Wearing Your Technology On Your Sleeve: The Wearable Tech Trends That Are Driving Fashion

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fashion blog, fashion brands, fashion labels, Fitbit smart watches, freelance fashion designer, garment manufacturer, How can AI benefit the fashion industry?, innovation, LeChal, Levi's the Commuter X jacket in partnership with google, messaging bots, Nadi X Yoga pants, Retail inventory management, startup fashion brands, sustainability, sustainable fashion, Sustainable fashion is no longer an option, Technologies Transforming Fashion Retail, technology, technology can help improve efficiency immensely, use of AI in fashion, virtual reality, wearable tech

The Internet of Things runs on one core principle- everything that can be connected must be connected. While the ethical concerns of such tech innovation are hotly debatable, let us shift our focus to the practical considerations and use of technology in wearable fashion.

Back in 2015, when wearable clothing made an appearance on the scene, it didn’t quite take off. This can be partly attributed to peoples’ reservation about letting their sweater function as an alarm, or a jacket be their visiting card. However, brands and corporations alike have understood the need for sophistication. The options available today are literally no joke.

Here are five wearable tech trends that we see growing by the minute.

1. Smartwatches: They’re here, and they’re on everyone’s wrist. Several consumers report that owning a fitness band makes them more likely to work out. Our brains are driven by a rewards system and we cannot help but rejoice when our activity band buzzes with excitement every time we get in those 10,000 steps. Also, they’re excellent for telling time.

   Evolved forms of smartwatches can be designed to work as SOS signals, to conduct group workouts even remotely and so much more! FitBit’s recent update now makes the band work as a period tracker, and it is only a matter of time before the Apple Watch becomes a quick interface for payments across the globe. What do smartwatches offer? Comfort, cool-nerdiness and a whole lot of style.

2. Shirts and outerwear: Nostalgia gets a new upgrade, with Levi’s iconic trucker jacket, revamped. The Commuter X jacket designed in partnership with Google connects to the phone via Bluetooth and can be used for everything from controlling music to getting directions while you drive.

Practicality cannot be left far behind. The jacket is machine washable once the snap device that is the actual wearable tech component is removed from it with an easy, you guessed it, snap.

The Athos Core series of workout shirts are a nifty, more data-intense replacement for smartwatches. For example, most good smartwatches today cannot be taken into swimming pools, but that’s not the case with apparel. They do cost upward of $350, which may be a sensitive consideration since people usually need more than one pair of workout apparel.

3. Pants: When the shirts can be smart, why should the pants be left far behind? That’s probably the theory behind the Nadi X Yoga pants. These pants are a personal yoga trainer, offering happy inputs for when you need to stretch out each muscle, and they can even prompt you to hold a pose for a given period.

We love these pants because as opposed to the usual monitor devices that collect more than they give out, these pants can be used in real time to train better. Thus, the benefits are obvious and instantaneous.

4. Shoes: Under Armour’s connected sneakers are not just monitoring devices. They can help you correct your gait and prevent running injuries caused by the wrong posture. Much like the yoga pants, we love that they offer support in the moment. Studies show that our likelihood of indulging in physical activity is far higher when we have company- one reason why music works. Wearables like these can help take that idea to the next level.

   Closer home in India, a product by the name of LeChal is able to offer GPS navigation in a shoe. While we’re certainly not looking to a future where we turn left while our shoe stubbornly goes right, the mild haptic feedback offered by LeChal is able to help us navigate while we actually look away from our phones, and at the roads.

5. Fashion that changes colors: With the Gen Zers on the scene and a growing crowd of people born into technology, brands like TwentyFour15 are counting on them to make their wearable dreams a reality. At the 2017 London Fashion Week, they debuted a collection that changes colors at the click of a button and even animates to music! No more buying clothes for all those themed weddings and parties over and over again.

   The multi-faceted use of such technology can turn people into walking billboards if that’s what the Gods of advertising so desire. In any case, we are looking forward to seeing clothes that perform tricks, even though we’re still quite fond of our reversible-sequined outfits to create the same magic.

Which wearable tech trend do you think is useful, futuristic, or even plain outrageous? Tell us in the comments below.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Technologies Transforming Fashion Retail: The Good, The Bad and The Bizarre

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fashion blog, fashion brands, fashion labels, freelance fashion designer, garment manufacturer, How can AI benefit the fashion industry?, innovation, messaging bots, Retail inventory management, startup fashion brands, sustainability, sustainable fashion, Sustainable fashion is no longer an option, Technologies Transforming Fashion Retail, technology, technology can help improve efficiency immensely, use of AI in fashion, virtual models

When an entire industry is focused on the singular idea of selling, every new innovation is often developed first to support it. Take the Industrial Revolution, for example. The discovery that quite a few manmade tasks could be done by machines instead improved production efficiencies, and gave us a chance to collectively make more and sell more in the same amount of time.

