K.S.J. McCafferty  

 

Fashion Journal 2012

Table of contents

Entry I

Cosmetics Industry Current Event

Entry II

Fashion Business Current Event

Entry III

Vogue Trend Article Analysis

Entry IV

Fashion Observation Fall 2012

Entry V

Transcending Trends- Department/Specialty Stores

Entry VI

WGSN Trend Reports

Entry VII

Color and Fabric Trends

Entry VIII

Projection of Global Trends

Entry IX

Visual Merchandising Display Analysis

Entry X

Movie Related Fashion Trend

Entry XI

Designer Analysis

Entry XII

Career Descriptions

Entry XIII

Fashion Don’ts

Entry XIV

Fashion Career Opportunities

 

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Entry I Cosmetics Industry Current Event “Red Hot Canadian Market” Written By Molly Prior

Miranda Purves, a native Canadian, returns to her home country to find that the

cosmetic industry, along with most of the fashion industry have not tapped into the

Canadian market. Canadian citizens feel like there are limits to the selection they receive

through the retail industry. To select or purchase a certain designer of preference, many

Canadians must seek out the product online, paying extra for international shipping.

The expansion into Canada for US retailers will give them more international

exposure without traveling over the Atlantic. In the past, the country's low retail

vacancy rates have made real estate difficult to come by for new entrants. But new

developments are in full swing and helping to open the door for U.S. retailers.

Along with Canadians’ excitement comes a high expectation, as they are well

knowledgeable when it comes to U.S. retailers’ offerings and pricing via the Internet and

cross-border shopping. “Retailers need to be mindful of the high expectations that

Canadians have. Canada is not a market that sits in a bubble without knowledge of

what’s going on outside its borders,” says Stephens President of Retail Prophet

consulting.

November 9, 2012

Red Hot Canadian Market By MOLLY PRIOR javascript:void(0); Canadian Market Photo By Graeme Montgomery When Miranda Purves, Flare magazine’s newly installed editor, returned to

Canada after living in New York City for more than a decade, she found a new

retail landscape. An influx of outside retailers, including H&M, Zara, J. Crew and

Anthropologie, have all set up shop there. They are a welcome sight, says

Purves, but Canadians are still longing for the bounty of choices that Americans

enjoy. After all, some of beauty’s most highly sought after brands have yet to

make the trip up north, says Purves, pointing out that Tom Ford Beauty and

Dolce & Gabbana makeup are not yet available in Canada. In fashion, it’s the

same story. “You can’t get [Maison Martin] Margiela shoes unless you order

them online,” she laments.

“There still are what feels like limits.” That may soon change, as a host of U.S.

retailers have dubbed Canada the land of opportunity.

J. Crew, Limited Brands and Sephora are all drafting expansion plans across

Canada. Others, including Target and Nordstrom, are planning their grand

entrances over the next several years.

“Canada is a great, low-barrier entry point for U.S. retailers. It’s the obvious next

move,” says James Smerdon, director of retail consulting for Colliers

International, a real estate company. It’s also a growing market. A flurry of new

retail development in Canada is giving retailers an opening to build an

international business without having to travel across the Atlantic, say industry

experts.

“But it’s not without very formidable challenges,” continues Smerdon, noting the

great distances between the country’s metropolitan areas, the wide-ranging

consumer profiles across each market and the hefty logistical investment

required to cover the vast landscape.

“You can count on your 10 fingers the major markets in Canada with more than

500,000 people,” he says. In fact, by Smerdon’s count there are eight, namely

Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg and

Halifax, with only the first three cities’ populations reaching one million and

above.

The northern expansion of U.S. retailers has rattled the country’s domestic

players, who have long held leadership positions in the market. But, the Canucks

are not taking the advancing competition lying down. Holt Renfrew, Hudson’s

Bay Co. and Shoppers Drug Mart all are sharpening their merchandising

approach and swiftly moving ahead with store updates. “More entrants force

people to raise their game and meet the challenge,” says Pat Dean, senior vice

president of category management at Shoppers Drug Mart. “We take any new

entrant into the market very seriously.” The Canadian pharmacy is currently

drafting plans for “the next evolution,” its in-store, high-end beauty concept,

Beauty Boutique, and in March began testing an e-commerce site for its stand-

alone luxury beauty store, Murale.

Holt Renfrew is also not sitting idly by. The department store, which has nine

units across Canada, has a dramatic expansion plan in the works.

“Our current plan is to expand the square footage of our existing network of

doors by 40 percent before the end of 2015, through enhancements within the

communities we are part of now,” says Alix Box, senior vice president of sales

and marketing for Holt Renfrew. The Holt Renfrew at the Yorkdale Shopping

Centre in Toronto will be the first store to showcase the new vision, she says. The

store there will double in size, to 120,000 square feet, by the time work is

complete in August.

