Conclusions from Primary Research

After carrying out primary research around Nottingham, my group decided to meet and discuss our findings and analyse them further, this will help us to determine the following:

- Where we feel the opportunities lie
- What market level we want to work at
- Who our ideal target consumer might be
- What sort of retail environment we would want to create
- Where we would want the product to be sold (e.g. department stores/online etc)

During the meeting we decide that the most effective way to collate our information for comparison would be to split up the different areas between us. This way we could go away and write up all our notes and thoughts on the different retail spaces we visited, before meeting again to compare our findings and ideas in a much clearer and organised way. 

The areas that I focused on were the two major department stores in Nottingham that we chose to look at; these were John Lewis and House of Fraser. The document below contains my written up notes on both of these stores as well as my own comparative opinion.

Primary Research in Nottingham

Primary Research in Nottingham

During today's lecture we were introduced to a group activity that required us to carry out primary research, on the perfume market, within Nottingham. The lecture gave us a list of key places to visit during the day, including department stores, specialist stores, and a variety of stores that range from economy level stores to the higher end designer/luxury stores. The specific list of where my group chose to go is shown below:

- John Lewis

- House of Fraser 

- Boots

- The Perfume Shop

- The Fragrance Shop

- The Body Shop

- Wilkinsons  

- Keihls

- Lush

- Jo Malone

- Aveda

- Molton Browns

During the lecture we were also given a list of 9 points to consider when gathering information in Nottingham, these are as followed:

1. PRICE

- Market Level - Economy/Mid Market/Luxury

- Shifts in market level/perceptions/players in new markets/level hybrids/cross overs/masstige/uber luxury

- Are new gaps or newly defined sectors emerging?

- Are there opportunities here?

2. GENDER

- Male/Female/Unisex

- Shifts in gender narratives/codes/languages/gender balances/neutrality/unisex/gender polarisation

- How does the gender messages (strong or weak) relate to the price point or the target age group?

- Are there opportunities here?

3. AGE

- Target consumer - Range/Generation/Demographic etc

- How does the communication/narrative/packaging/promotional/tactics reflect the target age group?

- Are certain age groups being under-represented?

- Are there opportunities here?

4. STORY

- Product Narrative 

- Name/Copy/Strap line etc

- What are the key phrases/name/language being used?

- How would you categorise the type of message? - Emotion/Consequence/Location/Ingredient/Celebrity

-  Are the relevant stories/resonate messages not being used?

- Are there opportunities here?

5. TREND 

- Adoption of Fashion

- Motif/Pattern/Cultural/Social/Historical etc

- What are the key trends related icons/motifs/patterns/colours being used?

- Are there key trends in reference certain historical/social/cultural phenomenon that are being underused?

- Are there opportunities here?

6. OBJECT

- Packaging/Bottle/Label

- Visual codes/colour/semiotics/silhouette etc

- What are the key aspects?

- How do the key aspects of the design signal the relationship to the market level/weight/quality/

interaction/sound

- What are the basic print/construction/manufacturing elements? (cost)

- Are there opportunities here?

7. RANGE

- Star product VS Full range

- How has the star product been developed in terms of range extension?

- Seasonal/Limited edition/special edition?

- Are there opportunities here?

8. CONTEXT

- Retail Environment/Visual Merchandising

- How is the product reflected and supported by point of sale/display/in store promotion etc?

- What are the more innovative aspects of these at the various market levels and key distribution channels?

- Are there locations being underdeveloped in terms of possible touch points?

- Are there opportunities here?

9. USP (Unique Sales Point)

- Innovation/Points of Difference

- What examples of sector deviation/maverick approaches/challenge strategies and unique perspectives can you find?

- Are there opportunities here?

New York Trend Report

Brief: 

Initial Booklet and Feedback: 

Finial Report:

The 10 Commandments of FCP

Summary:

Today Claire's lecture was titled 'The 10 Commandments of FCP' and included 10 things we must all check and do with any printed work before we print it. This will be a great list to refer back to when doing printed work to help us to make sure work is presented at it's best.

