Feature - Fashion Exposed Online

In a perfect world .......we would have a progressive fashion industry...

Well a New Year starts, and I thought I would make my New Years resolutions of changes which I would like to implement in the fashion industry. Some are realistic, some are purely wishful thinking perhaps, but all I feel passionate about, never less here it is...

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, with Robert Garland who was described by Ragtrader as a "veteran rag trader" with over 30 years experience in the fashion industry. Between the two of them, Phoebe & Robert Garland have over 50 years sales experience in fashion, publishing and advertising. Garland & Garland Fashion is a leading fashion agency based in Sydney and they are regularly sought for comment from various media on business fashion topics and issues.

1) In a perfect world: Fashion Agents would be charging showroom space for their ranges to manufacturers and distributors like it is standard in the U.S.A. With commission rates being a minimum 20% on everything. Building up labels takes an enormous amount of time and money and you don't earn a cent until they are established, which can take years. Getting to that point is costly and to be honest some may never happen. In most other industries, they would charge by the hour or by campaign and they would charge a lot. Commission only is a very outdated method of payment for the rising costs of business today.

2) In a perfect world: There would be an end of the discounting cycle from retailers, department stores and chain stores. A terribly destructive form of retailing which has taught consumers to shop on sale, haggle retailers on price, and devalue product and brands, as well as cutting retailers margins. A true short sharp sale is one thing, constant discounting means you are stocking the wrong product or not buying correctly. Bad all around.

3) In a perfect world: we would end all credit in the fashion industry, ensuring that everyone is debt free from all sides of the industry, keeping our industry thriving and ensuring EVERYONE gets paid. Eliminating credit across the board and putting an end to the debt trap.

4) In a perfect world: We would bring back hats, apparently many a woman would like to wear hats outside the racing season but do not have the courage to wear them, according to milliner, Kerry Stanley. Here, Here - love a hat!

5) In a perfect world: we would make more of an effort to dress. Recently at Fashion Torque's 1^st Birthday, the divine Candice De Ville expert on all things vintage says she despises the laziness in fashion and not making an effort to look good. I have to agree 100%, my motto is..... there is simply no excuse for letting yourself go. Always has been and always will be.

6) In a perfect world: manufacturers and distributors of mature labels would be providing ample marketing support for retailers and agents. Good clean images and spending the money on stylised photo shoots, which retailers and agents can use as effective tools to enhance sales for their product. No more shots of literally grabbing the "girl next door" in greasy hair and no make-up and flat shoes. How terribly inspiring to buy your label - NOT! Would a magazine shoot like that? I don't think so.

7) In a perfect world: Retailers would be having a more open mind to viewing new ranges, we are not necessarily asking them to buy, but I can't abide by the stubborn ones that refuse to even look, you just never know until you look or even worse stand you up after making appointment - just rude...manners cost nothing!

8) In a perfect world: There would be an end of the influx of national massive chain stores and a return to the domination of independent retailers. Oh, for the 1970's retailing days. This would bring back great variety to retailing, as opposed to the same boring bland major shopping centres where everything is the same and the same national traders. I am now embarrassed to buy anything with a pattern in it from a chain store as I feel the world will know exactly where its from.

9) In a perfect world: we would have the volume of sales in garments with beautiful fabrics, high quality silks, cottons, cashmere, and good construction of garments, as opposed to fast cheap and easy fashion with lesser quality and fabrications. As the iconic fashion designer Jenny Bannister describes this type of fashion, ever so aptly as being simply "Landfill". Educating the public where good taste lies and how to dress with elegance and class is dearly needed. The beautiful garments at Madam Virtue & Co should be where the volume is. Breath taking beauty is what Madam Virtue & Co specializes in. The owners are utterly adorable too.

10) In a perfect world: we would end 100% polyester. Hate it, despise it and wondering why the fashion industry has not banned it yet? Or the fire department for being a fire hazard? I understand it might have been a bit of novelty in the 60's & 70's, but so was Tang and Limmit biscuits.... need I say more?

11) In a perfect world: Manufacturers and distributors would not blame fashion agents and retailers for their garments not selling and would not treat fashion agents as 'employees'. We do run our own businesses, we are not your employees, and quite frankly it is rather patronising to complain and lecture about unrealistic sales figures in this economic climate when half the time the manufacturer/distributor has never even sold their own product. It's easy to forget the fashion industry is small one and we agents do tend to talk to each other about winners and the not so winning labels.

12) In a perfect world: We would bring manufacturing back to Australia, unlike The Button Plan, which ended manufacturing - thank you Bob Hawke. And we would put an end to these hideous unions inhibiting any small manufacturing left in Australia. Protecting jobs is one thing, inhibiting jobs is something else.... perhaps the unions need to understand the difference?

13) In a perfect world: We would all retain our slender figures, so as we get older so we could wear more belts and waisted garments. Enough of these shapeless tunics, which do nothing for your figure. If I see another 40+ woman in one, I think I may die of boredom. Come on ladies make an effort, you may be mature, but look at some of the beauties such as Audrey Hepburn or even Maggie Tabberer, Carla Zampatti, 90 year old Iris Apfel, and our Governor General Quentin Bryce - classy ladies who present themselves beautifully.

14) In a perfect world: We would have some reasonably priced Italian shoes. At the moment both my husband I struggle to buy ourselves decent Italian shoes without paying $500 plus. You either have the cheap shoes, Made in China which "look" fine, until you put them on your feet and then you feel the inferior fit of them. It just can't match the unparalleled craftsmanship of the Italian kind. Or you have the $500 plus Italian ones...not much in between. Hello distributors and importers I beg you to look at this major gap in the market.

15) In a perfect world: We would have decent menswear for real men with realistic fits. Now, no offence at all to my darling homosexual male friends and believe me I have suddenly developed a lot since working in fashion, but sadly as much as I have tried to convince my husband to wear colour, he won't. Most Australian men aren't 6ft tall and super skinny, a good menswear brand, which is commercial, yet modern but not too camp and not too street wear is needed for the straight males and a few independent menswear boutiques to stock it would be nice too.

Now at which point, I will have to leave you dear reader, as I have to go back to selling a huge volume of garments in polyester and probably even take a few orders for some of those tunics, I am terribly fond of. Whilst in between, reading a few patronising emails, I am sure. I actually do love this industry, I just live in hope for some progressive changes, which will bring the fashion industry in line with other industries.

In a perfect world, in a perfect world! Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

What you would like changed in the fashion industry?

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Images via Candice Lake and Broadsheet

Hope for retailers as the silly season comes to a close

Just as the silly season was approaching last year, the retail industry was feeling a glimmer of hope. Just a glimmer. The three kings brought gifts of Christmas hope to retailers - the first king brought gold, with some moderate growth reported in the latest ABS figures. The second king brought frankincense by way of a December interest rate cut which will hopefully give people a reason to head to the shops, and the third king brought myrrh in the form of banks passing on that December rate cut in full to customers.

Russell Zimmerman as the Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association. Since 1980, he has owned and operated the Spark's Shoes retail chain with his wife Marion. Spark's Shoes is a 75-year-old family business specialising in the fitting of children's footwear.

While it seems the stars aligned enough for retailers to see some light, there are also some shadows lurking behind the tinsel, with food being a big reason for the boost, and clothing and footwear as well as department stores proving to be a weak link.

We know times are tough when people are concentrating their spend on food and household goods and not shoes, especially over the festive season when the weather warms up and events and parties sneak into the calendar.

The figures show cause for concern over discretionary spend as consumers hibernate, watching both their spending and their debt levels, highlighting risk- averse behaviour. Banking Day reported towards the end of the year there might be a 'secular shift' in the use of credit cards, with a decline in credit card debt over four consecutive months in 2011, which hasn't been seen since 1985.

Clothing and footwear retailers have traditionally been able to rely on a consumer living in the moment, spending during the good times and saving during times of uncertainty, such as when interest rates rise or new taxes are imposed on them.

But the economy is complex and since the GFC consumers have taken on a conservative approach to spending. Good retailers know they must look at their bigger picture rather than obsess over the day to day habits of a fickle consumer.

That beautiful pair of mustard shoes sitting in the window might experience nothing but wistful looks from passersby for a longer time than usual, but good retailers stay safe in the knowledge that they form part of a larger strategy which knows its customer, has a clearly defined service offering and is able to take risks on certain products and stock enough of their best selling products to keep regular customers happy and spending.

In good news for the fashion industry, some of the most popular Christmas gifts for women this year included clothes, jewellery and cosmetics, as well as beauty. Gift vouchers also featured high on the list for women, and 73 percent of overall respondents said they planned to give either a gift voucher or money to their loved one. We can only hope this means vouchers and extra cash were spent after Christmas on some outfits for the holiday season or to update the wardrobe in time for the warm summer weather.

According to the ARA Consumer Survey, 30 percent of consumers finished their Christmas shopping between 22 and 24 December, showing deep down consumer spending habits haven't changed all that dramatically yet; and there's still scope for them to pop in and try on their dream pair of shoes to go with that summer party dress- the budget might just stretch after all...

The Sydney Girl teams up with Fashion Exposed

Flaunting their wardrobe wares for an adoring public, adopting trends before they hit the stores, while mixing it up in their signature independent style - it's definitely a blogger's life. Away from the trappings of advertiser's demands, bloggers can publish original content, endorse any product they fall in love with, and write honest reviews. It's for this reason the world has quickly fallen in love with the blogosphere and it has followers signing up in the millions getting click happy on their favourite style sites.

There is a blogger out there to suit everyone's taste, style and flair. It's why Fashion Exposed recently aligned itself with one of Australia's most popular fashion bloggers, The Sydney Girl for their Sydney 2012 trade show. Joelyne will be tracking the trends, unearthing new brands and capturing the live look books on stage at Fashion Exposed from 12-14 February at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.

Founded by Sydney fashionista, Joelyne The Sydney Girl is an addictive insider's view on everything fashion, lifestyle and beauty for the style savvy. Over the past year, The Sydney Girl has collaborated with a range of exciting brands including Westfield Australia, The Laser Lounge & Celebrity Thread.

So we asked Joelyne about her climb to the top of the blogosphere, how she did it, why bloggers are hot property and what she's looking forward to most at Fashion Exposed next month.

When/how did you start up The Sydney Girl? Why?

I thought starting up a blog would be a great way to share what I love and interact with people online, as I love online social media.

What is the site philosophy? What are the mantras you write by?

To always write genuinely, aiming to inspire and help others with what I write and feature.

Bloggers are quickly becoming hot property to marketers and PR agencies wanting to tap into their personal social media network - are you surprised by the growing interest in independent sites and bloggers like yourself?

It's pretty great to be a part of something that's being recognised for its significance in the industry, and very exciting that there's a growing interest. When us bloggers like a product or service we try our best to promote it the best we can, which is probably why we are great to work with.

You have hundreds of followers via twitter and Facebook, how important are these fans? How do you keep them engaged and entertained?

The blogging community is based around interacting with people and really getting to know what they like and don't like, so it's really important that we engage with our readers. I keep them engaged by asking them questions, and also trying to provide content that would really help them.

What are your thoughts on the Australian fashion industry and its position on a worldwide scale? How do you think our designers compare?

I think the Australian fashion industry is pretty amazing! (Maybe I'm biased). Our designers are consistently coming up with such fresh designs and this makes them International sensations.

You are a media sponsor of Fashion Exposed, why do you think these fashion trade events important for the industry?

It's important, being in the fashion industry, to continually learn and be inspired by upcoming brands and the more established ones, and see for ourselves in person what they have to offer. Seeing things in a lookbook online doesn't always give us the real deal. It's nice to touch and feel the fabrics and look closely at the detail in designs.

What are you looking forward to most at this year's show?

I'm really looking forward to the Live Look Books!

What are The Sydney Girl's New Year resolutions for 2012? Where do you hope to see your site by the end of the year?

Learn & Collaborate More: I hope to learn more about the amazing brands out there that I don't know about yet, then feature their designs in my outfit photos to help showcase Australian Designers with my main audience, which are a mix of Australian and International readers. I also look forward to exciting opportunities for The Sydney Girl to collaborate with new brands on projects. I hope to inspire people all over Australia, so that would mean The Sydney Girl aspiring to being one of the top read Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle blogs in Australia. That would be absolutely amazing.

What is your advice to other fashion writer's out there who are looking to aspire to The Sydney Girl's status in the fashion industry.

A huge part of The Sydney Girl is the photographs of outfits I wear which feature many Australian Designers, mostly upcoming ones. I style the outfits as I please, and only choose outfits that I feel would suit me and are to my taste. So I try to stay true to myself and seek ways in which my passions and knowledge can help my readers.

See more of Joelyne's style www.thesydneygirl.com

It's French for Chic

Straight from the runways of Paris, UBIFRANCE has the pleasure of showcasing the latest in French design talent at this year's Fashion Exposed & Preview event.

For the fifth consecutive year, the French Pavilion has handpicked the top designers from accessories to womenswear direct from the romantic city. Don't miss this great opportunity to discover the latest offerings in French textile fashion, and be the first to represent these exciting labels to the Australian market.

Feel free to come and meet the professional trade advisors from the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE, Sylvie Patinec and Céline Di Lauro. They will be happy to discuss the world of French fashion and register your interest in obtaining new, up-and-coming French labels.

We invite you to also enjoy the Live Look Book shows during the trade fair, which will include exhibitors from the French Pavilion, followed by a "French" cocktail, B to B, event.

For more information on the French Fashion Showcase at Fashion Exposed, visit www.fashionexposed.com

The Power of `like'

There is no doubting the significant changes taking place in retail right now. Everybody has an opinion on what we should and shouldn't do going forward, whether it's innovate our in-store interiors with visually arresting and conversation-starting visual merchandising, training staff in the traditional practise of customer service, or incorporating an online component to complement your bricks and mortar boutique.

One of the interesting developments is the dramatic increase of bricks and mortar retailers selling via Facebook pages. The instant connection with customers is invaluable, creating and holding a conversation with people outside your store's immediate network, and encouraging that `in-store change room' style interaction between friends in an online environment. It's this power of the `like' that increases the desire for a product, just like girls or guys would interact in-store. Seeing that their friends `like' it is a sign of approval among their peers because they respect their opinion.

Fashion Exposed Online spoke with popular Queensland boutique, Adrenalin, who stock luxury labels such as Willow, Camilla & Marc and Zimmermann, and have become a Facebook success story by treating it `like a great big group of VIP customers'. Director, Dean McCauley, who is about to celebrate the stores' 14th birthday, has seen the retail landscape change dramatically over the years, but agrees the current environment is one of the most challenging.

“Retailing is such a tough game at the moment and retailers can not afford to sit back and wait for customers to walk through the door," says Dean. "Customers are not spending as much any more and are definitely thinking more and more about what and how much they spend. So it's up to us to excite and educate our clients to look amazing and keep returning.”

As a bricks and mortar retailer for 14 years how has the retail industry changed? What are the major differences to owning a store now as to when you first started?

The retail industry and climate has changed significantly. We are finding that more than ever we need to be on our game. There is so much more competition not only with more bricks and mortar stores, but more and more online store are popping up all of the time. No longer can you just open an amazing store with amazing range of labels and sit back and wait for the customer to find you. You have to be on the front foot with both marketing and social networking platforms to spread the word fast. Otherwise you will not survive in this highly competitive business. The consumer is king and they have so much more choice and accessibility to any items or labels than ever before.

There is now a huge element of shoppers buying online You don't have an e-store attached to your boutique yet, are you going to open one soon? why or why not?

This is something we are working on. Yes at this stage we don't have an on-line store but we have been watching this whole business grow and it's definitely something we will look to establish very soon. We feel it's just another avenue to reach our clients.

There is now a growing trend among retailers to use Facebook as a means of selling their in-store collections - you are a very active Facebook user with Adrena Lin business page, how successful has this been for you? why?

Our Facebook has been very active for sometime. This has now been our strongest and most successful form of marketing we have ever done. Our Facebook is our key marketing tool to reach our customer instantly. Now that social networking is part of everyones daily ritual we have found that it works so successfully as our clients can always keep up to date with pics and news with what's happening at Adrenalin. We have both a fan page and profile page yet our profile page seems to be working so much better as it's seems more personal and our friends are in touch daily asking questions and waiting with bated breath what's new today!

Are they different customers? can you define the difference? do you cater to them differently too?

We find a mix of both. We have regular clients that use our Facebook to keep in touch with us with regular questions about new stock and deliveries. We also find we are capturing more and more friends of friends as they see that they are constantly in communications with us and they want to be part of this action. To us, we treat our Facebook like a great big group of VIP customers. We ensure we are responding instantly when anyone asks a questions and often tagging vip clients with new deliveries.

How different is selling on Facebook to in-store? do some of the same rules apply? and do your customers expect the same service? What percentage of your sales are online compared to in-store?

It's hard to put a percentage on this as it changes so frequently but definitely sales from our Facebook is growing as a huge rate. I don't know what we did without this form of marketing... it's now a massive part of our business. All the same rules apply exactly the same specialised exceptional service and we try to keep it very personal like your having the same one on one experience within our boutique.

Has it been a challenge to service both the store and Facebook page as it gains popularity? or do they work cohesively together?

No this has not been a problem but it definitely keeps me busy and keeps me on my toes. I have my Facebook linked to my mobile so as soon as anyone comments on a picture or post then I'm immediately alerted that a message or comment has been made. I make sure I respond as soon as I can. A few times we have had the situation that when we post a picture of a new delivery that hit's the store sometimes it can be a fight on who gets the size first, the Facebooker or the in-store customer. You have to be quick!

Why do you think Facebook is a successful selling tool for retailers?

It's instant! They do not need to be in your store or in your suburb it's instant and everywhere. We have Facebook clients throughout other states they can buy just as fast as our clients who can visit our store frequently. We can have it in the post the same day then they can receive their purchase the next day.

Do you think the `like' tool increases the desire for a product, just like girls would interact in the changeroom, seeing that their friends `like' it is a sign of approval among their peers? because they respect their opinion?

Yes...definitely it's a bit like your stamp of approval. We monitor our likes very closely. This gives us a greater indication of the type of customer who is utilising our Facebook so this helps us decide what we buy and what we promote on our Facebook page.

When you post a new pair of shoes or clothing range that has just dropped in-store, what is the response you get? Do you often sell out before you've even had a chance to display them in-store?

Yes this can often be the case. We always put our garments on the shop floor first but at as soon as we can we are posting pics of what has arrived.

Do you pre-sell much of your range via Facebook?

I'm not a fan of pre-selling or taking the money for items that have not arrived yet. As so many things can happen beyond our control that we don't receive what we think we are getting. The last thing we want to do is disappoint our clients. Of course we will do it if a client is so passionate about a garment and is afraid unless they prepay they will miss out. We take a wait list approach and first on the list get the first option unless it has been pre-paid for.

Do you think you will ever set up a shopping cart within Facebook?

Maybe one day. I'm not fully informed on how it all works yet but definitely something I will be looking into further down the track.

All images sourced from the Adrena Lin Facebook page.

Nurturing the untapped talent through sustainability

With the battle for survival in fashion, it’s easy to overlook the amount of emerging designers yet to be discovered, with a deft touch for design. There are some designers, waiting to be the next Karl Lagerfeld and there are some that may not be so fortunate to make it.

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, with Robert Garland who was described by Ragtrader as a “veteran rag trader” with over 30 years experience in the fashion industry. Between the two of them, Phoebe & Robert Garland have over 50 years sales experience in fashion, publishing and advertising. Garland & Garland Fashion is a leading fashion agency based in Sydney and they are regularly sought for comment from various media on business fashion topics and issues.

Having said that, Australia is lucky enough to have a vast amount of talented designers waiting in the wings. And talent there certainly is! With all the big names in Australian fashion, it’s easy to forget that just because they are not a big name, some of the emerging ones can hold just as much weight in terms of design and creativity as some of the better known ones. They just need the chance to be shone.

There is one lady in particular who is passionate about promoting and nurturing some of these untapped talented designers. I had the immense privilege of speaking with Jane Hayes, founder of The Spirit of the Black Dress, an event and competition, (part of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival) which nurtures emerging designers, by showcasing talent and innovation through sustainability.

P.G: Jane, Tell us about The Spirit of the Black Dress and how it became part of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival?
J.H: The Spirit of the Black Dress started in 2009. The intention was to promote emerging, sustainable Australian fashion designers by providing them with exposure, and to show the Australian buying public the talent living in their own back yard. The project commenced on the official calendar of Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, and following a fantastic response we presented it to The L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival and were accepted onto the Cultural calendar. We are now entering into our fourth year of production and third year on The L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival calendar. We are very proud of the success of the event.

PG: What are the requirements for emerging designers to enter?
J.H: A designer has to meet the following requirements to be selected as part of The Spirit of the Black Dress: • Be a designer in their first five years of production. • Be sustainable, which can mean the way they source their fabric, treat and die their fabric or how they run their studios. • Be an Australian based fashion designer.

P.G: How do you choose the judges to judge the event? What are the criteria to become a judge and whom do you have on board for 2012?
J.H: We have been very privileged to have some amazing and talented people participate in The Spirit of the Black Dress as judges over the past three years. Some of the past judges have included Janice Breen Burns, Karen Webster, Roger Leong and Robert Buckingham. Our judges for the project are selected because they are respected members of the Australian fashion industry or related industries such as public relations or media. They also need to have had longevity in their career, a strong sense of style and a keen eye. The judging panel for any year needs to be diverse so that we get different perspectives on what constitutes quality design and sustainable fashion.

For example this year we have Jenny Bannister (notable Australian fashion designer) and Philip Boon (celebrity stylist) from Fashion Torque who as a duo know what constitutes good, innovative fashion and design. We also have Kyra Pybus (owner of Pybus PR) who has a finger on the pulse of the public heartbeat, what they want and who will be saleable. We are also fortunate to have Sarah Gale (owner of Fashionista Business Consultancy Group and former Project Runway Australia judge) who knows good design, what buyers want from a label and how to guide the business development of fashion-based businesses. Phoebes Garland (owner of Garland and Garland Fashion) brings to the panel years of experience from a commercial perspective and a strong sense of design and aesthetics, which will assist in selecting the leaders of the pack. As you can see, we are yet again spoilt by the talent of our judging panel for 2012. We are also privileged to have Dean Hewitt and JC Lloyd - Southwell d’ Anvers from Madam Virtue & Co as patrons of The Spirit of the Black Dress in 2012.

P.G: How many entries do you get from emerging designers? Are you amazed at the talent out there that has not been discovered?
J.H: When we started in 2009 we had a healthy number of designer submissions to the project especially considering that it was our first year. Since 2009 our level of designer submissions has greatly increased and we are forever amazed at the quality of the designs that are submitted each year. Some of our alumni have gone on to large-scale success, receiving promotions and showing at New York fashion week. One designer dressed Rhianna, a few years ago, and others have left the safe confines of working with other fashion designers and started up their own businesses. We stay in touch with many of the designers from previous years and it is a thrill to watch them grow!

P.G: What opportunities does this provide emerging designers?
J.H: The Spirit of the Black Dress offers emerging Australian fashion designers the platform to showcase their talent and enthusiasm for fashion and sustainable design. The winning ten designers receive a professional photo shoot with a top Australian fashion photographer. This year the talented Christian Blanchard will be working with a top styling, hair and make up team. The images are then shown to the media at a media launch and retailers evening, where each designer has the opportunity to talk intimately with buyers from various Australian labels. The images and dresses are then featured at a VIP invite-only opening gala, which also features a fashion film and runway show. The event is attended by members of the Australian fashion industry, fashion media, and public relations agencies. The night is all about the top ten winning designers. For a young designer it is an amazing opportunity to be able to meet the elite of the Australian industry and receive a spread in FashionTrend magazine Australia, our official media sponsor, along with other media opportunities.