The 175-year-old department store has sought to bring designer brands to

Canada’s well-heeled shoppers. It’s an establishment in Canada that counts

Chanel, Prada, Burberry, Victoria Beckham and Rag & Bone, to name a few,

among its key brand partners. Box says that sales of its top 20 brands are up an

average of 30 percent year to date, compared to the same period last year, and

are on track to double within three years. In beauty, some of its most popular

lines include La Prairie skin care, Giorgio Armani cosmetics, Creed fragrances

and Aerin Lauder’s newly introduced namesake collection.

Hudson’s Bay Co.’s The Room is known for its high fashion brands as well. Its

fall look book features designs by Proenza Schouler, L’Wren Scott and Brian

Atwood. The retail company, which in October filed for an initial public offering

on the Toronto Stock Exchange, is taking a hard look at its offering and

presentation across its nameplates. Recent initiatives include building large

store-in-store shops for Topshop at The Bay department stores, and industry

observers said more store-within-store concepts are to come.

“[Canada] is a landscape grounded in a lot of tradition, but it’s been shaken up

by early incursions from U.S. retailers and now it’s anticipating the next round.

There’s been a ripple of American retailers in Canada,” says Wendy Liebmann,

chief executive officer of WSL/Strategic Retail, noting that Wal-Mart and Costco

are well established in the country. "But it's the Target and Nordstrom

announcement that made everybody go, 'Oh my!'"

In the past, the country's low vacancy rates have made real estate difficult to

come by for new entrants. But new development is in full swing and helping to

open the door for U.S. retailers.

Colliers reports that total shopping center and power center floor area in

Canada’s 10 key metropolitan areas rose from 326.7 million square feet in 2010 to

333.9 million square feet in 2011, a gain of 2.2 percent, or 7.2 million square feet.

 Target and Nordstrom are taking an alternative approach to new development,

and setting up shop in existing retail space. Target said it plans to convert 125 to

135 Zellers stores to its nameplate throughout 2013 and 2014, and envisions a

total of 200 stores in 10 year’s time.

Similarly, Nordstrom will convert a number of Sears sites, with a goal of opening

as many as nine full-line stores and 15 Rack outlets. The first Nordstrom store is

slated to open in fall 2014 in the Chinook Centre in Calgary. More locations are

expected to open by the end of 2016.

“If there is one issue that the Canadian market has suffered from, it is that it is

quite anaemic when it comes to competition. We’re a small market,” says Doug

Stephens, president of Retail Prophet Consulting. “Canadians are hopeful that

the new entrants will bring competition and variety in pricing and service

levels.” Along with Canadians’ excitement come high expectations, as they are

well aware of U.S. retailers’ offerings and pricing via the Internet and cross-

border shopping. “Retailers need to be mindful of the high expectations that

Canadians have. Canada is not a market that sits in a bubble without knowledge

of what’s going on outside its borders,” says Stephens, who points to J. Crew’s

pricing snafu in Canada to illustrate the point.

J. Crew opened its first store in Canada a little over a year ago in the Yorkdale

Shopping Centre in Toronto, much to the delight of eager Canadian consumers.

But the retailer soon found itself in the middle of a backlash over pricing, which

was noticeably higher on its Web site and in the store than in the U.S. Not long

after, J. Crew reversed its decision to charge Canadian e-commerce shoppers for

duties, but said it would continue to charge an average of about 15 percent more

in Canadian stores and on its Web site to offset the cost of doing business in

Canada.

Still, J. Crew’s arrival—and that of several of its peers—is seen as both a welcome

development and long overdue.

Erin Kleinberg, cofounder of the Toronto-based style blog The Coveteur, says, “I

was so thrilled to see J. Crew come. It's been a long life waiting for American

brands to come to us." Kleinberg, who also is a designer, says when she was

younger she'd drive to Buffalo to shop at Old Navy, and each year during a trip

to Palm Springs, Calif., she and her family would hit the Desert Hills Premium

Outlets. "We did our shopping in the U.S."

Kleinberg is not alone in her cross-border shopping habit.

"Canadians are starved for brands that they can't get. That's why you see a lot of

cross-border shopping," says Joe Magnacca, a Canadian who is now based in

Chicago in his role as president, daily living products and solutions at

Walgreens. Magnacca knows Canada's retail landscape well, having held

executive posts at Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart before moving to the U.S. in

2008.

For Target, cross-border shopping means high brand awareness. Prior to

announcing its plans to enter Canada, Target had 70 percent awareness in the

country. Today, it’s at 92 percent—and that’s before Target has even opened one

door, says John Morioka, senior vice president, merchandising, at Target Canada.

