Fashion Monitor – MY profession

When looking deeper into the fashion industry, and the promotional aspects within the business, I have realised that not only is there such a range of available jobs, but they have come so far, and developed so much over the years! This therefore leads me to believe that although I have an idea of a job at the end of my degree, the fast moving industry may therefore have a more in-depth and up to date position instead; which is in fact incredibly exciting.

Looking into my profession is something which I find so interesting, yet due to the amount of jobs, and the development of the existing ones, I have to be incredible careful to be open and willing to change with the industry, therefore looking at an exact job can be hard, but using Fashion Monitor has enabled me to look at what is current, and possible jobs I would find myself working in within the next 5 years. This has enabled me to look in more depth at the industry, as well as myself and what I want to get out of the fashion industry, and where I will be able to leave my stamp.

http://www.fashionmonitor.com

Company Bloggers Fashion Event

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to attend the Bloggers Style and High Street Company Event; hosted by the Company Magazine which was such an incredibly fashion event, combining all of the big bloggers with the best of what the high street has to offer! With names such as Primark, River Island, Warehouse and Yumi; the event was so individual as the fashion collections are available to buy from stores now! This extra factors was a real eye opener, and the bloggers themselves were available to discuss their reasonings and colour pallets. The fact that there was a real sense of high street style made it available and accessible to all; from teenagers to young adults!

BLOGGERS: Megan Ellaby for Asos, Emma Hill for M&S, Coco’s Tea Party for Next, Patricia Bright for Oasis, Hannah Louise F for Primark, Kavita Donkersley for River Island, Doina Ciobanu for Yumi and Amy Bell for Warehouse.

As well as this, the event offered free makeup and tutorials, nail sessions as well as hair styling; the interactivity was perfect for the event, and with names such as Paul Mitchell and Bargrooves, it is no wonder the tickets sold out within a week of releasing them. Located in Tobacco Dock, the event was also so personal, and the lighting, positioning and the whole decor fitted the mood spot on, and the whole event was so eye opening and helpful for not only fashion bloggers, but those interested in fashion and the high street brand. If there were to be another event held by company, I would not hesitate one bit to go, the whole scene and professional catwalk was just incredible, a real eye opener to what is out there today.

http://www.company.co.uk/magazine-hq/bloggersstylethehighstreet2014

RAVE PLUS

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DAVID BECKHAM – Haig Club

The famous model and football player David Beckham has recently tken his career up a notch when he created his own whiskey – Haig Club; as a No-Age-Statement. As whiskey has connotations of an old man, Beckham is trying to bring the age down and make it more fashionable and realistic in the eyes of the younger generation. 

Within the advert, here are so many factors which work in synergy to create the very personal yet deliberate advert. To start off with, Guy Richie is the director of the advert, as well as shooting for David Beckham’s H&M advert, meaning that the two have worked together and have created this bond. Beckham has recently published a programme about him riding a motorbike around the country, as this is something he personally enjoys; which is why he enters the advert on a bike; the very personal elements makes the product authentic, as you are seeing the real Beckham. There is such a strong narrative and marketing strategy behind the whole filming. 

‘The Sell: Sumptuous Scottish Scenery and Soccer Star’s Sex Appeal’

Next, part of the group of friends, you will see the familiar face of Jimmy Choo, who is indeed a friend of Beckhams. All of these work together to create such a thought out advert. Also, you see the famous selfie moment; the sharded self, it is the modern world and what the target audience know. As well as the selfies being taken around the world at famous landmarks, meaning that there is a global push to the product. The whole advert is so incredibly developed and one which I think is incredibly effective.

Fashion Trend Forecasting

Within trend forecasting, there is Shared Situation Awareness, which is the themes and ideas which are shared amongst a group – the opinion formers- fashion does not feed fashion, we have to look outside of this for new trends and fashion designs which in turn feeds to the audiences. Trend Forecasting is a teams ability to recognise a pattern in a fluid situation and to use this information to anticipate what might happen. Fashion is forever moving, you have to take a snapshot of what is happening in that section of time. Some looks have defined decades, like the bob, now they define a season, or a year, it is incredibly fast moving, and you have to constantly be aware of what is coming out; exhibitions, music, films and other emerging areas. You have to be incredibly quick with this.

There are three steps in this process:

1. Observe the raw data
2. Spot patterns to form hypothesis as to how the situation might unfold
3. Test the hypothesis

Ford – you have designs which are going to be large within the industry, something that will be sold quickly, something that will be very popular, however it is fast fashion meaning it appears very quickly.

Trafalgar – slow fashion is where an idea will evolve over a period of time, which will become very developed and destined and will be right and exactly what the audience will mean. It will be touched on time and time again, a theme or a technique which is constantly revisited within the designer. Vivienne Westwood is an example of this, as she has a strong British essence within her work.

Bubble up is where trends enter from the street and work there way up within the fashion industry. Trickle down is conceptual dresses, where the clothing is very difficult to understand and interpret, but has been observed and has made its way into the high street. Zara is incredibly good at this, as they have looked at what is new and couture within the industry, and they make their own look out of it, the look becomes very simplified and enters the high street, fast fashion market. Often this moves around regions within the country, what is good where and why?

