The Big Hits And Glaring Misses From Paris Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019

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#fashionstartup, couture designer, Elie Saab, fashion biz, fashion blog, fashion blogger, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion designers, fashion entrepreneur, fashion label, fashion trends, Fashion Week, fashion world, Givenchy, Hermes, Issey Miyake, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Paris Fashion Week, Valentino

We’re finally winding up the whirlwind of fashion events that seem to have occupied our collective attention over the last two months. As the last show of the season, expectations ran high from Paris Fashion Week. Some of our favorite designers didn’t disappoint, while others did just that, and glaringly so.

In today’s article, we discuss the seven designer collections we absolutely loved- both for their vision and easy adaptability. We also present a few misses.

1. Elie Saab: Summer is coming in nice and bright, and Elie Saab at Paris Fashion Week is proof of that. We love the lace details that make summer dresses that much more elegant. Take special note of the use of several different fabrics and accents- a sign of the demanding times to come in fashion. Are you ready to design both workwear and off-time casuals?

2. Givenchy: Givenchy has set new standards for how formal wear must look. Those suits are the very definition of power dressing. We particularly love the use of the silhouette itself to design clothes- it has been a long time since every piece of clothing has not been designed for a mannequin. High waist, big belts, ruffles, full sleeves- all, check.

3. Hermes: The famous fashion house’s Paris collection has received mixed reviews, to say the least. We, however, think the collection has a huge adaptability factor. The jackets and overcoats are almost ubiquitous in nature, and we love ourselves a leather pair of shorts. Whether you like the collection or you don’t, you have to admit that a niche choice of fabric has never been this stylish and universal.

4. Issey Miyake: Miyake is not known for being shy about self-expression. From the villages of Japan (if they still exist) to the modern cities, this year’s collection draws inspiration from every corner of the small yet influential country. The clever choice of colors and fabric lend themselves well to the theme- you know that green coat is meant for the cities. We’re also glad to see flowy pants making a reappearance. God knows we need more of them.

5. Louis Vuitton: Shockingly, LV has received negative to mixed reviews for their Paris Fashion Week show. While we’re disappointed with the general lack of novelty and the brand playing it too safe, we do love some of the dresses. The blue one, for example, starts off as street-style and ends with a clean hemline. Surely an inspiration for designers to try something a tad bit different with their collection.

6. Miu Miu: Formal wear is all set to look different, and Miu Miu is leading the revolution. There’s no denying the fact that this collection is not meant for the faint of heart. But then again, the average Parisienne is not known for being that! Miu Miu has experimented quite elaborately with animal prints, sheer and denim, and we love their use of fabric in so many different ways.

7. Valentino: Most of Valentino’s dresses look like the inspiration for next year’s Met Gala, and that isn’t such a bad thing. For retailers, the key takeaway would be the use of pleats to create form without making them overtly obvious. For everyone else, there is the sheer gorgeousness of the dresses to look at. We can envision some of them as separates- they’d fly off the shelves for sure!

Unfortunately for Paris, it wasn’t all roses. Chanel’s collection came under severe criticism for sheer lack of originality, and we can’t help but agree. Balmain, taking inspiration from a theme they probably didn’t quite understand, tried to go Egyptian and instead ended up all over the place. Perhaps the most disappointing of all was Stella McCartney. After receiving huge media attention post the royal wedding, she couldn’t find a way to make the spotlight work for her and try something new.

But with all misses, we are grateful for these too, because they teach us even more about the consumer’s expectations and how we can stand out.

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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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Ruffles, Florals and Jewel Tones: Updates From London Fashion Week Spring Summer 2019

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blog, Burberry, Christopher Kane, David Coma, Erdem, fashion, fashion designers, fashion trends, fashionweek, inspiration, LFW, londonfashionweek, springsummer2019, SS19

Before we state anything else, let us say this- cherry red is the new color of the season for SS 19. When Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo go overboard with it, we know there’s good reason to start using it in our collections too.

Which brings us to the other thing we love about London Fashion Week in general, and this year in particular. Unlike the clean-cut lines and definitions of other showcases, LFW is all about leveling the playground and providing equal opportunity to both established designers and newcomers alike. This is why so many new trends come forth here- it is just a different perspective.

Here are some key lessons from LFW that all retailers can follow:

1. Bending, not breaking the rules: Halpern Quinn is all about sequins, but other shiny things can follow suit as well. Burberry is known for their iconic checks, but they can be adapted. Brands are very conscious about moving away from their statements entirely, but they do know how to play within the boundaries and create something unique. In fact, this is what sets a good brand apart from the rest- the ability to see itself with stark clarity.

