WEARABLES
WEARABLES tyle SISSUE SEPTEMBER 2011
THE EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITY www.wearablesmag.com
September 2011
THE STYLE ISSUE ❉ INDUSTRY’S BEST DRESSED ❉ WOOL ❉ SWEATSHIRTS AND FLEECES SHOWCASE
3rd
Lovely in Leather
Our object of desire
❉ Fall fashion
preview ❉ Meet the best dressed ❉ Fashion marketing’s new era
Technology Triumph The latest smart textiles
Lagging Sales Reps? Snap them back on track
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Cheat Sheet: Wool
Sweatshirts & Fleeces Showcase
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DayStar Apparel Promises U.S. Quality With Quick Service Commitment to quality and focus on safe fabrics for the uniform industry make this Georgia-based manufacturer a go-to resource for your next apparel order. BY TONIA COOK KIMBROUGH
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.S.-based apparel manufacturing isn’t all that common these days, but the expert team at DayStar Apparel makes their mark by providing American-made garments of exceptional quality exclusively to distributors. “DayStar Apparel manufactures all of our products in the Jasper, GA facility, with the exception of bow ties,” says Jeremy Hall, director of sales. This provides you with a reliable source of socially responsible and safety compliant garments when buyers need reassurance. “One of the main components of an American-made garment is the safety of the product,” Hall says. “The U.S. tends to have stricter regulations than other countries.” This means, for example, you and your clients receive apparel created with an understanding of and adherence to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Simply put, Hall explains: “DayStar fabrics are safe from lead and dangerous phthalates, as well as meet all requirements of the Flammable Fabrics Act.” Sourcing apparel from a U.S. manufacturer also makes delivery quicker. Hall notes sizable orders are normally produced despite tight turn times: “Due to the internal capacity of our sewing facility, DayStar often turns out thousands of aprons within just a couple of days notice. DayStar also holds an impeccable record of on-time deliveries and prides itself on a zero tolerance for missed delivery dates. We still believe
companies should do what they say they will do.” Sourcing from DayStar provides a “feel good” aspect to every order thanks to the jobs this supplier keeps stateside. “American-made means ... heartfelt knowledge that you’ve helped support one of your neighbors that you live along side of on a day-to-day basis,” Hall
adds. DayStar began in 1998 with two people operating out of 500 square feet in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. After consistently experiencing double-digit growth, the manufacturer now employs 50 people, operating out of 20,000 square feet. The value such business brings to the regional economy translates to positive public relations message for your apparel buyers. DayStar Apparel primarily sells blank goods, focusing on a collection of aprons, cobblers, vests and chefs coats to outfit a range of food service, grocery, restaurant, hospitality and retail environments. “Being a supplier for the uniform industry and having a firm commitment to selling exclusively through qualified distributors, DayStar Apparel shies aways from embellishment and generally relies upon our distributors to perform those services,” Hall explains. With DayStar, customers are assured of a committed partner that honors its business relationships and supports the needs of its resellers. That includes keeping up with the fabric, style and colors influencing the marketplace. With an eye toward trends that crossover to promotional apparel and uniform markets, DayStar introduced five new colors this year: Charcoal, Hot Pink, Light Blue, Silver and Turquoise. To view these new colors, to learn more about DayStar’s custom apparel programs or to view stock garments, please visit www. daystarapparel.com.
“DayStar fabrics are safe from lead and dangerous phthalates, as well as meet all requirements of the Flammable Fabrics Act.” – Jeremy Hall, DayStar Apparel
4 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
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WEARABLES
SEPTEMBER 2011 • • • • • VOLUME 15, Number 8 • • • • • www.wearablesmag.com
[COVER
STORY]
45
Fall Fashion Preview
A new fashion season has arrived, and we have the scoop on all the hot trends and where to sell them. Showcasing them in an eye-catching on-location fashion shoot? That’s just a bonus. BY C.J. MITTICA, MORGAN BAILEY AND ANDRAYA VANTREASE
[ F E AT U R E S ]
52
Wearables Best Dressed
Style and success go hand-inhand. After searching the entire ad specialty industry, here are 10 of its savviest dressers – as well as their thoughts on finding style and making it work for you. BY C.J. MITTICA, MORGAN BAILEY, SARA LAVENDUSKI AND ASHLEY REID
58
The New Era of Fashion Marketing Embrace the preppy trend with this outfit, which includes a pink V-neck cable sweater (102700) from Tehama (asi/90798, circle 105 on Free Info Card); a striped insulated purse (KO850MST) from Cosmoda Corporation (asi/46773, circle 106 on Free Info Card); and an argyle scarf (ARGY-845-3445) from Wolfmark (asi/98085, circle 107 on Free Info Card).
6 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • www.wearablesmag.com
Product doesn’t (and shouldn’t) sell itself. Apparel distributors need a new outlook on selling and marketing clothing. With that in mind, here are three major opportunities to revitalize the world of fashion marketing. BY CHRISTOPHER RUVO
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Featuring:
Five Key Points of Successful Screen Printing Customer Highlight: Digital threads Service = Success
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What if you could ensure that you are taking the right path to success from the get go as you begin your screen
printing journey? over the past seven years, ryonet has helped over 30,000 screen printers learn to successfully print a shirt. However, running a successful screen printing operation is much more than printing your first shirt! Screen printing is many things—it is a skill, an art, a process and a business. ryonet has identified several reasons screen printers are able to start successfully and continue down that path. We want to provide you with tips that, when followed, will point you solidly toward successful screen printing. When you follow in the footsteps of those who have been successful, you are already actively on the right path. Have the right tools for the Job • Use good art. • Use an art program (Design Studio is one example). • Find art tools (Separation Studio is one example). • Create quality film positives. • Use a good screen that is tight, flat and strong. • Work in a clean area. • Use a pre registration system for efficient setup. • Have a quality exposure system. • Use a rotary screen printing press for production and speed. • Use a flash dryer for multi print perfection. • Use a conveyor dryer so your design will stick.
invest in training and education
proper techniques and learn from other’s mistakes, think of how much faster you could be up to speed as a screen printer. Many resources for learning how to screen printing are right at your fingertips. The important part is actually investing your time and energy by using them!
No matter where you start, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re going to waste time. Time is money, and shirts and ink cost money. When you learn the correct procedures, gain experience, understand
Hands on training classes. Whenever you can focus on something 100 percent, you will learn better and retain more of it. Ryonet’s hands on screen printing
Everyone starts out with a budget—be sure you identify key upgrade pieces to obtain as you grow. The important part is identifying where you want to go and what you’ll need to get there.
The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing a thing exactly right. —edward Simmons
Ryonet makes it easy to start screen printing with a kit in every price range! www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/kits-packages
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the process. The D6Ds are an excellent resource as they allow you to easily re watch something if you would like to try it, see the result you get and then try again if you want. Checkout Ryonet’s extensive screen printing D6D collection at: www.silkscreeningsupplies.com/screenprint-education
classes allow you to immerse yourself in screen printing and experience the learning process in a fun and interactive atmosphere. Hands on classes are the ideal way to learn the process because they:
• Provide an organiZed and focused environment. • !llow access to industry experts as you learn. • !llow you to problem solve and get direction with concepts or techniques that are new and or challenging. • Provide a positive group dynamic— surround by printers from many different skill levels. ,earning from the experience of others is invaluable. • !llow you to try different techniques and print multiple styles of shirts to experience what is possible with screen printing and expand your market potential. • ,et you take home all of the shirts you printed to show family, friends and potential customers what you can do!
YouTube. Ryonet has over 00 videos on 9ouTube and is the leader in online screen printing videos. 9ouTube videos are excellent because you can search for exactly what you need to know and watch a short video on that subJect. Ensure that the information you are looking at comes from a credible source before you invest a lot of time and resources trusting it.
Reading. Surround yourself with material that informs you and provides current industry communication.
• "ooks: Ryonet has books on general screen printing, artistic screen printing, artwork and even our own screen printing academy training manual. • !rticles: there are multitudes of articles available online covering speciďŹ c techniques and troubleshooting. Many times articles are accompanied by a video. 9ou can view Ryonet’s article resource page on our website (www. silkscreeningsupplies.com/aboutryonet) as well as on our ofďŹ cial blog at: www.ryonetblog.com. Continued on next page
Ryonet has classes conveniently located throughout the country in 6ancouver, Washington, ,os !ngeles, California, Harrison, !rkansas and ,ong )sland, New 9ork. DVD’s. The ďŹ rst Ryonet hScreen Printing 101v D6D was published in 00 and we have distributed thousands of copies since then. /ur D6Ds cover speciďŹ c processes, whether it be learning how to screen print or learning an advanced technique. Each D6D provides a step by step guide through
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One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular. —tony robbins • Magazines: the three most popular magazines in the screen printing industry are: Impressions, Printwear and Screen Printing Magazine. These magazines are excellent resources for current industry information and articles. Forums. Participate in industry conversations—the exchange of
information builds a community around you. A screen printing open forum is an excellent way to learn from screen printers all over the world. Currently, the top forum in the industry is: www.t-shirtforums.com. Support. Equip yourself with a team of dedicated experts that are available to educate you and provide excellent service.
Ryonet provides an extensive support resource with over 500 articles and videos at: support.silkscreeningsupplies.com. Live support is important. This is one of the best things about using Ryonet for supplies and support. We have over 20 qualified support, training and service Team Members—passionate about helping
s d a e r h T l a Digit ht: Customer Highlig
ryonet has amazing customers. Seriously. We are honored to work with people and companies from many different aspects of the screen printing industry and being a part of their business is exciting. every customer has a story—why they are in business, what they hope to achieve and how they are accomplishing these things. a constant goal at ryonet is participating with our customers and supporting them as they work for and maintain success. We love to celebrate the unique journeys of our customers. Here is one such success journey. Digital Threads started in 1997 as an embroidery digitizing company by husband and wife team Brent and Sherri Wright. From the beginning, they focused predominately on digitizing services for promotional product companies, but soon many companies were requesting both production and digitizing services. Digital Threads made the decision to purchase embroidery machines, which would enable them to supply this growing trend. Brent
remembers: “We had a lot of personal contacts through friends and associates who were buyers with corporations… they began requesting direct selling. This was far more profitable and we felt we had a strong niche with our quality, pricing and turn time control since we did embroidery in house.” Also providing in house screen printing services was discussed for years as it
clearly went along with much of the work they already did. Already having a solid customer base with embroidery, adding screen printing allowed them to expand their business even further. It empowered them to aggressively seek out new business and deepen relationships with existing customers. Providing screen printing as in house service gives them an even greater ability to control pricing and quality for the products they provide as
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screen printers learn and successfully print. If you run into problems, you can call 00 1 90 or email our support team at: support ryonet.com. Either way, you ll get a fast and friendly response‌ this is all part of getting the education you need and service you deserve
Find a niche Ask yourself questions. Which market excites you‌ what are you passionate about Customers who are more successful focus in a speciďŹ c area they are passionate about. /nce you have deďŹ ned your area s
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Continued on next page
wells as increase their proďŹ t margin. Their contract embroidery involves greater labor expense, shrinking their margins. With screen printing, they have been swamped with retail work—something they are excited to maintain with its higher margins. The Wrights report, “Since bringing the printing in house, printing has increased to around 0 percent of revenue and 50 percent of proďŹ ts.â€? (aving a solid relationship with a supplier for their screen printing needs was essential as they expanded their business. The Wrights interviewed many potential companies in their search for this partnership, “Ryonet stood out above everyone else‌ they really wanted our business, and showed it. They invited us to 6ancouver to tour their facility and invited us, with our purchase, to go through their two day training course, which was outstanding. The owner personally greeted us on our ďŹ rst trip to their facility and everyone already knew our name when we arrived. 6ery impressive â€? Digital Threads already knew what machines and supplies they wanted to buy, they simply needed a company to meet their needs and provide a quality experience.
