Fashion Angel Hosts Networking Talk on Agents and Distributors with GCU London

On Wednesday 27th May, we hosted one of our infamous networking talks, focusing on working with Agents and Distributors, as a path to increasing sales. The event was held in the heart of Spitalfields at the GCU London British School of Fashion campus, and was the first in a series of talks we will be collaborating on.

The event was a sell out with around 60 attendees, including our Fashion Angel Business Club members,  both new and established fashion industry SMEs and GCU students & alumni .

Chaired by Fashion Angel founder Alison Lewy, the evening explored how to go about finding agent/distributors, what needs to be considered if taking this route, and the legal obligations you should be aware of.

The guest panel consisted of Daniel Morris, MD of accessory brand Pauls’ Boutique, Stephen Sidkin, Partner at Fox Williams LLP who specialise in fashion agency law and Bridget Boakye, Fashion Industry Sales & Branding Consultant.

Daniel Morris offered his advice on how to find a sales agent  “ You have to do the hard work, visit trade shows, look at who represents complimentary brands. For international agents, the UKTI and local Chambers of Commerce can be helpful in providing  contacts.”

Steven Sidkin also told the audience the importance of have a formal agreement or letter of exchange in place "Agreements must comply with the Commercial Agency Regulation 1993 act and it’s vital that your requirements and terms & conditions are in place to avoid complicated litigation if things don’t go to plan, or you want to exit the relationship."

Bridget Boakye also offered her advice on working with agents  “It’s all about building a good relationships and managing expectations – some brands take on agents too early on, and are not ready to support producing larger orders.”

The talk could have gone on all night but there was plenty of opportunity to ask the panel questions and also a chance to network afterwards with the delegates as well as the guest speakers.

Fashion Angel founder Alison Lewy said “ the event exceeded our expectations and feedback from attendees has been fantastic. We were so pleased to see the GCU students network with our community of fashion SMEs, and look forward to collaborating with GCU London on the next talks”

Our next event is the popular Getting it Made workshop, focusing on sourcing and managing production. Tickets available on our events page.

Interview with Sam Mcewen from Isolated Heroes

Last April designer Samantha Mcewen, founder of luxury streetwear brand Isolated Heroes, won our mentoring competition, sponsored by Asos Marketplace. The prize was an amazing six months of business mentoring with Fashion Angel, after being picked as a brand with heaps of potential.

We caught up with Samantha, to find out how the business has grown since the mentoring started.

www.isolated-heroes.com

How have you found the last six months of business mentoring?

It’s been brilliant. When you start your own business you don’t always know the ins and outs of everything you’re doing, you just start designing clothes and selling them. The mentoring has helped me to make Isolated Heroes a proper brand. I’ve learnt how to do costing sheets, manage my accounts and forecast, which has really turned the brand around.
What's the most important thing you've learnt?

Having confidence in what you’re doing, especially with costing items and figuring out how important all that is when it comes to designing things and putting them out there, is invaluable. This mentorship has helped me to look at things properly when making clothes, sourcing fabrics and pricing items for what they’re worth.

Limited Edition collection at www.isolated-heroes.com

You've recently started selling on ASOS.com - how have you found the experience?

This has definitely been the highlight of the last six months! It wouldn’t have happened without the mentoring from Fashion Angel. I sourced all of the products but Alison helped with the introduction to ASOS. The first order is live on the site now and we’re currently looking at the next buy which is great!

Find out about more on how our fashion business mentoring can help your business grow or email info@fashion-angel.co.uk for an info pack.

Managing distribution as your on-line fashion boutique grows.

Space for a growing business is always an issue.

One of the main Routes to Market for many of the Start Up Loan businesses we work with is selling their products on-line, either via their own e-commerce website or on other marketplaces.

These on-line boutiques are often run from home, to keep overheads to a minimum, and technology has made it possible to be a global brand from your bedroom. However, as a  business becomes successful and orders increase, it may well become impractical to manage the distribution from home as additional space and staff may be required to accommodate stock and order processing.

This can be a critical point for the business as it may be doing well, but taking on premises and staff is another ball game. The extra financial commitment can easily turn a company making a small profit in to one making a loss.

courtesy of www.saderose.com

Luckily there are ways to manage this growth spurt without taking on large overheads. There are now an increasing number of order fulfilment houses that are set up to take in your stock from the manufacturer and distribute to your customers on your behalf. Traditionally these distribution warehouses only wanted to work with high volumes of stock and deliver to business premises. They were used mainly by large brands delivering to  retailers, but the experiential growth of on-line sales has led to many offering a menu of services to smaller web based retailers including pick and pack distribution, re-processing and customer service.

Obviously there are fees attached to these services, which will need to be included in to your cost prices, but this can be a cost effective way of managing growth. There are many fulfilment warehouses to choose from including Intermail and Amazon offer this service for goods not even sold on their site.

As ever, you’ll need to do your research to check out the comparative costs between companies offering these services. You should find out who else they work for, if they have minimum quantities, where they can distribute to (national and international?), what level of service they can offer you ect. You'll need to manage the relationship carefully and brief them on how to respond to customers and how your goods should be packed as it is important they maintain your standards and reflect your brand in a positive way. Mystery shopping can be a good tool to monitor their effectiveness and check if they are following your brief.

