotton, 36% Polyester

100% Cotton

Machine Wash at 40’

Machine Wash at 30’

Machine Wash at 40’

Machine Wash at 30’

Machine Wash at 40’

Task 5: Comp shop: Womenswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Lonsdale London Glouchester Between-seasons Jacket

Adidas Superstar Tracksuit Top

Khujo Gamb Between-seasons Jacket

Lonsdale London Wittersahm Winter Jacket

Khujo Melby Winter Jacket

£41.99

£55.99

£99.99

£114.99

£189.99

Outer: 100% Cotton, Lining 80% Polyester 20% Lining

Outer: 65% Polyester 35% Cotton, Lining: 80% Polyester, 20% Cotton

Machine Wash at 30’

100% Nylon

100% Polyester

100% Cotton

Machine Wash at 30’

Item Urban Classics Ladies Slub Jersey Dress

Innocent Smock Dress

Innocent Justin Dress

Rockabella Star Board Dress

Vive Maria American Girl Dress

£12.99

£19.99

£32.99

£41.99

£55.99

Fabric composition

90% Cotton, 10% Viscose

100% Polyester

100% Cotton

94% Viscose, 6% Elastane

Hand Wash

Wash care

Machine Wash at 30’

Brief description

RRP

Item Urban Classics Ladies Jersey Leggings

Nintendo Allstars Leggings

£8.99

Fabric composition

Wash care

Brief description

RRP

R.E.D. by EMP Flag Pants

Urban Classics Ladies Denim Jersey Sleeveless Jumpsuit

Burleska Faith Imitation Leather Trousers

£17.99

£24.99

£41.99

£55.99

95% Cotton, 5% Elastane

95% Polyester, 5% Elastane

98% Cotton, 2% Elastane

95% Cotton, 5% Elastane

100% Polyvinyl Chloride

Machine Wash at 30’

Wipe Clean Only

Task 5: Comp shop: Menswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Ellesse Vest with All Over Print In Racer Back

Ellesse T-shirt with Printed Logo

Ellesse Track Jacket with Cord Stripes

Ellesse Padded Jacket with Hood

Ellesse Coated Canvas Jacket with Hood

£20

£25

£55

£70

£90

100% Cotton

88% Cotton, 12% Polyester

50% Cotton, 50% Polyester

100% Polyester

100% Cotton

Machine Wash

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Adidas Superstar Cuffed Track Pants

Adidas Tapered Joggers

Adidas Padded Gilet

Adidas Padded Jacket

Adidas X Jeremy Scott Animal Superstar Track Jacket

£45

£70

£85

£115

£185

87% Polyester, 13% Cotton

100% Cotton

100% Polyester

Machine Wash

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

ASOS Vest with Relaxed Skater Fit

ASOS Longline Tshirt with Aztec Yoke Print

ASOS Denim Jacket in Skinny Fit

ASOS Trench Coat with Belt in Navy

ASOS Suede Bomber Jacket in Tan

£6

£14

£40

£70

£100

100% Cotton

89% Cotton, 10% Viscose, 1% Elastane

100% Cotton

100% Suede

Machine Wash

Specialist Leather Clean

Task 5: Comp shop: Womenswear

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Adidas Mini Bodycon Skirt with 3 Stripes

Adidas Moscow Floral Track Pants

Adidas St Moritz Crew Neck Sweatshirt with Trefoil Logo

Adidas Jeremy Scott Oversized Tshirt in Trainer Print

Adidas Silky Bomber Jacket in Baroque Ornament Print

£26

£50

£52

£65

£120

87% Polyester, 13% Elastane

100% Polyester

70% Cotton, 30% Polyester

50% Cotton, 50% Modal

100% Polyester

Machine Wash

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Reclaimed Vintage Cropped T-shirt with Faux Fur Trim

Reclaimed Vintage Boho Dress with Frill Sleeve

Reclaimed Vintage Long Sleeve Tunic Dress in Tye Dye Velvet

£18

£38

£49

£65

£85

100% Cotton

100% Viscose

92% Polyester, 8% Elastane

100% Nylon

100% Cotton

Machine Wash

Hand Wash

Dry Clean

Machine Wash

Reclaimed Vintage Retro Bomber Jacket

Reclaimed Vintage Trench Coat in Indigo Denim

Item Brief description

RRP

Fabric composition

Wash care

Glamorous Off Shoulder Sleeveless Dress with Frill Bust

Glamorous Rainbow Retro Raglan T-shirt

Glamorous Embroidered Festival Lace Wide Leg Trouser

Glamorous Grizzly Faux Fur Coat

Glamorous Faux Suede Coat with Shearling Collar

£6

£15

£50

£69

£75

100% Viscose

100% Polyester

70% Acrylic, 30% Polyester

100% Polyester

Machine Wash

Hand Wash

Task 5: Comp Shop Evaluation I have carried out a comparative shop for my chosen retailer, looking at two high street retailers and two online retailers that have similar target markets. I found that the branded garments available from these stores were of a similar price range to those of my chosen retailer, whereas cheaper items were unbranded or from the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own label. I also noticed that menswear tends to have a larger variety of branded garments available, with considerably larger ranges than those in womenswear. It was much easier when looking through menswear to find a variety of garments under each brand name than with womenswear, where there were less brands listed and many of the listings had very limited ranges. This is something that is reflected in my chosen retailer. The menswear department of Resurrection is vast, with a wider variety of ranges available and many of those ranges from well-known brands. The womenswear department of Resurrection is very limited, and does not offer the same choice of brands as menswear. The womenswear brand, Glamorous, for example is available both at Resurrection and from ASOS, but the range available from ASOS is much larger. This supports the idea that more attention is given to the menswear department, as there is clearly a lot more that the store could buy in for womenswear, but they have chosen not to do so.

When buying in my ranges I will therefore concentrate more on womenswear (and childrenswear as this is not currently available from Resurrection at all). The range I will buy in for menswear will be of a similar nature to those already available in store, as it is already very popular and is serving the store well. By concentrating on womenswear and childrenswear I hope to bring in more female customers and also reach a whole new target market, which will hopefully increase sales dramatically.

Task 6: Trade Show Report

Pure London is the largest branded fashion event in the UK, and happens twice yearly, in August and February. It showcases womenswear, including footwear and accessories, from over 1000 brands worldwide, and introduces around 300 new brands each season, meaning it is constantly growing and progressing with the fashion industry. Visitors to the trade show are able to see first hand the latest trends, emerging brands and up and coming designers, which give them the chance to develop and expand their own businesses. Buyers, designers and suppliers are able to network and form new business connections that benefit their companies, and trade shows such as Pure are integral to the success and development of fashion retailers. As well as the opportunity to mingle with others in the business, Pure London provides a central catwalk that showcases the latest trends and collections for the next season, which gives buyers the opportunity to start planning their ranges. Seminars and workshops deliver â&#x20AC;&#x153;a focused and inspirational buying experienceâ&#x20AC;? (Olympia.london), covering a wide range of topics including Styling, eCommerce, Visual Merchandising and Trend Forecasting. All these factors come together to give buyers all the tools they need to be successful in the fashion industry, and for buyers of branded fashion, Pure London is one of the main events of the year. Olympia.london,. "Pure London | Olympia London". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

In 2016, Pure London are introducing a new look, a new layout, and also menswear collections. Taking influence from the WGSN megatrend for A/W16 ‘Remaster’, the theme for their February 2016 event will be ‘Pureism’, which focuses on the revolutionary and moving nature of art, and reflects the way the event is constantly evolving and adapting to the ever-changing needs of the industry. The theme is supposed to represent the way in which fashion, much like art, can stir emotions in people, both positive and negative, and can be a commentary on social and cultural history (Purelondon.com). I will look at a number of brands that feature in the different sections at Pure London and review their ranges, comparing and contrasting them with those of my chosen independent retailer. This will help me gain a better insight into the range of brands on show at the event, and hopefully help me to place my independent retailer within the context of the wider world of branded fashion.

Purelondon.com,. "Pure London 2016 - About Pureism". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Aspire Aspire showcases both UK and international brands that are “Edgy and vibrant, from urban style to contemporary casual” (Purelondon.com), with over 90 exhibitors currently included within this section.

A Post Card From Brighton is a womenswear brand that designs and manufactures jersey and knits exclusively within the UK, using what they describe as “a special vintage process” (A Postcard From Brighton). Inspired by Brighton’s eclectic culture, the company produces 6 collections per year that are designed to be worn by any person, at any time, in any place.

Purelondon.com,. "Pure London 2016 - Pure Aspire". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Foil is a womenswear range that is designed and developed in New Zealand. Taking inspiration from across the globe, Foil aims to provide clothing for women, sizes 8-18, who want to look stunning, but also have comfort in mind.

Odd Molly is inspired by a girl from Venice Beach in the 80s, whose courage and values are at the core of the brand, encouraging women to break free from convention and follow their dreams (Oddmolly.com). Oddmolly.com,. "Our Story". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Allure Allure showcases over 100 brands providing women with stylish staple pieces and effortlessly elegant day and eveningwear, from beautiful gowns to classic separates.

Backstage specialises in knitwear developed with a number of different yarns and techniques. Trousers and jersey styles are also available to complement the collections.

James Lakeland is a womenswear brand launched in 2000, and is defined by its “innovative fabrics and unparalleled cuts” (Jameslakeland.net). The ranges are designed to hail the feminine form, and all garments come with a ‘Made in Italy’ guarantee.

Zen Ethic creates ethnically inspired womenswear with a contemporary style. Designed in Paris, their garments are manufactured in India following an ethical code of conduct, with emphasis on workers’ rights and sustainability.

Jameslakeland.net,. "Biography | British Fashion Label | James Lakeland". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Pure Premium Pure Premium showcases â&#x20AC;&#x153;coveted designer pieces, distinctive brands and diffusion collectionsâ&#x20AC;? (Purelondon.com) from sought after designers around the world, and also exhibits ranges from emerging designers. This section currently includes 42 exhibitors.

Adddress combines experimental and contemporary elements to create fresh, casual pieces, with focus on shapes and forms, and great care and attention to detail.

Purelondon.com,. "Pure London 2016 - Pure Premium". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Founded in 1964, Yerse began as a knitwear brand. Over the decades, with the focus on globalization and changing business strategy, Yerse has developed a large womenswear range, with knitwear still prevalent in all the collections.

Rains produce modern and comfortable rainwear for men and women, using modern advances in fabric technology. Components are continually tested to ensure their products are fit for purpose, and the company have a commitment to making sure their factory workers are working under fair and safe conditions.

Spirit Spirit showcases and eclectic mix of on-trend styles for young women, with focus on individual street style. Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pig was founded in Brixton in 2013 by sisters Amanda and Nico. The aim is to provide cutting-edge fashion for young women without breaking the bank. Since 2013 the brand has been sold in 15 different markets across 4 continents.

Wolf & Whistle was created in 2014 by Emma and Louise. By combining creativity and utility, they are able to create garments that are both stylish and easy to wear. Their prints are all designed in London and are unique to their collections. Prices typically range from £20-£110.

Glamorous combines innovative fabrics and stylish silhouettes to create fashion forward ranges at affordable prices. Inspired by people and places around the world, both vintage and contemporary, Glamorous is about being unique and individual. RRP typically ranges from £10-£115.

Footwear Pure London’s Footwear sector showcases over 100 brands from across the globe, with an eclectic collection that caters to every style. Birkenstock have been making shoes for over 230 years. It is a family company, with knowledge passed down from generation to generation, ensuring that their shoes “exhibit the finest workmanship and are of the utmost quality” (Purelondon.com). RRP ranges from £15-£185.

Purelondon.com, (2015). Pure London 2016 - Birkenstock. [online] Available at: http://www.purelondon.com/Exhibitor/Birkenstock [Accessed 18 Dec. 2015].

Lacoste is a globally recognised brand, founded in 1933. The brand offers footwear for men, women and children that is both casual and elegant.

Yull began in London in 2011 and is one of the only manufacturers for high heels in the UK. Going against industry expertsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; advice, Yull received funding from The Princeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trust to set up the business and have now surpassed all expectations.

Accessories Pure Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Accessories sector showcases a wide variety of accessories such as handbags, jewellery and scarves, with collections from established brands and limited edition ranges from new, edgy designers.

Peach creates delicious and feminine accessories including handbags, fascinators and shawls. All their handbags are handmade and there are only available in limited numbers each season. They are currently sold in department stores and independent boutiques in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Purelondon.com,. "Pure London 2016 - Pure Aspire". N.p., 2015. Web. 17 Dec. 2015.

Boho Betty create original jewellery and accessories that are inspired by a love for different cultures and the various materials and techniques used in those cultures. All their collections are designed within the UK and are worn around the world in Europe, America and China. Prices within the brand range from £15-£129.

House of Disaster create collections that are sold in department stores and small boutiques both in the UK and oversees. There is a big emphasis on new design and the brand release new collections at least twice a year. As well as creating their own designs, they also produced licenced pieces, such as for The Beatles and Moomins. Having been founded in 1989, the brand now produces a range of “fashion and lifestyle accessories including bags, scarves, purses, notebooks, compact mirrors and flasks” (Disasterdesigns.co.uk). Disasterdesigns.co.uk,. "About Us". N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Jan. 2016.

Pure London hosts a wide array of exhibitors, so there is plenty of choice in style available. In my research I have found a few brands that would be suitable for my chosen retailer, such as Alice’s Pig and Boho Betty. Glamorous is also among the exhibitors present at Pure London, so clearly this is the type of trade show that would be useful when buying in a range for Resurrection. I was unable to find prices for every brand, but I estimate from those that I could find that most brands have a price range of £10-£150, which is suitable for my own retailer. Since Pure London now exhibit some menswear collections as well, I would also be able to pick out ranges for Resurrection’s menswear department, although there is not the same diverse choice available as there is for womenswear. Pure London’s February 2016 event will be taking inspiration from WGSN’s megatrend ‘Remaster’. I will also be using this theme within my ranges as I feel it will work well with the ranges already available at Resurrection, and I will be able to suitably shape it into something that works for my customer profiles.

Task 7: Visual Merchandising On my blog are two articles about visual merchandising around the world. Firstly I looked at Christmas displays, because this is when stores usually go all out with their VM, and secondly I looked at more unusual displays to demonstrate how VM is important all year round. It is very clear from seeing the variety of displays from around the world that visual merchandising can be extremely creative, and can go in basically any direction. It can be a simple tool for advertising what’s in store to passers by, or it can be used to grab everyone’s attention, or even send a message as the Stella McCartney display did in London.

The variety in these window displays is impressive. Clearly there are a multitude of themes to choose from and directions in which a visual merchandiser can take their work, from traditional images such as gingerbread and snow at Christmas, to more extravagant, jaw-dropping images like that of Harvey Nichols’ bauble-clad faces. We also see how automata can be used to create something a little fantastical in window displays, and how unusual and strange themes can make a window look oddly stylish. I particularly like the displays that make use of primary colours in large blocks. The large blocks of colour, set against largely minimal background, create a backdrop for the clothes on display, and makes them really stand out. It is simple but very effective. I think this idea would really suit Resurrection, as it is very laid back and playful, and I would consider displaying my ranges in a similar fashion.

Task 8

For my menswear range, I will be targeting Resurrection’s current target market. This is because I feel that their menswear department is already largely successful and does not need changing in any way. I will be using the ‘Remaster’ theme to create a menswear range that fits in with those already available in store and online.

Task 8

For my womenswear range I will also be using Resurrectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s same customer profile. This is because while I do feel that the womenswear department could be improved, I want to give the current customer as much choice as the men have, rather than attract a new customer altogether. By using the same concept I am using for menswear, I hope to give female customers at Resurrection a wider choice of clothing that appeals to their interests.

Customer Profile James is four years of age and is in his first year of school, where he has lots of friends. He likes to run around a lot in the playground, and his favourite school dinner is chicken nuggets served with potato smiles. His favourite lesson is PE because he loves to play outside. At home he has a sister and two pet dogs, which usually go to play football with him in the park. His favourite playground ride is the slide. He goes to the park every Sunday with his parents, weather permitting. If it is raining then he, his parents and his sister will usually have a movie day at home instead, and his dad will cook a pizza. After school James likes to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – he even has a TMNT shell backpack which he takes with him everywhere. If his big sister is watching TV they will both watch Adventure Time together. They cannot agree on films however. James likes monster movies, but James’s sister like Disney films. On movie days they have to take it in turns to pick the film. James’s favourite film is Jurassic World and he can name every type of dinosaur in the film.

James Loves dinosaurs

Football

Going to the park

Loud noises Two pet dogs

Chicken nuggets and smiley faces.

Customer Profile This is Eleanor. She is nine years old and lives with her mum, dad and little brother. She is very active and loves to go out in her roller blades. She often wears them when walking her pet dogs and when playing out with her friends. She has lots of friends in school and her favourite lessons are PE and Art. She is very creative and loves to draw and paint both in school and at home. She is just starting to become interested fashion and likes to go shopping with her mum because she lets her bring a couple of friends with her. After school she watches television with her brother if she has finished all her homework, and on Sundays she usually spends the day with her family, either going out somewhere together or having a day in together. She loves Disney films and has a huge collection of both old and new movies. She gets on well with her little brother because they like to do the same activities most of the time, but he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t share her interest in shopping, so they do not spend every day together. When she goes shopping she likes to look for t-shirts with quirky designs and pictures on the front or back, and she usually goes to Primark to browse.

Eleanor Disney films

Walking the dogs Playing out with friends

Favourite lessons: PE and Art

Customer Profile Sue is a 34 year-old mother of two, and she lives with her children and her husband in Noctorum. She works Monday to Friday in a Nursery about 2 miles from her home, and she keeps fit by walking to and from work most days. She earns ÂŁ18k per year, and is able to afford to refresh her wardrobe regularly by shopping mainly in charity shops. She often goes shopping with her daughter who likes to look in Primark, and she is now encouraging her daughter to save her money and buy more of her own clothes. She buys all her young sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothes, usually looking in Primark and Matalan for t-shirts with his favourite characters on the front. For toiletries she goes to Lush because she supports their ethic and believes that natural products are best. She also really likes how helpful the staff are there, and that her children can have fun when they go in with her. On weekends she spends time with her family, going to the park with them and the dogs when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice weather. During the summer she likes to go to music festivals, which she has been doing for about 15 years. Her sister looks after the kids while her and her husband go to Glastonbury and Leeds Festival, but they now also go to a smaller music festival every summer with their children, such as The Magic Loungeabout. Her favourite kind of music is indie rock, and she likes to listen to music around the house.

Sue Married mum of two

Long-time festival goer Oasis & Blur

Nursery nurse

Keeps fit

Task 8

Task 9: A/W 16/17 Trend Report WGSN have identified four megatrends that will dominate A/W 2016. These are ‘Elemental’, ‘Offbeat’, ‘Artisan’ and ‘Remaster’. ‘Elemental’ is steeped in nature. It explores different aspects of nature through clever use of colour and material, such as surface treatments and dyes influenced by the sulphur plains of the Danakil Desert, and oily leather invoking the stormy seas faced by fishermen. Nautical stripes are given a winter twist with the use of darker colours, worn-in textures and blurred prints invoke the harsh weathering of wind and rain, and thick wools and folding fabrics create a sense of inner sanctuary. Themes such as these contrast the quiet and still with the fierce and stormy aspects of nature to create a raw and organic feel of the earth. ‘Offbeat’ is where fashion and art come together to create a playful and creative vibe, where fabrics are colourful and prints are bold and disjointed. Clever use of colour and texture has the effect of optical illusions, and there is an emphasis on 3D shapes and psychedelic mixes. Vintage and ‘preppy’ styles are updated in a novel way, and dark is contrasted with light to create pieces influenced by underground raves and hidden urban corners. Sportswear is given a tailored twist and tailoring is loosened up for a more youthful look. The idea of ‘Offbeat’ is to stimulate the mind and reawaken the senses. ‘Artisan’ invokes traditional skills and craftsmanship. Tailoring is given a working-class twist, influenced by the traditional blue-collar household. Denim makes a comeback and is approached in new ways, untreated and left with raw, unfinished edges. Designers play with colour bleeding and marbling to invoke a painter/decorator look, and sturdy fabrics are used to employ functionality and the sturdy character of clothes worn in the workhouses of the 1920s and ‘40s. Fabrics are treated in numerous ways to give them a distressed effect, making clothes look lived in and full of character. Similarly, customisation and repair are alluded to with embellishments and hand-stitched designs. Finally, ‘Remaster’ is about both the past and the future. Luxurious historical costume is set against futuristic fantasy to create a rich, opulent feel. Volume is a key feature, with designers inspired by clothing seen in the works of Rembrandt and Ferdinand Waldmüller. The medieval period inspires designers to create fierce embellishments and armour-like designs, but with a futuristic twist. The image of armour is also replicated with padded and quilted fabrics, and shades of grey and black are used to create a feeling of defence and protection. In contrast to this, rich colours are used to create the feeling of opulence, and tapestry-like designs and luxurious fabrics such as velvet and chenille heighten the feeling of decadence. Sumptuous fabrics and colours are set against modern shapes and cuts to bring the past into the future. Not only is the opulent splendour of the medieval and early-modern elite invoked in the fabrics and colours used this season, but so too is the traditional art of ancient peoples. Ceremonial decoration and cultural emblems are mixed with graphic prints, and ancient armour such as that of the samurai is reimagined in futuristic cuts. Clothes also undergo a sci-fi makeover, with utility at the forefront, and strange, alien sculptured shapes. These four megatrends underpin the whole season, for menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, and hair and makeup. I will now look at men’s, women’s and children’s collections and discuss what trends the designers have used.

Menswear Collections A/W 16/17 Chanel (Pre-Fall) This collection from Chanel consists of tweed suits paired with winter boots. The colours are rich, and the consistency of the design from head to toe makes these pieces really stand out. The fabric looks tough and hardwearing, but also bears an air of handmade. The intricate pattern of the tweed, along with the colours used within it, give the appearance of something traditional and regal, especially when paired with metallic accessories. We can see influences of a rustic lifestyle, in the way that these well-tailored suits are constructed with a fabric associated with an outdoorsy lifestyle. It is like a juxtaposition of low and high society; traditional and modern ways of life.

Diesel Black Gold (Pre-Fall) This collection from Diesel invokes the night sky with its shades of black and deep blue. The style is quite sporty, and the oversized coats and denim jeans make certain this is a casual collection. The big coats create a feeling of warmth and safety, as if wrapped up in a blanket. We can also see the use of quilting, creating the appearance of armour and invoking yet more allusions to being safe and protected. There are influences of punk in this collection, pairing skinny jeans with leather boots and military jackets. The garments themselves are based on classic cuts, but they are given a modern twist. The jeans, in a skinny cut, contrast with the upper half of the body, which is full and baggy, giving the sort of disjointed appearance that is familiar to punk fashion. The collection is designed to look rebellious. As a buyer for Resurrection I think something like this would sell well in the store. The mix of sports style and denim is something that would appeal to customers there, and is not too dissimilar to the styles already popular in the store.

Ratier This collection from Ratier includes similarly loose-fitting clothes, but unlike the collection from Diesal, these baggy clothes go from head to toe. Box-cut tops and relaxed trousers give the appearance of loungewear. The combination of loose-fit clothes and the layering effect also invoke the feeling of being wrapped up. The colours are similarly dark, as is typical of the A/W season. This is a very laid-back collection, with influences of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s grunge., brought to life in parts with graphic, futuristic prints.

João Pimenta This collection from João Pimenta features tailored suits in a slouch fit, creating a casual take on a classic cut. The longline blazers and slouching pants create the same lounge effect we see in the collection from Ratier. The colours, too, are similarly neutral. Earth tones make the collection appear very subdued and understated. There is no extravagance in the range but rather a mellow, easy-going feel. The shape of the silhouette, with its broad shoulders and straight vertical cut, has influences of late ‘80s/early ‘90s business attire. The slouch cut however gives the suit a modern, smartcasual twist.

Gig Couture This collection from Gig Couture contains the same slouch silhouette seen to the left. The boxy tops and loose pants are typical of the comfort-focused designs for this season. The colours, in stark contrast to the collections seen previously, are bright, and pop from the garments. Detailed prints on the lower half or the body are paired with graphic prints and block colours on the top half. This collection is much more playful than the others we have seen, but like the João Pimenta collection, contains influences from the ‘80s, this time in the form of bright, primary colours.

Ellus This collection from Ellus also uses bright, primary colours, which give the collection an instantly playful vibe. Set against black and white garments the colours really jump out. The collection has a very sporty influence, brought out all the more but the black and white/primary colour checks. The way in which the text is overlaid on the clothing has a feel of spontaneity and customisation, harking back once again to the fashion of the punk era, but the block typeface and blocks of colour give the collection or sportswear feel, and remind one a bit of the fashion of hip-hop culture. This is a collection I think would work very well in Resurrection, as it looks typical of youth and street culture.

Ronaldo Fraga This collection makes similar use of primary colours set on a white background, but the images on these garments are much more graphic. The gentle, photographic images are juxtaposed to the uniformed horizontal lines, creating a contrast between soft, flowing images and harsher, block shapes. The fluidity of the softer graphics is mirrored in the soft, flowing fabric of the garments themselves. This is a very effeminate collection, influenced perhaps by the New Romantics of the 1980s, and highlights a trend towards more offbeat, unusual fashion in place of familiar, established pieces. I really like the way delicate graphics are used here over a sharper pattern, and I think this is something that would appeal to customers at Resurrection.

Amapo This collection from Amapo is very futuristic. The use of black and white creates a sleek and streamlined look, adding to the futuristic theme, while the unusual cuts and detailing are what make the range really stand out. There is a definite influence of outlandish â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s fashion in this collection, particularly that associated with New Wave fashion. The focus on the waist in these pieces creates a feminine silhouette, making this a very androgynous collection.

Osklen This collection from Osklen has a much more relaxed feel to it, with a return to looser fitting clothes and laid-back cuts. The mix of black with the warm amber colour of the pattern is very Autumnal, fitting for the season. The garments themselves are sports-like in style, but the gold pattern consistent through the collection gives the pieces a luxurious and sophisticated edge. It also reminds one of the laurel wreaths worn in popular images of Greek and Roman aristocrats, and the colour is like that of Greek vases. This link to classical artwork further reinforces the idea that there is something more sophisticated about this collection. The contrast between the sports style and the refined luxury associated with the pattern seems to be a recurring theme among this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collections, and is something that will be useful to me when buying in my own menswear range.

