Concept Development

THE PROJECT This project aims to look at all aspects of how a new brand is created and all the research that should be undertaken to inform the brand development.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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DEVELOPING A BRAND In successfully creating a brand that consumers want to buy into and engage with, it is very important for the identity of the brand to be very clear from the beginning.

In looking at successful brands in today’s market, it is clear with the majority of them that there is a clear concept and idea behind the brand that is appealing to consumers.

Nowadays, with our celebrity obsessed culture, more designers behind the brands, are putting themselves forwards in the public eye which I think helps consumers identify with the brand they are buying and investing into.

For example, Henry Holland not only sells products, but sells the lifestyle that should go hand in hand with the products he designs. If you type his name into Google, you might expect his designs to be the first things that come up in the image gallery, however hundreds of pictures of him at celebrity parties appear instead which immediately tells you that the Henry Holland brand is all about him. It is unlikely that you would buy his clothes if you did not like his public persona. However, that is one of the reasons that he is successful, because there are people who aspire to the life that he leads and buy his clothes in the hope that they can have a taste of his lifestyle.

In contrast, another successful clothing brand that is the antithesis of Holland is Martin Margiela - A faceless and anonymous brand.

Margiela is the brand for people who don’t like brands, which is an interesting strategy. However, in creating a brand with anonymity - it has proved successful as there are loyal customers who like the mystery surrounding the brand.

If a brand is true to it’s own identity and values, it can be successful, as long as there are consumers who also believe in the story that is being offered.

“An anomaly in an industry that places enormous value on the image and accessibility of its personalities, Mr. Margiela has maintained an astonishing elusiveness.”

(Wilson, 2008, NY Times)

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

One of my favourite brands is Margaret Howell. A brand created in around 1975. The brand does not have a long, rich history, but the reason it has been so successful is that the designer, has always had a clear vision of the brand which has translated into a strong brand identity. Margaret Howell has always stayed true to the design ethos of the brand, with the garments and products all being high quality, and everything associated with the brand.

Howell says of her inspiration: “ I enjoy pulling threads of British tradition, quality, and skill together in clothes that are meant to be worn in the real world, where good design is about living with thoughtful style.”

Throughout her career, the look of the brand and products have remained similar in nature, and the look of the brand quite classic. As well as clothing, the brand also do footwear, accessories and also a range of new and vintage furniture, lighting and tableware.

In creating other ranges to fit with the lifestyle of the brand, she invites consumers to invest in the whole feeling of the brand and not just the clothes.

It is interesting to look at brands who do not have a long established heritage or rich history and see what methods they employ in order to be successful.

At the recent International Herald Tribune Luxury Conference, held in London (Nov 2010), Paul Smith gave a lecture and on the topic of brands without a strong heritage, (For example, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabbana) and said: “...While they don’t have that heritage to base their future on, finding success came from staying true to themselves.”

I think the same would be true for Paul Smith who has always remained true to his own brand identity.

Brands with longevity, appear to be the brands that have a signature style, a story that people can relate to or project a lifestyle that is aspirational.

Moving forward from this, it will be important at every stage of the project to keep in mind the main vision for the brand. Using some key words to refer back to at each stage will be beneficial to make sure that the vision for the brand is cohesive throughout.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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THE BRAND As stated on the previous page, it is important in developing a brand to be true to yourself and your values.

In undertaking this task, I wanted my brand to reflect my values, and be something that I personally believe in.

This map shows the main things I am interested in and the values I most believe in and I will continue to refer to these during the development of the brand and project. For a brand it is important to be consistent with the values, as for some customers, if they feel a brand is not being true to their own identity they may lose faith in the brand. Also, if a brand is often changing to suit new consumers and not retaining the already established consumers, they may change their loyalties.

Unusual objects

Scandinavian Design

Design Sensibilities + Values Attention

Moral conscience

Sustainability

to details

High Quality + Well made products

Traditional materials

1950’s, 60’s + 70’s Style

Wit in design

Antique Books

Vintage furniture

Handcrafting techniques

Loyalty Awareness of ethical issues

I would say that looking at these values and design sensibilities, they might be quite close to Margaret Howell’s design ethos. She clearly has a love for her brand and lives her life in very much the same way that her customers do.

Moving forward from this, it will be necessary to edit these values down further in order to create brand values that can be continually referenced throughout the concept development.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

BRAND VALUES UNUSUAL

QUALITY

DISTINCTIVE DESIGN

UNDERSTATED

VIRGINIA LEE

REFINED

MORALLY CONSCIOUS

ELEGANT LUXURY

I feel my brand values are relevant to today’s market because the market is so saturated at the moment that I think consumers are now getting sick of disposable fashion and are looking for something they really believe in and ultimately invest in.

I also think there is a growing interest in brands that not only supply a product but give something back as well, having a moral conscience as a brand will generate interest from a more informed shopper.

At the moment, in the luxury footwear global marketplace there are no brands that seem to have an ethical mind or interest in sustainability and I feel that there is a gap in the market for a brand that does.

The idea of sustainability is not one that is going away, and is only going to get more important as our world uses up more of the earth’s resources.

I do not want my brand to reflect negativity or preach to consumers about these issues, so whilst it will be important to my brand, it will be second to the design. There are general negative feelings towards ethical design as people don’t believe fashion forward products can be both ethical and fashionable so it will be interesting in the development of this project to see in what ways these issues can be addressed.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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Whilst thinking about my brand last Summer, I came across a beautiful antique book called ‘The Wonderful Adventures of Nils’, which is a classic Swedish folk tale written by Selma Largerlöf and first published in 1907. I was really inspired by the tale of the little boy who travels across Sweden on a goose.

The way the book was bound, the font it was written in and the beautiful illustrations inside. In developing the brand, I looked at the illustrator of the book, Mary Hamilton Frye.

I really liked the colours of the illustrations and the simplicity of the line drawings. I have always liked birds and loved the first page of the book with the cloud of birds surrounding Nils.