If your brand continues to grow there will come a point where the critical mass could mean it is better to take on premises and staff to bring the distribution back in-house, but by that time hopefully the business will be in a stronger position to take that next step.

If you want to find out more, our practical Routes to Market workshop will inspire you and further information on access to funding and free mentoring is on our Start Up Loan page.

If you'd like to share your experiences with fulfilment houses and have any recommendations for our community,  we'd love to hear from you.

By Alison Lewy

COMPETITION: WIN A FREE ASOS MARKETPLACE BOUTIQUE

We’re pleased to announce another exciting competition, in collaboration with ASOS Marketplace to win a FREE online boutique.

ASOS Marketplace is the place where anyone, anywhere in the world, can sell fashion, to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Boutiques are small businesses selling their own label, other brands or vintage collections, directly to the customer.

This competition is a fantastic chance to showcase your collection to a global audience, increase your sales and build brand awareness, whether you already sell on line are looking for a new avenue to grow your business.

THE PRIZE

1^ST PRIZE

One lucky winner will win a free ASOS Marketplace boutique for six months *

 2^ND PRIZE

One runner up will win a free ASOS Marketplace boutique for three months *

* normal fee’s resume after this period, for more info read ASOS Marketplace Features & Fees

ENTRANCE CRITERIA:

• Open to fashion clothing, vintage or accessories brands based in the UK, with a target market of 20 something men & women.
• You must be a Fashion Angel newsletter subscriber – you can sign up here
• Your collection must have at least 10 pieces available.
• You cannot be currently selling on ASOS Marketplace

HOW TO APPLY

To enter the competition, entrants must complete the 

ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

Deadline for Entries: Midnight 29^th September 2013

Finalist Notified: Monday 7^th October  2013

Competition Terms & Conditions

• Fashion Angel is the promoter and solely responsible for all aspects of the Competition.  ASOS Marketplace is the prize sponsor.
• To enter, participants must fill in the online application form 
• Entries close: Date 29^th September 2013
• Open to UK residents only
• One winner will receive a six months boutique on Asos Marketplace and one runner up three months. The normal fee’s resume after this period, for more info read ASOS Marketplace Features & Fees
• No cash alternative. Prizes are non-transferable
• FA reserves the right to amend the prize content as necessary
• Only one entry per person
• Entrant’s data is covered by UK data protection laws.
• Winners  will be required to have at least 10 styles available to upload to their boutique
• Entrants must not falsify information – if they do this may lead to disqualification
• Entrants acknowledge that by entering the competition they are authoring Fashion Angel and ASOS to contact them with relevant marketing information. Entrants data will not be passed to third parties
• Entrants acknowledge that if they win the competition they must agree to be featured in promotional material on the promoter and sponsor’s websites.
• By entering the competition, the winner is agreeing to abide by ASOS Marketplace  standard terms and conditions.
• Fashion Angel reserves the right to withdraw, change or cancel the competition at any time.
• The Promoter : Fashion Angel 62 Sutton Crescent, Barnet, Herts, EN5 2SS

Business Advice from Jewellery Designer and Entrepreneur Gia Belloni

In another of our regular interviews with designers that are making their mark, we talked to Gia Belloni Founder and Creative Director of  British luxury jewellery brand Gina Belloni.

Before completing her degree in Fashion Jewellery from the Sir John Cass in 2010, Gia gained experience in interior designer and photography. ‘I have always enjoyed creativity. Since leaving university, I have been constantly absorbing new skills’ . This includes being qualified in CAD level 1,2 and advanced.

Today, Gia runs her own label, Gia Belloni, and is stocked at numerous high end fashion online stores such as LUXX LAB and Not Just a Label.

Here Gia tells us her story, and the different aspects of running a creative business in the fashion industry.

When did you decide to start your own jewellery brand and how did you come to that decision?

My jewellery brand grew from my initial interest in making unique, one off pieces of hand fabricated jewellery incorporating gemstones. I then realised that learning goldsmithing & design professionally  would suite me in so many more ways.  After finishing the degree at university, I began to realise this could be the career path I wanted to take.  I later attended The Goldsmiths ‘Getting Started’ course, where I formulated a more cohesive plan to begin this journey.  Research and commitment are key ingredients in starting your own business, knowing your own strengths and weaknesses and realising what you enjoy doing most. My ideas for the future are numerous, but one step at a time is the way forward.

How did you get to the point you are at now?

This question really makes me realize how much I’ve been doing! I began by looking at my design process and researching the market.  Starting any new business means taking on many roles which you are not necessarily familiar with. Jewellery is no exception. A lot of research, a lot of contact growing and a huge amount of learning about materials and production, manufacturing, marketing and PR all have an important role. I’m naturally a worrier, so for me, the journey so far, has been fraught with worry and concerns. I knew certain things would benefit me a huge amount, such as CAD, so I put a lot of time and effort into really learning them and integrating them into my workflow. I would also add determination to this answer – a lot of determination to realise a vision and being able to adapt and evolve to what unknowns could be around any corner.

  

Since you started your business , what has been your biggest achievement ?