Uma Raquel Davidowicz In this collection we see more longline tops and loose fits in dark and earthy colours. The top half of the silhouette is box-like and fluid, while the bottom half of the silhouette is tapered towards the ankle. It is a very minimalist range, with the shapes of the jackets hinting toward a sports-like theme. It has influences of the 1990s, with the asymmetrical shapes giving it a modern, urban feel.

Task 9: Menswear A/W 16/17 Trends Colour There is a lot of variation in the colours on trend for menswear this season, with earth tones, monochromes and bright colours all repeatedly making an appearance. Black, white and grey are certainly trending, but the use of sandy neutrals and earthy yellows and reds is also used a lot. Primary colours are popular when used with black or white, and are seen often with the use of prints and graphics. Style Styles that are trending for A/W 16/17 are casualwear and sportswear. Longline tops and slouching pants are seen again and again, and create a definite air of loungewear. Even tailored suits are given a casual twist with the use of more relaxed cuts. Tops tends to be loose and baggy, and made with soft fabrics such as jersey, wool or nylon. The comfort inducing nature of these casual cuts also translates well to the sportswear trend, where of course comfort and freedom to move is high on the agenda. Shorts and joggers give loose-fitting collections a real sports vibe, especially when teamed with bold prints and graphics. Shape Key shapes this season are loose and box-like, with key pieces such as boxy tops, jumpers, and bomber jackets, creating a square, bulky silhouette. These are teamed with either slouch-fit pants to extend the silhouette from head to toe, or with slim pants to focus attention on the top half of the body. Longline tops and jackets also work to extend the top half of the silhouette. Influence Influences this season include utility wear, where the focus of comfort and movement are key, as well as hip-hop culture and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s grunge. We see the influence of grunge in the plain, earthy colours and loose jersey tops, while influences of hip-hop culture are seen in the use of bold graphics, sports style cuts, and flashes of bright colour used against black and white. This trend is likely influenced by Asian street style, where both hip-hop style and sleek monochrome pieces are hugely popular. There is also a heavily influence of older cultures, as seen in the use of geometric and Aztec patterns coming from Mexico, and the use of feminine shapes and prints which harken to the Greco-Roman empires. Patterns There is a trend in colourful prints and graphics being used against monochrome shades, which make them stand out as bold and vibrant. Floral prints are clearly influenced by the 1970s, while bold geometrics and text provide many collections with that sports-like look. Prints and graphics are often combined with large blocks of colour, which help them to stand out and prevent the collections looking extremely busy, despite some very intricate patterns being used in some cases.

Womenswear Collections A/W 16/17

Gloria Coelho This collection is made up of black and neutral colours, suitable for the winter season. The symmetry of the shapes and the use of leather give the collection and armour-like appearance. The style is smart, and would be suitable both for daywear and eveningwear. Detail is limited to subtle geometric shapes on the abdomen which guide attention to the waist and add to the illusion of armour.

Lethicia para Riachuelo This collection is playful and features colours not commonly associated with Autumn/Winter. It is also made predominantly of lace, which brings to mind a feeling of luxury and decadence. The sophisticated feel of the lace however is contrasted by the bright, almost childish colours.

Wagner Kallieno This collection from Wagner Kallieno mixes monochrome shades with futuristic metallic fabrics. The colours are typical of the season, and the use of fur and metallic textiles makes the range suitable as a partywear collection. While the metallic fabric gives the collection a futuristic feel, the fur harkens to more traditional dress. The combination of fur and metallic also bring a sort of ‘Snow Queen’ inspired look to the collection. It is a very glamorous collection, combining elements that harken to both the past and the future.

Patricia Viera This collection also features monochrome shades, but in a much more traditional fabric. Tailored tweed jackets are paired with matching dresses, creating a very smart style that would be suitable for work or for the evening. The fabric brings to mind a rustic style, but also shows influences of 1930’s and ‘40s fashion, when women’s workwear became more varied and fashionable. Attention is also drawn to the waist with plain leather bands. Most of the pieces are very traditional and structured in style, but the top image demonstrates that the overarching style also lends itself to more modern cuts as well.

Ratier This collection from Ratier also draws attention to the waist with the use of belts. The colours are dark and the fabrics are long and flowing, which, when coupled with the use of layering, create a tradition rustic silhouette. The colours and style here create a sense of stormy weather, but as if the wearer is prepared. There are definite â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s influences in this range, but it also bears a sort of ancient nomadic style, which gives the ensembles a warrior-like appearance. This adds a sense of strength and independence to this womenswear collection, which in a way harks back to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s again. It is a very strong, yet still very feminine collection.

Lolitta This range is similarly dark, but also uses some lighter shades that add a delicate, femininity to the collection. The soft, billowing jumpers create both a feeling and a look of comfort, and a return to the theme of being wrapped up and protected from the elements. The use of black and grey conjures up storm-like imagery again, but the gold adds a sense of sunlight and calm. The boxlike shape of the jumpers also adds to that feeling of being wrapped up, but without the need for layers. The baggy nature of the top half has influences of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s grunge, whereas the long, patterned or embellished skirts are more akin to the 1970s, adding an ethnic feel to the more modern, grungy silhouette.

Osklen This collection from Osklen features rich colours in velvet, creating an instantly luxurious look. The combination of the fabric and the colour palette reminds one of the clothes worn by the wealthy elite, as seen in classical artworks. The colours are vibrant and warming, making them suitable for the season, and the feel of the fabric is similarly warming and suited to cooler temperatures. The style of the collection is quite casual, with its loose fits and boxy shapes juxtaposed to the refinery associated with the velvet fabric and deep colours. The style itself is very minimal, with very little detail, but the minimalism does not immediately stand out due to the richness of the fabric.

Coven This collection from Coven makes vivid use of stripes, both in colour and monochrome. Slim fitting dresses are teamed up with oversized coats to create a smart-casual collection, and the use of stripes in different sizes and directions adds a playful feel to the pieces.

Plural This collection from Plural features very plain colours and shades, in the form of loose fitting, flowing dresses. The shape and length of the dresses, and the way in which the fabric hangs, bring to mind the image of a duvet or bedsheets. The style is very casual and easy to wear, and bears influences of the free-flowing fashion of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s.

Ellus This womenswear collection from Ellus is strikingly similar to the menswear collection by the same brand. There is a strong theme of sportswear throughout the range, and the use of bright, primary colours against white and black make the garments pop with life. It is a very playful, vibrant range. The style is modern, and while not particularly feminine, the shapes of the garments flatter the female form. The primary colours give this collection and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s vibe, which suits the sportswear theme that runs throughout the range.

Task 9: Womenswear A/W 16/17 Trends Colour Shades of black, white and grey are hugely popular on the catwalk this season, often being teamed up with blocks of colour. Colours trending are rich and vibrant, such as deep yellows and reds, but bright primary colours also pop up a lot. Golds and silvers are also seen throughout many collections. Style There is a clash of styles, with some collections featuring predominantly masculine cuts such as loose, boxy dresses and jumpers which have little shape, and some collections having a much more feminine look, with attention drawn to the waist in many cases and long, flowing skirts used again and again. The use of fur, leather and velvet also gives some collections a traditional looking style. Shape Key shapes include long, loose skirts that create an elongated silhouette, and bulky jackets and jumpers which draw the attention to the top half of the body, much like with the menswear collections. The more masculine ensembles also feature that loose, box-like shape that dominates the menswear collections, while pieces that draw attention to the waist help to create the classic hourglass figure associated with the female form. Influence There are definite influences of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s in these collections, in the long, flowing skirts, attention on the waist, and even the more androgynous cuts that hide the waist. The more tailored collections also harken to the 1950s their emphasis on the feminine figure, especially when teamed with luxurious furs that bring to mind old Hollywood starlets. Influences from the 19th century are also present throughout the collections, visible in the emphasis on length, and also in the use of rich. traditional fabrics such as velvet and tweed. Many of the collections also bring to mind a warrior-like look, with structured tops, free-flowing bottoms, and the use of layering. This creates a feeling of utility and takes inspiration from ancient warrior peoples such as the Samurai in Asia. Patterns Prints that are popular this season are stripes, of which varying sizes are used. Geometric blocks of colour are often used sparingly, and finer, more detailed patterns appear more subdued through the use of lace, knitwear or more subtle colours.

Kidswear Collections A/W 16

Khaki (Boys) This range from Khaki uses monochrome shades with quite an urban style to create a very casual collection. The shapes are big on top and less so on the bottom half, with skinny fit jeans being a staple piece here. Padded and oversized coats and bomber style jackets give protection against the weather, and the use of monochrome shades with these big protective coats reminds one of ski-wear. There is an influence of sportswear here, mixed with urban street style in the form of the denim pants.

Khaki (Girls) The girls range from Khaki is very similar, using monochrome shades with casual pieces. The emphasis is again on the top half of the silhouette, with large coats used over and over again in the collection, and minimal attention drawn to the bottom half of the silhouette. Large text print gives the collection that urban style and is clearly influenced by sportswear and hip-hop culture. Prints and patterns are minimal but include graphic on t-shirts and camo print on the outwear.

Ralph Lauren (Boys) This collection from Ralph Lauren uses bright primary colours in moderation with denim and dark or tan colours, making the range look sophisticated but still suitable for a child. The style is casual, and is clearly influenced by outwear. The top half of the silhouette is quite boxy, with padded or tough material used for the jackets. The style is quite grown up, in that these outfits would not look out of place on grown men, but they are still well suited for childrenswear. The catwalk also had a Neverland theme, which is of course suitably childish, in honour of the star of the show, Levi Miller, who is the lead in the film ‘Pan’. There is a definite influence of Americana, with college style and biker jackets prominent in the collection.

Ralph Lauren (Girls) The girls’ collection from Ralph Lauren is similarly grown up in style, and also outdoorsy. There is widespread use of neutral tones with the odd bit of colour used here and there. Attention is drawn to the top half of the silhouette, with the bottom half remaining quite plain. The use of fur and accessories such as hats and scarves make this a suitable outerwear collection. As with the boys’ range this collection bears influences of Americana with college jackets and biker jackets used a number of times. Patterns are used on the tops and dresses, as with the boys’ range. These patterns contain small detailing, but the overall print is not overpowering or busy.

Bomayte (Boys) The boys’ collection from Bomayte features both bright colours and monochrome and neutral shades. The style is smart-casual, with furs teamed up with primary colours and suits cut with oversized jackets. The shape is once again big on top and skinny on the bottom. The style is very sophisticated and is clearly influenced by the fashion of the older generation, although the bright colours make the designs considerably more childish. A few prints are used but there is no great amount of detail, instead there are simple shapes and patterns, adding to the childlike quality of the designs.

Bomayte (Girls) The girls’ collection from Bomayte also used bright colours and monochrome shades. The style again is smart-casual, and the shapes focus attention on the top half of the silhouette with big coats and fluffy dresses. This collection is definitely influenced by the ‘mini-me’ mentality of a lot of fashion forward parents. The prints are also minimal, with only simple shapes used, adding to the childish charm of the pieces. The pairing of knee-high boots with short skirts and dresses also has a very ‘60s vibe, and adds a bit of glamour to the collection.

Fendi (Boys & Girls) The boys’ range from Fendi uses mainly denim jeans, creating a casual style with a sturdiness suitable for the playground. Dark colours and shades of grey are combined with yellow and bright blue, giving a playful twist to an otherwise subdued collection. The wide use of grey and dark colours makes this a very wintery collection, and the boxy, padded jackets give the appearance of protection. The range looks to be influenced by sportswear, particularly with the varsity jackets and the use of text on the jackets and tops. The girls’ collection uses similar colours, with largely dominating grey shades brought to life with flashes of bright colour, such as pink and blue. The range includes denim jeans, but also skirts and shorts, which make the collection more feminine, but allow the girls still to be active. Also used multiple times in this range are bobble hats, typically in grey, marking this as a definite A/W range. The shapes are simple, with box-like coats and jumpers, paired with either skinny fit jeans or classic flared skirts. The influences of sportswear also show in the girls’ range through the use of college style jackets and printed text. Both the boys’ and the girls’ ranges also include some other, very simple prints, in the form of simple shapes and clipart style images.

Burberry (Boys & Girls) This children’s collection from Burberry also uses subtle tones such as grey and earthy greens and browns. The boys range is very simple and is made up of largely plain coloured garments. The bomber jackets and pea coats have influences of military wear, and it is a very sophisticated range, with cuts based on classic pieces that bring to mind the ‘Sophisticated Heritage’ style. The pants are mostly black and the t-shirts plain, which helps keep the attention on the warm looking coats and jackets. The boxy shapes of the coats and jackets contrast with the skinny fit pants with which they are worn. The girls’ range makes use of similar subdued colours, but also has a few vividly colourful pieces in it as well, with graffiti-like patterns that make them really stand out from the rest of the range. These colourful dresses are also loose, adding to their playful appearance. They add a feminine twist to the otherwise earthy, military feel of the collection.

Task 9: Childrenswear A/W 16 Trends Colour There were a lot of bright colours in the childrenswear collections, most notably the colour blue. Colours are usually teamed, however, with monochrome and neutral shades, which makes the collections look more sophisticated, but also makes the colours pop. Greys, tans and khakis present what some would consider an oldfashioned appearance, but these are offset by the more playful and youthful blues, pinks and yellows. Style The styles that were most prominent were athletic/outdoorsy, Sophisticated heritage and ‘mini-me’. Varsity jackets, sports style tops and hip-hop inspired ensembles give collections an athletic appearance, while bulky coats and jackets in fabrics such as leather, wool-blend and quilted material, as well as the use of hats and scarves in many collections, provides that outdoorsy style. More traditional cuts and colours such as pea coats and bomber jackets in khaki and brown bring to mind the style known as ‘Sophisticated Heritage’, which also connects to the ‘mini-me’ style of much of the outfits, which sees children dressed in clothes that would not look out of place on an adult. Shape Shapes are typically box-like in appearance, with key pieces such as quilted jackets and bulky or even oversized coats. We do not see any long skirts in the girls’ collections, but rather trousers or short flared skirts, which allow for movement, befitting of a children’s collection.

Influence The collections are influenced by men’s and women’s collections, and also take inspiration from traditional clothing, with classic cuts and fabrics such as leather, wool and fur. Collections in Asia are considerably more influenced by modern culture, which shows in their hip-hop and more contemporary styles. US collections are more influenced by athletic and classic clothing however. Patterns Patterns are used minimally across children’s collections, appearing in small doses such as on shirts and dresses that are teamed with largely plain garments. The types of pattern are varied, and include stripes, checks, dots and floral. Block colours and simple clipart style shapes are also used with monochrome ensembles to brighten up the collections.

Task 10

Menswear

A/W 16

Key Shapes Slouch

Box-fit

Loose

Task 10

Menswear

A/W 16 Prints & Patterns Colourful

Abstract

Bold Graphic

Task 10

Womenswear

A/W 16

Key Shapes Length

Flow Warrior

Waist

Task 10

Womenswear

A/W 16 Tweed

Fabric Trends

Velvet

Fur Knitwear

Rich

Warm Opulent

Task 10

Childrenswear

A/W 16 Leather

Fur Wool

Fabric Trends Protective Hard-wearing

Quilting

Warm

Task 10

Childrenswear

A/W 16 Inspiration Sophisticated

Mum & Dad

Mini-Me

Task 11

Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion for Spring/Summer 2016 shows a huge trend in prints and patterns. Mostly bright colours, suitable for the season, they are bold and vibrant, really grabbing the attention of the beholder. There are influences in these prints from 1970s ethnic style fashion, and also a few minor influences of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s hip-hop and graffiti style fashion. The style is casual and quite sporty. The shapes are typically box-like, especially on the top half of the silhouette. This trend in shape is something that has certainly been carried over to the Autumn/Winter collections.

The two most prominent trends I have found in womenswear for Spring/Summer 2016 are soft, playful colours, and long, flowing dresses in detailed prints and patterns. The soft pastels and vibrant neons have influences of ‘80s aerobic fashion, which is also present in the loose fit of the garments. Other styles in these playful colours bear influences of kitsch design. The detailed maxi dresses, however, are most definitely influenced from ‘70s fashion, which in itself is linked with that idea of kitsch. The prints themselves are varied in style, from floral, through stripes to clipart. The ‘70s trend that was so popular in 2015 has certainly carried on into this year.

The most notable trend in menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Autumn/Winter 16/17 collection is the relaxed, baggy style of the t-shirts and trousers. Drop crotch pants and boxy tops are hugely popular this season, and are a continuation of the slouch-fit trend of S/S 16, perhaps with a little more exaggeration. Also popular this A/W are padded or quilted jackets and coats, and we can see this trend used in a number of styles such as blazers, hoodies, and big winter coats. The colours are much more earthy this season, in stark contrast to the bright colours of S/S 16, but the use of prints and patterns is still popular, although there is more emphasis on intricate and elaborate patterns this season, which when coupled with deep earthy tones creates a more ornate look. The influence of sportswear is still present, but there is a trend towards protective styles and armour-like clothing.

The womenswear collections for Autumn/Winter 16/17 are, like the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, much more subdued colour-wise. Consisting of dark, earthy tones and rich reds and yellows, the colours are certainly suitable for the colder season. 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s influence is still present in the long, flowing skirts and dresses, but the garments have a much stronger look to them, achieved through the use of heavy duty fabrics such as velvet and leather. The use of belts to draw in the waist also harkens to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s, but when combined with the use of embellishment and layering creates an ethnic, warrior-like look. There is also a feeling of luxury associated with the deep colours, the traditional fabrics and the metallic embellishments.

Task 12

Directional Shop Carhartt Trapper Parka £199.95 65/35% Polyester/Cotton, 5.7 oz. Water repellent fabric Coated Nylon lined Insulation Raglan sleeves Adjustable hood with removable fur and pile lining Adjustable waist and bottom band Rib-knit storm cuffs Fleece lined pockets Front closure with hidden double way zip Applicated layers of Cordura® on elbow

Black 3 In 1 Parka Coat £85 100% Cotton. Machine washable Waterproof chest pocket detail Drawstring hood Shower resistant Internal detachable quilted jacket

Menswear

Yeezy cotton-blend trench coat £1780 Concealed button fastenings at front Stand collar, long sleeves, all-over camouflage print, Velcro-fastened tab at cuffs, four pockets at front, one interior pocket, fully lined 92% cotton, 8% nylon; lining 70% polyester, 30% acrylic; 100% polyester Machine wash Size medium: Length 46", chest 40“ Made in Italy

Superdry x Idris Elba shell coat £275 Exposed button and concealed zip fastenings at front Detachable hood, detachable fur at hood, buckle fastening at hood, collar, long sleeves, branded leather patch at sleeve, zipped pocket at sleeve, four pockets at front, branded hardware, branding at back, three interior pockets, interior drawstring at waist and hem, taped seams, fully lined 100% nylon; lining 100% nylon; padding 90% goose down, 10% goose feathers Dry clean Size medium: Length 32", chest 40"

Canada Goose army green twill parka £825 Detachable coyote fur trim at hood, padded, four front patch pockets, designer plaque, internal ties at drawstring waist, fully lined Zip and Velcro fastenings through front Fabric1: 85% polyester, 15% cotton; fabric2: 100% nylon; fabric3: 100% coyote fur; filling: 100% white duck down Dry clean Length shoulder to hem: 34 inches/ 86cm Heavyweight Semi-fitted style

Pajar black nylon parka £455 Padded, zipped hood with detachable coyote fur trim, designer plaque, sleeve pockets, ribbed cuffs, five front pockets, embroidered designer logo, zipped sides, faux leather trims, internal shoulder straps, four slip pockets, drawstring waist, fully lined Concealed zip and button fastenings through front 100% nylon; lining: 100% polyester; padding: 90% down, 10% feather; trim: 100% coyote fur Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 33 inches/ 83cm Midweight Semi-fitted style This style runs true to size

Bellfield Coundon Gingham Check Shirt Navy/Grey £29.95 Regular fit Patch pocket on chest Long sleeves Bellfield tab on lower hem

Levi's navy and ecru cotton shirt £55 Checked, chest pockets, press stud-fastening cuffs, designer tag, curved hem Press stud fastenings through front 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 1: 25 inches/ 63cm; 2: 27 inches/ 68cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

Maison Margiela multicoloured linen shirt £450 Plaid, black creased shell and monochrome checked hem panels, button-fastening cuffs Button fastenings through front Fabric1: 100% linen; fabric2: 100% cotton; fabric3: 62% cotton, 38% polyester Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 29 inches/ 73cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

J.Lindeberg multicoloured flannel shirt £90 Button-down collar, chest pocket, button-fastening cuffs Button fastenings through front 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 29 inches/ 73cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

Eton pink and navy cotton shirt £145 Checked, subtle sheen, buttonfastening cuffs, curved hem Button fastenings through front 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 29 inches/ 73cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

A Bathing Ape flannel shirt £290 Exposed button fastening at front Hood, long sleeves, buttoned cuffs, patch pocket at chest, allover checked print, number and brand motif at back 100% cotton Hand wash

Burberry Brit Ecclestone large checked flannel shirt £225 Exposed button fastenings at front Button-down collar Single cuffs Regular-fit, long sleeves, buttoned cuffs, all-over check pattern, branded buttons, curved hem 100% cotton Machine wash

Ellesse Triesti Polo Racing Red £44.95

H&M Polo shirt £7.99 Cotton 100% Machine wash at 40°

Gucci stretch striped collar cotton-piqué polo shirt £450 Exposed button fastenings at front Constrasting ribbed collar, short sleeves, branded pearlescent buttons, notched hem 93% cotton, 7% elastane Hand wash Model is 6ft and wears a size medium Made in Italy

Burton Purple Geo Collar Polo £22 100% Cotton. Machine washable.

Burberry London cotton-piqué polo shirt £280 Exposed button fastenings at front Collar, short sleeves, branding at chest, branded buttons, contrasting ribbed trims, notched hem 100% cotton Machine wash

HUGO black stretch cotton polo shirt £85 Pixel-effect knitted collar, buttonfastening neck, designer tag, ribbed trims Slips on 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 27 inches/ 68cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

Dolce & Gabbana navy piqué cotton polo shirt £200 Button-fastening neck, embroidered crown logo, side vents, striped trims Slips on 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 28 inches/ 71cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

John Smedley navy knitted cotton polo shirt £135 White stripes, button-fastening neck, ribbed trims Slips on 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 25 inches/ 63cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

Carhartt Sid Pant Chinos Blacksmith Rinsed £79.95 46% Cotton, 38% T400®, 16% Polyester ‘Lamar’ Stretch Twill

Burton Khaki Slim Chinos £20 100% Cotton. Machine washable. Zip fly.

BrioniCotton-Cashmere Flat Front Trousers £470 Product is sized by waist measurement Model wears a size 32 Colour: Light blue Flat front 2 slip pockets; 2 jetted back pockets Unfinished hems for tailoring Zip fly with hook-and-eye fastening 94% cotton, 6% cashmere Dry clean Made in Italy

Michael Kors cotton-twill chinos £110 Exposed button and concealed zip-fly fastening at front Slim-fit, tapered, mid-rise, belt loops, five pockets, branding at coin pocket, branded hardware, branded leather patch at back waistband, v-shaped yoke at back 98% cotton, 2% elastane Machine wash

Brunello Cucinelli cotton trousers £390 Exposed button and concealed button, hook-and-eye and zip-fly fastening at front Regular-fit, tapered, mid-rise, belt loops, two slip pockets at front, pressed centre creases at front and back, darts at back yoke, two welt pockets at back 97% cotton, 3% elastane Machine wash

Armani Collezioni navy brushed stretch cotton chinos £175 Belt loops, side slant pockets, back slip pockets, pressed creases through legs Concealed zip and button fastenings at front 97% cotton, 3% elastane Dry clean Inside leg length: 35 inches/ 88cm Midweight Slim leg

Maison Margiela olive cotton and linen blend chinos £290 Belt loops, five pockets Concealed zip and hook fastenings at front Unfinished hems to allow for length alterations 81% cotton, 19% linen; lining: 100% cotton Machine wash Inside leg length: 34 inches/ 86cm Midweight Slim leg

Bellfield Oakdale Vest Navy £17.50 100% cotton.

H&M Tshirt with a chest pocket £7.99 Cotton 59%; Polyester 40%; Other fibres 1% Machine wash at 40°

Versace monochrome printed and crystalembellished T-shirt £750 Baroque print, crystalembellished Medusa logo Slips on 100% cotton Hand wash Length shoulder to hem: 26 inches/ 66cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

H&M Top with a burnout pattern £12.99 Cotton 55%; Cotton 35%; Viscose 10% Machine wash at 30°

LES (ART)ISTS black and army green cotton T-shirt £55 Camouflage print, red vinyl print at back, designer tag Slips on 100% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 28 inches/ 71 cm Midweight Relaxed fit

Philipp Plein Alex Embellished Ram T-Shirt £470 Colour: White Ribbed round neck Rhinestone embellishment and embroidered accents Pure cotton Hand wash

Rick Owens cottonjersey vest £140 Pulls on Crewneck, sleeveless, seam detailing at back, raw edges 100% cotton Hand wash

Valentino black, charcoal and dark teal cotton T-shirt £355 Butterfly print, signature stud embellishment at back neck, side vents Slips on 100% cotton Hand wash Length shoulder to hem: 27 inches/ 68cm Midweight Slightly loose style

Just Cavalli stretchcotton polo shirt £175 Exposed popper fastenings at front Collar, short sleeves, all-over graphic pattern, contrasting striped ribbed trims, brand tab at side seam, notched hem 92% cotton, 8% elastane Hand wash

Tom Ford silk shirt £1695 Concealed button fastenings at front Tasselled scarf detailing at collar, long sleeves, buttoned cuffs, pearlescent buttons, gathered detailing at back yoke 100% silk Dry clean True to size Made in Italy

Glamorous Suedette Tan Shirt £44.99 100% polyester

Chloé linen-blend shirt £995 Slips on Round neck, long sleeves, buttoned cuffs, ruffled placket, curved hem 90% linen, 10% nylon Dry clean True to size

Womenswear H&M Viscose shirt £12.99 Viscose 100% Machin e wash at 30°

Levi's denim shirt £70 Exposed popper fastening at front Classic-fit, collar, long sleeves, popper-fastened cuffs, stitched Western-style yoke, popper-fastened flap pockets at chest, brand tab at pocket, curved hem 100% cotton Machine wash True to size

Frame silk tuxedo shirt £255 Exposed button fastening at front Collar, long sleeves, buttoned cuffs, pleated placket at front, curved hem 100% silk Dry clean True to size

Equipment fores t green washed silk satin shirt £410 Breast pocket, button-fastening cuffs, tiefastening front Button fastenings at front 100% silk Dry clean Length shoulder to hem: 26 inches/ 65cm Midweight Loose fit

Sandro suede shirt £739 Exposed popper fastening at front Collar, threequarter sleeves, patch pockets at front, tasselled trims 100% leather Specialist leather clean

Erdem tonal blue, black and ivory guipure lace top £1200 Contrast black jersey back panel, blush silk organza lining Exposed zip fastening through back 100% polyester; lining: 100% silk Dry clean Length shoulder to hem: 18 inches/ 45cm Midweight Fitted, cropped

Glamorous Knit Crop Top Purple Multi £16.49 Fine knit material

H&M Crop top with a zip £9.99 Polyester 98%; Elastane 2% Machine wash at 40°

Topshop Paula Nude Sleeveless Top by TFNC £48 100% Polyester. Hand wash only.

