The GRANDE-Mère of couture

There is one woman who has stood out to me over the years as one of the leaders of Couture, a woman whose work was so different and unique at the time, and even though art and poetry was the route in life she wanted to take, fashion took over and snatched up her talent and brought her into the ever-moving industry. Forty years after the death of Elsa Schiaparelli, her life has come back into the light as her work is reviewed and looked at again by many. Her passion and determination for doing something special with her life was such an inspiration, to not only her family, but young photographers, designers and fashion followers. From Giacometti designed ashtrays, to Dali dressing her windows, Schiaparelli was one of the most glamorous, genuine and loved designers of her time, and her mark has been left after all these years. 

‘Elsa Schiaparelli was the most influential fashion designer of the 20th century. She was the first to use the art of her time in a provocative dialogue with fashion, and hoovering up elements that caught her fancy from all over the world.’

– Meredith Etherington Smith

There has recently been a book released about the life of Elsa Schiaparelli and her personal photographic collection of her family, lovers and the house she once lived in; which have all been selected by her granddaughter to bring her name back into the light and teach those about just how incredible she was. She is a name that I will always follow, and a book which I have ordered and am more than excited to read.

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 AND TEXTILE MUSEUM

Over the years, the Fashion and Textile Museum has held so many incredible and memorable fashion exhibitions, which have always been a great inspiration for my work and looking into greater detail of the history of fashion. This season, it focuses on Knitwear; Chanel to Westwood. The vintage inspired knitwear focuses on the 1920’s jersey, the 1930’s swimwear collection, all the way to Vivienne Westwood and Julien MacDonald’s work. This range of designers and the impact that the whole exhibition has is just incredible, and the art movements over time become so impacting as you enter the world of knitwear. 

When looking around the exhibition, my favourite piece of knitwear would have to be Julien MacDonald’s’ Mixed Synthetic 1900’s sequinned dress. The change between the inner body within the dress and the high neck was just such a different style and added such a power to the piece. Although a neck length, tight, short sleeved garment, there was something very uniquely beautiful about it, and the whole piece was so delicate yet powerful in itself. The panelled body had this incredible, yet simplistic, pattern of silver tones which shaped the figure perfectly. I believe this was one of the most interesting and diverse exhibition that the Fashion and Textile Museum have displayed, and I thought it was just fantastic.

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?

The loss of one of Fashions Greatest

Yesterday, we had to say goodbye to one of the worlds most loved and talented fashion designers, Oscar De La Renta. At the age of 82, the long fight with cancer was too much. Many designers, models, and family have spoken about the loss, and have described him as the ‘gentleman of fashion’. Naomi Campbell, Karlie Kloss, Marc Jacobs and Alexander Shulman have all spoke of the loss of one of the worlds most passionate, loving and leading figures within the fashion industry. It is phenomenal how many lives he touched with his work, and the effect one man can have on an audience and business. 

http://www.oscardelarenta.com

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.

THE COMPETITOR

The biggest competition of the Haute Couture world, Chanel, has just released their new Chanel No.5 advert; created by Award Winning Director Baz Luhrmann including the beautiful Gisele Bundchen, it is such an interestingly passionate new promotional element to the brand. Let alone it is set in the beautiful, dreamy land of New York’s Queensboro Bridge, the whole setting, theme and narrative of the advert is beauty, as well as the luxury in living somewhere so beautiful. Adverts such as these cause such a threat to Dior as it has pushed the opposing brand into the publics eye, which is exactly the opposite of what Dior would have wished for, however this is so common within the industry.

‘In the end, it’s about romance and passion – and I want to spend weeks in the Chanel archives!’

Luhrmann wanted to create something desirable, something that all women wanted; a successful career, a luxury house, a beautiful daughter and the lifestyle which was portrayed, meaning that women will buy into the dream to have their own journey that Bundchen is displaying, they want success, and having the perfume will bring this. 

Now, we simply need to wait to see how Dior reacts, as J’adore and Chanel No.5 will now be the two main adverts to watch this Christmas, as the final push for promotional aspects of the perfume industry begin.