Today, we stand on the brink of yet another technological revolution that is set to change the way we sell. We are talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI), of course. For many of us, even a few years ago, AI as an idea meant a sentient robot is suddenly taking over our jobs and making slaves of us all. But, what we don’t realize is that AI is already here- in Gmail’s auto compose feature and an assistant that calls and makes appointments, to begin with.

Image courtesy: internetofbusiness.com

How can AI benefit the fashion industry, specifically on the retail front? Here are a few options you can explore today.

1. Retail inventory management: Today, we have access to SaaS-based inventory management systems for that can update inventory in real time. The logical next step is systems that can study massive amounts of data from past sales, both within the company and the market in general, plug in the spending patterns and come up with accurate numbers for inventory maintenance. Such a system can reduce the massive wastage we see today in the fashion industry.

2. VR and selling: Once the backend is sorted, you can shift your entire focus to the front, as Neiman Marcus has done in several of their experiential stores. VR enabled mirrors show customers products as they would look on them, along with suggesting combinations and filling the shopping bag with a single swipe. As more and more people look to retail stores as experience centers, technology allows us to catch up and stay one step ahead of customer expectations.

3. Virtual models: Now, this is one aspect that we are quite conflicted about. On the one hand, the use of digital renderings helps businesses display clothes on a variety of body types at a far lesser price than hiring a model for each body type. That said, do digital models set new standards for beauty that are downright unattainable. Businesses using digital models need to consider the implications of doing so, not just on their target demographic but also on the world and its perceptions at large.

4. Messaging bots: Conversations lead to conversions. Until now, it has been impossible to replicate the warmth of an in-store experience online. But with the arrival of intuitive bots that think and speak like human service personnel, this is no longer the case. Businesses using chatbots report a 70% rise in conversion, and that’s just in beauty alone. The message is clear- customers want to talk, and not necessarily with a real person, before making a purchase.

5. New materials on the block: Sustainable fashion is no longer an option, as we discussed in the first article in this series. Customers want it, and they’ll find a way to have it. Textiles today are all about focusing on the source and ensuring fair practices along the way. It isn’t so much about finding new materials to work with as it is about going back to those products that we never considered before, like hemp and bamboo.

6. Connected advertising: Another controversial aspect of retailing today is the trade-off between too much information and convenience. Customers often let sites install cookies and track their browsing for the sake of convenience. But businesses are either unable to leverage all of the information provided to them, or simply unable to protect this data sufficiently. The proof of this is in the very need for new GDPR guidelines that regulate the collection and use of data. That said, there’s no denying the fact that all of this information allows us to advertise to people who are much further along the buying funnel, thus helping us to convert them faster.

If there’s one thing to be said about technology in retail, it is never to overdo anything. When used correctly, technology can help improve efficiency immensely at every step of the way. Just a more efficient way of managing inventory and recycling can help save tons of clothing from going to landfills.

However, there is such a thing as taking it too far, and brands using technology must consider how their customers may perceive each of the new changes being brought in, and whether those changes will be accepted with delight or rejected entirely.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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The Changing Face Of Fashion: Building A Sustainable Supply Chain

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Alternatives to commercial wool, Alternatives to cotton, Alternatives to Silk, Alternatives to synthetic textiles, building a sustainable supply chain, changing face of fashion, eco fabrics, fabric suppliers, fashion blog, fashion brands, fashion labels, fashion supply chain, freelance fashion designer, garment manufacturer, innovation, reduce wastage, startup fashion brands, sustainability, sustainable fashion

If there’s one retail industry that remains reasonably unaffected by rising prices and inflation, it is apparel. Everyone buys clothes, and the choice is often about which clothes to buy than regarding whether to buy them at all.

“There’s no such thing as too many dresses.”

“One cannot have too many shoes.”

These statements, often made in passing, are reflective of a global economy that rarely sees slumps, if ever. As an answer to ever-changing demands, fast fashion too has come into the picture, change collections six times a year.

However, there is the elephant in the room. And that elephant is squatting squarely in landfills across the globe, weighing trillions of tons, if not more.