I was very pleased with my ability to learn CAD, this was something I found daunting in the beginning, so I’m quite proud that I am now proficient with this technology. Also, my 1^st collection was a great achievement. The combination of creating fine and well made work and getting it to fall within certain price points is very challenging, so I feel very pleased at the results. A personal proud moment was selling one of my designs to a Royal!

What was the most difficult obstacle during starting your own business and how did you overcome it?

The hardest part of starting my own business has definitely been the financial commitment you have to make to it. It is a nerve wrecking thing to throw everything you have at something. My way of overcoming this has been to research the market and establish a clear direction and strategy and defferentiate between what is essential for growth and what can wait . Another challenge I have found is starting up production. To be able to consistently provide the same level of quality and value has been very hard to orchestrate! Trying to create the designs you want without compromising or simplifying and yet get them to fall within certain price points – this is a steep learning curve and I don’t expect it will be ending anytime soon! You just have to keep focused, keep pushing and keep learning as many tricks as possible to reduce costs without reducing the quality of my designs.

In which business areas did you receive support?

I have had some financial support which  has been an essential course of action in order to be able to grow and move in the direction I have planned. A recent decision was to employ a good PR agency, which involved a big financial commitment.  It wouldn't necessarily suit everyone, but for me it is an important step.

You stock at online stores such as Luxxlab, Boticca and jewelstreet. How did you decide which are the right online stores for your brand?

Initially I was happy to list on quite a few online stockists. However, as things have progressed I’ve been able to look at the stockists that suit my work more and rationalise my online outlets. I now look for the length of time an online stockist has been running, how much marketing they put into their store, who they also stock and the price points available there as well as the overall ‘look’ they present. 

Certain online boutiques are wonderful to work with and I am very glad to be listed on, it is a fabulous way of reaching a wide audience. Online boutiques take time to build momentum and a strong client base. The most important thing I consider is the kind of products the online boutique sells; if they are very cheap and cheerful then it’s unlikely that customers will be looking for higher priced items, so I think designers have to consider their market and stock appropriately.

What advice would you give to entrepreneurs who plan to start their own creative business?

 I love sharing what I’m learning (both what’s worked AND what hasn’t!). However, everyone is different, so you have to research your market and what suits your designs and your way of working, what works for one may not for another. 

The jewellery trade is multi faceted, so there are many different ways of starting in business.  If someone wants to create a brand then my advice is to be very clear about what you want to do and how you work. Ask yourself many questions and be a ‘devils advocate’. Once you have done this, be positive. It may sound glib, but believing in yourself and reacting as positively as you can to everything that comes your way will make all the difference. 

My overall advice would be to try and map out what you would like to happen and how you can make it happen. Then be ready to have nothing go the way you thought it was going to go!  Think: BACK UP PLANS! If it all flows as planned, this is amazing, but if you encounter hurdles, have alternate ways of reaching the desired outcome, then you can quickly switch to plan b and keep moving forwards. Be determined, take on board any advice and give it due consideration. Above all, try & be fair to yourself, we can’t all be born knowing the answer to everything, it takes time to become more confident in decisions made.

What motivates you?
I've been sent these pictures today by a customer from San Francisco. I was rather impressed with their clean character and it turns out that her friend is a professional photographer and was snapping away all night. I thought they were rather beautiful. It's so nice to hear from happy customers!

Gia Belloni

Interview by Katja Widder

My first mentoring session at ASOS HQ by Samantha Mcewen from Isolated Heroes

On Friday we had our first mentoring meeting with Alison Lewy from Fashion Angel at ASOS Marketplace HQ in Camden. To say I was a little nervous was an understatement!! Being the kind of person who panics over EVERYTHING, I had visions of getting out the lift on the fourth floor of Greater London House to be greeted by scenes of the devil wears Prada. I couldn't have been more wrong! My mind was automatically put at ease as soon as I entered the reception and was introduced to the lovely Alison Lewy and Letitia Allman from ASOS Marketplace.

Alison Lewy and Samantha Mcewen at ASOS head office

I have been following the Fashion Angel Website for some time now and monitoring their progress with other designers. Therefore I jumped at the opportunity when Fashion Angel announced that they would be working with ASOS Marketplace for a second consecutive year mentoring a young designer and developing the strategic and operational direction of their business to secure it's growth and sustainability.

As soon as we arrived at the building we were taken on a short tour and introduced to members of the buying and selling team, a host of stylists, the woman's wear department and most importantly the ASOS Marketplace team.We had a short sit down with James Hart (E Commerce Director of ASOS) who asked for our feedback on ASOS Marketplace and any changes we thought could be made as sellers. It was great to be giving the opportunity to have our ideas and opinions considered by someone in such an influential position. We were then shown inside the press showroom where there were Sooo many pieces that I wanted to take home!!

ASOS reception area

Soon it was time to get down to business and for our first mentoring session to start. Alison and I headed to one of the main meeting rooms where we sat down for a good three hours talking over everything from the Isolated Heroes brand history, to our current client base and where I want to take the brand in the next few years. It was great hearing Alison's advice and having someone who has so much experience in the fashion industry give us guidance.