“Target had a lot of growth in the U.S., with 1,700 stores, and looking over the

border to Canada was a natural opportunity,” says Morioka. He adds that Target

will take a nuanced approach to certain categories—including apparel, food and

beauty—and make adjustments to cater to Canada’s various ethnic groups.

Vancouver, in particular, has a large Asian population, and Toronto is an

incredibly culturally diverse city, he says. But on the whole, Target’s Canadian

stores will reflect its approach in the U.S. “Canadians want the Target experience

that they see when they cross the border,” says Morioka.

Philippe Pinatel, who moved to Canada six months ago from the U.S. for his role

as senior vice president and general manager of Sephora Canada, says what

struck him most about the country was how ethnically diverse it is. “I’ve been to

about five store openings this year in Canada and every time I see a very broad

spectrum of clients,” he says.

“We have a much stronger focus on Asian clients, so we have recently added

AmorePacific and Jurlique, an Australian brand that has done very well in Asia,”

says Pinatel. Sephora Canada is also adding more whitening products and

formulas with SPF to the assortment. In Vancouver, a city that many say has a

similar vibe to Seattle, Sephora has added more natural brands. “We have a

stronger distortion of natural [products] in Vancouver. The five brands that are

doing well there are Boscia, Ole Henriksen, Fresh, Korres and Josie Maran,” says

Pinatel.

Sephora opened its first store in Canada in Toronto in 2004, and now has 37

stores in the market. Pinatel says that Sephora began with a slow rollout,

opening one to two stores a year, and has built up to its current cadence of seven

stores a year. Its multibrand concept and European heritage seem well suited for

the market, say industry observers. In fact, the opening of the Sephora store on

Saint Catherine Street in Montreal last June was the most successful opening

ever, only surpassed by Sephora’s entry in Brazil in July.

Pinatel, whose past experience includes stints in China and in France for

Guerlain, says the pace of openings is steady and deliberate. “There’s nothing

worse than assuming how a new market will respond.”

Liebmann issues a similar word of caution for retailers. “Canada is a market that

at first glance looks familiar,” she says, “but there are a lot of differences.

Canadians look like us and generally sound like us, and the presumption is

they’ll want to shop like us...But there is a sense that the Canadian shopper is a

little more prudent.” Also, she notes that the market is spread out across a vast

landscape and within each province there are big cultural differences. “In the

U.S., we’ve had a one-size-fits-all strategy for a long time, But in Canada, you

cannot have a singular approach,” says Liebmann.

Fortunately for Canadians, the retail options—and competitors—are begining to

multiply. Magnacca says, “I’m glad I don’t have to compete in Canada. Everyone

is jockeying for position.”

Entry II Fashion Business Current Event “Making the Case Against Fast Fashion Collaborations” Written by Guest Contributor “The Business of Fashion”

Starting eight years ago, with the collaboration of Karl Lagerfeld and H&M, fast fashion

designer collaborations have been at the center of the media for these large, mass-market

retailers. While ‘cheap and chic’ alliances have proven remarkably accepted by consumers

worldwide, it’s important to point out that, for sizeable retailers like H&M and Target, their

achievement is mostly measured in media impressions, not sales numbers.

These fundamental commercial motives are often covered, however, by an ever-present

but destructive phrase: ‘the democratization of fashion.’ Whoever laid claim to the term is surely

the marketing mastermind of the 21st century. The words ‘democratization’ and ‘fashion’ no

longer have significance. ‘In an essay written in 1947, titled “Politics and the English Language,”

George Orwell warned against political figures that purposefully obscured language, rendering

certain words meaningless.’ This movement in turn is rendering fashion innovation meaningless.

“Real style is a matter of taste. And taste is a matter of experience. Just like one’s tastes in

music, art or books, taste in clothes forms over time. It takes effort and knowledge.” Buying into a

style, quickly and cheaply, inevitably leads to the disposability of style. It’s like reading the Cliff’s

Notes instead of the book.

12 November, 2012 | by Guest Contributor Op-Ed | Making The Case Against Fast Fashion Collaborations

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M | Source: H&M Today, with the Maison Martin Margiela for H&M capsule collection set to arrive in

stores later this week, guest contributor Eugene Rabkin, editor-in-chief of StyleZeitgeist magazine, makes the case against fast fashion collaborations.

NEW YORK, United States — It’s been eight years since Karl Lagerfeld for

H&M, the first collaboration between a high fashion designer and a mass retailer on a limited-edition capsule collection. Since then, a number of retailers, from Target to Topshop, have launched designer collaborations of their own with the likes of Proenza Schouler, Christopher Kane, Alexander McQueen and others. And the success of this formula shows no signs of fading, with Maison Martin Margiela for H&M expected to sell out soon after it hits stores on November 15th.