Final chosen logo

When I began playing with logo ideas, I utilised the birds from this first page and tried placing them in different positions. I finally decided on the logo on the top right, opting for Baskerville as my font, which I think embodies my aesthetics, having a vintage feel, and being quite traditional and classic.

I also had to check that taking something from someone else’s drawing wasn’t impinging on anyone’s copyright, however because the artist (Mary Hamilton Frye) has been deceased for over 70 years it is alright to use.

I think the logo works well as it has come from something very personal to me, and the birds can be utilised in different ways, (for example, above the page numbers).

I think it is recognisable and would look good on the sole of a shoe, on packaging and on a website.

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Virginia Lee

VIRGINIA LEE VIRGINIA LEE

VIRGINIA LEE

VIRGINIA LEE

GINNY WILLIAMS

Virginia Lee

VIRGINIA LEE

Virginia Lee Virginia Lee VIRGINIA LEE VIRGINIA LEE

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

VIRGINIA LEE

MACRO ENVIRONMENT For a new luxury brand setting up it is imperative that research is done looking at the macro environment, and analysing what factors may have an impact on the brand, whether it be in the near future, or in the long term. In analysing the macro environment, the factors can be studied.

POLITICAL It has recently been announced that the British government are going to increase university fees over the next few years, with tuition fees increasing from around the current total of £3,670 a year, to £9,000 or in some cases even as high as £12,000 per year.

Whilst this may not have a direct impact on a business starting up in the next couple of years, it could have a long term effect. Parents who may fall into consumer categories at the moment may change their spending habits in the future to support their children going through the university education system. This could have an impact on businesses who rely on the revenue generated by this core consumer base. If this is what the future is looking like and salaries do not increase with the rise in taxation, and other increasing costs, consumer spending habits may change considerably and this may be damaging for the fashion industry.

With the British Government raising VAT to 20% in 2011, this will have an impact on new start-up businesses. Although in the EU, companies do not have to pay VAT for importing goods within the EU, if the business is interested in creating relationships with international markets, and stockists, they will have to take into account the increased VAT. This may put some international buyers off ordering large quantities in the business’s first season for example as they will have to pay VAT.

ECONOMIC

SOCIAL

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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TECHNOLOGICAL With modern technology improving all the time, it is crucial for a new business to be aware of different ways of marketing and selling using the internet and other applications.

“During 2009, luxury internet shopping grew by 20%. According to some of the biggest web retailers, luxury sales will one day be bigger online than in real stores - and in some cases already are.”

(Wasem, 2010, Harper’s Bazaar) New innovative ways of marketing and selling are starting to emerge, with things like ‘Apps’ on the iPhone, and now on the iPad changing the way consumers shop. For example, Mulberry has recently launched an ‘app’ where consumers can browse the catwalk show, shop, read the Mulberry blog etc; making it easier and more accessible for people on the move.

Other brands are following suit or coming up with their own ways of doing things, like Burberry who have decided to start streaming their catwalk shows live, which several other brands are starting to pick up on too. Burberry are also introducing new technology so that you are able to pre-order catwalk looks using your iPhone or iPad, whilst they are going down the catwalk.

Some older, luxury, heritage brands have been a bit slow on picking up on using the internet as a marketing tool, seeing it as not part of the ‘luxury experience’, as one of the main reasons why people buy luxury is for the experience that goes hand in hand with the purchase of the product. However, Natalie Massenet of Net-APorter, has disparaged these ideas, in providing a luxury online service. From the videos showing live models wearing each item and access to ‘Style Advisors’ to the magazine style layout of trends where you can click on a item to purchase and the luxurious packaging your purchase arrives in; it is very much an interactive, personal experience, (plus you can try on the clothes in the comfort of your own home).

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

E N V I R O N M E N T A L Living in western civilisation where we rely so heavily on utilising natural resources to keep our demand for fashion and consumption satisfied, companies rarely look closely at what effect the product they are making has on the environment.

It has been reported that around 20% of the world (namely the West, USA, Europe etc.) are utilising 80% of the earths resources in quantities that are simply not sustainable for the future. One reason for this is greed, mass consumption and disposable fashion. To be successful as a modern brand, knowing about how to waste as little as possible throughout production is essential, and in what ways other parts of your business can become less damaging to the environment.

In the future, it will become a more pressing issue and companies that have already started using more sustainable business models, will be a step ahead of other companies that will have to invest in changing their materials and methods of production. Some high street companies have started putting small capsule ranges in their stores from companies like People Tree (in Topshop) who are an ethical company who use organic cotton etc.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

ETHICS It is hugely important as a new emerging brand to be aware of all ethical issues surrounding creating a company. Especially in the current economic climate where in the past couple of years the credit crunch has had such a major impact in our lives and possibly spending habits. There are several factors that are important to look at: 1. The consumer, their attitudes and spending habits.

2. Other brands who are ethically conscious and in what ways they are changing how people shop.

At the moment there are several innovative brands challenging the way we shop and coming up with ways of selling products without creating waste, using recycled materials, and letting the consumer be interactive with the design of the product.

One of these examples is the clothing brand SANS, created in 2006 - a conceptual design brand, who don’t sell clothes but sell the patterns of the garments that they design so that the consumer can create the clothes themselves. This idea stems from the idea that there is so much waste now with what we call ‘disposable fashion’ or ‘throwaway fashion’, which are both terms that seem quite unfavourable. Consumers are encouraged to use old materials, or whatever materials they like to create their clothes and the patterns are sold from $6 to $20. Whether this is a business model that will ultimately profit from this idea is as yet unknown.

In a video interview with the co founder and designer, Lika Volkova, she talks about the fact that these days, 1/3 of all ‘disposable fashion’, created by places like Primark, H and M etc is sold, 1/3 of the products are put on sale, and 1/3 of it goes into landfill. And although this may be a very profitable way to run a business, is it really sustainable in the long run. As a business model I feel it could do with some development to make it more commercially viable, as it is has quite a niche market at the moment, but I think there are elements of the idea that could be interesting in the future.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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Another company harnessing the power of ‘consumer as creator’ is the shoe company ‘Shoes of Prey’.