Being new to screen printing, having ample access to training and professional support from the Ryonet Team proved invaluable, “We appreciate that the customer service staff are printers themselves, so they are very professional in handling printing problems. Also, the day after the machine technician installed our machine, the Solutions Team spent days with us training and helping to get everything started. That eliminated months of potential frustration and allowed us to start off running.� Ryonet salutes Digital Threads for making excellent customer service a top priority. They work to keep their customers experience excellent continually managing this aspect of their business is the source of much of their success. Digital Threads is proactive about how they serve and mindful of maintaining this detail in their words, “Always evaluate what you are doing and what you could be doing better. Learn new skills, be persistent—never give up. Embrace change. Exercise enthusiasm and optimism—attitude is everything � 'oing forward they plan to market screen printing more aggressively, “We feel we have a stronger advantage in our market now that we print in house. Also with the
higher margins and the increased daily production we get, it makes more business sense.â€? Digital Threads is enJoying business success for a multitude of reasons, but taking the opportunity to make customer service a company wide concentration has been and will remain pivotal for them. At Ryonet, we are passionate about customer service It s a passion we want to deďŹ ne our business Journey by. Seeing how our customers share that same passion and achieve success from choosing to focus their business in that direction is the ultimate success for us
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of interests look for a need. A need is whatever the customers in your niche are not currently experiencing. Many times this is speed of production, quality of print, quality and creativity of design or new and imaginative ideas. Fill the need. Ensure that you have the ability to confidently fill the need s you have defined this will take education and practice as mentioned previously . /nce you are confident you can fill the need, go after it When you have the ability to be the best at filling the needs in your market and ensure it is financially profitable do it. 9ou will thrive in your niche and customers will hear about you—they will even automatically start to find you
Develop a Service obsession The next time someone asks you to quote a Job for screen printing that they have previously had done elsewhere ask them a few questions. (ere are some suggestions: • What does excellent customer service mean to you
• Why are you looking for a different printer • What are some of the past problems you experienced that you wish to avoid When you take the time to ask questions you will better understand what level of expectation your new or potential customer is looking for. The only thing to do from there is exceed their expectations If you make yourself an advocate for your customer they will see that you are different than your competition. Avoid using the words: can t, won t and don t. +eep the energy positive and upbeat—go out of your way to service your customer with a can do attitude. The extra mile that you go now will be the first mile in a long Journey you will continue to travel with that customer. When you serve your customer successfully you ll need to advertise less because they will tell people about you for free
Be the Best at Being Better
work at becoming better. This takes Just as much hard work, learning and practice if not more than your initial efforts. Be the best at being better (ow do you become the best at being better Repeat key points two through four. Learn and continue in your education. Continue to find better and additional ways to serve the needs of your niche. Continue to find better ways to obsess about serving your customers. As you grow in business you ll need to personally develop as a business owner in additional to being a screen printer. Find mentors in both business and screen printing, read, exchange knowledge and new ideas among other industry members and always explore and try new things. When you utilize these five points, you will find that success in screen printing and in business becomes second nature. .o mater what: work hard, have fun, actively learn and always work to be the best and being better 'ood luck and let us know how we can help
In order to stay on top you must always
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s s e c c u S = vice
Ser
thoughts about Service From ryonet’s Founder/Ceo ryan moor
When we recently expanded our Ryonet Team, I spent some serious time thinking over how important it is for our company to provide amazing service. What makes service a memorable part of the Ryonet experience What is it that drives our passion to help customers What it really comes down to is how we relate to our customers. I understand what it means to run a business: all the work that goes into things—time spent, money invested, dedication, passion, strategy and sacriďŹ ce to name a few things. Something we recognize is that our customers are also business owners. In my mind this translates into one basic concept for Ryonet: our company s success depends on our customers success. Simply put, it s a partnership—we are on a Journey together. (elping customers be successful has
become a part of our values and company culture it Just makes sense. Service is about the individual. It s important to look through the eyes of the customer— take the time to see where they are coming from and then deliver awesome service to meet their need s . Service can and should be a memorable experience, something that adds to the quality of an interaction. It s something that engages a customer and forms a lasting bond. As we see it, when done right, providing excellent service moves both a company and a customer closer to success. At Ryonet, this is how we communicate and strive to treat our customers. Serving our customers is our culture. Sure, we ve done things differently in the past and at times
have fallen down, but that is how we ve learned. Creating customer loyalty has a huge bottom line effect on our business— it s something we are always working to achieve and always working to improve. /ur Marketing budget has actually gone down from ďŹ ve percent of our total gross revenue to Just under three percent. Interestingly, at the same time, the company has doubled in size and we ve tripled the size of our Marketing Team to cultivate and support this growth. We ve made serving our customers our top priority and it s really paying off. Consider the guidelines we follow as we work to make service equal success:
Size Doesn’t matter .ever look at a customer as a number. Everyone starts somewhere treat people as though they are the best thing that has ever happened to your business Continued on next page
y u G t r i h The T-S inner: ryonet Contest W
Ryonet looks to serve customers by creating unique industry opportunities. /ne of these opportunities is the “Pick Me� contest aimed at novice screen printers. The goal was to document a startup screen printing business experience. 6arious industry vendors were enlisted to sponsor the contest along with Ryonet. A Semi Pro Screen Printing Package complete with upgrades and training was the winning prize. /ver 0 video entries were submitted. +yle and +elley Waltz, owners of The T Shirt 'uy www.thetshirtguylv.com , won the contest and got started blogging to document their Journey.
/ver the past year, they printed over 700 shirts, up considerably from the previous year s 150 orders. They are enJoying repeat business now and expanding their community connections—reaching out to more schools, scout troops, local businesses and have even made contacts with their local Air Force Base. “/ur blog helps us get more business than any other type of advertising we have tried. /ur goal is to continue to blog about our experiences and use this resource to continue to reach customers all over the country. We recently had a customer from .orth Carolina call for
shirts as they saw one of our designs from our blog By providing quality customer service, quick turnaround time, and well printed garments our business will continue to grow. Winning this contest taught our whole family about working hard and working together‌ everyone has tried every part of this business. Even our children have found a lot of value in hard work and commitment and ultimately... success � —Kelley Waltz
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Build relationships This begins by being happy and approachable when talking to your customers, no matter how they talk to you. Treating customers with an attitude of friendship builds the kind of connection that turns into meaningful relationships— simple things like always using someone s first name instead of Sir or Ma am goes a long way. Make a point to learn and then remember various important details about them—the very things that make them unique will prompt conversations to move your business with them further.
ask Questions .ever suggest a product or service without asking questions to find out if specific needs exist. Asking good questions builds trust and report— showing that you not only know what you are talking about, but that you really want to learn what is wanted and needed. At Ryonet, we ask our customers: “What does excellent service mean to you ” and each customer s answer is recorded in their account, providing us a key to going above and beyond their expectations. It s something personal and it has tangible
results. Asking this question also allows us the opportunity to explain why it s important for us to connect with them on that level. Any chance we have to communicate to a customer that serving them is important to us is a valuable opportunity we don t want to miss. Asking questions is so easy to do and the results are phenomenal
educate For Success Spend time explaining processes, troubleshooting issues or customizing an order. Make the effort to guide a customer as they learn and grow. Empower customers and be hands on.
Do What You Say .ever make promises you know you can t keep and work to keep the promises you do make. Being authentic can and will set you apart from the crowd.
Follow up; Keep in touch Always connect with customers to ensure they are happy with your services or products. This is a great time to ask for feedback as well as discuss doing more business and potential referrals.
use tools; Be organized The more customers you have, the harder it will be to serve them. Simple organisational tools can improve your ability to deliver excellent service. Set yourself up to be organized. Email is a low cost and very powerful tool. Within various email systems you can set calendar reminders, automatic email follow up, customer account information and account notes. A customer relationship management system CRM takes this to the next level with more notes, cases, more customer data, locational tracking and much more. There are many low cost CRM platforms available—a great low cost option that is web based and mac friendly is: www.highrisehq.com. In the end, it all comes down to the golden rule of service: treat others like you want to be treated, help them succeed like you want to succeed. When you do this you ll create loyal customers and set yourself apart from the competition. Service is something to build your business around… success will follow
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WEARABLES
41
16 [FIRST THINGS FIRST] 10
Contributors
14
Editor’s Letter
16 25
32
reconsidered
textiles
38 Need-to-Know Terms: Stitch basics
38
rep
26 Technology: Craft a social media policy
28 30
Wearables University 32 Fabric Tutorial: Dazzling apparel 33 Decorating Workshop: Appliqué 34 Color Clinic: Classic color blocking 36 Performance Primer: Smart
Fashion Sense Business Toolkit 25 Sales: Help an underperforming
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[B A C K O F THE BOOK]
62 63 64
B-to-B Classifieds Reader Service Index Object of Desire What we’re in love with right now
Coming Next Issue: What’s coming up in the October issue of Wearables Hot Product Showcase Sweatshirts and Fleeces
Business of Wearables Cheat Sheet Wool
About the Cover Model: Michelle, Wilhelmina Models; photography: Mark Pricskett; design: Jim Lang. On model: gray MicroModal fine jersey V-neck tunic (3MM177) from Blanks Plus (asi/40642, circle 115 on Free Info Card), black nylon tricot leggings (RNT38) from American Apparel (asi/35297, circle 91 on Free Info Card) and a black fedora (8917) from Mega Cap Inc. (asi/70434, circle 116 on Free Info Card).
Wearables ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT. By using eco-friendly paper, Wearables magazine has saved the valuable resources below per year. TREES
ENERGY
WATER
95
65mil. BTU
34,642 gallons
GREENHOUSE SOLID WASTE GASES 10,513 5,702 lbs of CO2 pounds
Environmental impact estimate were made using the Environmental Defense Calculator. For more information visit www.papercalculator.org
*Please recycle this magazine.
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 9
contributors Publisher Richard Fairfield, rfairfield@asicentral.com Editor In Chief Melinda Ligos, mligos@asicentral.com Editor C.J. Mittica, cmittica@asicentral.com
In this issue, JASON NEVE, the art director at Boardroom ECO/// Apparel (asi/40705), writes our “Business of Wearables” column. He looks at the various ways to create custom apparel, and offers some tried-and-true tips for working with the best suppliers when it comes to creating a top-of-the-line custom garment. “Always get a sample before going ahead with production,” Neve writes. “It isn’t necessary to get a full size-run of the garment (unless you are doing big volumes), but you will want to get a pre-production sample in the correct color-way and fabric. (And do try it on.) Don’t rely on the manufacturing business to fix any mistakes in production; always get a perfect sample first.”
Managing Editors Joe Haley, jhaley@asicentral.com Joan Chaykin, jchaykin@asicentral.com Staff Writers Christopher Ruvo, cruvo@asicentral.com Jennifer Vishnevsky, jvishnevsky@asicentral.com Interns Morgan Bailey, mbailey@asicentral.com Mae Fairfield, mfairfield@asicentral.com Sara Lavenduski, slavenduski@asicentral.com Ashley Reid, areid@asicentral.com Copy Editor Patricia Cangelosi
Interested in becoming a Wearables contributor? Please send an e-mail to cmittica@asicentral.com, and let us know what’s on your mind.
Contributing Writers Shane Dale, Tonia Cook Kimbrough, Jason Neve, Alissa Tallman, Andraya Vantrease Editorial Assistant Carole Seymour, cseymour@asicentral.com
Creative Director Jim Lang Sr. Editorial Designers Hillary Haught, Pierre Schnog
Wearablesmag.com [ your online source for information and education ] We’ve got lots of online exclusives, such as fun and informative videos and podcasts on Wearablesmag.com, online courses and webinars on ASICentral.com, and social media chatter on Facebook and Twitter. VIDEO: Star-Studded Affair. Wearables welcomes in the new season with a one-ofa-kind celebrity extravaganza. Come check out which of your favorite celebrities is wearing the latest in branded apparel.
Editorial Designer Monica Fisher Editorial Photographer Mark Pricskett
Executive Director Production Haitham Barakat Executive Director of Audience Development & Analysis Debra Brill
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WEARABLES P.O. Box 2197 Skokie, IL 60076
10 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
©2011 Fruit of the Loom, Inc.
TAKE A
fresh
LOOK
Feast your eyes on the Fruit of the Loom® brand like you’ve never seen it before. Our product delivers the level of consistency and high stitch density you expect in a superior decorating surface. Now, you can depend on us time and time again for the color, size and construction you need to showcase your creativity with confidence. All from the company that’s been dedicated to quality apparel for over 150 years. FruitActivewear.com | 888.378.4829
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Wearablesmag.com
[ your online source for information and education ]
PODCAST: More Teachers, More Books. School is back in session, and the hosts of the ASI Tuesday Morning Show get the jump with some tips on back-to-school items. Take a listen at www.asicentral.com/radio. ONLINE EDUCATION: The Power of Performance. By now, your clients should be clamoring for performance apparel. But are you unsure what it is or how you should be selling it? Get your questions answered by checking out our webinar: “Performance Primer: The Essentials of Apparel’s Fastest Growing Category.” We cover the most popular performance properties, decoration techniques, sales strategies and more. Be sure to check it out at www.asicentral.com/webinars.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Drawing the Line. The U.S. Product Safety Commission has fielded 26 reports of children who have died when the drawstring on their jacket or sweatshirt became entangled on playground slides, school bus doors and other objects. In the wake of such reports, the CPSC ruled that drawstrings on children’s outerwear are “substantial product hazards.” The ruling, approved in a 5-0 vote, empowers U.S. custom and border agents to prevent shipments of children’s outerwear from entering the United States. Here is what you had to say about it on Facebook: “I see no danger in drawstrings – where does it end? Drawstrings are in pants, shirts, bags, backpacks, slings, etc. I have a personal reason since I am the inventor and patent holder for the ‘Hoodie Hooker’ restringing device. Sweatshirts with drawstrings have been sold through Hanes, Fruit of the Loom, Champion and a gazillion other brands for 60+ years and no one complained until now? Better they should go after all the lead and VOCs in the so-called recycled totes everyone uses.” – from Eric Ruthman “Thank goodness our government is tackling the REAL problems.” – from Joel Ulmer
Decrease
4%
Advertising Specialty Institute Chairman Norman Cohn Vice Chairman Matthew Cohn President and CEO Timothy M. Andrews Chief Operating Officer Vince Bucolo Senior Vice President/Sales Christine Lovell, MAS Vice President/Sales Ron Ball, MAS Associate Publisher Ed Koehler Account Executives Vince Deissroth, Jeannine Garrison, Cindi Mann, Barry Melito, Phyllis Mutnick, Jim Padilla, CAS, Suzanne Rozick, Mary Sells
Wearables Editorial Advisory Board Lori Anderson, Marketing Manager River’s End Trading Co. Gina Barreca, Director of Marketing Vantage Apparel David Bebon, Owner DBEBZ Apparel Anita Brooks, Owner and President Geiger/ASB Marketing LLC Jay Busselle, General Manager Digital Art Solutions Anthony Corsano, CEO Anvil Knitwear
Don’t know
3%
Gregg A. Emmer, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Kaeser & Blair Inc. Julie Harms, Supplier Relations Administrator HALO Branded Solutions and Lee Wayne Corp.
ONLINE POLL On ASICentral.com, we asked “How are you changing your marketing spending in 2011?”
12 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Marc Held, National Sales Director Bodek and Rhodes Dan Jellinek, Senior Vice President of Sales The Magnet Group
Stay the same
43%
Increase
50%
Taraynn Lloyd, Marketing Director Edwards Garment Greg and Vera Muzzillo, Co-CEOs Proforma Clare Spiegel, Founder and President Your New Image
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from the editor’s desk
Make Over Your Marketing BY C.J. MITTICA
I
t’s time for a makeover. That is the unofficial theme of our 3rd Annual Style Issue. Our “Fall Fashion Preview” cover story offers up the hottest trends this fall so you can upgrade the apparel you are selling. “Wearables Best Dressed” spotlights the most style-savvy members of our industry; I hope their advice and example spurs you to up the ante with your own wardrobe to make a first-class impression. And our feature on “The New Era of Fashion Marketing” examines the significant ways that distributors can take a new approach when it comes to their promotional habits. Distributors have for far too long kept the notions of style and fashion out of their marketing efforts. The obsession with apparel as a commodity – viewed solely as a vehicle for a company logo or marketing message – is far too restrictive. Fashion marketing needs a change. Here are the three ways we covered in the article that I believe it can be accomplished.