But while ‘cheap and chic’ collaborations have proven extremely popular with consumers, it’s important to point out that, for large retailers like H&M and Target, their success is mostly measured in media impressions, not sales. Indeed, these collaborations rarely move the needle in terms of overall sales volume. Instead, they generate the ‘earned media’ equivalent of millions of dollars in advertising, driving people into stores. Meanwhile, participating designers benefit from large scale exposure to potential new customers and fat fees that can sometimes exceed $1 million.

These underlying commercial motives are often obscured, however, by a ubiquitous but pernicious phrase: ‘the democratisation of fashion.’ Whoever coined the

term is surely the marketing genius of the 21st century. On the face of it, who can argue that ‘the democratisation of fashion’ isn’t a good thing?

I can. For the words ‘democratisation’ and ‘fashion’ no longer have meaning. In an

essay written in 1947, titled “Politics and the English Language,” George Orwell warned against political figures who purposefully obscured language, rendering certain words meaningless. ‘Democracy’ was his prime example. But since then, marketing gurus have left politicians in the dust.

‘Fashion,’ in the sense now being co-opted by the high street, used to mean designer fashion; that is, something made by a creator who puts care and thought into what he or she is creating. It means carefully crafted designs made with attention to detail and aesthetic sensibility.

But somewhere along the line, the definition of ‘fashion’ shifted. Several years ago, I was taken aback by one of my students at Parsons who proclaimed that “everything is designed.” Not true. For example, the first polo shirt was carefully designed. But these days, the only major difference between polo shirts made by various competitors (often in the same factories) is the logo: alligator or polo player. Indeed, today, the word ‘design’ merely means ‘cool.’ To say that something is designed is to say ‘Isn’t it cool?’ And by extension, ‘Aren’t I cool?’ The same goes for fashion.

I invite anyone to argue that fast fashion brands produce ‘fashion’ in the original sense of the word. They may sell decent clothing at affordable prices — but not fashion.

This is perfectly fine, of course. Providing access to affordable clothing is a noble goal. But, alas, this goal was perverted a long time ago by the rise of irresponsible consumer behaviour that has transformed the act of shopping into a leisure activity. According to Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development (TRAID), consumers in the UK purchase a whopping 2.15 million tonnes of new clothing a year. They also throw away over 900,000 garments each year, sometimes with the sales tags still on them. In the US, the picture is even more dire, with consumers dumping an estimated 10 million tonnes of clothing annually.

Dries van Noten once told me that his grandfather was a tailor whose specialty was to repair worn suits by taking them apart, turning the fabric inside out, and putting them back together. Surely, we no longer need to do this, but there is nonetheless something endearing in this story. We used to care about objects that surround us.

It was not until the 1930s that the price of clothing started to fall and people were able to buy more. In fact, the cost of clothing has been on a constant downward trajectory since, despite inflation. And today, much of Western society has gone from meeting their needs to gorging on disposable clothes. Take a weekend stroll on London’s Oxford Street or on New York’s Broadway and witness hordes of teenagers on their weekly shopping pilgrimages courtesy of mass-market retailers.

For this audience, ‘clothes’ are not cool enough. ‘Fashion’ is what lures young people into stores, which is the raison d’être behind these designer collaborations. But make no mistake, what is called ‘the democratisation of fashion’ is really the bastardisation of fashion; that is, taking a designer’s ideas and watering them down for mass consumption.

Real style is a matter of taste. And taste is a matter of experience. Just like one’s tastes in music, art or books, taste in clothes forms over time. It takes effort and knowledge. Buying into a style, quickly and cheaply, inevitably leads to the disposability of style. It’s like reading the Cliff’s Notes instead of the book.

Search YouTube for “H&M collaborations.” You’ll see bleary-eyed kids lining up hours before stores open in order to get some “designer” bargains. In one such video, a young gentleman says he arrived at H&M nine hours before the launch of the Comme des Garçons for H&M collaboration because “Comme des Garçons is a cool brand.”

Ironically, such brand worship was exactly what Maison Martin Margiela was against. For years Margiela was a designer’s designer, an intelligent creator and a pioneer of deconstruction who refused to talk to the media, letting his work speak for itself. The tags on his garments did not carry his name, but were pure white. He was a tinkerer, a sartorial engineer whose clothes often concealed their complexity.

Linda Loppa, head of Florentine fashion school Polimoda and former director of the fashion department at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, wrote via email: “It only appears on the surface that the Margiela concept can easily be replicated, In fact, the garments are not simple. The patterns require a lot of skill; the tailoring a lot of knowledge and attention to detail.”

In 2002, Margiela sold his company to Diesel Group. Then, in December of 2009, he left the brand. And today, we have H&M x MMM. Two opposites have met. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees the paradox.