Running a clothing label which is only in its first 18 months is an extremely daunting task as not only do I design and make all the pieces I also handle the majority of PR, Client liason and maintaining our website. Therefore sometimes the business sides of things become a little overwhelming and it is hard to find the time to map out exactly what the next steps should be. It was great to be able to sit down with Alison and set up some next clear steps for the brand. Alison gave me so much invaluable information on everything from fabric suppliers, manufacturers for our product, how to correctly cost our items and also some great guidance on trademarking and selling our products wholesale.
The first mentoring session has by far been the best business experience Isolated Heroes has had to date and we are now buzzing with information! I already cannot wait to get back down to London for the next one!

By Samantha Mcewen
www.isolated-heroes.com

See how Fashion Angel Business Mentoring can help your fashion business.

Using Fashion Industry Market Research For Business Development

Research is key to making any business successful and even more relevant to the fashion industry as the variety of products and diversity of your potential customer is vast. The information you gather from your market research will feed in to your business plan and help you identify where your products/idea will fit within the context of the following questions:-

1. What is the size of the segment of the market you want to operate in and how is it performing?
2. Who is your target customer?
3. Where and how do they shop?
4. What are the price points your target customer are willing to pay?
5. Who are your competitors?

Knowing the answers will help shape your product development and overall business direction.

Your research will encompass a variety of sources including national press, blogs,  market databases, trade magazines,  exhibitions, e-commerce platforms, and the high street.

In this post I'm focusing on the first question raised, as your starting point is to find out the size of the market, predict whether it’s an expanding or shrinking segment, and what the impact of the national and international economic climate is likely to be.

To find this out  there are on-line market prediction reports which give you information, statistics, insight, and analysis for every type of fashion and accessory product category. Large brands, marketing and advertising agencies all pay subscriptions to have this information, but the Business Library’s Business and IP Centre gives you free access to most of the main electronic research databases, and is a brilliant resource.

Below are examples of what looking at recent market reports* can tell you:-

• According to the DCMS, the current value of the clothing and footwear market in the UK is estimated at £44.8 million. This is predicted to grow between now and 2017 to £53.1 million. The following shows the levels of expenditure in the UK in 2012 for different apparel categories:
• Womenswear expenditure was £21 million, a growth rate of 13% since 2007. It is predicted to grow a further 21% from now until 2017, to reach an expenditure of £26 million.
• Menswear expenditure was £10 million, a growth rate of 10.% since 2007. It is predicted to grow a further 19% from now until 2017, to reach an expenditure of £11 million.
• Childrenswear expenditure was £5 million, a growth rate of 7% since 2007. It is predicted to grow a further 14% from now until 2017, to reach an expenditure of £6 million.
• Footwear expenditure was £5 million, a growth rate of 6% since 2007. It is predicted to grow a further 12% from now until 2017, to reach an expenditure of £6 million.
• Accessories expenditure was £2 million, a growth rate of 17% since 2007. It is predicted to grow a further 18% from now until 2017, to reach an expenditure of £3 million.

It has been forecasted that volume growth in the fashion industry will not regain pre-recession levels until after 2017 but as you can see, there are areas that are  growing. Despite the recession, luxury brands continue to increase sales and profits, particularly the brands that export to South East Asia and the BRIC markets.

I'll be covering this area in more depth at our forthcoming workshop -
Fashion Business Planning for Success on 12th June.

Let me know what  interesting industry statistics you've discovered?

By Alison Lewy
Founder of Fashion Angel and author of Design Create Sell - a guide to starting and running a successful fashion business.

*Courtesy of the British Library Business and IP Centre

Samantha McEwan from Isolated Heroes announced as winner of business mentoring competition, sponsored by ASOS Marketplace

Isolated Heroes

We are delighted to announce that the winner of our second business mentoring competition, sponsored by ASOS Marketplace, is women’s wear brand ISOLATED HEROES founded by designer Samantha McEwan.

Samantha has won a place on the Fashion Angel business start up mentoring programme. During the six months programme the Fashion Angel team will work with her to develop the strategic and operational direction of the business to secure its growth and sustainability.

The competition was open to ASOS Marketplace sellers and continues our  commitment to nurturing and developing young creative talent to turn them into successful businesses.

The entries were judged by Fashion Angel Director, Alison Lewy and Rachel Humphreys, ASOS’s Senior Marketplace Manager.

Isolated Heroes

Alison Lewy, Fashion Angel’s Director welcomes this opportunity to support an aspiring design business in this way: “We were overwhelmed with applications which show the high demand for industry led mentoring support to assist fashion enterprises. It was a difficult task to choose a winner with so many strong entries. We selected Samantha as we loved the brand aesthetic and felt with the right support the business had potential for growth. Samantha will now have the opportunity to work with a team of high-level, industry professionals from Fashion Angel to ensure the on-going development and success of her business, as well as exposure for the Isolated Heroes brand.”

James Hart, E Commerce Director of ASOS, said: “We are excited to announce Isolated Heroes as the winning recipient of the mentoring programme with Fashion Angel.  Their entry stood out because of both their eagerness to learn, but also their clear ideas as to the way they wanted to develop their business and expand their label.  Samantha’s commitment to her collection on ASOS Marketplace has given her  the strong foundations on which the Fashion Angel mentoring program can build. We can’t wait to see her business grow.”

