PARIS COUTURE

Paris is the destination for all the Fashionistas this week as Couture graces the catwalk here are some of our favourites from Christian Dior and Chanel ...

DESIGNER OF THE WEEK

Vjera Vilicnik

Please see our new designer of the week on the tab at the top of the page. 

Menswear Highlights

Milan was the focus on fashion last week with menswear at an all time high here are some of our favourite looks from the shows at Fashion Week. 

The most talked about and anticipated collection of the week had to be Thierry Mugler whos creative vision was delivered by the renowned stylist Nicola Formichetti famed for styling Lady Gaga, he had to get her on board to be the musical director previewing a remix from her new album. The show was followed by a fashion video uploaded online take a look below...

THE TRENCH BRIEF

Le Lab Bespoke Collection

The Trench

1. Overview

Design element:  A day to night versatile and stylish trench, beautifully tailored with a unique, conceptual edge. 

Customer outline:  A working, sophisticated woman wanting to make a stylish statement at work and play.

Customer Age: 25 – 40

Target Market: UK and France

The perfect trench is an exciting opportunity for designers to make a classic wardrobe staple into their own. The trench coat is surrounded by history, dates back to 1850’s, and is heavily associated with the Army in style and Burberry and Aquascutum seem to be the two designers who pioneer this.

This wearable item has seen successfully transcended all seasons, trends, and remains an iconic statement piece in any woman’s wardrobe.

We are looking for a range of trench coats from the classic trench to a modern interpretation that transcends seasons. Something that can be worn from spring into summer and suitable for everyday use.

We are looking for colours, materials, lengths in trench coat to be suitable for our customer demographic.  It is important to consider the material, cut and style that will create the perfect balance, emphasising a woman’s best assets whilst hiding any problem areas.

Please also consider:

-       The colour and pattern of material used to accentuate your design

-        What features does the trench coat have to make it a classic or a modern interpretation - Will it have a belt? Will it have power shoulders? Will it be double or single breasted or neither? Will it have cuffs? etc

-       How you see the trench being worn. Is it more a windbreaker or raincoat or simply a fashion piece.

We are looking to select a variety of trench coats that encapsulates classic tailoring with a modern twist, whilst adding flexibility to any woman’s wardrobe. Therefore, whether it is through cut, pattern, colour, material or detailing, it should be a trench that can be worn for day and night.

2. Important pricing considerations.

Prices must be finalised before the submission date

·      Retail price will be double your wholesale price.

·      Wholesale price (not retail) is what you will receive back in sales and this includes Fashion Enter’s 10% commission.

·      Please see wholesale price guidelines below

·      Please so not make your wholesale price more than half of the retail price.

If successfully chosen, designers will be working to lead times of 3 weeks. Please consider production. We recommend that you should produce through the workshop as we can accommodate the short lead times at competitive rates.  Members of Fashion Enter will receive members rates.

If you would like to know more about producing your sample in the fashion Enter Workshop, please contact Syreeta@fashion-enter.com

Fabric must be stock fabric!!! You need to use fabric that is available in large quantities as a requirement.

Pricing needs to be accurate and every detail needs to be considered.  

Please consider:

1.     Instead of lining you can bind the seam.

2.     You can still get great good quality fabrics that don’t cost a fortune.

3.     Consideration in every aspect can bring the cost down

4.     Make sure while you are being realistic with prices that this does not compromise the design or cheapen the look you had in mind

5.     While they are looking for something design lead bear in mind that it is for ready to wear and not the catwalk.

Wholesale Pricing guidelines.

·      Fabric

·      Finishing’s

·      Fastenings

·      Fabric

·      Brand neck tags

·      Care labels

·      Packaging

·      Manufacturing time multiplied by cost per hour

·      Other e.g. Printing, pleating etc.

·      Fashion Enter 10% commission

·      Profit

Do not include delivery

3. Please submit the following as part of your media pack with your entry.

- What type of trench is it? (Please factor in style, cut and overall design)

- Whom is this trench for? (Age bracket and body type should be factored in)

-What is your key design element that makes this trench different? (This could be pattern, use of material, detailing etc.)

