New York vs. London Spring Summer 2019: Which Fashion Week Did It Better?

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fashion, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion designer, fashion entrepreneur, fashion label, Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, New York fashion week, startup fashion brand, style, trends

Fashion trends are as fleeting as the lovely vase of roses at home that holds so much promise on day one, only to give up entirely on day three. However, isn’t that what we love? The sheer variety that each season brings to the runway is outdone only by the street styles that are so often on display.

New York and London fashion Weeks are no different. They’re well behind us now, but there are a few key fashion trends we can garner from both. At the same time, both events were also reflective of the current mood of the city they were hosted in- New York went bold and inclusive, while London did subtlety and understatement very well. Without further ado, here’s what we liked and disliked about both events.

What We Liked:  

1. The colors: Both Prabal Gurung at New York Fashion Week and Victoria Beckham at London Fashion Week did not shy away from amping up the color palette just a little bit. We loved Gurung’s interpretation of colors into some very tropical designs. Mrs. Beckham, on the other hand, brought some much-needed pop of color to the Londoner’s wardrobe. Are we seeing a cultural shift here?

2. Gender benders: We noticed a lot of designs in the New York Fashion Week that could have done just as well on men as they looked on the women. Androgyny is not a new concept, but this is the first time we’re seeing possibilities for the men as well. London, on the other hand, was much more conservative, and the surprises came mostly in the form of a versatile collection from traditionally niche designers like Burberry.

3. A touch of the new: We still stand by the fact that New York, as a city, is much more expressive than London. Perhaps, as a result, New York’s runways were dominated by elements beyond the visual. Dresses with sound details such as the Paco Rabanne collection took the drama one notch up. That’s one way to get noticed, we think. London, however, lacked such standout elements and more collections were geared towards the practical elements such as wearability.

4. Utility: Actual utility was high on every designer’s list at London. We attribute it to the economy that is floundering back to stability after Brexit, and really has no use for outrageousness. We spotted many more complete outfits in patterns that are far easier to carry off on the street as much as at an event.

5. The return of high fashion: Inspired by the royal wedding, several designers at London have gone after high-street dressing. Christopher Kane’s collection of classic, high-neck silhouettes is just one example. Erdem, too, followed suit.

6. Making everyday look beautiful: In contrast to London’s current demand for royal-wedding-worthy dresses, New York saw a spate of clothes that would be perfect wherever they’re taken. Both Tadashi Shoji and Rebecca Minkoff are proof of that.

All in all, while we loved certain aspects of both Fashion Weeks, there is no denying the fact that New York was higher on the fashion and versatility aspects, while London fared better on the usability of looks. That’s why we love back-to-back fashion events- they give us a chance to take the best from both worlds (or cities, in this case).

What We Disliked:  

We’re just glad that this was one season where the dislikes were far fewer and scattered in between some really stunning hits.

In both fashion weeks, we noticed a clear lack of usable accessorizing. When it did exist, it was sparse and barely noticeable. A great look can be trashed by the wrong accessory. Another aspect where we expected better was the scope for using a variety of different fabrics. Some designers managed to do this and excelled with some very good results (like Naeem Khan at NYFW and David Coma at LFW). But, there was scope to do so much more, as you’ll see from our Spring Summer trend forecast. 

However, that’s all we could find to complain about, and that in itself is saying something, isn’t 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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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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Bootstrapping Your Fashion Business? Let These Seven Tools Help You

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bootstrapping fashion business, business tools, fashion, fashion biz, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion business owner, fashion entrepreneur, fashion label, fashion software, fashion startup, fashion tech tools, fashion tool, successful fashion business

Choosing to start a business of any kind with no external funding can be a daunting task. If you’ve chosen this path, well, bravo! We’re here to help you succeed. And in today’s work environment, we know that success is directly proportional to the degree of automation we can create.

Here are seven tools that our team uses and approves for running a successful fashion business.

1. Pixlr: Pixlr is a photo editor for those with minimal photo editing skills. Pixlr’s advertised USP is that it has over two million free combinations to try out and it doesn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for something beyond a photo editor and need a tool that can help with design, look no further than Pixlr. A host of icons, illustrations, and base templates almost ensure that you always find something that you need.