P.G: What is the timeline for the event?
J.H: The event takes about 6 months to put together. We are so fortunate to have such a great team working on the event together, they include Jordan Moore, our creative director, Dean Drieberg, our producer and Jemma Luxmoore our designer and retail liaison. We start by confirming our team for the year, which has grown steadily since 2009. We then confirm our theme for the year ahead, pursue sponsorship (which we manage ourselves each year) and select our amazing creative team and photographer. Everyone donates his or her time and creative abilities so generously each year as we are a not-for-profit event.

P.G: Do you think there could be a way to team the designers up at a trade event like Premiere Trade Show or Debut so hopefully some retailers could find new emerging designers to stock in their shops and the designers could get feedback from fashion buyers for their ranges?
J.H: I think this would be a great idea. I would love to have a stand dedicated to The Spirit of the Black Dress each year so that the designers can get greater mileage out of their involvement with the project.

Thank you Jane, a wonderful event supporting these designers. With the majority of manufacturing and mass fashion overseas, I urge retailers to keep an eye on the next new Australian talent by having a look at some of the emerging designers. If you see a potential new emerging designer, give them a go in your boutique and give them a chance to shine. Fashion Exposed supports emerging designers through the Debut section at each trade fair.

Keep abreast of the dates of the winners and of the talented designers of The Spirit of The Black Dress on their website.

As always very interested in your thoughts.
Email us: info@garlands.com.au
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You On A Beach While Your Business Is Still Making MONEY!

According to the media last month the retail sector was looking extremely dire, this month the retail sector is set to soar. The way I look at it is if you are listening and watching the media to determine what is happening within your business then the outcome will be grim. Take what you know and combine it with what you learn and make something great.

Renee Mayne is an Author, Speaker, Business Mentor, TV Presenter renowned for transforming businesses. She is fastly becoming the Number 1 go-to person in the retail sector for business advice for proven results and breakthrough programs.

How to make business come to you

Anyone can start and own a business but it takes someone special to create more then a business but a life they love and a business that is congruent to them. To work from your heart space to heart space and align it with your personal values because once you do that, that is when you achieve true happiness you are operating on a level that most people don’t even understand. To make money is easy to make money and do something you love is creating more then just wealth you are creating prosperity, enlightenment and empowerment. In other words it is crucial that your personal brand is aligned with your business brand.

For example:-
When you think about Richard Branson you think fun, business savvy with a hint of womanizer. When you think about Virgin it also represents those elements. If they weren’t aligned they would not be as successful as what they are today because not only does it give you the drive and passion you need to create an amazing business but it also tells consumers that you are genuine, authentic and living your truth. With a brand so strong you will weather any storm and you’re customers will market your business for you.

What Retail can learn from Direct Sales

Often people tend to look down at Direct Sales and seeing it as an inferior business model. However if you look beyond the perception and straight into the core and heart of it there lies a forward thinking, innovative and smart business model. Recently I was having a conversation with one of the Directors of Mark Kay and here is what I learnt:

1. It’s ALL about connection: This is the most overlooked element in Retail and one that Mary Kay is dedicated on working heart space to heart space. You build connections and you build a profitable business that will be around for years to come.

2. Educate your staff and your customers: Business owners sometimes hold back on training their staff in all areas fearing they will then leave to pursue greener pastures. However by training your staff in all areas so they are managing it like their own business you are investing in your team and your business will run at its fullest potential even whe you’re not there.

3. Career Path: No matter how small your business is you can still career path your employees. Teach them about investing and how to finance their retirement. When your employees are learning and creating a life they love they will work harder for you and you are helping them invest in themselves and their future. This can all be done within your business, grow together.

4. Work smart not hard: Some Mary Kay employees work around 25 hours a week and choose what hours and days they wish to work and they bring home around $8500 per month. They can work as little or as much as they choose. Reward your staff by giving them recognition and incentives for doing a great job.

5. Touch base with your clients often: Make time to connect with your customers often and not to sell them something just to say Hi and show them you care about them and their lives, its only a phone call away.

Business doesn’t have to be hard or boring so have fun with it and remember you are the heart and soul of your business. I have just created the most simple and successful business model that has lead many businesses into great success. We have spoken about creating multiple income streams so the model will give you an idea about how that works.

As my Christmas gift to you I will be giving all Fashion Exposed Online readers a FREE 30 minute consult valued at $125. To redeem your consult please email renee@braqueen.com.au

Top 5 trends that made 2011

There was no shortage of fashion trend's that rocked 2011, the trends this year were exciting, fun and vibrant, so with out further ado here are my top 5 picks.

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, a trend analyst and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

1. Colour blocking - bold block combinations in beautiful hues were thrown together in any which way you pleased. There were no rules with this trend when it came to making a bold statement. Fashionistas rocked bright orange as the colour of choice especially for single head to toe pieces and many of the garment shapes were sport inspired,.This fun and vibrant trend is set to continue into next summer

2. Even though this is not apparel we can't forget about Shellac... love. (If you haven't heard of this before now, head to Lady Melbourne for the scoop).

3. The 70's were back - we saw a resurgence in high waisted, wide leg's, super light denim, pussy bow blouses, pop colours and crop tops, wedged shoes and a plaited leather headband saw the revival of the authentic hippie. 70's inspired trends took the fashion world by storm, bohemian inspired and retro baby.

4. Kate Middleton - Kate is set to continue to be on of the worlds leading fashion icons. Inspiring much of this years fast and 'must have' items on the high street and also designer pieces on the catwalks. So far she has inspired classic styles, elegance, understated pieces and a resurgence in glamorous dressing.

5. Black Swan - Back in January we saw the release of Black Swan a hugely successful film at the box office. The trend was a classic ballet aesthetic Inspiring a clash of romantic and gothic looks. What it looked like was feather's, tulle and intricate detailing, dark smokey eyes and updated and wearable ballet garments. Leather biker boots were worn with a layered tulle skirt, ballet slippers with a soft chiffon dress teamed with a classic styled leather jacket were all key to this fast fashion trend believed to have also developed from the SS11 catwalks.

As always interested in your thoughts, email me at: eryn@gingertc.com.au

The rise and rise of Black Pepper

Recession proof fashion? Is there such a thing? It seems in these uncertain times retailers are looking for that key brand that ticks all the boxes. A fashion label that gets them good sell through, as well as a bit of volume. And it appears there is a label defying gravity in terms of sales for retailers. And, it’s a label which can have a rather polarizing effect. Quite frankly, you either love it or hate it. The label in question is none other than, Black Pepper.

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, with Robert Garland who was described by Ragtrader as a “veteran rag trader” with over 30 years experience in the fashion industry. Between the two of them, Phoebe & Robert Garland have over 45 years sales experience. Garland & Garland Fashion is a leading fashion agency based in Sydney and they are regularly sought for comment from various media on business fashion topics and issues.

Black Pepper is one of those labels you have to have respect for the strength of sales it does in the market. And more importantly the sales it achieves for retailers. Volume is its key strength and its demand from customers would have some of the more glamorous higher end labels sit up and take note out of pure envy. Black Pepper has evolved drastically over the years. Its traditional heritage was mainly track suits and fleece, but these days the label brings a much more fashionable element in the ranges. So much so, it’s now attracting a higher-end boutique clientele. These types of boutiques are now starting to stock the label due to sheer demand from customers which attributes to the brands strong loyalty. In a nutshell, its brand loyalty is so strong; it’s like “Chanel” for the older demographic.

The fashion pieces offer a `good value for money component' to sit alongside higher end labels. More importantly, it’s a brand that has a very strong following. Black Pepper is known for its excellent value for money, which ensures a strong sell-through for retailers without having to discount, which is always appealing. Whilst there will always remain its core pieces of fleece and tracksuit in Black Pepper, the company Breakaway Apparel, now part of The PAS Group, works hard to ensure it will appeal to the next generation down, to keep the brand loyalty strong and is moving forward and constantly developing the fashion component.

Gordon Black founded Breakaway in Melbourne in 1976. Gordon was and still is a fanatical Rugby follower. He played first grade Rugby Union until he was 36 years old, playing against the likes of South Africa and the All Blacks. He played in the Breakaway position, hence the company name. The company specialises in leisurewear with several leading brands under its belt; Yvonne Black, Breakaway Menswear, Equus and the recently acquired Yarra Trail. Black Pepper was its founding brand, and it recently celebrated 30 years in business. In 2010, Breakaway customer service beat Mercedes- Benz in the Australian Business Awards with Matt Lawson, head of customer service heading up the team. I spoke to C.E.O of Breakaway, Olav Uittenbosch about the success of Black Pepper and why it’s such a leading brand.

Olav, Why do you think the label has been such a success?

O.U: We know our customer very well and constantly engage with her via market research, focus groups, or in-store interaction and observations. We translate all this knowledge into a product range that speaks to our customer; it looks/feels/fits/handles right, and all at price points that represent good value. Breakaway has been crafting Black Pepper for over 30 years and has always focused on this market segment and stuck to it. As the brand has grown it has created its own success as it got access to better financial resources that could be reinvested into the brand to further improve the garment and expand the business and recruit the best people in the business. The team at Breakaway is like a family and it is a great environment to work in. All of these together help to keep creating strong ranges that keep growing.

PG: Where do you see Black Pepper's growth in the future considering it's main audience is elderly? Will there be a move to target the next generation down?

O.U: We constantly ensure that we have a part of the range that caters for the next generation down. This way we ensure that we keep introducing new customers into our Black Pepper range. Most of our international media and marketing campaigns are targeted at this segment so we keep introducing the brand to new customers. This is way we are still around and growing strongly after 35 years.

PG: What makes this a “recession proof" brand and a brand that is in such high demand from customers?

O.U: The older customer segment is a fastest growing segment of the population, which in itself already provides growth for Black Pepper. We continuously introduce new details, fabrics and styles and are looking for ways on how we can do things better than last time. We remain loyal to our customer and ensure that we meet expectations while at the same time trying to over deliver on product promise. This might be via the lifetime of the garments, the ease of washing, soft handling, hidden pockets and reinforced stitching, etc.

PG: Will there be an international expansion of the label?

O.U: We have had no need to look for further growth outside of our current distribution in Australia, and New Zealand. We have however been approached by a distributor in South Africa, and we have seen very strong growth of our brands there.

While Olav has provided such an insight into such a commercially astute brand, there is one retailer that needs to be highlighted as a key retailer of the season. Patricia McGrath, owner of Frantik Boutique in Springwood is a retailer who has in the past year started stocking Black Pepper. Frantik was initially stocking medium to higher end brands, however she attributes Black Pepper to saving her business. We ask Patricia how she has found stocking Black Pepper among her higher end labels.

P.G: How has the Black Pepper label changed your retail sales in comparison to the other higher end brands you were putting in?

P.M: At first I was a little nervous about introducing Black Pepper, I was happy sticking to my tried and tested medium to high end brands. Now when I look back, I can honestly say that introducing Black Pepper was one of the best business decisions I have made to date. A new type of buyer has started to come to our store, a buyer that isn't afraid of spending money and who seems to be addicted to Black Pepper! Our more expensive brands are still selling but not at the same speed or large quantities as Black Pepper.

P.G: Do you have to mark down Black Pepper and do you get good sell through?

P.M: I have a standard sale at the end of every season where I mark the store down between 20-30% but I find that by the time I get to sale time, I've sold out of most of my Black Pepper so I don't have much to mark down.

P.G Considering your store's profile was upmarket and somewhat younger, how have you found Black Pepper has fitted in?

P.M: Absolutely! Black Pepper isn't what you think; some of my best customers who generally stick to my European brands have started buying core pieces in the range.

P. G: As a percentage how much has your sales increased since you put Black Pepper in?

P.M: In terms of figures, I'd say sales have increased 20%. I honestly think that Black Pepper has ensured my business survival since I introduced it to the store. Like Frantik Boutique, evolution seems to be the way for Black Pepper label. Expect the brand to live on for another 30 years… like fine wine…it will only be getting better with age.

Black Pepper exhibits at Fashion Exposed on the Breakaway Apparel Stand alongside their other labels; Yvonne Black, Breakaway Menswear, Equus and Yarra Trail in Sydney and Melbourne each year. It is available for viewing in between seasons through each of their fashion agents in each state. To make an appointment to see the Black Pepper range call Australia Freecall: 1800 001 399 or visit their website.

As always very interested in your thoughts.

Email us: info@garlands.com.au
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What’s the drill with Organic Cotton?

The Organic Food industry has been one of the fastest growing market segments across the planet for the past 5 years. People are catching on about the fact that toxic chemicals and fertilisers don’t taste great, and that they and artificial colours, flavours and preservatives can’t possibly be good for your long term health and well-being.

Natalie Dillon is the co-founder of 3Fish. Found in over 80 stockists around Australia, 3Fish presents a range of 100% Fairtrade certified organic cotton, carbon neutral wardrobe basics and seasonal pieces you can feel great about on every level. They recently took out the United Nations World Environment Day Award for Sustainability Leadership for SMEs, and a week later won the Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Award for Small Business.

Certainly what we have observed is that one of the biggest leaps into organics begins when people begin the journey of parenthood. At that point the enormity of the fragility of life suddenly kicks in. The urge to protect and preserve and do our best for the small person we are now responsible for is overwhelming. It’s a game changer. And we are now seeing translation of this appreciation to organic fibres, fabrics and garments. Not only do they feel beautiful to wear, regular feedback from people reports vast reductions in skin conditions, and increased breathability and comfort.

I would like to think that we as humanity are emerging from the chrysalises of self-centredom, to understand that organic farming methods lead to better health and well-being outcomes not only for the consumer end of the chain, but that it is critical to respecting the health and well being of all those involved in those products along the entire supply chain, and ultimately to the sustainability of our planet.

At the beginning of that journey of understanding is raising awareness about the source of garments; and that the life of a cotton garment begins in a cotton field, and that as a crop, cotton is one of the thirstiest crops on the planet, for one of our most scarce resources; water. As one of the driest continents Australia is not suited to the farming of cotton. Countries such as India are well suited, and specifically, organic cotton. There, organic cotton is rain-fed by the monsoonal rains, the largest rain event on earth, and is handpicked for even less impact on the earth.

Also, in gaining new eyes through which to view the reams of garments adorning our high streets, and the superhighway of faceless “fashion” that is online shopping, it is imperative to understand that conventional cotton is heavily reliant on chemical pesticides. As a crop conventional cotton makes up 4% of the agricultural footprint of all crops in the world but consumes more than 25% of chemical insecticides used in the world. And this is what we wear on our skin. In 2008 the production of conventional cotton used over 284 million pounds of pesticides in the United States alone, with hundreds of millions more pounds sprayed worldwide. Additionally, seven of the ten pesticides most commonly sprayed on cotton are on the EPA’s list of known, probable, or likely human carcinogens.

It is also tragic beyond words that approximately 1000 conventional cotton farmers commit suicide annually in central India because of the overwhelming debt cycle often associated with the terminating cotton seed and partnered pesticides and fertilisers marketed by some of the world’s largest seed companies. And these are the same small scale farmers who bear the brunt of improper use of chemicals unable to be sold in other world markets, and so dumped in countries where regulation is less stringent, to wreck havoc on communities through birth defects and significant health issues, and ultimately death.

But there is an answer. A very commercial and sustainable answer. Results released this year from a 20 year US trial, Rodale Institute Farming Systems Trial (FST), which compared organic (biological) and conventional production methods of corn and soybean crops, showed dramatic benefits in using organic systems over the longer term:

• Organic systems produced 31% higher corn yields than the conventional system during moderate droughts
• Weed competition in organic production methods were tolerated better than in conventional farming methods
• Carbon sequestration is highest in manure-based organic production, followed by legume-based organic production
• Groundwater appears to increase in organic systems with 15-20% higher volume of percolating water and reduced runoff; and
• Energy use in the conventional system was higher than in the organic systems

There is rising consumer awareness around sustainability issues and given equal or similar alternatives within a price range, a growing number will choose the more sustainable alternative. So there is also a growing market driven imperative.

However, at the end of the day, we all have to live with ourselves and the impact of our purchase decisions. As a business owner, other than fulfilling all my creative and commercial goals, I want to know that beyond producing a garment that does no harm, I want to produce a garment that does good; that provides sustainable livelihoods for everyone involved in creating our products. We would like to think that every garment we sell, not only has it created healthier lives for the people who grew the cotton, and made our garments, is a far healthier option for the people who wear them.

So what’s the drill about organic cotton? Not only is it fabulous to wear, it is far more fabulous for the earth and all its people.

Fast Fact:

Since inception, 3Fish has produced over 100,000 fairtrade and organic cotton products, using organic dyes and inks, recycled packaging, and producing garments carbon neutral, saving an estimated 11.3 tonnes of toxic chemicals from being used.

Want To Make Money in Retail?

Around a month ago I predicted that over the next two years it was going to be a time where retailers will either sink or swim. With a whopping 88,000 retail jobs predicted to be lost, a lazy $50 billion spent online in 2010 and that figure is expected to soar to an impressive $70 billion within the next 5 years. That number is near equal to what the Australian retail sector contributes to the economy. But before you reach for the scotch on the rocks and close your shop doors it’s not all bad, in fact it’s such an exciting time to be in business because never before have we had so many options.

During my 17 years in retail I have seen a lot; the raise and fall of multiple businesses, I’ve made money, lost money and made money again and I know you have experienced a similar thing. Now is not the time to be mediocre it’s time for you to step up.

Think Different | Be Different

The new economy is not as daunting or as scary as what people are making it out to be. Laurie Oakes said recently “Let's not talk ourselves into a recession. We're in a great spot and we should be talking ourselves up not down." 20 years ago people cared and life was simple, we shared recipes, had a chat at school drop off, we knew what each other was doing at the weekend and where you liked to shop. Then life became busy and we forgot to take time out and enjoy the view. All of sudden we had heard of this new word called “stress” then depression pretty soon swept the nation at an all time high. Because. We. Just. Couldn’t. Stop.

Something had to give. All this time we thought no-one cared anymore however it was a time factor, not the care factor. So when we were introduced to social media we embraced it because it enabled us to care again without it taking too much time so now we can share recipes, have a chat at school drop off, we know what each other are doing at the weekend and where you like to shop.

It’s word of mouth on steroids.

I recently worked with a hair salon where we posted a picture of my new hair and I shared it with my friends. They gained five new customers! Now for those who maybe thinking “Only 5” what if I said the average person stays with their hairdresser for 5 years averaging $200 a visit. That one status update just put an extra $30,000 into their bottom line…not bad for something that cost nothing and took around 10 seconds.

5 Quick Tips

1. Speak to your customers like your talking to a friend, it’s all about trust. Be open and be yourself, transparency is the key.

2. Ensure that your website is smartphone friendly so people can see you at a moment's notice. They may be in your area and looking for somewhere to go, you need to be the business they see. Even if you don’t have a website ensure you’re on Google places.

3. Multiple income streams is crucial in the new economy

4. Don’t worry and even think about what your competitors are doing. Run your own race.

5. Think about an exit strategy, step outside your business for minute so you can see your business with a clear vision. Think financial freedom and create a business that allows you to live your ultimate life.

The Power of Innovation

Steve Jobs passing in October, has reminded me into thinking how great this man was. Not just because he headed up the world's biggest corporation and was the most successful business CEO of our time, but just how his belief in innovation over anything else was his prime source of drive and success.

Deborah Sterry has a fashion career spanning over 25 years within fashion retail and wholesale. She trained with Myer, was the Advertising Director for Sussan, former owner of Matisse Boutiques in Melbourne and is now owner and Creative Director for Threadz Pty Ltd, with labels including Threadz, Clarity and new label, Contrast.

This leads to me to say, the inspiration that Steve Jobs has left behind is a legacy to us all, especially now in the fashion industry. It is time, actually "over time" that the fashion industry must take stock and recognise the power of innovation and the desperation that the consumer has that we in the fashion industry produce it.

The consumer is spending, there is more disposal dollars than ever before but the fashion industry through its lack lustre approach to presenting itself and the hesitation, one might even say resistance to change has been the main cause for the industry to have waned and been left behind.

So I ask, everyone that is passionate, driven and has the desire to change, to focus, to re-invent , re-inspire, re-invigorate but most of all bring innovation to the Australian fashion industry. Wwhy not be inspired by one of the greatest innovators in business of all time, Mr Steve Job's and apply it to the Australian fashion industry?

The power of the independant retailer is huge, it is only a matter of making the "mind shift" it is the greatest tool the independant retailer has, the power to be able to change today.

Be Innovative WHY NOT??

Deborah Sterry will be holding a seminar in November in Melbourne on the `Future of Boutique Retailing' and the skills, innovation and energy that will Inspire all of you.
If you are interested in attending please call Threadz (Head office in Melbourne) (03) 9486 9277.

The Beauty of Online

Bricks and Mortar versus online? There is simply no such thing anymore. Times are a changing and believe me it’s only for the better for everyone including the traditional retailers. Let me explain why.

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, along with Robert Garland who was described by Ragtrader as a “veteran ragtrader” with over 30 years experience. Between the two of them Phoebe & Robert Garland have over 45 years sales experience. Garland & Garland Fashion is a leading fashion agency based in Sydney representing women’s fashion labels targeting the 30+ market. Garland & Garland Fashion is regularly sought for comment from various media on business fashion issues.

Last year I received an email from a customer all the way in UK looking for an Australian label we represent. The label they were wanting is not sold anywhere overseas only in Australia. And whilst attending Rosemount Australian Fashion week this year and waiting to go into a show, we started chatting to a retailer who was visiting from the US. She had flown all the way over especially to see the Australian talent. She mentioned to us that Australian labels were THE flavour of the month and she was getting hot demand for them. Interesting……….

While we hear that retailers are being undercut from online stores overseas due to much cheaper prices, it got me thinking. With this feedback about Australian labels being in hot demand, it has opened up a glut in the market for Australian retailers to provide the rest of the world product that is not available overseas. Retailers cannot compete with some imported labels on price, so why not reverse the situation and offer a point of difference by providing products, which customers overseas cannot get in their own country. Has there ever been a better time to start promoting Australian labels to the rest of the world?

Online is simply the way of the future for smart retailing. Minimum overheads and no paying overinflated rents, plus it gives you the flexibility to work wherever you want anywhere in the world. Until you become as large as say Net-a-Porter.com and need to employ a lot of people. But let’s face it you would be hardly complaining. Why wouldn’t any retailer embrace this method? Let’s imagine you open an online store in conjunction with your bricks and mortar store and you market it properly through social media and digital marketing and it becomes such a success it does more business than your bricks and mortar store. Would you not rethink paying a landlord thousands in rent, working 7 days a week chained to your shop and making minimum profits?

Now like anything, setting up an online shop is not just a matter of setting up a website and the sales are going to flood in. You need to market it properly and you need to provide excellent customer service, fast response to email queries and have excellent images of your stock. Plus free shipping is a must, be smart and build this into your margin and the consumer will not know the difference. One etailer/retailer doing an outstanding job is www.birdsnest.com.au. Owner Jane Cay, has built an impressive online business. With a bricks and mortar store in Cooma and faced with only a population of 8000, they have had the foresight to build an empire online, in conjunction with their bricks and mortar shop and now employ over 45 people. Smart operators.

The question of wholesalers supplying only bricks and mortar days are over. There are some powerful online retailers that buy as strongly as bricks and mortar and don’t discount. The Internet doesn’t have to be just about discounting, it can just be an extension of your traditional business. Faced with this question…will I supply an online store? My answer is, yes I will, as I believe they have exactly the same business as bricks and mortar operator. There is no such exclusivity for the ‘World Wide Web like there is for suburb-to-suburb exclusivity. It’s something every retailer should be embracing to even out the playing field and introducing Australian labels to the overseas markets and growing their business.