Based in Australia, it is a website that has been going for a year that allows the customer to create their own shoes, using templates and a select colour and material palette.

Again, as the idea is quite a new one, I’m not sure it has been as fully developed as it could have been, with poor quality drawings that don’t exactly do the real shoes justice.

Reading the web site, it is clear that excellent customer service is greatly prioritised by the company. Within the shoe return policy, it is possible for the consumer to send back the style if they do not fit correctly and have them made in a different size for no extra charge.

Also, if something goes wrong with the shoes, Shoes of Prey will pay to have them fixed by a shoe mender where you are. Having good policies like these I think are key for good customer relations, and very helpful in getting repeat custom; and I think that Shoes of Prey has realised this, and decided to work very hard to keep their customers happy.

Interactivity with customers is also important, especially for a company who rely on their consumers taking a Youtube Introduction:

Pic. 3

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Design page on web site:

Pic. 2

their consumers by introducing themselves as people, how the brand came about and also having introductory videos to aid the consumer, (see pic. 2) Another similar website, that has just been launched in the UK is called Upper Street, and it is basically the same as Shoes of Prey, but A little more advanced.

The drawings of the shoes are more technical and have more of a real - 3D feeling.

Also the website seems a little more upto date. The return policy is very similar as well. The don’t mention on either of the websites where the shoes are actually made, although they do say that they have dedicated craftsman with years of experience.

In a short email interview with Michael Fox (one of the founders of Shoes of Prey), I learnt that the shoes are actually produced in China. It is interesting to see that the websites don’t tell you this information, and I wonder if its because it might have a negative impact on sales.

In asking about whether or not Shoes of Prey considers ethics and sustainability in developing their business, he replied that they were very interested in looking at doing a range of vegan shoes.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

TODAY‘S CONSUMER With the recession hitting hardest in the past couple of years, I believe from this, some consumers attitudes to shopping and spending have changed.

A growing feeling within luxury consumers is that whilst spending large amounts of money on luxury products, they are looking for something else in return as well as just the product.

This could be as simple as: - The overall shopping experience - The packaging it comes in - Whether a percentage of the money from the purchase is donated to charity Or more substantial things like: - How the company is improving standards with regards to the factories, workers and materials they use -

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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Questionnaire Results I was most interested in finding out consumers ethical views and what is most important to them when they shop for footwear. It was also my intent to find out about how people shop, whether it be on the internet or in real life, and if there were reasons behind these.

The questionnaire was posted online using Surveymonkey.com and using industry contacts and friends was sent out. Questionnaires in the street were also carried out in Sloane Square and at the Lanvin for H an M launch on Regent’s Street on the 23rd Nov 2010. In total 22 people answered.

Ages of Consumers

51+ 41-50 31-40 21-30

This pie chart shows the ages of consumers asked, most of which were between 21-30 - the core age for aspirational consumer B and C.

16-20

Average spend on a pair of shoes 10

This graph shows the average spend on footwear on a single trip. The results show that the most common average is between £100 -£250, which is more than I was expecting considering the core age of consumer were between 21-30 and a fair No. of amount of students were asked. As the people questionnaire was asked in Winter it may be notable that in Summer the average spend may lower as boots are more expensive.

8

6

4

2

0

Below 50

50 - 100

100 - 250

£

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

250 - 400

400 +

Do you ever buy footwear from the internet?

I was surprised to see that more people did not buy footwear from the internet as there are so many websites dedicated to selling shoes.

12

10

A lot of the feedback was that some people browse online but would prefer to try on the shoes instore.

As the questionnaire was done by people mainly living in London, the results may have been different had I asked people from other parts of the country; where access to a wide range of stores may be limited so the internet may be used more often.

8

No. of People

6

No

4

Yes

2

0

What websites do you use to buy footwear from?

From the people that did buy footwear from the internet it was useful to me to see which websites were most utilised. I had never heard of ‘The Outnet’ which sells designer products at discounted prices before, so that was good to see.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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What is most important to you when you shop for footwear?

I was slightly disappointed that ethics came at the bottom of the results to the ‘Most important when shopping’ question, however it must’ve been expected.

Investment Piece 8 6

Ethical

Quality and comfort came out top which I was not surprised by and value for money was lower than expected too.

Quality

4 2

Comfort

I think is difficult for people to say what is most important, because I think that the one thing that is of MOST importance is whether or not they LIKE the product or not, which sways people more than anything else.

Value for Money

On Trend

Designer Label

“According to one survey carried out by a leading shoe brand across Europe, women claim that they

consider the ethical implications when buying a product, much more so than men. In reality, its the other way round. Men’s ethical purchasing is closer to their claims while women are more easily distracted by the, ‘Wow I really must have those shoes’ factor. ” (Arnold, 2009, p220)

Although when asked, the majority of people said they would be prepared to spend more if they knew the product they were buying was ethical, it is difficult to gauge how true that Maybe statement actually is without testing them in reality.

If there were two of the same product, one was ethically made and the other was not - would you be willing to spend more on the ethically made product?

No

Yes

0

2

4

6

8

No. of people

16

10

12

In asking a further question, ‘If you knew more about ethical fashion and it was more accessible to you do you think you would be more inclined to buy it?’, and most people said yes. So in conclusion, I think that ethical fashion is still seen as not being very cool, and knowledge is very limited. I think in order for it to be desired, it must first become cool.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

Notable Quotes from Consumer Questionnaire

“I try to buy all my clothing from labels with

transparent supply chains, who are socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. However I find it hardest to do this with footwear because comfort + fit is a big issue for me. As a result I mostly try to buy good quality, comfortable shoes that will last a long time and can be re-soled. I try my best to avoid frivolous shoe buying and avoid poor quality shoes from the high st. ” (Anonymous)

“It’s still difficult to find a ‘designed’ and

considered product that is ethical but doesn’t look too Eco or natural.”

