TribaSpace

Spotlight: Barbara Kramer of Designers & Agents

Samantha Garfield — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:50:56 +0000

Barbara Kramer is the co-founder and co-producer of Designers & Agents, which is currently celebrating its 13th anniversary. Though the trade show’s roots are in New York, Designers & Agents has already expanded to Los Angeles, and most recently, overseas to Paris. Under Barbara’s jurisdiction, the Designers & Agents team researches new markets and invites promising designers to apply to exhibit at the trade show. “A merchandiser at heart,” Barbara also manages the actual layout of the show. In anticipation of the New York show (September 20-22 at three different Chelsea locations), we sat down with Barbara to find out more about the trade show’s history, how it conquered three cities, and what comes next.

How did Designers & Agents come to be, and when?

D & A began out of an invitation by my now Partner Ed Mandelbaum to join him in bringing together our east coast-based sales agencies out to LA during their market week back in the summer of 1997. We invited 3 other showrooms to join us which kept on growing until we looked at one another and said, “we think we just filled a void in the market place, and now we need a larger space in which to grow”. Then we knew that we had inadvertently created a business for ourselves.

D & A’s exhibitors are handpicked. Now that the show is a traveling enterprise, are there three times as many to curate, or do the same participate from city to city?

Each show and each season are connected but handled independently of the other shows. We have a roster of over 1,000 approved members who show with D & A through out the year. We are not looking to grow in size but in quality. We accept less than 3% of who applies to our shows and have never deterred from our initial philosophy of presenting the best of the best from the young designer/advanced contemporary marketplace.

How do you envision the show changing to suit audiences in New York, Los Angeles, and now Paris separately?

We have always viewed each market separately based upon the demographics of the stores that shop there and the designers who present there. Each market has a specific ‘Point of View’ that we closely monitor and consider. New York City is our biggest and best market because of the important role that New York has always played in the fashion world view. Los Angeles has a loyal following of buyers and designers who shop this market each season for it’s lifestyle point of view. For Paris, we are launching with a selection of 30 Designers who in our view represent the best of the best in Advanced Contemporary Design from the American Fashion front. D & A Paris will expand into a fully international line-up of designers at our March (Fall 2011) Paris show.

Many Parisian trade shows have expanded to New York to cover another corner of the market. Having first been based in New York and Los Angeles, why Paris as D & A’s third trade destination?

Paris is one of the important cornerstones in the world of fashion. The buyers who visit our shows in the U.S. come from around the globe to shop at our shows. By coming to Paris, we are able to expand our international audience as well as bring something fresh and we think needed to an already amazing line up of fashion trade fairs already existing. The final point is that we believe that now is the right time for American designers to expand further onto the international marketplace.

Are there any brands or agencies in particular that you’re excited to be representing at the trade show this season?

There are always highlights at each show and for September NYC, we are excited to welcome Henry Cuir to NYC and to D & A. Additionally, the newly launched Aesthetic Movement Showroom,the relaunch of Suss Design, Shourouk from Paris, Kathryn Amberleigh, a selected group of Argentinian designers and our curated group of designers from across Scandinavia whom we are highlighting at this show.

Tell us what we can expect from D & A in terms of sustainable design, lifestyle and wellness.

There is no new trade event per se from D & A on the sustainable front but rather, our continued commitment to supporting new sustainable designers and products. We began our initiative over 4 years ago to bring sustainable practices into our show by setting up recycling stations in all of our shows and where ever possible expanding that mindfulness into all aspects of our shows. We continue each May (New York) and June (Los Angeles) with our “gifted” Green Room, which is an area we set up to introduce new sustainable brands to audience of buyers. Additionally, our Green Leaf Program continues to signal out brands that are sustainably produced as a service to our interested buyers.

And because TribaSpace is always interested to learn how fashion industry players market their business in this time of increasingly ubiquitous technology and social media, to what degree does Designers & Agents participate, and to what effect?

Word about D & A continues to spread through the experience of D & A! Where ever I travel to in fashion circles, when I hand someone my business card, inevitably I hear back, “ Oh, you are from D & A, I have heard about your show, been to your show, want to come to your show, love your show…” so, the good vibes are carrying the message out to our target audience. D & A has always had a very strong graphic presence and identity, credited to our in-house creative team. We have dispersed with paper invitations and do all of our communications via e-vites and the internet. We are of course looking into new ways of interfacing with the technological highway and will continue to integrate these ideas into our working model.

London Fashion Week’s Hottest Tickets

Natasha Binar — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:28:19 +0000

Young British Designers

While everyone’s eyes are on the Big Apple, we are packing our bags for someplace else – London is calling. Known for being home to quintessential British brands such as Paul Smith, Jasper Conran, Betty Jackson and Vivenne Westwood, and to the world-best emerging designers such as Christopher Kane, Erdem, Marios Schwab and Richard Nicoll, London Fashion Week yet again delivers a promising schedule.