Ted Baker knitted top £89 Slips on Round neck, sleeveless, cropped, ribbed texture 70% viscose, 28% nylon, 2% elastane Hand wash True to size

Moschino sequinned top £610 Concealed zip fastening at side Square neck, spaghetti shoulder straps, cropped, all-over sequin embellishment, fully lined 97% rayon, 3% other fibres; lining 85% rayon, 15% elastane Dry clean True to size

EILEEN FISHER stone bouclé-knit cotton tank £125 Cropped, draped funnel neck, black reverse Slips on 53% organic cotton, 47% cotton Machine wash Length shoulder to hem: 20 inches/ 50cm Midweight Loose style

Harrods Of London Long Chinchilla Gilet £8500 Colour: light grey Round neck 2 slip pockets Concealed hook-and-eye fastenings Fully lined Pure chinchilla fur Specialist fur dry clean Made in the UK

Bellfield Bude Fur Gillet Black £39.99

Primark Brown Faux Fur Gilet £18

Topshop Faux Fur Play Gilet By Unreal Fur £145 100% Modacrylic. Professional Dry Clean Only.

Theory Visterna Teddy Gilet £350 Funnel collar Faux sheepskin 2 slot pockets Longline hem Fully lined Press stud fastenings 100% acrylic Dry clean

Donna Karan New York cream suede gilet £2985 Slightly flared, front slip pockets, back vent, shearling reverse Slips on 100% leather (lamb) Specialist clean Length shoulder to hem: 27 inches/ 68cm Midweight Loose style

Vince black reversible shearling gilet £1715 Four pockets, belt loops Detachable waist tie fastening 100% shearling (lamb) Specialist clean Length shoulder to hem: 32 inches/ 82cm Midweight Semi-fitted style

Reiss Lexi Reversible Shearling Gilet £495 Colour: Light grey Reversible design Open front Long length Pure sheepskin Specialist leather clean

Karl Donoghue shearling gilet £870 Concealed hook-andeye fastenings at front Collarless, sleeveless, textured finish, ombré effect, two slip pockets at front, fully lined 100% lambskin Specialist sheepskin clean True to size Size small: Length 34" Model is 5ft 10" and wears a size small Made in England

Girls On Film LACE TRIM FRINGED DRESS £49.99

Topshop Favour Dress by Religion £75 95% Cotton, 5% Elastane. Hand wash only.

Erdem cotton-blend dress £2775 Exposed zip fastening at back Round neck, tie neck, contrast lace bib at front, long sleeves, contrast cuffs, fitted waist, flared hem, contrast lace back, all-over lace, fully lined 83% cotton, 10% viscose, 7% polyamide, Lining: 100% silk Dry clean True to size

Topshop PETITE Suede Tassel Shift Dress £150 100% Leather. Specialist leather dry clean only.

Victoria BeckhamFloral Lace Front Pencil Dress £1750 Round neck Sleeveless Floral lace front Pencil silhouette Midi length Exposed full length zip fastening to reverse 100% polyester Dry clean Made in England

SaloniV-Neck Handkerchief Dress £450 V-neck and reverse Adjustable self-tie fastening to waist 2 pockets Handkerchief hem Lined 100% polyester Dry clean

Sacai cotton-crochet dress £1070 Exposed button fastenings at front Collar, short sleeves, detachable buttoned down bib, pearlescent buttons, belt loops, buckled belt at waist, two slip pockets at front, allover crochet, pleat at back, partially lined, curved hem 100% cotton Dry clean True to size

Eskandar Wool Tunic Dress £715.00 Boat neck Elbow-length sleeves Loose fit Midi hemline 99% wool, 1% cashmere Dry clean

Saint Laurent stretch-denim jeans £555 Exposed button and concealed zip-fly fastening at front Skinny, high-rise, belt loops, five pockets, contrast stitching, distressed, v-shaped yoke at back 98% cotton, 2% elastane Dry clean True to size

Bellfield Selena Skinny Jeans Blue £34.95 70% Cotton, 28% Polyester, 2% Elastane

Primark Olive Skinny Jeans £15

Armani Jeans stretch-denim jeans £100 Exposed button and concealed zip-fly fastening at front Skinny, high-rise, belt loops, five pockets, brand hardware at coin pocket, brand leather patch at back, v-shaped yoke at back 64% cotton, 32% polyester, 4% elastane Machine wash True to size

Paige Denim stretch-denim jeans £310 Exposed button and concealed zip-fly fastening at front Ultra-skinny, high-rise, faded wash and whiskering, contrast stitching, distressed, belt loops, five pockets, branded hardware, branded leather patch at back waistband, v-shaped yoke at back 92% cotton, 6% elastomultiester, 2% elastane Machine wash True to size Made in USA

AG stretch-denim jeans £220 Exposed button and concealed zip-fly fastening at front Slim-fit, straight, mid-rise, belt loops, five pockets, brand tab at coin pocket, branded hardware, branded leather patch at back waistband, v-shaped yoke at back 98% cotton, 2% polyurethane Machine wash True to size Made in USA

Burberry leather jacket £895 Assymetric zip fastening Four zipped pockets, buttoned collar, zipped sleeves 100% calf grain leather Do not wash 4-14 years

Moncler hooded jacket £405 Zip fastening Front zipped pockets, removable hood, padded, quilted 100% nylon, down/feather padding Hand wash 4-14 years

Burberry quilted puffa jacket £295 Zip-up fastening Two pockets, check print Outer - 100% polyester Lining - 100% nylon Do not wash 4-14 years

Childrenswear Molo bomber jacket £60 Zipped Ribbed high neck and cuffs, thumb holes, two pockets, mesh lining, flourine free, windproof Water resistant 10,000mm Breathable 3,000g/m²/24 hours 100% polyester Machine wash cold 4-14 years

Diesel studded biker jacket £131 4-16 years Zip fastening Nylon body, faux leather sleeves, collar and belt with gunmetal buckle Studded collar, zipped cuffs, decorative popper studs, three zipped external pockets, one mini slip pocket with faux leather flap Main: 100% nylon Contrast: 100% rayon-viscose Coating contrast: 100% polyurethane Hand wash

Burberry padded puffer jacket £225 Zipped, press stud placket Hood, padded, elasticated cuffs, checked lining Shell and sleeve lining100% nylon Lining- 100% polyester Padding- 80% duck down, 20% duck feathers Machine wash 6-36 months

Hype short-sleeved t-shirt £16 Logo-print front, allover space print, short sleeves, round neck 65% polyester, 35% cotton Machine wash 5-13 years

Molo Ashton cottonblend jogging bottoms £30 Drawstring fastening Elasticated waist and cuffs Tw front zipped pockets, one zip pocket at rear Branded tag attachment 80% cotton, 20% polyester Machine wash 4-14 years

Ralph Lauren hooded polo shirt £69 Hood, tri-button neck fastenings, long sleeves, front slip pocket, logo stitching on chest 100% Cotton Machine wash cold 6-14 years

Diesel balther slim jeans £71 Buttoned waist, zipped fly, front pockets, back pockets, back logo patch 98% cotton, 2% elastane Machine wash 4-16 years

Armani JuniorContrast Trim Polo Shirt £94.95 Contrast ribbed polo collar Chambray button placket Short sleeves with ribbed arm bands Logo badge to chest Vented hem Pure cotton Machine wash

Dolce & GabbanaSkinny Jeans £135-£145 5 pocket styling Skinny leg Zip fly with button fastening 95% cotton, 4% polyester, 1% elastane Machine wash

Burberry Arnstead jacket £995 Long sleeves, popper studded collar and front false pocket, zip sleeves, two front zip pockets, sideways zip-up front, rear fringed leather effect 100% Calf Grain Leather Use specialist cleaner 8-14 years

Eleven Paris Elsa jacket £76 Front zip fastening, chest embroidered logo detail, front pockets, back embroidered image, quilted lining 100% polyester Hand wash cold 4-12 years

Moncler jacket £440 Zip fastening Detachable hood, tonal stripes, Moncler logo patch on sleeve, two zip pockets, elasticated cuffs 100% nylon, 100% down feather lining Hand wash 4-14 years

Ralph Lauren quilted bomber jacket £139 Zipped High neckline, elasticated cuffs and hem Two pockets, press stud fastenings Outer and filling- polyester Lining- nylon Machine wash cold Girls - Sizing: Small: 7 years, Medium: 8-9 years, Large: 10-11 years, Extra large: 12-14 years

Burberry mini Antwood coat £425 Military-style front button closure panel, long sleeves, double front pockets 70% Virgin Wool,21% Polyamide, 9% Cashmere Specialist dry clean only 4-14 years

Burberry trench coat £295 Double breasted button up front Adjustable belt at waist, buttoned neck, hood, branded buttons, buttoned lapels, check lining, two buttoned pockets 100% cotton Machine wash 4-14 years

Fabric Flavours tshirt £17 Pulls on Crew neck, short sleeves, ribbed collar, roll-up sleeves, 'Star Wars' logo patch on sleeve, 'A New Hope' film poster print 92% cotton, 8% polyester Machine wash 3-8 years

Molo Niki floral print cotton leggings £20 Pull on Elasticated waist, floral print 92% cotton, 8% elastane Machine wash 4-14 years

MGSM long sweatshirt £83 Pull on Round neck, long sleeves Embroidered logo at chest 100% cotton Machine wash 4-14 years

Little Remix JR Erin leather trousers £220 Elasticated waist Two side pockets, two rear pockets Stitched detailing 100% lamb leather outer, 100% cotton lining Dry clean only 6-14 years

Burberry cashmere jumper £145 Pull on Round neck, long sleeves, embroidered logo, checked elbow patches 100% cashmere Dry clean 4-14 years

Gucci stripe pleat skirt £335 Stripe design, pleat design, elasticated waist 55% silk, 45% polyester Details- 42% cotton, 41% viscose, 10% nylon, 7% elastane Professional dry clean, mild process 4-12 years

Task 13: Political Government Policies Both independent retailers and well-known chains are bound by policies put in place by the government, such as those outlying the minimum amount a company can pay an employee, or the circumstances under which a company can hire a person. The Employment Policy Action Group (PAG) is responsible for the BRC’s (British Retail Consortium) strategic input to the government about employment related issues (Brc.org.uk, 2016), and this includes issues such as the National Minimum Wage, National Insurance contributions, and diversity in the workplace. The National Minimum Wage applies to all companies, so Resurrection will also be bound to this rule. By hiring staff under the age of 21 they can save money as the Minimum Wage for those aged 18-21 is £5.30, whereas the Minimum Wage for those over the age of 21 is £6.70. As a store with an emphasis on youth culture, this could especially work to their advantage, as hiring younger staff will help keep the store current and socially relevant. With regards to diversity in the workplace, because Resurrection is an independent retailer, it may not be under as much pressure as larger companies to ensure that there is a wide and varied mix of age and ethnicity among its staff. Another government policy that will affect Resurrection is the Workplace Pension Scheme. It is now a legal requirement for businesses to automatically enrol employees into this scheme if they are over the age of 22 and are earning more than £10,000 per year. An obligation to pay into a scheme such as this could impact negatively on the store, however they may get round this by hiring staff on shorter contracts, meaning that they don’t earn enough to qualify for the scheme. EU Regulations All businesses within the UK must abide by EU regulations, as when regulations come into force, they automatically override any localised laws pertaining to the same subject matter. These regulations cover a vast number of things, from the materials with which products can be manufactured, to returning unwanted goods and price discrepancies for local shoppers and tourists. EU regulations state that customers now have 14 days after receipt of their purchase in which to change their mind and return the product, whether bought in store or online, however this will not effect Resurrection as they have a 14-day return policy already. EU regulations also ensure that tourists are not charged more for products than local residents. Resurrection is at the heart of Bold Street, which is a multicultural hub, but regulations such as this one will not effect their business, as it is aimed more at tourist attractions and restaurants. Regulations pertaining to the manufacture of products will however affect the store, as they will need to take such issues into account when buying in their ranges. They will have to communicate with their suppliers to ensure that their products meet EU regulations, otherwise they will not be able to sell them. As of 2015, EU regulation states that retailers selling online to multiple countries will have to apply the VAT of the country where the purchase is made, rather than the country in which the retailer is based. This means that if someone in Germany is buying from the Resurrection web store, Resurrection will have to apply 19% VAT, or 23% if someone is making a purchase in Ireland, rather than the usual 20% that is required in the UK. Taxes All businesses in the UK are obliged to pay taxes to the government. These include Corporation Tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions. The latter two will be deducted from employees’ wages at source, before they are given to the employees, and VAT is accounted for in the price of the products on sale. Foreign Politics The politics of other countries is important to a business like Resurrection as foreign policy could effect manufacturing or shipping of products. The political state of a country could also affect whether or not Resurrection is able to do business with that country. For example, Turkey is a popular country for the manufacture of garments, however the political unrest that the country has seen in recent years may mean that it is now an unsuitable destination for companies like Resurrection to approach for business.

Brc.org.uk, (2016). British Retail Consortium - Policies & Issues. [online] Available at: http://www.brc.org.uk/brc_policy_master.asp?id=42&spolicy=EMPLOYMENT [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016].

This article is a prime example of how political instability can have a huge impact on the fashion industry. In Syria Islamic Fundamentalists have forcefully taken control of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cotton industry, meaning that fashion houses around the world could soon be purchasing cotton with the proceeds going to the militants, and these fashion houses unwittingly funding terrorism. This creates a huge ethical issue for companies, who may have to find new suppliers. The various stages of the production process and the level to which garments a passed from place to place also means that it may be difficult for companies to keep track of from where their fabric was originally sourced. Dawar, Anil. "Jihadists Seize Control Of Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Cotton Industry". Express.co.uk. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

Task 13: Economic Stock Markets The UK economy relies highly on the success of the UK stock market, and the success of the stock market often affects the success of the retail industry. If a company’s shares are worth little, then investment in the company may falter as people may not have much faith in its success. On the other hand, cheaper share prices may encourage people to invest, with the hope that the shares will rise and investors may be able to make a profit. The value of fashion companies’ shares often hints at the level at which customers are spending, so if the stock market is doing poorly, chances are the high street is suffering as well. Poor growth in the economy can also discourage consumers from spending their money, which has an obvious impact on stores like Resurrection. Exchange Rates Exchange rates are important to shops such as Resurrection for two reasons. Firstly, they will need to be carefully considered by the buyer purchasing ranges from suppliers abroad to sell in store and online. The timing is important in instances such as these as it can make all the difference: what is an excellent exchange rate one week may be extremely poor another week. The buyer needs to have a knowledge of financial matters such as these in order to get the best price possible for their products. Secondly, because Resurrection ships worldwide, they will need to be aware of the exchange rates so that they can charge the correct amount and the correct VAT to customers buying abroad. Taxes As well as the taxes imposed on limited companies’ operations at base, stores like Resurrection also need to pay import and export taxes. Import taxes will apply when they are buying in materials or completed garments from other countries, and export taxes will apply when delivering stock to customers who have purchased from abroad. When trading within the EU, a company does not have to pay any duty because of the EU Free Trade Agreement. With countries outside the EU however, a duty charge is also applied. It would make sense, therefore, for Resurrection to source ranges from within the EU, although the cost of suppliers outside the EU may negate this. If the UK leaves the EU after the referendum, this will also have a huge effect on retailers importing and exporting products to and from the UK. Global Economics The economies of countries around the world are hugely important to shops like Resurrection, as the economic state of a country will affect a company’s ability to import and export. We have seen this recently in China, where the economy, while still growing, has slowed significantly. The decreasing price of oil is having a negative effect on stock markets across the globe, and if trends continue this way, there are fears that it will lead to another global financial crisis (Kollewe and McCurry, 2016). This would have a huge impact on the fashion industry. If another country has a poor economy, then that country may not be able to export as much, which will mean Resurrection has less choice when importing goods. A country with a poor economy will also likely not be able to import as much from other countries, which for Resurrection will mean they get less business from said country. If the world is hit with another global recession, then independent retailers will not only struggle with imports and exports, but they will also struggle on their local high street, with shoppers feeling more strapped for cash and therefore unable to spend as much on fashion.

Kollewe, Julia, and Justin McCurry. "Stock Market Rally Peters Out Amid Continued Turmoil". the Guardian. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

This article states that consumers are expected to spend more money on nights out and home improvements than on clothing and food this year, meaning that retail growth is expected to slow. This will coincide with a rise in business rates and the implementation of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;national living wageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in April, meaning that retailers will really feel the pinch. Butler, S. (2015). Retailers told to prepare for lower spending throughout 2016. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/30/retailerstold-to-prepare-for-lower-spending-throughout-2016 [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016].

This article gives us an example of a company not phased by the recent economic downturn in China. While luxury brands such as Burberry report losses in China, Inditex, the company that owns Zara, believe that it is safe because mid-market brands are still popular as ever. Burgen, Stephen. "Zara Owner Dismisses China Slump Fears As It Reports 20% Profit Rise". the Guardian. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

This article is an example of how fickle the economy is and how it can effect a number of things. The governor of the Bank of England has announced a delay in putting up interest rates, which has fuelled fears about the financial market and sent the value of the pound down. While UK businesses are supposedly still in good health, and the UK economy is still slowly growing, this fall in the value of the pound will have an impact companies buying products from abroad. Inman, P., Elliott, L. and Collinson, P. (2016). Pound dives as Bank of England rules out rate rise amid weak UK growth. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/19/bank-ofengland-mark-carney-rules-out-uk-interest-rate-rise [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016].

Task 13: Social Demographic A store’s demographic is hugely important to know as it is at whom the store needs to target its stock and its marketing. The demographic of a store affects all kinds of things such as the visual merchandising, offers that the store may run, and even the location of the store. The location is hugely important, as people can differ from place to place. Buyers must be aware, therefore, of the prevalent style that is popular around the store’s location, in order that they purchase stock that will be popular in that area. Resurrection sells vintage clothing and branded sports and casual wear. It is also very youth focused. It’s location on Bold Street is highly appropriate, as it is a centre for students and young professionals, busy with little independent stores and cafes. There is a constant flow of young shoppers and tourists in the area every day, meaning that Resurrection is in a prime location for its intended target market. Workers’ Rights Companies must be seen nowadays to treat their employees fairly. Issues like holidays days, rates of pay and equal opportunities are in the public eye, and companies that are found not to be treating their employees as they should be often come under a lot of scrutiny. Many laws are in place in the UK to ensure certain rights for workers, but when issues that are not covered by the law come to a head, workers’ unions may organise strikes which can rally public support. As a small independent business, Resurrection will not be affected by issues such as these. As the store itself is the base of operation there are no issues being dealt with by a head office that has no contact with the shop workers, and therefore any issues that the staff have can be dealt with face to face with the manager or store owner. Ethics Ethical sourcing and manufacturing is a big issue in today’s society, and there is a large rise in the number of consumers looking for ethically made clothes. Conditions for factory workers are high on the agenda, and fashion retailers can find themselves in hot water if they are discovered to be using factories that underpay their workers or make them work long hours in squalid conditions. Primark, for example, came under fire in 2014 when a note that had supposedly come from a Chinese prisoner was apparently found in a pair of jeans. The retailer vehemently denied that any such slave labour had taken place under their employment, but the issue became a national scandal nonetheless (BBC News, 2014). As a retailer of vintage and branded fashion, Resurrection will not have garments manufactured specifically for them, although if one of their suppliers becomes embroiled in such a scandal, it may still reflect negatively on the store, so it is important to maintain communication with suppliers.

BBC News,. "Primark Investigates Claim Of 'Cry For Help' Note In Trousers - BBC News". N.p., 2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

This article gives us an example of how consumer spending habits are changing, and how people are now more concerned with ethical standards in all aspects of retail. Sustainability and fair practice are clearly important to a large proportion of consumers today. Allen, K. (2015). Ethical spending rose in 2014 but solar cuts could hit this year's figures. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/29/ethical-spending-rosein-2014-but-solar-cuts-could-hit-this-2015-figures [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016].

This article tells us that products marketed at women cost on average 37% more than the equivalent products marketed at men, in all areas of the retail sector. As a buyer, it may be wise to utilise such a revelation to provide women with a less expensive range of clothing. Cocozza, P. (2016). The sexist surcharge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how women â&#x20AC;&#x2039;get ripped off on the high street. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2016/jan/19/thesexist-surcharge-how-women-get-ripped-off-on-the-highstreet [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016].

Task 13: Technological Online Sales In recent years the number of online sales for fashion retail has sored dramatically, and many retailers are now earning as much, if not more, from online sales than in store sales. For many independent retailers, running a web store can be too demanding, as it requires staff to monitor sales, design graphics, and generally update and maintain all aspects of the site. Resurrection have a website that ships products all over the world, and for this they have a dedicated member of staff working full time. This means that the store can reach markets across the globe and is not restricted by its location. It is also handy because so many tourists pass the store each day, which means they are able to still shop from Resurrection when they leave Liverpool. Social Media Social media sites are now also huge within the retail industry. Most stores nowadays utilise sites such as Facebook and Twitter in order to communicate with their customers, run competitions, and as a form of free marketing. By getting involved with customers on sites such as these, retailers also get people talking, which is one of the best forms of advertising, as it is indirect and less aggressive, and therefore more to the liking of consumers. Resurrection uses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and also has a blog on their website. Through these sites they can show off their stock, run competitions, advertise local events and interact with their customers. On their blog they post articles about subjects such as fashion trends, brands they stock and what to wear for certain events. By posting regularly on social media sites the store is able to stay relevant in the eye of its consumer. In Store Many retailers today now make use of the latest technology in store to enhance customer experience. Computers in store that allow customers to order online, body scanners that allow customers to see what styles suit them best, apps that act like loyalty cards, and apps that allow customers to pay with their mobile phones are just a few of the recent technological developments that are being utilised by retailers. Mobile apps allow customers to keep all their loyalty schemes for different retailers in one place, and free up space in their bags or wallets. They also allow retailers to collect data about their customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shopping habits, which means they can deliver more personalised experiences to their customers (Parkes, 2015). Resurrection does not have any fancy technology in store to help customers with their shop, but rather a few more retro pieces of technology, such as arcade machines, which, while not actually aiding the shopping process in any way, will appeal to customers that go into the store and likely make it a memorable trip for them.

Parkes, C. (2015). Five reasons why apps trump cards for future retail loyalty schemes. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/jul/01/apps-loyalty-cardsfuture-retail [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016].

This article tells us about the widespread use of mobile apps today, in a wide variety of sectors, including the fashion industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shopping apps also grew in download terms faster than the overall apps market in 2015â&#x20AC;? (Dredge, 2016). This gives shoppers another platform on which to shop, and it is now easier than ever to purchase clothes anytime and anywhere. Some retailers are even launching solely as mobile apps, rather than coming from an existing retailer, and this presents a whole new opportunity to small businesses. Dredge, Stuart. "How Apps Are Evolving: From Facebook And Spotify To Taxis And Shopping". the Guardian. N.p., 2016. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

This is an article about the extent to which modern technology has changed the fashion industry forever. Globalisation and the rise of the internet has not only made it possible for people to buy clothes at any time in any place, but it has also had a huge impact on designers and buyers, as they are able to follow the latest news and trends from the other side of the world at their desk, meaning that fashion is now more than ever a global phenomenon. Slyce Blog,. "How Technology Is Driving The Fashion Industry Forward - Slyce Blog". N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

Task 13: Legal Copyright Copyright infringement seems to be a growing problem in the fashion industry, with the rights over fabrics and patterns increasingly becoming the subject of debate between designers/manufacturers and retailers. Thousands of cases such as these have been filed in the US alone between 2009 and 2015 (Murphy, 2015). For small independent retailers, an issue such as copyright infringement could cause a lot of damage, as large settlements are often paid as a result of these cases. If Resurrection were to find themselves with a lawsuit resulting from a case like this, they could be liable to pay damages, which could have a very negative impact on the store financially. It is important, therefore, that the buyer for Resurrection is confident that they are not purchasing any garments that are in breach of copyright. However, because the store sells branded fashion, they will likely not have this problem, as it will be the responsibility of the brands themselves to ensure they are not using someone else’s intellectual property. Brand Authenticity While the issue of copyright over fabrics and patterns may fall more to the brands creating the garments, it is the responsibility of brand retailers to ensure that their stock is authentic. If a store is found to be selling counterfeit clothes, there could be financial repercussions. At the very least, all the counterfeit stock would have to be removed from sale and destroyed, which would mean the store has made a loss on the cost of the garments, and also that the store would find itself with a lack of stock. More seriously, the store could incur a fine. Larger companies such as Debenhams or Primark can often afford to pay these fines and move on, but a small independent retailer such as Resurrection may find it much more difficult to recoup its losses. About 10% of fashion products sold in Europe are believed to be counterfeit, therefore a buyer for Resurrection would need to ensure that their suppliers are selling 100% authentic goods, and not be tempted by vastly cheaper offers that may not be the real thing. Customers’ Rights Retailers need to be aware of certain legal rights that customers have, usually pertaining to issues like refunds and exchanges. It is now a legal right of customers across the UK to have a 14-day ‘grace period’ upon receipt of any goods. This means that customers are able to return their purchases within this period if they change their minds about them. Stores also have an obligation to refund products that are found to be faulty after they were purchased, within reasonable guidelines of wear and tear. Resurrection state they have the standard 14-day return policy, but this extends to 30 days for faulty goods. They also state that if any returns fall outside their returns policy, they are happy to discuss this with customers via email. Many stores on the high street are generous with their returns policy because it promotes customer loyalty. For small independent retailers this is very important. A store that treats its customers well will see them return, and Resurrection is a store that has many regular customers, so it would be wise of them to keep them happy.