Isolated Heroes 

Samantha McEwan, Isolated Heroes Founder and Creative Director, said: “I am so excited to have won this competition and grateful to ASOS Marketplace for giving me the opportunity to be mentored by the Fashion Angel team and benefit from their industry expertise. I am looking forward to developing my business strategy and with their assistance, taking my business to the next level”

We can't wait to chart Samantha's progress over the coming months. For more information about our mentoring programme and how we can help your fashion business thrive go to the Fashion Angel Mentoring page.

5 reasons to use Vine to promote your brand

Are you using Vine yet?

This short Twitter owned video app is already being utilized by brands and consumers partly due to its simplicity and ease of use. It was used in a big way at New York and London Fashion Weeks as designers and editors alike logged in to Vine to capture and share six-second scenes from the shows.

Design houses including Burberry, Jonathan Saunders and Paul Smith used the app to bring followers behind the scenes and front of house. Matthew Williamson used Vine to showcase details up close during his show.

 https://vine.co/v/brBOwTl0FJm

If you are a fashion label it’s probably time you start to think about using Vine as part of  your current social media marketing strategy.

5 reasons to use Vine to promote your brand:-

Allows you to takes short snippets of new designs, or at a fashion show/presentation

Vine takes quick snippets of video content and stitches them together to create a quick 6 second snapshot of video. You don’t need continual footage, but instead can use 3 snippets stitched together so allows you to take 3 different views of a design, rather than just one at time. It also allows the consumer to get more than just one view of a product or event.

Integrates with Twitter & Facebook

Since you can sign up through Twitter, it makes it simple to follow any of your twitter followers who are also on Vine. Also you can easily share Vine content on Twitter and Facebook once it’s been recorded.

It’s super easy

Setting up an account, shooting your first video, and sharing are as quick and easy as with Instagram, but it is also possible to share content on other platforms. There are now other Vine applications  (eg VineIt ) that are starting to be released to help find and view videos. As with third party Twitter applications, more are likely to come on stream as it gains popularity. You can also upload the videos and embed in to tumblr.

Helps you engage with your customers  

Be creative - use the quick snippets to showcase individual pieces or show the different looks that can be created, take behind the scenes videos of an event or at work in your studio or trail forthcoming new pieces. There are endless possibilities!

It’s fun

As with other visual platforms such as Instagram &  Pinterest, it’s fun to use.

As with all your other social media platforms, it should be used as part of your overall marketing strategy and basic marketing principals apply. The content you create needs to be planned, measured and reflect your brand in an appropriate way.

If you’ve started using it – let us know how you’re using it.

By Alison Lewy

Designing for Grown Up Women

If you are a fashion designer and aged around 23, you probably consider anyone of 40 to be elderly, and a 60-year-old to be so ancient as not to be worth even the slightest consideration.

This is entirely understandable, but also commercially suicidal in today’s highly competitive fashion market.

For the older woman customer has changed. These days she is unlikely to be a crinkly-haired granny clad in elasticated waist trousers and a fleece who puts her feet up with a cup of cocoa and a copy of Saga magazine.

She is far more likely to be a sassy, savvy, gym-fit woman with highlights, Acne ankle boots and Rouge Noir nails who shops at My-Wardrobe, Matches and Reiss and is probably running a PR firm, editing a magazine (Anna Wintour, editor of American Vogue, is 63) or, hey, like my co-director Cyndy Lessing and me, a fashion website, SoSensational.co.uk

Not only has the older woman changed, but – vitally important to you as a designer who needs to sell his or her products – she has more disposable income than any other female demographic and, most relevant for you, she likes to spend her money on fashion and luxury goods.

• According to a Mintel report, the UK population aged over 55 is in control of around 80 per cent of the country’s wealth. In 2008, it was worth £5.4 billion, and by 2014 – that’s next year – it is forecast to grow to £6.4 billion.

• According to a 2007 Mintel report, women aged 50 to 69 buy more designer fashion and luxury goods than any other group.

• In mid-2006 approximately one in five people in the UK were aged under 16 while one in six people were aged 65 or over. According to market analysts Datamonitor, in 2000 there were about 132 million over-50s in Western Europe. By 2025 there are expected to be 177 million.

If those statistics have made you feel it may be worth taking a fresh look at your attitude to grown up women we have some suggestions which may be helpful. And the good news is that, you will almost certainly be able to extend your line to appeal to an older clientele (as these images from successful luxury brands highlight) without compromising on your aesthetic vision.

Garment length 
This is a vital area to consider. If all the dresses in your collection finish four inches above the knee, your brand will not appeal to a stylish older woman. Take a look at the shapes. Will any of the styles work if they are longer? Big, high profile players like Erdem, Preen, Roland Mouret, Antonio Berardi and Jonathan Saunders have all produced wonderful dresses that are on-the-knee or over-the-knee, which would appeal to a stylish woman of any age.

A perfect example of a new designer label which has taken on board the need to produce longer hemlines  is a fabulous fashion brand called Art on Fashion, which can also be found on the SoSensational Directory. Their offering is beautiful dresses, tunics and tops, in amazing prints created using specially commissioned artwork from artists in Japan, Europe and the USA.