2. A touch of nostalgia: New doesn’t always mean doing away with the old. For Victoria Beckham who marked a decade of her collection at both NYFW and LFW, the choice was clear. Nostalgia in motifs and elements can be an excellent way to rehash an old collection and make something new and spectacular.

3. Not too streety: Street styles are great- they’re comfortable, cozy and very easy to maintain. However, fashion houses at LFW disagree. They did their best to take clothing away from the streets and into couture without losing the very aspects that make street-style so desirable. Looks like the time has come to put street-style and athleisure together, and let the good clothes be as they are.

4. The loud colors: A Londoner, until yesterday, would never be caught in a bright coat. Indeed, a black or a tan overcoat is a wardrobe staple that never goes wrong. Blame it on the political circumstances in the world, but everyone wants to express themselves today. True to London style (where coats, let’s admit it, are needed ten months in a year), the overcoats are getting brighter and chirpier, not to mention bolder. Yep, time to get spotted on the Underground.

5. The full look: Not so long ago, the real intent behind a fashion week was to showcase individual pieces, heavily dressed up. Patrons would then face the challenge of taking the different elements and creating their own looks with them. Either people are bored in general, or online shopping has done its bit, but shoppable looks are all the rage this season. You might do well to design a collection with a few different complete looks than to leave it to the consumer to mix-and-match. Fashion as a form of self-expression is, for one, giving up the hot seat to fashion for comfort and speed.

Meanwhile, we’re not done yet! What is a fashion week if we don’t give you the lowdown on the designers we loved, and hopefully you did too? Here are a few that stood out.

1. J.W.Anderson: One of the few street-styles we saw on the runway, and yet, here’s a collection that manages to look so chic! We’re in the same league as mesh any day, and we know it is good when we have these looks for a company.

2. Christopher Kane: Form meets high fashion in this collection for so many different body types. We can already see the boxy mini dress on a tall woman, and the warrior suit is a must-have for the power dresser who makes a statement at work and the after-party.

3. Burberry: We’d die of nostalgia if we didn’t spot at least one piece in the Burberry collection with the trademark lines and colors. Luckily for us also, Burberry is going experimental- with colors and form. Needless to say, this is one work wear collection people will be waiting for. The proof is in the reinterpreted animal prints.

4. David Coma: Never one to shy away from bold silhouettes, this one. Can just a juxtaposition of black and white give rise to such stunning outfits for work and beyond? David Coma’s collection proves that it indeed can. We love that cutout details are making a comeback. Nostalgia, anyone?

5. Erdem: Making a point on the shoppable looks we mentioned above, Erdem’s collection is one that you can walk off the runway and onto the streets in. We love the high-waisted pants so reminiscent of a tuxedo, and the more feminine outfits with stunning details. The fascinators, we’d probably save for the next royal wedding.

6. Victoria Beckham: posh spice meets everyday woman, and that’s where Beckham’s magic lies. Her clothes are as easy to pull off as they are elegant, and that’s why we’re rooting for them.

7. Mary Katrantzou: Bohemian prints have the uncanny ability of looking good on all clothes. Mary’s collection is perfect for workwear as separates, and to the Met Gala alike.

Which of these business trends do you see as easy to adapt for your brand? 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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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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Fashion Marketing for Startup Fashion Brands

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apparel blog, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion designers, fashion marketing, fashion startup, sales and marketing, social media marketing, social media tools, start up fashion brands

The growth of social media and online connectivity, not only through the proliferation of e-commerce platforms and marketplaces but the advent of social selling via the range of social media tools has driven the fashion industry into a new dimension. Earlier generations of established fashion houses are now seeing increasing competition from smaller more digitally nimble brands that are bringing fashion trends from the drawing board to the consumer far faster than the four-seasons-a-year fashion weeks. Fashion bloggers have taken over the mantle of the likes of Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazar in bringing the latest in fashion trends to the end consumer. The latter have also multiplied in numbers from the select few thousand who could afford the exclusivity of fashion houses to the masses who have discovered high fashion is no longer restricted to the Guccis, YSLs and Armanis, but have gone to embrace cutting edge designers like Michael Kors, Rebecca Minkoff, Kate Spade and Tory Burch.