Whilst there will be still a demand for traditional retail methods, I do worry about some retailers not even giving it a go or even worse complaining how bad business and then not doing anything about it. It is incredibly naïve to think your customers will not buy from the Internet, especially if it’s a brand they know well and understand the fit. There are some very strong Australian brands out there, which would retail exceptionally well online. Retailers need to embrace this change and stop being the victims in the online world. Let’s look it at another way…did we imagine in the 1970’s we would be sending emails, surfing the internet, and buying bottled plain water to drink?

As always very interested in your thoughts.

Email us: info@garlands.com.au

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M-Comm and Social Media for Retail

The commercial world as we know it is moving into a different business model from the day to day operations, to how the company engages with its customer, even down to the system of buy, sell, trade. The traditional models are all being challenged. The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the Australian Sporting Goods Association (ASGA) will focus on one of the major changes which is m-commerce and social media for retail and part three of the Engage in E-tail Seminar series.

David Shafer, Executive Director of Kogan Technologies will deliver the keynote address and share Kogan’s success using m-commerce and social media. Other topics to be covered include: the growth of internet use and e-commerce on mobile devices; retail mobile presence - making your website mobile-friendly, mobile sites & applications; the growth of social media in retail – trends, statistics and research; practical advice, tips and best-practice when using social media in retail. A panel of leading practitioners will also share their best-practice experience in m-commerce and social media.

We asked Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association, Russell Zimmerman to tell us a little more about the seminar, why it’s so important to be informed on the new social media channels, and what it all means.

From e-comm to m-comm and now e-tail – can you explain what this new terminology means?

The word e-tail refers to electronic retail and encompasses the multiple ways in which retailers conduct their business online, so they can offer the best service to their new and existing customers. The aim is to create a seamless shopping experience for the customer wherever they choose to shop- across bricks and mortar, online, social networking and even via smart phone, of which have had a huge take up in Australia.

Why is it so important to engage in E-tail? What benefits will it bring to bricks and mortar retail?

Bricks and mortar retailers who embrace the online space are able to reach their customers in many ways. The reality of retailing is customers are increasingly going online and want the same product range, convenience and customer service they would get if they were to walk into the store. It is also important to offer customers ‘seamless’ shopping across all channels so they can shop in your online store one day and drop into your physical store the next, all in one smooth step and under one brand.

There is a huge shift in consumer focus towards purchasing online, does this have to have such a negative impact on bricks and mortar? How can they transform their business to compete effectively and successfully with online retailers?

Online shopping is here to stay and will continue to grow. Retailers should see the online space as an opportunity not a threat, and make sure they are just as competitive in the online space as they are in store. E-commerce and multi channel retailing is set to be worth $36.5 billion in 2013- this is a neon sign of opportunity for retailers to gain market share in an area of growth.

David Shafer is the Executive Director of Kogan Technologies and he will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming ARA seminar on m-commerce and social media – can you give us a brief backgrounder on David and his company? How does his background relate to retail?

David Shafer David Shafer is Executive Director at Kogan (www.kogan.com.au & www.kogan.co.uk), one of the fastest growing online retailers in Australia. He is in charge of ensuring Kogan's continued growth and rapid expansion both in Australia and into global markets. David has been a key adviser to Kogan since its foundation and, since becoming Executive Director in 2010, Kogan has expanded internationally, launched its world first dynamic pricing system called LivePrice, and undergone phenomenal growth.

Who else will be joining the panel on the day for the E-tail seminar?

Some of the other speakers for the day include representatives from Follow Online and eHound (more information below) eHound: With seven years experience in building and delivering store locators for retailers, banks and other financial services clients, eHound can help, whether it’s a store locator for the Web, an ATM finder for iPhone, a stockist locator for your Facebook page, or a Branch locator for your 13, 1300 or 0800 number. http://www.ehoundplatform.com/ Follow Online Follow is the recent winners of the What’s Your Big Idea Queensland Government grant for innovation for their understanding of online social commerce. Follow works with a range of clients from large corporations to smaller hospitality venues and start up companies to develop all branding, digital and marketing needs. They have a strong understanding of ecommerce, using online mechanisms to reflect retail behaviour and design online stores with the persuasive cycle in mind. www.followonline.com.au

This is the third in a series of seminars the ARA have been running in this field of online retail – how successful have they been? What has the response been to each one? And feedback?

The series has been very successful, with some great feedback. Many retailers want to embrace the opportunities the online space has to offer, but are often unsure on where to start. This series not only gives that starting point, it also goes much more in- depth with practical advice on how to incorporate online into your business strategy as well as provide inspiring speakers who are experts in the space.

WHEN: Tuesday 4 October 2011
WHERE: Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, 1 Aughtie Drive, Albert Park Champions Room - Enter through aquatic entry not main entry.
View map for directions Multi deck car park opposite entry / Lakeside Car Park - all day parking $8
COST: Free for ARA and ASGA members Non ARA or ASGA Members $200 inc GST

Download the program HERE.

And to register now, visit HERE.

Fashion News from the Source

With the rapid rate that fashion trends are introduced and collections are released, it can be a unique juggling act keeping up with it all. Thankfully James Boston of FashionSource.com.au has mastered the art and feeds are veracious appetite for the latest and the now.

Fashion Exposed Online recently caught up with him to ask about the history of Fashion Source, common misconceptions of the fashion industry, and what his take his on the current retail environment and whether it is as `dire' as reports make out.

James Boston is the Managing Editor of ATF Magazine, Editor, Publisher and Founder of Window Furnishings Australia, Online editor fashionsource.com.au, textilesource.com.au, and most recently Editor, Publisher and Founder of OR Magazine. Narrowly avoiding a career in finance, James has spent the last decade watching, analysing and writing about the Australian TCF industry in both his own publications as well as a number of mainstream titles.

How did you start fashion source? Was it always something you wanted to start up or did you fall into it?

Fashionsource.com.au and Textilesource.com.au were started in 1999 by my father, who at the time was the editor of our print publication ATF (Australasian Textile and Fashion). He saw the value of web publishing for industry long before many others and also saw the benefits of having a supply chain database online. I didn’t have any plans on getting involved in the business, but when my father fell ill eight years ago, and had to stop working, I was asked to come on board. I went part time with my degrees and despite eventually finishing them, gave up my planned career path in Finance to enter the world of fashion business.

What are some of the common misconceptions about the fashion industry?

From an outsiders point-of-view, that the industry is about catwalks and parties. This is probably only the case for a very small part of the industry and even then it only makes up a very small percentage of working life. In reality the life of a fashion label is one of a constant battle. There are very few barriers to entry in this industry and as a result, there is a constant stream of new labels being released.

The retail environment is being tagged by mainstream media as `dire’ with major chains reporting serious losses in revenue – what is your take on the current climate? Is it as `dire’ as the media make out?

If you look at the long term retail trends, clothing retailing is basically on trend with retailing as a whole over the past ten years. The problem (for some) is this is well below its peak in 2008. There was a brief rebound with the stimulus payments, but since then sales volumes have retreated back to long term levels. The problem for the large bricks and mortar retailers is that they built their businesses on the assumption that this amazing growth experienced during the mid-2000s would go on forever. As a result, high street retailers signed onto hundreds of retail leases in order to increase turnover and grab market share. At the same time, you had a consumer who learnt to shop online and when the dollar rose, suddenly the retail margins of the high street retailers were exposed. What we are seeing now is a fundamental shift in the way fashion retailing works. I believe that anyone who argues against this is just putting their head in the sand and get particularly annoyed when I hear large retailers and department store bosses blaming anything (the internet, the dollar, interest rates, a carbon tax that hasn’t even been legislated yet) for their poor performance while ignoring the fact that their business model is not sustainable.

What is the best part about your job?

Seeing up-and-coming designers succeed in a tough industry and a tough market. There are some incredibly talented people in Australia and I love seeing unique design rather than copies of overseas product on our racks. Unfortunately, due to the conservative nature of Australian consumers and retailers these sorts of success stories are often few and far between.

What advice do you have for aspiring designers looking to break into retail and gain new accounts?

Wholesaling can be difficult, but if you want to follow this path you will have to work hard. The fashion industry is notorious for poor and late payments, so factor this in when you are looking at your cash flow for a year. If you can afford it hire a publicist as often retailers can be quite fickle if they haven’t heard of you before. If you are going to exhibit at a trade event like Fashion Exposed, don’t just expect new accounts to walk up and place orders, make sure you organise appointments with retailers you would like to work with before the show.

Why are events like fashion exposed and premiere vital to the fashion industry?

They provide an excellent platform for the industry to do business. People come to these shows ready to do business or look for new suppliers.

Reaching Out to Regional Retailers

Deb Caldwell is a country chic at heart, and it's this inherent `no fuss' and understanding nature combined with her experienced background in the retail sector, that made her the perfect person for the new Fashion Exposed Regional Ambassador role. In between meetings and driving cross country, Fashion Exposed Online asked Deb about her new role, how the industry has changed since 1984 when she first started out, and the community spirit of the country retailers.

You started out in fashion as a junior sales assistant in the dress fabrics section of fabric wholesaler Spotlight in 1984, then sales rep, agent and importer for the last 10 years – how has this experience prepared you for your current role with Fashion Exposed as regional ambassador?

I think as I have worked on both sides of the retail counter, with retail and wholesale, gives me a well rounded view of the industry. I understand the challenges from the sample concept stage all the way through to the end consumer.

So much has happened in the fashion industry since 1984 when you first started, how has the industry changed since then? What are some of the biggest differences between then and now?

Fashion is ever evolving. There are many more young designers now days who have shown their talents on our catwalks in Australia and Internationally. The great thing with fashion is "anything goes" We have so many beautiful fabrics, textures and colours to work with and combine into works of art. But, like many successful industries, sometimes it doesn't hurt to glance back at past successes. The saying "every thing old - is new again" is testimate to that. For example the current sales on animal print has been phenomenal. Even the regional retailers are enjoying sales on this classic print. Our designers have cleverly taken an "old fav" and given it new life with a new, modern, fun look, that's the great thing about fashion.

You mentioned in the recent Ragtrader interview that while times have been especially tough during the drought etc for regional retailers, they have survived due to the unique community spirit of banding together and supporting local – do you think there is something in that for all of us?

By supporting local and independent retailers in city areas too?Absolutely! Unlike the regioanal consumer, the city consumers are spoilt for choice. If the item you are serching for can not be found at Doncaster, it is not too far to nip over to Chadstone or into the city.

Online shopping is a massive growth area, are there many regional retailers embracing this? And how successful are they?

There was not a large percentage of retailers I spoke to that had their own web sites. There was quite a bit of talk about "looking into it" but many still enjoy having the personal touch when it comes to fashion. Unless you are wanting to buy a Bonds white T-shirt where size and quality is consistant, most women want to see-feel-touch and definitely try on!

How does distance, time and climate affect those who work in regional retail? Or do women who live in the country tend to spend more at one time, even if their shopping trips aren’t as often? What are the typical shopping habits of a regional shopper to those in the city?

The further afield you travel in the country, the less frequently the regional lady will shop, due to distance. If their local shopping area is within an hour of home, most will head into town once per week and sepnd several hours in town.

What was the overall feedback from the regional retailers who attended the recent Fashion Exposed in Melbourne?

"WOW" I think the whole Fashion Exposed experience was very positive. Many people commented on being greeted at the door by FE staff and Myself with a Buyers Guide, directions, information and a smile, was a nice way to start their day. Many people took advantage of the many seminars, work shops and guest speakers and were delighted this was a complimentary service. Those who wanted to head over to Premier thought the shuttle service was fantastic.

What was your favourite part of the role?

Meeting the retailers and visiting so many wonderful stores in beautiful country towns. We really do have a lot to offer consumers in regional areas.

The Stylist Says

Even when you think you have a handle on your own style, it can be tricky keeping track of today’s fickle trends. How do you wear colour blocking without mimicking a fruit bowl; how do you insert pops of neon bright without looking like you’re off to a rave; and how do you translate a runway trend to a street wear level? This is where the industry expert comes in handy. It’s their job to digest trends and fashion them from their elaborate catwalk counterparts to the concrete realities of our urban jungle.

To assist you in this, Premiere boutique trade event for exclusive labels enlisted the help of renowned stylist, Philip Boon who will kindly share his secrets at ‘The Stylist Says Workshop' - an “informative, up to the minute look at modern dressing, presentation and styling in 2011 and beyond.”

Philip is fearless in fashion, especially when it comes to his personal style and encourages everyone to dress for themselves and to `never be afraid’. For an insight into this talented stylist, FEO quizzed him on what it’s like to work with Australia’s renowned fashion designers, how he made the switch from designing to the `perfect job’, his spring summer trend tips.

There is usually a colourful tale behind every talented success story, what is yours? How did you become a stylist?

I was a designer for about 8 years with a couple of lines and a few stores and I was becoming less and less happy with the balance of running the business and designing the ranges so I decided to close my business and move cities and then designed for a while for other companies, became a buyer, worked in PR etc and then was approached by an agent to see if I may be interested in a career in styling, at that time there weren't that many in Australia, not like now with all the competition. So for me it was something I hadn't planned but in time discovered was it was the perfect job for me, I also think its invaluable as a stylist to know how to construct clothing so my designer history proved very helpful.

You have worked with some of Australia’s most celebrated fashion designers within your styling for editorial and runway, who are some of the iconic designers, Aussie and international, you worship?

I'm lucky to say a lot are my friends for many years, one designer/couturier I've known and worked with is Aurelio Costarella, I've known Ray for about 20 years and he continues to inspire me with his talent and designs and have loved seeing his creations on so many huge stars all over the world as well as use a lot in my work. Kirrily Johnston I've known for a long time too and her designs are wonderful and she just gets better and better with every collection, I also really enjoy working with mostly Australian designers as I get to know them and what they are all about which you don't with an international one so much, I love the boys at Leopold, Yoejin Bae, Gwendolyn, Richard Nylon, Trimapee and of course my wonderful friends at Madam Virtue Dean and JC.

Melbourne is a hive of creativity with so many emerging and up-and-coming designer talents, who are some of those undiscovered’s you are helping to unveil?

Well my co host at Fashion Torque, Jenny Bannister and I really feel that it’s our duty to work with and encourage up and coming design talent and so we think that Gavin Lowes and Becky Chua at Neo Dia are totally the ones to watch in the future.

Who are some of your favourite Australian models? Do you have any great behind-the-scenes tales with any celebrities or models you have worked with to share with us?

I think Alice Burdeau is fab, so 70's Jerry Hall and I just worked with Samantha Harris and I love her look.

You are doing an interview style chat called The Stylist Says every day at Premiere – boutique trade event for exclusive labels, what are some of the key tips from your experience that you hope to share with the audience? How will these help and enhance their current business model?

I think over the last twenty years I have been lucky to work in a lot of areas of fashion, from design to retail to styling and creative direction so I will be chatting about the landscape of the modern fashion industry as well as individuals and companies that I think we can all learn from, we will discuss 3 different topics each day of the trade show and how that relates back to selling fashion, which is really what we are all doing.

Why are events like Premiere so important for the Australian fashion industry?

The coming together of like-minded people who believe in a common goal is something that I think inspires you to further your commitment to your chosen field and I think Premiere is going to create a platform for the fashion elite to show their best creations at a time that we need each other more than ever, so the Australian fashion industry may show that it's always working towards high standards.

As a stylist, you are obviously surrounded by clothing, describe your personal style?

I suppose I have a fondness with vintage, the 60's and 70's aesthetic, a time when we all dressed up so I would say my style IS dressed up. I'm not a fan of casual style really when it comes to my own presentation, unless you include kaftans!

What is your personal style philosophy or motto?

Dress for yourself and never be afraid!

What are some of the key spring summer trends we should be investing in for the season?

Well I don't know about investing as I think this is the season for having fun, the world is in all sorts of trouble so I think we need to embrace colour and make all of ourselves feel better, and it needn't be expensive. Lots of trends coming through at the moment but I'll leave that to The Stylist Says Workshop!

Who are your style icons?

On the stylish side, Tom Ford, YSL and on the wild side Alexander McQueen and my legendary co-host Jenny Bannister!

To register for Philip Boon The Stylist Says Workshop, email premierevisitor@aec.net.au

The Question of Price?

If you ask any fashion agent or retailer being offered to take on a new fashion label during these uncertain times, chances are you'll find they both ask the same question. And that question is - What are the prices? With the economy as it is, and with consumers seeking an online alternative for significantly cheaper purchases coming from overseas, the demand for manufacturers and designers to produce value for money garments is critical.

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, along with Robert Garland who was described by Ragtrader as “veteran ragtrader”with over 30 years experience. Garland & Garland Fashion is a leading fashion agency based in Sydney, which also offers business mentoring & project management of marketing to the fashion industry.

Ask any retailer how business is, and you will know things are changing very fast for them. Long gone are the days where the customer will buy anything. Now, thanks to the Internet the customer is a very savvy shopper and they are no fool. Here are some of the changes in the consumer.

1. Consumers do not want to pay for basics they can get from any major chain store.
2) Quite often the consumer is now haggling on price for goods from the retailer
3) the consumer is looking for unique yet commercial pieces from their independent boutiques, and of course the consumer is now waiting for the sale thanks to the department stores and chain stores and their incessant discounting.

With all this in mind, the question therefore falls on fashion labels, distributors, importers and manufacturers and also fashion agents to really think about what they are offering the retailer and consumer. Margin is a must for retailers, 100% these days doesn’t account for the crippling rents in some suburbs or for the sometimes zero days. However turnover is more important than ever as well. Labels don’t have to be cheap but they have to offer good value and a point of difference. And you must be aware of the vast competition out there and price yourself accordingly. There was a time where customers would be happy to buy cheap goods, regardless of the quality. Now the ball game has changed.

Fast fashion chain operators like Zara for example is one chain store where I have nothing but admiration. Why? Because before coming to Australia they did their research thoroughly on the Australian climate and got to understand their Australian customer. They realised that essentially to get the volume in this country, you needed to price yourself right and offer great design in fashion, and they understand their customer. The queues at the front speak volumes of the sales they are doing. It may drift off in a few years to come once the novelty wears off. But providing they don’t rest on their laurels and continue to innovate they will do very well.

For example, you go into Zara and you can get a pretty nice linen dress for $70.00. And the quality is pretty good for that price. Sure it won’t last you forever but it’s not meant to and the customer can accept this. The other thing is, Zara is considered a sought after brand and they have been very clever creating that image. The pricing structure for the Australian market is completely on the money and it’s something which Australian manufacturers and designers really need to think about in terms of their own labels. Zara’s short delivery times of 3 weeks in store is also a huge advantage and they were savvy enough to realise they needed to adjust their ranges from the northern hemisphere to suit the southern hemisphere.

While Zara may be outstanding value for money, there still is a demand for medium-priced garments. Consumers will pay money for goods they deem value for money. However manufacturers, designers and distributors really have to look at each garment before pricing to ensure that the RRP is justified. There is a need for the fashion industry to really look at the construction of garments, fabric and quality and ask yourself would you be willing to pay that for yourself or your partner at retail? The new breed of consumers will still pay for certain things. Jackets, leather and fur (and yes they can be faux) are areas that they will spend their money on. And to a certain extent, knitwear. But paying the big dollars for the NZ knitwear has certainly subsided.

There have been smart players, like Z & P Fashions who have re-launched their very established La Dame knitwear and are offering good value for money for garments. They are starting to see the benefits of having ranges that are value for money yet not compromising on quality. However they have been in the industry for many years and fully understand their customer. The area I see the biggest volume of sales in Australia apart from the very established wholesalers, are the labels that do fast turn around time for delivery. And those that offer stock support on best sellers.One of the companies that we represent, took a significant loss in indent sales last winter. But boy they made it up by offering an extended stock support when they realised the loss of winter indent. It was a gutsy move that payed off. Their stock levels for winter were up by 35%! Another smart operator, that was able to read the economic climate correctly and be innovative.

One thing I have learnt in this industry, is the volume of business is not done in high to medium end in Australia. And yes I am devastated at this purely for selfish reasons! Yes, you can have a beautiful label that has gorgeous fabrics, beautiful design and presents beautifully (and yes I am this label's customer) but where real volume of sales lies, is in garments under RRP $150 and less. It’s time for designers to rethink certain fabrics that offer less sell through, and be smart about choosing fabrics that may offer value for money and higher margins and sell through. Unless in the odd exceptions if It’s a very branded product with minimum orders of say $10,000 imposed on each retailer. But even then imposing minimums can have an adverse affect for retailers.

From a manufacturer, fashion agents and distributors point of view you really need to ask yourself a hard question. Do you want to have a product that does medium sales or do you want to do volume sales? And when I am talking volume, I am talking about having a buyer come in and order $45K of product for one boutique. Because yes, that is the type of orders our agency gets on one of our labels. And here is the irony, I for one, would prefer to sell a label that is not necessarily my demographic or my taste, however which is commercial and can do massive volume, and can afford me to buy the medium to higher end brands for myself. As opposed to taking on a brand that is my demographic and is a medium to high end that does little volume and I can’t afford to buy the garments I love because I am not getting the volume orders.

The fashion industry is one industry which is hit the hardest with economic downturns, but with careful, planning, innovation and flexibility with manufacturers and great customer service from retailers, it is not dire. There can be a certain amount of arrogance in this industry and quite often from all sides of the industry. However, I for one won’t tolerate it from anyone during these economic times, now is the time we need to all work together and be flexible and help each other. Ultimately manufacturers, retailers, distributors and agents need to remember this - there is nothing glamorous about labels that do not sell no matter how pretty they may be.

As always, very interested in your thoughts.

Email me at: info@garlands.com.au

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Retail Exposed

VM is a term many of you will be familiar with, but just exactly what does it mean? While the literal translation of the abbreviation is Visual Merchandising, there is so much more to this process than `just a pretty window’. Founder and editor of iSpyStyle, Kate Vandermeer will host a short, sharp and business focused seminar this weekend at Fashion Exposed on the topic of `Understanding Visual Merchandising for your business’. We sat down with Kate to discuss why it’s so important to get the right `product mix’, how to understand your customer to maximise profit, and `rethinking’ your current window display to engage the consumer.

Kate has spent the last 15 years in the Fashion Industry in Australia working in a variety of areas including Trend Forecasting, Marketing, Design Development and Visual Merchandising for Mimco, Decjuba, French Connection, Mogil and co-created and brand managed the online fashion magazine, stylehunter.com.

What does visual merchandising mean to you?

To me its more than just a pretty window. Visual merchandising has the ability to increase your sales, create brand exposure and delight and entertain customers.

Why is it so important for businesses to understand Visual Merchandising?

Many shops tend to focus on getting the right "product mix" which is important, however the way product is displayed can really help sell the look that the buyer was intending. There's a saying that a truly successful business has to have the 4 P's... Product Price Promotion Placement - You really need all 4 elements to work well.

Why will the window display and store layout work for the business down the road but not yours? Explain the importance of tailoring VM to your own store and customer?

VM is all about understanding who your customer is and how they like to shop. It's the merging of function and inspiration. You must create interest to attract your customer time and time again but I believe VM must have a purpose and encourage conversion of sales (whether that's enticing windows to get customers in store or interesting layouts to help the customer shop more easily.)

How can they tailor VM to their specific business? What can they look for when planning the initial design?

It's a great idea to create "mini destination" spots. If your layout is all open plan and there's nowhere to "discover" and get lost in, you'll find a customer can see everything they need to see right when they walk in and therefore they may not take the time to walk in and around the store. Creating obstacles and area's upon which the customer's curiosity gets the better of them is the goal.

How will VM catch the eye of your customer and will it be a vital tool in avoiding financial woes in the current economic climate?