Kim, Ashleigh. "Fake Fashion Costs The Industry Over $28 Billion USD Annually".Hypebeast. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. Murphy, I. (2015). The rise of copyright infringement lawsuits—and what retailers can do about it. [online] Retail Dive. Available at: http://www.retaildive.com/news/the-rise-of-copyright-infringementlawsuitsand-what-retailers-can-do-about/404336/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016].

This articles tells us about the level of copyright infringement within the retail industry. Patterns and fabrics are increasingly becoming the subject of lawsuits, with fashion retailers now being “one of the top groups of defendants in copyright infringement cases surrounding textile patterns” (Murphy, 2015). Often these cases lead to settlements or dismissals, and sometimes to damages being paid. As a buyer one must be aware of cases like this, and must do research to ensure that no garments are purchased that may bring forth such litigation. Murphy, I. (2015). The rise of copyright infringement lawsuits—and what retailers can do about it. [online] Retail Dive. Available at: http://www.retaildive.com/news/the-riseof-copyright-infringement-lawsuitsand-whatretailers-can-do-about/404336/ [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016].

Task 13: Environmental Sourcing Sourcing materials with which to make garments is much more nowadays an issue of ethics and sustainability. From poor treatment of cotton growers to over-herding of animals for wool, there are lots of issues that come with fabric sourcing of which one might not immediately think. There are, however, an increasing number of sustainable methods being developed for textile production, such as the use of recycled waste fibres to make new woollen fabrics by Italian company Re.Verso (Bucci, 2015), or Pharrell Williams’s collaboration with Gstar Raw, which uses “some of the eight-million-tons of plastic dumped in the ocean every year and turns it into edgy and smart sustainable fashion for both men and women” (Style Me Sustainable). As the emphasis on sustainability grows, many retailers are now offering eco-friendly ranges. While Resurrection are not responsible for the sourcing of fabrics, there are many brands that specialise in sustainably sourced fashion, and this could be something that the store should consider stocking, as it only seems to be growing in popularity. Manufacturing Manufacturing in the fashion industry is under just as much, if not more, scrutiny as fabric sourcing, for much the same reason. There is huge interest today in ethically made clothing, which covers issues like safe and hygienic conditions for factory workers, as well as fair pay and fair working hours. The use of sweatshops is generally seen as deplorable, and companies discovered to be using them often come under a lot of fire from the public. The collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh in 2013 catapulted this issue into the public eye, and now more than ever measures are taken to ensure safe and fair conditions in factories around the world. Sustainability is also a concern during the manufacturing process, as many methods used can be harmful to the environment or the people that live nearby the factories. Dying fabrics can be particularly detrimental to the environment, as it uses up vast amounts of water, and waste water is often dumped into nearby lakes or rivers. This is particularly rife in India and China, where local water supplies are exhausted, what is left is undrinkable, and farmland is ruined because of noxious chemicals being disposed of incorrectly (Kaye, 2013). There are now companies, however, that have developed more eco-friendly methods of dying fabric. Japanese fabric manufacturer Shinnaigai Textile have developed a range of fabrics coloured with completely natural dye, made from plants, roots and seeds. They are also tackling the issue of water wastage, by blending raw and dyed fibres together when making the yarns (Bucci, 2014). Shipping and Packing Shipping clothes from supplier to store can have a huge impact on the environment, as stock is often delivered from halfway round the world. This means that is comes on ships, using fossil fuels which leave a huge carbon footprint. A way to reduce this carbon footprint is by supporting local brands, which Resurrection is known to do. Another way in which Resurrection helps to reduce its effect on the environment is by using paper bags instead of plastic ones. This means that they can be recycled by customers, and are likely made from recycled material themselves. Bucci, Jessica. "Colorball Offers Designers An Earth Friendly Dyed Fabrics".StartUp FASHION. N.p., 2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. Bucci, Jessica. "Re.Verso: Wool Waste Fibers Recycled Into New Material".StartUp FASHION. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016 Kaye, Leon. "Clothing To Dye For: The Textile Sector Must Confront Water Risks". the Guardian. N.p., 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2016. Style Me Sustainable,. "Pharrell Williams Is Making Sustainability Cool". N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

This articles tells us about the collaboration between Pharrell Williams and denim producer Gstar Raw., in which tonnes of plastic that has been dumped in the ocean is recycled into fashionable clothing for men and women. Not only is this an example of how fashion companies can become more environmentally friendly, but it is also a key example of how celebrities can use their status to bring about change in the world, by encouraging their fans to think about their effects on the environment. Style Me Sustainable,. "Pharrell Williams Is Making Sustainability Cool". N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

This is an article about the detrimental effects of the fashion industry on the environment, and the number of ways in which it is harmful. Due to the “long and varied supply chains of production, raw material, textile manufacture, clothing construction, shipping, retail, use and ultimately disposal of the garment” there are many stages at which the industry becomes a big energy consumer, from the water used for farming cotton to the fossil fuels used during shipping. Fashion’s carbon footprint is fuelled by globalisation and the demand for cheap clothing. Pope, Carl, Bill McKibben, and Sandra Steingraber. "Fast Fashion Is The Second Dirtiest Industry In The World, Next To Big Oil". EcoWatch. N.p., 2015. Web. 24 Jan. 2016.

This article tells us about an Italian company that use pre-consumer waste fabrics to create an entirely new material. The company is a collaboration between three mills, who collect the fibres from all over Italy and a few other European countries. The fibres are then blended with a wool base to creates yarns and woven fabrics. Gucci collaborated with Re.Verso for their A/W 15 collection. A major fashion house getting involved with an eco-friendly scheme like this is a huge step forward for sustainable fashion. Bucci, Jessica. "Re.Verso: Wool Waste Fibers Recycled Into New Material".StartUp FASHION. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Jan. 2016

Task 13: PESTLE Analysis Policies such as the National Living Wage and the Workplace Pension Scheme mean that it is more financially viable for my independent retailer to employ people under the age of 21. As the store is so focused on youth culture, this would not be unsuitable. Students would make the ideal shop assistants as they are young and would also be working on a part time basis, meaning that they also accrue less paid holiday. When buying in ranges for the store, I would need to ensure that my suppliers abide to EU regulations. I would achieve this by maintaining regular contact with my suppliers and communicating effectively about where the products come from and how they are made. I could also reduce costs by investing more in local brands that are made within the UK. By cutting the amount it spends on importing ranges from Europe and the rest of the world, the store could invest more in local brands, which would then help the local economy. As a buyer I would need to be aware of how well different economies are doing compared to that of the UK, and I would need to be aware of changing exchange rates. This is so that I can order ranges from abroad when it is the best time to do so, i.e. when it will be most cost effective. Amidst fears that we are on the verge of another global financial crisis, it may be wise to think about ways in which the store could reduce costs, perhaps by trading only within the EU to avoid duty tax and other expensive shipping costs, and by sourcing more ranges from within the UK.

For a small independent business like Resurrection, social issues such as workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights do not really apply, as the staff are a small, close knit community. With regards to ethically sourced ranges, however, the introduction of ethically sound collections to the store could be hugely successful move. The vintage range that is available in store goes some way towards promoting sustainability by promoting second-hand clothing, but the growing popularity of ethically made clothes could become useful when buying in new ranges. By purchasing from ethical companies I could attract new customers looking for stockists of ethically sourced clothes. People are generally willing to pay more for clothes that are ethically made so buying in such a range could also help boost profits. Being known as a store that sells ethical clothing would also boost the popularity and public perception of the store. As a youth-focused store, Resurrection already makes ample use of online resources such as social media and online shopping. Their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and their blog show that they are an active member of the online community, and this helps to boost sales as they can interact with their customers and advertise for free. Resurrection do not, however, have any loyalty schemes in place. As a store with many returning customers and a thriving online presence, it could well be worth developing an app for the store that works like a reward card. Phone apps are increasing in popularity as a way to replace loyalty cards, and in a store like Resurrection I feel it would be very well received as it would boost sales and further promote customer loyalty. As a retailer of branded fashion, one of the biggest legal challenges Resurrection could face is the risk of purchasing counterfeit goods. In order to combat this as a buyer I would need to carry out regular checks on my suppliers and use suppliers that I know and trust. I should be savvy when seeking out new suppliers and be weary of suppliers offering brands for significantly reduced rates. There are lots of things I could do as a buyer to reduce the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carbon footprint, such as purchasing ethical brands from suppliers that source and manufacture clothes sustainably. This would also be something that could be advertised to customers, as demand for sustainability is growing, and could therefore increase sales. I could also look closer to home for ranges. By sourcing from within the UK I would drastically reduce the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carbon footprint as no fuel-heavy methods of shipping would be required. UK made clothes are also something of an advertising point as they are seen to be helping the local economy. It would also save a huge amount of money as there are no shipping or import costs. Another method the store could use to promote sustainability is promoting reusable bags. This could even be tied in with a loyalty scheme, as some stores already offer discounts to customers who provide them with carrier bags.

Task 14: Sourcing Decisions How will factors in the PESTLE influence sourcing decisions? Political Foreign politics has a huge role in the sourcing process for a number of reasons. When sourcing from abroad, one must ensure that the suppliers adhere to the correct rules and regulations. One should also be aware of the tax policies and employment laws within that country, as these may well differ from those of the UK. Countries that are popular for garment sourcing are also often less politically stable than the UK, such as India and China. Issues such as a living wage and annual leave are often not covered by governments of these countries. As a buyer I would have to be aware of all these different factors affecting the countries that I may source from. Economical Differing exchange rates and taxes for importing goods will have an effect on the sourcing process, because as a buyer I would need to be able to be able to calculate the costs to the company of purchasing different ranges from abroad and having them shipped to the UK. Due to the low value of the pound at current it may be best to source clothes from abroad, but if the value of the pound goes up again then it may work out cheaper to source clothes from abroad. I would need to have a good knowledge of economics so that I could predict how rates of currency would fall and rise at certain times, and so that I could better time my orders to coincide with the more profitable periods. Social Social issues such as ethically made clothing would have a big impact on sourcing decisions as retailers are under a lot of scrutiny these days to use factories employing workers under fair conditions. As a consequence of the rise in demand for fast fashion, many companies contract factories in poorer areas of the world to produce their clothes, in which conditions can be unsafe, unhygienic, and pay is minimal. Campaigns for the fair treatment of these factory workers are continually gaining momentum, and much of the general population today is deeply concerned with the appalling treatment of garment workers in Asia, Africa and South America. Shops found to be using suppliers that have poor human rights records gain a lot of bad publicity, which potentially loses them a lot of custom. For my chosen retailer I would consider buying in brands that are 100% ethically made, or brands that are made in the UK. Ethical brands would promote fair trade and human rights, which is appealing to a large number of consumers today, and British-made brands would promote the local economy, which is something that will be close to UK shoppersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hearts.

Technological Advancements in technology mean that it is now easier than ever to communicate with people on a global scale. This has a huge impact on sourcing because pretty much anywhere that has a factory is an option. As a small independent retailer with only one shop based in Liverpool, Resurrection is able to source clothes from places like China and Peru, and have regular contact with their suppliers around the world thanks to globalisation. Email and video calls are just a couple of the modern advancements that have aided worldwide communication. The fact that Resurrection have a successful online web store also means that they have an increased demand for stock, which will mean as a buyer I need to be able to find the best deal possible when sourcing ranges, without compromising on quality or values. Legal There are a number of legal issues to consider when sourcing ranges. As a retailer of branded fashion, one of the most obvious issues for Resurrection is that of counterfeit goods. As a buyer I need to have regular communication with my suppliers in order that I can build a reputable relationship with them and be confident that they are a trustworthy source. I will also need to be aware of the treatment of workers in factories and the conditions in which they are working. By carrying out regular checks of my suppliers I can be sure that the workers are being treated fairly, paid properly, and are not working in squalid or unsafe surroundings. It would be unwise to consider working with a supplier with a poor human rights record, as it could have disastrous consequences if it became known to the public. Environmental Issues regarding the environment have a huge impact on sourcing decisions, as there are many ways in which the sourcing process can be harmful to the environment, and many eco-friendly methods that I could consider using instead. In a society where the emphasis is on sustainability, sourcing sustainable products seems like the winning choice, and as a buyer for Resurrection I would seek out sustainably produced brands. Other environmental factors are out of anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands, such as natural disasters. Things like floods and earthquakes can often be a problem in parts of the world that are popular for garment production, and can be a real problem if they affect farms or factories. When sourcing garments I would have to consider this and research what areas are likely to be affected by a natural disaster, in order that I can avoid these places.

This video gives us an insight into the harmful effects of the fashion industry on the environment. These detrimental effects on the environment are caused by pollutants such as noxious chemicals, and can have serious effects on peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health. The harmful effects of dying fabrics is well known in the industry nowadays. Common methods of fabric dying use up vast quantities of water, and the waste water is often dumped in lakes and rivers, which then leads to illness for the people that live in the area. We see in China a river that has turned blue due to the run off from a number of denim dying and washing factories. The government has tried to put measures in place to force factories to treat their waste water, but we see in this video evidence of factories dumping waste water in the dead of night. There is no precise data to show the definitive effects on human health, but local residents blame the pollution on ailments such as skin rashes and breathing difficulties. We see in this video, however, that there are ways to combat this issue. Natural dyes can be produced in a variety of bright colours using plant matter, which prevents the use of harmful chemicals. By using fabrics that have been left over by designers after finishing their collections, it is also possible to reduce wastage. There are many methods today of dying fabrics without the use of toxic chemicals or vast quantities of water, so as a buyer I would seek out some of these more eco-friendly methods for use in my range.

YouTube, (2012). FRANCE 24 Environment - The color of your clothes: Dipping into dyes and showing your clothes true colours. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdQDFpVRvCI [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016].

Another issue that the video addresses is the harmful effect of pesticides used on cotton farms. In India, farmers use a pesticide called Endosulfan, which is so potentially harmful to human health that it is banned in over 60 countries. In India, however, it is legal, and more importantly, it is cheap. Doctors believe that these pesticides are responsible for a number of ailments, from headaches and joint pain, to loss of sight and even cancer. Many children in these areas are also noted to have grey hairs at a very young age, which is believed to be a direct result of these pesticides. Farmers that have switched to organic pesticides have seen a huge difference in their health, and are even able to take more money for their cotton, but this is not yet an option that is open to everyone due to the cost. As a buyer, I would likely have to choose between cheap cotton that is produced under these poor conditions, or more eco-friendly cotton that comes at a dearer price. As the popularity of environmentally friendly production is on the rise however, I feel the choice is almost a no-brainer. Most people are willing to pay more nowadays for sustainably manufactured clothes, and when such a cost to human health is unnecessary then it can reflect very badly on companies that still make use of these harmful methods.

What external aspects would impact your choice of supplier? Natural Disasters Natural occurrences such as floods or earthquakes can have a huge impact on the supply chain. Floods can affect farms, where brands may source materials such as cotton or leather. If a farm is ruined then the brand will have to look to another supplier for its materials. It will also likely have invested money already in these materials and will therefore make a loss on any materials lost. This will mean that the buyer has to spend time looking for a new supplier while at the same time trying to recoup any losses that have been incurred. Some companies may be insured in cases such as these, but often insurance companies do not pay out on natural disasters. Farmers are also unlikely to be able to cover any of the costs incurred, meaning that it will likely be a big financial loss for the company. Similarly, if an earthquake causes a factory to collapse, it will likely result in a loss of money for the company as factories will not be covered or the insurance companies simply wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay. When seeking out suppliers the best one can do is research the area and try to assess the likelihood of a natural disaster occurring. Local Disasters Local disasters such as fires or building collapses due to instability incur a lot of expense for companies using said factories. Not only will the buyer have to look for a new supplier and face a huge loss in invested money, but if the disaster is due to improper health and safety regulations or regulations not being adhered to, then the company can often face huge fines as well. Many companies embroiled in such cases often set up schemes to help the victims of these disasters, and they will pay out a great deal in compensation. This means that the buyer has to find a new supplier, while at the same time likely working with a lower budget, as well as possibly facing legal questions about the known conditions at the factory. The case of Rana Plaza, which I will discuss later, is a prime example of this. Epidemics Epidemics such as bird flu and swine flu can have a huge impact on the supply chain, as they can wipe out huge quantities of material. Epidemics that affect swine and cattle can lead to a lack of material for the leather industry, and can take a few years to fully recover. Diseases such as these and bird flu can also have a huge effect on communities, as of course can epidemics that affect the human population as well. In cases of animal epidemics, a lack of food for communities can mean a lack of healthy workers for garment factories, and any human epidemics that occur would also have a similar effect. War/Conflicts Political unrest in certain countries can affect the supply chain in a number of ways. Buyers can find themselves cut off from suppliers, unable to visit them or even contact them in some cases. A buyer needs to be able to visit suppliers in order to properly discuss orders and to carry out regular checks in the factories. Trade embargoes placed on countries would also prevent a company from importing goods from there. Issues such as these can be particularly problematic if a buyer is looking to a certain country that specialises in different methods of production, such as India for embellishment and Turkey for higher quality products, particularly swimwear, as the buyer may have to settle for a less desirable location if their preferred supplier is not in a suitable place. Cost The value of different currencies can have an effect on the supply chain both directly and indirectly. Directly, poor exchange rates can mean that companies are forced to pay more than they would like for materials and garments, and import taxes and shipping costs can add up to a lot if the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standard currency is trading at a poor rate of exchange. Increased costs due to poor exchange rates can mean that the overall cost price for garments is greater, and this will ultimately affect the RRP of certain products. Indirectly, the value of currency has a huge effect on the economy as a whole. If values are low, then the stock markets start to suffer, and this can lead to a decline in growth or even a recession. This means that everyone is feeling the pinch, from the heads of companies to the general public that would otherwise be shopping in their stores. The economy is very fickle, however, and what can cause problems for the economy, can also aid its growth. The price of oil, for instance, is going down drastically. On one hand, the decline in the price of oil, which is due to an abundance of it, is causing oil company profits to decline, which means that shares in oil companies also decline. This is what is causing the stock market to plummet, and that could effect the entire economy (The Guardian, 2016). On the other hand, the low cost of oil means that consumers are now able to save more. With things like petrol and home energy going down in price, consumers have more money to spend on other goods. Consumers then feel better off, and are happier to spend money on things like clothes. This is then an example of how the falling price of oil is helping the economy.

The Guardian, (2016). Why low oil prices hurt the stock market â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but won't lead to a US recession. [online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/21/oil-prices-stock-market-usrecession-economy [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016].

This video tells us about the poor conditions in which many garment makers are forced to work in developing countries. In Cambodia, garment export for Western brands makes up 80% of the countries total export, and brings in 4 million US$ per year. Very little of this capital is seen by the workers, however, most of which are women (91%). Because of poverty, these women travel up to 100km to work. With most women working for less than minimum wage, and the minimum wage not being enough to live on as it is, poverty is a huge problem even for those women who are working. Sometimes they work up to a day and a half in order to make money. In the UK there are legal measures in place to ensure that no one works too long a shift, but these women are not protected by such laws, which means they are working unhealthily long hours, both tired and malnourished. There are regular reports of women fainting at work, and we hear from one woman that the company instructed her not to tell anyone that she was ill, otherwise she could be fired. Workers in factories such as this clearly have very little or no rights, but are forced to continue working under these terrible conditions because they have no other option.

YouTube, (2012). A wage you can live on - Textile workers in Cambodia. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTehggY29Xg [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016].

In the last 10-15 years our demand for fast fashion has grown significantly. It is this demand that fuels factories such as this. Our desire for ever cheaper goods has allowed inhumane and immoral suppliers to flourish. If we were willing to pay more as consumers, we may be able to put a stop to such practices. However, there is no guarantee at present that if we do pay more, the money will ever reach the garment workers. With more stringent checks and regulations put in place however, companies could ensure that factory conditions are safe, and that workers are being paid a decent amount. We also need to put pressure on big brands to distribute their profits more evenly, as currently the production side of the business only sees a small fraction of the prophet these large companies, such as H&M, see.

YouTube, (2013). Would You Still Buy That Dress After Watching This?. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_mA9L1DSr8 [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016].

Hoskins, Tansy. "Supply Chain Audits Fail To Detect Abuses, Says Report". the Guardian. N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.

This video is about the appalling conditions some workers face in Bangladesh, which was highlighted by the 2013 collapse of Rana Plaza, which saw more than 1000 people die. We are told that 75% of all export here comes from the supply of garments to richer countries, yet Bangladesh has some of the poorest cities in the world. The country does not have any social security measures in place, so the victims of the factory collapse whom are unable to work any longer will have to rely on their families to take care of them, which will undoubtedly add to the pressure faced by so many families here living in poverty. All the victims were given in compensation from the Bangladesh Garment Workers Association was a few hundred dollars in lost wages. Compare this with the UK, where a worker would receive thousands of pounds in such a situation, as well as state of the art health care and financial help from the government in the months or even years after. Of course, a situation such as this would be highly unlikely in the UK, because of the safety checks required that would have seen the Rana Plaza factory most likely condemned. There were no such checks in place, however, in this instance, from the local government nor from the Western companies employing the suppliers here. Many companies in the aftermath of the collapse paid out some compensation and set up schemes to help the victims, but many also refused, and distanced themselves from the situation by claiming they had not employed any of the suppliers at the factory. We also hear of a fire in a Bangladesh garment factory in 2012, in which more than 100 people died. The workers were locked inside the factory, with barred windows even preventing them from jumping from the building. There were in fact 43 such fires in factories in Bangladesh within an 18 month period. Such gross neglect for the safety of workers seems to be a huge issue in Bangladesh, but Western companies seem to look past these unsuitable conditions in order to continue paying very little for their clothes, despite audits stating that workers were severely underpaid, and even that child labour was being used. Conditions are so bad in fact that workers are not even allowed to join unions that would otherwise protect them. Since the collapse of Rana Plaza, over 50 international companies signed up to the Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord, which is an international effort to improve conditions in these factories. Many companies still use unsuitable factories, however, and there are reports that the audits carried out under these new regulations are little help (Hoskins). What is needed in the coming years is for membership of accords such as this to be a legal requirement of companies using factories abroad.

Ethical Trading Fair Trade Fair Trade is an initiative which covers a wide amount of products sourced for various industries. In the fashion industry this includes cotton, beauty products and gold. The initiative aims to provide farmers and workers with a decent wage, good working conditions and fair terms of trade. The standards required to be considered fair trade “include protection of workers’ rights and the environment, payment of the Fairtrade Minimum Price and an additional Fairtrade Premium to invest in business or community projects” (Fairtrade.org.uk). When a buyer purchases any materials from a Fair Trade certified supplier, they know that they are helping families in rural communities build a better life for them and their communities. Child Labour The ILO (International Labour Organisation) estimates that around 11% of the world’s children are forced to work, and have little or no opportunity to attend school. Many of these children work within the fashion supply chain, satisfying the demands of richer, more developed countries. In some parts of the world, such as southern India, recruiters convince parents to send their daughters to work with the promise that they will be well looked after, have opportunities to progress, and will receive a lump sum payment at the end of 3 years. In reality, these children find themselves living and working in slave-like conditions. The use of child labour in the fashion industry is rife because of the demand for fast fashion. The complexities of the supply chain make it easy for suppliers to recruit children without big companies finding out, and children are also seen as more suitable for many of the jobs, having smaller, more nimble hands (Labs.theguardian.com). There are a number of initiatives in place to prevent child labour, such as the Fair Wear Foundation and the Ethical Trading Initiative, but a lack of transparency in the supply chain makes it difficult to police.

Workers’ Rights and Pay The issue of garment makers’ rights and pay is still a huge problem today, even after the reforms that followed the 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy. Despite the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord and the Alliance For Bangladesh Worker Safety both being set up, as well as the Bangladesh’s own government changes to the law, workers in factories all over Bangladesh continue to suffer. Reports of “physical assault, verbal abuse, forced overtime, unsanitary conditions, denial of paid maternity leave, and failure to pay wages and bonuses on time or in full” are still rife (Burke, 2015). Unions are unable to protect workers because employers threaten to sack, beat or even kill any employees that join unions or seek legal advice. The only way it seems for retailers to tackle the issue of workers’ rights is to carry out more thorough, regular checks on their suppliers, and speak with the workers themselves in order to be entirely sure that the correct procedures are taking place in their factories.

Burke, Jason. "Bangladesh Garment Workers Suffer Poor Conditions Two Years After Reform Vows". the Guardian. N.p., 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. Fairtrade.org.uk,. "What Fairtrade Does". N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. Labs.theguardian.com,. "Child Labour In The Fashion Supply Chain". N.p., 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.

Working Conditions Since the collapse of Rana Plaza, safety conditions in factories have been high on the agenda, and while improvements are being made, the facts are still worrying. Sedex data between 2013 and 2015 shows that 25% of audits from Bangladesh show fire safety issues, while Pakistan shows 19%, China 18% and India 17% (Vilimaviciute, 2015). Workers are also still at risk from structural problems of the building, long working hours, and the machinery they have to use, for which they have little or no protective gear. Carbon Footprint The supply chain in the fashion industry is not only infamous for its poor treatment of people, but also for its carbon footprint. Manufacturing and shipping use up huge quantities of energy and resources. Water consumption is a huge problem at all stages of the industry. Growing fibres demands huge quantities of water, with cotton farming being the largest consumer of water in the fashion supply chain (Ethical.org.au). The process of dying fabrics is also highly wasteful, with vast amounts of water sometimes being used to dye small amounts of fabric, often also leading to pollution of local water sources. At home as well, the process of washing clothes has a large impact, with 40% of domestic water footprints coming from laundry. The fashion industry also uses a large quantity of fossil fuels, which leaves a huge carbon footprint. Methods of shipping, for instance, use a vast amount. Often in the industry a single garment will have stages of production in 3 countries, meaning that there is a huge level of transport involved. Traditional methods of shipping are by ship and by truck, which of course make for a poor carbon footprint, but the demand for fast fashion has led to some retailers using air freight as a method of shipping as well. This is by far the worst method in terms of sustainability (Just-style.com). Not only is the use of fossil fuels a concern of the shipping process, but also the manufacturing process. Many of the clothes we see on the high street today are made with synthetic fibres, which require huge amounts of oil for their production. They are also unable to degrade naturally, so they become a huge problem in landfills (Isfoundation.com). In order to combat these issues, the fashion industry needs to look at developing supply chains in single countries, which will both cut down the level of shipping needed and progress the skills and industry in single countries. Consumers should also look for clothes made with natural fibres, and are encouraged to donate their old clothes rather than throw them away.