How does a new designer looking to create a unique space within this gamut of old and new stars establish a brand? Let’s start off with an understanding of the various digital and social media tools that can be used, and how best to leverage them.

Social Media

Facebook: with over 1.2 billion users worldwide, this is one platform that no fashion brand, no matter how small or large, can afford to miss. Using Facebook fan pages and the timeline feature, Facebook allows brands to post images, updates, video and other forms of visual communication to its followers. Facebook Video has now grown to volumes that represent a credible challenge to rival YouTube, making it a channel to watch and use. Besides these, the use of Facebook ads is increasing as it allows advertisers to target specific audiences based on a variety of demographic attributes. Facebook has also implemented a Buy button on ads as well as Page posts to enable viewers to directly buy merchandise from these ads and pages.

• Facebook Fanpage of women’s fashion brand – Rebecca Minkoff

Instagram: the image sharing app with over 400 million active users has enabled both targeting and shopping functions on the app, allowing brands to reach customers directly with their products. This is a huge advantage to boutique fashion designers who may appeal to a niche but have limited resources to reach out to their target audiences. Instagram allows you to take advantage of trending hashtags to promote relevant content as well.

• Instagram allows fashion brands to to post images, upload videos and sell merchandise with the SHOP NOW or BUY NOW buttons

• Instagram image tiling

Twitter: The next most popular social media channel, Twitter provides brands an unlimited opportunity to reach out to audiences and promote their products. Twitter has also gained significant currency as a social media channel to resolve customer issues, and many brands have used Twitter advertising to promote products. Hashtags remain Twitter’s biggest draw as attracting particular segments, spreading information on promotions and offers is made so much easier through their use. Twitter too has a Buy Now button to allow followers of the brand to directly purchase in real time. Using followers, keywords and tailored audience features, fashion brands can reach the exact demographics they’re looking to target.

• With buy buttons customers can now buy merchandise from the brand’s twitter page.

Pinterest: With nearly 200 million users Pinterest gives rival Instagram a good fight, providing options for image sharing, brand building and customer connect. The Pinterest boards allow a user (such as a fashion brand) to set up different sections where images relevant to the topic of that board can be shared. These boards can also be made private or restricted to a definite number of individuals, such as past customers, allowing designers to showcase their collections in advance to get feedback and reviews from genuine buyers. Pinterest’s Buy button, called Buyable Pins has a similar features to the other buy buttons allowing users to buy products without leaving the app environment.

• Pinterest buy button is an effective tool for directing customers to buy merchandise with one click from the image itself.

While these are not the only social media apps that can be used by fashion brands to promote, share, sell and interact, they are among the most wide-reaching and cost-effective solutions, making it possible for small fashion brands to create, build and maintain followers and loyal audiences who will support and promote an upcoming fashion brand.

What are you doing to take advantage of the features on these platforms? I’d love to hear your stories. Do add your comments below or write to me here.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer, Sourcing and Manufacturing Consultant helping fashion brands to plan, design and develop new collections with small quantity garment manufacturing. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest Instagram

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What is a Tech Pack and How to Create One…

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apparel, apparel manufacturing vendors, apparel production, Fashion Business, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, fashion startup, garment, garment files, garment manufacturing, measurement charts, patterns, sizing, start up fashion brands, start up fashion labels, style, technical design, technical designers, technical specifications, technology, techpack, what is techpack

Anybody looking at the fashion industry from the outside sees a lot of creativity and glamour. But behind the glitzy glamor and the creative capabilities lies a tremendous amount of hard work and effort. Those of us who enter the world of fashion entrepreneurship soon realize this. Fashion design does not just start and end at the drawing board. Just like a beautiful monument without plans detailing every minute element, or a race car without an exact engineering drawing, garments cannot move from the concept to the production stage without a tech pack.

What is a tech pack? It is to a fashion designer what a building plan is to an architect – a complete map of the product to be created. A tech pack essentially converts your design from a dreamy concept into a practical piece of clothing that can be produced, in small or large quantities. It tells a garment manufacturer what elements need to be included and where, the type, quality and dimensions of the fabric and other elements

Tunic techpack for a women’s casual wear brand.

