The Beginning is Near

Now that these past 4 months of the final major project are coming to an end, in just a few days I will be unleashed into the 'real world', and although currently in employment the thought of not knowing where I may be in 12 months time is a scary feeling.
Reflecting on the past 3 years of my education is a intimidating thought. Having challenged myself through every aspect and conquered so many things I would never have believed to achieved when I set foot into my halls or walked into my first lecture on my first day of university.

But although this is a time to say goodbye to some faces I have spent every day with for the past 3 years, I know I have created some relationships that will last well into the future and belief that we are all on a road to succeeding in our life and career. I have so many thoughts and desires, for the next year of my life including travelling and exploring somewhere new, further internships in London and simply enjoying the search to find what career I wish to embark on. But beyond that is a mystery, but an exciting one none the least.

Although an extremely grainy image, I think it sums up how I feel about my final project hand in on Friday 16th May, it will mark the beginning to the next stage of my life.

Image: Elephant Journal

Warehouse

Today I saw a Warehouse advertisement for their Spring/Summer collection. The advert appealed to me so much being the simplistic style that I like and the products looked fantastic on the model so I decided to have a look at their website and find out for myself what else they were offering for the upcoming season. I have never really shopped at Warehouse due to my perceptions of it not offering the right sizing for my petite frame and the price points being slightly over what I could afford, but taking a look around their website I found some lovely pieces that really impressed me. In my opinion it the products are still more aimed at women in their mid to late 20s and 30s but as they do offer their lowest size as a 6 some of my favourite pieces I found would tempt me to go into a store whilst shopping for my upcoming summer.

All images taken from Warehouse website

Image: Authors Own

A Petite Spring/Summer 2014

The summer is fast approaching so I have collaborated all of my favourite petite items for the coming months. As always I think Topshop have taken this summers trends and transported them into every day wearable clothing but New Look and Dorothy Perkins have surprised me this year with some key on trend pieces which I will be investing in. 

Here are my Petite key pieces for the summer months...

Pastels is one of my favourites and i'm so happy its has been set as a trend for this summer. The colours encapsulate the season so well bringing summery vibes to a rainy day which will most likely occur on more than one occasion here in the UK during the summer season.

Florals for summer? Not exactly ground breaking but none the less perfect for adding some femininity to an outfit and evoking those summery days whether its abroad on holiday or relaxing in your garden at home.

Tribal print seems to be around every summer, but you cannot exactly blame this as repetition as throwing on a tribal print always makes me feel that little be more like an eclectic traveller. I will definitely be investing in a tribal piece to take away with me on my holiday.

The tropical trend is a nice change for this summer with the introduction of bright and loud prints. My personal favourites are the bodycon dresses from Topshop and Miss Selfridge bringing just the right amount of colour and print to make a statement but not go jungle crazy.

All images were taken from the retailer website stated

Jennifer Avello

I have just come across images by Jennifer Avello, a fashion and beauty photographer who has photographed for the likes of Vogue, Topshop, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and Cosmopolitan. Her imagery contrasts between strong fashion forward photography to more emotive pieces for trend pages in leading fashion magazines showing the depth of her range and images that she can create whilst on set. From looking through her website I instantly liked her imagery and how she captures the strong and powerful presence of women, sometimes with the added quirky twists of womens' postures to add some edge to the composition. The focus is very much on the product in many cases which shines through drawing your attention to the detailing. Having read magazines and seen many images like these it is great to finally find someone who is behind the creatives of the final images that are used as well as seeing other work the Avello creates for well established names.

Here are some of my favourite images...

Work by Jennifer Avello

Images: Jennifer Avello

William Rast

This week in Drapers I saw an article promoting Justin Timberlakes' clothing range, William Rast. Although a huge fan of the singer, I never knew he had a clothing range for men and women which he started back in 2005 with his friend Trace Ayala. But as I began to read the article I realised why this was. Originally, the price point was in the £100s with jeans costing around £240 a pair and the line is only just launching in the UK, so when shopping online or in store I would have never have come across this brand due to the price point being out of my range and the location.
However, this Autumn William Rast is launching in the UK and completely changing its' ways by bringing the price point down by up to 60% to appeal to the younger consumer, the article stating around 18 to 35s are now there target range. Tshirts now start at £10, £20 for shirts and £40 for jackets which is in line with many high street retailers.