Ethical.org.au,. "Fashion Footprint | Shop Ethical!". Web. 23 Jan. 2016. Isfoundation.com,. "Fast Fashion And The Environment | Ian Somerhalder Foundation". Web. 24 Jan. 2016. Just-style.com,. "Fast Fashion: The Choice To Air Freight, Or Wait". N.p., 2014. Web. 24 Jan. 2016. Vilimaviciute, Ieva. "Two Years On, How Are Global Fashion Supply Chains Changing In The Wake Of Rana Plaza? : Fashion Revolution". Fashionrevolution.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.

Balanced Sourcing Balanced sourcing refers to when a buyer uses more than one supplier in order to balance their orders and reduce dependency on suppliers, which minimises any risks. There are two types of balanced sourcing which each have their own advantages and disadvantages: single sourcing and focused sourcing. Single Sourcing This refers to when a buyer uses one main supplier for the bulk of their orders. One of the main advantages of this type of sourcing is that there is considerably less shipping involved, which means less cost and reduced waiting times. Because garments are not being shipped from place to place in various stages of production, the quality will also be better and more consistent, and it will be easier for the buyer to ensure that the supplier is not outsourcing any stages of production to other suppliers without permission. Being able to monitor the supplier more easily will also mean that staff working conditions are better, as the buyer will be able to keep track of factory conditions and workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights. Another main advantage of single sourcing is that the buyer/supplier relationship will be better, and this will likely mean that the buyer has sampling and ordering priority with that supplier. Having a good relationship with the supplier may also mean that the buyer can get better deals from that supplier, as the continued business from that buyer is beneficial to the supplier. There are also a number of disadvantages to this type of sourcing, the main one being the increased risk that comes with the dependency on one supplier. If for any reason the supplier is unable to complete an order, the buyer will have to seek out a new supplier, possibly within a very short timescale. This could delay orders and cost the company more money. The use of a single supplier also means that the buyer may be missing out on innovative methods of production that their chosen supplier is not using, and developments that their competitors are utilising may slip under the radar. The buyer also risks the supplier becoming complacent as they see no competition for their contract with the buyer, and this could lead to lower quality production or missed deadlines etc. Focused Sourcing Focused sourcing is when a buyer divides their orders up between a variety of suppliers, which reduces the risks associated with being dependant on one supplier. If any one supplier has any issues completing an order, the buyer has a number of other suppliers to which they can turn. This also means that there is increased competition between suppliers, to the buyer is able to press for a lower price. This competition not only means the supplier may have to compromise on price, but it also means they are encouraged to develop new methods of production and constantly improve their standards in order to keep the buyer going to them. The disadvantages of this type of sourcing include extended shipping costs and times, as garments are travelling from place to place before the end of production. The quality of garments could also suffer as the quality among the different suppliers may not be consistent, and it will be harder for the buyer to regulate staff welfare in these factories as there could be so many to visit within the supply chain. Because no supplier is guaranteed business either, the buyer will be unlikely to be given priority for samples or orders, so they may have to put up with longer waiting times. When buying in my range for Resurrection I will use single sourcing, as I feel the quality of the garments would benefit. The money saved on transport costs would also be able to go towards producing better quality garments.

Task 15: Ethical Sourcing Arcadia Group use approximately 985 factories throughout the world to manufacture their goods, none of which they own or within which they even have a dominant presence. These factories span 49 countries, and the top 5 countries for Arcadia’s sourcing were China, Turkey, Romania, India and Bangladesh. Arcadia have an ethical audit programme in which brands in Arcadia Group must submit a third-party audit of a factory before they are allowed to use it. A colour coding system is used to determine whether or not a factory is suitable. If an audit is graded red, then that factory is not to be used until all the issues have been resolved. Issues such as a breach of local laws or poor rights for workers contribute to a red grading. Orange graded audits mean that there are issues of non-compliance with the supplier. In these cases, the supplier is given 6 months for remediation. A green audit obviously shows no signs for concern. Green coded factories are audited every year in order to ensure that they stay up to scratch. Arcadia Group is involved in a number of programmes and initiatives that aim for better sustainability and fair working conditions. They have signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which means they have to meet a number of regulations when using suppliers such as establishing a framework for governance within the factory and appointing an independent qualified safety inspector. They also support the Benefits for Business and Workers project, which aims to improve workers’ lives by demonstrating how better business practices can lead to better business overall. The Joint Turkey Project is a programme by Topshop and Topman to improve conditions in factories by empowering the factory owners, the managers and the workers to create a fair working environment. They have also joined the initiative ACT (Action, Collaboration, Transformation), which aims to address the issue of a living wage for garment workers. Only a small percentage of the factories Arcadia’s suppliers use are known to have a trade union presence, so Arcadia Group drafted the ‘Right To Organise’ document, which they have sent to many factories with the request that it is posted on notice boards and handed out to workers. When visiting these factories the group ask to see the document and ask workers there is they have seen it to ensure that the guarantee of freedom of association is being passed on to staff. Arcadia Group are keen to stress that they are doing everything they can to ensure fair conditions for its workers around the world, which they do by detailing the many programmes for better rights in which they are involved. It seems they are being as transparent as possible about their supply chain. However, many of the schemes they are a part of have the backing of most major retailers, yet poor conditions still exist for garment workers across the globe. It is possible that a lot of these schemes are not actually that affective in practice, but rather useful to companies like Arcadia who can say they are taking part in them.

Arcadiagroup.co.uk, (2016). Ethical Trading / Arcadia Group. [online] Available at: https://www.arcadiagroup.co.uk/fashionfootprint/our-products/Ethical%20Trading [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016].

Task 16: Sourcing Decisions – Trade Shows Trade shows are a huge part of the sourcing process, but the kind of trade show that a buyer will visit depends heavily on what the buyer is looking to purchase. There are 3 main kinds of trade show: yarn, textile and branded. I will discuss each type of trade show and evaluate what kind of show would be most suited to the men’s, women’s and children’s collections I will be purchasing for Resurrection. Yarn Yarn trade shows specialise in yarn and knitwear. Exhibitors at these shows will either be companies that produce yarns made from various fibres, or companies that produce ready-to-wear knitwear. Yarn trade shows give buyers a chance to see new developments in yarn production, such as new blends or recycled fibres. There are often also seminars and lectures about new methods of production, as well as trends in colour and style. Trade shows specialising in yarn include Pitti Immagine Filati, Istanbul Yarn Fair, and Yarn Expo. Fairs such as these will be useful to me if I want to include any knitwear within my ranges, which is very possible as they will be for Autumn/Winter. Textile Textile trade shows are useful for own-label buyers and designers. Companies that produce fabric are able to exhibit their work and meet buyers who would potentially be interested in purchasing fabric from them, and buyers and designers can find new fabrics and collect samples for their ranges. Designers will also be able to show off their ranges for buyers to see. These trade shows are extremely useful for networking, and buyers, designers and suppliers are able to make new business links. Textile trade shows will be particularly useful to me as I will be creating a new range, and will want to see what kinds of fabrics are available, and what can be done with them. These shows also offer news on the latest trends and production developments, which will help me when creating my range. I want to buy in a range made from sustainable fabrics, and textile trade shows will enable me to find companies specialising in eco-friendly fabrics and methods of production, so they will be very useful. Textile trade shows include Premiere Vision, The London Textile Fair, and Texfusion. Branded Branded trade shows are where buyers can see ready-to-wear ranges from hundreds of companies, from big international brands such as Adidas to lesser-known, emerging brands. Buyers, brands and suppliers are able to make new contacts and see what colours and styles will be trending in the coming months. It is also an opportunity for buyers to discover new brands to stock in their stores. Branded shows include Seek, Magic and Pure London.

Yarn Pitti Immagine Filati “Pitti Filati presents world-scale excellence in yarns to its audience of international buyers and designers from the biggest names in fashion who come to Florence looking for creative inspiration, in a unique atmosphere that makes doing business a pleasure, offering a new, original entertaining take on the many ways that fashion, art, sport and design come together.”

Istanbul Yarn Fair “Istanbul Yarn Fair, which has become very successful and the world’s most comprehensive yarn fair, gathers participants and visitors from more than 70 countries, and has become the sales and marketing platform steering the global yarn commerce. The fair, which is the most important commercial gathering of the international yarn industry, stands out as an opportunity not to be missed for yarn companies that want to access new markets.”

Frankfurt, M. (2016). Welcome to Yarn Expo Spring. [online] Yarn-expospring.hk.messefrankfurt.com. Available at: http://yarn-expospring.hk.messefrankfurt.com/shanghai/en/visitors/welcome.html [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016]. Istanbulyarnfair.com, (2016). YARN FAIR. [online] Available at: http://www.istanbulyarnfair.com/index.php?main=hakkinda [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016]. Pittimmagine.com, (2016). Pitti Filati - Pitti Immagine. [online] Available at: http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/corporate/fairs/filati/sections/Pitti-Filati.html [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016].

Yarn Expo “Yarn Expo is a leading sourcing platform to both exhibitors and visitors. Suppliers from Asian and European countries showcase their latest collection of natural and blended yarns including cotton, wool, flax / regenerated flax, and man-made fibres and yarns, as well as specialty products including elastic, fancy and blended yarns. The show is also an ideal opportunity for overseas buyers to gain access to some of the leading domestic suppliers in the industry. With both spring and autumn editions in Shanghai, the show provides an excellent opportunity for overseas suppliers to build stronger relationships in the region and increase their presence in the market.”

Textile Premiere Vision “Twice a year, Paris welcomes Première Vision Fabrics (formerly Première Vision), the world’s premier fabric show, which offers up the season’s fashion directions some 18 months in advance. This hub of meetings and inspiration is both a unique place to do business and a trend laboratory.”

The London Textile Fair, (2016). The Biggest Textile Fair in London - The London Textile Fair. [online] Available at: http://thelondontextilefair.co.uk/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016]. Première Vision Paris, (2014). Introduction | Fabrics | Première Vision Paris. [online] Available at: http://www.premierevision.com/presentation/theshows/fabrics/fabrics-introduction/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016]. Texfusion, (2016). About - Texfusion. [online] Available at: http://texfusion.co.uk/about/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016].

The London Textile Fair “TLTF offers buyers, distributors, and designers the opportunity to view a large range of textiles from the most prestigious textile mills in Europe – all under one roof! Showing at The Business Design Centre, Islington. TLTF attracts designers, buyers and product developers who come not only to maintain existing relationships but work also to source and develop new and exciting products. Being in London, not only is the fair extremely convenient for all our customers but it provides a fantastic opportunity to find inspirational, relevant and directional collections.”

Texfusion “TLTF has become the leading UK industry trade show, however as it is dedicated to European manufacturers we have explicitly been asked by UK buyers and store chain representatives to create a show dedicated to Asian manufacturers. From here the idea of Texfusion, the first trade show completely dedicated to Asian fashion textile manufacturers in the UK.”

Branded Seek “Seek is Berlin’s most progressive contemporary trade show and presents more than 200 brands across the segments of modern menswear, new classics, upper streetwear, selected womenswear, authentic designer collections and lifestyle products… Seek’s aim is to both inspire and to be inspired. Our exhibiting brands showcase a mixture of new attitudes and old traditions – but are always committed to authentic products in high quality, produced independently.”

Magiconline.com, (2016). Home | MAGIC. [online] Available at: http://www.magiconline.com/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2016]. Purelondon.com, (2016). Pure London 2016 - Over 11,000 Global Fashion Buyers.. [online] Available at: http://www.purelondon.com/page.cfm/Link=267/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc &utm_campaign=Pure_16_Visprom_EN&utm_term=pure%20london&gclid=CJbBtPWazMo CFUieGwodKTcD-w [Accessed 28 Jan. 2016]. Seekexhibitions.com, (2016). Seek Home. [online] Available at: http://www.seekexhibitions.com/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2016].

Magic “MAGIC is the world's largest fashion marketplace, comprised of eleven unique communities showcasing the latest in apparel, footwear, accessories, and manufacturing. Every February and August the retail industry convenes in Las Vegas to spot and shop the latest trends in men’s, women’s, juniors' and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and resources.”

Pure London “Pure London is the UK's most dynamic fashion & footwear gathering where over 700 brands, emerging designers & market-leading labels meet… Pure London the trend inspired London fashion tradeshow provides you with content-rich insights, buying connections and empowers you 365 days of the year to achieve sustainable business growth. We’re a transactional show, not just a PR showcase, you can discover the products you want and order them at the show.”

Sourcing Decisions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trade Shows For the purposes of building my ranges, I will need to visit both yarn and textiles trade shows, as I have decided to do an in-house range for menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and childrenswear. Textiles fairs will be of most use to me as I will be able to see a range of fabrics, what colours and styles are on trend, meet potential new designers and suppliers, and learn new methods of production, all of which are essential to creating a successful range. I will also want to visit yarn trade shows as I would like to include knitwear in my childrenswear and womenswear ranges. I want the ranges to be ethically manufactured, so I will look for suppliers of sustainable fabrics and ethical production processes. As there are exhibitors from all over the world at these trade shows, I would be able to set up links with suppliers and manufacturers from across the globe. Sourcing things like cotton is going to involve business with suppliers in places like India or Syria. At textiles and yarn fairs I would look for suppliers that have a good sustainability record, and would be keen to look for Fair Trade approved companies.

New York Fashion Week “MY PERSONAL FAVORITE ASPECT OF NEW YORK FASHION WEEK IS ITS EVERGROWING INFLUX OF EMERGING DESIGNERS, GIVING THE CITY A FRESH AND YOUTHFUL AIR. NEW YORK WELCOMES NEW TALENT SO MUCH SO THAT THESE UP-AND-COMING DESIGNERS ARE GIVEN THEIR OWN SPOTLIGHT AND EXCLUSIVITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BIG-NAME DESIGNERS.” - Pujah Shah, U.S. communications manager for Stylight. New York Fashion Week does not have the prestigious history of Milan or Paris, but it is a dominant city now in terms of fashion. It kicks off each season with a bang, with predominantly clean, sports inspired garments. The style of NYFW is always pushing towards the new, and emerging designers are often given the spotlight here, meaning that the collections on show are constantly fresh and rejuvenated.

Fashion Week Online, (2015). Fashion Week Face-Off: NYC, LONDON, MILAN, PARIS | Fashion Week Online. [online] Available at: http://fashionweekonline.com/fashion-week-face-off-nyc-londonmilan-paris [Accessed 28 Jan. 2016].

London Fashion Week “IF LONDON’S STYLE HAD A PERSONALITY IT WOULD BE AN AB FAB PATSY AND EDWINA HYBRID. WHICH TRANSLATES TO THE RUNWAY WITH THE OUTRAGEOUS ATTITUDE AND HECTICNESS OF LONDON FASHION WEEK.” - Clara Paget, British model and actress. London Fashion Week is a hive for creativity. With a rich history of varied subcultures, and two outstanding fashion schools, the city showcases a multitude of styles that are individual and often risqué. Young designers are given the chance to shine and push boundaries, “often disregarding commercial viability in favour of aesthetic vision and innovation” (Fashion Week Online, 2015).

Milan Fashion Week “ LOVE ITALY AND I WILL ALWAYS DEFEND MILAN FASHION WEEK. THIS FASHION WEEK IS UNFAIRLY DISPARAGED EVERY WHICH WAY, WHEN IT SHOULD BE ROUNDLY PRAISED FOR ITS RANGE OF DESIGNERS FROM MOSCHINO TO PRADA. OH, AND THE COFFEE IS BRILLIANT. CAFFÈ DOPPIO, PER FAVORE!” - Damien Neva, director of social media for Next Models. Milan Fashion Week has gained a bit of a bad reputation in recent years for not pushing the boundaries and remaining, in some people’s eyes, too commercial. It does however boast a rich tradition of craftsmanship, and is home to many top brands such as Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana. Catering to a wide variety of people, and aiming to please everyone, it can perhaps be forgiven for its apparent lack of risk-taking. Italy has an deep-seated association with fashion, which is reflected in the glossy and chic atmosphere of MFW.

Paris Fashion Week “ALL THE WEEKS ARE BUT TIME TRIALS FOR PARIS, THE GRANDDADDY OF THEM ALL. EVERY DAY SERVES UP A HANDFUL OF SHOWS FROM TOP HOUSES THAT ARE SIMPLY UNMISSABLE. THE MIND BOGGLES. ALL TOLD, THE READY-TO-WEAR SEASON IS A MARATHON IN WHICH THE STARS OF TOMORROW ARE BORN.” Damien Neva, director of social media for Next Models. Paris is arguably the fashion capital of the world, and at Paris Fashion Week we see a mix of all the aspects that make each fashion week stand out. There is creativity, energy and glamour in every corner. However, the prestige that PFW holds makes it a little more difficult for emerging designers to make their mark, as established labels dominate the catwalks.

Why are fashion weeks important? Fashion weeks are important for a number of reasons. Firstly, they are an opportunity for designers to showcase their work and advertise their new collections. This can be especially important for up and coming designers as it presents them with an opportunity to create a buzz around their collections, which can potentially see them featured in world-famous magazines and on television channels around the globe. For many designers, fashion weeks can really jumpstart their careers. They are also one of the first port of calls to see what the future trends will be. Collections on show at fashion weeks often feature exaggerated trends that will then be filtered down into the high street, so by following these fashion weeks people are able to potentially pick up on trends before they hit stores. This is also highly useful for fashion buyers, as they can identify future trends to include in the ranges that they buy. Fashion editors will also use these shows to pick up on trends and inform their readers of next seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest looks. It is not just the runways that are important during fashion week. The people in attendance also have a huge influence on future trends, from the celebrities sitting on the front row to the people making up the crowds outside. Photographers and fashion bloggers will be out in their droves, snapping photos of anyone that stands out to them. Street style then becomes arguably as important as the collections on the runway, and the clothes worn by celebrities during these shows can also kick-start trends as easily as the clothes on the catwalk. The growth of globalization and media has also meant that these shows are more accessible than ever, presenting to the big name designers the opportunity to connect with the general public. Fashion weeks are then really an opportunity for fashion followers to get involved and become as immersed in the buzz surrounding the shows as the elite names attending them.

Task 17

1. £99 Wool Blend Parka: Outer 70% Nylon 20% Wool 10% Acrylic, Lining 100% Cotton

Mens

2. £60 Striped Print Hoodie: 100% Cotton 3. £60 Quilted Gilet: Outer 100% Nylon, Lining 100% Cotton

4. £22 Art Wars Longline T-Shirt: 100% Cotton

4 13

5. £22 Kermit Longline T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 6. £20 Dexter V. Napoleon T-Shirt: 100% Cotton

12 9 5

7. £20 Jacobean Ghostbusters T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 8. £20 Sharp Dressed Skeletor T-Shirt: 100% Cotton

9. £35 Quilted Jogger: 98% Cotton, 2% Elastane

10. £65 Patchwork Jeans: 100% Cotton 11. £50 Slouch Denim Jeans: 95% Cotton, 5% Elastane

12. £40 High Tops: 90% Acrylic 10% Cotton 13. £15 Faux Fur Trapper Hat: 90% Cotton 10% Acrylic

6 3

Menswear Analysis My menswear range for Resurrection is an in-house designer range that I feel will sit well with the menswear collections already on sale in the store. My target customer is a male aged 18-35, whom has an active interest in pop culture. The concept behind the range is the combination of popular culture and high culture, particularly classical art. It is influenced by the WGSN megatrend ‘Remaster’ in a number of ways, through the colour scheme, the fabrics and the styles, and the concept shows through in the range itself quite strongly. Popular culture and classical art are brought together in a number of ways, through reimagining fictional characters in a classical style, placing fictional characters in a classical image or vice versa, and adding historical accessories to popular characters. The t-shirts and hoodies that bear these mash-ups are integral to the range, with the other pieces designed to compliment them and to allow the consumer to purchase their whole outfit from within this collection. Key fabrics for this range are cotton and quilting. The widespread use of cotton is important because I want this range to be as ethically and environmentally sound as possible, so have tried to avoid using a lot of man-made fabrics. The quilting comes from the ‘Remaster’ megatrend to create a feeling of comfort and protection. The duvet-like quality of quilting also suits the oversized and slouch-fit shapes that I have taken directly from the trends on the catwalk for Autumn/Winter 16/17. There was also a trend in graphic prints, which suits my collection well as it is a print-based range. I feel it will be very popular therefore when it is launched. The colours are earthy and subdued; suitable for A/W and strongly linked to the concept. I plan on sourcing the range from within Europe. The cotton t-shirts and hoodies will be manufactured and printed in the UK, hopefully by a local company. All the other items will be manufactured in Turkey, which is also the place where I will source the fabric. This will mean that I only have to have items delivered from within the EU, which will be much quicker and much less expensive than shipping from the Far East. As the shipping times will be reduced, this will give me more time during the planning stages of the critical path, so more time can be spent on design or sourcing. The cheapest item in the range is the Trapper Hat, priced at £15, whereas the most expensive item is the Parka, priced at £99. I feel that this is a good price range that my target customer will be happy with, especially since it is less expensive than many of the branded items that the Resurrection currently stocks. This range really put my skills with Photoshop to the test, as the prints involved a lot of manipulation. I am very pleased with how they have turned out, however, and would like to do more work involving graphics in the future.

Task 17 Womens

1. £75 Velvet Trim Tweed Coat: Outer 80% Wool 20% Cotton, Lining 100% Cotton 2. £90 Velvet Statement Coat: Outer 100% Cotton, Lining 100% Cotton 3. £25 Wool Blend Cardigan: 60% Cotton, 40% Wool

4. £50 Pre-Raphaelite Print Dress: 50% Cotton, 50% Polyester

5. £55 Scenic Print Dress: 60% Polyester, 40% Cotton

6. £40 Belted Jersey Dress: 98% Cotton, 2% Elastane

7. £20 Fitted Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton

6 8

8. £18 Off-Shoulder Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 9. £30 Character Print Sweatshirt: 100% Cotton 10. £25 Wool Blend Skirt: 80% Cotton, 20% Wool 11. £35 Velvet Skirt: 100% Cotton 12. £30 Wool Blend Split Skirt: 80% Cotton, 20% Wool 13. £20 Knitted Scarf: 100% Wool

Womenswear Analysis My womenswear range for Resurrection is also an in-house designer range. My target customer is a female aged 18-35, whom has an interest in fashion and also in popular culture such as TV and music. The concept behind the range is much the same as that of the menswear range: the combination of popular culture and high culture. The colour scheme, the fabrics and indeed the concept are all influenced by the ‘Remaster’ megatrend from WGSN. The prints on the t-shirts and sweatshirt once again bring pop culture and classical art together with a series of amusing graphics that combine the two forms of culture. The maxi dresses simply bear prints from classical images, which once again ties in strongly with the concept behind the collection. The tops are designed to be worn with other items from the range to create a casual but feminine look, with the comical, almost sporty style of the tops juxtaposed to the traditional feel of the long flowing skirts. Stand out pieces from this range are the graphic print dresses and the statement coats, while the printed tops offer the same amusing and nostalgic choice for women as for men. Key fabrics for this range are wool and velvet, which ties in deeply with the concept and is also extremely suited to the colder temperatures of the season. Again I have tried to use as little man-made fabric as possible in order to minimise the effects on the environment. I have also certainly followed a few trends with this range, mainly that of the fabric; velvet and knitwear both being hugely popular on the catwalk for this season. There was also a trend in lengthy silhouettes, which I have adhered to in this range with the use of maxi skirts and dresses. The colours are rich and earthy, and harken once again to the original concept. As with the menswear range, I plan on sourcing the range from within Europe. The printed cotton tops will be manufactured in the UK with the men’s t-shirts and hoodies, and the knitwear will also be manufactured in the north of the UK as this was once considered a textiles powerhouse. The more complex printing, such as the largescale prints of the maxi dresses, will be done in Italy, and then all the items bar those being made in the UK will be completed in Turkey. Once again I will be sourcing everything from within the EU, which will reduce my shipping costs and lead times. As the shipping times will be reduced, this will give me more time during the planning stages of the critical path, so more time can be spent on design or sourcing. The cheapest item in the range is the Off-Shoulder Print T-shirt, priced at £18, whereas the most expensive item is the Velvet Statement Coat, priced at £90. I think this is a fairly average price range for womenswear on the high street, and particularly good value for an ethically manufactured range. It adds more choice to the currently lacking womenswear department in Resurrection, and also brings the womenswear department more in line with the menswear department, so they look like they belong to the same store. This range also required me to work heavily with Photoshop. I am very pleased with the results and feel that the graphics work wonderfully with the CADS.