A good tech pack consists of a combination of images and measurements, made in such a way that every detail of the garment is captured. It usually consists of:

• The flat sketch of a garment from front and back, with close-ups of the complicated sections
• Details for the stitching, fabric, trims and embellishments. This may include details of the suppliers as well, and can include a swatch of the fabric as well as samples of the embellishments such as lace, buttons, etc.
• Measurements of all the important dimensions including the size of any added portions or cutaways.
• Details of the embroidery, print, patterns and labels to be used.
• Packaging instructions

With a tech pack, a designer need not be present during the entire manufacturing process, and the garment manufacturer can execute production of the sample and final order to specifications. Be sure to include as many details as possible. A good tech pack will help you with grading, pattern making, calculating cost and yield of the material and determine your approximate cost of production.

At times, modifications may be required due to technical constraints in the production process. These changes are incorporated in the tech pack and the new one is used, just as building plans may change marginally when construction is in progress to account for unforeseen obstacles. Keeping the tech pack updated ensures everyone has a clear idea of what needs to be done.

Unlike fashion design concepts, tech packs are purely technical tools with strict guidelines. However, it is essential for any designer to be able to create a tech pack, so that you know the intricacies of the design. This makes it easier for you to guide the factory and ensure that the garment created meets your requirements. You can create a tech pack using tools like Adobe Illustrator, or work with a technical designer like Fuel4Fashion, who will convert your sketches and concepts into production-ready tech packs.

With a tech pack, you are now armed and ready to convert your concepts into a physical garment that the world can wear and flaunt. If you need any help, do get in touch with me at here with your queries.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion. She is a Freelance Fashion Designer, Sourcing and Manufacturing Consultant helping fashion brands to plan, design and develop new collections with small quantity garment manufacturing. Fuel4Fashion social links: Twitter, Pinterest Instagram

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How to select the perfect fashion brand name in 7 easy steps.

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fashion blog, fashion brand, fashion design, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, fashion label, fashion world, fashionbrands, freelance fashion designer, logo, prints, proto, target audience

As you prepare to launch your own fashion label, you face the challenge of deciding on a brand name. While the fashion world is full of names that are easily recognizable, finding one that fits you and the particular segment of customers you are targeting can be a challenge that many first time fashion entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed with.

Coming up with a name for a fashion brand involves a lengthy process, and is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Here are a few steps that will help you structure that process and hopefully make it easier.

Selecting the perfect brand name and logo for your fashion start-up

Focus on your target audience

A brand should appeal to its target audience. What segment are you looking to appeal to – youthful, sophisticated, urban, and edgy? Your brand name needs to be a reflection of this key trait. This is why sports brands are usually short – Nike, Reebok, Fila, Puma – and so on. Torrid, a brand that focuses on large sizes for teenage girls and younger women, appeals to the romantic predispositions of this audience.

Determine your brand personality

Fashion brands tend to represent the personality of the designer, and it’s not surprising that many brands are the names of their owners themselves – Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan – but if your name is not as easy to roll off the tongue, you’re better off creating one that is a reflection of the personality – like Forever21 appealing to young women. A combination can also work if paired well, either individually or as a mash-up of the two words.

Be Innovative and edgy, but don’t go over the top

Many fashion entrepreneurs are disposed towards creating a brand name that a reflection of current trends or fads by being sharp and memorable, but this can backfire over time if the trends change. Being too edgy can also hurt, as the name loses its shock value over time – FCUK being a prime example, says Steve Manning of branding and naming consultancy Igor.

Watch out for Copyrights

While many find it tempting to use permutations and misspellings of common names, it might misfire if your audience doesn’t know how to spell your name correctly. If people can’t read, pronounce or remember a name it’s definitely the wrong one, so avoid names like Wynd, Phyre, etc. even though they might be tempting. And do check copyright and trademark registries to avoid taking one that already owned by someone else. Using a foreign word might be an interesting way to project your brand, but be sure there’s no one using that brand in the markets you are looking to target.

Simple Tests to Determine the Success of Your Brand Name

Alexandra Watkins, CIO of Eat My Words, a brand creation agency advocates two tests to determine if the brand name will be likely to succeed, which she calls the SMILE and SCRATCH tests. The test to check what qualities your brand name should have is the SMILE Test. Essentially it stands for

Simple – easy to understand

Meaningful – one which your customers easily relate

Imagery – creates a strong visual association

Legs – it should have the ability to stay relevant for a long time

Emotional – builds a bond, entertains, evoke a strong feeling.

The SCRATCH test is one to determine the qualities a brand name should not have. It stands for

Spelling – it should not be complicated to write or remember

Copycat – should not sound like or remind one of a similar brand

Random – one which has no association with the product

Annoying – evoking negativity

Tame – has very feeble associations

Curse of Knowledge – is understood only by insiders

Hard to Pronounce – If they can’t say it, they can’t remember it.