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‘
I throw out a word like ‘makeover,’ and it is easy to associate it literally with clothing. But it can apply to any aspect of your business that needs a change. 1. Embrace social media. Even those who get social media are often exclusively focused on networking and client generation. It’s time to leverage the power of Facebook into promoting apparel. Use the instant nature of Twitter for giveaways and contests. Create promotions that drive end-users to post pictures with the apparel you created. Distributors have started doing this, but more is needed. 2. Taking cues from the fashion industry. We’re not talking about mugs here. The fashion industry respects the clothing, and the inspiration and creativity behind it. The emphasis is on the item as fashion. Distributors with an eye on style and custom work can afford to take the same approach. By marketing the clothing as couture, you can bring out the very best qualities – and elevate a client’s brand in the process. 3. Respect the brand. Once you elevate the style of the apparel you’re selling, find the best way to fit it
14 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
within your client’s brand. This doesn’t mean hoodies for a 75-year-old investment firm because hoodies are popular. Brand is king. Brands have a story, a message and a target audience they are trying to reach. Take all that into account, and the right apparel will basically call to you. A smarter approach to apparel marketing isn’t a mystery. And the best part about this makeover is that it won’t max out your credit card. n Thanks for reading,
WHAT’S IN MY CLOSET? Each issue, we ask our readers a simple question: What is your favorite branded apparel item in your closet? Send in a photo of you and your favorite garment, and tell us in a paragraph why you love it. We’ll run one submission each issue, and that lucky winner will receive a $25 Visa Gift card. This issue, our submission comes from Jamie Stone, president of Gifts by Design (asi/205947): “When you sell branded merchandise, it’s important to walk the walk ... or wear the apparel, as the case may be. One of my personal all-time favorites is a quilted Cutter & Buck (asi/47965) jacket I’ve had for years. It’s one of those perfectly versatile pieces – you can dress it up, dress it down and wear it in almost any month of the year here in the Pacific Northwest. I liked it so much that I gave one to every woman in my office, and embroidered them all tone-on-tone with our Gifts By Design logo to keep the look subtle and very wearable. Even now, years later, it’s fun to see that the jackets are still looking great and being worn all over town!”
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FASHIONSENSE Hot apparel, style how-tos and need-to-know trends
BY ALISSA TALLMAN
TREND SPY
Patterns
F
rom florals to checkerboard and plaids to animal skins, prints and patterns continue to be ubiquitous on the runway and among retail and wholesale distributors. Some of the most popular designers have based entire brands on their own unique patterns, such as Vera Bradley and Steve Alan. No matter what kind you choose, prints and patterns endow garments and accessories with texture and character. Boxercraft (asi/41325) Marketing Associate Jessica Levine recommends utilizing the power of patterning when planning an event or designing a logo. “Using trendy patterns and prints in a promotional campaign is a great way to make your promotion more current and relevant,” she says. She adds, “It increases the chances of your promotional product being used continuously by the end-user,” hence circulating a company message that maintains consistent visibility. Patterns also send an upbeat and lighthearted message, which works wonderfully for a promotion. “Implementing the right pattern for your promotion gives your campaign extra ‘oomph,’ ” Levine says. She invites companies to “use patterns playfully”; for example, she recommends floral patterns for a landscaper or nautical patterns for a marina. Corporate giveaways as well as schools and sports teams are possibilities. In addition, patterns are excellent for the health-care industry as well as businesses and organizations catering to children.
Purple plaid can’t fail to be noticed! Consider these fantastic boxers (Y44PG-2) from Boxercraft (asi/41325; circle 117 on Free Info Card).
Bishop The Garment Co. (asi/40586; circle 118 on Free Info Card) carries this svelte microfleece jacket (2112-E) featuring a floral print. Choose from seven colors, including cobalt, red and titanium.
This quilted canvas tote (1521) featuring a paisley print is available from Mega Cap Inc. (asi/70434; circle 116 on Free Info Card) in light blue or light pink.
Simple, elegant and classic, this black and white polka-dot tie (NWPP-058-328) from Wolfmark (asi/98085; circle 107 on Free Info Card) is the perfect item to spruce up uniforms or formal dresswear. 16 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
HOT HUE
R
Mint
efreshing and cool, mint is an excellent hue for any company to incorporate into its promotional wardrobe. Versace and Miu Miu featured the color in their autumn 2011 designs for women, and Givenchy and D&G introduced it without restraint in their men’s designs. Subtler than most greens, mint is a guaranteed hit for promotional wear. If you’re thinking of including mint green in your color lineup, put the golf industry and related businesses at the top of your client list. “It’s a popular color choice for golf apparel, which is one of the biggest wearables segments,” says Janine Toner, marketing coordinator for Broder Bros. Co. (asi/42090). She lauds the hue as being a symbol of confidence, adding that it “exudes classic golf styling.” According to Toner, “An increased popularity in mint-green apparel will eventually come from big-name retailers and uniform suppliers that sell golfwear.” Lee Strom, senior marketing manager for SanMar (asi/84863), stresses the significance of mint green as one of this season’s key updated colors. “Expanded color options for our most popular styles continue to be requested from our customers,” he says. “We see mint green as a great option, ideal for styles available for both men and women and an excellent platform for showcasing a variety of logos.” Strom also stresses mint green’s visual versatility. “Mint green is a nice complementary color,” he says. “It pairs well with neutral and bold palettes.” Along with companies dealing with golf merchandise, the healthcare and food industries as well as spas and resorts are all conducive to mint-green apparel and accessories.
S&S Activewear (asi/84358; circle 119 on Free Info Card) carries this flattering polyesterspandex tee (W1001) in mint.
You can purchase these comfy mint scrub bottoms (9902) from Instant Tee House (asi/62690; circle 120 on Free Info Card).
This swank moisture-wicking top (2050) from Bishop The Garment Co. (asi/40585; circle 118 on Free Info Card) features contrast color-blocking on the sleeves and collar.
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 17
FASHIONSENSE
ACCESSORIES
Laptop Bags
S
chool is back in session – the ideal time to consider implementing laptop cases and bags into your promotional and event planning. Stylish, practical and universal, laptop cases and bags are found in countless styles, colors, designs and fabrics. Modeled after the timeless messenger bag (which was designed in the 1950s specifically for telephone linemen to carry necessary tools to high heights), these bags not only protect a computer, but they are roomy enough to accommodate accessories such as mice, adapters and even paperwork. Plus, they often look stylish enough to transcend being simply a laptop bag. “Laptop cases and bags are ideal promotional products to offer clients,” says Matthew Olivolo, director of public relations for Mobile Edge & Sumo (asi/71854). One reason is because laptops are becoming increasingly prevalent in the corporate arena. “Both large and small businesses are replacing their desktops with laptops,” he states, which is a result of “more and more employees needing to be mobile.” Because companies are using laptops as their primary computers, Olivolo says, “laptop cases are very applicable and a great ‘alternative’ product in the promotional market.” Olivolo makes note of laptop cases and bags as effective marketing tools because they can be easily decorated with company logos as well as slogans and images. They also make an excellent product choice because “all industries need and use computers to perform and run their businesses,” he says. Along with corporations, consider school spirit stores, museum and tourist gift shops and the retail market as new clients to target. Also on the list are airlines, car dealerships and sports clubs.
18 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
This attractive pink polka-dot laptop case (MEBPEX2) is available from Mobile Edge & Sumo (asi/71854; circle 121 on Free Info Card). Also consider this supplier’s cowhide leather laptop case (MEBCL1 Strap), which would make a superb employee gift.
Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788; circle 122 on Free Info Card) carries this polyester messenger bag (405) in black, gray, navy or yellow.
You can find this oil-rubbed leather laptop bag (6825) at Good Hope Bags (asi/57702; circle 124 on Free Info Card).
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9149
Get a sample of this style for only $10 NET (freight is additional.) Must mention code Z5. 1 blank sample per account. Expires 10/31/11.
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FASHIONSENSE
STYLE TIPS
Bright Tops
I
f you’re thinking of investing in tops this autumn, think bright! Attention-grabbing and visually-stimulating tees, tanks, hoodies and the like are a surefire way to get your client noticed. Whether it’s outfitting a staff or promoting a new restaurant with giveaway T-shirts, vivid hues such as turquoise, canary yellow and raspberry should be on your palette. According to Mary Ellen Nichols, director of marketing communications for Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788), one reason for this color trend involves a continuing effort to bolster the nation’s financial optimism. “In tough economic times, brighter colors prevail,” she says. She adds that these hues help build confidence. “It’s the lively spirit behind such colors that’s responsible,” Nichols says. “These are happy colors that appeal to the playful inner child in all of us.” In addition, bright colors catch the eye more quickly. “Your client is more apt to be noticed and turn heads with something bright,” says Shurli Allinott, president of Brandwear Basics LTD (asi/41545). She believes such hues are necessary to stimulate sales and bring in customers. “People get tired of seeing the same colors and styles over and over again,” she says. “Give your customer a reason to buy something different and new.” Nichols cites a versatile market for bright tops, including trade show staffers, sports teams, restaurants and hospitality chains as well as “anyone conveying a positive, happy and feel-good demeanor in their corporate message,” she says. Allinott specifies businesses that target women as ideal choices, such as women’s organizations, salons, spas and the health-care industry.
Cozy and warm, this bamboo-rayon top (328) from Brandwear Basics LTD (asi/41545; circle 114 on Free Info Card) features deep front pockets and a tailored fit.
This women’s casual top (0393000) featuring a seashell stitch along the neckline and sleeves is available from Kavio! (asi/64152; circle 128 on Free Info Card).
This bright neon puffer vest (8954) is available from J America (asi/62977; circle 129 on Free Info Card).
20 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
No bright color is more ubiquitous than red, and you’ll see plenty of it this fall. You can find it in this sporty 1/4 zip polyester pullover jacket (8398) from Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788; circle 123 on Free Info Card).
Rugby sweatshirt – 1265
game changer
Quality construction and desirable details, like a two-button placket and rubberized buttons, make this Weatherproof rugby sweatshirt a stylish companion -- whether you’re in the middle of the action or in the stands. S&S Activewear is changing the game, too. We offer a full range of Weatherproof gear along with incredibly quick turnaround. Our single, centrally-located warehouse means our one-day shipping zones are among the largest in the industry. You also get the added efficiency of one shipment and one invoice.
If it’s hot, it’s here. See this and all the great new fall items in our 2011 – 2012 Forerunner catalog available now! Call 800.523.2155 or visit ssactivewear.com. Circle 32 on Free Info Card or visit www.wearablesmag.com/freeinfo
asi/84358
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FASHIONSENSE
LOOKS WE LOVE
Shelf-Bra Tank
T
ank tops come in a variety of styles, colors and materials. But some stand out as exceptionally versatile and comfortable. This cotton-spandex shelf-bra tank (960) from Broder Bros. Co. (asi/42090; circle 125 on Free Info Card) is a true winner. Available in 11 colors and featuring a stylish V-neck and satin-lined spaghetti straps, this tank can be worn on its own or layered with tunics, longsleeve shirts and cardigans. Purchase it blank or imprint it for use with uniforms or as promotional wear. This top is flattering, fashionable and applicable to many settings.
asi/35297 22 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Art Gallery Employee: Pair the black version of the top with this arty tunic (3MM177) from Blanks Plus (asi/40642; circle 115 on Free Info Card) and these yoga pants (810) from S&S Activewear (asi/84358; circle 119 on Free Info Card). This chic outfit presents your employees as “in the know” fashion-wise yet maintains a professional look. Give the outfit added character by matching it with combat boots or sneakers.
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Athletic Team Member: Don this front-zip cotton-polyester sweatshirt (L221) from SanMar (asi/84863; circle 94 on Free Info Card) over the tank and add these cotton-spandex capris (B815) from Broder Bros. Co. (asi/42090; circle 125 on Free Info Card). Consider this outfit for school athletes as well as sports staff. The tank and the sweatshirt are easily imprintable, and the capris lend themselves to a casual autumn Saturday or Sunday on the field with teammates.
Business Casual: Layer the tank with this longsleeve pima cotton cardigan (AA4590) from Alternative Apparel (asi/34850; circle 126 on Free Info Card) and these lowrise, fitted dress pants (2204) from Executive Apparel Inc. (asi/53418; circle 127 on Free Info Card). A touch more casual than business formal, this outfit is great for Fridays at the office or office parties. It also accommodates end-of-summer and beginning-of-autumn weather.
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 23
FASHIONSENSE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011
SEPTEMBER
19-21
8-10 Sept. 8-10, Atlanta ISS Show (800) 241-9034; www.issshows.com
Sept. 19-21, Las Vegas Las Vegas International Lingerie Show (305) 598-7019; www.lingerieshow.cc
19-23 Sept. 19-23, Van Nuys, Ontario, Newport Beach, San Diego, Phoenix Advantages Roadshow (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
20-23 Sept. 20-23, Las Vegas Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show (678) 285-3976; www.lvsouvenirshow.com
27
23
Sept. 27, Toronto ASI Holiday Preview Tour (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
Sept. 23, Los Angeles ASI Holiday Preview Tour (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
OCTOBER 3-6
16-18
Oct. 3-6, Canada East (Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Burlington) Advantages Roadshow (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
16-19 Oct. 16-19, Marlboro, MA New England Apparel Club Show (781) 326-9223; www.neacshow.com
Oct. 16-18, Fort Walton Beach, FL Panama City Gift Show (678) 285-3976; www.panamacity giftshow.com
7-8
Oct. 7-8, Joliet, IL Apparel Decorating Extravaganza (877) 793-3278; www.embroideryextravaganza.com
18 17-21
Oct. 18, Atlanta ASI Holiday Preview Tour (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
Oct. 17-21, Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte Advantages Roadshow (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com
24-28 Oct. 24-28, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Long Island, Boston Advantages Roadshow (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com 24 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
23-25 Oct. 23-25, Galveston, TX Galveston Gift & Resort Merchandise Show (678) 285-3976; www.galvestongiftshow.com
26 Oct. 26, Philadelphia ASI Holiday Preview Tour (800) 546-3300; www.asishow.com Alissa Tallman is a contributing writer for Wearables.
BUSINESS
TOOLKIT Build a better business By Christopher Ruvo
Motivational Matters
An underperforming sales rep doesn’t have to be a lost cause.