What so many stores do wrongly is to think in times of economic uncertainty, that they can't afford to do interesting VM /windows etc. Its exactly in these times, that stores become "same same" and this is the time to rethink your window displays to create excitement, look at tweaking the internal layout, move fixtures around, wallpaper a feature wall to create interest. I liken it to having a makeover. When you put effort into your appearance, your confidence is electric. When a store looks haggard and sad and a bit depressed, that energy is felt by the customer and the "desperation vibe" is very obvious.

As a regular visitor and speaker at Fashion Exposed over the years, what is your favourite part about the show? And why is it an important platform for retail and buyers?

More than ever, attending trade shows is imperative. It's all about finding an edge and that might be securing a new brand, looking at bringing on a new category or meeting with other like minded people in the industry to connect, network and discuss the issues facing you. My favourite element of the show is definitely the Business Seminar. Whilst I love going to "spy" on what new trends are emerging and discovering new talent, I love being involved and also attending the seminars as so much can be gained from an insightful point of view. When you're busy and caught up in the day to day of your business, it's so important to stand back and think of the big picture when it comes to your business and where it's going. I think the line up this year really covers the most important issues facing the industry today.

Digital Exposed

The retail landscape has changed dramatically in recent months. The introduction of Spanish fashion chain, Zara and the recent announcement of Topshop to our shores has diluted the market with Australian retail giants Myer and David Jones both announcing major annual losses. But that aside, the recent threat to bricks and mortar retail is the growth of e-commerce or online shopping. E-commerce and associated m-commerce (mobile shopping) has sent traditional retail into a spin, but how do you integrate this new phenomenon into your current business model?

We asked Sameiko Landry, group digital manager of Witchery and Mimco Group, to give us the low down on this modern phenomenon before she gives her business seminar this weekend at Fashion Exposed on the topic of `Understanding how to integrate e-commerce into your business’.

We hear the term all the time, but what does e-commerce mean to you?

For me, it really just means online retail. Ability to sell product and/or services on your own branded website or as part of a 3rd party site.

Why is it so important for businesses to understand e-commerce and more importantly to integrate it into their business?

Customers are no longer happy to sit back and wait for their favourite retailers to catch up. They're incredibly savvy and they demand the ability to buy when they want, where they want on whatever device they choose. It's up to us as retailers to enable our customers to interact with us as they wish to. For businesses with bricks and mortar stores, understanding e-commerce is of course important but really the goal should be integrating beyond just e-commerce and towards a truly multi-channel service.

What are some successful examples of e-commerce in the marketplace that you could share to explain its importance in every business?

Surf Stitch is a site I'm really impressed with. It consistently ticks all the boxes of best-practice e-commerce. The caliber of communications and customer fulfillment sites like net-a-porter and mr porter always provide sources of motivation! Australia is definitely going through a very exciting time at the moment. Within the next 6-12 months, we'll see even greater changes in online retailing. I'm really looking forward to us all mixing it with the big overseas players.

How can they tailor e-commerce to their specific business? Is it a matter of hiring an expert or something you can learn and teach yourself?

I think you can absolutely learn the basic principles yourself. However, e-commerce is not generally a part-time position. It requires buy-in and consistent management from key departments including; planning, supply-chain/logistics, marketing and IT. If you can hire an expert then fantastic but there are also some amazing consultants that can assist on an ongoing or project based arrangement. Even just to prioritise what's required from the outset. The best thing about online is that it's measurable. Testing is so important and takes the guessing out of decision making.

Is this a vital tool in avoiding financial woes in the current economic climate?

Customer fulfillment is critical so if you feel you can service your customer beyond their expectations then e-commerce should absolutely assist. An online store is not a set and forget arrangement. If you don't enhance your offering regularly, before you know it, you're playing catchup.

As a speaker at Fashion Exposed this month, what are you looking forward to most at the show? And why is it an important platform for retail and buyers?

I'm just excited at how the industry is transforming and I think every year the show reflects this. It provides such a great opportunity to learn and meet new people in a time where everyone is so incredibly busy.

PROMOTION: Special Offer

FASHIONTREND Australia has just launched its July edition. The ‘Rebel' themed issue is dedicated to emerging creative talent.

Wrapped around over 150 pages of fashion delights is a cover featuring the retro glamour hair stylings of none other than the talented Brad Ngata. Readers can also reflect on Australian Fashion Week with beautiful runway and backstage imagery, while scouring the international runways of Milan and the Big Apple for Fall/Winter trends.

Thanks to FASHIONTREND magazine, Fashion Exposed Online has three glossy copies of their latest issue (valued at $20) to give away.

To win simply email Fashion Exposed Online editor Sacha Strebe at sacha.strebe@aec.net.au and explain in 25 words or less what your favourite `rebel’ memory is?

Remember to include your full name and postal address.

The winner will be announced on August 10.

You can pick up the latest issue at at MAG NATION and leading newsagents nationally.

www.fashiontrend.com.au

The end of more than just an era... and the red-tape problem that is inhibiting textile manufacturing in Australia

Phoebe Garland Co-owner & Co-founder – Garland & Garland Fashion Pty Ltd Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, a leading fashion agency based in Sydney, which also offers business mentoring & project management of marketing to the fashion industry. www.garlands.com.au

There are only a handful of fashion designers that you can call iconic in this country, and Jenny Bannister is definitely one of those designers. With so much fast fashion around courtesy of the ZARA’s, the Jenny Bannister label was the complete opposite. Bannister stems from the day designers were taught pattern making skills and had their own original creations, and were able to make a commercial success out of them. The Jenny Bannister was a very successful label stemming from the 1970’s. It started out in couture and eventually moved into contemporary evening wear broadening her commercial success. The Bannister label has had a very strong wholesale and retail business and not to mention a celebrity following with the label highly collected and sought after. Her designs are featured prominently in the Melbourne Fashion Festival and her pieces have also recently been auctioned at Christie's as well as being collected by major art galleries and museums. In 2005, she was honoured on a commemorative Australian postage stamp, along with other Australian fashion designers, Collette Dinnigan, Akira Isogawa, Joe Saba, Carla Zampatti and fellow RMIT alum Prue Acton.

Sadly in 2009, The Jenny Bannister label ceased due to endless problems associated with producing the line, union issues, and unable to find makers proved all too much for this lovable designer. She cited many reasons, including the ''nightmare task'' of keeping up with confusing paperwork required by the Clothing Trades Award 1999 and constant fear of fines up to $10,000 for even accidental non-compliance.

It’s no secret that Bannister and I speak almost daily on Facebook and quite often chat on long threads about the latest issues in the fashion industry. But it is the problems associated with manufacturing her label in Australia that I felt really needed to be highlighted, especially for small fashion labels. The serious demise of small makers and the catch 22 of the unions wishing to protect workers rights are having a devastating effect on any future manufacturing for small businesses and employment in Australian fashion. I asked Jenny about the demise of her label and what exactly went on behind the scenes to lead to such a sad ending of such an iconic brand.

Describe what happened to the demise of the iconic Jenny Bannister label with some of your manufacturing problems?
Jenny Bannister: The demise of JB label was due to a lack of skilled dressmakers available to do small runs, cost no problem, lack of factories still up and working to do the work, and all the forms to be filled in, to be sent to the union for each order of work.

Enlighten us about some of the codes of practice you need to watch out for especially for emerging designers manufacturing in Australia.
Jenny Bannister: To stay in business, a label must apply for a board of reference number (BOR). This number must be printed on all paperwork in the production line; The original BOR form must list all makers, their addresses and phone numbers. If they give work out to another party they must tell the designer, and more forms are to be filled in. If you don't know what your makers are doing with your work, and it has gone to another party, the designer will be fined $10,000 for each breach of the award. If you don't register for a BOR number, the designer is automatically fined $10,000 for a start, and then in multiples of $10,000 for each breach of the award. You must send in your BOR forms every 3 months to two different union bodies. The Union goes around to the makers to inspect the working books, If things don't fit together in the awards framework. The designer gets all the fines; sometimes a factory can get them too, But mainly the designer.

Do you think the unions are inhibiting small manufacturing in Australia?
Jenny Bannister: Small up and coming designers, and small run specialty designers can't work in this set up for love of ethical etc. Good makers don't come cheap, trouble is they don't come at all theses days! In the past, to get a run of 6 all the same, a designer would look up the local paper for the dress making advertisements. Here you could find registered businesses, making 6 bridesmaids, Usually located in an old shop or at home. Paper work for the taxman was used, when GST came in they all registered for an ABN or went underground. Now there are no dressmaker’s adverts in the local papers and factories just sigh when you only need 10 garments made.

Is working from home what the sewers want and suits their lifestyle?
Jenny Bannister: Working at home is something a lot of people want to do however in the garment industry it’s not allowed anymore, The unions have made it impossible to work at home as an independent business, the only people allowed to work at home by the union award have to work as if they were in a factory, following hourly rates, break times, overtime penalties, sick days, holidays and super contributions. The designer must treat the home worker as if they are with the designer in a factory, and pay all the costs. The worker cannot have their own business at home, it is forbidden by the union. When I closed down I had a few contractors who I enrolled with an employment agency, to get them work. After 2 weeks the agency rang me and said, "Sorry, they all want to work at home, I can't find them any work". These registered contractors knew they could earn much more by working their hours and times of the year, and charge me and other designers much more than sitting in a dingy factory all year. They also had the luxury of travelling overseas whenever they liked, with out asking for time off.

What is the difference between outworkers and contractors? Your makers actually had their own businesses so how could they be considered 'outworkers' in the eyes of the unions? Jenny Bannister: The difference between outworkers and contractors is a very grey area in the Textile award. So grey in fact I employed the services of the Fairwork Ombudsman to make it clear for all concerned after interviewing my contractors he declared in writing "That they were all contractors”. Contractors are a registered business with an ABN number, charge GST, pay their own tax, super, work cover, sick pay, holidays etc. They are the boss. They invoice the designer and charge them GST. They only do the work they want at they price they ask. Out workers are delivered cut work, with a time line and a stipulated price per item. The designer and factory are responsible for all their entitlements and tax, (I never used this sort of labour so I don't know it inside out) When the unions inspected my business it was in 2006. They were of the opinion that anyone conducting work from their home, was an "outworker," Well I ran my company out of my residential C Home for 21 years with a council permit, and that was all good. We were all working at home, as rents were climbing so high, it was too expensive and stressful to hire other premises. Travel to work time, was also a big factor in staying at home to work. Most girls who worked in my studio wasted 1 hour morning and night, just to drive to and from work. After 3 years of stress, I knew it was no use trying to keep afloat.

Do you have to pay your makers superannuation if they are not technically employees of your business?
Jenny Bannister: Paying super to outworkers is mandatory by the Textile award. As to who should be paying it (factory or designer is another strange grey area) You would think that, as a designer, if you take your order to a factory, that the factory will just add all their overheads into your garments, and you just pay their invoice. Well it seems, that's not the case in the fashion industry.

Thank you Jenny for your insight into such a sad demise of manufacturing. Not to mention the demise of such an iconic label. While no one wishes for workers to be treated badly or treated unethically, it seems to me to be a complete catch 22 in protecting workers rights that are inhibiting any jobs for workers in the process. The irony about the closure of Jenny Bannister label is that she is one of the few designers that wanted to make in Australia in ethical conditions and is completely against manufacturing in Asia. The Gillard government has apparently given the textile unions 4 million dollars to encourage ethically made garments in Australia. With the majority of textile manufacturing shifted overseas courtesy of the Button Plan in the 1980’s, it is more important than ever to protect this small textile manufacturing in Australia. But my question is, will there be any garment makers left for fear of union inspections and fear of $10,000 fines? And therefore how will unions protect workers jobs if there are no jobs left to protect?

Jenny Bannister now co-hosts Fashion Torque along with celebrity stylist Phillip Boon at Globe Café, a monthly event, which is an open invitation to talk the latest topics of the fashion industry and listen to key note speaker and topics. Visit them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FashionTorqueShow

As always, very interested in your thoughts. Email me at: info@garlands.com.au
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/garlandandgarlandfashion or Twitter: www.twitter.com/garlandfashion

How to Increase Profit in your Business

Today, it isnot enough to invest in a fashion business and have the guarantee of success. The world economy and the changes in buying patterns and customer’s expectations have changed, so therein lies the necessity for boutiques to change their approach to business.

The formula for a profitable business is; Margin + product/mix + turnover + marketing/image = PROFIT
The `old formula’ is; Sales + product + turnover = $

The difference is the business is no longer driven by $ SALES and PRODUCT. The business model is driven by MARGIN and TURNOVER. Successful labels give you high turnover and high margin and in return the product must be reliable in quality, styling and delivery.

Imagine your store is 500 sq feet (average size of a fashion boutique);

1. What is your operating MARGIN? (incl. full price and markdown sales)
2. What should the average retail price point be?
3. What is the store image? who is your target customer?
4. How many labels should you carry?
5. What is the product mix? What should the ratio of indent labels to in season COD labels be?

All these questions are now attributed to the integrity and success of today’s fashion boutique.

Deborah Sterry and Ian Perkins will be guest speakers at the Fashion Exposed regional seminars on Monday August 29th from 2.30-3.30 to discuss, "The changing face of the Fashion Boutique - change how you do business today to succeed for tomorrow". These one hour seminars are complimentary for Club Card Members and regional visitors. They are held in the hospitality suites at Fashion Exposed, seats are limited, so reserve your spot to avoid disappointment. Book now, visit here.

Swimwear goes retro

The swimwear season is soon to be in full swing with retro vibes taking over as bandeau bras and high waisted briefs dominating both the runway's and latest editorials

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, a trend analayst and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

The Inspiration: This summer season fashion-forward females find inspiration in the retro styling of the 1940s and 1950s as bikinis turn bigger, prompting a pin-up girl aesthetic. Original pin-up girls Grace Kelly and Betty Grable become key figures, inspiring contemporary takes from fashionistas worldwide; cue polka dot prints, gingham checks, and high-waisted briefs.

The Runway: A retro undercurrent dominated swimwear on spring/summer 11 runways with an abundance of corset and bandeau bras teamed with big high-waisted knickers. Bright white proved to be a favourite choice of colour along with soft oyster and silver shades.

The Changing Face of Boutique Retailing

GLOBILISATION is shrinking the market share, due not to the large retailers but the internet.

Let’s have a look at the Internet “effect”:

- Large retailers like Harvey Norman in electrical are up against catchoftheday.com. This site sold $1m worth of Samsung Lcd TV’s in 1 hour and shipped 100,000 parcels in Dec 2010.

- Department stores who have been used to dominating the market, are now up against online stores such as Lasoo.net who have approximately 2.5 mil users a month, and huge cosmetics site strawberrynet.com who now dominates the online cosmetics industry.

- The chain stores such as Portmans and Sportsgirl are competing now with International UK giant, topshop.com who now receives 25% of their online sales from Australia.

- Large businesses have reacted to this online onslaught by price cutting and ongoing discounts.

- Take the current supermarket price war for example with their daily discounts on commodities like bread, milk at below cost prices, or the David Jones versus Myer department store war who seem perpetually “ON SALE”.

HOW do the small and medium boutique retailers compete and prosper?
As simple as changing the way they currently view and run their businesses.

• #1 SELL through different revenue streams; Increase your profile and accessibility to the consumer by extending business hours and establishing your own boutique internet site 24/7 to increase your customer reach.
• #2 INCREASE YOUR MARGIN! It allows the retailer to have accessibility to cash flow to spend more on expansion into their business.
• #3 BUY PRODUCT in season and offer variety of product by new stock deliveries every week or even every day. Manage stock inventories according to the sales flow.
• #4 Offer personal service, know your customer - that is the foundation of the independent boutique’s business and will always be superior to the large retailer.
• #5 Maintain quality and offer product that is value for money, not be motivated by price only.
• #6 ADD “WOW” factor to your business, make it exciting and give your boutique a social network image as well as a store image.

EMBRACE THE CHANGES. SEE THEM AS OPPORTUNITIES AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU OPERATE, NOT ON PRICE BUT WITH MARGINS. OFFER THE CONSUMER PRODUCT THEY WANT, WHEN THEY WANT IT.

Deborah Sterry and Ian Perkins will be guest speakers at the Fashion Exposed regional seminars on Monday August 29th from 2.30-3.30 to discuss, "The changing face of the Fashion Boutique - change how you do business today to succeed for tomorrow".
These one hour seminars are complimentary for Club Card Members and regional visitors. They are held in the hospitality suites at Fashion Exposed, seats are limited, so reserve your spot to avoid disappointment.
Book now, visit here.

The cost of bad debts

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, a leading fashion agency based in Sydney, which also offers business mentoring & project management of marketing to the fashion industry. www.garlands.com.au

Recently, Samantha Hardman, owner of Bento, an emerging fashion label posted a blog on her website “The cost isn’t about the dollars” which was reproduced in Ragtrader Online. It caused an amazing response from manufacturers and wholesalers about the issue of non-payment. Slow payment in this industry and sometimes no payment in the fashion industry has been an ongoing problem, and is only getting worse.

Whilst I am extremely sympathetic to retailers and totally understand the difficulties faced with constant discounting by department stores & influx of chain stores, her blog did raise some interesting points particularly, comments from the wholesalers and manufacturers. Most wholesale comments were leaning towards a ‘naming and shaming’ database of constant bad payers, which in some instances I have to agree with, for the very bad ones. However this is heavily controversial! (There could be some tough manufacturers who don’t give an inch to compromise and abuse this system).

On the other side of the coin there is another type of retailer who may be a slow payer and genuinely can’t pay all at once and is trading through a bad patch. As I am technically considered a ‘middle-man” aka, a fashion agent, I see both sides of the problem from a manufacturers point of view and from a retailers point of view. This problem is a frustrating for all involved and can have devastating flow on effects from retailer, to manufacture to agent, to makers. Essential retailers don’t pay we don’t get paid.

I think one of the biggest frustrations we have is when a retailer is not communicating with wholesalers/manufacturers and not attempting to work out a payment system. Retailers, as much as I adore you at times, it CAN be like getting through to the royal family trying to reach some of you and it’s perhaps not the most professional way to behave, especially when payment is owed.

One area I think manufacturers can help themselves is assessing each order and staggering large deliveries over a couple of months to ensure retailers can get adequate sell through before payment is due. If an order looks too good to be true it usually is. Assess it before just delivering the entire amount and expecting the retailer to pay the entire amount within 7 days. Staggering invoicing into realistic breakdowns and staggering deliveries can help cash flow for everyone. Earlier deliveries should also be looked at especially with the department stores going on sale earlier each year.

The fashion industry is getting harder and not easier and I think ultimately we need to all remember we all need each other more than ever. Playing hard-ball, is probably not the best idea at the moment, unless absolutely necessary and there has been no communication between the parties. Retailers need to think about online methods in conjunction for their businesses and also Facebook and Twitter interaction to engage potential customers and help to turn over stock constantly and get the sales in. Looking outside the square and thinking “Innovation” is imperative.

Let us remember that retailers need product, wholesalers need retailers and makers and agents need you to work together to keep our industry thriving.

Let us know your thoughts!

Email us, info@garlands.com.au or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Autumn Winter Trends 2011-12

Sue Evans is the Senior Editor, Catwalks at WGSN – the global leader in fashion and style forecasting. Since graduating from the Royal College of Art, Sue had a long distinguished career in trend forecasting and fashion consultancy, working with international retailers and manufacturers including Onward Kashiyama, Isetan, Bloomingdale’s, Coca-Cola, Shiseido and Arcadia. Sue has been with WGSN since its launch in 1998 and was instrumental in creating the Catwalks, What’s in Store and Close-to-Season directories.

There are three strong key messages underscoring the trends for autumn/winter 11/12. One of the most important is the fact that fashion is slowing down and trends are taking far longer to evolve and peak with retailers and manufacturers working to longer lead times in deference to the slowdown in consumer spending. We can also expect to see a growing confidence in the use of colour, evolving from the riot of summer brights currently on the high street. The final key message directing trends for next winter is the continuing fascination with all things vintage as catwalk designers looked to the last century’s fashion archive for inspiration.

Colour will certainly help drive the market with an unusually colourful winter palette bringing a sense of newness to established best sellers – especially in the area of outerwear and accessories. We are seeing 3 distinct palettes emerge; the rich autumnal brights, which revolve around intense saturated colours like marigold, cognac brown, grenadine and cool mallard greens; a range of graphic pop brights centred around vivid orange, Kelly green, vermillion, cobalt blue and sunshine yellow; and to add a quiet note of contrast, the luxe neutrals -- black and winter white, camel, grey and blush.

There are strong fabric directions for next season too, with an accent on the importance of wool, from the soft weightless luxury of cashmere to lofty mohairs or plush-touch brushed finishes, and of course brightly coloured checks and traditional tweeds. Designers continued to opt for the luxe touch of furs, from curly shearlings to the drama of vintage-style long-haired goat or Mongolian lamb, as well as brightly coloured furs such as fox - all highly applicable for development for the more commercial aspects of faux furs. The tactile feel continues with plush velvet – particularly strong for accessories -- and don’t underestimate the importance of recoloured suede for everything from dresses to skirts and casual tops and of course for footwear and bags. Expect to see lace evolve for another season, recoloured in the season’s fashion colours and in heavier weights like guipure, while sequins add a touch of glamour for party and evening.

Country themes come into play for print and pattern with an emphasis on richly coloured bird prints, autumnal foliage and the continuation of florals, contrasted with the more graphic qualities of winter stripes, chevrons and bold colour blocking. Other key print directions include colourful Paisleys, scrolling Baroque imagery and snakeskin – a really key pattern trend for accessories.

Those are all the building blocks for the season ahead and we can expect to see them translated into the season’s key looks which draw on the early 70s, the pop 60s, 50s collegiate -‘varsity looks and the cinematic 40s for inspiration. Overall silhouettes are for longer midi skirt lengths, the continuation of wide 70s pants, graphic coat shapes, cropped jackets to balance those fuller bottomweights, androgynous tuxedo dressing and simple shift dresses, all worn with high block heeled loafers, high-heeled Chelsea boots, 40s-style wedges and boxy 70s bag shapes.

A stitch in time saves nine - the art of the post-seasonal

Ever wondered why you have so much discounted stock at the end of each season? Want to know how you can shrink your store’s reduced rack? Renowned buyer and industry figurehead Sarah Gale says every business could effectively streamline their operation and cut down costs by completing a post seasonal analysis.

Fashionista Business Consultancy Group director, Sarah Gale is synonymous with the fashion industry and is renowned for her astute business acumen and understanding of the Australian fashion retail landscape. She's worked with major players Portmans, Sportsgirl, Kmart, Target, Witchery and Jacqui E.

For those who have never heard the terminology `post seasonal analysis’, in short, it is a `dissection of sales and profit figures to create an overall picture of season performance’. While at first this may sound time-consuming, and perhaps even a little confusing, Gale insists you will actually gain back time because your business will be running more efficiently.
"Whether you own one store or are a multi site operator, if you are neglecting this fundamental step in the buying process you are playing Russian roulette with your business."

So what does it entail and how do we get started?

Throughout the season, Sarah recommends you break up the ranges into categories from dresses to denim, tops to knitwear and pants. “A lot of people buy in ranges and don’t look at where they are duplicating sales throughout the season,” says Gale.
“Often when you buy a full range you don’t always take this into consideration and so you should always ask yourself `how many pants options do I really need within my store?’.
Secondly, understand your business and define the customer segments you sit within.
“Quite often they know their mix, but don’t know the percentage and that is vital because you can overbuy in one area and completely ignore another,” she says. “So I can help them to really understand what that is.”
Thirdly, Sarah says you should assemble the figures of what you have sold over the season, then categorise this into different customer segments.
“Each business won’t have just one customer segment, it can often cross over into many different segments, but you’d be surprised how unbalanced many businesses are?”