(Anonymous)

“The challenge for all areas of the fashion industry is

that design and aesthetics comes first and ethics second. ” (Arnold, 2009, p220)

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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Aspirational Consumer A Age: 39 Occupation: Style:

Classic, smart, pared down.

Values:

Quite ethically minded, buys organic produce and actively seeks out ethical fashion brands. Likes to be aware of where products are coming from and for that reason likes to support local businesses, brands she feels are helping society, and start-up brands.

Spending Habits:

Willing to spend quite a lot of

money in order to preserve

ethics. Not interested in

spending very large amounts on

a whim, but rather buys investment

pieces, after shopping around,

making sure they are high quality,

versatile and wont go out of fashion

quickly. Not very trend led.

Loyalty:

Loyal to brands that don’t contradict themselves ethically speaking. If a brand

does something to upset this

consumer, she is likely to

boycott them. Important

to this consumer for

brand to practice what

they preach.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

Aspirational Consumer B Age: 25 Occupation: PR Consultant Style:

Bold, chic, thoughtfully put together.

Values:

Doesn’t really have any views on ethical fashion,

unless it’s ‘cool’ to like it at

the time. Isn’t too interested

in finding new designers

herself, waits to be told what

is cool. Doesn’t care if the

product was made by children

or how far it has travelled,

believes that by buying luxury

products, you avoid those

issues. Very trend-led.

Spending Habits:

Money is not an issue.

If she likes it, she will

have it. If the product

happens to be ethical - it’s a

bonus. Shops quite often, always one

eye on what’s new on Net-a-porter

Doesn’t like to shop around. Not very

patient.

Loyalty:

Only brand loyal whilst the brand is

cool. Quite a fickle shopper, often

changing loyalties. Style changes with

the trends.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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Aspirational Consumer C Age: 31 Occupation: Style: Sophisticated, up to date, modern.

Values:

Not so driven by

ethical, but whether the

product is excellent quality and

an investment piece. Interested

in the ethical issues

surrounding garments and is

slowly becoming more

aware, and shopping habits

may change as she learns

more about it. Fairly trend

led - part of her job to be

aware

Spending Habits:

Shops fairly often,

maybe once a week,

job requires a lot of

travelling so gets opportunities to

visit lots of different cities. Money

is a consideration and may spend

larger amounts on classic

investment pieces for example

accessories.

Loyalty:

Brand loyal to brands she buys

investment pieces from, and will

probably stay loyal for numerous

years. Quite likes finding new brands

from travelling, but may not stay loyal.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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MARKET POSITIONING & COMPETITORS

Market Competitors Chart

Brands

8 4 10

1

3

1

6 9

7

12 5

2

VIRGINIA LEE

2 3

C H A R L OTT E O LY M P I A

4 5 6

GEORGINA GOODMAN

7

K E L S E Y

J O N A T H A N

8 9 10

BEATRIX ONG

12

In this market positioning chart, the Virginia Lee brand has been placed near to Charlotte Olympia and Rupert Sanderson as two of the closest competitors within the context of design. They are both brands that have a recognisable, signature style which is key for a successful brand.

Other brands that I admire and am interested in investigating in further detail are: Nicholas Kirkwood, Georgina Goodman and Beatrix Ong. They are all brands that have been particularly successful and for different reasons. It is important to look at the closest competitors of your brand, but also the industry leaders to evaluate why it is that they have become so successful.

Now is a time when several new footwear designers are emerging, and to stand out and have a true unique selling point, it is vital to analyse other brands and follow in their footsteps.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

BEATRIX ONG

BRAND:

PRODUCT:

U S P: Shoes designed for the modern woman who looks for elegance, quite classic shapes enhanced by the use of details, for example lace, and piping details.

Bit of a pared down style and quite neutral colour palette which go well with office work wear.

Quite wearable pieces, core pieces include soft leather loafers and jazz shoes which sell well alongside the higher shoes. £430

C O N S U M E R: - Core consumer aged around 35 and older - Professional women who are looking for something that’s not too fashion forward, but is quite elegant without being too showy - Ratio of people who know the brand to people who come in the main shop and don’t know the brand around 60:40

£520

Celebrity follower who personifies the brand:

- Aged 32 - Model - Columnist £458

- Vice Chair of British Fashion Council - Very elegant and sophisticated style - Needs to dress professionally but appear well informed about current designers

Best seller

£300

- Supports British design - Prefers the simpler, classic styles as opposed to the higher bolder ones

£149

- 6ft tall so high heels possibly make her too tall

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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BEATRIX ONG

BRAND:

STORE:

DISPLAY: - Plain white wooden shelving, wooden flooring, display of product intertwined with belljars, books hanging in the window, curious objects etc.

- Stock almost randomly placed, on different tables and some stock on the floor hidden away a little bit.

Location: 8 Newburgh Street, London Just parallel to Carnaby Street where there are a lot of tourists, the store gets quite a lot of tourists, but as it is tucked away slightly the majority of customers see it as a destination store.

Also have concessions in Jaeger shops in London and Aquascutum (as also owned by Harold Tillman), Liberty, Dover Street Market and Harrods.

Store Layout:

- Quite classic layout, plain white background - Opens with video showing new shoe styles modelled by a ballerina poledancing - Each season has short video introducing new styles - Large sections on bio, philosophy, timeline of achievements and list of charities she supports - Also section on collaborations with other artists - News section for upcoming events etc.

- Well maintained and easy to use - Can order shoes online - 3 views of each shoe

Other Online Stockists: - Farfetch.com - Poshu.co.uk - Theoutnet.com - Luisaviaroma.com

Key:

Seating

24

Product

Sales desk

Coffee table

Window

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

BRAND:

U S P:

PRODUCT:

Classic British design, using luxurious materials, focusing on shape and quality rather than experimental design.

Attention is paid to the ‘balance and symmetry of the shoe to flatter and lengthen the leg’. Products are created in brand’s own factory in Italy so quality is meticulously checked, therefore raising the standard.

£615

C O N S U M E R:

£675

- Core consumer aged around 38 - Someone who appreciates high quality products but is not interested in standing out.