I
Positive reinforcement can inspire underperforming reps who are n the past, Dennis Borst, COO of Patriot Marketing making strides toward improvement. Borst rewards reps for success(asi/291551), gave the worst performing sales representative on fully taking the steps in the C.A.P.S. process. He also provides extra his team a trophy of a horse’s backside. The rep had to display incentives to hit sales objectives, such as offering an extra percent the trophy on his or her desk for the next month. Though or two on commissions. Additionally, managers can review basic unconventional, the trophy motivated the underperforming rep. sales skills with reps, turn them on to sales training literature and “They did whatever they could to get it off their desk,” says Borst. instructional videos or provide other supports, such as sending reps Knowing how to handle struggling reps is an issue for many to training seminars. Consider, too, that American Solutions for distributor sales managers. Can you get the rep back on track? Business offers sales training webinars. How? And when do you part ways? While The company also has a listserv where Borst’s trophy is an attention-grabber, his reps from across the country ask questypical practice is to sit down with associates Threats put them under so tions and provide tips to each other. and establish where they’re going wrong. While some salespeople may Sales trainer Nick Moreno, founder of La much stress they can’t work, or respond to probation periods or Jolla, CA-based National Sales Center, it just gets them to quit. threats of firing, Borst finds threats says that’s the right approach, adding that generally fail to have the desired managers must understand whether a rep’s DENNIS BORST, Patriot Marketing (asi/291551) effect. “It puts them under so much problem is motivation, poor prospecting, stress they can’t work,” he says, “or it shoddy sales/closing skills or a combination just gets them to quit.” of the three. Distributors have to decide when the detriment of keeping a rep To zero in on an associate’s struggles, J.P. Shea, sales developis greater than the downside of firing the associate and seeking out ment lead for American Solutions for Business (asi/120075), anaand training a new rep. Moreno notes that a salesperson who can’t lyzes where reps have had success in the past and talks with them identify personal goals or get motivated is likely headed for the about current challenges. Shea and the associate then determine inevitable ax; it’s probably better to nix this associate sooner than steps for righting the rep’s ship. “At the end of the process, his sales later. Similarly, motivated reps who struggle after significant trainimproved,” says Shea of a rep he worked with recently. ing and support may simply lack a knack for sales; it’s wise then to If motivation is a problem, Moreno recommends that managers part ways. Says Shea: “At some point, it becomes better for everyone focus reps on working for their personal goals. “If they have buyto go in different directions.” in,” Borst adds, “they are more apt to accomplish what they need to accomplish.” He talks to reps about their objectives and asks them what they need to do to achieve them. Offering improvement ideas, Borst establishes processes and challenges that help reps progress. Ways to Help An Sometimes, reps get so worried about hitting numbers they Underperforming Rep become paralyzed or neglect the steps of the sales process that will earn them business. To counteract this, Borst created a concept 1. Identify why the rep is struggling. called C.A.P.S. The “C” component gets reps to focus on making a 2. Create “buy-in” by getting reps to focus on how improved certain number of outbound calls every day. “A” looks at how many sales could help them meet personal goals. calls lead to appointments. “P” analyzes proposals generated from 3. Establish a specific plan for sales improvement. appointments, and “S” evaluates closed sales. This step-by-step 4. Reward reps as strides are made toward improvement. system refocuses reps on the process, making them better sellers, says Borst: “It gets them thinking less about ‘I got to sell a million 5. Measure progress: Revise plans that yielded no improvement dollars’ and more about ‘I have to make 10 outbound calls today or consider parting ways. and get X number of appointments set up.’ ”
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wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 25
BUSINESS
TOOLKIT
Stand By Your Post
Instituting a social media policy can protect your company from trouble.
A
ll it takes is one inappropriate tweet on a distributor’s Twitter account, one ill-advised post to a firm’s Facebook page, to subject a company to considerable embarrassment or, in extreme cases, legal liability. To avoid red-faced moments or worse, distributors should consider establishing a written policy that defines how employees should conduct themselves when their tweeting, posting or blogging is tied to the company. “It’s important to have a written policy so expectations are clear and every team member is on the same page,” says social media expert Jay Wilkinson, founder and CEO of Nebraska-based Firespring, a marketing and website solutions firm. “If you don’t, you could have people not necessarily making the best decisions.”
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ongoing reminders that whatever you put out there anyone can see, and you should govern yourself accordingly,” says managing director Catherine Graham. “We spend a lot of time talking about our brand internally to ensure that social messaging is consistent with brand positioning.” Once you know the image you want projected through social media, you can begin formulating guidelines. This process can be facilitated by reviewing any of the scores of social media policies publically available on the Internet. IBM, for example, has a fairly extensive policy. Its top tenet is that when blogging, tweeting or interacting on Facebook, IBMers should follow the corporation’s Business Conduct Guidelines. IBMers are: prohibited from citing or referencing clients, partners or suppliers without consent; told to
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It’s important to have a written policy so expectations are clear and every team member is on the same page. JAY WILKINSON, Firespring
To formulate a policy, distributors should first assess their company culture and determine how they want their brand image to be projected through social media. “There’s no one answer for social media policy. Brands vary in profound ways, and you have to look at what will work for you,” says Jon Gelberg, chief content officer of Blue Fountain, an NYC-based Web consultancy. At Robyn Promotions (asi/309656), for example, the guiding principle for social media conduct is a “common sense” approach, says Bobby Lehew, director of operations. Employees are expected to interact cordially, professionally and personably – just as they would when, say, engaging with a client at an offsite event. Rightsleeve Marketing Inc. (asi/308922) executives hold similar expectations. “We have 26 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
respect copyright and financial disclosure laws; instructed to use their real names and identify their roles at IBM when discussing the company or IBM-related matters; and more. At Robyn Promotions, employees are directed to avoid spamming and sales pitches in their social media interactions. Instead, they’re encouraged to use Facebook and the like as relationship-building communication tools through which clients and prospects can be engaged and provided with valuable information, says Lehew. A similar ethos prevails at Rightsleeve, where employees are asked to nurture a human connection with clients by sharing appropriate personal information – say, baby shower pictures – through social media. “We always recommend getting personal. It helps build relationships, and if you
Five Steps to Forming a Social media Policy 1. Determine the brand image you want conveyed through social media. 2. Begin talking about guidelines that will help keep employees focused on the brand message. 3. Review other social media polices; adopt guidelines relevant to your goals. 4. Formulate and write your policy; review it with employees; repeat review periodically. 5. Appoint someone to ensure employees follow the policy.
build that relationship, people will come to you with their business when they’re ready,” says Wilkinson. Once a policy is in place, it’s important to ensure employees adhere to it. That’s part of the reason distributors should have a manager in charge of social media. At Rightsleeve, for example, President Mark Graham heads up the direction and oversight effort. “You need to have a key point person who ultimately has responsibility for what appears,” says Gelberg. He notes that, at small firms, one person might do all the content creation on her own, while at larger companies that director may manage employees responsible for a brand’s presence on different social media channels. While some may feel a written policy is unnecessary, experts say having one gives employees needed direction and helps ensure your brand messaging will be on target and consistent. “Think of it like children and chores,” says Wilkinson. “If you tell them what’s expected of them and put a chore chart on the fridge, they are more likely to contribute positively to the household.” Christopher Ruvo is a staff writer for Wearables.
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BUSINESS OF WEARABLES [Wise, witty tales from the selling trenches]
Grow Your Custom Capabilities Follow these strategies to find the best custom suppliers. BY JASON NEVE
T
Jason Neve is the art director at Boardroom ECO/// Apparel (asi/40705). He can be reached at jasonn@board roomclothing.com or (800) 654-4002 ext. 226. Follow ECO/// Apparel on Twitter: @ ECHOAPPAREL.
‘
he first thing to understand about custom clothing is that there is no single definition of it. In one example, you can purchase a blank polo off the shelf from a supplier, sew a logo onto the left-chest, and voila: custom clothing! Other businesses let you customize a garment by choosing from three to five (or maybe even 10 to 12) different styles, as well as a particular fabric in up to 10 colors. But that only represents the most limited instances of custom apparel. I personally consider custom clothing to be the process by which you craft a unique apparel item suited to your client’s individual needs and tastes – something your customer cannot get anywhere else. You can engineer a fabric that is specific to your requirements; get a custom lab-dip color; develop custom trim and small details like buttons, zipper-pulls and neck labels; and work with an apparel manufacturer to get samples and production. Sound easy? Well, it is! You can go as far as engineering your own fabric and designing a new apparel item from scratch by yourself. Or, you can work with several smaller apparel suppliers that offer custom clothing programs that don’t require you to be a fabric specifier, a fashion designer and an import/export broker. Here are three key tips to working with a custom supplier:
Try to find a business that already manufactures apparel that is similar to what you wish to build. You wouldn’t go to a parka manufacturer to build a bikini, right?
’
1. Find comfortable minimums and selection The first thing to look for is a supplier that offers a low minimum for manufacturing and has the capability to provide custom samples. I’ve seen minimums as low as 12 units, and all the way up to 600 units. In most cases, the starting point is 48 to 72 units. It is a good idea to look for a business that has a range of fabrics in a wide selection of colors, and a wide range of clothing styles and fits to choose from. This way you won’t be limited, and through development you’ll get to where you need to be in terms of usage, color-way, performance and price. Try to find a business that already manufactures apparel that 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
is similar to what you wish to build. You wouldn’t go to a parka manufacturer to build a bikini, right?
2. Look for creativity and communication You want a business that has a strong creative team and art department that can provide you with virtual samples. In other words, they can turn your scribbled doodles and half-baked ideas into a concise presentation or sales tool that gives your customer a good idea of how the finished product will look. If you wish to add custom bells and whistles to the garment, the supplier will work with its supply chain to get them for you, but you should always get a detailed sign-off to show your client. It is important that the supplier understands and adheres to your client’s graphic standards, and that the sign-offs are clear and detailed, right down to the dimensions of the neck label, the Pantone color codes and the materials used. If you are making custom clothing, you’ll want to plan everything on paper first. If you don’t do this, you’ll spend time and money fixing preventable mistakes. At the end of the day, like always, communication is king. 3. Get the perfect sample Finally, you want to be sure that the business that you are working with has a fashion designer and sample-sewer on staff, so that you can direct the fit of the garment and make any changes to the styling (like adding a pocket, changing a polo to a zip-neck, changing the fabric or adjusting the fit). Always get a sample before going ahead with production. It isn’t necessary to get a full size-run of the garment (unless you are doing big volumes), but you will want to get a pre-production sample in the correct color-way and fabric. (And do try it on.) Don’t rely on the manufacturing business to fix any mistakes in production; always get a perfect sample first. Custom can be another arrow in your quiver, or it can be the mainstay of your sales. It’s your prerogative. I consider myself fortunate to work with intelligent, talented, creative partners who understand both the capabilities and the limitations of custom clothing. It is a pleasure to flex my creative muscle and be proud of what I do. Building custom clothing is not as easy as making a single phone call or clicking a mouse, but the design and planning process yields surprising and terrific results. Don’t be intimated; at the end of the day, it is a skill that is not too difficult to master. n
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✓CHEATSHEET
How to sound like an expert even when you’re not By Shane Dale
Wool
Q
What are the pros and cons of wool fabric? Which wool garments are people wearing? What kinds of embellishments are possible and appropriate on wool apparel? To what kind of market should I pitch wool apparel?
A
Despite all of the new performance-feature fabrics available on the market, wool remains on top in terms of warmth, feel, and longevity, according to Susan Moshier, corporate division sales manager for Woolrich (asi/98192). Founded in 1830, Woolrich is the oldest functioning wool mill in the United States. “Wool will keep you the warmest and the softest, and it’s got great function,” she says. “Once you’ve woven it, it’s got a very soft hand to it, and a good feel. “The other thing is that wool is going to last a long time. We have people that send us shirts
for our archives that are 40 to 50 years old and are still in good shape.” Wool’s insulating nature actually does more than keep the wearer toasty: it keeps you cool as well. “The English knew this a long time ago, but a lot of people don’t realize there’s that extra value to it,” says Henry Bernstein, director of SEIT Laser for Hirsch International. “It does have the ability to keep a layer of cool.” There can be some downsides to wool. Some people may find it itchy because “fibers in wool will migrate themselves out of material,” Bernstein says. Also, a few people may have wool
allergies, and typically wool is a dry-clean only product. Except Moshier says newer technology has allowed for some wool apparel to be machine-washable. “Usually you’ll machinewash with the cold gentle cycle,” she says. “If I wash anything that includes wool, I just keep my wools together and do it.”
Functional, recycled, and boiled Naturally, wool is most popular among people in colder climates who spend a lot of time outdoors, Moshier says. “We’re seeing the more functional things, like if you want to take a quick hike in the woods and enjoy a campfire – people are just looking for items that they like to layer up,” she says. “We do jackets, we do vests, men’s and women’s wool sweaters, wool Jac-Shirts – just basically your functional outerwear pieces.” Winter accessories like scarves and gloves also tend to be popular wool items. Wool also has an eco-friendly side; Mary Bandeen, owner of Embroidery Design Group, says recycled wool is becoming a hot trend. “Everyone’s going green, and there are companies that take old wool sweaters, hats, and blazers, and they cut them up and make mittens, hats, and scarves,” she says. “It’s really a neat look. It’s vintage, but you’re putting it in a new style.” Beyond the green aspect, part of the appeal of recycled wool is the overall longevity of the fabric. “You can never wear out a piece of wool anything,” Bandeen says. “It’ll probably outlast us all.” Wool can even be boiled and shrunken for a different texture to make jackets and handbags, she adds. Perhaps the newest trend in wool fashion is in footwear, which began to catch on about a year ago. “We weave the wool in our wool mill for Warmth and longevity continue to make wool one of the most coveted natural fabrics, particularly in coats, shirts and vests. Consider these two new wool-nylon items from Woolrich (asi/98192; circle 130 on Free Info Card) this fall: a women’s ruby full-zip jacket (15801) with front yoke buttons over chest pockets and two lower front hand warmer pockets; and a women’s Heirloom Vest (18902) with both contour seaming and an adjustable back belt.