The 10 Commandments of FCP

1. Thou shalt not present pixellated or distorted images 
2. Thou shalt use a grid structure 
3. Thou shalt respect the 10 commandments of type
4. Thou shalt not use unnecessary elements on the page
5. Thou shalt not use standard printer paper 
6. Thou shalt consider the aesthetic of the brand
7. Thou shalt use spell check and proof read
8. Thou shalt avoid design that does not work in context
9. Thou shalt always do a test print
10. Thou shalt use thy reflective journal 

Within my sketchbook, I have written these up along with my notes from the lecture:

Recommended Reading:

Initial Perfume Research

After meeting with my group for the first project in Module 2, we have decided to put together a group Pinterest on which we can post all our research of existing products in our sector as well as our own designs and ideas. Below is a link to this Pinterest:


Before putting this together I did my own research of existing products on my own Pinterest account, below is a link to the 'Perfume Research' board that I've created and some screen shots of this:

http://www.pinterest.com/alicehoar/perfume-research/

I also created a board for all imaged of perfume; including bottle designs, advertisements and images that may inspire us later in the project. This board could provide ideas for our own designs and adverts within the module. Below are some screenshots of this board and a link:

http://www.pinterest.com/alicehoar/all-things-perfume/

Taste Makers

For my seminar this Thursday I have been given a brief that asks me to prepare and present two of my own 'taste makers' as a follow up from last weeks lecture by Tim Rundle on taste makers. The two people I select have to be people I feel have truly had an effect on fashion, music, art or another area of design, as well as inspired me as an individual. For this reason the two people I have chosen are Andy Warhol and Alexander McQueen.

Alexander McQueen

McQueen has always been an inspiration to me, his ability to take inspiration from anything and anyone around him and turn into amazing and iconic clothing always baffled me. I think this is a great example of a skill that can completely change your outlook on life as well as work. McQueen always saw the beauty in things, and the potential. I think this is truly admirable and something I aim for. He never took inspiration from clothes, or trends, or what designers before him had done; instead he focused on nature, religious ideas and futuristic fantasies as places of inspiration. Below is a link and screenshots from the Pinterest board I have created to use as part of a presentation:

http://www.pinterest.com/alicehoar/alexander-mcqueen-taste-maker/

Andy Warhol

Warhol is someone I have always found inspirational, similarly to McQueen, he had a very unique and specific outlook on life. Warhol always believed that everyone would get there 15 minutes of fame, and that life was all about indulgence and materialistic lifestyles. His artwork was shocking and controversial at the time, but is still celebrated today. His 'factory' became inspirational and admired by many, and brands such as Acne Warehouse have mimicked this idea as the basis for their brands. Warhol also had an impact on music at the time and was involved with 'The Velvet Underground'. His close friend Edie Sedgwick, whom he often photographed or had photos with, was a stunning model who features on the cover of magazines such as Vogue. Below is a link to my Andy Warhol Pinterest board and some screenshots:

http://www.pinterest.com/alicehoar/andy-warhol-taste-maker/

Sketchbook:

Taste Makers Lecture

Lecture Summary:

In today's lecture Tim spoke to us about 'Taste Makers' and the importance of knowing who is who in the history of fashion. Within the lecture he gave brief summaries about the most important people in fashion history; these were divided into the following four categories: 

1. Media, Retail and Press 
2. Patrons, Collectors and Socialites 
3. Muses and Creatives
4. Lifestyle and Interiors

Below I have typed up my notes from the lecture:

Media, Retail and Press

Patrons, Collectors and Socialites

Muses and Creatives

Lifestyle and Interiors

I have also translated this into my sketchbook:

My Opinion:

Personally, I found this lecture really interesting and insightful. It is always great to learn about people and trends in history that you were not previously aware of, as this encourages further reading and research of my own. I plan to look further into many of these famous fashion and lifestyle figures from throughout history as I feel that it will be useful in the future to be able to reference these key figures, styles, influences and inspirations.

The lecture was also a great way to spark our own imaginations and make us think about who or what it is that inspires us, who are our own personal taste makers? Within the seminar, Tim followed this idea up by setting us a brief that allows us to explore and research who we believe to be our own two taste makers. 

Reflection on Reading Week

Having finished reading Fashion Brands: Brand Style from Armani to Zara that was set as our reading week book, I thought I'd write a sort of summary of what I gained from this book:

The book, by Mark Tungate, was a brilliant and engaging read that provides a depth of knowledge on brands, brand histories and marketing strategies. It is definitely an essential read and on that I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in working any role in the fashion industry. It's definitely and easy read, it gets straight to the point and gets information across in a straight-forward and informal, journalistic way. I think the knowledge i've gained from this book will definitely help me throughout my current module as well as the rest of the course and when I eventually work in the industry itself.