- Very brand loyal consumer who will most likely repeat buy, season after season.

- Isn’t influenced by whether product is heavily branded, or recognisable - is interested in the quality of the product and appreciates that over recognition.

- Confident that each season will have staple styles Celebrity follower who personifies the brand:

- Aged 39 £610

- Professional business woman - PM’s wife - Needs to dress smartly and sophisticatedly - Classic style of brand mirrors her classic style

Best seller

£368

- Prefers the simple styles to the bolder ones to enhance her uncomplicated look - The Rupert Sanderson brand fits well with her lifestyle

£385

- Loyal customer

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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BRAND:

DISPLAY:

STORE:

- Product displayed simply on wooden shelving, and wooden blocks of different heights.

- Very clean, no fuss display.

- Velvet seating in neutral colours.

- Dark charcoal carpets and luxurious red chairs.

- Display and layout, reflect the brand’s ethos; classic, simple and high quality.

- Easy to navigate store, not cluttered with product.

Location: 19 Bruton Place, London, W1J 6LZ Near Old Bond Street where lots of other luxury shops are, but hidden away a little bit so shop doesn’t get that many casual shoppers, more of a destination store - shoppers specifically going there to buy.

Other stand alone stores: Knightsbridge - London, Palais Royal - Paris, On Lan Street - Hong Kong.

Store Layout:

- Simple, clean website, white background, black writing reflecting style of brand - Nice section about the brand and where the shoes are produced, making consumer feel involved with process - Press section regularly updated - Featured shoes of the week - Shoes categorised by heel height making navigation easy - Just one 3/4 view of shoes but zoom facility - Men’s range of ‘Saddle O’ shoes also offered - Can order whole collection from own website Other Online Stockists:

Key:

Seating

26

Product

Sales desk

Window

- Net-a-porter.com - Matchesfashion.com - Brownsfashion.com - Question-air.com - Theoutnet.com - Luisaviaroma.com - Boutique1.com

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

BRAND:

GEORGINA GOODMAN

PRODUCT:

U S P: Modern, stylised, sophisticated but fun, technically advanced.

Very thoughtful design and fashion forward, making use of interesting materials and innovative construction techniques. Alongside show stopping pieces, are wearable sneakers and lower heeled ankle boots.

Brand statement: ‘Made in Love’. Brand sells a story as well as a product.

Best seller

£620

C O N S U M E R: - Core consumer aged around 28 and older - Fashion-forward thinking woman, really apprecaites excellent design - Interested in making a statement - Not necessarily trend led but is aware of current trends - Buys into the ‘Story’ and ethos of brand

£1, 350 Celebrity follower who personifies the brand:

- Aged 38 £475 - Actress - Fashion forward and grown up style -Not scared to make a bold statement £575

- Values thoughtful and considered design - Likes the bolder pieces in collections - May not be so brand loyal, as unsure of direction of each season

£330

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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BRAND:

GEORGINA GOODMAN

STORE:

DISPLAY: - Product displayed in the window, with 3 sphericlal orbs rotating with product in.

- Quite dark inside as walls and shelving are painted black, but all products on shelving are lit by spotlights which makes each shoe feel special.

- Lots of product displayed, and special attention to the special handmade, one off shoes.

Location: 44 Old Bond Street, London, W1S 4GB Located down the bottom end of Old Bond Street, opposite Dolce and Gabbana and Alexander McQueen Excellent location for tourists/passers by and easy for regulars in Old Bond Street.

Also good as she designs the shoes for McQueen so if people go there they may also go to her shop.

Store Layout:

- Clean layout, white background - Lots of different sections, a little hard to navigate - Lot of focus on philosophy of brand, ethos and values - Poetry and inspiring words to engage shopper in brand ethos - Website has quite of attention on designer and her life - Interesting to see the designer behind the products, which is quite rare - Collection available to buy online - 3 views, and zoom facility - Search facility too; heel height, size, colour, material and type - Quote from Georgina about each style saying what inspired each design

Other Online Stockists: - Matchesfashion.com - Yoox.com

Key:

Seating

28

Product

Sales desk

Window

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

BRAND:

PRODUCT:

U S P: Theatrical sense of style, ultra modern design, very innovative use of shape and construction, unusual use of materials.

Known for being original every season. Not style for the faint hearted.

Currently at the forefront of footwear design.

C O N S U M E R: £710

- Core age of consumer 18 - 50 - Someone who wants to be the centre of attention - Not afraid of focus being on them - At the forefront of fashion - someone who follows fashion closely - Wants what is deemed to be ‘coolest’ and most desired product at the time - Style is quite quirky, daring - Bold character

£675 Celebrity follower who personifies the brand:

- Aged 45 £645

- Actress - Known as a ‘Style Icon’ and being amongst the first to pick up on trends - Definitely not afraid of being centre of attention

£695 Best seller

- Interested in searching for new talents - Very bold and quirky style - Loyal customer, whilst it’s ‘cool’.

£465 CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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BRAND:

STORE:

DISPLAY: - Large collection of his shoes alone on graphic black painted shelving - Nice selection of shoes on display - and begin apart from the other footwear brands makes it a bit more special - Shoes displayed in pairs

Space in Dover Street Market Location: Dover Street, London, W1S 4LT Conceptual, destination store for the ‘uber’ cool. Hidden from the main street, but those ‘in the know’- know.

Kirkwood’s shoes located on the third floor, in their own section away from the other shoe brands.

No stand alone stores.

Product Layout:

- Very very simple website - Bold in design, black back ground - different to competitors - First page, simply images of new collection - Not a brilliant tool for conusmers - Simplicity of website does not reflect showstopping design of shoes - No pictures of press, no company information, or designer info - List of stockists and contact info - Cannot order any shoes online

Other Online Stockists: - Start-london.com - Yoox.com - Farfetch.com - Herviabazaar.com - Boutique1.com - Brownsfashion.com

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

BRAND:

C H A R L OTT E

PRODUCT:

O LY M P I A

U S P: Youthful but elegant, fun design, inspired by the past but using modern materials and shapes.