As one of the economy’s driving forces, fashion has a responsibility towards adopting sustainable practices, and one way to do that is to build a supply chain that reduces wastage and improves efficiency. What’s more, customers today are starkly aware of the consequences of their buying habits- while they may or may not make fewer purchases, they are certainly looking out for labels that reduce their impact on the planet. Are you one of them?

What is a fashion supply chain? It encompasses everything that happens in the business to bring a product to the shelf for purchase. A supply chain includes design and manufacture, as well as logistics and transportation. In the landmark book titled ‘To Die For’ by Lucy Siegle, she says that this seemingly straightforward step has 101 sub-steps!

The trouble with apparel and sustainability usually begins with the numbers. One pair of jeans never harmed anyone, but one billion? This is why customers are rapidly turning to locally sourced, organic and sustainable clothing. Because today, we could really use a few drops in the ocean.

How can you, as a business, contribute to these efforts? By making your back-end more sustainable. Here are a few pointers to follow:

1. Have absolute control over your inventory. This is important not just for more sales but to be able to produce and market only as much as you can really sell. Overproduction is fast fashion’s biggest problem, but you can help solve that.

2. Offer customization options so that you can go into production on some products only after they have been purchased by the customer. This helps reduce the need for disposal and deep discounts which in turn cause wastage.

3. When you design, design a collection. So many private labels today struggle with trying to do too many things at once. The problem is that all of these things rarely ever fit together. Instead, a capsule for each season is easier to shop, moves more products off your shelves and can be mixed and matched to make several different outfits.

4. Denim are some of the most resource-intensive products to make. Some brands like H&M have started a denim exchange initiative that allows the cloth to come back into production once it has been sufficiently used. Likewise, Levi’s phased out PFCs and found more environment-friendly options to make their denim water repellant. What’s more, some brands are also making denim from shredded plastic recovered from our oceans.

5. Spearhead initiatives to get people to buy less, or to recycle more! As a business, this sounds counterintuitive, but H&M’s Conscious effort proves that it can work. By offering discount coupons for old clothes and a host of initiatives to use more recycled cotton, it is building both price and material efficiencies into its supply chains. By 2020, H&M aims to use only organic or recycled cotton in its production.

As you might have observed from some of these pointers, a sustainable supply chain cannot work in a silo. You need an action plan that works across all stages of the production and buying process. Take the initiative to get people to wear your clothes at least twenty times before throwing them out, a product of good quality.

Likewise, you can also become an advocate for your own clothes by encouraging reselling of unused products- become the marketplace for customers who bought your clothing but never used them.

Each of these actions demands that you make changes every step of the way.

Confused as to where to begin? Get in touch with us using our contact form, for a perspective on how you can make your fashion business more sustainable and friendly for years to come.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Choosing Sustainability: The Changing Face Of Fashion

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Alternatives to commercial wool, Alternatives to cotton, Alternatives to Silk, Alternatives to synthetic textiles, eco fabrics, fashion blog, fashion brands, fashion labels, freelance fashion designer, innovation, startup fashion brands, sustainability, sustainable fashion, Suzanne Lee, The fashion industry processes

Our December blog series is dedicated to exploring the trends and shifts on the fashion landscape that may be mere blips today, but have the potential to be a full-blown revolution very soon. Our first blog in the series discusses sustainable textile options.

In a TED talk that has since been watch close to a million times, UPS’s Aparna Mehta makes a strong case for buying less and returning even less of clothing. As it turns out, one man’s fashion is another man’s trash. This doesn’t, however, apply on the retail end of things alone. Some studies show that thousands of gallons of water go into making one denim outfit, quantities that we as a planet just cannot afford anymore.

Stella McCartney has come out and taken a stand against fast fashion. Other influencers are following suit. In this scenario, it is worth thinking about sustainable garments from two perspectives. One, sustainable clothing is better for the planet. Two, sustainable clothing really is the future for every fashion business, and the sooner you get started, the better it is for you.

Luckily for us, there are several alternatives to the textiles we now use, and most of them perform at par, if not better than, their traditional counterparts.

• Alternatives to Silk: Perhaps fashion’s guiltiest pleasure, and one that doesn’t get as much of a bad rep as using animal hide is the making of silk. Apart from the process itself, Human rights Watch reports that over 3,50,000 children are employed in the industry.  Luckily, some alternatives have been found, and they are soon gaining prominence. Jute silk and silk derived from other plant fibers are finding acceptance. Ahimsa silk is an Indian innovation of waiting for the silkworm to evacuate its silken residence before using the cocoons for their yarn. IndiaBride and The Ethical Silk Company are just a few brands that are pioneering the use of sustainable silk.