This shows that not all high quality products need to cost, in my case, way out of what I can afford and now in the modern day how a brand can effectively reverse its production ways to appeal to a wider group of customers.

The William Rast website describes the brand as the 'denim culture brand for new America' The overall feel of with hints of biker inspiration. The line is a very layered wintery look with my personal favourite the grey tweed look coat in Image 4.

Watch: #whoiswilliamrast London Takeover


William Rast Lookbook

Images: William Rast

GFW

This year I will be attending Graduate Fashion Week in London. Showcasing work by over 1,000 students this opportunity is fantastic to start creating contacts and generally be part of an event which celebrates the success and achievements of students from all over the UK. This also gives me the chance to view other students work in both business and design offering inspiration and knowledge of possible competitors of work opportunities as well as an overview of the talent that the industry will witness over the coming years. 

This year the event is being held at The Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch, a place I have posted about before that represents innovation. 

Image: GFW

Saks Update

Following on from a previous post this year, Marigay McKee is progressing in her role as President of Saks. The are currently collaborating with Erin Walsh for their spring/summer 2014 campaign as Erin provides style tips and tricks for the coming summer season both online and in store. Youtube videos of style guides by Erin featuring clothing that Saks sells represents an up to date company who is in line with current consumer trends as video blogging has taken off recent years. 

Watch: Erin Walsh Styles Floral Gallery

The other feature I wanted to highlight was their Spring/Summer 2014 campaign. As I am not a Saks target customer, it may be too critical to analyse the imagery they have produced for the most recent campaign which sees each imagery dedicated to a select designer in a colourful but simplistic style. The imagery does evoke a higher end feel and extremely stylised and having to represent so many different brands which the same campaign, this type of style of photography allows each brand to speak for itself through its' product which ultimately will help drive sales through Saks, as each image speaks to a different consumer. However, in some way I wish there was something else to it, in todays world of so many magical tricks that technology can do, in my opinion it almost seems like a second thought.

Images: My Face Hunter

The Tim Walker Effect

Whilst trying to gather some inspiration, I began looking at photographer Tim Walker. Although he is so well known, I have never had the time to sit and appreciate his artistic flare and how he evokes this through his unique photography. The style to his photography creates an magical fantasy world with dramatic twists which bring a modern edge to create images that impact and create a reaction the moment you look at them. The dedication of the production he creates and puts on just to capture the one image which encapsulates the feeling he is trying to produce is incredible and none like anyone I have seen before. And even when he strips everything back to the basics of a landscape or plain background, the artistic flare still shines through showing the talent behind the camera and that it is not always just based on an amazing set. The use of animals is a clear theme which runs through many of Walkers' images, in many cases creating inspiration for the rest of the imagery, which I feel just adds to the dream world state even more so through his use of a quirky choices of which animals he desires to use.

Here are a few of my favourite images that I discovered...

 Jennifer Lawrence, W Magazine, 2012

Image: Design Scene

Karen Elson, Love Magazine, 2013

The Karen Elson photo for Love Magazine, is my favourite. The posture of the model and and pose of the lion next to each other are absolutely amazing, so inquisitively gazing at something and creating a some what real life situation of 'lounging around' with a an actual situation that wouldn't happen makes the photograph so interesting, I can't keep my eyes of it.

Image: Aga Loves Today

Kate Moss & Doodley the Owl, British Vogue, 2013

Image: Comunidade Moda

Agness Dean, Simon & Kiki, British Vogue, 2011

This photo, although simple, shows complete contrast between two worlds thrown together for the sake of an image. The two differing characters of the humans from a past time of the woman possibly with a modern day figure of a tribesman creates so many situations that may be occurring in this photo.

Image: From My Glasses

A Few Hours to Kill

Whilst visiting London to take some images for my final major project, we decided to visit Shoreditch for some inspiration. East London is such an up and coming area, even Company magazine have just done a issue devoted to the people and thriving quirky businesses that are calling this place home. Wondering around we visited the Boxpark, a fantastic innovative opportunity for small businesses to have an outlet to reach their customers in person. Websites like Moo.com and moonfruit.com were all involved as well as unique businesses like PLAYN Eyewear, a particular favourite that we came across whilst exploring that had an extremely inventive way of showcasing their eyewear.  The Boxpark represents how businesses can be creative and innovative within such a small place communicating their brand aesthetic with unusual displays, showing that you don't need massive spaces to reach your consumer. 