A good brand should be able to pass each of these tests, for it to be memorable.

Make Stakeholders part of the process

Once you’ve drawn up a short list of the brand names you’d like, share them with a small circle of influential people. These include investors, suppliers, your designer, employees and consider their opinion, although you should be the one to make the final decision. This helps you get an outside feel for the brand as well, and makes decision making easier.

Build a suitable image or logo to go with the brand name

The name is one part of the branding process. The logo and color palette that make up the logo are also part of the branding process. A suitable color palette and image will support and enhance the name, make it more memorable and easy to recall.

When we launched our business, the name came out of a simple understanding that we were here to help a fashion brand achieve its goals – hence the fuel that drives fashion brands, or simply put, Fuel4Fashion. The alliteration also helps us in building recall, and it simplifies what we do for our target audience, namely fashion entrepreneurs and growing fashion labels.

Building a brand takes time, and fashion brands require more due to the crowded nature of the market. But with a good brand name that represents the style of the clothes themselves, you are likely to build a stronger brand following and better recall as the years go by.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

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Challenges of Creating a Pre-Set Offering for Fashion Design Projects

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apparels, blog, business offerings, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, freelance fashion designer, garments, pricing, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

The freelancing space has been getting a lot of attention, and freelancing platforms offer freelancers and buyers the opportunity to get together for projects ranging from a simple logo to creating content and even mobile apps. Freelance fashion designing too has been growing with small and upcoming fashion labels able to connect to hundreds of freelance fashion designers across the globe through platforms like Elance-Odesk, PPH and Guru.

Freelancing platforms have been the intermediaries of such discussions and help create clarity between both sides. However, what happens when a client directly interacts with a freelancer? How does a freelancer determine what is the right price for a project and how do clients ensure they have a clear understanding of what will be delivered, when and in what format? There are numerous variables and any one of them can be misinterpreted, leading to dissatisfaction on one side or the other. Freelancers also face a challenge in trying to regularize the flow of work to ensure they’re not overburdened with multiple deadlines too close to one another.

To some extent, content creators and marketers have found ways to resolve this issue. Many offer standard packages for creating blogs, tweets, FB posts and the like, and a number of agencies offer packages for white papers, website content updates, product descriptions, etc. (E.g. This and this) Others bill clients on the hours of work that would be put in; giving an approximation of the content that would be created in that time. But applying this for freelance fashion design can be tricky. The scope of work varies widely, depending on the kind of garment designs required, the level of detail, the number of garments, and other elements that might be needed such as measurement charts, tech packs and the like. On the whole, it seems impossible.

At Fuel4Fashion, we were determined to give it a try. The result is our new Pricing page that gives clients the opportunity to choose between two models – project and subscription – for their fashion design requirements. With a project based model, you get your work in the best time possible, and different pricing levels give you the various added features that make up the design package. With a subscription based model, you get a few designs every month, based on the fashion design trends for your segment, at a more reasonable cost than getting them all at one go in project form. The latter is a definite advantage if you are a fast fashion (think Zara, H&M) or boutique label that needs new designs at regular intervals to keep the store inventory fresh.

At the start of our engagement, all the relevant details will be taken, before creating the concepts and designs specific to your needs. The designs chosen by you will not be offered to anyone else, and each client will get a set of unique designs that combines current fashion trends with the individual DNA of their fashion label. In return, you are assured of timely delivery, clear deliverables and the best work, at economical rates that make sense for your growing fashion business.

As a fashion business, does this kind of pricing model work for you? Do let us know through your comments below. If you’d like to share any personal insights, write to me here.

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

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The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015

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apparels, blog, fashion blog, fashion designers, fashion illustrations, fashionalert, freelance fashion designer, garments, men's wear, pattern, Trend forecasting 2015, trends, Virtual Fashion Design Studio

Fashion for men has always been about basics and trying to interpret ideas along the current trends. For those who love fashion in its contemporary form, spring trends are easily intended for them. The runway shows and designer collections have a lot to tell on what we would be wearing in days to come, especially about the freshest season of the year. Here are the top spring 2015 trends in menswear!