30 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
“You can never wear out a piece of wool anything. It’ll probably outlast us all.” Mary Bandeen, Embroidery Design Group wool definitely is adaptable to embroidery. It’s pliable; it’s not stiff. It’s got some fluidness to it,” she says. “Embroidery, sequining, and appliqué offer nice alternative embellishment options for wool.” While embroidery is the most common decoration option, distributors and decorators can also try something like a leather patch. To make the embroidery pop on wool, says Bernstein, “they’ll do the embellishment into the weave itself. They weave the embroidery into the process.” Newer technology and mixing with other fibers allows wool to be thrown into the washer and dryer. Look to this men’s button-down stag shirt (6138), made from an 80% wool/20% nylon shell with an 11.5 oz washable twill. This new fall 2011 item from Woolrich (asi/98192; circle 130 on Free Info Card) also has a spread collar, adjustable cuffs and lower handwarmer pockets.
Converse sneakers, and we’re also weaving wool for Timberland and Red Wing,” Moshier says. “It’ll go around the top, like trim wear on the boot. It just kind of dresses it up and makes it look pretty cool. It’s become a fashion statement.”
Yes to embroidery, no to screen printing There are two reasons not to screen print on wool garments, according to Bandeen: it’s simply not as conducive to the screen printing process as it is other embellishment methods, and it just isn’t what many consumers are looking for. “You could do it, but there are always little fine fibers in wool that wouldn’t lend itself to screen printing,” she says. “Wool also has a higher perceived value. I’m not sure about screen printing because wool has a nice quality look to it.” On the flip side, Bandeen says you can embroider just about anything on wool. “The
Cash in on corporate events Obviously, wool and the great outdoors were made for each other, but wool is also big in the corporate world. Think of a men’s business suit that features merino or lamb’s wool. “You put it on and it’s so lightweight,” Bandeen says, “it doesn’t seem like you’re wearing a lot of heavy bulk wool, but it looks dressier and it tailors well. Woolrich has created a fall line specifically for corporate audiences at woolrichcorporategifts. com. Men’s wool flannel shirts, vests, and parkas, along with vests and shirt jackets for women, and even pillows and blankets, are offered through this product line that Moshier says is perfect for any outdoor corporate event. “In the corporate apparel arena, there’s a lot of stuff out there that looks a lot alike,” she says. “I think this will go well because there’s no one that has what we have.” Moshier has received requests for wool apparel and accessories for corporate golf outings, company cruises, and even a recent fly fishing retreat in Montana. The pitch to corporate America is pretty straightforward. “Wool will keep you warm,” Moshier says, “and if they don’t own a piece, they should try one.” n
A Throw for a Good Cause It’s no coincidence that Woolrich (asi/98192) is the official blanket manufacturer for the U.S. Armed Forces. Founded in 1830, the company has been around almost as long as America, and has supplied troops with blankets since the Civil War. “If they’ve got to use them out in the cold, that’s their blanket of choice,” says Susan Moshier, corporate Woolrich’s (asi/98192; division sales manager circle 130 on Free Info for Woolrich. “There are Card) Freedom Throw only two wool mills left rug (991101) helps raise in the country. The mili- money for the Wounded tary wants everything Warrior Project. made in the US of A, so they’ve got to come to us.” Along those patriotic lines, Moshier designed a throw blanket for sale to the general public shortly after one of the darkest days in American history. “We have a blanket called the Freedom Throw that’s made in our wool mill,” she says. “We had made a blanket that was very navy blue and burgundy, and we thought we need to take that blanket and make it look like the American flag. I designed it after 9/11, and between September and December 2001, this wool mill was selling nothing but those blankets.” Woolrich originally designated a portion of the proceeds from the blanket to the World Trade Center Fund. Today, those proceeds are given to Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2002 and provides services and financial assistance to injured veterans upon their return to the U.S. The Freedom Throw is 60”x72” and is essentially designed to look like an American flag, with “USA” woven in between the stars in the top-left corner. As of 2009, Woolrich raised over $7,000 for Wounded Warrior Project. “I’ve been twice to the Mologne House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.,” Moshier says, “and when you see these 27-year-old boys – I saw one that was a quadriplegic – it hits home base, let me tell you.” Shane Dale is a contributing writer for Wearables.
ASK AWAY. If you have a question, please e-mail it to cmittica@asicentral.com, with the subject line, “Cheat Sheet.”
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 31
WEARABLES UNIVERSITY The source for your wearables education By Tonia Cook Kimbrough
Courses this m
onth : Fabric Tutorial – 107 Decorating Wor k Color Clinic – 14 shop – 428 5 Performance Pri m Need -To -Know er – 395 Terms – 226
An entry-level introduction to Dazzle. Fabric Tutorial – 107
Freshman
Detail On Dazzle ou might have been “dazzled” without even realizing it. Watch a basketball game. Those shiny uniforms that glisten with every move on the court? They are probably made of a fabric called Dazzle. This classic sports-friendly fabric is typically made of 100% polyester, though it can also be manufactured in nylon or blended with a natural fiber like cotton. It features tiny pinholes in the weave (almost mesh-like) that allow air to circulate to keep the wearer comfortable. Dazzle is a favored fabric for many sports (such as soccer, basketball and football) as well as for cheer wear and dance teams. Difficult to tear, Dazzle isn’t dainty. The lightweight fabric moves with the player or performer. It holds its shape, resists stains and launders easily. “A quick touch-up in the dryer and it’s wrinklefree and ready to go. … Packed in a gym bag or hung neatly, it’s easy to maintain,” says Cindy Sims, spokesperson for Heritage Sportswear (asi/60582). It also stands out on the court, field or stage. The shiny, sleek appearance of Dazzle is perhaps the inspiration for its name. Dazzle presents bright color vividly and will stay vibrant over time. It’s a look that appeals to the youth market. “Dazzle is popular among teens; the shiny surface gets attention,” Sims says. All around, Dazzle is a crowd pleaser. Consider it for promotions targeting active adult lifestyles, teens or team uniforms.
Y
The Badger Youth Mesh/Dazzle Reversible J shirt (2559B) from Heritage Sportswear (asi/60582; circle 102 on Free Info Card) represents a classic basketball uniform, using Dazzle fabric to make it both tough and comfortable.
photos courtesy of Heritage Sportswear (asi/60582)
The Soffe football tee (469V) from Heritage Sportswear (asi/60582; circle 102 on Free Info Card) is a great seller for cheer teams and girls’ sports. It incorporates Dazzle in the sleeves and yoke for shine and durability. 32 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
A top-level course covering the decorative combination of dye-sublimation and appliqué. Decorating Workshop – 428
Senior
Simplify With Dye-Sublimated Appliqué ppliqué dates back as a handicraft to ancient India, where they used the technique of applying multiple patches of material to fabric to create ornate religious canopies and wall hangings. What was once a tedious technique is today an efficient and affordable decorative method that yields colorfully logoed apparel. Even the process of modern appliqué has been simplified in recent years, as dye-sublimation brings the same vivid depth of multiple fabric layers to a single patch. Dalco Athletic combines the vivacity of sublimation with the dimensional and multimedia aspects of appliqué to create high-value decorative options for imprinted apparel programs. Any pattern, design, illustration or Dye-sublimated photograph can be dye-sublimated onto appliqués are a a polyester twill, which is cut to replicate a specific shape or lettering. You’ll then good option for apply the appliqué using either embroidery clients seeking or a heat press. (A permanent adhesive can to replicate a be ironed onto the back of the appliqué to eliminate sew down.) “There are a wide brand image for range of effects that can be achieved,” says a product launch David Claerr of Dalco Athletic. “The vivor awareness idness of the images and brightness of the colors make this a very appealing method. campaign. It’s also less expensive and easy, requiring fewer pieces and less time than traditional appliqués.” Dalco’s newest collection of stock dye-sub appliqués includes traditional fabric patterns like plaid, animal skin and camouflage. The leathery textures found on footballs and basketballs or the distressed look of vintage fabrics are also available. Dye-sub arched team names, crests and mascots can be accented with shadows and gradients to create visual depth. Faux stitching adds a touch of realism, should you choose heat press rather than embroidered application. Dye-sublimated appliqués are a good option for clients seeking to replicate a brand image for a product launch or awareness campaign. Claerr recommends vector art or high-resolution digital photographs as a starting point to create these custom pieces. For example, when a sewing equipment manufacturer launched a new machine recently, it provided a digital image to Claerr as a starting point. He then created a custom product replica as a dye-sublimated appliqué to decorate a tote bag giveaway for the client’s upcoming event. The result was a gift that accurately represented the new sewing machine with vivid, dimensional quality.
A
Dye-sublimation that is cut-applied to polyester allows decorators to create the multidimensional look of traditional appliqué, but without multiple layers of fabric. These dye-sub appliqués are available from Dalco Athletic (circle 103 on Free Info Card).
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 33
WEARABLES UNIVERSITY
An entry-level course covering color-blocking basics. Color Clinic – 145
Freshman
The Basics of Color Blocking
34 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Abstract geometric paintings, made famous by the artist Piet Mondrian, helped give the color-blocking craze its spark.
unbrooke (asi
/50930)
Color blocking is lighting up the fashion runways, so be on the lookout for the trend in garments like this micro-touch polyester shell jacket (8449) from Dunbrooke (asi/50930; circle 104 on Free Info Card).
urtesy of D
U
(think turquoise, for example) with a neutral block such as gray, black or khaki. Another sophisticated color-blocking approach is to team colors together that are analogous on the color wheel, such as orange and red. For the biggest impression, however, go bold with colors that lie opposite of each other on the color wheel. A yellow and blue color-blocked jersey, for example, is a classic team combo that shows up vividly in the bleachers or on the field.
photo co
nsure about the artistic power of color blocking? Then consider the stark, geometric paintings of Mondrian, which endure as some of the most famous of modernist masterpieces. His bold blocks of contrasting colors set off with black outlines against white backgrounds make a memorable impression. In apparel, color block- DEFINITION ing has come and Color blocking – a gone for decades, technique where blocks most recently makof various fabrics are ing an appearance as a major trend favored sewn together to create by fashion designers clothing with a few this past spring and different solid colors. summer. Source: Overstock.com, For promotional Women’s Clothing Glossary apparel, color blocking can be incorporated into the garment itself. The blocking may be limited to the sleeves on a polo or chest flap on a jacket. Typically, color-blocked promotional apparel shows restraint for corporate appeal. For a more conspicuous color-blocked effect, consider dye-sublimating a T-shirt to fit your client’s program needs. Neon pairings will make a bold statement. It’s a youthful look that nods to styles from the 1960s. If the brand or marketing message that a promotional garment represents has a retro theme, then think neon color blocking. A truly throwback look is available, for example, from industry supplier Tutti/ Bowlingwear (asi/92356), which offers a range of fun color-blocked bowling shirts in bright colors. For a subtler approach, choose a colorblocked combo that pairs a light and dark tone of the same hue in huge geometric areas. You can also pair a block of bright color
2011
A P P A R E L
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WEARABLES UNIVERSITY
Performance Primer – 395
photo courtesy of Orange
An advanced-level course examining the future of electronically-enhanced apparel.
Junior
The Skinny on Smart Textiles mart textiles go beyond the ABCs of performance apparel, which traditionally refers to features such as wicking ability or antibacterial qualities. A whole new generation of wearable technology is unfolding with innovations in microelectronics that can power devices, monitor health or light up the wearer. Here are a few recent advancements worth watching:
S
Skin-like Electronics MC10, a Cambridge, MA company, has created “conformal electronics platforms” – i.e., highly flexible, bendable electronics like wiring, microchips and electrodes that can be embedded, for example, in a spandex shirt. The goal has been to make electronics “skin-like” so that a person wearing the garment won’t even be aware of being “wired.” Sensor-enhanced military uniforms, for example, could help medics better understand the impact of an explosion on a body. Athletes will be better able to target their ideal heart rate, an ability that’s currently in the works. MC10 has teamed up with Reebok to develop clothes that seamlessly incorporate its flexible electronics to monitor athletes’ heart rate, blood pressure, etc. Charged-Up Solutions In May, four students from Denmark’s Aalborg University won the Future Textiles International Prize Competition 2011 for their smart textile project called Powertex, a nano-powered material that automatically charges mobile phones and computers when the devices are
The Sound Charge T-shirt by Orange debuted at the Glastonbury Festival 2011, leveraging the beat of concert music to renew the charge of wearers’ cell phones.
placed on the fabric. In June, telecommunications brand Orange, part of the France Telecom Group, unveiled its “Sound Charge” T-shirt at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival. The eco-charging tee powers mobile phones using sound. A panel of Piezoelectric film is housed inside the T-shirt, acting like an oversized microphone to absorb and convert sound waves into an electrical charge. A Brighter Textile Philips Research is leading a team of institutes and companies via a project called PLACE-it. Together these researchers have explored the use of lightweight, flexible optoelectronics systems that could, for example, integrate light therapy into a baby’s blanket or create illuminating jackets to safeguard children at night while cycling or walking in the dark. Separately, a team of researchers at MIT has created a new process that prints solar cells on ordinary foldable substrates like paper and cloth. An example application: Researchers printed solar cell-enhanced paper that displays an LCD clock when light shines on it.
Smart Textile Sources Stay Connected Keep up with advances in smart textiles with these online resources: www.innovationintextiles.com is a free online news and technical resource for the global technical textiles industry, published by UK-based Orange Zero Ltd. www.smartfabricsconference.com gathers fashion, technology, electronics, research, textile and academic communities to discuss the future of e-textiles. www.textilesintelligence.com provides business information on global fiber, textile and apparel industries.
36 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
MC10 has teamed up with Reebok to develop clothes that seamlessly incorporate its flexible electronics to monitor athletes’ heart rate and blood pressure etc.
Style 3105
Style 3101
Style 3100
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More info online! Just scan the tag or visit vantageapparel.com/pioneer
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Brands. Decoration. Service.
WEARABLES UNIVERSITY
An intermediate-level review of a sewing basic. Need-To-Know Terms – 226
Sophomore
Tell A Stitch Story hen you examine a garment for quality, pay particular attention to the stitching. Here are some definitions of basic machine stitches so that you can speak knowledgeably with your apparel supplier.
W
Blind stitch – used to hem fabrics so that stitches are almost invisible from the face side of the fabric. Chain stitch – loops thread in a sequence interlaced like chain links; considered temporary because it easily ravels. However, multithread chain stitches interlace and interconnect on the underside of fabric by a looping thread, thereby creating a stronger, non-raveling result.