MOVEMBER

Each month, at the beginning of November, all of the brave men of this country join to either to grow a moustache or beard to raise the awareness of prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems. The congregation of men across the nation is such a wonderful experience, and although it makes no effect by itself, the constant promotion of the charity is such an achievement, and is an incredible element to the charity industry. The foundation challenges men to grow a the facial hair for one month only, and to raise funds, as well as putting a smile on peoples faces. To date, there have been 4 million moustaches over the years, and the message is being heard. This is such an incredible campaign and causes such an effect on those who are in need of help.

http://uk.movember.com/?home

SWOT of Dior

STRENGTHS: Dior itself has so many strengths, but those which have drawn the company out the ground is the individuality and strong sense of narrative and the creation of ‘the dream’. Over the years Dior has created such a passion for the brand, and the need for it, which is why, 60 years on the company is still ever moving with the fast paced industry. 

WEAKNESSES: Although the company is very well developed, it has only a few downfalls, due to the change of designers over the years, at points there has been very little stability within the business, and the change of the personalities being injected into the brand has meant that in some cases there has been a large change in style and designs of certain pieces. 

OPPORTUNITIES: Dior is very aware as a company, and keeps up to date with all events. The Dior Harrods event in 2013, promoted the brand once again and allowed a whole range of audiences to view the garments and styles. The experiences which Dior choose to exploit are perfect opportunities for sales, and for the audiences. 

THREATS: Along with threats comes strong competition within the industry, and in this case, the threats lie with Chanel, and the fact that there is such a strong connection between the two brands. However, threats also lie with the designers, as in the short stay of the designer Bill Gaytten in 2011 for Dior, this can cause threats as it can have a lasting effect on the brand essence. 

THE POLARITY PARADOX

Polarity Paradox is simply a coping mechanism for recession consumers who have suffered and therefore looking for an escape route. It is about the obsession for everything, but dedication for nothing; the extreme state of memorable experiences is what this group of people want, they want to have a range of new services are available, but there is no line between saving and spending, light and dark, there is a need for everything new. Marathon Media, Netflix has now recognised that people are watching entire box sets in one sitting is a lot more desirable and realistic for those with a busy lifestyle rather than the one-programme-a-week; a survey by Netflix said that 61% binge-watch TV regularly due to the accessibility of it. For example:

‘Gym memberships have increased in the UK, however the country is in danger of surpassing the 2007 prediction that 50% of the nation will be obese by 2050’ According to the National Obesity Forum.

We are now living in an era which is categorised by paradox; music, food, fashion and even business. This change and shift has caused our opinions to become manipulated by what we think is right, attitudes by the public are changing so quickly which means industries and businesses are constantly having to change too. There has been a drastically widespread amount of unemployment, which has  cut the level of disposable income consumers, which therefore leads to a more stable lifestyle for many.

Young at Heart

There has become a sudden increase in the Flat-Agers, who are defined by being over 60 and having no input within the fashion industry. However, this has now changed, and instead are becoming more of the targeted audience due to the money that the consumers have, as they are no longer working and have the necessities of the modern world. The money is therefore able to be spent on meaningful connections to them, such as family or friends, as well as adventures, experiences and products which they are yet to have consumed themselves. 

People are now living longer, which is something that is becoming more of a reality within our culture; people are retiring later, and are becoming healthier due to the accessible resources. A prime example of this is the wonderful Anna Wintour, who is indeed 64 years of ago, however she doesn’t wear an anorak and comfy plat shoes, nor does she stop looking stylish and keeping up to date with technologies and the fashion industry; so why should all of the other older generation nor follow in her footsteps?

‘Something exciting is in the air. Forget everything you thought about being old, or age even. In the society of the future, age isn’t just a number – it’s flat.’

There was once a gap between age and beauty, yet Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Daphne Selfe, Alexandra Shulman and many other inspirations within the industry have proven that you can re-adventure into the new world, and that within that age gap they’re increasing becoming more adventurous, beautiful and willing to try new things; which is what you’d expect the younger generation to do. This creation within the industry hs driven to older models, such as Bernhard Wilhelm, and the rise in technology blooming within the flat-agers. 30% of American’s between 50-64 years old own their own tablet or iPad, proving that you’re never too old for a new adventure.

The work behind a Campaign

• First of all, a press release is pushed to the audience to announce campaign a year in advance – making the product desirable, making them realise just what is coming and to inform the press. 
• Then, the company will tip off fashion magazines and press so it gets around to everyone; causing excitement.
• Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are also key to promoting the campaign. conversation about the brand. 
• The press are therefore interested in the designer to make the product, then get  photographs of it, then it gets sent to PR enabling them to have physical products to show, then exclusives are pushed again with pre released images. 
• The, all of this information reaches the media, the interest to the customer and is given to the audience in sections: 1 glossy, 1 weekly, 1 cover, 1 sunday newspaper. 
• They then pick the images, no one has the edge to the other they all have to have the images at the same time – 2/3 months before hand, a teaser. 
• Possibly an interview with the designer, something to tell, the story is then told about the collection or product. 
• Beginning of November more images are released to all medias, final push – billboards on oxford street, placements are then chosen and bought for maximum promotion.
• Then when the product is realised, a follow up story is created, and normally the words ‘SOLD OUT’ are used – meaning a sense of exclusiveness.