- What is the reason for your design style? (This should be a detailed analysis of the trench coat – so anything from the detailing of the cuffs and buttons, to the choice of neckline, to the overall length in trench and fitting of it and more)

- What material have you used and why?

- Is there any detailing and why? Shoulders, doubled – breasted, single –breasted buttons, cuffs, belts etc 

- What would you name your trench coat?

- What inspired the design of your trench coat?

- Which designers have inspired you and your design?

- What is the best trench you have ever bought and from where?

– Care instructions. Needs to be functional and easily cleaned – as it could be an everyday wearable trench?

- Is the fabric versatile - would your fabric choice work in another colour, pattern (depending on the success of it, it might be worth having options for further production)

You will also need to provide:

1)    A sketch of your initial design

2)    A completed working sample made to a size 10 and a photo to accompany it – please follow the size guidelines as per Fashion Enter.(Any entry that does not do this will be void automatically)

3)    Your biography

4)    Please fill out the pricing form for your design (this is essential for your blouse to be considered for production)

5)    A care instructions form

6)    A picture of yourself

Good luck!

THE TRENCH

Hello everyone we hope your having a good start to the week and the rain is not dampening your spirits too much! We are working with BrandAlley to get the sale up and running on Le Lab from our first Monthly theme 'The Perfect Blouse'. 

We will be uploading the brief for our next project with BrandAlley shortly but until then here is some imagery to get your ideas flowing! Keep checking back to find out more. 

The Showroom Team x

THE TRENCH

Wow it has been an extremely busy few days here at the showroom, 12 hour days in the office have been fuelled with lots of coffee and chocolate! 


Monday saw the closing of our Perfect Blouse Competition with BrandAlley. We were extremely impressed with the level of applicants for the first of the BrandAlley bespoke collection projects. Yesterday we met with BrandAlley UK and BrandAlley France and selected the final designs. We have informed all applicants that were successful. If you have not been contacted unfortunately you were not successful. We thank you so much for your effort and strongly encourage you to enter the next competition!


We can now officially announce The next project from the BrandAlley Bespoke collection will be....

 ‘The Trench’

Now that the finalists have been chosen for the Perfect Blouse, we can now launch the ‘The trench’. A brief will be up on our website later this week so please remember check back for more details!

The Showroom Team,

Lynsay & Emma x

DESIGNER OF THE WEEK

BELLES OF LONDON 

Our new designer of the week is the cute and charming label 'Belles of London'. 

Be sure to check out their new blog and Twitter page. 

For more information about Belles of London and any other labels please contact: theshowroom@fashion-enter.com 

INTERN OPPORTUNITIES

We are looking for hard working and enthusiastic Interns to help us with the day-to-day running of our office and showroom. The candidate should be extremely passionate, dedicated and confident to get the job done! If you like to work and want some valuable experience in a fast paced fashion Company then send your CV and Covering letter to theshowroom@fashion-enter.com

Skills

Be good at sales

Highly Organised

Be able to work on own initiative

Good and confident telephone manner

Have a good eye for general design and aesthetics

Basic understanding of Photoshop and Illustrator

Tasks

General Admin and filing

Update social networking sites

Write articles and Press releases

Liaise with our designers

Liaise with press

Attend events to write articles on

Research imagery for trends

Produce graphics and imagery for our websites etc

BELLES OF LONDON ON ASOS

One of our much loved labels has new items listed on Asos Market Place! 

Go check it out and BUY BUY BUY! 

TRENDS - TRIBAL FUNK

Be the first to know what is going to be hot on the high street in Summer 2012!

Members of FashionCapital.co.uk can now view the first instalments of the future trends for Summer 2012 through the trends section on the main site. If you are not yet a member of Fashion Capital and want to find out more about the site and how to become a member please follow this link http://bit.ly/g9wzdm 

NEW DESIGNER OF THE WEEK - HEMYCA

HEMYCA is our new designer of the week! 

To see more images and to find out a bit more about them check out our designer of the week section at the top of the page.