Improper stitching will negatively affect the seams of a garment. If a stitch is too loose or too tight, it can cause the garment to pucker or undulate. Skipped stitches may expose a raw edge of material. Ultimately, poor stitching can reduce the lifespan of a garment.
Lockstitch – two threads interlock, usually a needle and a bobbin thread, to create a stitch that will not ravel. Overlock stitch – creates thread loops for a needle to pass through to sew over the edge of fabric, often used to finish seams or hems. It may be referred to as serging. Straight stitch – made from a single running thread that does not loop or cross. Top stitch – a visible extra line of stitching that typically follows a seam line or hem, creating a more finished appearance.
coming next issue
All stitch types can be evaluated by the same quality markers. According to the experts at www.textileschool.com, “Stitch quality is measured with stitch size (stitch length, width and depth), tension, sequence, elongation, elasticity, resilience, fabric distortion, yarn severance and abrasive strength.” ■ Tonia Cook Kimbrough is a contributing writer for Wearables.
what’s coming up in the October Wearables Get the Right Fit But that’s not all for our “Fit Issue.” We will also include a glossary of all the important fit and sizing terms you should know. And last, we look at outfits to find the vital tricks to getting the right fit. By the end, you should feel as comfortable as your clients surely will be.
Corporate Warriors Lucrative and consistent, corporate apparel represents a major avenue of apparel sales. We detail all the latest trends, products and sales strategies to get your foot in the door.
Try This On For Size We take on all things sizing in our upcoming “Fit Issue.” First up, a detailed look at the key sales strategies you need. How can you get the right sizes for your clients? Why do distributors get sizing so wrong? We have all the answers. 38 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Raise (Or Lower) Your Game Embossing and debossing – when to use it? What fabrics work best? We look at this underrated decorating technique to find out where it fits in your decorating array.
And much, much more!
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Hot Product Showcase The snazziest wearables around This Month: Sweatshirts and Fleeces By Ashley Reid
F
all is a season full of mixed temperatures. While summer says its goodbyes, winter has not made its grand entrance yet, leaving the daunting task of finding the right apparel for the autumn climate. Sweatshirts and fleeces are the perfect type of outerwear that can provide warmth without the bulkiness of a winter coat. This selection of fleeces and sweatshirts represents the wearables industry’s broad array of versatility and fashion-forward design. With great-fitting styles, trending hues and performance features, who wouldn’t want to wear one?
Rain or Shine This reversible vest (J749) is perfect for stormy weather or a chilly day. It features a water-resistant side made from nylon and a wind-resistant side made with fleece. Best of all, it’s a unisex vest, so both men and women can tackle nature’s elements with comfort. Available from SanMar (asi/84863; circle 94 on Free Info Card).
Pump It Up Work up a sweat in this 100% polyester, bonded hydrophilic fleece, half-zip sweatshirt (S1945). Running club members and athletic teams will love this performance sweatshirt because it helps control moisture and fights odor. It comes in a variety of colors and ranges from sizes S-XL. Available from NES Clothing Co. (asi/72808; circle 95 on Free Info Card).
Fur Her Clients can bundle up in this faux furtrimmed fleece hoodie (5125) as the cooler fall temperatures begin to set in. Perfect for the fashion trend expert, any woman will love this fleece and its fur detailing. Made of anti-pill filament polyester fleece, it features a fitted styling with princess seams and two front pouches for pockets. Available from Charles River Apparel (asi/44620; circle 96 on Free Info Card).
Fun and Flirty Choose your wearing pleasure in this California fleece pullover hoodie, designed to be worn as a dress (5398). This fleece can be sported over a favorite pair of leggings or jeans. It’s featured in seven different colors and one size suits everyone. Perfect for a day that may start off warmer, but end in cooler temperatures. Available from American Apparel (asi/35297; circle 91 on Free Info Card). wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 41
Hot Product Showcase
Back to the Basics You can’t go wrong with the classic zip hoodie for men (3705). This all-season fleece is made of 100% combed ringspun cotton with a custom fit. Both preshrunk and pre-laundered, it’s a great fit for coffee house staffers and folks at other hip, urban locations. Available from Alpha Shirt Company (asi/34408; circle 93 on Free Info Card).
Color Splash Get colorful in this dip-dyed sweatshirt hoodie (W1165). This sweatshirt is one for the ladies, running from S-XL and featuring a zipper for easy wear. It comes in citrus green, scuba blue and hot pink. Fun and fashionable, it’s great for any student- or teen-oriented promotion. Available from MV Sport/Weatherproof (asi/68318; circle 92 on Free Info Card).
Brush Your Shoulder Off Target boutiques and sororities with this wide neck, slouchy fleece shirt (7501) that can be worn off the shoulder. It’s made of a soft tri-blend and comforting fit that comes in five different colors. Available from Golden State T’s (asi/57668; circle 99 on Free Info Card).
Preserving the Arctic Companies can promote their green initiatives with this Arctic zip fleece (650052). It is made of 60% recycled polyester generated from post-consumer plastics and is offered in seven different colors. The fabric is bluesignapproved, and the jacket can be returned for recycling once it is no longer worn. Available from Boardroom Eco Apparel (asi/40705; circle 97 on Free Info Card).
T.K.O. Chilly weather won’t stand a chance against this heavyweight men’s crewneck sweatshirt (K186) made of 80% cotton. It comes with spandexreinforced rib-knit cuffs and waistband as well as a locker loop for hanging. Perfect for construction workers in cooler climates. Available from Broberry Mfg. Inc. (asi/42057; circle 98 on Free Info Card).
Inside Out This reversible hoodie (SA116) puts a new twist on the traditional fleece style with two branding opportunities. The cotton/polyester thermal knit fabric drapes nicely and moves well with the body. Perfect for college bookstores. Available from Sportco (asi/88792; circle 100 on Free Info Card).
Ashley Reid is an intern for Wearables. 42 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
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asi/62486
A new season calls for new trends. We go on location to showcase the hot looks you’ll want to tap this season.
f
BY C.J. MITTICA, MORGAN BAILEY AND ANDRAYA VANTREASE PHOTOGRAPHY: MARK PRICSKETT
all isn’t just a season. It’s an apparel mindset. Innate elegance, smart layering and deep, rich colors are just some of the best hallmarks that come with the change in season. Time to leave those careless whims of summer behind and get serious about style. Out of tradition and functionality, the fashion industry hews closely to a spring/fall schedule. So too has Wearables adopted this itinerary. We brought you our Spring Fashion Preview back in March; now make way for its companion, the Fall Fashion Preview, full of the hottest looks and trends that will be making an impact this season. And to bring these trends to life, we went on location to a posh Philadelphia-area estate. Sell these looks to your clients and you, too, can be living the good life. wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 45
Preppy Why It’s In: We take care of our clothes, but we’re not obsessive. That mantra is from Vanity Fair, taking its cue from The Official Preppy Handbook, the defining text of preppy style. The preppies have indeed ruled 2011, thanks to a bevy of celebrities who sport the look as well as continued interest in classic apparel. Be on the lookout this season as the preppy trend adds a collegiate element with scholastic cresting and traditional jackets and sweaters. Of course, this is one trend that some never graduate from. Staple Items: Sweaters, khakis, loafers, neck scarves, plaids and varsity jackets. Where To Use It: Companies promoting their heritage, country clubs, sailing enthusiasts, colleges and universities (yes, even non-Ivies).
Michelle is wearing a pink V-neck cable sweater (102700) from Tehama (asi/90798, circle 105 on Free Info Card); a striped insulated purse (KO850MST) from Cosmoda Corporation (asi/46773, circle 106 on Free Info Card); and an argyle scarf (ARGY-845-3445) from Wolfmark (asi/98085, circle 107 on Free Info Card).
46 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Knockout Colors Why It’s In: Brown, black, navy, forest green, maroon – those are the familiar colors of fall apparel. So while the leaves turn all sorts of brilliant shades, your bright and lively summer clothing gets stowed in the closet. Not this season. Spring and summer’s uber-bright trend is carrying over into fall with dazzling results. Take a show-stopping piece (in bright red or orange) and anchor it with more traditional fall items and colors (think dark denim and leather) for a truly eye-catching result. Staple Colors: Bright oranges, standout reds, jade greens, royal blues and metallics like gold and silver. Where To Use It: Youthoriented giveaways, corporate logo makeovers, seasonal retail uniforms and school stores.
Michelle is wearing a mini-pocket V-neck shirt (B5028) made out of 100% ringspun cotton from Magic Apparel Group (asi/68463, circle 108 on Free Info Card) and carrying a leather tassel handbag in a Vachetta café color (609) from Clava American (asi/45335, circle 112 on Free Info Card).
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 47
Fashionable Ponchos Why It’s In: On rainy, dreary fall days, disposable ponchos are a common sight on soccer sidelines and football bleachers. Useful? Of course. Fashionable? Not always. That all changed with this year’s New York Fashion Week, where bold-faced names like BCBG, Rag & Bone and Alexander Wang all debuted their own takes on the outerwear staple. The best news for the wearables industry: Not only do ponchos still carry a practical function, but finding the right one can make a killer fashion statement. Combine it with another leading fall trend like fringe, and you have a garment that is perfect for this time of year. Staple Items: Ponchos, rain jackets and windbreakers. Where To Use Them: Boutique gifts, athletic team shops and travel group incentives. Michelle is wearing a black ultra-suede poncho with grommets and hand fringe (91791-1) from Symphony Designs (asi/90452, circle 113 on Free Info Card).
48 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Mountaineer Why It’s In: Frilly and fussy will always have its place in the apparel industry, but this fall the fashion scene is getting in touch with its tough side. Rugged looks and outdoors-evoking fabrics (like shearling and fur) are experiencing a boon. Not only does this trend serve a functional role for many professions, but in the corporate world it lends a grounded, earthy vibe as well as a tone of strength and durability during hard times. And it’s even showing up in playful ways, such as the faux fur spirit hoods – animal-like fur headwear increasingly favored by L.A. denizens and festivalgoers. The lesson: Down and dirty can certainly be fashionable. Staple Items: Fur, hiking boots, denim, duck cloth, backpacks, plaids and camo. Where To Use It: Outdoor excursions, travel companies, eco promotions and themed events.
Michelle is wearing a long-sleeve burnout shirt (B5018) from Magic Apparel Group (asi/68463, circle 108 on Free Info Card); a blue Sherpalined vest (FE400) from Dickies (asi/49675, circle 109 on Free Info Card); a furry polar bear hat from Rogen Studio Inc. (asi/82705, circle 110 on Free Info Card); an Ogio Baja Hydration backpack (122002) from SanMar (asi/84863, circle 94 on Free Info Card); and hiking boots (5059) from Rothco (asi/83708, circle 111 on Free Info Card).
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 49
High Collar Why It’s In: As necklines plunged lower … lower … and lower, fashion designers finally reached their breaking point. The fall shows were an ode to the buttoned-up world, featuring a pastiche of neck-covering looks: zipped-up jackets, fashionable turtlenecks and high, elongated collars. With scarves enjoying a continued revival and hoods remaining insanely popular, the high-collar look serves the same functional purpose (protecting against the snapping cold winds of the season) but in an altogether different look. Staple Items: High-collar jackets, turtlenecks and popped collars on outerwear. Where To Use It: Winter festivals, corporate outings and athletic team boosters. Michelle is wearing a high-collared women’s jacket (2028) from Brandwear Basics (asi/41545, circle 114 on Free Info Card) with embossed shearling and a faux fur lining, as well as a leather duffel bag (ag-07) from Clava American (asi/45335, circle 112 on Free Info Card).
W
How does a lavish photoshoot like this come together? Wearables Editor C.J. Mittica has the answers in our Behind-the-Scenes video at wearablesmag.com
50 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Calm Chic Why It’s In: Fresh and clean, but not boring. That’s the directive for the calm chic trend (so dubbed by trendmaster David Wolfe, creative director of The Doneger Group). In lieu of skintight everything, the focus has shifted to ready-to-wear items with easier silhouettes and stripped-down designs. Not only do the drapier fits work for a wealth of body types, but they also impart a sense of grace and comfort that women the world over can enthusiastically enjoy. Staple Items: Tunics, shift dresses, drapey blouses and cigarette pants. Where To Use It: Trendy retailers, nightclubs, exclusive restaurants and as alternative uniforms for women. Michelle is wearing a gray MicroModal fine jersey V-neck tunic (3MM177) from Blanks Plus (asi/40642, circle 115 on Free Info Card) and black nylon tricot leggings from American Apparel (RNT38) (asi/35297, circle 91 on Free Info Card).
Morgan Bailey is an intern, Andraya Vantrease is a contributing writer and C.J. Mittica is the editor of Wearables.
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 51
[ BEST
DRESSED]
WEARABLES
BEST DRESSED Searching for style? Then look no further than this collection of the industry’s most stylish members. BY C.J. MITTICA, MORGAN BAILEY, SARA LAVENDUSKI AND ASHLEY REID
ress for success. It’s a cliché, sure. But why do phrases harden into clichés? Because they contain an element of truth that merits repeating over and over. So it bears mentioning again: to be successful, it helps to look the part. Clearly these ten industry people have gotten the message. They know all the right reasons for going the extra mile: because it makes them feel good, elevates the products they are selling and allows their personalities to shine through. Once again, we’ve searched the entire ad specialty industry for the people who lead the way in style. Come meet the members of this year’s edition of Wearables Best Dressed.