Has established a distinctive style utilising a particular shape and spiderweb detail.

Attention to detail in design.

New brand that is still becoming more well known.

£780 C O N S U M E R:

£590

- Core consumer aged 16 - 35 - Youthful and fun in style but also elegant - Interested in fashion and aware of trends but likes to think they are making their own decisions - Enjoys finding new designers and is prone to changing style quickly - Embodies youth and sophistication at the same time

Celebrity follower who personifies the brand:

Best seller

£610

- Aged 20 - Actress - Wants to be taken seriously as a style icon - Needs to stay youthful whilst emodying a more grown up style

£582

- Interested in new designers - Very aware of fashion and moving trends - Developing sense of style

£480

- Fickle sense of loyalty

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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C H A R L OTT E

BRAND:

O LY M P I A

STORE:

DISPLAY: - Product all along one wall, each shoe suspended on a metal stand - Glass cabinets with handbags in - At back there are photos, pictures and a few curious objects which have inspired the designer - Shoes feel almost out of reach on metal stands - Feels quite bare inside - Nice spiderweb detail on shop front

Location: 56 Maddox Street, just off Old Bond Street A little tucked away from main shopping street, more of a destination store.

First stand alone store.

- Unfortunately the website has been ‘being updated’ for the past couple of months - Webpage has picture of sort of pin up style girl wearing the shoes - New website will feature an e-shop

Store Layout:

Other Online Stockists: - Matchesfashion.com - Netaporter.com - Shopnumber4.com - Luisaviaroma.com

Key:

Seating

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Product

Sales desk

Coffee table

Window

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

Price Comparison of Different Styles of Competitive Brands

£1,500

Charlotte Olympia £1,350

Georgina Goodman

£1,200 £1,150

Nicholas Kirkwood £900

Price

Rupert Sanderson

£750

£600

Beatrix Ong £450

£300 £150

£0 Flat

Court

Evening Sandal

Boot

Most Expensive

Style

Looking at the line chart above, it is easy to compare the brands and the price architecture of each of my competitive brands. The two most expensive brands are Georgina Goodman and Nicholas Kirkwood, with Beatrix Ong being the cheapest.

In terms of where the Virginia Lee brand would sit, costing must be done in order to work out exactly where it would go. In talking to consumers, it was apparent that the majority said they would be prepared to spend a bit more if they knew the product was ethical; so this could be taken into consideration when costing. However, it is difficult to determine whether this consumer outcome can be relied upon as it could just be something they would ‘hope’ to do rather than actually doing when it comes to making a choice.

Before costing, the Virginia Lee brand would hope to fit into the higher end of the luxury market alongside Charlotte Olympia, so still classed as luxury, but not so unattainable as say Goodman or Kirkwood with their most expensive pieces being more than £1,200. The brand would hope to have a more core range like Charlotte Olympia, where she doesn’t sell an overwhelming range of different styles, so consumers know what they can expect each season but in interesting materials, unlike Georgina Goodman who has so many different styles, the consumer never quite knows what they are going to get.

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RANGE PLANNING Before designing a range, especially for a first season, in terms of production the development costs of lasts, heels, platforms etc. should be known before starting (refer to costings, pg 36). Several brands when they first start up can only afford to invest in the development of maybe a couple of different last shapes, and heels for example, Michael Lewis London and Charlotte Olympia. These components may then have to be utilised in more than one collection for the cost of development to be made back.

Proposed range plan of luxury footwear for S/S12

Style

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Heel Height

Description

Retail Price Estimate

Flat sandal

N/A

Simple sandal structure, possibly toe post sandal

£ 300

More complex sandal

1cm

Slight heeled sandal with detail that has trim that relates to range

£ 385

Wearable summer brogue

1cm

Detailed brogue or pump suitable in Summer

£ 460

Mid height court

6cm

Wearable day court echoes range inspiration

£ 475

Mid height sandal

6cm

Wearable sandal that can be smart

£ 475

Higher simple sandal

10cm

Still wearable and not too fussy

£ 500

Higher simple court

10cm

Wearable day court

£ 500

Statement sandal

12cm with plat.

Statement piece, for evening

£ 590

Statement shoe

12cm with plat.

Statement piece

£ 590

Statement summer bootie

12cm with plat.

Statement piece, press piece.

£ 620

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

P RS O N ACIH U DP U P LC YT I CO H NA I N

Research from internet, books, museum visits etc.

Design brief

First samples arrive

Ammendment to samples made, and sent back to factory

Factory visit to check on product development and quality

Sold to customer

Material and leather sourcing, tradeshows etc.

Designs sent to factory

Initial designing and editing

Lookbook and moodshots done Confirmation samples arrive

Stock in stores

Line sheets created to sell

Stock arrives and sent out to stockists Orders sent to factory

Press samples arrive for PR company to send out

The production chain diagram above shows the typical luxury designer supply chain. Problems with production and samples cannot always be planned for but by doing SWOT analysis before hand with regards to the product that is being manufactured, it is possible to establish what might go wrong before it does.

Allowing for problems can be difficult when being a new designer with lack of experience working with factories. Correct problem analysis can only come once a relationship and a knowledge of how the factory works has been established.

The sorts of problems that could occur during the supply chain: - May not be able to source the exact materials wanted - Designs may be too complicated or not realistic for factory to produce - First samples may not do well in fit tests - Confirmation samples may arrive late and therefore affect shooting and producing a lookbook - Pricing for shows may be higher than first thought because of fluctuating exchange rates - Quantities of orders on certain styles may not be high enough to warrant production,

therefore creating bad relationships with stores

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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COSTING With an increasing number of ‘Super’ Factories in China and Brazil, Vietnam and India manufacturing high quality and technically advanced footwear, there is competition with Italian factories in producing luxury footwear.

Factories like TMLS in Brazil that are able to recreate leather finishes, fabrics, trims and hardware, by using a vast range of suppliers and local artisans quickly and cheaply, are doing things that Italy just cant replicate in the same time. New luxury companies are finding prices cheaper and production quicker with international factories, and are bypassing the tradition of Italian made shoes.