After you have actioned this, then it’s time to analyse the overall sales results, markdown results and size breakups to really work out what has sold, what hasn’t and why.
“The why is what is really important, as that is where your key measure is,” says Sarah. “One of the hardest things for people to measure is missed sales.”
“Unless you have the training and analytical mind, doubled up with the mechanical mind and understanding of the market now, you will not be able to potentialise your sales."
But this can be difficult, especially when you are so close to the business. Sarah knows that analysing during the season can sometimes be the worst time and you often can’t be as objective as you need to.
By having a close look at the gaps, Sarah says you are then able to clearly see which products have performed the best, and why you’ve been left with mark downs.
“It’s really important that you don’t just analyse figures, you analyse the figures and the merchandise, which allows you an opportunity to find the gaps during the season,” she says.

Over the years, Sarah has heard many businesses say `It just didn’t sell?’, but she believes there is always a reason. One of the major issues for a smaller business' is they often tend to sell and re-buy within a repeated pattern.
“Once you know how to analyse, you can write up a succinct plan before you go to your next buy,” she says.
But it isn’t just small businesses that can benefit from a post seasonal analysis, Sarah says she has worked with multi-million dollar companies and even designers.
“I work with them to look at what they are offering their clientele, how their range looks, that it’s succinct and not duplicated and they are all getting great results,” she says.

Regardless of consumer or retail land, Sarah believes a post seasonal analysis will see your markdowns decrease, sales increase and profits improve.
“This analysis is key beyond all keys, this is the key to success in your business,” she says. “If you are going out to buy a new season you cannot do it responsibly without this analysis. “It should be part of your business planning budget, for the money you spend on a process like this it will save you buying stock you didn’t need.
“It far out ways the amount you spend on markdowns, and missed incremental sales, and that is the saddest part for me.”

And it doesn’t take long to get results, Sarah says for a business size of 15 stores and upwards, it can take two days to get through it which includes what options they’ll need going forward. For a smaller business it should only take a day.
“When you are going to bake a meal, if you don’t have the right ingredient to begin with then it isn’t going to work, so think of your stock as ingredients,” she says.
“My job is to skill people so they don’t need me all the time. I talk the business through everything I am doing, so they can understand and take it on, so when they are comfortable they can then do it themselves.”

For more information visit her website, www.sarahgale.com.au
Or email her direct, info@sarahgale.com.au

The Art of Selling

The term salesman is something that can send shivers up a spine.
Images can evoke of pushy real estate men, used-car salesmen and even worse, pyramid selling people. However it doesn’t have to be like that at all.

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, a leading fashion agency based in Sydney. which also offers business mentoring & project management of marketing to the fashion industry. www.garlands.com.au

The best sales people are people who won’t even appear to be selling to you. You will believe that the person honestly cares about you and your business and here’s the thing – they actually will. Instead of a dodgy sales person you will see a person who has thorough product knowledge and who is passionate, not pushy.

A good salesperson will be all the things they appear and they will mean what they say and have complete integrity.
For example, the other day we turned down a 100k+ order. Yes you heard right. We turned it down, didn’t even attempt to sell to her. It wasn’t easy, but it was the right decision.
Why? Because we are deeply concerned about this retailer’s business and their mounting debts and we are very keen to keep them in business for the long term, even if that means turning away large orders for the short term, we are prepared to do that. Sometimes the best sales strategy is actually not to sell, developing trust in sales is imperative.

To gain consistency in sales in any industry, your long-term goal is obviously repeat business and there is no point in taking one order if they aren’t going to be around for the next one. One of the best lessons I learned in my early days of sales was to build loyalty, credibility, trust and to help people.

I had a wonderful ex-boss who became a great friend, and she gained a lot of loyalty and love from her clients through her nurturing and caring approach. Through helping people (it doesn’t matter which industry you work in) you gain trust and credibility and in the long term sales will usually follow.

Here are my top sales tips:

• Understand the product you are selling, gain knowledge of it so you can sell to others.
• When you get the sale, ensure you keep a good relationship with that person afterwards.
• Help people, give them your time, gain trust by acting with integrity, don’t be a rookie.
• Don’t speak badly about your competitors – it reflects badly on you and is bad salesmanship.
• Empower the person you are selling to, make them feel confident in what they are buying, don’t be patronizing or bully them, understand their business to tailor sell the right things to them.
• Be honest about certain shortcomings in a fashion range, if something is a better alternative for the price or suits them better, suggest it, they will appreciate your honesty.
• Be courteous about rejection, the biggest sales mistake is to dismiss someone when you don’t get a sale. They will remember you for being nasty to them, and this applies to retail and wholesale.

Tell us about your best and worst sales experience email: info@garlands.com.au
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The Art of Fashion

Perpetual muse, art collector and wild bohemian Peggy Guggenheim emerges as this seasons favourite style icon, inspiring fashion fans to take a thoroughly artful approach to the curation of their spring/summer 11 wardrobe.

Somewhere between high society debutante and eccentric art teacher, the look requires an array of saturated floral, geometric and modern art prints clashed with a sharp tailored finish.
A smattering of accessories pays homage to Guggenheim’s eclectic collector status with turbans and harlequin sunglasses earning most kudos.

The Inspiration:

As Prada release their SS11 campaign for ‘minimal baroque’, the sunglasses range bears a strong reference to the art collector and this season’s muse Peggy Guggenheim. Guggenheim’s avant-garde style and penchant for eccentric accessories, including her characteristic harlequin shades, has influenced quirky editorials and advertisements worldwide.

High street stores follow suit with bold look book images translating the daring art inspired look in commercial and desirable ways.

Blog: Where Experience Counts

There are some key players in the fashion industry that just can't seem to keep away, they have lived and breathed the fashion industry through the good and bad. They have seen recessions, the thriving periods of wholesale and retail in the early days and have moved with the times by adapting their fashion businesses to vastly differing and varying climates.

Phoebe Garland co-owns Garland & Garland Fashion, a leading fashion agency based in Sydney. which also offers business mentoring & project management of marketing to the fashion industry. www.garlands.com.au

I posed some questions to long-standing industry manufacturers & retailers Danny Avidan, C.E.O of Discovery Group, the iconic Joseph Saba and Danny Guest, C.E.O of Blue Illusion label and retail stores.

While accountability has never been more relevant Danny Avidan claims to have the answer to producing labels that sell. "The right strategy is to have a range plan that dictates the number of SKU's (Stock Keeping Units) into each range, as well as defining the correct occasions and price points within each delivery period. Importantly the plan ought to be influenced by the trends and customers needs for each delivery period".

Joseph Saba, says the fundamental components for creating a successful range is the fabric. "My ranges always start with the fabric. The choice of fabric – colour, print, functionality, quality – all have to work together, then the style selection builds on from the fabrics".

With challenging retail conditions I asked Avidan what his thoughts were for innovative retailing. "Retailers ought to focus on a particular market segment, stay ahead of the competition on all fronts and offer additional service that others fail to address (eg stylist on hand, free alteration, unique VIP club)", Avidan states.

Being in the industry since 1965, Joe opened his first store, the 'Joseph Saba Shirt and Sweater Shop' in Flinders Lane. He went on to create the famous Staggers jeans label, which revolutionised jeans in Australia in the 1970's. He then introduced his now famous Saba brand in 1974, building the business up to 17 stores before selling the Saba business in 2002 and now is head designer for josephsaba.com.au and works alongside his wife Marita. He was also honoured with The Australian legends in Fashion with his own postage stamp in 2005.

I asked Joseph if he thought the same strategies he used years ago could be used today for launching a label. "No, today you really have to plan out your ranges and your business and know what you're getting in to and who your customer is – you need more of a business head now than you did 20 to 30 years ago. There's far more competition now – and you need to create your niche"

While Danny Guest has over 70 Blue Illusion retail stores, he discusses the secrets to surviving difficult retail periods and how they have evolved their business "We opened our first store 1998 in a quest to understand the challenges our retail accounts were faced with. What we learnt was: There are no difficult periods - only relative periods to last year's performance. You need to constantly work on differentiation whilst building brand equity. Look after your core customers and always strive to build strong brand loyalty. A passionate team with a positive service culture is a must. Retail is detail. Constantly looking for the many 1% improvements."

Wise words indeed from fashion industry veterans, it seems the key to success is adaption and innovation. I for one, look forward to seeing these businesses continue for many more years to come.

As always, very interested in your thoughts. Email me at: info@garlands.com.au
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Blog: Is there a future for Australian Made fashion?

Some of Australia's best loved independent fashion identities have shut up shop recently, after struggling for years against skyrocketing overheads and punitive overseas minimums, but as Phoebe Garland writes, there's still cause for optimism.

I recently formed a friendship, with the lovable and iconic fashion designer Jenny Bannister - who not long ago was honoured on a commemorative Australian postage stamp as one the Australian Legends in Fashion. Jenny and her business partner, celebrity stylist Phillip Boon, have created a weekly discussion event called Fashion Torque, covering a wide spectrum of key topics for the fashion industry from consumer to trade. One ‘Torque' topic that's particularly close to their hearts, and is shared by me, is a passion for encouraging independent retailers and emerging designers to succeed and survive in Australia. We all believe it's vital to highlight the significance of Made in Australia and the importance of keeping small manufacturers afloat; indeed, of keeping all aspects of the Australian fashion industry thriving.

Jenny's comments during one of my catch-ups with her in Melbourne recently paint a gloomy picture of how the demise of local manufacturing is creating a skills shortage, resulting in a vicious cycle that bodes ill for industry.

"Skilled production is what we fall short on. No one wants to sew anymore, and the people who can sew mainly work from home, as it is too expensive to run a year-round, full time factory, due to the cost of an Australian made garments being too high for the average Australian to afford. It's a no win situation. Australian fashion for the average Australian will have to be made off shore in cheap labour locations. Rents and wages are so high here, only the rich can afford designer made in Australia"

And Jenny should know! As an independent retailer and manufacturer, after her face appeared on the Australian Legends in Fashion stamp, her landlord doubled her rent, making it impossible for her business to survive. With the influx of overseas chains looking to Australia as a good opportunity to expand, it's more important than ever to keep our fashion industry thriving through innovative retailing and also supporting Made in Australia manufacturers. Recently we also saw another iconic fashion designer and retailer, Michael Bracewell closing his shops after 23 in business and leaving the industry saying "I have had enough. It's just too tough out there; there's no fun anymore - it's a constant struggle."

We have emerging designers graduating from colleges in a "catch-22" situation, unable to meet the minimum requirements of overseas factories and yet unable to find factories in Australia as so many are closing. I urge all retailers to support Australian Made labels as much as possible. Look at innovative retailing through online methods and, instead of competing with each other, work with other retailers in non-conflicting areas to exchange stock and lessen markdowns.

Let's work together to keep our independent Australian retailers, Australian factories and emerging Australian designers in business.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on how to support Made in Australia fashion, so please get in touch!

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Blog: Volume or va-va-voom?

Pitch sheer daggy-dom against high-end, directional design and the winner in terms of sales is patently obvious, right? Or is it? As Phoebe Garland attests, the answer is not always straightforward.

Robert and Phoebe Garland run and own Garland & Garland Fashion, a leading fashion agency based in Sydney. which also offers business mentoring & project management of marketing to the fashion industry. www.garlands.com.au

Fashion is a funny business; you can stock the most beautiful garment in the world and it will sit in your store staring at you for an unnervingly long time, until pangs of doubt start to gnaw... On the other hand, an oh-so-ordinary piece made from questionable fabric and bearing a little-known brand name can become a star seller... sparking more pangs of doubt, along with an unexpected boon for your bottom line, thank you very much!

Which brings me to my husband's theory, born of working in the industry for over 30 years, that there's no accounting for customer taste. While we laugh at Kath and Kim (think that amusing episode where they are at the international airport and miss their plane because they are too busy buying Coogi jumpers), the irony is that accepted notions of "good taste" do not always drive sales.

Take that dubious garment, the ‘Snuggie', a fleecy blanket/poncho with sleeves, which emerged some years ago and which those of us who consider ourselves stylish would rather forget... The Snuggie TV ad was laughed at by everyone and rightfully so. This was, after all, a hideously ugly garment that made you look like a priest and deserved its own standalone category of gruesomeness. However my husband Rob predicted it would be a winner. His words were: "I bet this sells like hotcakes. It's quite a genius business idea when you think of it; one size, in two colours - no fit problems, one cheap fleece, massive margins."

To my horror he was right. The makers of Snuggie ended up laughing all the way to the bank, with record sales figures going over $7 million.

Let's face it, no-one dreams of selling ‘unfashionable' brands. It's just not what anyone wants to do when working in fashion, myself included - I am a pathetic brand snob. However, the reality is that some of these so called "unfashionable' brands can generate the highest volume of sales.

We represent quite a few labels, however ironically our business is still very dependent on the least fashionable one, a leading leisurewear brand in its category. It's not chic by any stretch of the imagination. It's leisure wear targeted at the elderly market and its best sellers are elastic waisted pants, simple T-shirts and fleeces. But the volume of sales it does would make high-end designers weep with envy.

We have one retailer who likes to stock the ‘better end brands' and refuses to put the label on her shop floor due to its look, which clashes somewhat with the slick pieces on display. Instead she sticks a sign in the window advertising the brand, and takes people through the shop out back to view it. Despite the look of the product, she is smart enough to know that she cannot afford not to stock it because it does such strong sales.

The moral of the story? Don't judge a book by its cover. Or in fashion terms... Don't judge a look by your love for it.

When sourcing labels, look beyond just what you personally like. Instead, think about how much your bottom line will like those cringe-worthy yet "commercial" pieces.

Tell us which least fashionable product sells for you and why does it sell so well?

As always we would love to hear your thoughts. Contact us info@garlands.com.au or
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The style equation

Clean lines and figures provide the perfect formula for A/W 11/12 dressing, as GTC's Eryn Behan reports.

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, a leading provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

In April 2010 Mpdclick published its forecast trends for autumn/winter 2012.
‘Innovate' heralded science as the saviour of our modern world, with the race for new discovery pushing a scientific aesthetic. Maths formed the backbone of the trend's ‘Quantum' direction celebrating carefully calculated shapes, linear silhouettes and geometric panels, graphics and prints.

With Paris Fashion Week closing the autumn/winter 11/12 season recently a deluge of ‘Quantum' infused looks have stormed the international runways, confirming that this mathematical look is soon to hit the stores. Savvy street stylers are already bagging and customising whatever geometric goodies they can find to be the first to create the powerful high fashion look.

Images:

1. _jasper_conran
2. _faculty_ksu.edu.sa
3. _peter_pilotto
4. _mr_newton
5. _jonathan_saunders
6. _life_is_carbol
7. _facehunter

www.gingertc.com.au

Blog: The F-word

Fashion is known for stretching boundaries, but certain areas still remain 'no-go'. Phoebe Garland investigates...

There is one word that causes much debate in the fashion world and it begins with F.

Fur.

It's a topic we are almost forbidden to talk about in Australia; it seems to fall into the same category as smoking, infidelity, racism and many other "no-go" areas. Understandably fur evokes strong opinions and is never far from heated debate, not least thanks to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Their presence in the debate is hard to forget when it's all too easy to imagine they are waiting with a bucket of red paint to hurl at anyone who dares mention the F-word.

It might surprise readers to know that fur aversion is far from universal however. I recently came back from Hong Kong and was amazed to find fur everywhere, despite the mild winter conditions. Lane Crawford, the luxury Asian department store, had speciality fur sections of high end brands such as Blackglama (campaign image pictured) complete with elaborate displays designed to show them off. Mink, fox, raccoon, rabbit... you name it, it was on show. And it seems they are not the only ones. US and UK department store websites display pictures of models draped in fur garments... I can't imagine David Jones displaying it so brazenly without PETA arriving quick smart. By contrast, despite seeing fur everywhere in Hong Kong I did not see a single PETA protester anywhere. It seemed like such a stark contrast to Australia, where finding a retailer who stocks fur would be like finding a black truffle.

The interesting thing is that fur actually sells: my retailers have told me there is undeniably a level of demand for it from customers. And I am talking the real fur, not fake fur, which, let's be honest, feels like cheap shag carpet in comparison.

I do condemn cruelty to animals, especially to endangered species such as mink, however rabbit and fox are considered pests in this country. We have no qualms about using animals for meat and I do find it hypocritical that anyone who eats meat, fish and wears leather shoes should be up in arms about the "cruelty" of killing animals for fur, especially if they are bred for it.

On an amusing note, one lovely person I know mentioned to me that he was doing a show exhibiting fur and crowd numbers were a bit low. He was after a bit of publicity, so he called PETA himself in the hope that their turning up would generate some interest. Sure enough it worked. It seems if your brand needs some attention PETA is the one to call.

As always we would love to hear your thoughts. Contact us info@garlands.com.au or
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/garlandandgarlandfashion
Join us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/garlandfashion

www.garlands.com.au

Full bloom: ribbons, bows, lace and lustre

Upcoming lingerie trends see a return to romance, opulence and colour, with an undeniably feminine aesthetic, as GTC's Eryn Behan reports.

www.gingertc.com.au

Blog: Is exclusivity the sincerest form of flattery in retailing?

Myer and DJs recent skirmish over the coveted prize of Sass & Bide raises some interesting questions about the lure of exclusivity...

It seems to be an unspoken rule in the fashion industry that exclusivity is in high demand for most retailers when purchasing fashion labels. However this is not always the case. When a successful label gets around, particularly if it's a good seller, all hell can break loose, especially when retailers start to expand their business.

One of the biggest frustrations of being an agent is when a retailer with an existing store decides to open another outlet in a heavily over-supplied area, which already has established accounts in place. They then of course want to put the brands they are selling into that area, which can cause all sorts of upset and frustration with the result that we, as agents can become the meat in the sandwich.

The irony about all this is that "it never rains but it pours"; we have certain suburbs where there are no accounts and then some suburbs all fighting for ‘exclusivity'. Understandably the established account in a given area becomes very indignant should a chain store open with their brands.

Of course we always do our utmost to keep our integrity and advise the invading retailer that there is a stockist in that area already, and that we are unable to supply them for that area. However, if truth be told, in some instances retailers promise they will only buy for their one store, before taking stock over to their other stores despite knowing full well there is an existing account in that area.

Apparently it's not only small retailers that are engaged in this battle. In this country most labels will either be in one department store or the other, rarely in both. And the fight to secure brand exclusivity is always hotly contested between the two.

Indeed, just this week we have seen two department stores in a well publicised skirmish to buy leading fashion label Sass & Bide (pictured), with Myer securing the win, reportedly outlaying $42.5 million and purchasing a 65 per cent stake in the company.

According to recent online media reports, David Jones reportedly saying they were offered to buy the brand, but knocked it back due to "lack of growth" in the Sass & Bides business...

This high profile stand-off has piqued our interest... What are your thoughts? Is competing with your rivals by copying strategies or labels really the best way to go?

As always we would love to hear your thoughts contact us info@garlands.com.au or
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/garlandandgarlandfashion
Join us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/garlandfashion

www.garlands.com.au

Street smart

Men's street and urban wear is working a new sartorial twist, as GTC's Eryn Behan reports.

www.gingertc.com.au

Men from Milan

Dashing horsemen and flashes of colour were the order of the day for the menswear shows at Milan Fashion week, as GTC's Eryn Behan reports.

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, the exclusive agent for UK trend forecaster Mudpie and its online platform MPDClick, and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

Milan Fashion Week, the first of the much anticipated male fashion weeks, kicked off the weekend before last and spectators were not disappointed at the latest a/w 11/12 collections.

Stand out shows so far include Moncler Gamme Bleu's equestrian themed collection, which began with five horsemen in Moncler riding coats trotting out to greet the masses. A smart country aesthetic was seen with jodhpurs, saddlebags and leather riding boots, tailored blazers in tweed, houndstooth and oxford checks.

Knitwear comes in bright hues this season for Frankie Morello's chunky knits. Vivienne Westwood also included flashes of bold colour knits in her country gentlemen themed collection, whilst her models bore blood red stained lips for that signature Westwood eccentricity.

Outerwear dominated Burberry Prorsum's show in a spectrum of shades from electric blue to soft coffee and tangerine orange to dusty red. All shapes & styles were explored with classic trench & duffle coats, boxy shapes with voluminous shoulders & sleeves and bright patent raincoats.

Fashion Week in the Italian style capital has certainly lived up to expectations, with incredible collections from a vast number of some of the most well-established designers.

www.gingertc.com.au

Social media & fashion - a match made in heaven

Guest blogger Wai Chim unpacks the new fashion democracy of social media...

Wai Chim is a content writer and editor for Switched on Media, a leading digital marketing agency in Sydney, and writes on behalf of many leading fashion labels and brands.

What's hot, what's not? These judgments and claims used to be solely the realm of fashion experts and the big name critics. You could watch the Oscars or the Arias with your friends and family and pass comment on Charlize Theron's "Cinnabon" dress or the out of this world and stunning frock worn by J-Lo and Vera Farmiga, but no one else beyond the people in the room would ever hear your witty and insightful quips. It was up to the industry critics in Paris and Milan to notice the upcoming trends for the new season - and we as the consumers and buyers soaked up these tidbits and rushed out to the stores to ensure our wardrobe is in-season.

However, these days, the landscape has certainly changed thanks to the prevalence of social media. Everyone who can use the internet now has the chance to blog, tweet, comment, post - even create new looks and popular trend styles with a few clicks of the mouse. So has this changed the fashion landscape and how we perceive fashion trends?

Reinforcing observed trends

One thing that the internet does is make information exceptionally easy to access in large volumes - you don't have to buy every single fashion mag at the newsagent to catch up on the latest fashion trends. So it's easier to see trends becoming popular right before your eyes.
Meanwhile, social sharing with "Tweet this" and "Like this" buttons means you can get a good gauge on the social uptake of certain trends. It's one thing for an expert to claim that "nudes" are the new colour palette for the season, but when 10,000 readers "like" the idea - you can be fairly certain that you'll be seeing these styles on the streets taken up in droves.

Creating a new breed of influencers
It used to be you had to work in the industry for a certain amount of time, rub elbows with a few of the top name designers and be invited to and to attend top fashion events the world over to build up your street cred to become a key influencer in the industry. However, social media channels like blogs give many individuals the chance to share their passions and insights and be deemed a real influencer and important voice, without the titles and little black book of phone numbers that used to come with the notion.

Many traditional influencers are also turning to expressive social media channels, like blogs, to present the way they see their world and to not be constrained by the more conventional fashion mediums such as magazine spreads and columns - The Sartorialist is the perfect example.

Engaging with brands
Most major retailers now have at least some sort of social media presence in terms of Facebook and Twitter channels and will use these forums to push out announcements as well as engage with a more loyal following. These channels have created more opportunity for the individual to respond directly to emerging trends. Take Gap's logo change - loyal fans were outraged by the new design and took to Facebook, Twitter, blogs and forums to express their discontent. Ultimately, the fashion label reverted back to the traditional Blue Box and scrapped what must've been a substantial investment in corporate strategy and brand repositioning - demonstrating the powerful influence social media has in determining the future of fashion.
As social media channels become more and more integrated with our daily lives, we'll continue to see crowds and the general public having a great voice in the industry through these mediums.

What do you think? Where do you look for your fashion tips online?

Wai Chim is a content writer and editor for Switched on Media, a leading digital marketing agency in Sydney, and writes on behalf of many leading fashion labels and brands.

Blog: Buying stock versus indenting?

Is it better to forward order or go for in season purchasing? Phoebe Garland digs deep...

Phoebe Garland is co-founder & co-owner of Garland & Garland Fashion Pty Ltd, a Sydney based fashion agency which also offers full project management of sales & marketing materials including sourcing, managing and appointing suppliers for digital campaigns and PR services for the fashion industry.