1. £30 Quilted Gilet: Outer 100% Nylon, Lining 100% Cotton

Task 17

2. £30 Longline Hooded Jacket: 100% Cotton Jersey

Junior

3. £40 Faux Fur Trim Water Resistant Parka: Outer 95% Nylon, 5% Acrylic, Lining 100% Cotton 4. £45 Faux Leather/Shearling Jacket: Outer 80% Polyurethane, 20% Wool, Lining 60% Cotton, 40% Wool

5. £20 Longline Fleece Jumper: 80% Polyester, 20% Cotton

6. £25 Wool Blend Knitted Jumper: 90% Cotton, 10% Wool

4 7

7. £15 Castle#1 Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 8. £15 Dragon Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 9. £20 Cropped Knitted Jumper: 100% Cotton 10. £15 Castle#2 Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 11. £15 Mona Lego Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton

16 5

12. £15 Homer Print T-Shirt: 100% Cotton 13. £18 Quilted Jogger: 95% Cotton, 5% Elastane 14. £22 Denim Jeans: 98% Cotton, 2% Elastane 15. £7 Bobble Hat: 90% Cotton, 10% Wool 16. £10 Trapper Hat: 90% Nylon, 10% Acrylic

15 3

18. £10 Faux Fur Trim Snood: 90% Cotton, 10% Acrylic

6 9

17. £18 Velcro-Fasten High Tops: 90% Acrylic, 10% Cotton

19. £8 Wool Blend Scarf: 60% Cotton, 40% Wool

Childrenswear Analysis As Resurrection do not currently stock children’s clothing, I have done an in-house designer range based on those of the adult ranges. I have decided to create a sort of ‘mini-me’ range based on the trend seen on the catwalk. The clothes will be aimed at children aged 4-11 years, both male and female. Sticking with the ‘Remaster’ theme, I have interpreted the focus on classical art more as medieval fantasy, to keep the range more in line with children’s interests. I have included a couple of pop/high culture mash-ups however to give the range that mini-me feel and continue that comical element across all three ranges. The medieval fantasy element of the range shows through in the dragon and castle prints, and also in the protective elements of the clothing such as the quilted fabrics, warm knitwear and tough outerwear. The quilted fabrics and knitwear are key to this range and are designed to keep children safe and comfortable. I have also included faux leather and fur to continue the hard-wearing trend that is seen in the collections on the catwalk. There is wider use of man-made fabrics in this range due to the need for childrenswear to be more durable, as it is likely to go through a lot of wear and tear. The colour palette for this range resemble that of the menswear and womenswear ranges with it’s earthy greens and dark reds, but it also has some brighter shades of pink and blue to make the garments more appealing to children. Key pieces are the t-shirts and the knitwear. As the range is unisex I have tried to keep the style relatively genderless, although it may look more like a boys’ range. This is because I feel that young girls are generally happy to wear jeans and tshirts, whereas young boys may be more fussy about wearing traditionally more girly styles, which is why I have used only a minimal amount of pink in the range. For this range I will source the knitwear and the t-shirts from within the UK, and the rest will come from Turkey, so the shipping times will be no longer than those of the adult ranges, and once again there will be more time available during the planning stages. The cheapest item in the range is the Bobble Hat, priced at £7, whereas the most expensive item is the Faux Leather Jacket, priced at £45. I think this is a good competitive price for fashionable, well-made children’s clothing. The knitwear in this range required a lot of work on Photoshop but I think the time spent has paid off, and the full prints on the t-shirts look very effective. I think overall the concept for this range shows through strongly, and it works well both as a ‘mini-me’ range and a children’s range in its own right.

Task 18: The Buying Cycle The ranges will go on sale for 16 weeks. During this time the buyer will work with the merchandiser to monitor what items are selling well, and what items are less successful. For those that are not selling well, the buyer may work with the VM team in order to try and drive sales towards those items. If this is unsuccessful then the buyer and merchandiser may choose to cut the price of these items. It is also important that the buyer maintains regular contact with the supplier so that they can effectively keep track of their orders. Production must be completed in time for shipping, and then the buyer must ensure that each stage of the shipping process runs smoothly so that one stage does not impact negatively on the next stage, as deadlines must be adhered to before the launch date of the range. Before ordering their ranges in bulk, the buyer will order samples to ensure that the fabric and the colours are 100% correct. When ordering dye samples, 4 or 5 samples may be sent before the correct shade is found, so the buyer needs to ensure that there is enough time for this before the final order needs to go into production.

The buyer and merchandiser for Resurrection will need to review the sales figures for the last season in order to see what has and has not sold well. By doing this they will be able to see what has been popular and predict what will be popular during the next season. This will also determine the budget that the buyer has to work with for the next range.

The budget will be split into two main parts, each to cover half of the year. Some will be left aside however to allow to other stock to be quickly bought in at various stages in the year, to meet demands in trend, for example. As I am buying in 3 ranges, I will need to decide whether the budget should be split evenly between them, or if more will be given to one range over the other. At this stage, the buyer would need to visit a number of suppliers to discuss what can be offered in terms of quantity and methods. This may involve travelling around the world, and the buyer will need to ensure that the suppliers they choose to go with a meeting health and safety laws, as well as complying with laws regarding workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights.

The buyer will need to negotiate the cost price of fabrics and garments with the suppliers, in order to get the best price possible, as this will have an impact on the RRP. It is important that buyers visit their supplier in person and maintain regular communication with them in order that they will have a good working relationship, which should hopefully work to their advantage when negotiating costs.

The buyer will need to be aware of current and future trends, and will need to work with the designer in order to create a range that will appeal to their customers and that can compete with other stores in terms of what is on trend.

Task 19: Industry Professional Practices and Procedures The company will need a revised business plan outlining targets, projections, short, mid and long term aims. This is an organisational requirement that will take place in head office. By having targets to work towards, the staff have a structure which allows them to manage their time more effectively and ensure that the whole process of buying and selling runs smoothly. Projections will help the company assess whether or not a range is worth the time and the money put into it, and looking at previous bestsellers can help the company predict what items will be future bestsellers, which allows them to effectively manage the quantities of stock that they order. Projections will also help the company to match the range to their customer profile, and to market the range to their customer in an appropriate way. Marketing strategies and sales reviews would come under short and mid term goals, but by having long term goals as well, such as the intention to expand on a global scale, the company secures its future, which gives the company more stability. Not only are business plans of great importance to the company, but they also effect the consumer by ensuring that products are available at the right time and there is no shortage of stock. The business plan also effects the RRP, as a more well organised company will likely be able to offer their customers the best price. Long term aims such as expansion also mean that the company is able to reach out to more consumers, which then effects consumers around the world. The company will require staff who have the correct skills and abilities to fulfil the job role. Having suitable staff is another organisational requirement. By having staff with the correct skills and abilities the company is able to offer is customers the best service possible. This gives the company a better reputation among consumers and, as a result, maximises profit. It is important to have good staff both in head office, where all the planning is conducted, and on the shop floor, where staff come face to face with the customers. Having staff with the correct skills and abilities on the shop floor means that they are able to approach customers and often build a rapport with them, informing them about the products and answering any questions that they may have, which is often followed through with transactions. Without capable staff, the company would suffer. Stages of planning an production would take longer, more mistakes would be made, and on the shop floor customers would pick up a very unprofessional vibe that would reflect poorly on the company, leading to a loss in sales. There is an internal personnel policy put in place (recruitment, introduction, training). It is important that all staff are given the correct training and information, from store layout and safety regulations, to concepts behind the ranges and aspects such as styling. The more informed a member of staff is, the more they are able to help the customer, and a member of staff who is able to tell the customer all about their products comes across as much more professional, which improves the image of the company. If a member of staff on the shop floor is also well informed about the ranges which their store stock, as well as decisions made in head office, then they will be able to guide customers towards stock which the company is eager to sell. This is an organisational requirement, and the level of training that shop floor staff are given often depends on the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget. In some instances staff will be given minimal training (often when stores are hiring staff simply to keep the numbers up), whereas in some retailers staff will be encouraged to learn about all aspects of the business, with the aim to develop their role within the company.

The company will need to ensure it can meet production goals and health and safety requirements. This is both an organisational and a production requirement, as it applies both to the company and to the suppliers and manufacturers with which the company works. The suppliers and manufacturers need to be able to meet production goals because if they don’t then the company will be short of stock to sell, which will mean that they incur a loss financially. If production is delayed for any reason it also means that the company’s business plan and marketing strategies are out of sync. It is important that the company communicates regularly with its suppliers so that such a situation does not occur, and that they have measures in place which will soften the blow if such an event does happen. It is also hugely important that the correct health and safety requirements are met, both for the workers and for the company as a whole. If these requirements are not met, and something happens, such as the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013, the company will be met with extremely bad press. This can then affect the company’s reputation, and may prompt consumers to shop elsewhere, driving sales away from the company and into the hands of its competitors. As well as a loss of customers, the company would also be likely to incur a financial penalty, as they would be liable for any damage caused to the environment or to workers’ health. Health and safety requirements also serve to protect consumers as well as staff. The company will need to ensure, for instance, that no harmful chemicals used in the manufacturing process pose a risk to customers who then buy those garments. Customer safety is especially important with childrenswear, as even components such as buttons could pose a risk to a child’s health. During the production stage, every measure must be taken to ensure that the products are safe for children, for example, that no small parts could become a choking hazard. It is therefore essential that the company meets health and safety requirements in order to avoid what could potentially be a very damaging to situation to both the workers and the company’s reputation. The company will need a fully developed marketing plan. This is an organisational requirement, as the company will need to ensure that they promote their range to the right customer. The buyer must make sure that the range fits the customer profile, as well as the brand itself, otherwise it will look out of place in store and will not appeal to customers that see it, which will mean it gets disregarded by customers and the company then faces a loss. If the company markets the range effectively then they can drive sales by making it really appeal to the right customers. There will be lots of things to consider when coming up with a marketing plan, such as what platforms will be used (such as TV, billboards or social media), who will be used in the campaign (models or a celebrity endorsement for instance), as well as the legalities involved in marketing. The company will need to ensure that whomever they choose to be the face of the brand is an appropriate choice. If they go with a celebrity they risk immediately alienating a portion of consumers who dislike that celebrity. They should also be aware of any cultural issues that may arise from using certain models or by editing models’ appearances on Photoshop to make them fit in with the brand more. Using all white models for an African inspired collection may cause public outrage, for example. The platforms on which companies can advertise are now so many that companies are spoilt for choice. However, the company will need to choose a platform that will address their target market, therefore they will need to know their customer in order to assess how to best reach them through their marketing campaign. This may also affect when they will need to advertise, for instance, what time should they air their television adverts? They will need to find out what time the majority of their customers would be tuning into their televisions in order to reach the largest amount. The company will also need to consider whether they want their marketing campaign to be suitable for all ages, or if they want to go with something that will be met with certain restrictions, such as the watershed for television adverts. How a range is advertised will affect how the customer views it. If it is advertised poorly or inappropriately, then it may give the customer the wrong impression. If it is advertised effectively, however, then it could boost sales and promote brand loyalty.

The company will need equipped offices or premises in the correct locations. This requirement applies to both the organisation and the production process, as it affects all aspects of the business. In terms of head office, the company will need to be fully equipped with the necessary goods, such as Photoshop, fabric archives and trend forecasting tools for the buying department. Staff in any part of the company will need the correct technology and resources to do their job effectively. Suppliers, manufacturers and distributers will often be located in places that incur less cost for the company, such as places that do not require tax to be paid or places where the labour is significantly cheaper. The location of stores is also crucial to the success of the company, as it needs to be able to reach the correct demographic. Resurrection, for instance, is suitably located on Bold Street, where there is a high number of students and the stores located nearby are of a similar price range. It would be less suited to somewhere like Liverpool One, next to Radley and Harvey Nichols, as these stores attract a completely different demographic. Therefore, the location of a store can greatly affect the number of sales that it makes, and the company must be aware of the kind of environment in which they place a store to ensure that they are reaching the correct demographic. The company will need experienced and reliable distributors. It is important to the company that they have reliable distributors in order that their stores get their stock on time, so that they are not left lacking and also so that they do not miss out on fast-moving trends. They also need their distributors to be reliable to that they are not missing anything that they need for launch events. Timely deliveries are also essential during the production stage, as one late delivery could delay the whole production process. Companies will often look for experienced distributors as this suggests that they will be more reliable. If for any reason a store is unable to receive their stock on the allocated date, then this affects the consumer as well as the company, and may well prompt the consumer to look elsewhere, especially if they are looking for something that is on trend at that time. It is doubly important to the customer that the company has reliable distributors if that customer has ordered something online to be delivered to them or to a store, as they will have already paid for the product, and will therefore want it as soon as possible. There is clarity about finances (accounting, policy, merchandising and sales reports). This is an organisational requirement, and is essential to the company in order for them to effectively manage their budgets and keep their shareholders happy. Finances are particularly important to the merchandising department, as they are the ones that plan the budgets and allocate stock, which they would be unable to do effectively if there was any uncertainty about the amount of money they had to work with. Merchandisers also need to have a clear idea of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intake in order to better judge how to divide the budget and allocate stock, which they can get from reviewing sales reports. These figures also need to be effectively communicated to the accounting department, so that the correct profits are declared and the right amount of tax is paid, as the consequences for companies not paying enough tax can be huge. There is a communication system â&#x20AC;&#x201C; For example, varied language speaking buyers, skype, telephones and email. This is an organisational requirement and a requirement of the production process, as communication is key throughout all areas of the business. It is vital that buyers are able to communicate with suppliers, not only for basic contact but also so they can build and maintain useful relationships with them. Often suppliers will be based abroad, so buyers that can speak multiple languages are very useful, but translators can also be brought in to help with communication. If there is not an effective communication system in place between the buyers and the suppliers, then any problems that occur may go undetected for some time, leading to huge problems with deadlines and deliveries. Technology is also vital to effective communication, with telephones, email and Skype all being particularly useful when communicating with suppliers. These methods of communication also apply within the company as well, with head office needing to be able to communicate with each store, so that each storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress can be mapped by head office, and any problems can be swiftly resolved. Head office can then also communicate to store managers various campaigns and instructions for the staff in store to then carry out. Communication is also vital to the company/consumer relationship. A company needs to know what its customer wants, and it can gather this information through desk research (such as using social media sites) and field research (such as surveys). For companies that ship worldwide, they will also need to ensure that they have customer service teams that can speak with customers in various countries and languages.

There should be a clear decision-making structure within the company’s business plan. This is also an organisational requirement. It must be clear within the company who has the right to make decisions about the company, and with whom the final word rests. Most major decisions about the company will be discussed at board meetings, where company directors will discuss issues with the various heads of department and often most of the buying team. Company policies must be made clear to all staff in order that all the staff are able to make informed decisions, such as a store manager’s decision whether or not to accept a return. If a member of staff’s decision is overturned by someone higher up in the company, however, then that member of staff must abide by the head office instruction rather than their own decision. Company policies will affect a customer’s rights, and should be made available to the customer before they purchase from that company. The hierarchical structure of the company, however, means that if a customer disagrees with a decision made by a store manager, then they can contact head office about that decision. Managerial roles within the organisation should be clear. For example, there are clear moments of evaluation of coordination/leadership. Staff throughout the company need to have a clear idea of whom to go to for help or advice. There is a clear hierarchy within the company so that decisions or not left to inexperienced members of staff, and often managers are the first port of call for relaying information from one department to another. For example, head office instructions will be relayed to shop floor staff via the store manager, and within head office, heads of department will discuss decisions before relaying the information to the rest of their staff. It is important that the different departments coordinate with one another in order that there are no discrepancies within the company. Clear managerial roles are an organisational requirement, but are also necessary in the production part of the business as well. Often these roles can be open to abuse in the supply chain, so it is important that regular checks of factories are carried out and that the people doing those checks actually talk to the workers in those factories. If there is any uncertainty within the organisation about managerial roles then this could lead to inconsistencies across different stores in things such as customer policy, which would reflect poorly on the company and also mean that the customer is uncertain of the store’s actual policies, and may lead them to shop elsewhere. Fabric testing should be carried out before production. It is hugely important that fabric testing is carried out before production, for health and safety reasons as well as quality reasons. This is a requirement of production. Fabric needs to be tested for quality before production to see whether or not it is fit for purpose. If the fabric is not tested, and then a range is produced with a poor quality material, the company may face a high volume of returns on that range, which would mean a financial loss for them. It is also needs to be tested so that the correct information can be given on the care label. Fabric testing is as much an issue of health and safety as it is about quality control. If a fabric is not tested, and it is later found out to be irritable to the skin, then not only could the company face a large volume or returns, but they could also incur financial penalties from customers who have been affected. If a customer was to get a reaction from one of the company’s products, then it could lead to a lot of bad press for the company, and customers may choose to shop elsewhere, for fear of getting products that are harmful to their health. If the fabric is simply poor quality, this could also drive sales away from the store, as it would gain a bad reputation for selling inferior goods.

All sample garment development is carried out in a centralised product development centre and dedicated sample room. It is an important requirement of the production process that prototypes are made before bulk orders are made. Producing a sample garment allows the buyer to see the finished product before they order any large quantities of it, so they have a chance to check the look, feel and quality of the garment before they commit to buying any more. It is important that these samples are all produced in one centralised area so that the quality is consistent, and the buyer can be sure that they have been produced in exactly the same way every time. If samples are produced in two centres, then there will likely be discrepancies, and if something is produced that is not quite right, it may cause the buyer to put a halt to production, or it may even lead to whole orders being manufactured incorrectly. Any delay in production would reflect badly on the company, as stores would be left lacking in stock, and if a whole order was manufactured incorrectly it could lead to a huge volume of returns or even a recall of stock, which would mean a big financial loss for the company. If the garment samples were not uniformly tested, and poor quality products were produced, then the customer would end up with poor quality garments, and would likely take their business elsewhere in future. Technical knowledge and international experience is essential. This is both an organisational and a production requirement. It is an organisational requirement because the company, particularly the buying department, needs to be aware of what is happening around the world, not only in terms of trend forecasting but also for sourcing and production. It is then also a requirement of the production process because buyers need to be able to contact and communicate with suppliers across the globe, and they need to be aware of any laws or any events in other parts of the world that will affect the buying process. When travelling abroad buyers will also need to be aware of local customs in order not to offend anyone with which they may be able to do business. Technical knowledge is also vital in the production process, for obvious reasons. A company needs experienced workers to make their products, and it also needs people with technical knowledge in their design and buying departments, so that they are aware of what can and cannot be done with certain products and fabrics etc. This affects the consumers because they are the ones who end up with the finished product. By having staff with technical knowledge in the company, the company can reduce any mistakes made with their products, whereas if the company continually make products with unsuitable fabric, for example, then customers are going to end up being unhappy with their purchases, which could lead to a high volume of returns and a poor company reputation.

Task 20: Lead Times and Shipping Costs The table to the left shows the number of 20ft hanging containers and BDCM boxes required to transport large quantities of stock. Using a guide for how many of each garment can be fitted into a container or into a box, I calculated how many containers or boxes I would need to transport each product, as well as the costs each container or box would incur.

The table shows that I have chosen to use a large number of boxes for some products, where the immediate choice might rather be a container. This is because in these cases using a large quantity of boxes still worked out cheaper than just one container. In some cases it was a relatively small saving, but in others it was quite substantial. The casual shirts, for example, were large enough in number that they would not seem out of place in a large container. However, by spreading them over 221 boxes instead, I have saved the company half the cost of a container. At the bottom of the table I have included the total number of products to be shipped, the total number of containers and boxes needed, and the total cost of everything combined. This allows the viewer to easily see how much everything comes to, and whether or not it is within budget.

Explain how lead times can impact the critical path. Lead times can differ from supplier to supplier, as they are dependent on a number of factors such as shipping distance, size of the factory and size of the order. A buyer will have to decide whether the lead time expressed by the supplier is suitable before confirming an order. If the supplier does not meet the deadline set then the whole critical path will be brought to a halt. This is why the buyer must assess any external factors in the PESTLE that may affect the lead times, such as poor weather conditions that may halt shipping. Explain and analyse how lead times can affect profits for a company. A company is likely to make more profit if their suppliers have shorter lead times. This would mean that there is more time for garment testing and sampling before the deadline date, when the range is due to launch. If a supplier has a longer lead time, and the company therefore has less time to spare for quality checks, then the company may find itself with a loss of profit if anything was to go wrong during the critical path.

Discuss in detail: Pre-processing, Processing and Post-processing lead times. Pre-processing refers to the stage of lead time in which the planning takes place. This includes aspects such as sampling different fabric dyes, negotiating prices, purchasing fabrics. For instance, the shade of a fabric is rarely correct on the first sample, and often samples will have to be ordered a number of times before the desired shade is found. Processing lead time is the time required to actually manufacture the products. This will include the dying, cutting and assembling of all the garments, as well as any finishing touches and trims required. Post-processing refers to the time required to get the products to the stores after they have been manufactured. This includes shipping times, any time that the delivery may spend in customs, and the time taken to dispatch all the stock to the warehouse and to the individual stores. What are the lead times usually from China and India? Shipping from China can take up to 12 weeks, and from India it usually takes up to 10 weeks. Transporting stock on large container ships is cost effective, as large bulk quantities can be shipped at one time, but it incurs costs such as port costs and duty taxes, which the buyer will need to include in their budget. How long can it take to ship stock from Europe by truck? The shipping time from Europe via truck is only 7-15 days, however the costs of manufacturing in Europe are far greater than in the Far East, so it is often more cost effective to have garments manufactured in India and China and pay the higher shipping costs. What form of shipping will you be using for your ranges and why? My ranges will be manufactured in the UK and in Europe, so I will only require shipping via truck. This is because I want to steer clear of using factories in the Far East that have poor human rights records, and I would also like to have as much as possible manufactured in the UK as this will also promote employment within the UK.

Discuss which countries specialise in particular fabircs and garment making. Which of these will you be sourcing from? How long will the lead time be? Buyers will often seek out suppliers in different countries that specialise in different fabrics and methods of production. Countries in the Far East often provide much cheaper labour, so companies often use these for the bulk of their stock. India is particularly well known for its expertise in embellishment, such as batik, tie-dye, beading and embroidery. Fabric-wise, it is a popular choice for buyers looking to purchase natural silk and cotton. China is also popular for silk garments and hand beading, but it is also more technologically advanced, and it therefore able to offer more support to those working in the design and quality assurance departments. Due to the fact that quality checks can be carried out in China, it is a popular choice for buyers looking to purchase completed garments. Bangladesh is a popular choice for buyers wanting treated garments. That includes processes such as sand blasting and stone washing, that are often used on cotton and denim. The processes by which the finished results are achieved, however, often lead to high levels of pollution in the local areas, as well as damage to the health of the people that work in these factories. These countries often have poor human rights records, with garment workers often earning less than the minimum wage, and living and working in poor conditions. For this reason I will be looking to Europe and the UK to manufacture my ranges. The UK has a well established wool trade and is therefore a popular choice for knitwear. It is also well known for tailoring. I plan on having the knitwear portion of my ranges manufactured in the UK, as well as all the cotton t-shirts, which will be screen-printed in the UK. Italy is also popular for knitwear, as well as printed fabrics. I will out-source the more complex fabric printing (i.e. the dresses) from Italy, so that only the t-shirts require printing in the UK. For finished garments I will look to Turkey, as the labour will be a little cheaper here, but as it is still in Europe the lead times and shipping costs will be less. I will also source my fabric from Turkey, as they are the 7th largest cotton producer in the world (Fashion Design Solutions, 2015), and having fabric sourced and made into garments in the same country will greatly reduce costs. Since Turkey is in the EU, there is also less worry around the state of conditions for workers, and while suppliers here will still be subject to regular checks, Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as a member of the European Union means that it is â&#x20AC;&#x153;able to easily adapt into European standards as they relate to product quality, environmental regulations and worker safetyâ&#x20AC;? (Fashion Design Solutions, 2015), which are all often areas of concern in non-EU countries such as China and Bangladesh. Since I am not sourcing from anywhere outside of Europe, I will be looking at a maximum lead time of about 2-3 weeks regarding shipping, and will be able to avoid the costs associated with importing goods by air or by sea.

Fashion Design Solutions, (2015). How Turkey is Using Apparel Sourcing to Clothe the World. [online] Available at: http://www.fashiondesignsolutions.com/how-turkey-is-using-apparel-sourcing-toclothe-the-world/ [Accessed 10 Feb. 2016].

Task 21: Critical Path PROCESS

LEAD TIME

PLANNING

23/11/15 4 weeks to review past sales figures and seasonal profit, and to agree on a budget for the A/W range. 21/12/15 4 weeks to research current and future trends in Liverpool and around the world, and to find affordable suppliers within the EU.

RESEARCH

DESIGN PROTO SAMPLE & COSTINGS

PRE RANGE SELECTION MEETING NEGOTATION / TRIP TO FACTORIES FINAL RANGE SELECTION MEETING PLACE ORDER

18/01/16 3 weeks to design garments and original prints for t-shirts. 08/02/16 4 weeks to sample various fabrics and colours, as well as assess full garment samples for fit and cost of production. 07/03/16 allow up to one week for pre-range selection decisions. 14/03/16 allow up to 4 weeks to visit suppliers in the UK, Italy and Turkey to negotiate costs. 11/04/16 allow up to 1 week to decide upon final range to order. 18/04/16 place complete order.

GARMENT FITTINGS

18/04/16 4 weeks to ensure that all sizes of sample garments are correct and any corrections are made before bulk production goes ahead.

FABRIC ORDER

WAREHOUSE â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STORE ALLOCATION

16/05/16 6 weeks for the production of fabric from the date it is ordered. 27/06/16 4 weeks for accessories approval to ensure all small details are suitable and colours are correct. 25/07/16 1 week for bulk production with a dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace period before shipping for any tweaks needed. 02/08/16 allow up to 3 weeks for delivery from Turkey via truck. 23/08/16 allow up to 3 days for delivery.

PRODUCT LAUNCHED IN STORE

26/08/16 range goes live in Resurrection.

TRIM & COLOUR APPROVALS

BULK PRODUCTION

SHIPPING

This is the critical path for my A/W 16/17 ranges for Resurrection. Having established how many weeks each stage of the critical path will require, I chose the launch date for the ranges at the end of August, and worked backwards to figure out the date on which I would need to begin the critical path, which is the end of November, giving me 9 months from start to finish. I have allowed a week each for both the pre-range selection and the final range selection meetings in order that the buying team has ample time to come to a final decision. I have also included garment fittings at both the proto sample stage and between placing the order and bulk production to ensure that there are absolutely no discrepancies in sizing. For trips to suppliers and negotiations I have allowed 4 weeks rather than the standard 2 because I have a bit longer to spare in my critical path, due to the fact that my entire range is being produced within the EU. Shipping from mainland Europe to the UK usually takes 7-15 days, so I have assigned up to 3 weeks for delivery from Turkey as this should be plenty of time, and the shipping from Italy and from within the UK will not take as long as from Turkey, so as long as I order the garments from Turkey first I should have no issue receiving all the stock on time. As Resurrection only has one high street store, delivery of stock from the warehouse should be swift, however I will still need to keep a large proportion of stock in the warehouse ready for delivery of online sales. Allowing 3 days for delivery from the warehouse to the store should mean that the range is in store for the launch date, while still allowing for any issues with transport that may arise due to factors such as bad weather.