By all means, if you are willing to buy into this collaboration, please do, just don’t think that you are buying ‘fashion’ or a part of Margiela’s legacy — what you are buying are assembly-line knockoffs that you will discard by next year. But if this has become your idea of fashion, I urge you to reconsider.

Eugene Rabkin is the editor-in-chief of StyleZeitgeist magazine and the founder ofstylezeitgeist.com

Entry III Vogue Trend Article Analysis

“All on Board” Written by Ester Adams This Vogue article tackles two major trends in fashion going on at this present

time. It addresses the use of street fashion, or urban youth as inspiration for designers.

Being inspired from and imitating what is being emulated on the street is a great way for

designers to connect with their audience. The other trend touched on in this article is the

bold and unique patterns used throughout many American designers 2012 fall

collections. While the usual trend in fall is to shy away from neons and bright hues. This

year’s trend is the bolder and more in your face patterns the better. This is executed in

the skateboards designed by Takoon along with the collaboration of these seven

designers.

(See next page for graphic)

Entry IV Fashion Observation Fall 2012

Men’s Fall 2012 Fashion Trend: Signal red

Completing the set of this years fall primary colors with sunshine yellow and royal blue, is this warm and bright shade of red. Signal Red works well as a strong highlight hue, used from

head to toe complete looks to smaller details, suggesting a more sportswear generated feel. I came to this conclusion by watching a number of Men’s Fall 2012 ready-to-wear runway shows.

This conclusion came from the designer’s many uses of a range of the color red that he incorporated into each passing run. Through treated leather and many fabrications and color

choices, it is very apparent that red will be the dominant color for fall. In 2011 the color trend for men was based more in the neutrals, the most prominent color was camel and this came in the

form of camel hair coats, blazers, along with cognac shoes and leather goods. A connection between men’s trends from year to year is when it comes to colors the same accent pieces are

colored in the years hottest colors.

Entry V Transcending Trends- Department/Specialty Stores

In  Macy’s,  current  trends  are  showcased  and  merchandised  in  windows  and  

displays  to  emphasize  the  season’s  trends.  There  are  many  different  trends  that  can  

transcend  not  only  the  men,  women’s  and  children’s  departments  but  also  into  hard  

goods,  such  as  home  décor,  kitchen  ware,  and  jewelry.  Below  are  the  five  major  

trends  that  stood  out  to  me  while  scouring  the  aisles  of  Macy’s.  

 

I. Color-­  Oxblood:  

A. This  season  the  color  “Oxblood,”  a  deep  burgundy  red,  is  being  forecasted  as  

one  of  the  “it”  colors  to  have  in  your  wardrobe  for  fall  and  winter.  Many  

accessories  including  handbags,  clutches,  jewelry,  and  footwear  are  styled  in  

this  very  versatile  color.  Right  now  department  stores  are  housing  mainly  

late  fall  to  early  winter  merchandise,  the  accessories  made  in  oxblood  fall  

into  this  trend  accordingly.  Boots,  leather  goods,  knitted  socks  and  even  nail  

polish  along  with  many  house  wares  and  décor  fabrics  are  used  to  bring  in  

the  seasons  colors.    

 

II. Embellishment- Spikes and Studs

B. These two precious metal embellishments will be seen on everything from

handbags to shoes, clothing to jewelry and even hair accessories. Not only do

they add an instant edginess to even the most feminine look, they add a sexy

boost of confidence. For the consumer who wants to create an extremely hard

and rough look should lean more toward spikes; while, the more cautious

consumer who still would like to follow this trend should stick to studs. Top

Runway favorites like Burberry and Marc Jacobs among others, presented

accessories that included leather, animal skins with a mix of spikes and studs.

Shoes, handbags, jewelry and all accessories have touches of studs and/or spikes

so you have many choices on how to play with your look. You can still maintain

a classic, chic and simple style but adds a touch of this trend to enhance your

basics.

III. Fabrication- Leather

C. This trend makes an appearance in clothing, jewelry, and shoes transcending

all departments in Macy’s. The hardest part is limiting the amount of leather you

wear in one outfit. A full leather jumpsuit from head to toe will still make you

look like an undertaker, but if that’s what you want, there is no one there

stopping you. A leather jacket is nothing new, but the functional fabric claimed

an even more superior role in this fall's collections. Whether vamped up as a

dress, or ready to wear as slick fitted pants, there's something for everyone.

IV. Vintage- Baroque

D. Gilded, ornate, and over embellished, fall's standout fashion consumer is

transported into a different era altogether. Dramatic prints and accents invoke up

ideas of grandeur that are fun for playing around with in the 21st century. The

inspiration and instant luxury of these pieces are anything but stodgy, as

designers makes their tapestries look sensual and rich. Luxurious fabrics and lots

of gilt infuse the season’s bags, shoes, and baubles with a Renaissance presence

in both the men and women’s department.