Winter 2010 was a terrible time for retailers, mainly due to the abnormally hot weather. It took so long for the weather to break and it was still hitting high 20s well into May. With many retailers taking early deliveries of knitwear & winter indent, some arriving as early as February, it made for a very difficult winter season. Then the department stores decided to go on sale on current winter stock, which didn't help the small retailer at all. We found as fashion agents, for the first time, our retailers were trying to figure out which garments were going into stock service. It would appear that global warming was starting to have an affect on the way retailers buy. Climate change is essentially cutting the seasons short, and in combination with the ill effects of the GFC, it's no wonder retailers are nervous buying indent ranges. Retailing has become more challenging than ever and the question remains, to buy stock or to indent?

Buying stock only may be convenient, perhaps safe and tempting, however you run the risk of losing your big indent labels to competition. Why is indenting still important? Manufactures need the support of indent orders in order to be able to offer stock support ranges in season. With the majority of labels being made overseas, particularly in China, manufacturers need to meet high minimums from the factories, in order to produce the ranges in the first place. Without indent orders, there is no way they can judge which styles will generate sufficient demand to justify the minimum quantities to warrant production.

Indenting can be successful, and here are some suggestions as to how to make it work. Buy in depth, but don't over extend yourself financially or over buy. When you do indent, spread the payments of the indent over multiple months, as it will be gentler on the cash flow. It will allow you to sell through more and get into less debt. A good manufacturer will allow you to stagger deliveries and consequently payments. Another benefit - indenting can guarantee fully co-ordinated stories that can be carried together, unlike stock bought off the floor, which quite often it can be case of you take what you can get, meaning your shop can look very un-co-ordinated and look like you are running a discount outlet, which usually means excess markdowns.

Stock buying can be effective for either special requests from customers of best sellers and also for refilling of basic garments in ranges. Stock buying can be also good to look at layering transitional pieces for between seasons, an area that seems to be growing quite a bit due to our climate in Australia. When buying stock make sure you try to buy as much as you can from your indent manufacturers. It will strengthen your relationship with them, and in the long run will allow them to produce better ranges for you for both stock and indent.

In summary, there's sound reasoning for both forward ordering and in season purchases. It's just a matter of striking the right balance.

As always we would love to hear your thoughts contact us info@garlands.com.au or
Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/garlandandgarlandfashion
Join us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/garlandfashion

www.garlands.com.au

The internet dilemma

It's time for businesses without an internet presence to get on board and get online, says Tim Pope, of web-based business to business solutions specialist Portalogue.

Tim Pope is managing director of Portalogue Solutions Pty. Ltd. Fashion Exposed has teamed with Portalogue to extend the beneficial union of suppliers and retailers at the Fashion Exposed Trade Fairs to the internet, 365 days a year.

Most retailers and suppliers in the fashion industry are still grappling with how to make the internet work for their business.

The younger generation ‘gets it', but the baby-boomers in the fashion industry are being left behind due to a common perception that it's all too hard and too expensive.

Then of course there are all those non-believers who have been re-assuring themselves with the notion that "the internet is NOT relevant to my business because people need to touch and feel before they buy"

Ironically, since the Aussie dollar has risen to near parity with the US dollar, the same non-believers have been up in arms about the number of sales they are losing to overseas merchants - and for good reason - consumers are flocking to web sites to get their fashion fix at ever increasing rates.

eBay has recently launched a brazen billboard campaign suggesting consumers should browse in Westfield and buy online. This may be a pre-emptive strike as Westfield, Myer and David Jones prepare to launch their own e-Commerce sites. Obviously the big boys in town believe the time is right to enter the online shopping space.

So where does this leave Australia's small-medium retailers and their suppliers?
The choice is simple. Either get onboard (or should I say online) or be left behind.
Increasingly, suppliers are looking to go direct to the end consumer, reasoning that "if others are going to sell my products online why shouldn't I?".... and if suppliers sell at RRP this argument has some merit.

The retailers however may question such a strategy, arguing that the end-consumer belongs to them as a reward for buying and selling the supplier's products within their stores.

This begs the obvious question ... how can the fashion industry add value to their businesses by using the internet to generate more online AND in-store sales without incurring massive costs or wasting precious time?

The simple answer is for suppliers and retailers to learn how to work together in the new world.
It is time for a new way of thinking. The fact is, the world-wide-web offers businesses so much more than Google and e-commerce shopping carts. It's time for the fashion industry to utilise the internet in a holistic way to increase sales and improve business efficiencies.

I'm a baby-boomer and I was involved in the fashion industry for 20 years before I got seriously involved in internet technology. Having been at the coal-face of fashion manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing, I am convinced there is a better way.

Retailers and suppliers have a unique opportunity to save money and reduce time wasted every day by replacing expensive, out-dated technologies such as phone, fax, mail campaigns, catalogues and a multitude of unrelated files, brochures, flyers and spreadsheets with dynamic and inexpensive web based alternatives. The end goal must be to use the internet as a business tool that will optimise information in an endless number of ways without having to ‘reinvent the wheel' each time.

Just as retailers benefit by coming to Fashion Exposed to meet their key suppliers under one roof, so too can they benefit from a single web destination where they can find the information needed to buy their preferred brands. Such an information hub is now available on the internet where fashion suppliers can link price lists and catalogues to the retailers of their choice. It's not about replacing sales reps or ‘touch and feel', it's all about replacing old technology with new. It's all about saving time and money with a system that can do so much more than a phone call or fax ever will AND it's all about saving considerable time and money in the process.

The ‘holy grail' is a holistic web based system that helps retailers make more informed decisions when ordering indents, in-season refills or specials....a system that has integrated business tools to help balance merchandise assortments, manage inventory, automatically file orders and create reports that staff can see with ease. And this internet solution can also be a place where retailers can link supplier's products, images and information to their own websites with the simple click of a button, rather than spending more and more time managing their websites and less and less time on their retail floor. Now link this same information to inexpensive electronic catalogues that can be targeted to known customers and linked back to websites instead of expensive mail-drops that have low conversion ‘hit' rates....and the list of opportunities goes on and on.

www.portalogue.com

Blog: The price of doing high-end business in Australia... Can we compete?

There may well be more than GST behind the ongoing overseas e-tail stoush, says Phoebe Garland.

The debate over online shopping from overseas is now the hot issue in the media, with many large chains increasingly voicing their concerns about unfair competition, and lobbying for GST to be imposed on online purchases. However, there remains a question that is yet to be addressed: are we competitive enough with prices here? And specifically why are consumers paying so much for high-end designer goods in this country?

Last year, I bought the white Halston Heritage dress that appeared in Sex and the City 2 (pictured), online from the US. I did try and buy it from an Australian retailer, but sadly it was sold out and I was told there would be no further deliveries. Being a typical female, I simply HAD to have this dress, so I jumped online and purchased it from a US department store. By purchasing online, I saved $150, despite paying two lots of shipping, (I have a US postal redirection service that re-routes my packages due to some US department stores not delivering to Australia).

Spurred by my love of designer high-end brands I am savvy enough to know the price differences can vary greatly from Australian retailers to overseas ones. While I am totally pro-retailer, it does concern me that the core issue regarding the cost of these goods is not being addressed. However, there is also evidence that this also works both ways, with Australian high-end brands being sold for a premium overseas. While I was in the UK in 2004, I saw a pair of Sass & Bide jeans retailing at 275 UK pounds. With the Australian dollar at the time being fairly poor versus the UK pound, this worked out to be about $650 Australian dollars. In Australia they were retailing for about $275 AUD.

Retailers are always looking for unique brands, that key point of difference and something unique, and purchasing overseas brands is often the ideal solution. Sadly our high-end luxury market is fairly small in this country. The amount of high-end retailers stocking big international brands is very niche in comparison to our Asian neighbours or European. I would love to see more Australian retailers expand into this area, however I wonder realistically if it will ever expand? With most Australian consumers incredibly price sensitive and the majority of the population buying fast fashion, will it always remain a fairly small part of the market here? How can the high-end retailer compete against overseas prices, especially with the Australian dollar being so strong?

Ultimately many more questions remain. Do Australian retailers pay the same wholesale price as overseas retailers? Is the margin unrealistic to compete against online now? Are suppliers adding on too much margin? Will adding GST to goods under $1000 really work to deter consumers shopping online? Is the cost of having a distributor for these brands adding to the end price? Or is the distance factor a consideration?

Conversely, why should Sass & Bide jeans be retailing in the UK at over twice its Australian price? And combined with the strong Australian dollar, is this not doing major damage to Australian brands exporting?

We would love to hear your thoughts on this matter and any insights or solutions and answers so our Australian retailers can be more competitive against overseas retailers. Join our page on Facebook and have your say: www.facebook.com/garlandandgarlandfashion

www.garlands.com.au

Leather lads

Leather has always had the power to add edge and style to any staple garment and autumn/winter 2011 will be no exception, as GTC's Eryn Behan reports.

www.gingertc.com.au

Branding synergy

This issue, Ginger Trend Consulting presents Paris based trend forecaster Beautystreams, with an extract from its ‘Experts' segment. Produced weekly, Experts provides a unique look into the minds of international specialists from different fields, who share their insights on trends in their industries, sparking fresh ideas for beauty product development, packaging and fashion design. Here, Beautystreams touches base with Alex Sum, principal & executive creative director of SumCreative, a full service global creative agency providing advertising, brand creation and brand positioning services.

Beautystreams is a new online and bespoke trend forecasting service specialising in the beauty and packaging industries.

Beautystreams:
What is your current state of mind?
Alex Sum:
If we want to choose a time to make things better, now is the time. Anything can be better. The influence we have, the vision. Basically, even though the economy is in bad shape and it's been a tough couple of years for a lot of people, this is the time to make things better.

Beautystreams:
What is your most important project at this time?
Alex Sum:
All of my professional projects are important, but currently I am working on the launch and rebranding of Neuro Beverages, founded by philanthropist Diana Jenkins. Also, the Spring/Summer 2011 campaign for Miss Me and MM Couture.

Beautystreams:
What is inspiring to you right now?
Alex Sum: What's really inspiring me is the new digital era that advertising and branding has been entering. It's new, it's immediate, it's cutting edge.

Beautystreams:
Who is your favourite designer?
Alex Sum:
Alexander McQueen. Enough said :)

Beautystreams:
Where do you get inspiration?
Alex Sum:
Everywhere. All you have to do is open your eyes.

Beautystreams:
What materials are popular for usage in your field... any new trends in materials and textures?
Alex Sum:
I'm really into helping the world in whatever way I can, so it's been really amazing to see more use of recycled paper, eco printing, environmentally conscious designers and trends. It may seem small, but it goes a long way.

Beautystreams:
What is beautiful to you?
Alex Sum:
Synergy. Anything that flows together. Harmony and balance in photography, in everyday life. This is beautiful.

Beautystreams:
What do you think your field will be like in 10 years, 50 years?
Alex Sum:
I think the industry will be very diverse; more glitterati, more opportunities. This field is always changing.

Beautystreams:
What do you feel is an important emerging market group to target for beauty or fashion?
Alex Sum:
16-35 is the best range. This generation has changed so much. They have influence in areas that they have never had before. Areas such as media, social media, and technology are bringing everything closer together and becoming a new way of life.

Beautystreams:
What is the main factor that you feel attracts a customer to buy a product?
Alex Sum:
Emotional response. You have to feel something when you look at the product; you have to have reason to reach for it, to put it on...

www.gingertc.com.au

Blog: The trouble with discounting

It's no secret the big department stores and chains have been discounting for years and with the Australian dollar at its strongest the question comes again: to discount or not to discount in order to match prices, especially in the lead up to Christmas? Robert and Phoebe Garland discuss...

This season will be tough and with fierce overseas online retailing also taking away from our onshore retailers, it's temping for retailers to panic and start marking down to get those extra sales way before the Boxing Day sales and the usual quiet January period.

Led by department stores and chains, discounting has had terrible effect on the fashion industry; it infiltrates at all levels from department stores to independent retailers and affects manufacturers and suppliers across the board. The continuation of discounting is most insidious as it flags the end of each season far too early. In addition it cheapens brands considerably by basically illustrating the product can't sell at full price. Christmas sales this year are already starting in December. It would take massive discipline by every retailer in to achieve full margin sales right through until February 1.

Whilst the majors might demand rebates from their manufacturers and might demand sharing the cost of markdowns, the independent retailer does not have this luxury. As fashion agents we hear all the time unless a brand sells really well, quite often retailers will refuse to buy brands in department stores, therefore nobody wins.

There needs to be a restraint by the department stores and major chains not to kow-tow to the accountants demands for cash flow and instead listen to the merchants within the business and delay the mark down dates until February 1. Then at February 1, have a short, sharp, sweet and genuine sale and move into the new season.

Other solutions include more emphasis by retailers on seeking trans-seasonal goods delivered in six weekly windows and hence possibly taking mark downs on a continual basis rather than waiting for the big bang sale at the end of the season. Also there are some manufactures that give excellent stock service support on their best sellers throughout the season, which is a great way to almost guarantee mark down free sales.

Right now it's the public who have the trade bluffed, instead of the trade controlling the market. They wait for the "big bang sale" and even demand it now. Discounting has taught the customer to shop on sale, therefore making retailing even harder. Customers are playing the independent retailers off against the department stores, and while the department stores and chains can afford to mark down, the independent retailers cannot afford this loss.

We are interested in your thoughts. If anyone else has any suggestions to deal with this problem, please contact us at info@garlands.com.au

www.garlands.com.au

Blog: Why retailers must embrace online & social networking

More than ever before, the debate around growing competition from overseas e-tailers has highlighted the need to get up to speed online, says Phoebe Garland.

Why are online presence and social networking so important?
In the Sydney Morning Herald (November 20, 2010) it was reported that The Australian National Retailers Association representing the big chains found 60 per cent of 18-24 year olds bought goods online and overseas.

This is now a serious problem for Australian retailers and there is currently significant coverage in the media on the debate over introducing GST on goods bought overseas online under $1000 as well as adding import duties to such goods.

Online retail is growing rapidly and if you think consumers won't buy fashion online due to size and fit issue, or you believe that the mature age group won't buy online - think again!

Consumers are using retail shops to try on garments, then purchasing them from overseas online shops for better prices. With most overseas online shops offering free returns, having high-quality images, clear sizing and measurements charts and with the Australian dollar being so strong, it's a very alluring prospect for the customer, especially for designer goods which tend to be much cheaper and more varied. Online retailing is going to have serious consequences for local, traditional retail stores.

Little wonder that Westfield has launched westfield.com.au, where you can shop over 50 shops in Westfield centres. And they aren't alone; David Jones, Marcs & Country Road (pictured) are also looking online retailing. If the big chains are starting to suffer, I can only imagine how smaller retailers are faring.

What should retailers do?
It's imperative for any consumer business to have a great website, but aside from that, social networking is also key. A Facebook page can assist in driving sales and help brand your business. Used in conjunction with an existing website, this is a highly effective way of driving traffic to your site. Creating a Facebook page costs nothing and allows you to post links from your website, upload pictures of your latest collections, or run competitions and giveaways. It also allows you to invite people to "Like" your page, while you can invite them to in store events and special offers.

Urge your manufactures to supply you with modern product shots of the ranges you buy and start posting them on your website. Providing incentives for your existing fans to ‘invite your friends' to their page, is a great way to build your client base. Offering free shipping is also worthwhile. I would also suggest discussing joint online marketing opportunities with your labels. After all it's their label you are buying and you are helping to market it.

Twitter & LinkedIn are other well known social network mediums but I find they aren't as interactive for selling products to consumers and work better for networking and branding.

In conclusion?
Make no mistake; online is growing rapidly. Marketing your business correctly is imperative and can make you stand out against your competition. The SMH reported that analysts Frost and Sullivan expect Australian online spending to grow by half over the next four years. Surely small retailers would like to be part of this business?

As well as boosting their online recall, any retailer wanting to secure a solid future for their business should familiarise themselves the debate over adding duties to imported online goods. If you think it's creating unfair competition, get in touch with your local MP and lobby industry bodies for change.

www.garlands.com.au

Hot VM tips

Gleaned from its twice yearly global visual merchandising analyses, Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie shares the spring summer 11 trends influencing windows and displays.

Merchandisers should incorporate minimalist mannequins, pared-down props and industrialised fixtures & fittings with backdrops that are either ultra clean or inspired by a rugged sense of adventure, where distressed materials and haphazard styling are key.

Bring the rich and vibrant culture of India into store windows with multi-coloured props, eclectic styling, decorative textiles, painted landscapes and contemporary chrome mannequins.

Get creative with oversized props ranging from gigantic cupcakes to 10 foot ostriches and team with minimalist backdrops and mannequins.

Renovation and restoration inspire major window displays, where props such as oversized hammers, nails and spanners feature alongside one-off construction based- installations, stacked up furniture pieces and scaffolding style shelves.

www.gingertc.com.au

Pretty in prints

Thanks to advances in digital technology, women's textile trends for spring/summer 2011 promise a feast for the eyes and imagination. Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports.

www.gingertc.com.au

Be prepared: Boy Scout style

A boy scout aesthetic inspires the latest trend for autumn/winter 10/11 as a modern take on the youth movement hits the streets. Mudpie/Ginger Trend Consulting's Eryn Behan reports.

Traditional boy scout campaign hats and knitted round neck jumpers are essential for autumn winter 10/11, while a khaki wax jacket is the key outerwear item for the season.

The season's runways see a more sophisticated take on the trend with ultra long-line knitted cardigans and full length tailored trousers in neutral hues. Pocket laden shirts appeared along with lace up working boots, keeping that utility aesthetic.

In-store, opt for a tailored utility shirt in khaki green with navy tailored cropped trousers and a brown leather satchel. Choose lace up hiking boots over knitted knee socks for that boy scout look, while the must have accessory is an all over print neck-scarf and that signature woggle knot.

www.gingertc.com.au

A/W 10 trend spot: Retro Renaissance

It's hard to say whether fashion's love affair with the past comes down to the success of TV hit Madmen or simply a hankering for old world simplicity. Wherever it comes from, it has taken the industry by storm. Mudpie takes a look at how the trend is being interpreted as the northern hemisphere enters cooler climes.

www.gingertc.com.au

iSpyStyle says thank you

Leading online style and trend resource and Fashion Exposed partner iSpyStyle is offering recent Fashion Exposed attendees a one-off chance to makeover their boutique. Exposed Online gets the lowdown from iSpyStyle founder Kate Vandermeer.

Kate Vandermeer is 'senior spy' at design community iSpyStyle. Armed with 10 years' fashion experience in areas from trend forecasting to design & development, marketing, branding, visual merchandising and online business, she has worked with names including Mogil, Mimco, French Connection and Decjuba.

Q. So tell us about this great makeover offer!
A. As many Exposed Online readers may know, iSpyStyle runs retail workshops, often in partnership with Fashion Exposed, where we discuss the ins and outs of marketing, branding and visual merchandising. As a thank you to Fashion Exposed for having us and to all those who came to the workshop in Melbourne recently, we have an exclusive special offer...

iSpyStyle is offering a Retail Spy Makeover valued at $1100 for the most promising Melbourne boutique!

Q. Who qualifies for the offer?
A. To be eligible you have to:-

• Have attended the Fashion Exposed Trade Secrets Retail Workshop presented by iSpyStyle in Melbourne.
• Have a boutique in Melbourne. (You could operate one or more boutiques, as long as one of them is in Melbourne).
• Be open to having a makeover and taking our suggestions on board.

Q. What's the application process?
A. Prospective candidates should:-

1. Email contact@ispystyle.net with the subject heading "Retail Spy Makeover"

2. Tell us:-
• The category of your business - accessories, clothing, kids, lingerie etc.
• How many stores you have. If you only have one, that's fine. We just need to know.
• How long you've been in business.
• What brands you sell.

3. Also include:-
• Photos of your store displays (windows and in-store). The format for these needs to be low res jpeg.
• A link to your website or blog, if you have one.
• Your contact details. We need to be able to let you know if you've won!

Q. When's the deadline?
A. We will draw the competition on 15 October 2010 and contact the winner directly, as well as announce this online and through social media.

For more information on the iSpyStyle Retail Makeover Offer, head to iSpyStyle.net

Good luck!

www.iSpyStyle.net

Fantasia gets fashionable

Walt Disney Signature has teamed up with three designers to launch a high-end, accessories line inspired by animated classic Fantasia, as Eryn Behan from Mudpie reports.

The collection will coincide with the upcoming November release of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 in a special collector's edition on Blu-ray and DVD.

The three designer collections are:

Hayden-Harnett for sand-washed silk scarves depicting scenes from the 'Rite of Spring,' 'Ave Maria' and 'Night on Bald Mountain' sequences. The line will also include studded leather cuffs, handbags and wallets. It will be available in December at Hayden-Harnett's Brooklyn and Nolita stores, on Haydenharnett.com and at select retailers.

Noir for a capsule jewellery collection, featuring elements inspired by the 'Rite of Spring' scenes. The pieces will be available in November at high-end retailers nationwide and at Noirjewelry.com.

Robin Rotenier for a line of sterling silver cufflink and jewellery designs depicting the scene when the brooms and buckets come to life, as well as the 'Desert Dunes' and 'Bright Shining Sun' segments. A men's collection is available this month at Bergdorf Goodman, and a men's and women's national launch will follow in October.

"The film's powerful iconic images from the whimsical to the mysterious make it a great bounty for designers and inspired them to create these timeless yet modern pieces that offer something for the Fantasia collector, as well as the fashionista looking for on-trend designs," says Pam Lifford, executive vice president of global fashion and home at Disney Consumer Products.

"These accessories embody the spirit of Fantasia and bring it to life in new ways. Disney's collaboration with these top designers continues to expand our brand further into the fashion sphere."

www.gingertc.com.au

Microtrend Report: Kiss the Sky... Channelling Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix may have died four decades ago this month... but his unique fashion sense lives on, as Eryn Behan reports.

September 2010 marks 40 years since the tragic death of guitar legend Jimi Hendrix; and in true rock ‘n' roll form an array of conspiracy theories still surround his death, with many unable to believe their icon could meet his end with a clichéd overdose scenario. Whatever the truth of Hendrix' demise, one thing is certain: the four years he spent in London from 1966 to 1970 saw him launched to the top of his musical game, creating the voice and sound of a generation.

Hendrix is remembered not only for his intoxicating guitar solos but his theatrical wardrobe, which included his prized antique hussar jacket and plenty of hand painted silks, along with an eclectic mass of jewellery. As people across the globe unite to celebrate his memory, a torrent of free-love looks inspired by the legend is hitting the streets, and the late sixties and early seventies have once again found a place on the contemporary style scene.

It's no surprise then that a winning Woodstock vibe hit the runways for spring/summer 2010, with a host of designers opting for hippy chic 60s and 70s fuelled ensembles; lightweight tunic dresses, suede waistcoats and tassle belts proved key. For autumn/winter 10/11, Hendrix inspired looks take a more rustic approach; Navajo crochets and weaves provide a South American equestrian element, in line with Mpdclick's forecasted trend

The latest crop of fashion glossies, along with the most stylish city streets, are already awash with Hendrix incarnations. While the look has obvious unisex appeal, so far the trend is emerging as one for the girls, as clever dressers opt for bohemian looks with a high fashion edge.

To get this look in-store, merchandise classic rock ‘n' roll items with old-school boho pieces; a nifty tailored military jacket has real Hendrix appeal when styled over a hand-painted paisley shirt or embellished jeans.

Check out Ginger Trend Consulting's new website at www.gingertc.com.au

Trend Overview - Sao Paulo Fashion Week

With Brazilian fashion's global reputation on the rise, there's no better place than Sao Paulo fashion week to spot the hottest (and we mean hottest) new trends, as Eryn Behan of Mudpie reveals.