Evaluate resources that are required for production and their availability. Information Technology There are a number of resources that come under the general umbrella of IT that are necessary for production right from the very start. Computers are needed for a number of reasons, such as the use of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to create the designs, patterns and prints that will eventually go into production. Communication technology such as email and Skype are necessary to communicate internally within or across departments, as well as externally with suppliers and distributors. Without the easy access to global communication that the internet provides, it would be extremely difficult to correspond with business partners and associates around the world, which would make it very difficult to stay on top of orders that are coming from across the globe. Computer programmes also make the role of the merchandising team vastly easier as they are able to carry out complicated equations within a matter of seconds, meaning that there is little chance of a mistake with regards to budget or stock allocation. The internet is also hugely important to the buying department, as it allows them access to style all over the world, and trend forecasting websites such as WGSN play a huge role in recognises global and future trends. Staff The variety of people employed within the fashion industry is wide and each sector is integral to its success. A team is needed in head office, comprising of teams such as the buying department, who are needed to plan and purchase the ranges, the merchandising department, who designate the budgets and allocate the stock, designers, who work with the buying department to build the ranges, marketers who will be in charge of advertising the range to the public, HR, finance, and health & safety. Then of course many staff are needed in the physical production stage, such as farmers, factory owners and garment makers. Without these workers there would be no finished product. When the stock is then ready to be shipped, distribution companies are needed to get the stock from the suppliersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the warehouses, and then from the warehouses to the stores. Workers are needed to package and load products into containers, and drivers are needed to get the products from A to B. Quality Control Team This technically forms part of the staff, but it has a hugely important role throughout the whole production process. The QC department are required at the early stages, when sample garments need to be made and measured and tested for any problems with the fabric, colour or chemicals used in the material. They will be able to assess how much fabric is needed for certain garments and the cost that this will incur, and will therefore be able to help the buying department use their budget economically. They will also be required to check the sizing of garments after the order has been placed, but before the bulk of it goes into production. This is to ensure that the sizing of the garments is absolutely correct before the majority of it is produced. A Quality Assurance Team will also be required to keep a record of everything from order forms and material costs to legal documents such as import and export legislation. The role of the QA team is to prevent any mistakes that may happen at any stage of the production process.

Budget A budget is one of the first things the buying department needs before planning its ranges. Allocated by the merchandising department, the budget gives the buyers a clear figure that they have to work with, that will include the cost of materials, labour, shipping and advertising. The buyers need to know the budget before they begin their ranges because the types of fabrics and techniques they are able to use will depend on how much they have to spend. The budget will also have an impact on where they source the materials, and where they have them manufactured. For example, having garments produced within the UK costs more than it does to have them produced in the Far East. If a buyer has a lower budget then they will likely look to China or Bangladesh, both of which are profoundly cheaper, to produce their ranges. If this is the case, however, then the buyer will also need to consider the higher cost of shipping involved, as well as any import taxes and port charges, as these will also need to be accounted for within the budget. Materials A range of materials is needed for the production of garments, from the thread that holds the products together to the chemicals used to prevent them creasing while they are packaged. Fabrics (such as wool, cotton, polyester and acrylic), fastenings (zips, buttons, press-studs, etc.) and trims (like lace and ribbon) are all needed to make a complete garment, as are the fabric dyes that colour the garments. Not only are these components needed to complete the bulk order, but they are also required as samples to be tested by the QC department. Various chemicals are also needed for different fabric treatments, such as acid washing for denim. Natural materials such as leather or wool may also be required, which also require treatment with chemicals, such as in the tanning process for leather. Equipment A lot of industrial equipment is needed in the production process, such as looms that can weave huge quantities of fabric, sewing machines that can accommodate large garments, and over-lockers that neatly hem garments. Electrical generators may also be required in factories that are located in under-developed areas of the world, in order to actually run the machinery required to make the garments. Other industrial machinery that may be required includes huge pressers that are used to iron the garments at the end stages of manufacturing, printing presses that transfer graphic prints onto fabric, large scale embroidery machines, as well as washers and tumble dryers. As well as the equipment required to manufacture garments, equipment is also required to transport the garments from the suppliers to the warehouses and to the stores. Large shipping containers are often required for transporting bulk quantities of stock, and in order to transport the stock from A to B we need trucks, container ships and sometimes even air freights. Methods of transport are key throughout the entire production process, as garments nowadays often travel half way around the world before reaching their final destination, and without all the various methods of transportation available, garments would not make it from manufacturer to consumer. Premises In order to accommodate all this equipment, premises are needed at each stage. Suitable buildings are required to house factories, and these buildings must comply with health and safety regulations in order to protect the people that work in them. They must also obviously be large enough and strong enough to house the heavy machinery found in these factories. A sample room is also required, in which all the sample garments are made and samples are tested. It is vital that all tests are carried out and prototypes are made in the same setting so that the results are uniformly correct and there can be no discrepancies caused by external factors. Large warehouses are also needed to house finished stock that is either waiting to be delivered to different stores or that is waiting to be purchased via online sales.

Task 22 Will I be using one supplier, on which I will be reliant, or will I split the range between a few different suppliers to lessen the risk of a delayed launch.

Will any religious or national holidays interfere with production in foreign countries?

Production for Menswear, Womenswear and Childrenswear

Problem areas and constraints Are there any designs in my ranges that are particularly complicated to manufacture, and will possibly extend the production time?

Fabric sourcing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; natural or man-made fabrics? Do the fabrics have to be transported from oversees?

Are there any materials used in my range that are difficult or expensive to source? Could I substitute materials like wool and cotton with man-made fibres instead?

Shipping â&#x20AC;&#x201C; From how far away is the stock being delivered? Do supplies need to be shipped for different stages of production?

Costs

Will everything be sent to one warehouse or will there be a few? How well staffed will the warehouse be and will there be any staff working nights?

Manufacturing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; One supplier or a few? If using more than one supplier, are they based in close proximately or in completely different countries?

How could costs, problems and constraints affect my critical path? Any difficulties during production of my range could have an effect on the critical path. If any of the designs are particularly complicated, it could extend the lead time from the suppliers, and production of these designs would require more work and attention. Having complicated designs could also affect the critical path in the earlier stages, increasing the time needed to actually design the garments and examine the prototypes. The types of material used for the garments will also have an effect on the critical path. For example, natural fibres such as cotton and wool are more expensive, so they may require more negotiation before a price is agreed upon with the suppliers. Fabrics that require certain treatments or methods of production, such as velvet, will also add to the time needed for production, as these materials are more complicated to produce. I will also need to consider any public holidays in other countries that may effect production. Turkey, for instance, has a large Muslim population. I will therefore want to find out if there are any religious holidays that will coincide with production of my ranges, as this would likely halt production for a certain amount of time. I will also want to consider my use of suppliers, as the range rests entirely on them. If I use one supplier, I could perhaps secure a better deal price-wise, as well as save on the cost of shipping. I would however be entirely reliant on this supplier, and left with nothing if this supplier was to encounter problems with production. If an external factor, such as a flood for instance, meant that my only supplier could not provide me with my order on the agreed date, I would have to look for a new supplier half way down my critical path, and renegotiate all the costs and delivery dates. This could add weeks onto my critical path. If I were to use more than one supplier, a situation such as this could be avoided. If I was one supplier down in this instance, I would still have the majority of my range ready for the launch date. If I use more than one supplier, this will likely drive up the cost of production. It would also affect my critical path because I would have to negotiate terms with more than one supplier, which would require more time so that I could meet with each supplier. If the suppliers were based in different areas (which would be likely as this would protect me from external influences that may affect a supplier) I would also need to organise shipment of stock from different places, which would require more time to plan and may cost more money. The level of shipping required during my critical path will also affect the time and cost. If I source fabrics from a different country than that of my suppliers, there will be added shipping costs, as there will also be if garments need to be sent to different suppliers at various stages of production. I may need to extend the negotiation stage of my critical path as I will need to organise multiple shipments to arrive at the UK warehouse at the same time, which will require a lot of careful planning and attention to detail. By having everything delivered to the one warehouse, I should be able to save money, although more time may be needed for the logistics of delivering everything to one central location. If I were to have a warehouse in Europe as well, to which the garments from Turkey could be delivered, this may make shipping simpler, but would increase the time and money needed to get everything to the UK, as more deliveries would be required, as well as more staff.

What amendments could you make to your designs to ensure faster and cheaper production? Menswear Design issues – I could save money on the t-shirts if I were to have the prints all done on one design, rather than vary the style of the t-shirts. Having one standard pattern for all the t-shirts to be produced in the UK would also save time. I could also get rid of any unusual hems or cuts and simply have the prints done on a bogstandard t-shirt with no small embellishments. This also applies to the hoodies. If I were to erase the stripes and have the prints put on plain hoodies then this would reduce time and cost in the production process. Sourcing – Since I am sourcing this range from with the EU it will not be as cheap as it could be. If I wanted to find a cheaper supplier I could look to countries in the Far East such as China and Bangladesh. However this would likely mean that I would have to compromise on quality. I could also look at getting the entire range produced in the same place, as having the t-shirts and hoodies manufactured in the UK will be more expensive than in Turkey. I may also get a better deal from the supplier if I were to put in a bigger order with them. If I were to have the entire range produced in Turkey, however, or by a supplier in another country, then I would be entirely reliant on that supplier, which could put me at risk if something were to go wrong and halt production or shipping. Fabric – I could save money on the fabric if I were less picky about where it was sourced. I have designed the range to be made with sustainable cotton, but I could easily find a less environmentally sound supplier and purchase the fabric for much less. I could also make more use of man-made fabrics such as polyester on some items, like the gilet, rather than try to keep everything as ethically made as possible. The parka, too, could be amended to reduce the costs, by removing the wool from the outer fabric, as this is more of a luxury to add a soft texture than a necessity to its purpose. Shipping – As the range is all coming from within the EU, there is not a great deal more I can do to speed up the shipping or to reduce the costs. I could perhaps save money if I were to have the whole range made in and shipped from Turkey, as I would then only need to arrange shipping with one distributer. Alternatively I could have the entire range manufactured in the UK, as this would drastically reduce delivery costs and times, however this would then drive up the cost of production. Warehouse – As Resurrection only has one store I will have everything delivered to one warehouse within the UK. From here stock will be delivered to the store, and stock will also be stored here for shipping of online orders. This warehouse will need to be very large and be well staffed in order to keep up with the rate of online orders, as the webstore ships worldwide. I could consider having another warehouse somewhere in mainland Europe to ease the shipping of online orders placed in other countries, however the other warehouse and the staff required for it would be more costly than simply sending everything from the one centre.

I could have this t-shirt made and printed in Turkey with the rest of the range in order to save on the cost of production.

I could remove the fur trim around the hood to save on the cost of this material, as the coat would still be just as functional without it.

I could have this print done on a standard cut tshirt instead of this longline design to save on the cost of fabric.

I could use man-made fabric for the lining instead of 100% cotton as this would also be a cheaper option.

I could make use of manmade fibres instead of making it out of 100% cotton as this would also save on the cost of fabric.

I could exclude the use of wool fibres in the outer fabric as pure wool is more expensive than other fibres.

Womenswear Design issues – As with the men’s range, I could save money and time on the t-shirts if I were to have all the prints done on one standard style, as this would mean only one production process is required for all the t-shirts. I could also have the different styles of skirt produced in a uniform fabric, and the printed dresses could be made in one style, while still maintaining the variety in the range. On the tweed coat I could remove the velvet trim and have the outer layer made entirely of tweed, as this would mean all pattern pieces could be cut from the same fabric. The extra use of tweed won’t necessarily incur extra costs as these extra pieces could possibly be constructed from the off-cuts, although this is something I would have to discuss with my supplier. Sourcing – At current I have planned for this range to be manufactured in the UK, in Italy and in Turkey. I could save costs if I had everything produced in Turkey as suppliers in the UK and in Italy will likely be more expensive, or I could perhaps have all the knitwear manufactured in the UK and everything else manufactured in Turkey. Alternatively I could source the whole range from countries in the Far East, as suppliers here will work for a much reduced price. This would of course compromise the quality and likely the ethical viability of the range. Fabric – Once again I could save on fabric costs by reducing the use of cotton in the range and using instead more man-made fabrics. I could also use less luxurious fabrics, such as tweed and velvet. Even if I was determined to keep the velvet statement coat, I could remove it from the tweed coat and the scenic print dresses to save money. I could also make the maxi dresses without the print, as such largescale photographic print could be costly. The use of wool throughout the range will also drive the cost up, and I could instead use synthetic wool. Shipping – I could reduce shipping costs by dismissing the use of a supplier in Italy and instead having everything outside the UK manufactured in Turkey, therefore needing only one shipment from mainland Europe. However as Italy is well-known for its fabric printing I may have to compromise on the quality of the print if I source elsewhere. Alternatively I could have everything from Turkey manufactured in Italy, as this may save shipping costs due to Italy being closer to the UK. As with the UK, however, I expect that having more garments manufactured in Italy will push up the cost of production. Warehouse – As with the menswear, I will have everything in this range shipped to one warehouse in the UK. This will mean that all the stock can be accounted for at one main location, whether being sent to the store or out to online consumers. This will make the role of the merchandiser much easier as they will not need to correspond with any other locations in order to review sales performance or allocate stock.

I could remove the velvet overlay on this dress as this would save both time and money.

I could exclude the use of wool in this skirt as this is to add a luxury texture and is not a necessity for the style.

I could use 100% polyester instead of a poly-cotton mix to save money.

I could also exclude the use of cotton and use entirely man-made fibres instead as this would also save money.

I could manufacture this skirt with an elasticated waistband instead of a zip closure to simplify the production process.

Childrenswear Design issues – When producing childrenswear one has to be extra careful regarding the design so as not to put the child in harm’s way. Small parts, for instance, should be avoided. In this range I have use toggles and large buttons as fastenings, which I feel are large enough not to be considered a choking hazard, particularly because this range will be aimed at children aged 4 years and up. However, I could substitute these fastenings for zips, which would further reduce the likelihood of any part detaching and posing a danger to the child. I could also save money on some of the designs by removing the fur or shearling trims, as this would not change the function of the garments, and on the quilted garments, I could reduce the level of quilting to cover only specific patches rather than the entire garment. The printed tshirts are integral to the range, so I would not want to remove any of the print. However, on those garments that are completely covered in print, I could change the design so that the image was simply a block print on the front of the t-shirt. This would save money on the cost of printing the fabric. I could also save time and money on the multi-coloured cropped jumper if I reduced the multi-coloured knit to just the neckline and the cuffs. Sourcing – I could save money if I source the entire range in Turkey, rather than split it between Turkey and the UK, but excluding the UK from production altogether would not only mean compromising on quality but also removing business from the UK, which is not in line with the store’s ethos. I could save further still if I had the range manufactured somewhere like China or Cambodia, but this would compromise the quality even further, something which is ever more important when creating a children’s range. I would not like to risk the use of harmful chemicals on the fabrics or poor workmanship putting the child’s health at risk. Fabric – I have used more man-made fabrics in this range due to the need for childrenswear to be more durable, but I could still save costs by eliminating the use of wool in the range as this is a luxury included mainly for a softer finish. As with the adult ranged, the cotton used in this range will be sustainably sourced, but I could forego the effort of sourcing sustainable cotton and save a lot of money this way as well. However, cotton that is not considered sustainable or environmentally sound will likely have been treated with harmful pesticides, which I would not want anywhere near a children’s range. Shipping – I could save money on shipping by having the entire range manufactured within the UK. This would also save a huge amount of time. However the cost of manufacturing would likely go up. If I had the entire range manufactured in Turkey I may save money due to the fact of only needing one shipment, and the cost of production would probably be less as well. I would not consider saving on production costs by sourcing from the Far East, as this would raise the cost and time of shipping quite drastically. Warehouse – I plan to store the children’s range in the same warehouse with the adult ranges. As childrenswear is completely new to Resurrection I will need to ensure that there is ample space in the warehouse to accommodate a whole new range. As it is a new range however there will not be nearly as much stock as with the men’s and women’s ranges, so space should not be an issue at first, although it may be necessary to expand later on if this new market brings in a lot more demand. It may also be necessary to employ more staff in the warehouse as there is more stock to work with, however it would be cost effective to monitor how the current staff manage the increased workload before hiring more. Alternatively I could look into hiring a few part-time staff on a temporary basis to see in the new range.

I could have the print manufactured as a smaller image on the front of the t-shirt, instead of over the whole garment.

I could use 100% manmade fibres for the faux shearling trim instead of using wool.

I could use a mix of cotton and man-made fibres in order to reduce the cost of the fabric.

I could manufacture the jacket without the shearling trim at all to save on time and cost.

I could have this t-shirt manufactured with the rest of the range in Turkey so save on the costs of using more than one supplier.

I could forego the use of faux leather to make the production process easier.

Task 23: Compare and contrast Zara’s supply chain with the likes of H&M and Primark. Zara Zara has a very quick turnover as it produces batches of clothing in small quantities. This allows them to assess the success of a range without first investing too much money in it. If the range is successful, they can make more, but if it flops it is not a big problem as there is only a small quantity of the stock. This method of producing lots of small batches of clothing also allows the company to respond quickly to ever-changing trends. The retailer is able to go from concept through production to sale in about 2 weeks, largely because most of their stock is sourced and produced in Spain, close to their design headquarters, and therefore the lead times are very short. All finished garments are sent to the central distribution centre in Spain before being sent out to different stores around the world. This means that all stock can be easily accounted for as it is all going through the same centre and the same IT system. The stores receive two deliveries each week, and store managers regularly order more stock from the central distribution centre, so stores are able to replenish stock based on their own individual needs. The practice of only ordering small batches of clothes at any time means that there is “an environment of shortage” (Lu, 2014), which encourages customers to visit the store regularly and purchase more impulsively, which also means that Zara do not need to reduce the price of many garments. H&M H&M’s head office is located in Sweden, and this is where their buying and design decisions are made. They also have 15 production offices spread across Europe and Asia, which are the main point of contact for suppliers, and where merchandisers help form decisions for the buyers as to which suppliers to use. Auditors are also based in these offices, and they ensure that suppliers are compliant with the company’s code of conduct, which covers issues such as health & safety and workers’ rights. Since February 2016 all of H&M’s suppliers (which includes suppliers subcontracted by other factories) have to sign an updated copy of the agreement, which now also covers issues on sustainability. The company do not own any factories, but work with independent suppliers in a large number of countries, spread across Europe, Asia and Africa, and the lead times for these suppliers ranges from a few weeks to 6 months. High volume products are ordered months in advance in large quantities, whereas more trend-led garments are ordered in smaller quantities, and can therefore be produced much more quickly. The larger orders are transported from the factories to various logistics centres, which support the stores in their region, meaning that bulk stock does not need to be kept in store, but rather the stores replenish their stock from these centres when necessary. Primark Primark keeps its costs low by making cheap clothing with man-made fabrics and inexpensive production methods, using mainly suppliers in the Far East and South Asia. Basic garments produced in Asia have a lead time of around 90 days, whereas the more trend-led garments produced in Turkey often have a lead time of 6-8 weeks (Morrow Roberson, 2014). Orders are sent from the factories to large warehouses in Europe, before then being distributed to stores. The retailer also orders garments in huge quantities, meaning that they pay less for bulk orders. This means there is little replenishment of same stock, and that once an item is sold out it tends to be gone for good. Lu, C. (2014). Zara's secret to retail success - its supply chain. [online] Tradegecko.com. Available at: https://www.tradegecko.com/blog/zara-supply-chain-its-secret-to-retail-success [Accessed 25 Feb. 2016]. Morrow Roberson, Cathy. "A Successful Retailer Without An Online Presence? | Eft - Supply Chain & Logistics Business Intelligence". Eft.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.

Zara, H&M and Primark all deliver affordable, trend focused fashion to the public. Their supply chains differ however, and this is arguably reflected in their differing prices. All of Zara’s stock is made in Spain, whereas H&M and Primark largely use suppliers in the Far East, with H&M reserving the use of suppliers in Europe for their limited trend-led garments. The way in which the three stores use their budgets also differs, with Zara purchasing small quantities of stock approximately every 2 weeks, H&M splitting their budget between large orders of basic and childrenswear and small orders of trend-led garments, and Primark ordering only large quantities of stock, with a store turnover of about 6 weeks. It seems from these examples that stores ordering bulk quantities of stock are more reliant on suppliers in the Far East, whereas for smaller orders companies can turn to suppliers in Europe. These European suppliers are more costly for companies, but buying in smaller quantities means that the stores are able to sell it at full price, as the demand is greater, so the companies make this money back. Primark’s practice of ordering large quantities of stock means that if any garments they buy are not successful, they are then stuck with said garments taking up space in their stockrooms and warehouses, and will have to reduce the price in order to move the stock. However they are able to avoid large numbers of reductions because they tend to only order each garment once, meaning that like at Zara, once it’s gone, it’s gone. All of Zara’s deliveries also go to the one distribution centre as well, whereas those of H&M and Primark are split across several in different countries. This means that all stock allocation for Zara is controlled through a central office, making the process much more streamlined and easy to run, saving both time and money.

Task 24: Financial Spreadsheet - Menswear

Task 24: Financial Spreadsheet - Womenswear

Task 24: Financial Spreadsheet - Childrenswear

Task 25: Financial Analysis I have done a financial spreadsheet for each of my ranges, detailing the total quantities of stock required and the total cost of the stock. The profit margin for each garment is roughly around two thirds of the RRP, as expected, with the total gross profit for each range being about two thirds of the total RRP. I will not require a vast quantity of stock as Resurrection only has the one store, and I am not accounting for online sales in these spreadsheets. I have calculated the total quantity of stock needed for replenishment at 15%, and then calculated the replenishment needed for each individual product the same way, making sure that the individual numbers equate to overall number needed for replenishment. Calculating the numbers in this way means that I have the same proportion of replenishment for each product (i.e. 15%), while still having more or less for each product relative to the quantity sold, so where more stock as been sold, more will be ordered for replenishment, and vice versa. In the menswear range, the bestsellers were the t-shirts, so I would order more of these in the future, possibly substituting the Kermit and the Skeletor designs with some new designs, as these two were the least successful t-shirts in the range. Among the worst sellers in the men’s range were the high tops and the parka. This could be due to the fact that Resurrection sells a good range of established brands, and men looking for protective gear such as coats and shoes will likely have more confidence in a well-known brand. Sales across the womenswear range were distributed relatively evenly, with the scenic print dresses and the t-shirts all bring popular. The knitted scarf was also one of the bestsellers in this range, so in future I may include more accessories in the womenswear range. The worst seller in this range was the sweatshirt. This may be due to the print on the front not being as popular as the other prints, or it could be down to the fact that the sweater does not lend itself to the rest of the range as easily as the t-shirts do so. In the children’s range, there was no clear bestseller in terms of design, but the more unusual designs, such as the cropped jumpers and the longline hooded jacket, were arguably the worst sellers. This is likely due to the fact that parents want to buy familiar and functional designs for their children, as evident with the parka, the hats and the scarves. In future I would probably include gloves in the children’s range, as functional accessories seem to be a popular choice. I would also include more conventional jumpers in place of the cropped and longline styles, as there seems to be a preference towards the more standard style. The fantasy themed t-shirts were also more successful than the comical designs, perhaps because the size and detail of the fantasy prints is more pleasing to the eye, or perhaps because the humour of the comical shirts is lost on young children. In total all three ranges have cost £44,441.67, which I feel is a good price for 3 full ranges. The least expensive range was the childrenswear, which is very fitting as childrenswear tends to be cheaper than adult clothing. I have spent most on the menswear range as the store is already popular for menswear and I therefore had most confidence in this department. The total gross profit I have made across all 3 ranges is £88,883.33, which is enough to cover another 2 seasons of men’s, women’s and children’s ranges, so I would consider this quite successful.

On a suitable channel at a suitable time?

Suitable publication? Television adverts

Magazines Targeted directly at each target market

Billboards

In a suitable/highly visible location

Different forms of advertising

Age suits the target market

Models for each range Styling Hair and makeup should fit the style

One model as face of the range or a few different models?

Task 27

Consistent throughout all 3 ranges?

Name of the range

Need to be able to differentiate between ranges

Appraise the commercial potential for success when planning the range

Male and female models for childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range

Different for each range?

Suitable for each individual target market

Must suit the retailer

Visually pleasing

Logo

Branding

Backdrop for models

Different combinations from within ranges

To the point

Mission statement Tagline

Studio?

Location? Memorable

Should resonate with target market

Popwork Junior

Task 27: Appraise the commercial potential for success when planning the range Marketing a range is arguably as important as the range itself. In order for my 3 ranges to be successful I must market them in such a way that they appeal to the target market. This includes a variety of aspects such as the name of the brand itself, the logo, and the visual format in which they are advertised. The name I have chosen for all 3 ranges is “Popwork”, followed by “Men”, “Women” or “Junior” for each corresponding range. This is a reference to the concept behind all 3 ranges: the combination of pop culture and classical art work. The consistent concept behind each range is also the reason I have given the ranges the same name. The font I have chosen for this name is one which I feel reflects the light-heartedness and informal nature of the ranges, and this will also be used as the logo. When advertising the ranges to the public I will use advertising space on billboards, in magazines, and I will also make use of social media sites. Television adverts will be too expensive given that Resurrection only has one high street store. I will likely have a couple of billboards, one either side of Liverpool city centre, and then I will also advertise in both music and fashion magazines, as I think these will both reach the target audiences. The advertisements will feature models on location in areas that are covered in graffiti, as I think this form of free street art will sit very well with the concept. In the editing stages, scenes or aspects from classical works of art will be added to the images in the men’s and women’s campaigns to represent the colliding of both classical and popular culture. There will not be as big an emphasis on classical culture in the children’s campaigns because this is not likely to appeal to children. I may also use black and white images of the models against the colourful backdrop in some of the advertisements in order to reinforce the clash of ideas that is present throughout the ranges, although I would avoid doing this on every image as I do not want to detract attention from the clothes the models are advertising. The aim for all of the ranges is to have colourful advertising that shows people having fun, through actions such as dancing or pulling faces. This should resonate with the target markets for Resurrection as there is a clear emphasis on recreation within the store and on their social media pages. I will also have some campaign shots done for the concept as a whole, showcasing models from each range together, surrounded by images of popular and classical culture. When advertising in magazines, I will choose different magazines for the different ranges. Menswear will be advertised in men’s fashion publications, while womenswear and childrenswear will be advertised in women’s fashion magazines, due to the fact that the mother is the main target customer for the children’s range. Both the men’s and the women’s ranges will be advertised in music magazines as these a aimed at people of any gender, and I will also use the “family” style campaign images in some music magazines to show it there is an entire family range on offer. I may also consider spending a minimal amount on advertising the whole “family” range in other publications such as Good Housekeeping or various TV Guides. I think given that both my male and female target customers have an interest in music and television, advertising via media magazines will be the most successful platform.

Task 28: Is your range commercially viable/fit for use? Garment testers will need to ensure that the fabric used for this garment will not shrink when it gets wet. This is already a requirement for the aftercare of the garment, but as it will be worn in the rain this is doubly important.

