International Store Location Research:

Whistles is a fast growing company that was founded in the 1980’s, since its brand refresh in 2008, it has grown immensely. Because of this, it was harder to find a suitable place to launch both a new store, and a store that supports my brand stretch of a Childrenswear department. 

Le Toquet:

 Image from google maps

Image from my summer lunch

Le Touquet is a small town in northern France. It’s population year round is 5,355 but attracts up to 250,000 people in its summer months. It is known as an extremely wealthy area and nick named ‘The playground of rich Parisians’. 

Since I was four years old, I have visited Le Touquet numerous amounts of time, for family weekend lunches, during the last 5 years the shops that Le Touquet offer has grown from only supporting independent boutiques and small restaurants to much larger international companies. I think now is a fantastic time to introduce Whistles. 

From my own personal experience it is a fantastic town to place a childrenswear store, Le Touquets sea front consists of numerous beach activities and a huge water park. This attracts families from all over France, and means our target consumer will be around the town.

Brand Marketing

Kidswear Marketing

Case One: Marks and Spencer

Marks and spencer is know greatly for its fun, loving advertising. Kidswear is huge around the 'back to school' campaign but also shares playful, kids orientated adverts year round on http://www.marksandspencer.com/s/mands-tv.

This video, is a marketing advert using children to sell the clothes, as good quality to parents. Using phrasing such as 'and we are kids, so we are experts' creates a both a trusting advert and also reassures parents that the clothing is child suitable.

A visit from WGSN

After being lucky enough to have a guest speaker from WGSN, I got to understand the new websites layout, and how to utilise its great features. 

WGSN as a trend website; key points learned

Macro Trends - they are able to predict trends up to 5 years in advance. Trends such as Shape and materials but not always colour.

Trend forecasting is gathered through, adverting, films, music, arts, cars, architecture, art galleries, museums and people watching. They key to being a trend forecaster is being observant and thinking of key dates, events of the times. 

When looking into trends, you need to know your brand/ products target market, it is important to look into how the trend can apply to your consumers, and when to bring a trend in. 

Fashion is worked 18 months ahead of season, and a trend researching website will have 4 key themes. A brand may use 3 out of the 4, and introduce the themes through different season drops. 

From this I have looked into the key themes for SS15 Childrenswear. 

Creative ideas - Whistles

Following my research into couple brands. Whistles has recently stretched it's brand to menswear. Since the Whistles 2008 brand revamp, Whistles has boosted in the market becoming a highly desired premier brand. 

Through my extensive research, I am working on the idea of creating a further brand stretch into Childrens-wear. As some of its key stores i.e Northcote road's customer being the 'yummy mummy'. I think choosing the key stores, childrens-wear will be a huge benefit to the company. 

Key Trends SS15 Research

All images and info found via WGSN

WGSN report on Key SS15 Colours

All images and info found via WGSN

Fashion Map Part One: Up and Coming - Hotspot

Up and Coming - Brixton

Bar Seven - Brixton Village

Top Bars: Bar Seven, 

Top Food: Franca Manco (Pizza)

Top Location: Brixton Village

Brixton is one of those areas where people aren't always sure, however it is amazing what is has to offer. The Brixton Village is a trendy spot full of world cuisine restaurants in small awkwardly shaped units. It attracts both up and coming to famous musicians, the ones that enjoy the 'rough and ready' light exposed bars. Want to know the best thing? Its so up and coming that the prices are still ridiculously cheap compared to the likes of Shoreditch.  

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Fashion Hotspot - Clapham

Esca Cafe - Clapham High Street.

Whistles store - Northcote Road

Clapham borders onto Brixton, but welcome the polar opposites. Clapham; home of the yuppies.  

Clapham is swarming with young professions, men in banking and property accompanied by yummy mummy's and a fashion professionals. Both The high street and clapham junction contains bar after pub after bar, with numerous well known retail shops and small boutiques. It consists of 3 Tube stations, 2 Overground stations and one main line; Clapham North station, Clapham south, Clapham High Street down to the Common, Main line station Clapham Junction and finishes with Northcote road. It resembles some what of a zone 2 city. Everything you could ever need without having to venture into central. 

SS2015 Shows: Key Trends and Shapes

Whistles SS2015

images found via http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/models-walk-the-runway-at-the-whistles-ss-2015-presentation-news-photo/455373200

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McQueen SS2015 

image and info found via www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-sumer2015

This collection is described by Vogue as 'Boldly unique'. 

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Valentino SS2015

images via - www.vouge.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer

Introductions and Aspirations

As a second year fashion design and marketing student, each term comes closer to an end result - employment.  Taking the influence of the famous saying 'It's  not what you know, It's who you know' the companies I am aiming for are heavily influenced. 

1)Whistles; I have worked for whistles for over a year. Moving from a concession in the department store House of Fraser to a flagship stand alone on The Northcote Road. I have experienced two avenues of what whistles displays.  Yes as a company they offer a generous discount on products and as a fast growing company they are often featured in magazines as 'The New Cool Brand'. Not only that they offer fantastic support to their shop floor staff. This is the kind of working environment I want to start my career in. A team full of like minded, fashion forward people.

2)Estee Lauder; Not only is this company world wide known, they dominate most of the beauty market. This is enough to incise anyone to want to work for a company. As a member of my family works in the marketing department I get to hear first hand how wonderfully they treat there staff. They are know as a 'Life Brand', the kind of company once you join, you work there for life. 

3)ASOS; As an online only based company they have defined the future of retail. Fantastic customer benefits of 'Premiere' and free returns keeps customers coming back and back. Not only is ASOS own brand completely up to date with current trends, they also sell several brands. ASOS are known for being an incredibly hard company to work for, but as my interest lays with online/ digital marketing they are a perfect company to suit my career path


Once my career is on track and I have some kind of income, it makes you think next... Where would I like to live?

This option comes so easily to me. I am a Londoner born and raised and couldn't bare to be away from my beloved city for more than a year or so, It's something I know, I will always live within the M25. However this doesn't mean I am not open to trial living for 3-6 months around the world. This brings me to the obvious option; Paris. Each time I visit this city I fall in love with the architecture and the relaxed style of living. Growing up I have spent hundreds of weekends in various parts of France and the food will always be my favourite. Fresh sea-food and wine. Paris has to be my obvious answer as a Fashion Capital.