They could quite easily have produced garments appropriate only for a very young clientele, featuring vest tops and short dresses. What they have done, instead, is to offer those things, but they have also produced wonderful and very on-trend over-the-knee dresses and longer-length tops which would appeal to the kind of woman – of any age – who would probably like Erdem, Preen, Berardi, Mouret, Saunders, et al.

Sleeves
Sleeves are a tricky subject. It is quite likely that the image which shimmers into your head is of horrid, polyester sleeves added to a frock as an afterthought. In fact, sleeves are a key trend this season – especially bracelet-length sleeves, which play into the whole retro mood.

Fabric quality
The quality of the fabric will be largely determined by your production budget, but if you have the budget flexibility to produce a few garments in a fabric that is slightly weightier, you may find you have expanded your appeal. Lining can also make a garment appeal to an older customer. But if you can’t afford to – or don’t want to – line a garment throughout, you may want to line the skirt of a dress, especially if it is in a very light colour and very see-through.

Selling online? Give the customer the information she needs 
If you are selling on the web, give the customer as much information as you can. Key pieces of information include whether a garment is lined, the length of a garment and whether the garment is true to size. Not only do you increase the chance she will buy, but you will cut down on returns, which can be a big cost for a fledgling business. And when it comes to length, don’t rely on a model shot making it clear what length a garment is. Even if you publish the model’s height, it can still be hard to judge the correct length, so a simple measurement – in inches and cms – is simple but effective.

By Jan Shure
Jan Shure is the former fashion editor of the Jewish Chronicle, broadcaster, blogger and an award-winning magazine editor. She is co-founder of SoSensational.co.uk, the shopping website for grown-up women.

Images courtesy of Browns, Matches and My-Wardrobe, all available to shop at SoSensational

Fashion Angel launches business mentoring competition sponsored by ASOS Marketplace

We are delighted to announce the launch of our latest competition, sponsored by ASOS Marketplace.

One lucky ASOS Marketplace seller has the chance to win six months of Fashion Angel business mentoring.

James Hart, E-commerce Director at ASOS, said: “We are very excited to be working with Fashion Angel again to provide another amazing mentoring opportunity for one deserving ASOS Marketplace seller. We are looking forward to seeing the results of their business development on the site over the next 6 months”

The competition is open to fashion and accessory designers and vintage collectors that currently sell their products on ASOS Marketplace.

Alison Lewy said " the overwhelming response to last year's competition shows there is huge demand for specialist fashion industry business support. We enjoyed working with the 2012 winner, Fazane Malik, who as a result has taken her business in a new direction "

The winner will be announced on Wednesday April 3rd 2013.

The Prize
Six months Fashion Angel business mentoring package.

The winner will win a place on the Fashion Angel six month business start up mentoring programme.It’s a fantastic opportunity for fashion industry entrepreneurs to access six months of one to one mentoring from industry professionals.

By the end of the programme the winner will have an infrastructure in place and have the confidence to build a successful and sustainable business. They will also benefit from the exposure their brand will be receiving as a result of winning the competition. Click here for more information on the Fashion Angel mentoring programme.

Deadline for Entries: Wednesday  17th March 2013
Finalist Notified: Wednesday 3rd April 2013

Entrance Criteria
Open to ASOS Marketplace sellers who are based in the UK.

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To enter the award, entrants must complete the online application form, or request one from info@fashion-angel.co.uk and submit 3 product images.

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Social Media for Fashion Brands Event Summary

Last week’s Social Media for Fashion Brands networking talk was one of the busiest yet and we were lucky  to have two guests on our panel this time.  This is a longer post than usual as so much was discussed.

Fashion blogger, Lois Waller, has built a huge following since she started her Bunni Punch blog in 2009, as well as over 5,000 twitter followers. She also runs her own PR agency Carrot Top PR, so has a unique perspective from both a PR and blogger's point of view.

Our second guest was designer Harriet Posner who has extensive experience advising labels on their branding and marketing strategy and has publishing a  book Marketing Fashion as a practical guide to the principles of marketing and branding. She also lectures on Fashion Business and Marketing at the LCF and Insitute Margioni and is about to launch her own label, Brompton Finch, which produces customised interior furnishings and fashion accessories inspired by flowers.

Harriet Posner, Alison Lewy and Lois Waller

The talk was kindly hosted by the American Intercontinental University and it was lovely to see their students mix and network with our business club members and fashion entrepreneurs that attended the event.

Most of us are aware of how important blogs and social media platforms are in helping promote a fashion brand, but don’t necessarily know how to utilise these platforms to the best advantage.

Fashion Angel networking talk audience

Below is a summary of the questions posed by the chair Alison Lewy, and some tips from the panel:-

Why does a brand need a blog, and to engage with bloggers?
• Fashion bloggers are good for outfit posts to promote your product. The aim is to get several influential  bloggers to feature your designs to have a wide reach.
• A label’s own blog is a brand building tool to create an emotional connection with your target audience.
• It is important to be clear about who you are trying to reach depending on what your product and target market is.