• Alternatives to Cotton: Cotton is one of the most resource-heavycrops to grow. The pesticides and insect repellants used for cotton production often stay in the environment and the soil for many decades to come. One way to reduce the impact of cotton growing is to use organic cotton. Fornow, it is fairly expensive. However, as with all organic product, a rise indemand can quickly increase the supply capabilities and reduce prices.California based Synergy clothing uses organic cotton, as well as cottonblended with help and bamboo to design their clothing. What’s more, they usenatural dyes and follow a fair-trade policy that keeps everyone in the supplychain happy.      

• Alternatives to Synthetic Textiles: Nylon, polyester,and acrylic are some of the biggest pollutants ever produced. Some reportssuggest that even washing these clothes can leech microplastics into our oceansand permanently change the quality of water. It is rather inconvenient, then,that synthetic textiles are also cheap and easy to mass-produce.  Making a switch away from synthetic clothing needs to be a conscious choiceacross the supply chain. Isolated efforts have begun to use bamboo, jute, andhemp as alternatives. Fabric made from these materials is often much morebreathable as well. The key, of course, is in generating enough demand.

• Alternatives To Commercial Wool: As a textile,wool has many benefits. It generates warmth, wicks away moisture and ishypoallergenic as well. However, commercial practice has driven wool-farmingtowards crowded shelters and animals with very little immunity. Ethical wool is obtained from animals that have been raised on a natural farmin humane conditions, which naturally increases the animals’ immunity andlongevity, as well as the quality of wool itself. Organic wool is often alsodyed with natural dyes, making it that much more suitable for people who areallergic to chemical dyes.

Which of these materials would you want to experiment with in your next collection? What would be your biggest hindrance to doing so?

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links:  Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram 

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Milan vs. Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019 : The Clash Of The Titans

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fashion brands, fashion consultant, fashion design team, fashion designer, fashion entrepreneurs, Fashion shows, fashion trends, Milan Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019, Paris fashion week Spring Summer 2019, runway trends, Trend Analysis, Trend comparision

While London and New York are known more for the versatility and styles from several designers, the hallowed halls of Milan and Paris are almost exclusively reserved for high fashion. Several designers come to showcase their collections here, too, but it is often the big names that get the spotlight and the attention that comes with it.

Comparing fashion trends from two events as diverse as the Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week is no small feat. For one, both events attract a very different audience, and the collections, therefore, vary greatly.

There’s a reason why Issey Miyake brought his collection to Paris but not to Milan- his styles are more suited to the cosmopolitan outlook and no-nonsense attitude that dominates Paris. Likewise, we cannot possibly imagine Milan without Dior- the temple of fashion has been the brand’s second, more accepting home for a long time.

Without further ado, let us plunge right into the fashion trends from both events, and which one did what better.

1. The styles: There are no two European cities that are in as stark a contrast to each other as Paris and Milan. Take the simple skirt, for example. In Milan, the preferences clearly tended towards the pencil variant, while Paris, true to its breezy essence, saw more of the flow variants. Case in point- Miu Miu in Paris and Moschino in Milan.

2. The collections: Milan has always been known for its dance with glamour. The SS19 collections were ample proof of this yet again. Paris, on the other hand, has always had this peculiar relationship with all things artistic. Designs at Paris, likewise, were elegant, chic and comfortable to pull off outside of a runway setting.

3. The form: The showcase at Milan this year was distinctly feminine. The outfits, even the flowy ones from Gucci, had at least one element that highlighted form. This isn’t so strange considering Milan is known for fashion of the feminine kind- to the point where almost all designs have to conform to the idea of the gender’s appeal. Paris is very laid-back in terms of highlighting one aspect over another. Also, as the last big fashion event of the season, it naturally tends to attract more diverse designs.

4. The risk factor: This year, in our opinion, fewer risks were taken in Milan than in Paris. This isn’t to say that it was boring, but there’s no denying the fact that most designs went after the usual styles with a few modifications. Paris was where more styles appeared, and more risks were taken, but not always with the desired outcomes. Some collections fell quite flat, as we’ve pointed out in the Paris Fashion Week Design Trends article.