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52 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Cloud President, Red Cloud Promotions (asi/305616) When Cloud isn’t working for her clients, most likely she’ll be whetting her appetite for eclectic fashion. (Yes, she has no last name. As she says, her parents were classic hippies.) Her favorites run the spectrum: Alexander McQueen, Forever 21, Zac Posen, Target, Nanette Lepore, Levi’s and more. You’re likely to find her looking for sales at Chanel and Gucci or searching for special vintage finds to satisfy her love of 1940s vintage apparel. “I like boys’ T-shirts, sweaters and blazers,” she says. “Industry-wise I love Alternative Apparel (asi/34850).” Cloud credits her mother with giving her a sense of imaginative flair. “I would be embarrassed by what she was wearing,” she says, “and then a few years later it would be in style!” She believes putting a fashionable foot forward is integral to her daily work. “Clients have to trust us to know what’s hot,” she says, “so we bring freshness every day.” While running her creative-oriented distributorship keeps her plenty busy, Cloud is constantly thinking about fashion. “It’s an incredibly delicious yet subtle way to create how you’re going to look and feel every day,” says the Los Angeles resident. She adds that when you like what you’re wearing, you feel more confident and more beautiful. She helps others to express themselves in the same way by donating all her old clothes. “I want to give other people a chance to feel creative, confident and successful,” she says. “That’s a core value of mine.”– Sara Lavenduski
Andrew Spellman For Andrew Spellman, appearance is a powerful tool in business. While the sales industry becomes increasingly casual, he continues to wear a suit and tie each day because he believes the first impression he makes is the most important one. “I would say my style is conservative with a slight edge,” Spellman explains. He likes Banana Republic, Guess and John Varvatos for formal suits. “I also really like perusing the boutiques and finding unique things,” he says. “I like diversity.” TRG Group is the global licensee for travel gear from Victorinox (asi/93755). So while Spellman doesn’t often wear industry apparel, he does wear Victorinox on sales calls “to show the collective force of the brand when I’m representing their product.” Besides making a good first impression, dressing well gives Spellman confidence and allows him to perform well at work. While he doesn’t recommend obsessing over clothes, he does believe people should spend time defining their style. “Find a few brands that you like and that fit you well and run with it,” he suggests. “If you want to wear a suit, do it, even if no one else is. But make sure you use collar stays – you don’t want to look like the Flying Nun!” – SL wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 53
Photo: Shawn J. O’Malley
Vice President of Corporate Markets Sales, TRG Group (asi/90507)
[ BEST
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Bill Korowitz and Janet Korowitz CEO and Marketing Manager, The Magnet Group (asi/68507)
Power couple Bill and Janet Korowitz of The Magnet Group make dressing well a priority in their professional lives. “I wear mostly contemporary business attire, not suits,” says Bill, CEO of The Magnet Group. As for Janet, the company’s marketing manager, “I try to stay stylish and contemporary with my age in mind. I’m professional with a little style thrown in.” While Bill says his flashier style comes from growing up with the ad men on Madison Avenue, Janet says hers comes from her mother, who loves to shop. “I guess it’s been in me since birth,” she laughs. Dressing well gets you noticed, says Bill. “You can be more than just that guy over there in the polo shirt,” he says. As an HR professional, Janet had to remain in a certain mold with her appearance. Now, as a part-time manager in the advertising and promotional world, she can afford to be more creative while remaining professional. Janet likes Caché, a retail chain, and Bloomingdale’s for the plethora of choices it offers. “I can find things there that can take me through the business day and into evening events,” she explains. Bill favors Robert Graham shirts, Kenneth Cole slacks and sales at Nordstrom. While Bill was expected to wear a suit and tie every day early on and still likes to look unique in the workplace, Janet was taught to dress with the next position in mind. “You have to find something where you’re not overdressed, but you keep your personal flair while thinking about that next job,” she says. To develop a personal style, Bill suggests being more particular. “Go to higher-end shops,” he says. “Read style magazines. And avoid reality TV!” Janet recommends being money-savvy when dressing, like buying one nice piece and then copycatting other things from cheaper stores. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money on every piece,” she says, “but you can still make outfits look appropriate and nice.” – SL
Robert Zocco President, Logovision (asi/255309)
Sarah Merrill
Senior Account Manager, Mercury Promotions & Fulfillment (asi/267770) “My work is my passion. Where I am in life is reflected in my vision and style.” That quote is the motto by which Sarah Merrill lives. Though a senior account manager with Mercury Promotions & Fulfillment, Merrill’s college degree is in fashion. The self-proclaimed “classic” fashionista derived her sense of style from her grandmother (who she mentions was most definitely a fashion icon) as well as her mother. “I’m not a huge label junkie,” says the Michigan resident. “I can wear something from Wal-Mart or from Louis Vuitton. I like things that are unique from different boutiques.” The Michigan resident came north by way of Atlanta and Miami, and the time spent in those southern cities influenced her “relaxed glamour” attitude toward fashion. What does Merrill enjoy most about apparel? “Every little thing about it changes the way you feel and look,” she says. “The thing you put on in the morning directs your day.” Merrill makes sure to wear the products of her top supplier vendors, including Bella (asi/39590), Boxercraft (asi/41325) and Alternative Apparel (asi/34850). The same goes for the apparel she designs for her clients; it’s only natural that she is always searching for trendy apparel and decoration techniques. “Everyone loves the edgy retail look to everything she designs,” says Michael Wilson, executive vice president for Mercury. Adds Merrill, “My background and love for fashion is definitely an advantage to my clients when it comes to imprinting apparel. Changing the imprint location or method can make a huge difference.” – Morgan Bailey
Robert Zocco serves as the president of Logovision, but what he really wants to be is Cary Grant. Or at least, he wants to dress like Cary Grant with a style that can be described as casual with a sense of coordination, smoothness and suaveness. In addition to fulfilling his duties of decision-making, management and leadership, Zocco knows the importance of creating an image with his fashion sense. “When I walk into the office it sends the initial message,” says Zocco, whose company is based in Troy, Michigan. “It shows I know what I’m doing.” For Zocco, fabrics and quality clothing are of paramount importance; his favorite labels include Zanella pants and Artioli shoes. You can catch the distributor shopping at a Neiman’s outlet or picking up items while traveling. Nevertheless, you can be sure that he will always wear comfortable clothing that looks good. Zocco’s advice for others: “Develop a style and be consistent.” – Ashley Reid 54 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
Megan Erber Mid-Atlantic Regional Sales Director, Jetline (asi/63344)
Photo: Shawn J. O’Malley
Megan Erber has a knack for style, but that wasn’t always the case. As a self-proclaimed “tomboy,” Erber was far from stylish as a young girl. Now, “I like casual and trendy,” she says. “I found what works for my personality and just went with it.” Erber, the Mid-Atlantic sales director for Jetline, also runs all the social media avenues for the company. No matter if it’s in front of clients or at a computer posting an update, Erber believes that her style allows her to succeed. “When I’m being portrayed in social media, it’s always good to look nice and stylish for the people that can see me,” she says. “More people will want to look at someone who is well-dressed.” Erber loves a good pair of jeans, and you can often find her browsing the racks of Coach or American Eagle. Her advice to others? “Be yourself and make it work. Find your own style,” she says. “If you’re not a fancy person then don’t wear fancy clothes. I had to find what was right for me, and it took almost 20 years. Other people should just go with whatever makes them happy.” – MB
Jason Emery Vice President of Sales, Logomark (asi/67866)
Photo: Shawn J. O’Malley
The cartoon “Tom & Jerry” has provided many laughs for families and kids over the years. Jason Emery, however, found the episode of Tom the cat wearing a zoot suit as the driving inspiration for his fashion sense. The zoot suits, which rose to popularity in the Jazz subculture during the 1930s and ’40s, influence his style. “My style is conservative yet bold,” says Emery. “I always look professional, neat and sharp, but I believe in bright colors.” Emery serves as the VP of sales at Logomark, where he has managed all the sales for the company for seven years and trains new salespeople. No matter where you spot Emery – whether it is in the office or at an event – you can always expect to see him dressed in a suit. Color coordination is key; Emery makes sure even his accessories, shoes, belts and watches match the colors of his outfits. “It’s got to have a little funk,” he says, naming Calvin Klein, Armani, Croft & Barrow and Apt. 9 as some of his favorite labels. And Emery aims to amplify a feeling (usually confidence) with every ensemble. “If you dress the way you want to feel,” he says, “you feel that way.” – AR wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 55
[ BEST
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Anita Emoff
President of Boost Rewards, Shumsky (asi/326300) “I’m contemporary but classy,” says Anita Emoff. “I like to be unique.” In both her native Denmark and the United States, she has committed herself to creativity and dressing accordingly with her signature European flair. “I’ve seen all sides of corporate and casual wear,” she says. “I plan what I’m wearing in hopes that my clients remember not only our meeting, but also that I reflect what I’m selling: the power of choice.” Emoff prefers Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Diane von Furstenberg, and has suits made in China when she travels there. As for industry wear, she prefers Bella (asi/39590), In Your Face (asi/62493) and MV Sport (asi/68318). “I wear pencil skirts, suits, cufflinks, maybe bright scarves with the company logo on it, when I go to see a client,” she says. For Emoff, it’s all about figuring out your own style and making it work. “Apparel brings out your personality if you let it,” she says. “My look reflects my outgoing personality 100%.” And how does someone go about defining a personal style? “Get more creative,” she suggests. “When you dress well, people notice. Too many times we want to stay in our comfort zones. Let’s be more edgy when we can!” – SL
Chris Blakeslee
Vice President of Sales, Broder Bros. Co. (asi/42090) As the man responsible for all business development functions within Broder Bros. Co., Chris Blakeslee knows that appearance is essential when representing his company to clients. He describes his style as “simple formal” – professional, but not over-the-top. Selling the value is just part of the job with apparel, and Blakeslee believes that shouldn’t stop at personal appearance. “We need to be the apparel and style authority,” he says. “Clients need to believe we’re deserving of that position.” Blakeslee loves Nordstrom for its fantastic customer service, but for shirts he often only wears Broder’s own labels. “I haven’t bought a retail shirt in the last four years, since I started in this industry,” he says. He prefers Chestnut Hill, Ashworth, and suits and sportcoats from Zegna and Hugo Boss. People’s emotional attachment to clothing is what Blakeslee likes about promotional apparel. “It’s more complicated than hard goods, but when you get it right, the customer is going to use it, and that’s invaluable for creating impressions.” To learn about style, “pay attention to trends in general, in the public and in retail,” he suggests. “You need to play the part and wear what you’re selling.” – SL Morgan Bailey, Sara Lavenduski and Ashley Reid are editorial interns, and C.J. Mittica is editor of Wearables.
56 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
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08.17.2011
07:47
WEAR1002579086001_Sep2011.pdf
[ FASHION
MARKETING]
THE NEW
ERA OF FASHION MARKETING Emphasizing brands, tapping into social media and channeling the fashion industry – distributors cannot afford to ignore these practices any longer. These are the tactics you need for a new era. BY CHRISTOPHER RUVO
A
pparel marketing needs a change. The premise of product selling itself; of dumping a catalog on a client’s desk to pick out one polo in a sea of pages; of ignoring technology and resisting change – we would say those days are coming to an end, except that so many of the most successful distributors have already left that behind. It’s time to adapt. So who best to learn from when
58 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
it comes to apparel marketing? The fashion industry. Whether it’s generating a legion of loyal customers to the brand … or turning apparel into a “now” item … or hitching its star to the hottest celebrities – no one does it better. We identified three main areas where distributors need to up their game and take cues from those who do it best in the fashion and wearables industries. Welcome to the new era of fashion marketing.
1. Fashion PR
Polina Raygorodskaya’s world is one of high glamour and intense competition. The president of a New York City public relations firm that builds buzz for fashion brands, Raygorodskaya must distinguish clients’ apparel in a marketplace where today’s trendsetter is tomorrow’s stale toast. How does Polina Fashion LLC do it? “We begin by determining a brand’s personality, and then we create a story to match the brand,” says Raygorodskaya, a former model who was named one of America’s Best Young Entrepreneurs by BusinessWeek. From there, it’s about leveraging the client’s image to generate interest from media that will portray the brand favorably to target customers. And by staying focused on the apparel, Polina Fashion and other fashion PR groups can enhance a company’s image and help it reap prestige and profits. With a brand image and desired audience to target, the PR push begins. Typically, this involves crafting press packages that get sent to decision-makers at print, online and televised media outlets. Sometimes stores are targeted directly, too. Press packages, which should convey the brand’s essential story and image, can include samples, photos, Distributor videos, examples Lessons of other press • Link your coverage and, of apparel to course, a written celebrities and news release. trends. Katherine • Treat the latest Rothman, president of NYCclient project based KMR Comlike a clothing munications, says launch, and get you can improve the word out to chances of coverrelevant entities. age by tying press • Put the releases to trends, celebrities, seaemphasis on sons, charitable the clothing – it work and topics will help prop that are relevant up the client’s to a particular
image.
audience. Recently, KMR’s specially tailored press releases stirred media interest in Not Your Daughter’s Jeans (NYDJ), a clothier that makes fashionable, tummy-tucking denim for women. As part of the campaign, KMR targeted parenting publications with releases that emphasized the jeans’ appeal to mothers who want to be fashionable without appearing like they’re trying to look like teenagers. In a separate campaign, KMR issued releases that connected Tres Sleek arm shapers to Michelle Obama and Oprah. The releases noted neither celebrity was endorsing the product, but still sparked interest because of the celebrity connection. Rothman says that featuring a celebrity wearing a brand’s apparel – as she has done with clients like Minnie Rose, a luxury knitwear line – is a great way to get things buzzing. “It’s about positioning the brand in the right way and raising awareness with the right consumers,” says Rothman.
“We begin by determining a brand’s personality, and then we create a story to match the brand.” Polina Raygorodskaya, Polina Fashion LLC
To garner coverage and placements, top fashion lines and their PR firms build relationships with key figures in media and entertainment. Stacy Igel, the creator of Boy Meets Girl, a hip clothing and accessories line for young women, has forged connections that led to her line being covered in publications like Us Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She has also earned television placements, including a spot on “Gossip Girl.” Additionally, Igel has entered into co-promotional partnerships
with entertainment figures like pop novelist Caprice Crane. The two teamed up to run a Web-based contest in which the winner received an advance copy of Crane’s new novel and a promotional shirt Boy Meets Girl made for the book. “These organic relationships have helped my brand grow,” says Igel. Launch parties and fashion shows are other weapons in the fashion PR arsenal. Raygorodskaya says these events must align with a brand’s image. She recently orchestrated a show for a high-end clothing line produced by a former professional basketball player. During the show, a screen displayed a door that opened to reveal images of men wearing the clothes – designed for the big and tall – while engaged in high-income lifestyle pursuits. The images played as models strutted on stage. Says Raygorodskaya, “It gave the media a look at what the brand stands for.”