2. Pexels: We all know that stock images are costly, and while we may splurge on them for branding, a free photo or two ensure that your campaigns are not held up for want of a beautiful image. This is where Pexels comes in with a host of stock free images that are easy to find with the right keyword. Another tool you can try is PixaBay.

3. AwesomeScreenshot for Chrome: Those who use a Mac probably don’t need a screenshot tool because a keyboard shortcut and the Preview app are quite sufficient. For everyone else, there’s AwesomeScreenshot. This Chrome extension allows you to take screenshots of virtually anything on the browser and even provides cool editing features.

4. Calendly: As a businessperson, you will now be meeting and interacting with a lot of people. You want to ensure that you don’t miss an appointment and that you’re adequately prepared for each one. This is where Calendly helps. Just send a link to the people you’ll be interacting with and schedule them into a time slot. Gather their email address and phone number, and call them proactively. Another handy way to use Calendly is to incorporate the link into your email campaigns.

5. Google Drive: A paid cloud subscription is almost irreplaceable now that you’ll be gathering a lot of raw data. Sign up for one of Drive’s paid plans and store all of your data safely, prevent losses and share what you need to easily.

6. Noisli: It’s okay to admit that our days are often filled with distractions. The Noisli app is just what you need to put a hard stop to these distractions and do your best work. What better way to do it than with music and white noise? Still, have doubts? Give it a try- you will not be disappointed.

7. Zoho One: Many entrepreneurs call Zoho One their own personal assistant. And why not? With over forty app integrations that work seamlessly with each other, it covers the whole gamut from sales and productivity to finance, and people management. And the price will really, really surprise you.

Which of these tools would you like to try for your business? Also, have you taken a look at our article on Design Tools for your business yet?

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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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Beyond Digital: Offline And Inbound Marketing For Your Fashion Business

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brand consultant, digital marketing, fashion, fashion brand, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion designer, fashion marketing, inbound marketing

Digital marketing may sure be the only way to get the attention of an online audience. However, does this mean that merely by betting on it, you’ll be able to get your brand visibility and sales? The truthful answer is, no.

For one, online shopping is just about catching up, and before buying clothing and accessories (beyond the t-shirts and tunics), most people would want to experience the product, especially if they’re new to the brand. It is thus safe to say that just as brands and retail are present both offline and online, marketing efforts should be directed in both channels. In an earlier article, we have spoken about digital marketing for fashion brands.

In this one, let’s discuss offline and inbound marketing.

Today, most marketers understand inbound as a subset of online marketing, specifically, emails. However, anything that actively brings customers and their buying intent into your store is inbound, and this can be anything from a store level event to a pop-up. Without further ado, let’s look at some offline methods you can use to market your brand.

1. Go Beyond The Billboards. Today’s customers are bombarded with static and dynamic billboards wherever they go. This influx of information does nothing for brand recall. Instead, focus on value. What can you offer through your advertising that is useful to a potential customer? This can be anything from a lookbook to a consultation. “But how do we get them to come to us first?”, you may ask. Online advertising is an excellent place to begin.

2. Level Up Your Ideas. For brands that are beginning to sell in multi-store settings like malls, it is essential to direct the attention to yourself actively. Remember a decade ago, when mascots would be standing around to guide you to a place? You need to do something similar, but make it much more sophisticated. What if you could organize a treasure-hunt around the mall, with simple cues in the elevator or stairs? Marketing has long moved past flyers and bills.

3. Make Packaging Awesome. Many lingerie brands do this, as do perfumeries. Make the packaging so attractive that people feel like they’re giving themselves a present. Chances are, they’ll share it online and tell more people about it. In any case, it doesn’t hurt to add a small CTA (call to action) on the box asking people to share their experience online.

4. Look At Pop-Ups and Collaborations. Pop-up stores are insanely famous today because they offer an element of the unexpected. Make your pop-ups interesting, but not intimidating. Depending on your brand’s core audience, loud music may or may not work. Likewise, look at collaborating with other stores to conduct events on grooming and makeup, or to educate people on the different kinds of handbags. You’ll be surprised by how many people look for such advice.