V. Street Fashion- Military inspired Jackets

E. Layered over knits, blazers, or even a full length maxi-dress, fall's essential

army jacket is much more refined than what you'd find at an Army/Navy

consignment store, but this piece still packs the basic adaptability any wardrobe

essential requires. Military inspired pieces have resurfaced for fall 2012 with

fresh new styles and silhouettes that will have every fashion consumer

purchasing in this seasons most attention-grabbing trend. Uniform details,

strong shoulders, paired with a warm color palettes encompass this utilitarian

aesthetic.

Entry VI WGSN Trend Reports

I found that each trend I observed in Macy’s had been reported about on the

WGSN website. Below I screen shot each of the trend reports and will be discussing

them in this section. I appreciate WGSN’s use of both street fashion and runway

examples so that the trends are accessible on every economic level.

I. Oxblood

This  season  the  color  “Oxblood,”  a  deep  burgundy  red,  is  being  forecasted  as  one  of  the  “it”  color  to  

have  in  your  wardrobe  for  fall  and  winter.  Many  accessories  including  handbags,  clutches,  jewelry,  and  

footwear  are  styled  in  this  very  versatile  color.

II. Studding

These metal embellishments will be seen on everything from handbags to shoes, clothing to jewelry and even hair accessories.

III. Baroque

Gilded, ornate, and over embellished, fall's standout fashion consumer is transported into a different era altogether.

IV. Leather

This popular material is both flexible and durable, but also long-lasting if properly taken care of.

V. Military

Military inspired pieces have resurfaced for fall 2012 with fresh new styles and silhouettes that will have every fashion consumer purchasing in this seasons most attention-grabbing trend.

Entry VII Color and Fabric Trends

Listed in two categories below are the trending colors and fabrics I observed through trending for Fall/ Winter 2012. While these fabrics and colors seem classic, the way each designer has recreated enthusiasm and excitement towards them is what truly makes this collection of swatches inventive.

Fabric Trends Fall/ Winter 2012:

I. Leather-

Fiber Content: Grade scale based on thickness by ounce Country of Origin: United Stated of America Popularity: People love this material because it is both flexible and

durable, but also long-lasting if properly taken care of. This does not mean that leather is invulnerable to damage.

II. Fur

Fiber Content: determined by pelt weight Country of Origin: Russia Popularity: A typically archaic fabric, fur is being treated in more innovative ways. We're seeing lighter-weight furs and furs that are being mixed. There's more innovation happening in the market, which creates intrigue around the product.

III. Velvet

Fiber Content: pile knit, half severed cut Country of Origin: United Kingdom Popularity: Know for royalty and luxury incorporating this fabric on all economic levels gives the allusion of lavishness.

Color Trends Fall/Winter 2012:

I. Wine Red

a. Wine Red is popular across men’s' and women’s casual wear. Sophisticated and alluring shades of port through the hues of Bordeaux are mixed with stronger reds on many differing materials including leather, denim, hosiery, accessories and outerwear.

II. Wisteria

a. This shade of purple remains key through the fall and winter seasons. Originating from the West Coast. Wisteria look fresh for men’s apparel, while lavender blush is strong for juniors and women, and whimsical color replaces black and red for occasions wears.

III. Chartreuse

a. This color that consists of an acidic yellowy green, that Panton says “creates a bridge into the cooling days of fall.” This color is known for bringing a explosively edgy element to a normally drab fall classic.

 

Entry VIII Projection: Global trending

Folklore: emerging materials trend

Florals for spring? Generic… Florals, for autumn or winter?

Groundbreaking. This seasons ‘it’ fabrication comes from ancient folklore and consists of deep and intricate interwoven floral patterns. It can be seen in many fall and winter runway shows including Tadashi Shoji and Temperley. Folkloric prints and jacquards hit across different levels of the women’s wear market, from casual sports-luxe and bohemian styling, through to specific key items such as the formal tailored jacket and shift dress. Ottoman art and tapestries have been a huge influence and inspiration for this trend.

This folklore trend, starting on the runways of spring/summer 2012 will transcend nicely into the autumn and winter seasons due to the versatility of its fabric and color. Deepening and enriching the color palette and strengthening the fabric into thicker clothes will help create the heaviness of traditional autumn/winter clothing.

For the fall I see these ornate patterns being incorporated into outerwear. Structured jackets and beautiful silk linings done in these Ottoman inspired hues will enrich many classic outerwear pieces for both men and women.

For winter many inspired accessories including scarves, ornate pieces of statement jewelry along with statement clutches and other handbags will create a delicate but impactful presence.

As this trend progresses through the runways and into contemporary and moderate markets the trend will spread into more accessible pieces for a broader target market. Many consumers will not be able to afford large pieces of outerwear in a trend fabrication but will see a smaller accessory as a luxury addition to their wardrobe.