Which fashion week would we pick over the other? Turns out the choice isn’t as easy for us as it was with New York vs. London. We loved the sheer grandeur of some of the outfits at Milan, while the breezy simplicity of Paris stood out for us as well. If we were really forced to pick, purely from the fashion business perspective, we’d certainly go with Paris. We saw more styles there that have scope for adapting into sets and separates. We also look for trends that have a chance to last longer, and that came through for us at Paris.

Your turn now! What did you love, or hate, about the two extra-big fashion events of the year? Which one did you follow for design inspiration? Tell us in the comments.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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The Home Of Haute Couture: Design Highlights From Milan Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019

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Christian dior, couture designer, design house, Dolce & Gabbana, Emporio Armani, fashion biz, fashion blog, fashion blogger, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion designers, fashion forecasting, fashion trends, Fashion Week, Fendi, Gucci, Max Mara, MFW, Milan Fashion Week, Missoni, Moschino, Roberto Cavalli, runway fashion, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sportmax, Spring Summer 2019, style, Versace

Move over New York and London- Milan has just made its most iconic fashion splash yet. There’s something about the spunky vibe of Milan, on and off its runways, that has made this the destination to watch when keeping an eye out for the bigger fashion houses. We think there’s a lot to be learned and implemented from the Dior and Versace of the world, and being one-of-a-kind is just one of them.

Here’s a compilation of designers and clothes we loved the most at Milan this year. Designers with ambition, take note.

1. Gucci: When Gucci makes a statement, heads turn. Almost singlehandedly, Gucci took clothing from overtly suggestive to plain old, yet standout styles. One look at the whites and tans paired with signature motifs shows us that some fashion houses are more about subtle experimentation than others. The sleeves are the ones standing tall this time around.

2. Christian Dior: When Dior’s in love with mesh, we know that the trend is here to stay. Casual is the name of the game for SS19, and what better way to do it than with one element in each outfit that grabs attention? We particularly love the understated elegance of the models themselves, allowing us to see outfits as they should be. We could take that blue top right there and think of ten different bottoms we can pair it with, using items already in the wardrobe. Now, that is versatility.

3. Fendi: Fendi is one brand that knows how to have fun in the subtlest of ways. The Milan SS19 runway was full of looks ideal for the workplace, and even better for drinks after. These are clothes you can take to meetings and to holidays with equal panache. Peplum gets a new definition that the world will soon come to love, and we’re not complaining about the very versatile handbag/ phone holder/ fanny pack accessory either. In fact, give us just that.

4. Emporio Armani: Armani gets a bit of a ‘not-so-couture’ rep, we think, because of the number of cheap fakes doing the rounds the world over. Imitation is the best form of flattery, so it is safe to assume that everyone adores this label. One look at the shiny jackets that imitate everything from animal skin to a backpack shows us that Giorgio Armani has the uncanny talent for drawing inspiration from just about everything and turning it into some gorgeously wearable works of art.

5. Missoni: It was a relief to see Missoni on the runway, partly because of the dresses that are everyday-casual, and mostly because of the mesh detail done differently. When you’ve had too much mesh, turn to Missoni for some fashionable relief. The careful placement of prints and flowy silhouettes are made for the modern day Bohemian.

6. Roberto Cavalli: What’s with the free-spirited vibes, everyone! Fashion labels always channel the mood of the season, and going by the Cavalli designs, 2019 looks like an excellent year for travel and exploration. Mirror work is not a Middle-Eastern trend alone anymore and can be adapted in the most diverse of ways. For those looking for more subtle statements, foil prints are in, too.

7. Max Mara: Add Max Mara to the list of formal wear collections we absolutely love. The pants are getting shorter, keeping in mind the very diverse jobs that women today hold. These outfits are meant for action in the boardroom. The frills, the colors, the polka dots, the statement belts…we could just go on and on with the little details from this collection that everyone can find a way to adapt into their designs.

8. Moschino: As the ‘LOVE MOSCHINO’ bags prove, this is one label that is not afraid to stand out every single time. And so it is with the Milan Fashion Week Collection. Why say jackets need to be held together with buttons alone? That red dress is going to make a lot of red carpet appearances soon, and a bralette in lace? Yes, please! Moschino’s prints are so commonplace yet so hard to replicate. Standing out and blending in, both are done right in this collection.

9. Versace: Swearing allegiance by florals, Versace has a whole new take on them. Out go embroidered flowers, and in they come in black instead. A base of bright colors adds a significant contrast to a collection that otherwise risks fading out. Versace is known for exploring a woman’s sensuality like no other designer ever can, and the lace camisoles and thigh-high slits, artfully covered in long jackets, prove that point once again.