Such a individual and unusual place full of peculiar things to discover. 

Images: Authors Own

Petite Fashion Week

This weekend I ventured down to London to attend a networking event organised by Petite Fashion Week. Although I made the journey with a prime focus of gathering research for my dissertation, being petite myself it was fantastic to see a room full of other people passionate about driving the petite industry forward.

The night gave allowed me to meet retailers who began their businesses solely to provide an answer to petite issues they had come across. Whether it was Jeetly and their workwear designed for the petite shape or The Petite Shoe Boutique, who as the names suggests, custom makes shoes for petite feet. All the retailers were keen to showcase their uniqueness of catering for petite consumers and were thoroughly interested in my business concept which in theory would promote their businesses on a wider scale in order to generate more customers for them.

Creating contacts from the night has expanded my research for my project and built confidence in myself of attending events such as these in order to further my knowledge of the industry and evolve my repertoire.

Image: Authors Own

Image: Petite Fashion Week

Thought For The Day

Whilst researching for my final major project I came across this quote from Adele. It is so great to see a true icon in the celebrity and music world who is not influenced by the size 8 craze that seems to be constantly surrounding women in the current day. Adele is a representative of the real size of women and I don't think I will come across a better quote that symbolises the reasons why I am proposing this business concept for plus size women, who make a up a hugh majority of women within the UK.

Image: Adele Quote

Thought For The Day

2 months down, 2 to go

Image available at: Pinterest

BPSFW

Last weekend saw the second British Plus Size Fashion Week event take place in London.  The event saw 25 pop up stores and 4 fashion shows across the two days with retailers like ASOS, Pink Clove, Yours Clothing and Evans showcasing clothing for their Spring/Summer season. 

As my final major project is centred around the plus size and petite industry, the plus size industry has become a major part of my every day research and the promotion of this industry is not only important to my project but it has become important to myself. After all the hype that has been surrounded around the images of the perfect women over the past years, recent campaigns by companies like Dove have shown real women who are representative of the average women who now dominates our society. It makes me proud to think I am trying to further this industry through my concept, that this topic is so relevant to the modern day and my concept is answering needs of customers. 

Images: BPSFW

'Bouyant New Look'

Having worked with the teams at New Look head office during my placement, I am always keeping an eye on the companies progress. When I joined New Look for my 10 weeks they were undergoing a rebrand as they look to become an even more prominent part of the high street shopping experience in the UK. The rebrand involved everything from new concept stores to a new logo and a stronger focus on more fashion forward product.
This weeks Drapers reported that New Look has taken market share from competitor giants like H&M, Marks & Spencer, Topshop and Topman showing that all of the hard work is paying off. Revenues for New Look group were up just over 5% to £1.21 billion helped strongly by christmas trading period where ecommerce sales shot up a staggering 65%. This just shows me how much a change of aesthetic can dramatically impact on consumers and their perception of a brand.

Adding to this New Looks' Spring/Summer Lookbook for womenswear looks effortlessly elegant. Products look well designed, on trend and beautifully made with a hazy effect over the imagery giving the feel of more upper end high street than the price points that New Look offer. The company is proving itself as a key trend focused brand, and a I have extremely high hopes for the future of the company.

New Look Spring/Summer 2014 Womens Lookbook

Images: Verstylehouse

Indie Investment: Real Examples

Reading my Drapers edition this week, I stumbled upon an article which seems perfectly timed to my current academic life. The article, by James Knowles titled 'Right on the money' is solely focused on five different independent fashion brands and financially how they started and expanded their business. The article highlights the belief, which most of us do believe, that banks won't lend to small businesses and how in truth this isn't the case, although it does seem more likely a route for further investment. The retailers shown in the article include Trunk Clothes, Purple Menswear, Young Ideas, Concept Clothing and Dapper M and Dapper W. Interestingly three out of five are independent menswear retailers. Investment included bank loans, private funding as well as self funding with many putting in savings to achieve their dream business.

This article was so appropriate to my project I was undertaking and reading how other businesses had set up represented the opportunity that their actually is for start up businesses in this current time. The main message I got from the article was, in truth, that dedication to ideas is the main reason that drives a business and belief in the future of the business. Evoking this to banks and lenders passionately will be rewarded with investment to recreate the dreams that were dreamt at the beginning. 

