Moodboard

Beka - Sorry it's taken me so long to put it up guys.

fabrics

i have looked at materials that we could use for our 6staple items.. all of the following fabrics can be used..

suitable fabrics:

-chenille

-felt

-flannel

-gabardine

-melton

-tweed

-worsted

for suitable items:

-coats

-sweaters

-dresses

-suits

-jackets

-pants

the following website is for dyeing fabrics.. most natral fabrics can be dyed such as cotton or silk

members.peak.org

also are types of denim that could be used for the jeans:

-cotton siege

-raw denim

-selvage denim

-stretch denim

-poly denim

-ramie denim

they can be found on a websir=te called ehow

tpyes of polyester - also found on ehow

-pet : filament yarns, textured poly

-pcdt : spun poly yarns

-yarns

Inspirational Images - Italian Style

Beka - Hey guys, I can see that no-one's posted any images on here yet. A reminder that they need to be uploaded TODAY so Hannah can create the moodboard by Monday. To upload your images, just edit this post and then add it (include your name so I can see who has uploaded images) Thanks :)

Image 1

Source: The Sartorialist Blog, October 2009

Image 2

Source: The Sartorialist Blog, October 2009

Danielle..

Image 1.. straight legged trouser.. slightly high waisted

Image 2..

ready-to-wear italian dress.. smart and sophisticated

 

 Roxy:

Both from: <http://www.wgsn.com.librouter.hud.ac.uk/content/section/city_by_city/city_guide/europe/italy1/milan1.html> 

 

 

Italian style in Milan

Hannah:

Jeans, Cardigan, Trousers, Coat, Shirt, LBD

 

Italian Clothing

Website Source:

http://www.artigiano.co.uk/blouses+shirts/silk-satin-shirt/invt/ashl443/

Meeting 6 - 10/11/10

Attending: Beka, Roxy, Hannah, Danielle

MEETING TIME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 4.15 EVERY WEDNESDAY DUE TO LECTURES

Tasks:

By 12/11/10

• Everyone: 2 images should be uploaded onto the blog - Italien style (inspiration)

By 15/11/10

• Hannah - Construct a mood board from the uploaded inspirational images. Upload this (if unable to, then email it to everyone).

 By 17/11/10

• Hannah - Comp. shop of Zara (as an indirect competitor)
• Beka - Profile 'per una' customer
• Cheryl - Initial designs of BLOUSE, JEANS and CARDIGAN (use moodboard as inspiration) and produce as many as possible e.g. boyfriend cardi, cropped cardi etc
• Danielle - Initial designs of LITTLE BLACK DRESS, BLACK TROUSERS and COAT (use moodboard as inspiration) and produce as many as possible e.g. pea coat, double breasted coat etc
• Beka - Produce a breakdown of both the slideshow and marketing report and assign people areas.
• Roxy - Produce a range plan table including margins, profit etc.
• Danielle - Look into fabric choices (base slightly on what has previously been used at M&S). Justify why (e.g. excellent handle/appearance etc) and include approx. costs
• Beka - Produce a Gantt chart / critical path

In next week's meeting (17/11/10)

• Arrange a second meeting each week to really get on with the project 

Meeting 5 - 03/11/10

Attending: Beka, Roxy, Hannah, Cheryl

After store visit ( by Roxy and Beka) it was found that the 'per una' brand was quite dated and dowdy. 'per una''s tag line is:
"Feminine, sophisticated & confident, the difference is in the detail"
and although 'per una' is Marks and Spencer's best selling sub brand of Ladieswear, the designs lack desireability. 'per una' is meant to capture the essence of Italien style and glamour (http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/investors/press_releases/product/05122007_perunaSpring2008), yet Team Inspired believes that the range fails to perform to the best of its abilities.

We decided to bring the 'per una' brand back to its roots of Italien style e.g. 

• Chic
• Subtle detailing
• Classic
• Well- tailored

We will use colours traditionally associated with Italien style such as black, grey, white, navy blue, khaki. Mainly block colours could be used, perhaps with breton stripes?


As the range will consist of staple items, it's justifiable that we base them on Italien style as staple items are likely to be well tailored etc.


It has also been suggested that we should look into using better quality fabrics and market the range as 'investment buys'. In the current recession, customers are less prone to wasting their money on 'fast fashion', instead opting to invest in clothing that will remain fashionable and be long lasting season after season.