WGSN ANALYSIS • Pattern: traditional florals inspired by the Arts & Craft movement and folkloric design were highlighted

in New York and London for S/S 13

• Styling: artfully placed floral embroideries update placement details on collars, pockets and border

trims for youthful styling, while tailored shift dresses and full skirts work well for more formal looks

• Colour: opt for either a minimal palette focusing on inky tones of blue, or a complex palette that

combines rich shades of orange, red and purple with deep shades of indigo or black

• Reference: seen on the streets of Tokyo, at Rooms trade show and on the spring/summer 2013

catwalks at Temperley London, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Tadashi Shoji, folkloric florals are a key update to

the silk scarf prints seen in previous seasons, falling in line with the Idiomatic macro trend  

     

Entry IX Visual Merchandising Display Analysis  All Saints SPitalfields  

   

 

                                           

             

AllSaints Spitalfields:    AllSaints Spitalfields is a British fashion retailer headquartered

in Spitalfields, London, UK. Founded in 1994 as a menswear wholesale brand, AllSaints now sells menswear, women’s wear, footwear, and accessories in 35 department stores and 65 stand-alone stores across the UK, Europe and the United States. The company’s goal for aesthetic comes from its British heritage. AllSaints' clothes have countlessly been described as "British chic rock 'n' roll", along with "romantically pre-aged look...that evokes the past and a post-apocalyptic future."

The same goes for the way the clothing is merchandised. Creating the look of a loved but forgotten warehouse these stores create the feeling of authenticity for their consumers. Merchandise is displayed hanging from industrial pipes and maturing WWII inspired industrial machinery. This extreme floor plan paired with classic but urban knit and leather wares produces an intriguing and comforting environment for their consumers to purchase.  

Ralph Lauren: Ralph Lauren is an upscale American lifestyle company and fashion retailer founded by American designer Ralph Lauren. The company focuses on high-end clothes for men and women, as well as accessories, footwear, fragrances, home and housewares. The company presents media content in order to promote its lifestyle. The Michigan Avenue store has been world renown for years. The picturesque flagship has been inspired by colonial décor and elder American tradition. Ralph Lauren is known for it’s layering and abstract interpretation of the ‘preppy’ styling in their merchandising. They create a sense of luxury and lifestyle by placing champagne and home wares among their clothing displays in order to promote and indulge sales. While shopping in this beautiful store you feel the comforts of home and belonging. This feeling prompts consumers to purchase and become loyal customers over and over again. Shifting a customer into a client.                                              

                                                                     

Entry X Film Industry Inspired Trend  Cinema Inspiration: SKYFALL Trend Inspiration: Tailored Suiting Womenswear   All of the top magazines are seeing suave suits… for women. With a nod to both the minimal and retro styles of tailoring as was made famous by the many leading men in the Bond series, this trend that pairs exaggerated and tailored as seem to already speed off. As you sift through the pages of the many October issues of print media there are even more signs of this trend in the November issues of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Instyle, Elle, Nylon, Lucky, and W magazine. The tailored look is in. Make no mistake, oversized or skinny trousers paired with over-tailored jackets are the big story for fall: from classic, front-pleated suits, masculine wide-legged trousers at Ralph Lauren and Armani to side-zippered, slit-at-the-ankles cigarette capris at Chloé and finally leathery craftsmanship at Givenchy, Hermès, and Gucci.    

                                                 

Entry XI Design Analysis: Yohji Yamamoto  Yohji  Yamamoto  Spring/Summer  2013  |  Paris  Fashion  Week    

Unsettling the normality in the flow of things, Yohji Yamamoto created shock and awe this season by shaking things up, taking his fundamental loosely silhouetted man and thrusting him into combat. The result of this transformation were a bruised but still utterly handsome figure of a man looking in some what disarray with larger shapes and more color than is usually seen in the designer’s collections. For Spring/Summer 2013, long shirts carried considerable slits, pants ballooned with elasticized ankles and jackets gave the illusion of taking flight. From a mostly black canvas to the occasional bleach stain or incorporation of gorgeous scarf-like prints into Yamamoto’s seasonal canvas, this new collection sanctified itself with the label’s signature aesthetic that had been transported into a warzone of beauty. Marketed toward the more avant-garde dressed man, this collection would do well in high-end designer stores in urban areas where trend seekers dwell. The designs create a care-free, easy but edgy gentleman with just an essence of cool. The designer very well interprets this collection.    