As you can see, offline and online marketing today do not exist in two separate vacuum containers. They go hand-in-hand to help you gain more out of your efforts. For example, an event could be offline, but its promotion takes place online.

What is the most exciting marketing campaign you’ve ever encountered? 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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6 Ways To Leverage Digital Marketing To Get Your Fashion Brand The Visibility, And Sales, It Needs

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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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The Stages Of The Fashion Branding Process That Decide Your Brand’s Position

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brand colors, brand identity, brand style, branding, corporate kit, fashion, fashion brand, Fashion Branding, Fashion Business, fashion designer, Fuel4Fashion, logo, logo designing, style guide, visual elements

In the world of branding, the terms used to refer to different processes can be confusing and frustratingly similar. So, before we discuss the stages of fashion branding, let’s get the jargon out of the way.

Branding is the umbrella term that refers to the process of coming to a consensus on a brands style, design, and purpose. In a way, branding is a verb, an action item. Brand identity design is the actual use of all of these conclusions to design the logo, decide the type, etc. A brand style is all of these elements like logos and packaging put into action across media, and a style guide or a brand guide is your one-stop reference point for all of these attributes.

Now that that’s understood let us look at the six key stages of the fashion branding process.

1. Who Is Your Business? The ‘who’ is important, because every fashion business represents a distinct personality. Many people confuse this with, “who are you?” and quick ironically end up transferring their own personality to their brands. Branding professionals spend most of their time digging out this aspect- workshops, questionnaires, interviews are all a part of this process. This is also the stage where you define how your fashion brand’s personality aligns with business goals. For example, a house of fashion always puts quality over numbers.

2. Where Is Your Market? In the second stage of the process, you need to understand if your business goals align with who you think your audience is. And for that to happen, you need to know your audience. Market research can be conducted through surveys, interviews with real people, designing consumer personas, etc. Your brand’s design eventually needs to appeal to these people.

3. Designing The Logo. Most branding agencies design the logo before moving on to other visual elements. This is because your fashion brand’s logo has the highest recall value among your audience. A lot of thought, therefore, needs to go into it. Quick example: Think Forest Essentials, Nike, Good Earth. Surely, the logo popped into your mind with no effort involved.

4. Designing The Visual Elements. Using the insights from steps one and two, and using the logo as inspiration, the visual elements are born. For example, think Zara. The typography used to represent the brand is recognizable in almost every language. Likewise, every fashion brand has elements other than the logo, such as what goes on a shopping bag, that help reinforce the brand’s image.

5. The Corporate Kit. Once all these elements are in place, they still need to make sense to a designer, or a production manager. Most branding agencies also help with designing the visiting cards, letterheads, bags, boxes, etc. to depict how the branding elements must be used across different elements. Needless to say, this is also the aspect that most clients look forward to seeing.

6. The Style Guide. This is like the bible of a fashion company’s branding exercise. A style guide is often a very comprehensive document, developed to serve as a future reference. Some branding agencies may pass on the mantle of advertising after a while. In such a case, the style guide helps all stakeholders use all of this material correctly.

As you can see, the first two stages of the branding process can seem like a black box to those just beginning to contemplate branding for their business. This is also why experts come into the picture at these stages- because a keen understanding of the industry and prior experience with niche branding always helps you come to more accurate conclusions.

Overwhelmed? Why not take a look at this article we did on branding secrets to know what you need to, and need not, do?

And as far as branding your fashion business goes, you’re in good hands because

a) We’re fashion branding experts, and can help you make the process seamless. Get in touch at supriya@fuel4fashion.com for a consultation.

b) We’re dedicating the entire month to discussing all things branding and style. So, do drop in your questions, subscribe to the blog, and sign up for our newsletter (businesses, here and students, here) to learn more.