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – Get sporty

Get sporty: In the last few seasons, the athletic look seems to come straight out of the sports court to the ramp, and the trend has been rampant in both men and women collections. If you love being sporty and look more like a man with a cool quotient, the good news is the new element is everywhere in spring 2015. As for the cues, you can check Carven that has managed to make the baseball tee look more authentic than ever. When buying clothes online, you also need to own one of the caps, which have been used in some collections like that of Umit Benan.

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – Unusual colours

Unusual colours: Pink for a suit? Well, this seems like someone mistook the women trends for spring in menswear! However, you will change the idea once you see the soft pink shade of suit used by Dolce & Gabbana for their spring 2015 collection. That is more like a bold statement that needs a lot of understanding and daring attitude on how to carry off the look without making it look funny.

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 -Welcome the spring sandals

Welcome the spring sandals: Most men will agree that spring sandals are comfortable and genuinely easy to carry off, and the look came to the runway at the Fendi collection. It doesn’t get better than wearing a pair of casual tees, shorts and a pair of casual sandals. Black and leather should be the ideal combination, but if you like experimenting, a few of the bold colours in sandals can certainly replace the crocs. Another strong contender is a pair of sneakers, which works effectively a stylish cool statement. Click here to check some fresh sneakers!

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – Get the trench coat

Get the trench coat: For those, who checked the collection of Dries Van Noten for spring 2015, they have one thing to admit- the trench looks perfect for the spring! Yes, you can now wear the spring trench coat like a pro without having worried on the statement. In the sudden spring rain, getting casual and effective with regular dressing ideas doesn’t get bigger and better than this!

The Best Trends to Emerge From Menswear Spring Collections 2015 – The statement blazer is back

The statement blazer is back: If you love statement blazer, you should check the Gucci collection for the season. Unabashed and truly macho with a school boy touch, the blazer went for a complete makeover. That’s something we would like to own for the days when there is nothing new to wear, and you can trust this blazer to transport you to style zone.
Start your fashion collection now!

[Images Credit: www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion]

Author: Suzy Walsh is the Editor for The House of Elegance Fashion- a popular and growing fashion blog. She writes for a number of websites and magazines as their chief contributor and guest writer

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

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Picking Your Valentine’s Day Outfit

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apparels, blog, colors, Dailylook, fashion designers, fashion history, freelance fashion designer, garments, LBD, little black dress, outfit, Valentine's day

I had done a post on the Little Black Dress a while back, and I thought this would be just the right time to take a look at it again. February is here, and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, all the ladies are just waiting to get jazzed up for that special night with their loved ones. This is one evening that you want to look PERFECT, and since it’s a Saturday night this time round, get ready for some serious competition from all the other pretty women around. All the popular hotspots are going to be brimming with beautiful ladies, and if you want to stand out, it’s going to take some preparation!

To help you choose what to wear, Daily Look has put together their best choices for the Little Black Dress The LBD forms the base of your look for the evening, and I’ve put together a couple of outfits – accessories and all – that I think will make your beau have eyes only for you the entire evening! Depending on your taste, pick which one of the two best suits you, and have a wonderful time with your special someone.THE LOOK: The classy stylish you wants to be sure of creating an impression, and this outfit is designed to do just that. This pleated LBD with lace all over, extending to the sleeves and a high neckline highlights your face and arms to their best. The gold Arab style necklace, ring and bracelet, complemented with gold rod earrings and a vintage gold hair comb proclaim you the Queen of your beloved’s heart. Paired with a brown leather purse and high heeled animal print slippers, this look is definitely a winner!

THE WISHLIST: Those of you aiming for a younger, flirtier and more daring look can opt for this second outfit, especially if you want to attract some jealous attention! A bare shoulders sleeveless spaghetti straps LBD with a pleated fringe creates a layered classy look that will have your loved one looking at you in a new light. Pair this with black stone-studded platinum/white gold based jewelry, like this choker necklace, bracelet and danglers. A studded watch and black and white chain purse, paired with sparkling stiletto sandals completes the ensemble and will definitely classify you as a head-turner.

I loved both these looks, and if the evening program calls for a romantic, intimate candlelight dinner, I would go for the former. But if it’s a night out on the town, the second look is definitely what I would opt for. So have fun, and enjoy your special evening!

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Supriya Ghurye is the founder and owner of Fuel4Fashion, the freelance fashion design studio for multiple product designing in apparels that caters to start-up fashion labels and growing fashion brands with a diverse portfolio of design services. She is a member of the Cherie Blair Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurship Program and has over a decade of fashion industry experience with international labels and start-ups.

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