 

Entry XII Industry Career Descriptions: Fashion Careers  Fashion Designer       Definition: couturier: someone who designs clothing In all essence the fashion designer is an artist, a visionary, and a gateway to see the pathway in which a brand or a line is proceeding into it’s future. The designer’s job is to create the story of the season. The designer; pairing colors, patterns, prints, and draping along with fabrication, in order to clothe the streets and runways with art. Whether you are creating as a head designer or a house of brands or are designing to the aesthetic of a well-known retailer, the designer must step outside of oneself in order to compliment their consumer.  Merchandise Buyer Definition: an individual who selects what items will be stocked in a store, based on his or her predictions about what will be popular with shoppers Retail buyers are accountable for developing product stories using market trend analysis information. Along with the actual purchasing of the merchandise, the buyer is also responsible for managing sales and margins. It is a position that includes contract negotiations with showrooms and manufacturers, inventory management and reordering, sales planning, along with close coordination with the visual merchandising and operations teams to create symmetry throughout the store.    Product development manager Definition: Manager specializes in the development and planning of products, projects, ideas, and theory These managers are responsible for finding opportunities in the marketing of consumer products, consumer services and public service programs in the fashion industry. Managers are involved in product development, and must have skills and understanding in marketing research, sales forecasting, and promotional planning. Their mission is to successfully take a product from concept to commercialization and have a positive reception.

Entry XIII Fashion Police: Fashion “Don’ts” to Avoid  Don’t I The “Little Miss Muffin” Top: A growing trend seen in women’s apparel is the constant struggle to stay in your smallest size. The solution, stop looking at the number in the tag and start buying clothing in shapes and sizes that flatter your body. Just because it buttons does not mean it fits. You will look ten times better in well cut and tailored than you will in something you squeezed yourself into.  

    Don’t II The “Stocks and Socks” Syndrome You will spot this god-forsaken trend strolling through your local parks and grocery stores. Adorned by our most admirable ‘peace, love and granola’ types, this look of Birkenstocks and thick wools socks is a look that should be left to the Sherpas of the Alps on their summer vacations. Hikers and hippies alike be forewarned, this is not a fashion forward trend.  

Don’t III The “stretched too thin” Legging Crisis All right, I have to admit that I am too a culprit when it comes to the evolution of leggings to pants. But a few words of caution ladies… and sometimes gents; while this looks is very easy and comfortable for you as a wearer, if your leggings fabric is stretched to its limits it could cause uncomfortable viewing for others. My parting advice to you? Please buy a fabrication that is durable and opaque and a size that correlates to your body shape and type in order to pull off such a versatile style.  

  Don’t IV   The “Victoria Secret Tuxedo” paired with Ugg Boots Good lord… have we made it back to the age of the Spice Girl. This jersey material ensemble paired oh so sloppily with the all too cliché Ugg boot is a comfy lazy girl staple. My suggestion ladies? Keep this outfit for snuggling in on Sunday afternoons; do not bring it out to play. Celebrities made this look popular, being paid to product place these wears in the everyday lives. Do us all a favor and follow the late great Coco Chanel’s cherished advice, “I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”  

 

Entry XIV Fashion Career Opportunities    Editor in chief: Harper’s Bazaar “Someone who doesn't understand ‘No,’ and turns every ‘No' into a ‘Yes.’ You have to realize that ‘No’ is the first point of negotiation. And you also have to have a healthy sense of humor.” – Glenda Bailey Editor-in-chief Harper’s Bazaar When you’re an editor-in-chief ‘No’ means ‘give us what you’ve got,’ and yes means ‘reach for extraordinary.’ I love the idea of creating the finished product. The logistics of placement and content along with creating an aesthetic that connects with a large demographic of readership.     Creative Director: American Vogue

“If Wintour is the Pope . . . Coddington is Michelangelo, trying to paint a fresh version of the Sistine Chapel twelve times a year,”(Time magazine 2009).

To be able to collaborate with the best photographers and hair and makeup artists in the business to create what amount to moving pictures on the page is an extraordinary purpose, not just a job. She is the creator of fantasy and the weaver of dreams for every woman and child who feeds themselves on pages of copy print instead of pasta. To be the creator and have the resources to see your visions become beautiful reality would be a fulfilling life purpose.      Board of Directors: Council of Fashion Designers of America “The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association whose membership consists of more than 400 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry and accessory designers.” CFDA’s Mission Statement is as follows:

• to further the position of fashion design as a recognized branch of American art and culture,

• to advance its artistic and professional standards, to establish and maintain a code of ethics and practices of mutual benefit in professional, public, and trade relations,

• and to promote and improve public understanding and appreciation of the fashion arts through leadership in quality and taste.

To be apart of such a council that strives souly to keep fashion thriving as an

art, education and expression of self is something to support. This council works as innovators, mentors, and social capital for up and coming designers along with established designers to use as a forum of creation. I would like to further my mission of supporting the industry through such an organization. I would like to be as successful at it and to be a part of their membership.