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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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Beyond The Fancy Mirror On the Wall: Why AI Is Set to Change Fashion, And Not How You Thought

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#fashiondesigner, artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence in design, artificial intelligence in sales and services, brand consultant, fashion, fashion brands, fashion consultant, fashion retail, machine learning, machine learning and supply chain, technology

Artificial Intelligence is the latest buzzword today. After the industrial revolution and the invention of the World Wide Web, Machine Learning and AI are indeed the next big thing.

Why?

Because a machine with enough data can predict events before they happen, can skim through more data than a million humans in one lifetime, and can help businesses implement these learnings into their strategy!

Some experts are quick to disregard AI in fashion as nothing but a fancy tool to bring more customers into a store. We say, this in itself is not bad. However, the real potential of AI lies well beyond the stores- indeed, it quite literally lies behind the scenes. Because fashion as a business is simply retail, after all.

EDITED, a retail technology company | Source: Courtesy

Here are a few ways in which we think AI in fashion can help make the world, and the business, a better place:

1. Machine Learning and Supply Chains: From the garment manufacturer to the accessory-supplier, every stakeholder in the chain influences when a collection will be ready. Using past delivery trends, a machine can predict where bottlenecks are most likely to arise and help you solve the problem even before it begins. Think Just In Time Inventory Management, adapted to suit manufacturing needs.

2. Artificial Intelligence and Automation: If you’ve heard the new Google Assistant making a hairdresser’s appointment, you already know that machines are poised to perform repetitive tasks with a small degree of variance. Imagine if they could track inventory levels globally, and raise purchase orders when stock levels run too low. Some applications already do this, but by leveraging AI, human intervention in inventory and subsequent errors can almost be nullified.

3. Artificial Intelligence in Design: The actual designing process is a creative endeavor, and from where we currently stand, it is highly unlikely that machines will do it better than humans anytime soon. However, tools can work in tandem with human teams to gather trend data from around the globe to predict what would sell well in the coming seasons- the future climate, economy and social norms taken into account.

4. Artificial Intelligence in Sales and Service: Amazon has just debuted a store where billing is automatic. What if audio-enabled trial rooms became a thing? What if they could offer consumer opinions on the right size and fitting by ‘looking’ at them in a piece of attire? Not just that, even for online brands, more sophisticated chatbots are the need of the hour. Not only do they serve as efficiently, but they also reduce the cost of after-sales service.

5. Machine Learning in Collaborative Fashion: Brand collaborations are not new, but what if they could collaborate with a purpose? For example, a grassroots level linen brand and a global house of fashion could work to create a collection that adds value to everyone involved. Machines can observe trends from around the world and recommend these value-based collaborations.

As the saying goes, give a machine enough data, and it will show you the truth. Scary as it may seem, any repetitive task repeated a million times can approximate what a human being can do. Time to put the machines to task alongside the people then, wouldn’t you say?

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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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Five Branding Secrets for A Fashion Startup That Is Poised To Succeed

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brand color, brand identity, brand story, brand value, branding, fashion, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion designer, fashion industry, fashion labels, fashion startup, Fuel4Fashion, inspiration, logo, startup fashion brand, startup fashion label, value propositions

 In any business, branding establishes the core identity that guides companies in making choices and sells the product or service. Often, businesses fall back on their brand values to make crucial decisions about their operations.

However, nowhere else is branding as relevant as it is in fashion. This is because simply put, your brand is an expression of what you stand for, which in turn is a form of expression for the many hundreds of people who will be buying, and wearing, your clothes.

Quick question: If someone were to cover up your brand’s name and just show the logo, how many people would be able to identify it?

Sounds silly, but this is how houses such as Louis Vuitton or even aggregators like Myntra have made their mark in the world of fashion. Without further ado, here are five branding secrets that will set you on the path to sure brand success.

Selecting a perfect brand name and logo for your fashion brand

1. It is more than the logo. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. In fact, logo design is the very last bit of an exercise that often takes days to complete. A good branding agency fleshes out everything about your business and then designs collaterals based on that information. Compare this to creating a logo first and then finding an explanation for it. See the problem?

