After a brief break after our very successful UEL Fashion show in May I started to work for WGSN, a fashion forecasting company as an intern.
I worked within the Marketing department and learnt a great deal as to how they promote WGSN. I also learnt what is involved with the build up of a trade show that WGSN attended in Cannes Lion in France. I helped with an internal presentation across the whole of emaps offices to show what each department is getting up to regarding their marketing.
As well as my main role within marketing I also shadowed work from the content team who control the entire journalist and literature side of WGSN, which I found fascinating.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my time at WGSN. I made some great contacts and friends that I still stay in touch with.
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So that was the interning. Now onto the new job I have taken on and currently still working for that I absolutely love! I now write for an online London lifestyle magazine called WeAreHQ! The founder Magdi Fernandes offered me the role to be one of their Fashion writers so now I write weekly posts on their site about anything that I feel our readers should know about. I have also interviewed new designers and shown their work on the site. If your curious, check it out! www.wearehq.com
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So along with this, visiting family, moving house and popping to Portugal, I have been working on my 3rd year university brief. This has been very time consuming but very interesting.
The brief was set:
Design Project outline:
A3 SKETCHBOOK & SHOP REPORT
You will be required to demonstrate thorough design research in a sketchbook containing ALL visual and design development work with relevant and extensive fabric and textile research.
Produce a shop report of a particular area of London (Spitalfields). This should include other relevant aspirational retail establishments by way of contrast to the Spitalfields area.
The report should include:
- PRODUCT-Existing collections
- PRICE
- PLACE
- PROMOTION
PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL
To be presented where possible on A3 boards all labelled with logo and season.
- Promotional visual ideas and finished presentation including: label/logo mailshots, flyposters, press pack business stationary and carrier bag.
A3 RANGE PLAN SHEETS
These should contain details of all garments offered (minimum 12 garments with every different colourway offered) including:
- Fabric and colour swatches
- Style numbers/names and price points (Minimum 12 garments excluding different colourways)
- Top to toe visual of collection (minimum 2x A3 boards) with pieces /accessorised
- Clearly communicated label and season
SHOP FRONT VISUAL
Full lay-out of your shop or unit on A3 boards including:
- Point of sale items and visuals
- Swing ticket, label, carrier bag
- Merchandising plan of garments and other stock
P.R. COPY
Statement of approximately 100-200 words which promotes your label as a new company
SIGNATURE OUTFIT
Minimum two garments
- Finished patterns and toiles with costings fabric samples and trims
One finished outfit in fabric
So this is my Brief for design. As well as this I need to keep half my mind open for Marketing. Marketing this semester is to understand the Deptford area and its consumers. From this I will write a Market Research report on my findings along with a Business plan of how my brand will sit in the market and what it will provide! :-)
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I now have my bearings in Deptford and the place has definitely grown on me. In a nutshell, the people are friendly, the prices are cheap, scratch the surface and you uncover a big art scene but the area needs a lot of development. Market stalls are the craze in the Deptford area so I had much fun nosing round the area and having lunch in the gorgeous Deptford Project Café!
Market research wasn’t too much of a chore and I have found my primary consumer to design for.
Let the inspiration begin!
Shoreditch
Insa