Problems with using factories outside of Europe:

Country of Production

European Factories; Italy, Spain, Portugal

International factories; Brazil, India, China, Vietnam

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PROS

CONS

- Italy known for quality and history of luxury leather goods production - Easy to travel to factory to check quality and standards - Do not have to pay VAT inside EU - Can trace where components and materials are sourced from with more ease - Factory working conditions less likely to be low standard

- Products may take longer to produce as factories may be smaller - Prices are more expensive - less profit margins - Leathers and materials may have to be sourced by company rather than factory - May not able to produce technically advanced items quickly

- Technically advanced with production - Quick production and large quantity - Can develop new materials, trims etc. quickly - Can source leathers easily - Quality is improving - Product can be made cheaper than in Europe as labour costs are lower

- Cannot visit the factories often to check on quality - Have to pay importation taxes - Products may get stuck in customs awaiting clearance - Expensive travel costs to check on production - Cannot check on standards of factory and labour - Hard to trace where components are sourced from - May be language barriers when discussing production - Unsure of what other lines are made there, copying?

- Buyers may be put off if luxury items are not made in Italy

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

In order to compete in the luxury footwear market, it is possible to look at where the competitors produce their products. In all cases of the five chosen competitors:

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- Beatrix Ong - Rupert Sanderson - Nicholas Kirkwood - Georgina Goodman - Charlotte Olympia

All products produced in Italy

As the five main competitors of my brand all produce in Italy, it would be naive to think that producing elsewhere in this market would be beneficial. To the types of consumers of these brands, it appears that money is not really an issue, but quality. If the best products are coming out of Italy then that is probably the best place to produce.

The chosen factory is Calzaturifico “Erre” based in Milan. Not a huge factory, producing for other companies, Chanel, Chrisitian Louboutin and Michael Lewis London. The reputation of the factory is very good and this will be advantageous for a new emerging brand, that a factory of this calibre has agreed to work with you.

General Overview of Development Costs: Type

Development Cost

Heel: Plain resin moulded € 580 More complex resin moulded € 1, 920

Cost of units after development

Total cost

x4 Different sized units x4 Different sized units

€ 2,320 € 7,680

New last shape

€ 140

€ 35 per sized units € 385 x 7 for size run Eu35 - 41

Platform: Complex resin moulded

€ 600

x 3 Different sized units

€ 1,800

* Different sized graded units needed to fit size run After initial development has been finalised, the factory can begin working on orders. After the initial costs - 1 Pair of prototypes/samples will cost - € 150 - inclusive of materials.

It is difficult to do a product/labour/component cost breakdown, as the factory gives a whole price for 1 pair of completed samples, however roughly 1/3 of the total cost is just the materials used.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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OTHER COSTS Specially moulded heel top pieces that don’t make a noise - € 500 for 1000 units.

On a pair of shoes, the hardware for example, simple brass buckles cost - € 3 For a pair of shoes, moulded brass toe caps cost around - € 5

COST IN QUANTITIES As previously stated, a pair of samples would cost around € 150. However when stock is ordered, the price may be negotiated with the factory depending on quantity. For example, 10 pairs go from € 150 per pair, to € 111 per pair, and the larger the quantity the cheaper each pair will be.

QUALITY CONTROL On first orders it is usual that the company will go to the factory and check on quality before an order is sent out to client, or even have the order sent to own company to check on quality before forwarding on to client.

If the order is small, for example 40 pairs, then each pair should be checked. If an order is larger, then a spot check of 50 random pairs should be checked.

After initial quality control is checked by the company, and the company is satisfied, then quality control can be done by the factory in-house, however to ensure quality is consistent then regular checks should be done when visiting the factory.

Quality is very important to buyers, as if quality is not upto scratch and customers do not buy then the company may have lost an important relationship with the buyers who may not re-order again.

Notably in Japan and Asia, if a thread is loose, or there is a tiny scratch on the leather on even one pair; then a whole order can be sent back for a refund which could be detrimental to a new company trying to break a profitable international market.

SHIPPING + AIR FREIGHT Using an exemplary order of say 40 pairs, the cost per pair to send by air freight would be roughly £5.

Totalling a cost of: £200 Sending order by air freight may take 2-4 days depending on clearance from customs.

Sending 40 pairs by ship can take upto 2 weeks but the cost per pair is roughly £3.50, Totalling a cost of: £140

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

WHOLESALING + RETAILING When first samples arrive of the new collection, before taking and showing at various trade shows and fashion weesks, prices must be calculated in the currencies that will be used, (most frequently, pound, euros and dollars).

In order to calculate these the factory must send a list of prices. The prices will reflect the costs that go into making each style, even though for first prototypes, there is just one initial cost. The prices that are given will be per how many ordered.

For example, for a simple court shoe the prices may be as follows: Below 50 pairs ordered - € 115 50 pairs to 100 - € 100 100+ - € 89 So when all prices arrive, it is useful to know what the prices will be when ordering a certain quantity.

Also when working out pricing per style, some style may come up a bit more expensive than you might think, for example a flat ballerina pump may come up more expensive than a high heel sandal depending on materials used. When this happens, buyers may be confused and customers in the store may not see the reason for the seemingly imbalanced price architecture. So, in order to combat this, prices can be re-shuffled a bit and money can be taken off some styles and added onto more expensive looking shoes.

Wholesale Pricing: To find the wholesale price, in a luxury company it is usual to multiply the factory price by 2.5 to 2.7.

E.g. Court shoe style - € 115 x 2.5 = € 287.50 (Also as investigated in the SWOT and PESTEL analysis, exchange rates need to be taken into consideration when converting prices into different currencies).

Retail Pricing: Although when selling to clients who will stock your product in their shops, you have no say in what the mark up will be, it is useful to know what the retail price might be. Usually luxury stores like Dover Street Market and Harvey Nichols will multiply the wholesale price by 2.8 - 3 to get the retail price, however some very high end stores like Harrods, may multiply the wholesale price by upto 5.