2. Start small. It is an excellent idea to have a grand vision. However, all grand visions start with a humble beginning, and that applies to branding as well. You do not need multiple standees, name boards, coffee mugs and backpacks right away. Indeed, producing these items can get quite expensive. Instead, consider what you need to get started- what the consumer will see. Then, expand with time.

3. Be consistent. Do you have multiple different cover images and logo patterns for various social media accounts? We probably don’t need to tell you that that is a bad idea. In the beginning, you want nothing more than consistency. Consistency is what builds recall.

4. Your branding is not your brand. Branding is an action, much like wearing clothes to an event. Branding in itself does not change your brand’s voice or purpose. Instead, it helps to bring out the finer details and accentuates that which you already do. Don’t ever think that your brand is limited to a style guide or a proposed Fifth Element. A person will always be more than the clothes they wear.

5. What’s your story? Every good brand has a story. And not just any story, but one that’s worth investing in. Remember, everyone who interacts with you is paying you in more than currency- they’re spending their time. You need to give them a compelling reason to do so. Chumbak’s story is creating souvenirs that are distinctly Indian. Wearable eccentricity is The Quirk Box’s brand story. You can see why it might resonate with travelers, and millennial, respectively. What’s your story? Your brand name often finds resonance with your brand story.

At this point, you’re probably wondering how you should go about the daunting task of telling your brand’s story.

Experts in the industry agree that even before you start selling, you as a fashion label must have a strong brand presence.

So don’t buy swatches with your first startup sixpence, but the story of your ‘why.’

Fuel4Fashion now offers branding solutions for fashion startups. For a consultation on the way forward, please write to me at supriya@fuel4fashion.com

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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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Women’s Workwear Trends in India: The Demand For Better Formals Is Here!

Tags

Allen Solly, apparel, brand consultant, design collection, fashion, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion designer, fashion entrepreneur, fashion startup, formal jackets, formal shirts, formal wear, Fuel4Fashion, Indianfashion, Park Avenue, Van Heusen, womensfashion, workwear

Until very recently, a few niche brands in the Indian market such as Allen Solly, Van Heusen, and Park Avenue have been the go-to options for picking western formalwear. Collections usually range from formal pants and skirts to jackets and shirts.

However, for the more discerning Indian woman, the choices in western formalwear were limited, to say the least. Even though aggregators like Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle began offering their in-house western formal collections, they have rarely been adventurous with their choice of clothing.

Today, the work culture around the world has changed, and India is no exception. Depending on the role they play, the local weather, the degree of comfort required and even how much they travel, women are choosing to dress in a variety of different clothes. Let’s look at the evolution of formal western wear for women here and save the discussion on Indian Ethnic Workwear for a separate article.

Here are some styles that have caught our eye.

1. The Shirt with A Twist: Gone are the days of boring formal shirts, whose best feature was often a ruffle or two around the button line. Today, shirts with lace trims, flowy sleeves and a relaxed vibe are in. Brands building a woman’s formal collection must now keep in mind the fact that many women prefer a relaxed fit, and limit a snug fit blouse to suits only. (Philip Lim, Image Source: Vogue)

The Shirt with A Twist

 

2. Statement Pants: Including that quintessential black trouser in your collection? Well, redesign it, or drop it, because no one is doing quintessentially with pants anymore. Wide-leg trousers are making a comeback and culottes are completely acceptable as formalwear. Think in-prints like floral and gingham. Today’s Indian woman knows how to blend comfort with a statement. (Chloe, Image Source: Vogue)

Statement Pants

 

3. A Midi Skirt: And we’re not talking about the pencil skirts with a slit anymore. Very few women, if any, prefer sitting through endless hours of meetings and calls in skirts that ride up and down on a whim. Instead, an A-line skirt that falls just around the knees is the preferred piece. As always, embellish. (Chicwish, Image Source: Chicwish)

A Midi Skirt

 

4. The New Formal Dress: Black isn’t the only formal tone anymore. In Indian summers, it would be anyone’s worst nightmare to have to step out in something black. Instead, keeping our tropical sensibilities in mind, the formal dress has evolved to be a flowy garment with one fitted element to bring it all together. (AND by Anita Dongre, Image Source: AND)