Places to start looking for inspiration:

• The Sartorialist - as he frequents to Italy to photograph stylish people.
• WGSN - for trend info.
• Just Style

29/10/10 - Lecture on Strategic Issues and Branding

The report MUST contain:

• Marks and Spencer's Mission Statement
• The Company Objectives - if it shall be renewed and whether we aim to maintain or increase sales
• Marketing Audit - including SWOT analysis and PESTLE analysis
• Marketing Strategy - It's positioning as a brand (per una) including: 

                                                                                                              1. PLC
                                                                                                              2. Ansoff's matrix
                                                                                                              3. Segmentation
                                                                                                              4. Targeting

Meeting 4 27/10/10

Attending: Beka, Roxy, Danielle

• Clarified brief and re-established tasks and deadlines.
• Made it clear that ALL work must be uploaded to the blog for evidence of teamwork and communication and for our self - reflection.
• Decided that each person shall write up their own information for the marketing report.
• Beka shall then rewrite it at the end to ensure that the report flows.

• Reiterated the point that our focus is on producing an environmentally friendly range e.g. consider using organic dyes (vegetable), as this fits in with the Marks and Spencer mission statement.
• Corporate website should be used as there's loads of info on it about how Marks and Spencer are already trying to make their current ranges 'greener'.

Meeting 3 26/10/10

Attending: Beka, Hannah, Roxy, Cheryl

There was no meeting on 19/10/10 due to most of the team being ill, so workload was carried over to this week.

There will be another meeting on the 27/10/10 as one member can no longer make Tuesday meetings. Meetings will now permenantly be changed to 4.15 on Wednesdays.

cotton information

these are all websites that i found associated with cotton.. from cotton prices to the availability..

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/14/1314/the-cotton-fiasco1.asp

this is another website on cotton.. this was an article on why it was so important.. ive posted the website as ther is other information which ive had a look at and some of you might find interesting to have a read or look at..

http://www.revealinghistories.org.uk/why-was-cotton-so-important-in-north-west-england.html

Why was cotton so important in north west England?

Of all the goods associated with the transatlantic slave trade, cotton was the most important in the Greater Manchester region. The north west had a long history of textile production from the 1400s, based mainly on wool and linen.

With the availability of cotton grown by enslaved Africans in the Americas, cotton processing and production soon became the most important local industries and led to the regional development of towns such as Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale. Raw cotton was grown by enslaved Africans in the Americas and imported through Liverpool for processing.

Textiles from Greater Manchester were cheaper but also superior in quality to those made in the rest of Europe. They were an essential part of the wealth generated by the transatlantic slave trade. Cloth made in the north west was re-exported for trade with Africa where light woven goods, silks and cotton were popular on the west African slaving coast. Cotton goods were also sent to the plantations in the Americas. The British historian Eric Hobsbawm estimates that until 1770 over 90% of British cotton exports went to colonial markets mainly to Africa. Other sources state that Britain had a virtual monopoly on textile exports to the Americas at the time of the Napoleonic wars (1803-1815) and from 1815-1840 about a third of British cotton exports went to America after which the proportion steadily declined (Robin Blackburn, 1997). These, figures, along with considerable exports to Europe and Asia, brought about massive industrial growth in Britain.

Lancashire was perfect for making cotton cloth. The damp climate made the cotton fibres less likely to snap during spinning. There were also many engineering works making spinning and weaving machinery and local coal supplied the boilers firing the mill engines. The region’s long tradition of small scale textile production meant a ready supply of skilled labour, although growth was so rapid that additional labour, including children, had to be brought in from outside Lancashire.

The importance of the cotton industries continued in the north west long after the British abolition of slavery. Cotton grown in the southern states of the USA where slavery was still legal until 1865 was critical to the expansion of the north west of England and its industrial growth.

loads of information on this site also which is very useful.. cotton prices worldwide .. updated daily..

http://www.cotlook.com/

production methods

this is quite along page so i hav just posted the page... i found it very interesting and contains alot of information on nature of industry, working conditons and other useful information.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs015.htm

this one also has methods of production and how to produce them.. tryin to find other websites lik this one..

http://textiles.indianetzone.com/1/production_methods_textiles.htm

i think that this one is quite relevant because its the appropriate methods to produce knit items which will always be a trend in A/W

smart fabrics

This is the first suit which is so loud that it needs its own volume control.

Actually, the classic black pinstripe appears rather conservative - until the electronic wizardry hidden within is revealed.

The £149 Marks & Spencer iPod suit has a 'smart-fabric' control pad for the MP3 player sewn into the left lapel, allowing the wearer to adjust the level of sound and to skip through tracks.

Scroll down for more...

The £149 iPod suit has a 'smart-fabric' control pad for the MP3 player sewn into the material

The pad is attached to a cable that runs beneath the lining and plugs into the iPod, which of course has its own pocket.

The lapels even have loops to hold the earphone wires, eliminating the usual cats' cradle of connections.

The iPod suit - in wool with added Lycra and electronic wizardry - is going into nine stores, and costs £90 for the jacket and £59 for the trousers. It is, unsurprisingly, dry-clean only.

More....

• iPod sales can identify property hotspots

The 'smart-fabric' technology has been developed by the British technology company Eleksen.

The firm, based in the old Pinewood Studios where James Bond films were made, has developed a series of smart-fabric devices, including a full-size keyboard.