Sao Paulo Fashion Week is renowned for its festival spirit and commercial appeal. The event is the first of the women's shows providing an early look at SS 2011 trends. In amongst the vibrant tropical hues favoured on Sao Paulo's festive runways, soft and positively girly mellow yellow emerged as a hot pick for the SS 2011 season.

Sports luxe trends remained strong on Sao Paulo's runways, with many designers adding a new slant, executing activewear shapes in a host of sheer high fashion fabrics. Stand out designers introducing this trend included Animale and Osklen.

Meanwhile, not forgetting to exude the vibrant Brazilian spirit that characterises Sao Paulo Fashion Week, a host of designers tuned into the event's tropical location and pushed bold exotic prints in glorious multi-colours.

Some of my favourites included Rosa Cha, Colcci and Cia Maritimi, whose tropical flora and fauna prints were stand out for their use of random mix ‘n' match placements.

Bra Queen - A fitting level of service

With her high impact, information packed Fashion Exposed workshops rolling out in a matter of days, Bra Queen Renee Mayne shares some last minute pearls of wisdom on customer service.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

What is the one thing that separates small businesses from department stores? Service of course; they can not and should not compete on price so it is vital to their success that they deliver on service.

So, what can you do today to improve your customer's service?

To answer this question, I like to take my clients on a journey that will no doubt be close to many businesses' hearts. It's journey that entails a lot of listening and an abundance of respect, and most importantly, avoiding the top three mistakes businesses make in customer service

Mistake number one: No consultation...
What would happen if you went to get your hair cut and your stylist didn't ask you what you wanted?

Never assume. For example, if you are fitting an older lady, don't assume that she wants a flesh coloured lace bra. All women like to feel good, so it is important we ask them what they want and remember that everyone perceives things differently.

Mistake number two: Getting into the blame game...
If you have fit your customer with a bra that you think is appropriate and she suggests that she would like to try something else, it is not her fault. It is your fault for assuming. You are the professional and if your customers do not understand something it is up to you to educate them. I hear all the time "customers are stupid". They are not stupid. If there is any blame in the equation, it lies with us not doing our job, as we are there to educate as much as to sell.

For example, I recently spoke to a plumber who didn't finish off a job properly. When a complaint arose, he indicated that he should have been told. My response to this is: "No, you should have asked, this is your profession." Regardless of what your enterprise deals in, all businesses have a level of service that they must adhere to if they want to retain customers long term.

Mistake number three: Snap judgements
When someone enters our store we judge them upon appearance as to how much they can afford. I see and hear it all the time "She would never spend $100 on a bra." Correction: you do not see value in your product. If you love what you sell the price tag on it becomes virtually irrelevant, because you believe with your whole heart in that product. Once you appreciate what your customers can gain and benefit from wearing your product, your figures will go up. Our customers determine how much they can spend. It is up to us to show them the best products we have for them, and then let them decide.

Thanks for reading my columns in Exposed Online, it's been great to share my experiences with you. For more insights and a chance to ask direct questions, you can catch me at the Fashion Exposed Bra Queen workshops. If you have any questions you would like me to answer during the workshop, please email me at: renee@braqueen.com.au

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Comprising two 30-minute sessions targeting the lingerie sector and covering key topics including cost effective, innovative marketing and boosting your business through proactive service and sales, the Bra Queen workshops will take place at 11.45 a.m. on Sunday 29 and Monday 30 August, at Fashion Exposed, Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

Image: pumpease.com

Trend report: Spotlight on Ivan Grundahl

Ivan Grundahl is synonymous with Danish design. Ahead of what looks set to be an unmissable presentation at Fashion Exposed this weekend, Eryn Behan of Mudpie upwraps the Grundahl mystique.

The exclusive Australian representative for global trend forecaster Mudpie, Ginger Trend Consulting will present Mudpie's Autumn/Winter 11/12 trend forecast on Sunday 29 August at 9.30 am during Fashion Exposed.

Ivan Grundahl is one of Copenhagen's pioneering designers, helping to introduce the world to unique Danish design. For spring/summer 2011, Grundahl channelled the Japanese greats, creations reminiscent of past Commes des Garçons and Issey Miyake. Cloud-like turbans and block-white faces were combined with unusual asymmetric shapes, disjointed seams and frayed edges.

A tonal palette of black, grey and white with beige, sand and khaki in places, lent itself to shapeless mid-length dresses, loosely knitted separates and utility details. Proportion play is key in Scandinavian fashion; a look so effortlessly adopted on many of the runways and city streets this season, while a move towards 1990s grunge sees oversized plaids and workwear boots added to the aesthetic.

Highlights of the collection include a very wearable military inspired suit with tapered trousers and a jacket featuring oversized pockets and a double-wrap-around belt. A key outfit, sure to be adopted by Denmark's fashion front line, is the combination of a haphazard, open-knitted sweater worn with a layered full skirt - just the right amount of anti-fashion meets fashion so synonymous with the grunge era.

Bra Queen - Could a business coach destroy your business?

In the lead up to her Fashion Exposed workshops, Bra Queen Renee Mayne explains why the right attitude is crucial to getting the most from your business coach and evolving as a business.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Could a business coach destroy your business?

...Why on earth would a business coach say such a thing?

Clearly I'm not trying to talk myself out of a job. What I'm getting at however, is the need to understand your own motivations for being in business and the difference between industry leaders and the rest of the crowd.

Let me explain. When I introduce myself to someone as a business coach, most people will say "I don't need a business coach. I've been in business for 30 years. I know everything there is to know."

While I haven't suggested that they need a business coach, it's assumed I'm implying this, and the result can sometimes be a defensive response.

Note: These business owners belong to the 70 per cent who are "doing quite nicely thank you."

Then I will meet other business owners and they say: "It's so nice to meet someone who's as passionate as I am, I need to work with you." Note: These belong to the one per cent who really are industry leaders, at the forefront of driving change.

In other words, 70 per cent of businesses will most likely be a "doing quite nicely thank you" business and only one per cent want to be at the forefront....the industry leaders. So you need to ask yourself which one you are.

Crucial Fact: The difference between the 70 per cent and the one per cent is the ability to take calculated risks and when the strategy doesn't work, change it. This is where the 70 per cent can fall down.

To move from the 70 per cent to the one per cent, consider this: If you've had to change your strategy, it's not that you've made a bad decision; it just means you needed to test the waters. You have not failed, so don't beat yourself up or get defensive about it. Just change tactics.

Effecting change is arguably the most challenging aspect of business, but it's certainly not impossible.

Change Management

If you think about how The Biggest Loser's commando interacts with contestants, initially there are tears of frustration, anger, and resistance to training on their part. Why? When you take someone out of their comfort zone their defence mechanisms go up. It's human nature. Most people are creatures of habit and dislike change. However embracing and maintaining change is crucial to evolving your business. Make it your business to go to industry events and discuss on things on an open playing field. There must be trust, drive, consistency, determination a thirst to succeed... and ultimately a driving passion for your business.

Talking of industry events, I'm really looking forward to seeing you at Fashion Exposed. If you have any questions you would like me to answer during the workshop, please email me at: renee@braqueen.com.au

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

A walk on the wild side!

Leopard prints have been prowling the world's key autumn/winter 2010 shows, as Eryn Behan from Mudpie reports from her latest trend safari. Stay on the hunt for Eryn and colleague Jo Little's stand-out trend forecast at Fashion Exposed later this month.

Fall 10's runways ask fashion fanatics to take 'a walk on the wild side', pushing big cat prints as 'love hem or hate them' leopard spots become the markings of the season.

We first spotted fashion's emerging love affair with leopard print on spring/summer 10's runways, as a scattering of designers opted for accessories decorated in the daring print. For autumn/winter 10/11 the trend is undeniable, with head-to-toe leopard ensembles and outsized prints gracing all of the ‘big four' fashion weeks.

Street stylers are already on the prowl in an array of leopard ensembles. Body-con dresses provide the ultimate canvas for scaled-up spots, and high fashion enthusiasts are prowling the streets in a slinky selection of leopard print separates and must have accessories. The boyfriend fit shirt has become a wardrobe essential and in big-cat spots, makes the perfect summer to autumn transition piece, best teamed with retro fit high-waist shorts and a slouch knit cardigan.

Head-to-toe leopard screams high fashion, while a pair of wedges or an oversized shopper offers an easy way to translate this trend.

PROMOTION: Special Offer - FASHIONTREND marks five years!

Celebrating five years of ‘Unstoppable Fashion' in 2010, FASHIONTREND Australia has just launched its August issue, showcasing the international Spring Summer Collections, RAFW and Asia Fashion Exchange.

The new Issue titled ‘NOCTURNE' evokes the mystery of the night with a daring display of sharp modernity and bygone allure.

Offering a unique blend of exclusive runway images, hypnotic editorials, designer profiles, sublime beauty, trend information and dedicated coverage of the Australian fashion scene, FASHIONTREND Australia is ‘The Essential Fashion Quarterly'.

Exposed Online has three issues to give away!
Simply email Exposed Online editor Belinda Smart at belindas@aec.net.au and explain in no more than 40 words what your favourite ‘Nocturnal' trend of the moment is and why.

NEW ISSUE OUT NOW!

Available at BORDERS, MAG NATION and leading newsagents nationally. Connect With The Tastemakers at the official FACEBOOKFANPAGE.

Retail design and the new austerity

Retail design is heading in an interesting direction, inspired by the new brand of consumer austerity, as Eryn Behan from Mudpie reports, ahead of her forthcoming presentation at Fashion Exposed.

Like architecture, the interior design sector has had a major shakeup, laying the grounds for a fertile new landscape of innovation and creativity. In retail especially, brands have had to go that much further to appeal to the uninterested and now more austere consumer. From derelict warehouse spaces to temporary pop-up stores, interior design has been used as a way of engaging consumers and offering them unique retail experience.

The use of contours and layering using materials such as plywood and cardboard is a clear trend in the retail sector. Textural archways create an artificial yet organic environment, heightening customers' perception of both space and product. This is a cost-effective method of temporarily changing the identity of a space to capture the imagination of consumers and offer them a new retail experience.

The ‘Labyrinth of Woods' installation at the Diesel Denim Gallery Aoyama in Tokyo, Japan, by Architect Ben Naqoka of Point, features plywood archways, creating a variety of individual spaces and unique textural surfaces. His work is based on a concept consisting of elements that exist together in a seemingly natural relationship that makes for organized efficiency

Japanese architects Suppose Design Office, have completed a boutique made of cardboard tubes in a Hiroshima shopping centre. ‘Karis' features tubes of different lengths suspended in clusters to create ‘caves' within the space, similar to the concept of the labyrinth woods by Ben Naqoka.

‘Nature Factory' by Makato Tanijiri of Suppose Design Office, features plumbing arranged to look like an arbour of trees. The purpose behind this design is to offer a new shopping experience that people can interact with products whilst strolling in mysterious natural surroundings.

Boutique Runway by Italian design studio CLS Architetti is made up of wavy profiles that cover the walls and ceiling to resemble an ice cove. The interior space was built through the construction of a three-dimensional model and each lamella is hand crafted.

Belgian artist Arne Quinze has created a rough luxe fantasy space for retail store L'eclaireur in Paris. The space uses recycled materials, with a one-off archway made out of entangled wooden planks, as if to emphasize a notion of ordered chaos.

The exclusive Australian representative for global trend forecaster Mudpie, Ginger Trend Consulting will present Mudpie's Autumn/Winter 11/12 trend forecast during Fashion Exposed.

Bra Queen - How to reduce costs & invest in things that matter

Profitability is about more than sales; it's about knowing where to scrimp and where to spend, says Bra Queen Renee Mayne. As her series of Fashion Exposed workshops approaches, she shares some of her top tips for maximising cost-effectiveness.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

1. Find cost-effective ways to market your business
Often business owners think if they are going to market themselves effectively then a hefty marketing budget is needed. This is simply not the case. Furthermore, it doesn't necessarily make good business sense. If you're looking at advertising on the back page of a glossy magazine that's an outlay of around $15,000 plus and there is no way you can track the success of the investment. Any worthwhile marketing campaign must be traceable.

This is where e-marketing comes in; it's a very powerful and cost effective way to market your business. It enables you to send out newsletters, special offers and loyalty schemes directly to your customers at no extra cost. You save on postage and/or printing costs too. It also encourages customers back to your website to see what other services you offer. The only investment required is the design of your promotional e-mail material. It couldn't be simpler. However, around 80 per cent of Australian retail businesses do not even have an email or website address...they are losing an astronomical amount of money, publicity and exposure.

2. Ensure that your business software is not costing you a fortune
Software has come down in price, so if you're on a payment plan or you have signed a contract with a hosting or software company, be sure to shop around. There are now a lot of systems on the market that you can maintain and update yourself.

3. Reduce your staff overheads with a virtual PA or receptionist
We are extremely fortunate in this day and age because we have virtual PAs who will work for businesses on an hourly basis and require no minimum hours or holidays. As staff overheads are one of the first things that get cut when business is slow, to ensure that you get adequate phone cover for your business without having to overstretch your existing resources, you can opt for a pay-as-you-go virtual receptionist.

4. Maximise customer retention through stand-out customer care
Ask not what your customer can do for you but rather what you can do for your customer! Customers are driven by both emotional and practical needs, so make sure you are satisfying both. Most importantly, listen to what they have to say about your products and services as well as your staff, ask them to complete questionnaires - their opinion is vital to your long-term success. They may even give you new ideas that you may not have considered, so be open to change. The biggest downfall for businesses is often simply the result of stubbornness.

Understand your customers needs better...
Keep up to date with your customers, a good customer database is an invaluable investment. It can identify customers' needs and their likes and dislikes, while also providing vital clues in helping you to cross sell other products and services to increase customer spend.

5. Reassess your products and services
Look at all the products and services that you offer in relation to how much you sell and how profitable they are. At times it is necessary to eliminate collections that are simply costing too much to carry. Work smart. Source the very best product on the market. Even if it means you're the only one who stocks it, take the plunge and stand out from the crowd!

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Bra Queen - Top 10 ‘don'ts' for fashion businesses

So you're all set to make it big in fashion? Before you take the plunge, learn from an expert's experience. Here, ahead of her upcoming presentations at Fashion Exposed, Bra Queen warns against 10 of the biggest blunders made by fashion wholesalers and designers.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

1. Overlooking production
As your name is going to be on the final product, it is crucial you keep a close eye on all aspects of production. Fit and finish must be perfect. In fact I now do a critique on sample bras all the time to ensure a successful launch and collection. Your products must match your samples! The biggest mistake I see is that the samples are not perfect. They go on show at fashion fairs and shows where can shape and fit are there for all to see. Retailers are looking with a hawk eye at this kind of detail and if the fit isn't there they will not buy. Think about this; would you invest in something that you weren't 100 per cent sure of?

2. Shoddy shipping
Credibility is everything and the fashion business can be very unforgiving. You can't ship one season late; that will be your downfall.

3. Wanting (too much) to be in certain stores
Designers sometimes under-price their goods in order to have prestigious boutiques or department stores buy their lines, with the strategy that they can raise prices later. This doesn't work. Those stores bought you to fit into a certain price point. Slip out of it and they won't be buying your next line. It may work for one season but not for the life of your company. What's more, increased volumes will not necessarily cover the shortfall of underpricing. It might work for offshore mega producers but if you take that route, you're not a fashion forward line anymore are you?

4. Spending now, worrying later
Designers often get caught up in the whirl of marketing and PR, putting on fashion shows and spending up on promotions, thinking they can pay the bills later. There is no later. Focus on your spending priorities; invest in your product so it's not necessary to spend valuable resources on expensive PR.

5. Believing your own publicity
While making the pages of a glossy magazine is a feather in anyone's cap, it's not a million dollar deal. You're not a star. There is no instant stardom. Making it in the fashion business is not an overnight accomplishment; the product is what it's all about.

6. Not targeting credit worthy stores
Designers and wholesalers make the mistake of assuming a prestigious, beautiful-looking store is a good credit risk, bypassing mainstay stores. The store is beautiful because they spent a lot of money on it, which may mean leaving them less money to pay you! Don't assume a beautiful store will be a credit worthy customer. You have to take a hard line; honourable long term businesses aren't built on weak credit.

7. Speculating
Do not over-produce. Do not cut extra goods with the potential of reorders in mind. As it is, you'll get some goods returned, so you'll end up with more inventory on hand than you'd expected. As a rule of thumb, you should never cut over 3 -5 per cent of total orders. Your aim is to increase the initial order amount.

8. Selling on consignment
You never know what you'll get back and you won't be able to use it or resell it to anyone because it'll be shop worn. If a retailer wants the goods on consignment, they're not committed to you. You're much better off selling on straight terms.

9. Dropping the ball
Somebody must watch the watchers at all times in every stage and that's you. Keep it simple, this is a cash business. The sooner you see that fashion is a one season, cash flow business, the better off you'll be. Focus on the long term by producing the best product and keep unnecessary extravagant expenses low.

10. Allowing one store to dominate
Above all, avoid over-concentration. It doesn't matter if it's Myer or David Jones, one account should not dominate your customer portfolio. If it does, you can be hit hard if the store drops your line. Diversify. One customer should not account for more than 25 per cent of your sales. A way to create exclusivity is to create a piece in a particular colour for them and put a time frame on it.

P.S. I have just launched the dates for the next Melbourne and Sydney Secret Bra Business Seminars where I delve more deeply into sales, marketing, lead generation and much more to ensure you have a prosperous next season. Head to the Bra Queen website to secure your seat.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Lingerie image: Shirley of Hollywood

Product & innovation: all change at Levi's

The denim industry experienced serious shock waves this season after the release of the highly anticipated collaboration between hot shot denim brand Levi's and French fashion maverick Jean-Paul Gaultier. Ahead of what promises to be an unmissable trend forecast at Fashion Exposed, Ginger Trend Consulting reports.

Fusing Levi's heritage with Gaultier's rebel style, this highlight collection from the jean's brand consists of men's and women's styles for spring/summer 2010 in a classic dark wash, with details reminiscent of 80s Madonna and 70s backlash punk bondage.

The garments are based on classic Levi's products including jeans, jackets, shirts and dungarees in a navy, white and red colour scheme with black outlining. Red stitching is apparent in almost every menswear piece and is used as a clever accent to the genius shape and construction of the denim. Strategically placed straps, exaggerated fastenings and vertical stripes line cuffs on jackets and jeans.

Meanwhile, the womenswear line's construction speaks for itself; Gaultier's signature conical bra shape shines through on jackets and overalls, defined by its provocatively placed white stitching. On-trend harem jeans will also be an 'it' garment of the season.

Levi's also has another development in hand; it's not just the brand's iconic denim that is top of the priority list - the company is now also an established eco-activist. It has made a conscious effort to renovate its San Francisco headquarters into an eco-friendly building using recycled resources including its own unique trick of the trade... Levi's has revolutionised its building insulation through the innovative use of recycled denim, collected from Goodwill charity shops. Plexiglass windows are placed throughout the building, affording a glance at the denim filled walls.

Aside from that, Levi's has launched a care initiative; a scheme for the brand's consumers to encourage the use of cold water washing and line drying in order to reduce the use of electricity in their homes. To encourage the move yet further, a search for inventive and covetable ideas for sustainable drying solutions has been launched in the form of a competition with a $10,000 prize.

If Levi's' innovative leap into an eco friendly world is any indication, companies worldwide should be inspired to do the same in a bid for a greener planet.

The exclusive Australian representative for global trend forecaster Mudpie, Ginger Trend Consulting will present Mudpie's Autumn/Winter 11/12 trend forecast during Fashion Exposed.

Film & Fashion: Fear, Fun & Fantasy

An air of escapism suffuses the forthcoming fashion season, influenced primarily by the interpretation of fairytales via the silver screen, as Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports. Ginger Trend Consulting will present a sample of its inspired trend insights at Fashion Exposed this August.

Recent times have seen fairytales and fantasy in abundance in the media, with re-works of classic fairy tales becoming major blockbusters, while on British television screens fantasy dramas are growing in popularity as reality TV loses favour. The popularity of re-worked classic fairytales is no surprise, given the pressures of modern life combined with the stress of the continuing economic downturn. In short, people are looking to escape, and what better way than through their favourite childhood fairytales?

The idea of good versus evil in a fantastical setting culminates in one of the Mpdclick spring/summer 2011 trends already discussed in this column; ‘Fable'. We predict this trend to accelerate fully into commercial ranges for SS11 although we are seeing initial sightings of the trend creeping in, with a multitude of Alice in Wonderland inspired looks. Designers have channelled this in a number of ways, from gingham checks at Christopher Kane to innocent femininity at Chanel and ditsy florals at Ralph Lauren to the muted tones and candy pastel colour palettes of the season.

Mad Hatter get ups were seen on the catwalk of Kenzo and Wintel for menswear, while ultimately however, summer won't seem quite right without sporting a bow tie and pocket watch.

Bra Queen - Secrets behind successful start ups

Ahead of what promises to be an inspired seminar offering at Fashion Exposed this August, this issue sees Bra Queen Renee Mayne talking speed, motivation and sales, sales, sales.

As a serial entrepreneur, I'm busy launching new ventures all the time. But how did I get in the position where I am able to do so? Today, I'm going share some big lessons on launching new ventures; lessons I didn't get from text books, but from experience.

Lesson 1 - Speed and momentum
With only so much time in the world, speed is important. You need to push hard, especially at the start-up stage, to gain momentum and get the runs on the board. When you go slowly, nothing much happens, and your enthusiasm will falter as the weeks drag into months.

When launching a new company, a new venture or even a new collection, you need energy and commitment. If you're not willing to put in the hours, especially at start-up stage, you're best off with a job, not a business.

When I'm in business-building mode, I don't even think about taking a break or what time I finish, let alone taking a holiday. In fact, that's the last thing on my mind... I'm too busy getting stuck in and building my new brand and business, whether it is seminars, coaching, TV presenting or my new book.

More than anything, speed gets results quickly. If results are bad, you can correct your course. After all, a business without any wins is as dead as a dinosaur, not only financially, but because your confidence takes a battering. And confidence is the number one thing we need in abundance.

Enthusiasm is everything! The hardest collection or product to sell will be the first. With my first seminar it was hard work to even fill the room, but once I gathered momentum they became so much easier to sell, which is the perfect lead into the second lesson I learnt.

Lesson 2 - Establish a following before you launch
Now is an exciting time to be in business. We have the technology and the know-how to create a community before we launch a business or a collection. We get to create hype and a buzz without having anything to sell. With my first business I didn't have a client list or data base to draw from and it was a hard slog to create brand awareness. No matter how fantastic your collection or product is; if you don't have customers looking at it then it's not worth the hangers it's dangling from.

Once I sold my business and Bra Queen was born, I took a different approach. My aim was to build a following first. Here's how I did it:-

• I become an expert in my field
• I gave great advice and information for free
• I was 100 per cent me. I didn't and I still don't play it safe with my thoughts. Everything is 100 per cent honesty and passionately me.

Because of that, people come to me; businesses, consumers, everyone. My inbox become flooded...why? Trust. I gave with no obligation. Now when I launch a product, a seminar, an e-course or a book, I have a database to draw from.

Lesson 3 - Around 80 per cent of your time must be focused on sales.

Most business owners worry about the things that will not bring them sales, or wait until everything is 100 per cent perfect before they start selling.

Don't worry about putting in complex and costly systems. What's the good of systems without sales? Get the sales first. Get busy making sales. Get the money in. Then you can clean up the mess with systems. But in the beginning, sales and plenty of them are needed... and that's where you should be focused.