The New Formal Dress

 

5. Blazer 2.0: What does it take to brighten up the existing wardrobe? A new jacket, of course! Most cities in India barely inspire suiting up. However, some cities like Delhi are known to have harsh winters while Bangalore is known for its year-round need for jackets. Brands like H&M are beginning to evolve to meet this very need, and you’d do well to rethink what a jacket should be. (H&M, Image Source: Vogue)

Blazer 2.0

 

6. The Indian-Western Piece: This could be anything from Ikat culottes to a long line Kalamkari formal dress. India has a rich heritage of looms and fusion brands such as Bombay Paisley are tapping into the growing demand for clothes that let you breathe, and also look stylish and elegant at work. Incorporate a few of these elements into your designs, giving first priority to comfort. (Bombay Paisley, Image Source: Tatacliq)

The Indian-Western Piece

What other pieces do you think would make a splash on the western formalwear scene? 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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Cracking The Social Media Code For Fashion Startups

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brand consultant, fashion, fashion brands, Fashion Business, fashion consultant, fashion designer, fashion entrepreneur, fashion labels, fashion marketing, Fuel4Fashion, instagram follower, social media for fashion brands, social media planning

Being in the fashion space is no small endeavor. Apart from the actual design and production, you also need to focus on building your brand, gaining visibility and reaching the right target consumer. It is not enough to simply be present on social media channels and post regularly- instead, you need to find a way to reach your consumer’s headspace and stay there.

We’ll address the whole gamut of content, email and digital marketing for fashion in a separate article. Today, let’s discuss the world’s most valuable rented property- social media.

Brands and consumers alike flock to social media because of its broad outreach. Brands feel that this platform takes them to many more people, much like being on a stage and announcing that you are there. Consumers too subconsciously resort to social media for information, awareness, choices, and relevance.

Social Media for Fashion

Before we delve into the five essential aspects of social media for fashion brands, let us do a quick recap of what a brand means. Why do you wear sneakers with a swoosh mark on them? How do you recognize a McDonald’s in a foreign country?

Now, that’s what a brand aims to be- the most popular personality on the planet, so much so that it is recognized everywhere. That’s the brand you are trying to build.

With this big goal in mind, here’s what to do with your social media.

1. Have A Voice: Like a person, a brand believes in certain values, and communicates them in a certain way, either through language or through cues. For example, Victoria’s Secret embodies the idea of the ethereal woman, while Zara is for the generation that moves fast. Likewise, what does your brand stand for? It is worth speaking to a branding agency about this aspect before beginning your social media effort. All your communication should then speak to these values.

2. Choose The Channels: Not all brands need to be present on all channels. Many businesses start off on multiple channels only to be swamped by endless content calendars. Choose two channels and choose them well. If you sell B2B, you probably don’t need Facebook as much as you need LinkedIn, even as a fashion brand.

3. Attract The Right Users: How do you bring people to your pages? Step 1: Send invite links to all of your friends and family. Then, invite them again until they join. Step 2: Advertise. Spend some money and do your ad targeting right. Put out ads that the right people see. Talk to your primary customer personas. Step 3: Close the funnel. Once people see your ad, you want them to like your page. Include the relevant call-to-action within your ads. Step 4: Moderate your page for unwanted posts and comments.

4. Follow A Calendar: Today, almost all social media channels give you access to analytics. You can see how well your posts perform and track when your users are more active. Do more of what the audience likes. You may be a great opera singer, but on-stage, if your current audience wants instrumental, that’s what you deliver. Experiment with various content forms and choose those that work for you. Most importantly, follow a routine and do them consistently.

5. Convert The Customer: There is a good saying in the world of business- visibility does not dinner buy. You don’t want 10,000 followers on Instagram and zero sales on your site. Lead people to your web/ retail outlet and give them a reason to close the loop. For every post, consider what purpose you want it to serve, and check if that purpose has indeed been served. Email marketing is an excellent next step after social media to convert a slow-moving funnel.

What challenges are you facing with your social media?

Or, do you have a success story to share? 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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