E.g. Court shoe style - Wholesale price of € 287.50 x 2.8 = € 805 (This multiplied by 5 would be € 1,437.50).

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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TRENDS S/S 2012

As a luxury brand it is important to know about key trends and general trend movements but it is not necessarily of use to be informed by them in design. There may be certain moods within the industry and materials that may be influential to a luxury brand but the luxury brands are meant to be the ones who start the trends.

COLOUR As previously stated I have chosen to design for Spring Summer 2012.

There are two colour palettes on WGSN that I am interested in looking at. The first is a soft pastel retro inpsired palette which has soft grey hues, cornflower blues and sublte pinky orange tones.

This colour palette sits quite nicely with my design concept, looking at maritime and seafaring traditions, seaside colours, and diving equipment.

The next colour palette I am looking at has similar shades to the previous palette, with subtle dusky pink shades, and beachy light blues - again appropriate for my design concept.

In reserching diving equipment and diving suits, I came across a suit that had seams coated in rubber to stop the water getting in the seams and the colour of the rubber was similar to the rusty shades depicted in this colour palette.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

MATERIALS In researching materials it was useful going to Lineapelle where they had lots of trend information on materials, textures, finishes and coatings etc.

Material trends: - Rubberised and coated leathers - Animal printed leathers - Knitted Leathers - Heavily embossed and worked into leathers Production trends: - Wood/Veneer effect covered heels - Layered wood and foam wedges and platforms Hardware trends: - Plastic/powder coated metal chains - Chunky metal zips - Enamelled hardware in pastel tones, chipped-retro feel - Leather and vinyl covered metallic hardware details

Knitted leather bags by Prada

Looking at WGSN there are a few material trends I am interested in, for example the layered foam and wood which also featured at Lineapelle. I am interested at seeing how this technique could be utilised in creating wedges and platforms.

Using different woods and coloured foam could be interesting. Also the coated foam in different colours.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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Other material trends that are inspiring me are the woven textures, possibly utilising unusual materials for example wire, plastic threads etc.

Throughout my inspirational research there has been lots of study of fishing nets and the way they have been put together and woven and in my experimentation I would like to look at trying to weave my own net or knitting unusual materials to create interesting textures.

In contrast to the intricate weaving and knitting, canvas, cottons and hessiens are something I am also interested in looking at and utilising. There are several different ways of treating rough cottons and canvases, for example waxing, rubberising, printing on and other things. These might be things that I explore through experimentation.

Going back to the rubberised seams seen in diving suits, this might be also be something that I test out, as the effect was quite interesting.

Rubberised seam on the sleeve of a diving suit.

Really love the rusty kind of faded red colour in contrast with the black and beige. (Taken at Whitstable Museum)

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

CATWALK TRENDS S/S 2011

As well as being aware of material, hardware, techniques, and colour trends, it is also advantageous to be aware of current catwalk trends as although things move on quickly from season to season, there are moods which may remain throughout a couple of seasons. Sometimes moods are affected by something as simple as the weather, sometimes by the political and economic climate and other times by exhibitions or events that are taking place.

As a luxury design brand, especially one interested in how consumer moods are changing and what ethical and sustainability issues are relevant, the catwalks can be a good place to look for general moods.

Moods I have noticed from the past couple of seasons that I am interested in: - More grown up but pared down, classic, feminine feeling seen at Céline, Chloé - Interest in traditional craft techniques, looking back to 1940’s sense of ‘Make Do and Mend’, mood of investing in long lasting items that won’t go out of fashion quickly

Phillip Lim

Céline

Stella McCartney

Chloé

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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CRAFT INSPIRED

Christian Dior Dolce & Gabbana

Christian Dior

MacramĂŠ dress Chunky handmade lace Layered woven raffia

ACCESSORY

TRENDS

From WGSN, there have been some key accessory trends identified and there are some images which fit nicely with my design inspiration.

Rope tassels

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Metallic hardware details

Coiled rope neckpiece

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

Final Project CONCEPT

Research

Techniques and details

Keywords

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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S A N D S H O E S ...

... I really like the combination of leather straps and the heavy brass bottoms of these specially designed to make walking easier in sand.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

Diving Telephones

Really like the hardware details

Would be nice as smaller details on shoes CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

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MATERIALS

Swedish Organic + Vegtan Leathers Leather Stitched Welts

Metal Hardware

Rope

Metallic Toe-Caps

Organic Cottons

Wood/Foam Layered Wedges

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

COLOUR PALETTE I have come up with three possible colour palettes that I am interested in investigating further.

Beach Pastels

The three colour palettes come from pictures taken at Whitstable beach and harbour. Although it may seem a bit obvious to be inspired by simply three pictures taken, I really feel that the colours reflect the personality and concept of my brand.

Being informed by trends for S/S12 has been useful, as knowing that pastel shades will be in season in SS12 is relevant to the design process.

Pantone DE 3323C

Pantone DE 3258U

Pantone DE 2365U

Pantone 283U

Pantone 684U

Fishing Nets

B E A C H P A S T E L S The first of the three palettes, looks mainly at pastel tones with a dusky pink colour, sky blue, light teal, beige, dove grey and off white. Cottons and textures might be interesting in these colours.

FISHING NETS

Pantone 7541U

Pantone 3125U

The second palette are darker shades, in a rusty burnt orange, grey-blue, charcoal grey, jade green, pale beige. This palette might work well on trims and possibly alongside exploring using rubber.

Pantone 7540U

Pantone DE 2117U

Pantone DE 60-5U

Seaside Tones

SEASIDE TONES The final palette looks at the seaside for inspiration with a very dark midnight blue, yale blue, another pale sky blue, tan brown, and ash grey. These could be good colours to use for leathers, a nice contrast to the first palette.

Pantone 427 - C

Pantone DE 43-3U

Pantone DE22289U

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4

Pantone DE 2284U

Pantone DE 2021UU

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - Ginny Williams - PDDFI: Footwear Y4