What makes a good blog?
• A blog should portray your brand in the best light and it should reflects your brands ethos - you shouldn't use it as a platform to moan about things
• Build a conversation and a relationship with the audience by talking about your business journey, what inspires you, sharing behind the scenes footage at your studio or before a catwalk show all  can help.
• Lois’s sees Bunni Punch as an informative tool that mixes up new and old brands, luxury and low end product outfit posts  - happy to include Primark if they produce something she thinks is cool.
• It should be linked to your twitter and Facebook account so they are updated when you post.

How does it help a label reach trade buyers?
• Buyers are now using blogs to research and find new brands – it’s much easier than trawling through websites. They have to be aware of the trends and so they look to the popular bloggers to feed them with up to date information which helps them filter through the brands that approach them.
• If you show at London Fashion Week, make the most out of the opportunity and invite bloggers to attend and wear your products so hopefully they will write about your brand in their show coverage.
• If your brand has built a big following on social media sites eg twitter & Facebook, the buyers will be more inclined to look at it, as it indicates there is a demand for your product.

How does a brand attract the attention of  bloggers?
• Use twitter or email to approach them.  Not all will respond but some will.
• Be aware that now many bloggers attend the shows and contact brands just to get free products, but don’t give anything back.
• Try to build an on-going relationship with a blogger who’s going to feature you on a regular basis.

Do you have to pay  bloggers to feature products?
• The fashion blogging world has changed and some of the influential bloggers do get paid for nearly all their posts. They are offered so much money  that it is no doubt hard to refuse, but it does change the nature of the relationship.
• Lois’s focus is on creativity and showcasing new brands that interest her, in some cases she may earn some money out of it , but it doesn't influence her choices.
• Hilary felt that it’s best to take a pragmatic approach – if a customer clicks on a blog link and then goes on to purchase that product she didn't feel there was anything wrong for the blogger to earn money from it providing the relationship is transparent.
• Consumers follow blogs to see a curated selection of products from a blogger that they feel has a style aesthetic they like, so it can be look on as a service to some extent.

Harriet Posner, Alison Lewy and Lois Waller

What are the important platforms to be on?
This depends on your business model  and your segmentation targeting and positioning – you need to understand and have a presence on the platforms used by your target audience.

Twitter
• Lois told us over 80% of her new clients are through twitter. It’s a powerful research tool for businesses as can be used it to search what relevant  people are blogging about.
You can investigate who the key bloggers are in your field of interest and then  follow them – hopefully they'll follow you back, thus helping to build your community.
• Hashtags can be used to help you find other interesting twitter feeds.

Facebook
• Facebook is particularly useful for customer communication, brand exposure and to drive traffic to a website.
• It is outstanding in terms of engaging people who like a brand, want to share their opinions and participate in giveaways and contests.
• A Facebook page should be kept updated to always look relevant.

Instagram 
• Useful picture sharing application .
• You can take a picture and instantly post it to twitter and Facebook  saving time.
• It lets users follow and like brands, therefore building your community.

Pinterest 
• This virtual scrapbook site is very relevant for fashion brands.
• Many brands are finding posting products on to boards translates in to sales
• It’s useful  for designers to create their own moodboards.
• It’s super quick to set up and update, so very user friendly.

Google+ 
• Google+ may not be very exciting and not much seems to be going on, however it is an important technical tool, as will be soon be the  only way to move up Google search rankings.

Lois Waller’s tips:-

1. Get on twitter - if you’re not on it set up an account immediately!
2. Harass friends/family to like your page – this helps spread the word and move you up the search rankings.
3. When you start you have to be proactive and approach magazine press, bloggers, stylist and PR’s to promote your brand and  build your community of followers 
4. Use scheduling tools to allow you to write bogs in advance when you have the time, and then post them at a later date.
5. If you want to promote your product, try linking it to something that’s on trend using the relevant hashtag.
6. Network – it’s a small industry so face to face networking is the best way to get known . It’s also a great way of sharing expertise and forging collaborations. Even if you don’t have tickets,  go to London Fashion Week and trade shows to get to know the stylists and bloggers.
7. If you want to approach a lot of bloggers – try following them and asking them to follow back, so you can direct message them.

Harriet Posner’s tips:-

1. Content is key - think about your tone of voice - communicate with and project the values of your brand
2. Remember the 4 Cs of Content
   Create  - create engaging content ( See point 1)
   Context - what is the aim and purpose of the content you are creating?
   Conversation - how will your content support two way communication between you and your audience?  Use social media to listen to the conversation as well as generate content.
   Conversion - What does conversion mean to you for each platform?   Think about meaningful conversion points of different platforms.  Are you trying to get someone to sign up for a newsletter?  Do you want them to enter a competition? Are you wanting them to purchase? Is the aim to get them to like or reTweet?  Is the purpose to get a key influence or blogger to contribute or feature your work?
3. SEO - Make sure you use KEY WORDS wisely.  Think about the page title - put what you do before the brand name.  Don't forget to write Alt Tags on images using key words It helps with SEO and bloggers find your images.
4. Website links should be on key word anchor text, not generic words like ‘more’ or ‘click here’ – eg link black leather jackets to link and not ‘here’
5. People search Google by short phrases or 2 - 3 words.  Check the Google Key words tool - for example more people search for Milliner than Millinery. 
6. Use Lists – if you want to keep an eye on a competitor without the public knowing who you are following you can use secret list.