If you have a manager, he or she must be made aware of the importance of sales. You're a retail company, not an administration company. I've seen too many businesses stagnate and ultimately fail because no one was focused on the key to winning in business - getting sales! This is the attitude that must prevail throughout your whole company... from managers right on down.

Remember: successful people thrive on the chaos, revel at the mess they've created and juggle numerous projects at the same time... from major ideas right down to the nitty gritty minor details, all without breaking a sweat. This is what we live for! If you do not feel this way, making a lot of money in business is going be very tough.

On a final note, remember, when we think sales, it's not about the money or the bottom line. It's about offering the best value to the client...but we'll delve into that next time.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Image: Bra Queen client Underwear of Sweden.

Six steps to beat the recession

Bra Queen Renee Mayne has had enough of talk about retail gloom and doom. In this issue's column her advice is simple: when it comes to beating the recession, attack is the best form of defence!

Okay, so maybe the retail economy didn't quite pack the punch we would all have liked and the Autumn Winter orders were played pretty safe, leaving businesses worried about their next season. But if you curl up into a ball and just accept the worst, then you've already lost. You might as well just shut up shop.

In any case, a downturn in the economy isn't the end of the world. Women still wear bras and people still wear clothes. When terms like ‘GFC' and ‘recession' are flying around, most business give up and stop trying. However much of the time, when the economy dips it's merely reflecting the perceptions of business owners and consumers. People clam up and act like this might just be the big one; the end of retail as we know it. That attitude is what prolongs recession.

Those who react to economic downturns with aggression, determination and passion instead of passivity and negativity will come through with a strong, successful business and a healthy bottom line. To quote Billy Ocean: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." In other words, if business isn't coming to you then you must go get it. So without further ado, here are six steps to get you started.

One: Value add
Everyone wants to increase sales. However, the truth is you'd be better to take the focus off yourself and your business and start thinking about providing maximum value for your customers. Can your business and your product help other enterprises such as retailers or complementary businesses generate more revenue? If so, play up that aspect of your business and any prospective customer will clear their schedule to hear what you have to say.

Two: Get marketing!
The fatal mistake most businesses make during a recession is to decrease their marketing and advertising efforts. However statistics have proven that marketers who increase their spending during a recession sustain long-term gains in the market as well as profitability. In my previous column I shared with you ways to market your business without it costing a fortune and you can drive your business into territories you would never thought of. It just takes consistency, creativity and a little time.

Three: Build instant revenue with a VIP night
I do joint ventures with local lingerie boutiques. Through ‘Bras, Boobs & Bubbles' I gather a small group of women with similar bra sizes and take them to a store that I would happily recommend. I create a bra workshop, fashion parade and a bra fitting; they pay $30 to attend and receive $30 off on the night. It will add anywhere from $1000 to $3000 onto the business takings plus a massive amount of repeat business, as all women are new to the store and they tell their friends.

Four: Provide exemplary service
I am a huge advocate of, do whatever it takes to retain every client. During a recession, client retention is crucial. Provide the best service and make your client's experience memorable. Don't forget to follow up and make sure that your client's experience was more than they expected it to be.

Five: Network like crazy!
Think of networking like you're single and looking for love. Networking is often overlooked, but it is one of the most beneficial forms of promotion and it's free. Anytime you have an opportunity to talk about your business, product or service, do so. Don't be obnoxious, but don't risk missing opportunities to promote yourself either.

Six: Reassess your stock
To sell you must make an impact...to make an impact you must have stock. Instead of ordering a small amount of a line, order more so you can pack the punch you need it to. Do your research; ensure before you order it meets the right criteria, for example a bra must provide great shape, comfort and support, structure and perfect fit, so you have peace of mind that it will sell when it's on your floor.

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Image: Bra Queen client Underwear of Sweden.

Utility Luxe

It might be the dominance of tougher economic times or the sheer enduring appeal of the look, but utilitarian dressing is on the rise. As Eryn Behan from Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports, the style gains added appeal when finished with a decidedly luxe edge.

Slick luxury utility looks dominate the streets while steadily infiltrating the usual batch of glossy fashion rags. While the runways favour cool tonal looks, this translation is a little more off the cuff with mix ‘n' match styling bringing some extra personality to utilitarian trends.

The global runways push all out ‘utility luxe' trends; think sharp, military inspired tailoring, tonal khaki styling, multiple pockets, and an abundance of fluid silk. The addition of heavy utility belts, walking socks and towering ankle boots adds a youthful edge, while crisp wearable separates will appeal to all ages.

Follow the example set by the savvy retailers such as 'Miss Selfridge' and 'TopShop' who already have a range of perfect utility products in store; provide a mix of simple basics and statement pieces laden with pockets and buckles to cater for a broad market.

Social media and small business: the perfect match.

With social media revolutionising the world of retail, this issue sees Bra Queen Renee Mayne deploying her business coaching skills to maximum effect. Her message? If you're a small fashion business who hasn't yet grasped the significance of online networking, it's time to get with the program!

There's a certain innovative networking concept sweeping the globe that promises to change the small business world as we know it: social media.

Can you make money from it? Certainly. However there is much more to social media than sales conversions. If you stood in the middle of a shopping centre screaming and trying to sell your product, what would happen? That's right; chances are most people would make a run for it! Well, social media is no different. You have to build trust and relationships; it's about giving and adding value.

As small business owners we already have a built in advantage in this regard, because we are great at being real... being ourselves, being authentic. In short, we are our business. It's natural for us to communicate and build relationships with our customers. The social media platform is simply an extension of what we do instinctively.

There are many social media platforms available: blogging, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, My Space and LinkedIn. You can network on all or select one to suit your personality and one that will complement your business. But if you're going to make social media work for you, it's important to avoid common pitfalls. Some of the biggest mistakes are:-

• Adding no value and solely trying to sell.
• Using social media to ‘hide' behind your business.
• Thinking too narrowly and not targeting your customers. It's not just about sales; the opportunities that come from it will far outweigh the dollar signs.
• Not being consistent and losing patience! You have to keep interacting and engaging with customers and it takes time to build that rapport, so allow six months to a year before you really start seeing what social media can do.

Businesses that steer clear of these snags can move beyond the status of mere ‘trading entities' to become brands that forge an emotional connection with consumers. If you're after examples, a couple currently looming large on the web due to their social media skills are Damaris Lingerie and Lane Bryant.

Damaris (pictured left) launched a You Tube video called ‘Chore'. Damaris doesn't have a massive marketing budget so they had to be innovative; a point worth remembering... financial challenges often produce the most creative solutions. The quirky, irreverent and youth-focused ‘Chore' suits Damaris' target market and takes viewers on an intriguing, amusing journey they won't forget.

Lane Bryant (pictured right) recently sent the World Wide Web into overdrive with a controversial ad that got pulled from American TV for being too risqué. However because of the resulting ‘noise', it has now had global coverage on traditional media and social media.

From my own perspective, social media has been central to spreading the word about my brand in an interesting, non-sales driven way. So, what has Bra Queen gained from social media exposure?

• A gig as a contributing author in Sprout Wealth - a fantastic book that shares the commercial successes of businesswomen.
• Numerous radio interviews.
• Podcast interviews.
• TV presenting.
• 70 per cent of my business is from social media
• On average the Bra Queen Exposed blog attracts over 20,000 views a month.
• Put all my social media avenues together and I am talking to around 5000 people, imagine 5000 people standing in your store.
• A host of amazing business relationships and successful joint ventures.

Remember, if you combine traditional networking with new age social networking, your marketing potential is endless. The truth is, small business has never had it so good. We can market ourselves exactly how we need to and position ourselves to an audience of thousands for little or no cost.

So, be innovative in your thinking, use your imagination and the sky's the limit!

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

P.S. Readers wanting to know more about social media are more than welcome to email me at renee@braqueen.com.au

The London Look

With the forecaster's expert style scouts having been out and about on the streets of London in recent weeks, Eryn Behan from Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports back from the highways and byways of the UK's fashion hub.

Rating it as one of the world's top spots for seeking out hot new street trends, we popped back to the home of ‘Cool Britannia' to catch up with the latest bout of indie kids, scenesters and all out fashion mavericks to find out what's topping their fashion wish list right now.

With the city's notoriously 'happening' back roads of Soho and the shopping Mecca Carnaby Street as our chosen destinations, we were as always delighted by the fresh new looks on offer.

The supporting images show some of London's latest street trends, including the floral jumpsuit, edgy day looks with urban appeal and relaxed separates. We also saw these contemporary trends in the super sophisticated and fashion forward Paris. For a more concise overview of our current street trend analysis register for a free trial at mpdclick.com.

Retail Tip - Merchandise your way to fame!

In a highly competitive market with consumers watching their wallets, it pays to make your instore experience as enticing and engaging as possible. As Mark Davis reports, creative visual merchandising is the key to this. What's more, it needn't cost a lot of money, and if you're plugged in to online networking, it has the potential to turbo-charge your business.

An expert and trainer in all things retail, business coach Mark Davis divides his time between Australia and Europe, traversing the globe to share his retail, sales, business and Internet marketing insights.

Great displays are an art form. For many years they've been the domain of window dressers, merchandisers, company reps and strategic designers. But given the current move to cost cutting, retailers now have to improvise, using their imagination and the tools immediately available. For many this is less about having enough merchandise, or risers, or stands and racks... and more about creativity. In all likelihood it's also about leveraging the power of that little thing called social media.

A display that grabs customers' attention, be they old or new, and tempts them to take more interest in the rest of the store, is a powerful motivator to get them to stick around, hopefully for long enough to buy! Just as a good website encourages users to click and browse, the key merchandise displays in your store are there to grab attention and engage with customers.

In some cases, people will often make the journey to a destination just to see stand-out visual merchandising. Be it a mountain of teddy bears and tigers in the Disney Stores or an eye-catching seasonal display, a destination or feature merchandising ‘moment' can be the thing that makes your store a must-see in your town, city or suburb. Department stores' Christmas window displays are a good example of this, but there's no reason to limit creativity to Yuletide.

And take note; social media has given good visual merchandising an exponential power boost. People love to take photos and put themselves up on Facebook, whether it's next to a living Statue of Darth Vader on Hollywood Blvd, or beside the logo of the store they just shopped in. They hold up bags, they pose, and they promote your store for you. If someone poses with your stock items, in your store, with your staff, next to your renowned merchandising display, then posts the photo to Facebook, you get 100 to 1000 free advertising shots.

And it doesn't end there. Offer to be the photographer for them, take three or four snaps, from which they can create a mini-shopping album, and you get even more photos online. Ask them to add your business to Facebook, and you can tag your store as well!

Remember, people are going to take photos of things they like. Now you can let them promote you for free!

So, to re-cap:-

• Create a merchandise display people want to be photographed beside and tell their friends about.
• Encourage photos.
• Tag people in photos including your Facebook profile.
• Get creative. Have competitions, prizes and offers for all your Facebook friends.

Never forget that the fusion of visual merchandising and social media creates an unbeatable way of driving more business into your store. Good luck with designing that display!

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Images: Sportsgirl (left), Anthropologie - US (right)

Sports focus: Ailin

Specialising in technically advanced, eco-sensitive clothing for women, Ailin has successfully blended an earthy handwriting with the ongoing trend for sportswear and sport inspired fashion, as Eryn Behan reports.

North American sports clothing brand Ailin provides functional, fashionable garments for active women. Founded by sports fan Erin Bell, the brand focuses on sustainable production and the use of eco-friendly fabrics, manufacturing all of its products in Canada.

In Chinese, the brand name Ailin translates to "compassion for nature", a statement reflected across all areas of the company. The business prides itself on its integration of eco-friendly processes, and is dedicated to the ongoing development of sustainability and living with intentionality.

Inspired by Asian culture, Ailin's products convey a comfortable, casual style, with a slightly pagan aesthetic. Slouchy harem pants and ruched fitted vest tops offer ideal yoga outfits, while stretch lycra leggings and polyester tops present layering options for jogging. As well as sports garments, Ailin also supplies ranges of fashionable swim and ski wear. All of Ailin's products have a high technical performance and are made from high quality materials, making them even more desirable to sports conscious consumers.

Ailin also has an online blog, which is updated regularly to inform fans of the brand about issues that may be relevant or of interest to them. Recent posts include examples of other fashion designers, news regarding the opening of a natural dye plant, and a guide to the best places to cycle in the U.S.

The Bra Queen - Are you sabotaging your business?

Business coach and lingerie doyenne the Bra Queen, aka Renee Mayne, knows a thing or two about confidence and determination. In the first column in the lead up to her Fashion Exposed workshops, Renee gives business owners a characteristically feisty pep talk on the secrets of growth.

Are you sabotaging your business?

Around 70 per cent of small business will never grow or make a huge a profit. Why?

You and your ego, that's right! A massive 70 per cent of business owners are stopping themselves from reaching their true potential.

So - how do you achieve substantial business growth?

In order to be a successful business you need to think like one. It sounds too easy right? Wrong. Here's the thing - a lot of you will close your minds to growth and success because you think: "I have been in business for a long time and I know everything there is know about my industry."

My point is - you can never know everything. In fact the day you think you know everything is the very day you know nothing.

Don't get me wrong. I have no doubt you possess a wealth of information and are a very accomplished business person. However if you narrow your focus amid the day to day challenges of running your enterprise, you are stopping yourself from discovering the wealth amazing achievements awaiting you just around the corner.

Make time to learn from your peers and colleagues, even your competitors. Read about successful businesses and put in some hours at relevant workshops, seminars and trade shows, and you'll be astonished at how much new information and inspiration you pick up.

Think like a rock star!

Every successful entrepreneur thinks like a rock star. They believe in themselves and, more importantly, they invest in themselves and in their business, they are always open and they are not afraid to take a calculated risk.

Take Coco Chanel... not quite a rock star but one better, a driven soul who turned herself from a business woman and seamstress into an enduring fashion and cultural icon. She never stopped experimenting, developing and designing new and exciting creations whose legacy remains with us today.

Another business brain turned icon, Richard Branson has conquered the world by using lateral and innovative thinking. The business world would not be where it is today if he wasn't as open-minded and adventurous as he is.

Sometimes we have our fingers so firmly planted on the pulse of our business that we are unable to see things for how they really are.

So remember... think big!

Renee Mayne - Bra Queen
www.braqueen.com.au

Image: Damaris lingerie

Retail Tip 6 - Don't succumb to fear... or discounts

With commentators predicting a grim half year ahead for retailers, it's all too easy to throw in the towel and join the discounting frenzy. Here, Mark Davis explains why retailers avoid such strategies at all costs... and what they should consider instead.

Right now retail is in a danger zone; interest rates are going up, the mortgage is getting tighter, sales are dipping... and everyone seems set to enter panic zone. So if you're sitting at your computer attempting to fend off the jitters, I hope that this issue's double-edged tip helps:-

You won't achieve anything by being the same as everybody else. And you really won't achieve anything by panic discounting.

The other day I found myself walking through Melbourne's Crown Casino. Brand new, six-figure fit-outs of designer labels lined the walkway; we're talking sleek chrome, gold, black and silver windows, cool lighting, music and opening hours with guaranteed traffic that the rest of us can only dream of. And what was emblazoned right in the middle of most windows? "10-70% off"!

Let's think about this for a second or two: Was this a discount factory outlet? No.
Was this an ageing strip mall having a closing down sale? No. Was this a brand nobody knew about that was launching with a teaser item to coax customers into the store? No.

This was desperate shock advertising that completely disregarded the casino's target market. Most people visiting the casino sincerely believe they're in for a win, and will then be able to buy expensive clothes at full price tag that they can show off to their friends. Even those not in the mood for gambling are most likely lapping up the high-tone, luxurious atmosphere.

Casino or no casino, when you use price slashing as your lead marketing strategy, it's a downer. And in the end, it's all people see. What they don't see is your store. Arguably it's different if you're in a discount shopping centre, but even there such strategies are questionable... When you watch shoppers in outlet stores, no discount is ever enough... most of them are just window shopping. It's a high traffic, low conversion method.

In tough economic times, what retailers need is to break free from the herd. And here's why: a hundred sales at $100 is $10,000; a hundred sales at 50% is $5000. That may cover your cost and overheads, but not your staff, and you can say goodbye to profit. Discounting 50% should only be ever used for those last10 pieces on a rack by the door; never for a big promotion, never for attracting people into store, and never in your mind as a salesperson. If your staff focus on discounts, you'll be in serious trouble within three months.

Here's how we get those 100 sales and turn them into $20,000.

1. Teach your staff to cross-sell to other items. Not just suggesting, but walking customers and their initial purchases to the racks, matching the pieces, giving them four or five things to try on and encouraging them to get into the clothes.

2. Teach your staff the rule of three. The rule of three says that if you have three items, people will choose the middle one nine times out of ten. In terms of price, this means - budget option, good, and luxury. It helps to find out the shopping budget first, usually from assessing the customer in terms of their existing clothing, accessories, and attitude.

3. Talk to customers! Some women shop on days they feel great, and will spend a lot, others shop to get out of the house. If you take the time to build a relationship, they'll return, bring their friends, and buy more every time.

4. Remember to tell your staff that it's not their decision when to stop selling. It's the customers' decision when to stop buying. I've had sales of $30 turn into $200 using this method. I've seen stores where a woman just wanted a piece of jewellery, and ended up buying the dress, shoes and bag to match.

Now, more than ever, the professional sales person earns their money. At Christmas they are just order takers; tough times are when they show why they were hired in the first place. Talking of which, the $5000 you were going to lose on discounting, you can now invest in training your staff to double their existing sales targets. Pay them commissions and bonuses, and you'll still be way ahead.

And please, as a favour to me, rip up those discount signs.

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Sporty Spice

UK trend forecaster Mudpie worked the runway and trade fair season to take a close look at female sportswear trends for AW 10/11. Ginger Trend Forecasting for Mudpie shares the season's most colourful sporting highlights.

Block colour is dominating the outerwear sector in vibrant colour palettes, with particular emphasis on Velcro fastenings and decorative buttons. Arcadia green was a stand out colour, used on colour blocked jackets, however tones of grey encased the majority of sports ranges for the season.

Relaxed fits, particularly the 'crop top', were key, along with relaxed jersey all-in-one's and sweater dresses, best achieved using long line jersey and knitted fabrics.

Bottoms were seen in the form of draping harems, micro shorts and prominent panelled leggings, enabling practicality and numerous layered styling options.

Images from left:Lacoste, Erin Wasson, thakoon, Lacoste

Paris calling

Paris Fashion Week is world renowned for showcasing the premiere class of design innovation and cutting edge fashion. Here Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie looks at the top women's trends coming out of the Paris runways for AW 10/1.

Boyfriend Envy
Paris Fashion Week pushes a strong female identity, painting autumn/winter 10/11's muse as a force to be reckoned with. Masculine tailoring becomes a must for womenswear ranges, declaring the message that whatever a man can have, women can have too; think roomy overcoats, slouch suits and tomboy accessories.

Camel
As heritage trends dominate the runways and a plethora of designers opt for a no gimmicks response to fashion in the aftermath of recession, a range of classic hues are resurrected for contemporary appeal. Camel comes through as Paris Fashion Week's top retro shade, working best for wool coats and timeless blazers.

Leather Pants
Black leather emerges as the fabric of the season, appearing in ‘must have' collections across all of the ‘big four' fashion weeks. The premier designers from Paris employ the use of the favoured material for statement trousers, the perfect accompaniment for tough warrior trends.

Deconstruction
The grunge identity of the past two seasons is reinterpreted for grown-up appeal with the use of some nifty deconstruction; suits are re-worked while dresses and separates are slashed, draped and reshaped, resulting in dark layered looks rife with alternative flair.

Images from left: Paul & Joe, Chloe, Moon Young Lee, Balmain

Retail Tip 5 - Learn to delegate!

One of the simplest yet most overlooked business secrets is that you can't do everything yourself. Here Mark Davis spills the beans on the art of sharing the load.

Being in business can be tough. Operating your own retail venture involves a multitude of skills: hiring staff, dealing with government compliance, keeping everybody safe and making sure you don't break one of the thousands of rules for your store, your franchise, your industry, your council, your state and your country.

So it's really important to consider this: the business doesn't run without you, so you need to replace yourself.

If you ever want to experience freedom in your business, you don't just need to delegate; you need to actively focus on replacing your activities with a skilled professional who can do the same things.

The funny thing is, when you do, you'll find that your replacement for say.... book keeping... does it faster and better than you - after all, it's their speciality.

As a business owner, you're probably a generalist - able to do everything. However if you can do everything OK, it makes sense to hire people who can do some things excellently.

Then you can take a holiday knowing that all the aspects of your business are taken care of. Some things require your physical presence, others don't. Book keeping can be done through elance.com or ymii.com with an outsourcer in India... Writing contracts, agreements, even your payroll can also be outsourced.

Other things, such as sales or merchandising, will require physical staff. For areas such as marketing, it might pay to outsource to an agency or a young graduate, whose fresh ideas will give your business a new lease on life.

Think about it!

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Sobered up style

For spring/summer 2011 Mpdclick presents three trends; Fable, Enlighten & Sobriety. Having looked at Fable and Enlighten in recent editions, this week the forecaster focuses on how the Sobriety trend will translate to clothing for Summer 2011.

The material excesses of the pre-recession society are forgotten, in favour of a humble, wholesome existence. Pleasure is found in relationships, community and life experience; a utilitarian revival begins, placing emphasis on style based on authenticity and timelessness.

For fashion and tailoring influence is taken from the simple, naive ideals of the American settlers, focusing on the handmade, decorative and detailed aspects of their home wares and clothing. Charming embroidery, crochet and quilting recall the traditional hobbies of bygone times and offer a handcrafted look.

Eclectic customisation fuels the ‘make do and mend' ethos. Delicate lace and broderie anglaise complement and add a touch of prim Victoriana to heavier fabrics. Fine tailoring creates sharp, clean silhouettes, which are crucial to this direction.

For leisure wear, versatility and longevity are central qualities in garments, footwear and accessories, resulting in a return to classic shapes and designs. Details are unfussy and lines clean, symbolic of America's optimism for the future with Obama in power. Simplicity is key, with fashion taking its cue from the pared down functionality of Amish dress.

Images from left: Paul and Joe, Derek Lam, Ralph Lauren

Retail Tip 4 - Promote yourself online

Time was when the older generation thought its duty was to pass down wisdom to the youngsters. Not these days; if you want to understand how online promotions work - ask a teenager, as Mark Davis reports.

Many businesses don't have the time or budget to do a lot of advertising, and they only usually know one or two ways to do things; usually traditional methods of advertising and lead generation, which these days are time consuming, expensive, and give a poor response.

Taking a bit of time to learn new advertising methods can be a challenge, especially when most of the methods today are online. Ever dealt with a Google Ad, Facebook page or Twitter account? For many people, the thought of online ads is enough to send shivers down their spine... and to consult with experts can cost more than the original advertising budget.

So here's my top tip for today...

Learn from a teenager.

Find out what your kids, or your staff's kids do, to promote things online these days and copy their strategies. They'll be doing things you couldn't dream of, but they understand a couple of things really well:-

1. Referrals. If you recommend it, I might buy it. If a stranger tries to sell it, I'm less likely to. Find out how teens are promoting themselves and their ideas and favourite products for free online. Then pay them a small amount to promote you too.

2. Online ads are the chief reason why Facebook and Google are worth billions of dollars. This is because they work. Start off with baby steps by finding free Google Adwords credit and spending just $50 to test a few ads in text, picture or video format. It's just one more thing to add to your schedule, but take 10 minutes a day, and in a month you'll be a natural.

Finally, it's worth talking to kids about why they put so many photos online. I can't oversell this enough - pictures online are the new virtual catalogue, be it on a website, a Facebook account or in an email attachment. Use the power of pictures to sell your products, or just to let people know you exist.

www.coachmarkdavis.com

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