Image: Authors Own

Petite Picks

Being a petite, I am constantly looking for new products that have been brought out in the petite range. But although there are many retailers who now offer petite ranges, the amount of product out there specifically designed for petite women is still lacking in numbers of products compared to standard ranges. But I have found a few of my top picks from Topshop and ASOS petite for this week...

 Topshop Petite Textured Bodycon Dress

£24

Topshop Petite Linen Mix Stripe Tee

£18

ASOS Petite Exclusive Top in Abstract Burnout 

£36

ASOS Petite Structured Waffle Knit Dress

£45

ASOS Petite Exclusive Wrap Skirt in Crepe

£35

Topshop Petite Tile Flocked Treggings

£28

All images taken from retailers websites

London Town

Last weekend I took a trip to one of my favourite places.. London! 

Having spent 2 months there interning last summer, I love being in the city with such a busy lifestyle, riding the tube and seeing all the inspirational sights.

This time, being a lot colder I packed my trusty Topshop Pink knitted jumper and ASOS chelsea boots as well as my H&M coat to see me through the weekend. We went to the ICEBAR, enjoying cocktails in ice hollowed out glasses all be it wearing a furry poncho that was always going to be too big on me. The London Eye and Madame Tussards were all packed into the weekend as well as a meal out at Fire & Stone in Covent Garden. A great restaurant which serves pizzas inspired by places around the world. 

Coming from a countryside home, London is an escape for me to a different way of living where you almost feel as if its never to early to be up or too late to be awake as you see countless other people who are doing exactly the same. There is always something different on offer every time you visit and now it is such a multi ethnic city that everywhere you turn a different language is being spoken. I feel this is driving our capital to new heights encouraging expertise from all walks of like to set up camp there creating extreme unique concepts, opportunities and outcome... and I can't wait to be a part of this in the future. 

Images: Authors Own

Moroccan Summer

This year I will be venturing to Morocco for my summer break and having holidayed in europe many times over the past couple of years I am looking forward to experiencing something different. Steeped in religion and culture I have only ever seen onm photos I am so excited to be surrounded by a different culture. Here are a few beautiful images that I have found that have inspired me through their colours and design they evoke, and eclectic and ethnic combinations of prints and textures.  I cannot wait to see find things like this for myself during my stay...

Image: Pinterest

Image: Pinterest

Image: Pinterest

Image: Pinterest

The American Dream

This week in Drapers I read about Marigay McKee and her change in lifestyle and work from Harrods Chief Merchant to President of Saks Fifth Ave. It was so inspirational to read about a strong British women in society who was taking on the world and constantly challenging herself  with a new company, opportunity, workplace and lifestyle. Although such decisions like these take time to evolve and mature until final execution, it is the challenge that McKee has undertaken which caught my attention. Moving from the management of one store to nearly over 100 is clearly a massive in decision and responsibility but with 15 years experience at such an iconic company such as Harrods it seems like she is the right women for the job. The article by Eric Musgrave commented on the aspirations of the next stage of Saks and the hopes for the future including a 'complete revamp' of the aesthetic including store transformation. This just highlighted to me how every brand and company needs to evolve and change itself to adhere to modern times and the modern customer who now so evidently controls how the retail industry works. Nothing can stand still for too long in todays' society, everything must adapt and as a young person this must be a consideration during any work I may take on in the future.

This article has opened my eyes to the work of Marigay McKee and in future I will be paying attention to the changes at Saks that she implements and track her progress as a key women of the fashion worldwide industry.

Image: Authors Own

Thought For The Day

Beautiful quote for starting every day positively

Image: Pinterest

A New Year

So as we are now a week into 2014, a decided to write up my thoughts on my aims for the next 12 months. After an up and down year in 2013, i'm hoping 2014 will be eventful for all the right reasons.

Of course there is graduating University but before that is all the hard work to get there. But the rewards at the end of it will hopefully be worth all the stress of the next couple months! To break that up i've got a few things to look forward to including a weekend in London, my closest friends 21st birthday celebrations and enjoying my final few months as a student. Also a trip abroad is most definitely on the cards as I did not get to go away last year but also my dream of going travelling somewhere may be a possibility at the end of the year.

I'm hoping that this year will be full of positivity, excitement and adventure before I settle down to my career and hopefully end up in London.

2013 Highlights

Finishing 2nd Year

Living in London for 2 months interning at New Look Head Office

Parklife, VFest & Wireless

Turning 21

Images: Authors Own