This connects wirelessly to a PDA or smart phone and allows users to access the internet or send emails. It runs on two AAA batteries and rolls up into your pocket when you're finished.

While the iPod suit seems a major innovation, it is considered just the first step in a new era that marries fabric with technology.

Scientists are working on TV screen technology using materials so thin and flexible that they can be worn like clothes.

These could display moving images, changing colours or designs to match the mood of the wearer.

And we already have the Hug Shirt, with embedded sensors that transmit the strength of the touch, the skin warmth and the heartbeat rate of the sender to someone else wearing another Hug Shirt anywhere in the world.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-460796/M-S-launches-revolutionary-iSuit.html#ixzz14baoSwBM

Comp Shop

Next-

• Very similar products both price and quality wise.
• Similar age group shops in both stores
• Similar income
• Both placed in top high streets across the UK
• Availability to shop online
• ALL STAPLE PRODUCTS ARE SOLD IN BOTH STORES
• Broad range of sizes

Matalan-

• Cheaper than M&S (around £18 for LBD £60 in M&S)
• Products plainer with less detail and components
• Availability to shop online 
• Broad range of sizes
• Mainly polyester products (synthetics)
• Placed in most retail parks and on some high streets
• Normally customers with lower income then M&S
• Age group is similar
• All staple products are sold at Matalan

Debenhams-

• Larger choice of products
• Prices range (Debenhams designer influence pushes prices up)
• Fabrics quality is dependant on price higher price better quality
• Availability to shop online
• Placed on all major high streets 
• Sizes are the same as M&S
• 
  

House of Fraser

• Large choice of products (designer and large brand influence)
• Similar price range (higher for designers)
• Good fabric quality throughout the ranges
• Choice of colours on a lot of products
• Availability to shop online
• On some major high streets
• broad range of sizes 

Trend Research

Colour Analysis & Levels For A/W 2011

Clean, clear neutrals emerge as stark non-colour.

True, untinted greys, such as dove and woodpigeon, reflect silvery or smoky hues.

Nut and conker take on the colours of nature, and red-cast browns influence a new range of russet shades.

Amber and tortoiseshell tones replace true yellows, with softer creams and yellow blondes creating warmer winter pales.

Red is one of the key shades for the season, ranging from dramatic, historical cardinal and oxblood through to fiery orange-based shades.

Bruised purple and plum are rich and ripe in tone, with cyclamen providing a pop contrast to softer lilac pastels.

Greens take on a bluer cast, from rich mallard and herb sage tones through to ice-cool Arctic pales.

Blues are standalone item shades, leaning towards more purple-cast mid-tones and artificial aquamarines

 http://www.wgsn.com.librouter.hud.ac.uk/content/wgsn-ms/trends-info/features/ti0913/ti091362_index/ti091362_1.html

Materials 

Dragged

Shifting surfaces capture movement and fluid drape is frozen in time with silky shine, satin gleam and contour pleat chiffon.

Dust

Felted, fibrous, flocked, gritty and pigmented effects give a powdered finished to felted suitings, brushed cotton and moleskin canvas. Ultra-soft felted wools and clipped-pile chenille jersey have a dusty aspect with brushed and mottled surface effects.

Gathered pattern

The irregular patterns of gathered dust particles inspire bouclé, needle-punched and shrunken embellishments. Placement pilling and felting adds aged texture to knits and jersey devorés.

Gathered pattern

The irregular patterns of gathered dust particles inspire bouclé, needle-punched and shrunken embellishments. Placement pilling and felting adds aged texture to knits and jersey devorés.

Magnified pattern

The delicate patterns of insects and butterflies inspire detailed jacquards and hand-painted warps in prismatic colours, polluted overlays and soft shimmer finishes.

Scavenged jacquards

Recontextualise ornate interior wovens with an embossed matt/shine relief and use for contemporary tailoring. Darken and fleck with overfoiling, ombré colouring and lurex highlights inspired by oxidised and burnished patinas.

Floating yarn embellishment

Floating yarn is trapped for contrast control and random woven stripes, echoed in hand-drawn linear prints with exaggerated yarn embellishments. Fabrics are delicate and experimental with the introduction of unusual yarns and trapped thread-work techniques.

Exaggerated slub

Scratched coloured casts reveal whitened linear slubs and a coarse and dry handle, while wool melangé yarns and hand-painted warps soften the rustic appeal. Kilim-looking heavy dimensional linier wovens have a subtle folk-blanket feel.

Pattern relief

Contrast yarn and matt/shine combinations explore three-dimensional jacquards with accentuated relief for dense outerwear. Decorative rich cloqué, damask and kantha-stitch quilting give bubble decoration with a lightly wadded appearance.
http://www.wgsn.com.librouter.hud.ac.uk/content/wgsn-ms/trends-info/features/ti0919/ti091976_index.html