10. Sportmax: A trip to the Hamptons next year is going to be woefully incomplete without at least one piece from the Sportmax collection. These clothes are what you wear when you head off to a game of golf, or lounging by the beach. Some of the elements like the sleeves are clearly drawn from Scuba gear, while others are more suited to cocktails and sunset. Either way, being outdoors is not going to be the same anymore, and you don’t have to play a sport to be part of the game.

11. Salvatore Ferragamo: The colors of the outdoors are well-represented in the SS19 collection from the house of Ferragamo. These are beiges and tans that have been carefully chosen to represent the outdoors in as understated manner as possible. Paired with tropical prints in similar shades, it works magic simply by complementing the wearer’s skin tone beautifully.

12. Dolce & Gabbana: Occasion wear has been done right with D&G once again. Here’s one design house that is loud, and unabashedly so. Operatic themes are evident, as are carnivals. Suits in gold and silver are most definitely gothic, as are doodle prints with lace. Channeling a bit of the dark side are the corsets and fringes, both of which remind us of Hotel California. With that collection, D&G takes a bow like no other house managed to this time around.

Which of these designers did you absolutely love? What are some details that you’ll be taking away from Milan and into your collections? Tell us in the comments.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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A Toast To The Best Formal and Semi-Formal Styles We Spotted At Lakme India Fashion Week

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Amit agarwal, brand consultancy, design studio, fabrics, fashion brands, fashion designers, fashion labels, fashion show, fashion startup, Fashion Week, formal wear, formal wear and evening wear, freelance fashion designer, garments, Kunal Rawal, Lakme India Fashion Week, runway fashion, Saaksha and Kinni, sheer fabrics, silhouettes, styles, styles and trends

If you’re a fashion aficionado, an aspiring designer or a follower of celebrities, your timeline was probably flooded with images from Lakme India Fashion Week that concluded just a few days ago.  We know because we’ve been digging some of these styles, too.

Here at Fuel4Fashion, we’re huge believers in practicality. Some of the most stunning styles on-ramp often fade away from existence entirely. Some others look great on models but probably not so much on real people in real situations, minus the flashbulbs. That said, three designers absolutely stood out for us and showcased designs that can be adapted into wardrobes.

Take notes, fashion entrepreneurs- your customers will be asking for these styles very, very soon.

1. Saaksha and Kinni

Perhaps the clearest example of a designer’s clarity of thought comes through in this designer duo’s collection for Lakme India Fashion Week this time around. Prints are a very urbane expression of the self- in fact, think back to your ancestry, and you’d be sure to remember one print or one weave that everyone spoke about.

Interpretations of Ikat and Pochampally in 8-bit game pixels is a genius move, we think.

Also, everyone needs space, people!

Flowy fabrics are in, especially for formal wear. In a tropical country like India, and for the sake of comfort the world over, people are seeing the virtue in abandoning the sharp suit for more statement pieces. Think blouses with bell sleeves and prints, printed formal pants with plain shirts, and jackets in a variety of cuts and styles. We’d go so far as to say that you should think of one statement accessory in the collection to lift up all the Boring formal wear that all of us inadvertently own. Excited yet? Thanks, Saaksha and Kinni!

2. Kunal Rawal

We love Kunal Rawal’s collection because it comes as a breath of fresh air in the parched men’s formalwear section this Fashion Week. It’s still super cool to wear formal-ish suits and all-black this festive season too, guys!

Also, come to think of out, wardrobes should always be function over fancy, and while it’s nice to have the flower-embroidered jackets, we all need evergreen pieces that can be adapted to a variety of occasions.

And that is precisely what this collection brings to the ramp, and to wardrobes. We highly recommend including some earthy hues in the formal menswear collections this time. They add a nice touch to an array of blues and blacks.

We also like the idea of using self-designed motifs on pants and jackets for an extra layer of detail. Dinner jackets in shades of orange and burnt umber, details on trousers, and brogues with extra motifs at the toe cap- all recommended.

Did we mention athleisure? A wholly tailored suit with pants that mimic tracks are in right now, and this is a trend you can adapt for both genders with relative ease.

3. Amit Aggarwal

Bringing some much-needed sass to women’s evening wear is Amit Aggarwal. We particularly love his silhouettes because of the sheer global appeal of those gowns. Here’s a cocktail dress that one could pull of absolutely anywhere in the world.

Shades of grey and bronze, a dress separated into coordinates, African culture inspired gowns- is there any better way to go global? Also, grey is a color that is kind to all skin tones, and in all climates, so that’s an added plus too. Think cocktail dresses with one central motif, and add in geometric details.