2. Brand Marketing
The fashion world knows that brand Distributor is king, and approLessons priately sells the story of a clothing • Respect the line. When Raybrand. Apparel gorodskaya works choice and with a client, she decoration style often begins by askand location ing, “If your brand must be chosen was a person, what would they do on to match it. the weekend? What • Figure out a magazines would client’s image, they read?” Havits target audiing a strong brand ence and the personality helps a message it fashion company define goals and wants to convey. establish a target audience. “The brands that do well are ones people can identity with, but you have to give them something real to connect to,” she says. So too have successful distributors realized that by injecting creativity into the mix, wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 59
[ FASHION
MARKETING]
they can pair clients with logoed apparel that builds brand identity. At Rightsleeve Marketing (asi/308922), the Toronto-based distributor learns about a brand and the endusers expected to wear its apparel. If given the chance, the distributor designs a unique logo that conveys a client’s image. High-tech firms, for example, might get a sleek logo that expresses cutting-edge innovation and precision. A law firm’s logo may transmit staidness, reliability. If a logo is established, Rightsleeve focuses on pairing the client with apparel that’s tailored to the tastes of intended end-users. This process includes determining proper garment and decoration types, as well as offering, say, shirts in different colors, since endusers desire choice, says Rightsleeve President Mark Graham. Through the distributor’s efforts, the client receives logoed apparel that people will actually wear. “The most successful programs we employ put the interest of the end-user first,” Graham says. That was in evidence recently when Rightsleeve created T-shirts and related accessories for mesh, a Canadian technology conference. Rightsleeve knew the audience would be tech-savvy, with an appetite for the cutting edge. Standard sober polos with a traditional left chest logo wouldn’t have gelled with the
event’s vibe. So, Rightsleeve came up with cool men’s and women’s tees in four colors, including an evocative orange and hipster green. The funky logo – which included the words “mesh connect share inspire” – was printed off-center, comprising much of a shirt’s left side. When attendees entered the conference, they received a boutique-style, logoed bag and a voucher that was used to redeem a free shirt from a merchandise area, which was arranged to look like a retail space. Demand for the shirts was huge. “The shirt reinforced what brought them to the conference,” says Graham. “We helped elevate mesh’s brand.” Nonetheless, distributors will likely encounter clients who will not, initially, want to spend the cash necessary to obtain brand-enhancing apparel. Distributors need to stress that companies don’t want to damage their brand image by buying substandard apparel that won’t last and leaves a bad impression. While respecting budget is paramount, distributors should take a “good, better, best” approach, showing clients what they could receive for a lower-priced shirt and a higher-priced garment. With the higher-end item, there’s potential for greater distinction and better ROI. Recently, Brand Fuel (asi/145025) reps convinced buyers at a national building supply
TIPS FROM THE FASHION WORLD Apply these lessons from the world of fashion public relations to please clients and build your own brand. 1. Determine A Client’s Identity: Get to know what your client is about. Know its end-user and target clientele. That way, you can connect your client with apparel that best conveys its image and appeals to end-users and ideal customers. 2. Press Outreach: Connect with industry and local media. For local press, find ways to tie your business to current events, business trends, charity work – even celebrities. For industry press, offer to share case studies and industry insights for publication in articles and blogs. If you reach out and build relationships with editors/writers at media outlets, you may get some free publicity. 3. Social Media: Tie social media components to promotional apparel campaigns. Build your brand with customers by providing interesting content and having relevant interaction with them through Facebook, Twitter, etc. 4. Fashion Shows: Hold an end-buyer fashion show where models display the latest apparel from your leading suppliers. This gives you a chance to network and expose clients to apparel that may catch their interest, perhaps sparking a sale. 60 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
company who wanted to pay $15 per shirt to upgrade to polos in a $25 to $30 range. At the higher price point, the client received a polo in wrinkle-free fabric. Laser-etched design elements further spiced up the shirt, which featured the company’s hammer-and-nail logo and corporate colors of white and hunter green. Employees wore the shirt while vending at a trade show. Says President Danny Rosin: “The upshot is the employees were happier. It’s something they wanted to wear; there’s an emotional connection. And, they stood out at the trade show. Customers and prospects saw them as forward-thinking ... as the innovative, leading supply company they’ve positioned Brand Fuel as.” To match clients with image-enhancing clothing, distributors “must know everything about apparel,” says Kimberly Laffer Nick, director of strategic development at Motivators Inc. (asi/277780). This includes understanding styles suppliers provide and audiences to whom those looks will appeal. It also means being on top of retail trends and having a working knowledge of apparel decorating methods and costs. Motivators recently brought its apparel expertise to bear for a bank/mortgage company whose leaders wanted to develop new business. The client wasn’t sure whether to go with a polo or golf shirt, but through discussions with Motivators it was determined that a golf shirt would be best. An upcoming golf outing and the fact the client’s target demographic includes many golf enthusiasts helped compel the decision. By providing the shirt, the bank synced its image with the lifestyle of ideal prospects.
3. Social Media
“Think. Connect. Listen. Party. Measure.” Those are the pillars of Urban Outfitters’ social media strategy. The fact that the fashion retailer, which sells trendy clothing and accessories, has such a strategy highlights that online outlets like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are now integral components of fashion brands’ marketing and retention strategies. Indeed, companies like Urban Outfitters are increasingly using these platforms to build brand identity and forge tighter relationships with consumers. Similarly, distributors are incorporating social media into apparel cam-
paigns for clients and using the mediums in conjunction with apparel to promote their own companies. “The key to making social media work is to understand what your audience stands for, their values and pain points, and then to connect with them in a relevant way,” says Nick. Dmitri Siegel, executive director of marketing at Urban Outfitters, would definitely agree. Siegel says social media success hinges on creating content that is appropriate to your brand and customers. Urban Distributor Outfitters employLessons ees post photos of • Social media is new clothing and more than just a solicit feedback way to meet new from consumers clients and leveron the company’s age relationships. Facebook page, • Organize conwhich has more tests with particithan 748,000 pating end-users “Likes.” The Philadelphia-based to post pictures company also of the apparel. features photos, • Use Twitter and videos and music Facebook for from emerginstant giveaways ing creative taland sales. ents whose styles coalesce with Urban Outfitters’ image. On Twitter, Urban Outfitters sponsors “Music Mondays” to give away five free songs from acts that appeal to the retailer’s youthful demographic. By communicating with consumers and providing content that interests them, Urban Outfitters builds a “bond with customers that is is deeper than shopping,” increasing the chance they’ll buy Urban again, Siegel said at Fashion 140, a recent conference on social media and the fashion industry. For Boy Meets Girl and Igel, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and her blog are windows through which she offers a special glimpse into the thrills and headaches of spearheading a successful fashion line. For example, she blogs about putting on a show during New York’s fashion week and posts YouTube videos about model casting calls. “You get a feel for what it’s like to be there,” says Igel. These “behind the seams” looks, as Igel calls them, appeal to the women who buy Boy Meets Girl clothes. “I relate to them and that connects them with
the brand,” says Igel. Fashion brands and distributors also use social media to offer sales and giveaways. Motivators, for example, offers coupons to people who “Like” the distributor’s Facebook page. Urban Outfitters recently invited Facebook followers to submit travel photos for the chance to win a $100 gift certificate. HauteLook, a flash sale website that sells luxury apparel at discount prices, has offered preview sales exclusively on its Facebook page. The discount site also teamed up with the Diane Von Furstenburg line for a sale of DVF clothing through the HauteLook Facebook site. Recently, Landmark Promotions (asi/248490) integrated apparel, Facebook and a giveaway into a successful promotional campaign for a bank. Imprinted T-shirts were given to bank customers, who were instructed to photo-
of themselves in imprinted shirts. “It’s like, ‘Hey, check out the cool shirts the Firemen’s association just got.’ Other customers might want something similar,” says Schlechte. Growing numbers of distributors have put QR codes on promotional apparel for their own companies and clients. Landmark, for example, used QR codes on a shirt to help raise awareness about a bank’s acquisitions and expansion. The codes, when scanned by a smartphone, linked to the bank Web page. “People like to play with their smartphones,” says Schlechte. “This takes advantage of that and gets them looking at the bank.” Motivators put QR codes on the back of shirts employees wore to an end-user trade show. Once scanned, the codes directed show attendees to a specific section of Motivators’ website that contained products that appealed to them. Says Nick: “The ROI was immaculate.” n
“We built a stronger bond with her through social media. It’ll be a lot harder for someone else to get her business.”
Christopher Ruvo is a staff writer for Wearables.
Danny Rosin, BrandFuel (asi/145025)
graph themselves wearing the shirts and tag the photos to the bank’s Facebook page. Customers who did were entered into a contest in which they could win coolers, iPods and more. The promotion was a success, getting more people to connect with the bank on Facebook and exposing the bank to wider online webs. “It worked out really well,” says Joe Schlechte, an advertising specialist at Landmark. In a contest run on its Facebook page, Brand Fuel invited people to submit a fictitious band name. The creator of the best name – a marketing director for PETA – won a T-shirt. “She’s a big buyer of ours,” Rosin says. “We built a stronger bond with her through this. It’ll be a lot harder for someone else to get her business.” To both entice and inform, distributors post photographs of logoed apparel on their Facebook pages and invite customers to post pics
SUPPLIERS
RS #
Page #
Alpha Shirt Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Alternative Apparel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 American Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 . . . . . . Cover, 41, 51 Bishop The Garment Co. . . . . . . . . . . 118 . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 17 Blanks Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 . . . . . . Cover, 22, 51 Boardroom Eco Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . 97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Bodek and Rhodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 20 Boxercraft. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Brandwear Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 50 Broberry Mfg. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Broder Bros. Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 23 Burk’s Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Charles River Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Clava American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 50 Cosmoda Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 46 Dalco Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Dickies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Dunbrooke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Executive Apparel Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Golden State T’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Good Hope Bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Heritage Sportswear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Instant Tee House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 J America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Kavio! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Magic Apparel Group . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 49 Mega Cap Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Mobile Edge & Sumo. . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 MV Sport/Weatherproof . . . . . . . . . . . 92 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 NES Clothing Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Rogen Studio Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Rothco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 S&S Activewear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 22 SanMar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 . . . . . . . . . 23, 41, 49 Sportco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Symphony Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Tehama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 46 Wolfmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 . . . . . . . . . . 6, 16, 46 Woolrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 31
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 61
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advertiser index
GO ONLINE! Get free product information by visiting us at www.wearablesmag.com/freeinfo
ADVERTISERS/SUPPLIERS
RS #
Page #
Teamwork Athletic Apparel
73
IBC
47
2-3
Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear
53
40
2, 3
1, 22
Vantage Apparel
17
37
19
39
5
13
RS #
Page #
59
8
81
62
8
19
84, 85
62
DayStar Apparel Inc
55
4-5
Cstar International, LLC
89
62
Edwards Garment Co
13
44
Fawn Embroidery Services Inc
66
62
Fruit of the Loom
16
11
Freehand Graphics Inc
51
62
Hanes/OuterBanks
18
IFC
Graphics One LLC
86
62
Imprints Wholesale Inc
46
43
Hirsch International Corp
70
62
Jerzees
22
BC
Howard Sportswear Graphic Express ++
87
62
Outdoor Cap Co
26
23
More Sales
83
62
Pima Apparel
69
27
Pacific Sportswear & Emblems
75
62
Proforma
50
29
Phoenix Textile and Apparel Mills
74
62
4
35
Pizzazz
82
62
Thread Graphics
90
62
A/4 Moshay Inc American Apparel Ash City Blue Generation Champion® Charles River Apparel
River’s End Trading Ryonet - Silk Screening Supplies
8A-8H
S&S Activewear
32
21
SanMar
33
7
Specialty Graphic Imaging Association Sportco
CLASSIFIEDS Albatross Usa Inc Cliff Hix Engrg
24A-24H 49
15
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No 66
No 81
No 51
Wearables SEPTEMBER 2011; Vol 15, No 8 (ISSN 1096-3766) (USPS 18113) is published monthly except bi-monthly in April/May and November/December by Advertising Specialty Institute, 4800 Street Road, Trevose PA 19053-6698 Periodical postage paid at Langhorne, PA and additional offices Subscription rates: free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: USA, 1 year, $35, 2 years, $69 Canada, 1 yr, $39 Outside USA and Canada, 1 yr, $41 ($96 airmail delivery) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wearables, PO Box 2197, Skokie, IL 60076
wearablesmag.com • WEARABLES SEPTEMBER 2011 63
OBJECTOFDESIRE What we’re in love with right now
BY MAE FAIRFIELD
Leather jackets have always been the pinnacle of cool, and the passage of time has witnessed fashionable women owning this once male-dominated trend. Just look at the popularity of the biker look for both sexes, of which the leather jacket remains the key element. High-end fashion labels such as Burberry continue to feature the item on the runways as it trickles down to everyday fashion. Plus, jackets are great for the fall as the weather transitions, offering the perfect amount of coverage to keep warm but not overheat. In the wearables industry, the leather jacket rules. Consider a stylish and comfortable option like this leather jacket (9032) from Burk’s Bay (asi/74600). It features soft lambskin leather, side pockets, a fulllength zipper, a tapered waist and a nylon lining with polyester fiberfill. Not only does it offer a form-fitting silhouette, but it also has a large imprint space for any and all promotional needs. It can be the finishing touch to any outfit, complementing pants, a skirt or even a dress. Perhaps most importantly, a leather jacket presents confidence and authority. With the right garment and the right strut, the wearer will feel invincible. Burk’s Bay (asi/74600) Ladies’ Lambskin Leather Jacket (9032). Circle 101 on Free Info Card. 64 SEPTEMBER 2011 WEARABLES • wearablesmag.com
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outerwear by teamwork 1.800.333.6063 • www.teamworkathletic.com Circle 73 on Free Info Card or visit www.wearablesmag.com/freeinfo
asi/90673
ALWAYS HAVING WHAT YOU NEED MEANS
NEVER HAVING TO SUBSTITUTE.
You can’t compete if you don’t have the products to help you perform. That’s why we’re making JERZEES® NuBlend® Fleece more available and easier than ever for you to find. When you’re looking for a pill-resistant fleece that minimizes shrinkage, you can count on the JERZEES® brand to field the product you need. That’s because we’re increasing production capacity and distribution toward maintaining higher inventory levels at more locations across the country. For over 100 years, customers have depended on the JERZEES® brand for quality, innovation, performance and value. Today, we have the availability to match.
JERZEES.cOM / 800.321.1138 Circle 22 on Free Info Card or visit www.wearablesmag.com/freeinfo
asi/84257
©2011 Russell Brands, LLc