To keep the wearer warm and dry, the garment must be weather resistant. It is not designed to be completely waterproof, but it must be shower resistant. It must also be an effective insulator, and must not have any areas through which wind or rain can get in.

The garment must be tested for durability, as it is designed to be worn in harsh weather conditions. The QC department must identify areas where the garment is especially prone to wear and tear so that the chances of this can be minimised.

The garment should be stain resistant, as it will likely be washed less than other garments.

Fabric testing

Fit for purpose

The stitching must be strong enough to withstand harsh conditions over an extended period of time, but it must also be appropriate for the fabric, so as not to cause any excess stress on the seams.

It must fit the customer profile and be suitable for their lifestyle.

When treating fabrics with substances to make them colourfast or water resistant, the company must abide by the correct rules and regulations, to ensure that neither the workers or the customers are at risk from any harmful chemicals.

Organisational requirements

There must be a central office at which all fabric testing is done to ensure that all results are reliable.

Stitching must be extra strong around small parts such as the toggle fastenings, as these parts stand up to more wear and tear because they are constantly handled.

The fabric must be tested to see how it can be washed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether it needs to be dry cleaned or if it can go in a washing machine, and if so what temperature at which it can be washed.

Fabric testers will also need to ensure that the colour does not run when it is wet, especially as this is a dark rich colour that could potentially stain lighter garments.

It must fasten securely so that it can be worn in harsh winds.

The fur trim must be tested to ensure that it dries effectively when it is wet, so that it does not encourage the growth of any mould or unpleasant smell.

The garment will need to be water resistant to offer the wearer some protection from the rain. The lining should be tested to reduce any chance of irritability around the ears and neck

This garment will need to be tested to make sure that it is insulating and protects the head effectively from the wind and cold weather.

Fabric testing

Fit for purpose

The fabric testers should test to see how breathable the fabric is, to avoid the wearer overheating.

The substance used to make the material water resistant must not contain any chemicals that are banned under the EU trade agreement.

The company must have a means of testing the products for durability in harsh wind and rain.

The fabric should be tested to ensure it does not shrink when it becomes wet.

Organisational requirements

The faux fur must be tested to ensure that it does not shed and pose a risk to the wearer by getting caught in the eye.

The fabric must be strong enough to stand up to the stress around the fastenings.

The company must have a centralised office in which they can test the fabric for strength and durability, so that there is no difference in the results.

The fabric should be tested to see how it can be washed, so that this information can be put on the care label.

The hem around the bottom of the skirt should be reinforced as it will stand up to more wear and tear as it sits around the feet. The zip fastening at the back must not irritate the skin or sit too high or low on the back. The measurement of the hip to waist ratio must be standard in order to comfortably fit most people.

This skirt must be made with a material that keeps the wearer warm, as it is designed for a winter collection.

The fabric should be tested for weaknesses that may cause tears or wearing away of the fabric, especially around the seat of the garment. The fabric must undergo rigorous testing to determine the best aftercare option, especially as it is a wool blend and therefore prone to shrinking.

Fit for purpose Fabric testing

It must not take too long to dry, as it may pick up moisture from the ground easily in poor weather, and must not dry with an unpleasant smell.

The stitching must be strong along the seams, especially as this is a fitted garment. It must also be strong around the zip to prevent breakage.

The fabric should be tested to see if it can be ironed if it is prone to creasing.

Fabric testers must ensure that the material does not irritate the skin.

A prototype should be sent to the sample office to ensure that the measurements are correct.

There must be a clear guideline for sizing to ensure that all sizes are uniformly correct.

Organisational requirements

The buyer must ensure that the wool and the cotton used for the skirt are both sustainably sourced.

The QC department must have a knowledge of what type of stitching can be used with this specific fabric so as not to tear the skirt.

The garment must be soft and comfortable to wear, both on its own and over another garment.

The elastic in the cuffs must be tight enough to hold the sleeves up if the wearer wishes to wear them like that, but they must not be so tight that they become uncomfortable.

It must keep the wearer warm, but must also allow the body to breathe.

The garment should allow for free movement and should not be restrictive.

The fabric must be tested to ensure it does not shrink in the wash.

The print must be tested to ensure it does not flake away or fade during washing.

Fit for purpose Fabric testing The fabric should be light enough that it can be worn under a winter coat.

The print should be tested to ensure the colour does not run into the rest of the fabric.

If the garment is treated with anything to reduce creasing, this must not contain anything that is prohibited.

Organisational requirements

The ink used for the print must not contain any toxic chemicals.

The fabric should be tested to ensure it retains its shape, particularly around the cuffs and neckline.

The footwear must be able to stand up to wear and tear, particularly the soles as they will likely endure a lot of physical activity.

They should be stain resistant and easy to wash as they will likely become muddy on a number of occasions.

They must be easy for a child to fasten, hence the Velcro straps.

The footwear should be treated so as not to grow mould in any of the creases or folds.

Fit for purpose

The fabric must be tested to ensure it does not shrink when wet. The fabric must be tested to ensure the dye does not run or fade.

Fabric testing

They must be water resistant, particular because children might go out of their way to stand in puddles.

The stitching should be strong enough to endure a high level of physical activity.

The Velcro should be tested to ensure it will remain effective for an extended period of time.

Suppliers must not treat any component of the footwear with prohibited chemicals.

Extra care must be taken when attaching loose or small components that may be a choking hazard to small children.

Garment testers should check that the shoes are breathable, while still retaining their water resistance, in order to avoid any sort of foot infections.

Organisational requirements

A prototype should be made for a model to test the fit and durability.

It may be necessary to only add laces to the footwear for children above a certain age.

The rubber soles will be tested for durability for activities such as running and climbing.

The garment must be warm as they are part of an Autumn/Winter range.

The pockets should be deep and should have some sort of fastening on them for closure, in order that the child will not lose anything whilst playout out.

The QC team will need to ensure that the colour of the pockets does not fade or run into the rest of the garment.

The fabric should be tested to ensure it does not shrink when wet.

Fit for purpose

The elastic around the waist and around the cuffs should hold its shape whilst not being too tight. The fabric should be soft and comfortable for a child to wear all day.

The garment must be able to withstand a high level of movement, and must be suitably flexible and have room to give.

The fabric should be treated to make it stain resistant as it is likely to become quite dirty on a regular basis.

Fabric testing

The drawstring should be functional enough to reduce the waist size if necessary.

It may be necessary to only include the zip pockets on garments aimed at children above a certain age.

The fabric should be tested in various washes in order that the best instructions can be given on the care label

The fabric should be tested to make sure it is hypoallergenic, in order that is does not irritate sensitive or allergy prone skin.

Organisational requirements

Any small components used on the garment must adhere to the restrictions surrounding childrenswear.

There must be clear guidelines about the measurements that correspond to the different age ranges.

The fabric should be tested for durability, particularly around the seat and along the seams.

It should keep the abdomen dry and should be treated with a water resistant material. It must be comfortable to wear over other clothes. The garment should be free of any harmful chemicals or toxins.

The quilting should provide an extra level of comfort and protection.

The quilting should be tested to find out how much protection it offers to the abdomen in the event of impact, i.e. the child falling over.

Fit for purpose

The child can easily fasten and unfasten the front of the gilet.

The material should be stain resistant

The garment should keep the child warm

Fabric testing

The button fastenings should be big enough that they do not pose a choking hazard.

The suppliers must be aware of the increased regulations regarding childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products, with regards to health and safety checks on the garments.

The fabric will have to go through various washes to determine the most suitable temperature and method of washing it.

It should be tested to ensure it will not shrink in the wash.

Organisational requirements

The QC department should test the durability of the fabric as it will have to stand up to a lot of wear and tear.

The measurements for each size must be clear and all samples must be checked in one centralised office to ensure reliability.

The stitching should be tested for strength at every point, especially the fastenings and the pockets as these are more easily detached.

The material must be able to keep the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head warm.

It should be aesthetically pleasing to the child. It should stretch enough that no more than two different sizes are needed for the entire age range.

The material should be stain resistant and colourfast.

It must be comfortable so that the child will not dislike wearing it.

The fabric should be tested to ensure the colour does not run in the wash or fade in the sunlight.

Fit for purpose

Fabric testing

It should be tested to durability, i.e. how much the fabric can stretch before it rips.

The bobble on top should be tested to ensure that no small fibres pose a risk of falling into the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes.

The fabric should be tested to determine the most suitable wash cycle and temperature.

The company should ensure that those employees working in wool and cotton mills are not at any risk from inhaling fibres.

Organisational requirements Auditors must ensure that all health and safety regulations are adhered to at each stage of production.

Task 29: Evaluation Menswear My menswear range is made up of 16 garments in total: a mixture of tops, bottoms, outerwear and accessories. The most common item in the range is the t-shirt, the theme of which is prevalent throughout all 3 ranges. There are 5 t-shirts in total within this range, all of which have a different graphic print on the front that combines popular and classical culture in some way. This theme is central to the concept behind the range. The two hoodies within the range also have a print bearing this theme on the front. The range also includes 3 different styles of trouser (joggers, baggy jeans, and slouch fit skinny jeans), each of which can be paired with any of the t-shirts from the range to create a different style within the concept. Outerwear includes the 2 hoodies (as mentioned above) which are available in red with one print, and in green with another graphic, 2 quilted gilets, which are also available in green and red, and a fur trim parka. I have also included a Trapper style hat, and some high top trainers that are available with a red or a green trim. The colour palette for the range comprises earthy tones: reds, greens, browns and greys. These colours link to the classical aspects behind the concept, and are present throughout the whole range, meaning that the consumer can assemble a few whole outfits from the one range. The longline hoodies and t-shirts, and the slouch-fit pants, are key to the casual, laid-back feel of the range. The widespread use of cotton rather than man-made materials also adds to the easy-going concept, as this is a comfortable and breathable natural material. The menswear range will be available in sizes S, M, L and XL, with sizes M and L making up the majority of the order. In total I will order just under 1500 garments, to be sold in the store over a period of 16 weeks. There will be: 55 parkas; 129 hoodies in green and 110 in red; 74 green gilets and 92 red gilets; 184 Art Wars t-shirts; 74 Kermit t-shirts; 147 Napoleon t-shirts; 147 Ghostbusters t-shirts; 92 Skeletor t-shirts; 110 joggers; 37 patchwork jeans; 55 slouch jeans; 37 green high tops and 55 red; and 74 Trapper hats. I have ordered more high tops and gilets in red as I think this will be the more popular colour for outwear, whereas I have ordered more of the green hoodie because I think the print on this one will be very popular. The RRPs for the range go from £15-£99, which is suitable mid-range for Resurrection’s men’s department. The parka is the most expensive item, as is to be expected of bulky outwear, whereas the cheapest item is the hat, as this is simply an accessory. The t-shirts are priced £20-£22. As these are they key pieces in the range it is important that they are affordable. I also expect that some of the t-shirts will be hugely popular, such as the Art Wars t-shirt and the Ghostbusters t-shirt, which is why I have ordered a high volume of these items. The cost price of the garments is about 1/3 of the RRP, with each garment having a profit margin between 66% and 67%. The total cost price for this range is £18,978.67. When compared to the £56,936 that the whole range could bring in through its RRP, the store stands to make £37,957.33 gross profit from this collection. The t-shirts and hoodies will be manufactured in the UK, and printed by a local company in order to support the UK economy. The rest of the menswear range will be manufactured in Turkey, where the cost is less but the workers are still protected by EU laws. Shipping from Turkey also means that the costs are less because no air or ocean freight is needed, and I can take advantage of the EU free trade agreement. My comparative shop placed me somewhere in the middle price-wise. Resurrection provides affordable, but not necessarily cheap fashion. This suited me well as I wanted to create a range that was affordable, but not at the expense of quality or workers’ rights. I have managed to build a range that sits neatly within this mid-range affordable market. My comp shop demonstrated the popularity of protective outerwear, such as parkas and quilted jackets, as well as graphic prints, particularly on t-shirts. It also showed that Star Wars garments are as popular as ever, so I have made sure to include some Star Wars designs in my range. From the directional shop I carried out I also noticed the popularity of graphic print t-shirts, as well as the use of fur trim, both of which I have incorporated into my range. When the range is launched, I will have the t-shirts on a table at the centre of the store, as there is more space in this area and it attracts more attention than at the very front. The Art Wars and Ghostbusters t-shirts will be on a half-mannequin on the table, with all the designs then folded neatly in front of them. The outerwear, hoodies and hats will be hung on a rail to one side, while the pants and footwear will be on a rail to the other side. The range as a whole will then sit at the centre of the ground floor, which is not only the focal point of the floor, but also has to be passed to go upstairs, so everyone will notice it. I think this range will be very successful in Resurrection, as it is sticking to the already popular themes seen in the store, while still bringing something new to the table and keeping the store on trend.

Womenswear My womenswear range is made up of 19 items, only 1 of which is an accessory; the rest are all items of clothing. There are two coats in this collection: a tweed coat priced at £75 and a velvet statement coat priced at £90. As with the men’s range, the t-shirts are integral to this range, with 4 in total (2 styles), each with a different print. These a priced from £18£20. There is also a sweatshirt with a graphic print on the front which is priced at £30, and 2 plain coloured cardigans, priced at £25. The range includes 4 skirts in total, which are designed to be worn with the t-shirts, for a classic feminine look with a playful, almost boyish, appeal. The real showstoppers in this collection are the dresses. There are 2 styles that are each available with 2 prints, and another style that is available in 1 block colour design. The prints on the dresses are focused on the classical side of culture, whereas the prints on the t-shirts and sweatshirt are, like in the men’s range, a mash up of classical and popular culture. The colour palette for this range links to colours seen commonly in classical art, and is consistent throughout the range. The colours are also well-suited for the Autumn/Winter season. The only accessory in this range is a woollen scarf, available in 1 colour and priced at £20. Women will be able to create the majority of a few outfits with this range, but will have to look to other ranges for shoes and other accessories. The reason I have not included as many accessories in the women’s range is because currently Resurrection seem to have more in the way of accessories for women, while their clothing department for women is a bit lacklustre. Cotton is a key fabric for this range, as it can be sourced sustainably. I have also used wool wherever possible to create the feeling of luxury that one might associate with classical art. In most cases where I have used wool it has been blended with cotton for cheaper production, but the scarf is 100% wool, hence why this rather plain accessory is £20. The range as a whole goes from £18-£90, so it is no more expensive than the men’s range, and is another mid-range price for womenswear. The women’s range will be available in sizes 8-14, with the number distributed fairly evenly across these sizes, but sizes 10 and 12 will make up a slight majority as these will be the most popular sizes. In total I will order just under 1300 products: 55 tweed coats; 74 velvet coats; 55 black and 55 red cardigans; 37 purple Pre-Raphaelite dresses and 74 multi PreRaphaelite dresses; 92 purple scenic dresses and 74 green scenic dresses; 37 cotton jersey dresses; 55 grey fitted t-shirts; 128 pink fitted t-shirts; 74 beige off-shoulder t-shirts and 92 blue off-shoulder t-shirts; 18 sweatshirts; 74 purple skirts; 55 velvet skirts; 74 split skirts in green and 55 in pink; and 110 knitted scarves. I expect that the velvet coats will be very popular as they can be dressed up or down, and are not something that is commonly available. Of the t-shirts, I predict that the pink fitted t-shirt with the Muppets/Van Eyck print will be the bestseller, because it will appeal to different generations, hence why I have ordered many more of these. The cost price for the whole range was £15,576, and the total RRP of the range is £46,728, with each product having a margin of 66%-67%. This means the gross profit will be £31,152. The womenswear range will be manufactured across 3 countries: the t-shirts/sweatshirt and the knitwear will be made in the UK; the printed dresses will be produced in Italy; the rest of the range will be manufactured in Turkey. As with the men’s range, nothing is coming from outside the EU, including the cotton fabric, so I will save a lot on shipping costs and import tax than if I were to source from say China or Bangladesh. My comparative shop placed Resurrection fairly evenly with its competitors in terms of price, perhaps a little towards the top end. There was widespread use of man-made fibres among my competitors, however, so I feel that my new range, as a largely sustainable collection, will easily compete. My directional shop seemed to show a trend in high necklines, suggesting an air of modesty, which I have emulated in my range with the higher necklines and lengthy skirts. When this range is launched, I will have the dresses hung on the wall along the staircase, so that they are visible from the front of the store, and women going up to the womenswear department will get a closer look at them as they walk up the stairs. The whole collection will then be hung on rails in the area just to the left of the top of the stairs, as this is the area to which people walk straight away. A table will also be set up at the centre of this area showcasing the t-shirts in a similar fashion to the menswear range, with the Muppets and the R2-D2 print on half-mannequins. A full mannequin will also be placed by the top of the stairs wearing the velvet statement coat so that everyone who goes upstairs sees this key piece as well. This range will be successful largely because of its versatility. It can be used to create casual, easy going ensembles, vintage inspired looks and with the right pairing even an ensemble suitable for evening wear.

Childrenswear The kid’s range is made up of 25 products in total, including variations of the same style. This range will be available in sizes aged 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 and 10-11, and is a unisex range, and is made up of relatively shapeless garments, in that the styles would suit both boys and girls. There is a fair mix of different garments: 5 t-shirts which are key to the range; 4 knitted jumpers; 4 variations of trouser; 3 hats and 3 scarves; 2 colours of footwear; and of the outerwear there is a parka, a jacket, a gilet and a longline hoodie. There is a good proportion of knitwear and outerwear in this collection because the parent will likely be concerned with keeping their child warm during the season, so I have ensured that there is a good range of suitable clothing for the cold weather. There are a lot of earthy greens and reds used in this range, particularly in the outerwear, which strikes a chord with the men’s and women’s range and continues the concept of classical culture. Using these earthy colours for the outerwear also means they are more likely to stand up to stains and marks, which, as protective gear, they will likely see. In the rest of the range I have also incorporated brighter colours (blue, pink and yellow) to give the range a more childish feel. The cost price for the entire range is £9,887, with a margin of 66%-67%, and an overall RRP of £29,661, leaving a total gross profit of £19,774. The collection will be on sale for 16 weeks and a total of 1360 items will be ordered. The total RRP can be broken down as follows: 55 quilted gilets priced at £30; 37 longline hooded jackets priced at £30; 92 parkas priced at £40; 74 faux leather jackets at £45; 37 fleece jumpers at £20; 74 knitted jumpers priced at £25; 37 cropped jumpers priced at £20 in yellow and 18 in multi; 91 castle#1 t-shirts, 74 castle#2 t-shirts, 110 dragon t-shirts, 55 Lego t-shirts and 37 Homer t-shirts, all priced at £15; 74 grey/blue quilted joggers and 55 grey/pink joggers priced at £18; 55 blue jeans and 92 light blue jeans at £22; 111 blue bobble hats and 55 yellow bobble hats at £7; 92 trapper hats at £10; 37 high tops with yellow trim and 74 with pink trim priced at £18; 18 snoods at £10; 55 green scarves at £8 and 55 in pink also priced at £8. Having looked at childrenswear retailers such as Next and Matalan, I feel this is a good price range for a children’s clothing. I have had to make us of man-made fibres a lot more for this range to meet the demands for cheaper clothing and to ensure that the larger number of regulations surrounding children’s clothing can be met. While I have used the same concept for the children’s range as I have for the adult collections, I have placed less emphasis on classical art work, instead going for more of the fantastical elements of classical culture, such as the medieval fantasy of knights and dragons, as I think this is much more appealing to children, and is a theme which is particularly popular with both girls and boys. The quilted fabrics and the knitwear are key to the range because they suggest a sort of armour-like appearance, as well as give the protection the parent would want for their child. Having never stocked children’s clothes before, Resurrection does not currently have any competitors for childrenswear, so I looked mainly to my directional shop for reference. I found that padded jackets are very popular within childrenswear, as well as bright colours and graphic prints, so I made sure to incorporate these into my range. For this range the t-shirts and knitwear are sourced from within the UK, while the rest is sourced from Turkey, so the lead times are no longer than those of the men’s and women’s ranges, and the company is still able to support the local economy by having certain items manufactured in the UK. When the range is launched it will be placed at the back of the womenswear department, so that some children can browse the range while the mothers look at womenswear, able to still keep an eye on the child. The children’s t-shirt designs will also be displayed on the wall along the staircase, so that it is clear to people when they come into the shop that the childrenwear is upstairs. I would hope that this range is hugely successful for Resurrection, and could in future perhaps lead to separate childrenswear branches as a result of high demand. It has aspects that appeal both to children and to parents, and is a very functional and suitable range for children aged 4-11 years.

In the shop window I will have mannequins for each of the ranges on show, so that passers-by who have not seen any of the ranges’ marketing campaign will still be made aware to the new ranges on offer. There will be at least one mannequin for each range wearing one of the t-shirts, to emphasise the consistent concept throughout all 3 ranges, and dresses and coats from the women’s range will either also be on mannequins or hung up behind the mannequins in order to attract more women into the store. If I had a budget of £25,000 to spend on products for each of the adult ranges, and a budget of £10,000 for the children’s range, then I have left myself with a small amount to work with if there is a sudden surge in demand or a new trend to follow. I feel that the ranges will all be popular with my target customers because they all fit the customer profile well. My customers are lovers of popular culture, who have a sense of humour and a love of fashion, and who also recognise the importance of good quality clothing. The branding for these ranges will reach my target customers through their love of music, television and fashion, via popular magazine publications, and while the menswear department at Resurrection is already widely successful, there is much potential here for the women’s and children’s departments to really take off and bring in considerably more profit to the company.

How will external factors determine how you will develop your range? Economic – The issue of Britain leaving the EU is high on the agenda in the UK recently, and there are people arguing that it would be both good and bad for the UK economy. The question of Britain’s membership of the EU has a huge impact on the fashion industry as a whole, but certainly on the ranges I am purchasing for Resurrection, as I am relying on the EU’s free trade agreement for cheaper deals with European suppliers, as well as the closer proximity of European countries leading to much reduced delivery times. If Britain left the EU, it could have 1 of 2 direct effects on the development of my ranges. Firstly, if I was adamant about having the ranges sourced from within the EU, as this would speed up lead times and also be more likely to guarantee employee welfare, I would have to accept that there would be higher costs to pay, in which case I would have to drive up the RRP of each item, which could have consequences on the success of the ranges. Secondly, if I decided to source from outside the EU in order to seeks out much cheaper suppliers, then I would have to compromise on the quality of the garments, and I may have to use more man-made fibres in the ranges. The shipping costs would be greater than from within the EU, but these would be off-set by the considerably cheaper labour that can be found in the Far East. This would however also mean that I would have to compromise the ethical standard of the ranges. The shipping times would also be much greater if I was sourcing from outside the EU, so I would not necessarily be able to allow as much time in the planning stages of the critical path. In either case then, I would either have to increase the cost of the products, or decrease the quality of the products, both of which could have a negative impact on the success of the ranges. Technological – Resurrection already makes notable use of social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram, and it has an online store that ships worldwide. As information technology becomes more and more popular, the methods with which people can shop for almost anything only increase. If my new ranges prove to be a success, they would be added to the online store, in which case demand for the new collections could shoot up, as they become available around the world. This would mean that I would need to have the new in-house line produced in much greater quantities, which could possibly lead to a need for a new warehouse in which to keep these greater quantities of stock. The increasing use of social media sites for sales could also mean that in order to compete with other fashion retailers, Resurrection has to start selling via it’s Instagram and Facebook pages as well, which would also lead to an increased demand, as it brought in more traffic from all platforms. The demand brought in via the internet continues to grow at this rate, then more of Resurrection’s budget may be put towards its in-house range, rather than branded garments, which would allow the store to meet the increased demand and even extend the range to include a much wider variety of garments. Legal – The very fact that my range is centred around the use of popular film and television characters instantly presents me with a legal challenge. As a buyer I would need to pay for the use of these characters, as the use of their image will likely be subject to copyright laws. If I were to go about the proper channels to gain access to this copyright, I doubt I would have any trouble. However, if I were to use these images without paying any sort of licence, I could face huge financial penalties, through fines to be paid and also through the loss of stock, which would have to be removed from sale and destroyed. It is hugely important then that I adhere to all the correct legal procedures before using any of these licensed images in my ranges. There is also a small chance that I would be denied use of some images upon request, in which case I would have to rethink some of the designs. If I were unsuccessful with all my requests, I would have to rethink all 3 ranges, which may lead to entirely new concepts for the collections.

During this unit I felt as though I gained a really good and in-depth knowledge of Resurrection, its history and how it operates today. However, I was unable to find out from the employees there the exact staff structure, or any details regarding their buying cycles, so in some cases I had to make well-informed estimates about aspects such as their budget and retail selling periods. I was pleased with the comparative shops I carried out and also the trade show report, as I felt I been quite thorough with my research, which really helped me when building my range. As part of this unit I also started a blog, which was a lot more fun that I had initially suspected, and I plan to maintain this blog throughout my time at college and into the future. One problem area was the trend analysis I did for menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clothing on the catwalk, largely because I had already created my concepts for all my 3 ranges. I began to worry when doing this trend research that my concept boards were completely incorrect, because there were few ideas I had used on them that could be seen on the catwalk. However, after discussing this with my tutor I realised that the trends were not the be all and end all of a range, but rather an assortment of motifs that can be later worked into a concept for a range. Once I had grasped this knowledge I felt I had a much clearer idea of how to effectively build my range so that it stuck to the concept and customer profile, while still being competitive and most importantly successful. The work I did on industry practices and external factors also helped me to see how to successfully build a range within the real world, where one must adhere to certain codes of conduct and principles, as well as deal with any outside forces that may affect the development of a range. With regards to the visuals I have done for this unit, I really feel that my skills on Photoshop have improved drastically, and while there is still room for improvement, I am able to show off my concepts and ideas much more effectively, in a much more minimal manner. I feel the actual presentation of my work for this unit is also much improved, and there is a feeling of uniformity throughout the work that gives the unit a more professional feel. I would like to have spent more time on the branding task that I did towards the end of the unit, as I am not as pleased with my work on this occasion as I feel I should have been. I found myself struggling for time on this task and think that I could have created something much better if I had had more time to focus on it. That said, I feel that I have still managed to get across the themes and ideas that I would use for my ranges, and have supported my ideas with reasoning, explaining why I have used these themes and motifs. The thing I am most pleased with from this unit is the continuity of my concept, and how it has remained a strong theme behind all my ranges and my branding ideas. I have kept strong links with my concept throughout my work, without having to compromise in other areas such as trend or selling potential.