Another way to adapt Amit Aggarwal’s collection into your stores, apart from the gowns, is to design peplum tops in metallics, tailored pants and thinking of bow pants a la Emma Watson.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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Authority Marketing: How To Give Yourself A Voice That Is Heard

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authority marketing, blogging, branding, build your personal brand, content marketing, domain expert, fashion brands, fashion entrepreneurs, influence the influencers, influencer, Instagram influencer, personal brand

Have you noticed, of late, just how many influencers there are on Instagram? That’s the thing with marketing- gather enough people and demonstrate expertise, and you have a market for your products.

Instagram influencers aside, personal branding is the buzzword of the day. “If you don’t build a personal brand, you have no influence,” they say. This is because we are a generation that loves stories. Born to a generation that experienced globalization and the consumerism that came with it, today’s crowd needs an experience. And even better, they need the experience to come from someone they can trust, because of (drumroll) their past experience.

Enter, authority marketing. 

Unlike regular marketing that says, ‘here’s a product, it is so awesome!’, authority marketing says, ‘here’s a product, and here’s why you’ll like it. I know, because I’ve tried it.’

Why do celebrities launch, endorse and be seen in their own fashion labels? Think Beyoncé, or Gwyneth Paltrow for Goop- these celebs know that products launched, tried and endorsed by them have a better chance of selling in the market. In other words, gone are the days of bringing in a celebrity and advertising a product. Today’s customers ask, “Why should I listen to this celebrity on this matter?”

Now that we’ve covered the concept, how can you adopt authority marketing to promote your fashion business?

1. Build Your Personal Brand. Don’t just be a face in the crowd when you can be the face of your brand. Alicia Souza does this right, through her eponymous brand and also through her Instagram handle. Many Alicia Souza customers can genuinely claim that they know the person behind the product. The same goes for you. What are your fashion sensibilities and how do they influence your brand? Put it out there.

2. Use Content: Have you ever wondered why copywriters make as much as they do, seeing as they actually write so little? Because lines like ‘Because she’s worth it’ sell products, and brands know it. Market your product through content- offer helpful guides, styling tips, day-to-night looks. The list of things you can do with your material is almost endless. Become an authority through the written word.

3. Influence The Influencers: Make your product so good that authority has no option but to advertise it. But don’t stop at that. Influence your influencers. Send them free samples to try. Ask for reviews. Tell them your story. In short, make an impression on them.

4. Don’t Be Salesy: Sounds counterintuitive? Yes, we’re asking you to sell a product by not selling it at all. Because, when a product speaks for itself, there is no need to sell it actively. Take a look at Fizzy Goblet. They make handcrafted footwear. But they make the footwear so unique that you can’t resist buying. They tell a story around each piece with exciting product titles. What can you do to make the product stand out?

5. Get Coverage for Yourself: Grab every interview and every podcast opportunity that comes along. Answer questions thoroughly. Show the world that you are an expert. You can also submit articles about your entrepreneurial journey to relevant publications to get featured.

6. Attend Events: If you knew just how many deals are closed at an event, you wouldn’t miss attending a single one of them. Sign up for regional fashion events, or put models in your clothes for a pop-up. Advertise to many people in one go, without making it look like an advertisement at all.

Remember, it is all about authority. The more of an expert you come across as, the more people will believe you and take your advice. Consider offering free in-store consultations with yourself. Make the story of the brand the story of you. There’s no better time than now to do it.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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6 Ways To Leverage Digital Marketing To Get Your Fashion Brand The Visibility, And Sales, It Needs

Tags

digital marketing for fashion brands, email campaign, fashion, Fashion Branding, fashion brands, fashion influencers, fashion marketing, hashtag, host giveaways, Retargeting, social media marketing for fashion brands

Once you set up your fashion business and work on branding yourself, marketing your products becomes almost an immediate concern. And why not? It is only if you sell sustainably that all of these efforts will come to fruition.

Today, everyone knows that there is such a thing as digital marketing and that they should somehow find a way to use it. However, how does digital marketing work specifically for the fashion industry? In this article, we’ll give you insights into a few things you can do right away.

Digital Marketing for Fashion Brands

1. Make Retargeting Your Friend. Ever Googled for something, only to find a relevant ad pop-up on Facebook? This handy trick is known as retargeting and works as an efficient combination of a website’s cookies and Facebook’s Ad Exchange platform. To retarget effectively, you need to install a cookie on your visitor’s browser- ask your web developer to help out. Once this is done, set up your Ad Exchange and begin retargeting those people who have visited your site but left too soon.