Social media gives you access to data and a way to reach your target customers and can play an integral  part of your overall marketing/communications strategy but basic marketing principles still apply.

Don't forget, it is a support of and not a substitute, for getting out there and meeting people face to face!

Let us know what works best for you?
By Alison Lewy

Tips on exhibiting at a Fashion Trade Show

With the S/S 14 selling season upon us, many designers and fashion labels are in the last stages of preparation for exhibiting at a trade show, whether at  London Fashion Week, or showing internationally.

So this seems a good time to highlight what I have learnt in my 15 years at showing at such exhibitions, as despite the hight cost of showing at a trade show, it's surprising how many brands don't make the most out of their investment.

Define your aims and expectations

As I explain in Chapter 7 of my Design Create Sell book, trade shows give you access to new national and international buyers and build brand awareness with stockists that wouldn't normally know about you.

Trade events offer opportunities to:-

• Find new trade buyers
• Find agents/distributors
• Meet, press, bloggers, /stylists
• See what your competitors are up to
• Get inspiration and new ideas.

It's helpful to be clear about what you hope to achieve and why you are showing. Some shows are more about PR than actually taking orders. If it’s your first time exhibiting, don’t expect to recoup all your costs at your first event. Buyers often want to see you for a few seasons before having the confidence to order.

Set yourself measurable goals – eg 5 new stockists, re-orders from existing customers, 20 new leads.

Tips and Check-lists

Pre-event

• Contact existing and new potential target customers – send them an invitation for the show and follow up with a call – try and get them to make an appointment to see you on the stand.
• Use your social media presence to promote where you are showing.  Post information, pictures and/or videos (perhaps a preview of a new product or video invitation to visit the stand).  The goal is to let people/prospects know the who, what, where, when and most importantly, the why they should visit you at the stand. 
• Be constantly in touch with whoever is making your samples to make sure they are on schedule.
• Plan carefully the sample collection you are taking with you to the show. Don’t make too many pieces as nothing looks worse than a cluttered stand – have some show-stoppers that will attract buyer/press/stylists – they may not be the pieces that sell but will attract attention. Ideally your collection should include entry/mid and high price points to attract a broad base of customers. 
• Design your stand 'fit-out' in advance. Check what is included in the stand package and order extras. It’s often more expensive if you order on the day.
• Make sure you've organised  the delivery of your samples/displays to the venue and ensure your samples are  insured on site, in storage and in transit
• If exhibiting overseas, choose reliable freighters and shipping agents and check they have all the relevant customs / import documentation in place.

 Stand Display

• Don’t have a physical barrier between you and the buyer.
• Keep your display simple and minimal.
• Maximise space especially vertically.
• Ensure you order enough lights.
• Have some display above head height so it can be picked out over a crowd.
• Keep the look of your stand consistent with your brand identity so that buyers recognise you at subsequent events.
• Allow for a space to sit and write orders. 
• Think about taking a computer display or tablet to show off your website/videos   and to give  access to your social media pages to allow users to “Like” the brand on Facebook or follow on Twitter.

Paperwork/Info to take with you

• Order book.
• Lookbook/marketing materials.
• Line sheet/Wholesale price list.
• Business cards.
• Press packs.
• Information on lead times and delivery dates/minimum orders.
• You will be selling your products at wholesale price so it is customary to show prices exclusive of VAT. If showing abroad it is helpful to have prices in local currency eg euro or dollars. You may be asked for the Recommended Retail Price (RRP)which is the price the retailer will sell the product at including their mark up
• Bulk prices for large orders.
• Info on your trading terms eg pro-forma, 30% deposit - balance on delivery, or credit?
• Notebook to record comments and enquiries  from / about (potential) buyers next to business card stapled to page as an aide memoir for follow up phone calls after the show.
• Make daily notes on the day’s events and feedback from customers so you remember what you should take into consideration when planning next seasons collection and events.
• Deadline for placing orders.
• Stationery including plenty of pens, stapler, staples and sellotape.

Staffing the stand

• Take water – it's often hot and dehydrating at exhibitions
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothes
• Brief all staff (as they may be temporary)so they are knowledgeable on the product and terms.
• Staff should always smile be friendly but not overbearing – not stand at edge of stand and make a barrier.
• Keep your stand clean, tidy and dust-free.
• No eating on stands! Arrange someone to cover breaks.
• Always, always ask for business cards from visitors.

 After the event

• Follow up order confirmations and chasing new leads. Contact everyone you saw and thank them for coming. 
• Continue to post pictures and video from the event.  Again social media can also assist with your follow up.  It provides the opportunity to present images, messages, video and other branded content in such a way that will allow potential customers to learn about the brand.
• Produce a final budget working out expenditure versus sales – was it worth it.? Remember though, with a trade show can’t tell for a while as takes a while to generate orders. 

Finally - make sure you enjoy it. Let me know how you get on!

You can find out more about trade shows and how to decide what other sales channels are available for fashion brands at our forthcoming Routes to Market workshop on 2nd October 2013 .

By Alison Lewy