Printed Document Research

I have started to put together a board on my Pinterest account to help me gather together images as a database of visuals that I can refer to for inspiration. The pictures include ideas on layouts, typography, stock/paper, binding options etc. I am hoping that this will help with ideas regarding my current project (New York Trend Report Booklet) as well as future printed products. Below are some screenshots of the board on my Pinterest and the link.

http://www.pinterest.com/alicehoar/print-formats/

Sketchbook:

The Perfume Brief

Introduction to Creative Networks

"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." - Aristotle

CREATING A FRAGRANCE BRAND

What we will cover:

• Concept to launch process
• Researching the market
• Identifying opportunities 
• Generating ideas
• Developing concepts
• Creating a brand and a product
• Producing marketing material
• Launch and promotion of a product

BBC Perfume Documentary

This documentary about perfume was made by the BBC in 2012/2013. The documentary was aired in 3 episodes. Below I have made some notes and comments on each of the episodes after watching them as part of the reading week activities.

1. 'Something Old, Something New'
Perfume is all about manipulating the senses, evoking memories and emotions within the consumer which allows them to develop a personal connection with the product. This is the key to good sales, as the personal connection that a consumer makes will also create a loyalty to the product and a sense of tradition.
"Fragrance is liquid luxury"
World renowned french perfume house relies on tradition entirely for their sales, hoping mothers will encourage their daughters to indulge in perfume the same way they do. 

2.

3.

The Six Major Design Movements

Following on from the videos we were required to watch as part of the reading week activities, I decided to try and answer or expand the rhetorical and thought-provoking questions asked at the end of each video:

Gothic Revival
Are you ready to get your goth on?
The gothic revival had a major influence on all design areas, but the area with the most significant influence is architecture. During the gothic revival, hundreds of gothic style churches and cathedrals we're built, many of which are still in use today. Although this is also the main area where the gothic style remains today, we also can still see today the influence on other areas such as literature, as without the gothic revival era, the classic tale by Lewis Carroll 'Alice in Wonderland' may never have existed. 

Arts and Crafts
Have you mastered your machines?
To this day technology has a massive impact on skilled trades that are constantly replaced by machines. This began with the industrial revolution, a historical breakthrough on one hand, but also the death of skill craftsmen. However, many people do still care about how and why products are made, be it technological or not; and good finishes and reliable products are what the consumer expects, something that could be all thanks to the craftsmen.

Bauhaus
How bauhaus is your house?
Bauhaus saw the beginning of the multi-qualified person. Students could study several areas together, sharing ideas and theories, rather than choosing simply between Art or Design. I believe this is the best way to learn, to not limit yourself to a certain area, certain skills or certain ways of thinking. In some ways this reflects ideas of postmodernism, by playing with all areas of Art and Design and blurring the boundaries between them.

Modernism
Do you buy into modernism?
Whilst on the one hand everybody wants a well finished and functioning product, the less is more, in my opinion, can never win, as style will always prevail. The best of both worlds is key, but at the end of the day, 9/10 people are more likely to go for the colour, shape or pattern rather than the functionality. 

American Industrial Design
Does American Industrial design do it for you?
This era just goes to show the down falls in modernist theory. The look, the shape, the colour, the wow factor, those are the things that often make simple products successful; purely because advertisers can have a field day with their descriptions and superlatives. Whilst the overall concept, when put in it's straight forward sense, may leave the consumer feeling somewhat cheated and deceived, this is the point where advertising and sales really came into play. This was the start of sales, advertising and marketing as we know it today, as appealing to the consumers indulgent side, selling them a slice of luxury lifestyle, that is how you get good sales. And it wasn't all bad, as the futuristic and stylish designs of the American Industrial era helped lift spirits and provide optimism for those living through the great depression.

Postmodernism
Planning something postmodern?
Postmodernism is the only way to describe modern thinking; ideas of rebellion, new from old, opposing, questioning. Postmodernism provides an edge, a push for complex thinking and rhetorical, unanswerable questions; something people crave in the average day-to-day mundane life of modern society. Modern society is a place where health and safety and facts and figures come first, where there is only right or wrong; postmodernism is the questioning of that, the questioning or science and the unknown, the idea or paradoxes and the impossible. The idea of something wrong being right, some good being in evil, and vice versa.