2. Make The Most Of Holidays. Different regions have different periods that are best for shopping. In India, it is Diwali, while in Europe and the US of A, it is the Christmas season. Depending on where you sell to, create online sales during holidays and promote extensively.

3. Create Content. Apart from your store experience or your social media presence, it is always a good idea to offer your consumers a bit more. Many brands use social media as a boring dump yard for their products and descriptions. Instead, what if your Facebook page offers fashion advice, or if your Instagram handle showcases your clothes in action? Think about ways of adding value to the customer.

4. Host Giveaways. Instagram is particularly popular for hosting giveaways on. This is because, with the right hashtags, you can reach a wider audience. Host an exciting giveaway- you can ask people to share how they’d style a particular piece or the song that a product reminds them of. When hosting a giveaway, one rule always remains- ask those participating to post with a hashtag that you decide upon.

5. Use Fashion Influencers. Influencer marketing is growing, and how! Especially in the domains of apparel and accessories, it seems like Instagram has created stars overnight. You can use platforms like Influencer to find someone who aligns with your brand’s purpose. Share your brand guide with them so they can keep the content relevant. However, influencer marketing can be expensive.

6. Get Their Email Addresses: This is, by far, the most important thing you’ll do for your marketing efforts. By capturing email addresses, you are guaranteed someone’s attention, at least until they choose to unsubscribe. In what is known as Inbound Marketing, we will discuss in the next article how to do it right. But first steps first, set up a pop up on your website, or offer gift cards in your store, to those people who provide you with their email address.

Which of these approaches have you already tried, and which ones would you like to explore now? If you have questions on any of these aspects, drop a comment below, and we’ll get back to you soon.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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What Your Branding Kit Is Made Up Of

Tags

branding, color theory, Fashion Branding, fashion branding kit, fashion brands, fashion designer, logo design, style guide, Type direction

This month, we’re talking all things fashion branding. If you haven’t yet seen our first article on what branding means for you, take a look here.

Once the process is out of the picture, it is time for the outcome. A fashion branding kit can, in essence, be considered the end product of a branding exercise. It includes all the information you need to represent your brand across different media correctly.

Image courtesy: Gafferitsolutions

As with any good kit, a branding kit has certain key components. In no particular order, they are:

1. The Style Guide: A branding style guide is the comprehensive account of everything that your brand stands for. Often a thick book or a bulky file, this is where you will come to refer to what you must and must not do for a social media post, or how small your logo can be before it becomes too small. Use the style guide as a reference point more than a hard-and-fast solution. When in doubt, always use your own judgment.  

2. Logo Guidelines: These guidelines specify what your logo should look like in a host of situations. Think of printing the logo on labels vs. putting up a billboard, or designing your office space. Dimensions are just one aspect of the logo guidelines- they also account for the many different surfaces and media that your logo might eventually play on.  

3. Color Theory: As the name suggests, this set of visual cues is meant to help you decide which combination of colors best represents your brand. Not just that, say you have four color guidelines. Should you use all of them in one go, and in every possible situation? How can these different colors be used to represent your brand? Moreover, how can these colors be used to generate quick recall? These are some questions that the color theory can answer.  

4. Type Direction: Your typography is as powerful as the text itself. Imagine using a powerful quote, except you type it in Comic Sans. The effect is drastically different. Fashion brands, in particular, should focus more keenly on this aspect, because it will impact everything from clothing labels to corporate presentations. As the name suggests, a type direction is flexible with fonts to the extent that they evoke the same reaction.  

5. Fifth Element: In the world of branding, a fifth element is a visual cue that is as powerful as the logo in representing the brand. This element is often used when a logo might feel too repetitive, or too obvious. For example, ‘Conscious’ is H&M’s fifth element for their clothing recycling program. What’s more, the fifth element can also serve to illustrate your brand’s values in a manner that people can easily connect with.

These are often the essential components, and depending on the scale of the business, social media guidelines can also be created. A branding kit serves as the starting point of the actual design. Why is it important to have this kit? So teams make as few mistakes as possible at the execution stage.

Some companies may choose to go through a rebranding exercise as they scale and gain more clarity on their priorities. Whatever be the case, a professional fashion branding agency is your best bet to succeed.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer and Brand Consultant helping fashion brands to create great products from idea to launch. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram

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