Giles Deacon, one of London’s most successful designers of recent years, is back. Commenting on his return to London, the designer said “I am extremely happy to be showing in London after two successful seasons in Paris”.

Newcomers include Swedish fashion design house Acne, SS11 NEWGEN designers Michael Van Der Ham and winners of the BFC / ELLE Talent Launch Pad David Koma and Holly Fulton, all of whom are making their on schedule debuts. NEWGEN MEN designers James Long, Christopher Shannon and J.W. Anderson will once again show on schedule, alongside a catwalk debut from the cutting-edge tailor to some of the world’s biggest stars Ozwald Boateng. Other designers presenting their collections on schedule and showing under the NEWGEN umbrella, sponsored by Topshop, include Peter Pilotto, as well as Louise Gray and Craig Lawrence.

Peter Pilotto Fashion Show AW10/11

Apart from obvious being a hub for the British talent, London Fashion Week’s unique positioning is the fact that the whole city of London celebrates fashion on the streets, in the museums and galleries, transforming every possible location into a catwalk. This season, the old Eurostar terminal at Waterloo station is home to the TopShop Unique show.

Designers also confirmed to show for a third consecutive season include Burberry Prorsum, Matthew Williamson, Pringle of Scotland, Antonio Berardi and Jonathan Saunders. Not to miss are the shows of LFW veterans Eley Kishimoto, Brazilian Clements Ribeiro and Issa, Germany-born and London-based twins Felder Felder (their on-schedule debut!) to name a few.

Backstage at Felder Felder Show AW2010/11 ©DazedDigital

Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council commented “London Fashion Week is renowned for its diversity and breadth of talent; our established, iconic brands show alongside our brightest emerging stars in an extraordinary showcase of talent season on season”. An essential part of the British Fashion Council unifying forces together is the first time on and off-schedule announced and published on the LFW website, including the shows taking place at On|Off (Victoria House) and Vauxhall Fashion Scout (Freemasons’ Hall, Covent Garden).

This season On|Off features a traditionally impressive line-up, with fourteen catwalk shows, including Roksanda Ilincic, Pam Hogg and Jean-Pierre Braganza, three presentations and 22 exhibition designers. On|Off are also hosting the first independent catwalk for Louise Amstrup, the winner of the On|Off Visionary Award.

Pam Hogg

Vauxhall Fashion Scout promises to deliver some of the most exciting emerging designers with over 30 shows, exhibitions and presentations stretching throughout the week, including Merit award winner Eudon Choi, Ones To Watch designers Charlotte Taylor, Felicity Brown and Viking Wong

Hallucination, label to showcase at VFS

September also marks the 10 year anniversary of Fashion East, with Heikki Salonen, Felicity Brown and Simone Rocha showing at the The Old Truman Brewery.

London Fashion Week is packed and jammed with the most exciting portfolio ever, with no PR opportunities left to showcase the best of Brits. The question remains though how all of the fun is transferred into business and whether the buyers place their orders before heading off to Milan and Paris. To be continued next week.

New York Fashion Week Preview

Natalia Rachlin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:56:13 +0000

The Tents at Bryant Park, image courtesy Second City Style

It seems even fashion took a vacation this summer, as New York experienced some of the warmest months on record, and it was simply too hot to wear much of anything at all. But come September 9, the flip-flops and crop-tops will inevitably be replaced with mile-high stilettos (and a pair of Repettos) – as New York Fashion Week (officially Mercedes Benz Fashion Week) marks the beginning of the sartorial season ahead, and gives us the first peek at what we’ll all want to be wearing come Spring/Summer 2011.

New MBFW Location, image courtesy of Lincoln Center

But this season, in addition to revealing all the latest designer duds, NYFW also reveals itself anew, with several changes in store.

“Location, location, location” is often the key-phrase in this city where you’re only as good as your address – and indeed, for the first time in 17 years, NYFW is officially moving: from Bryant Park (on the cusp of the Garment District at 42nd Street and 6th Avenue), to Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center (62nd Street). Since ‘93, Bryant Park has played host to “The Tents” that house the runway shows, but after years of contractual bickering, IMG, who produces Fashion Week, was forced to look elsewhere. The move to Lincoln Center, New York’s most exclusive hub for the performing arts, has been marketed as a chance for Fashion Week to go bigger and better – an opportunity to kindle an association between fashion and the arts.

Indeed, the new digs do come with major improvements, most importantly – more space. Three different runway venues, with seating capacity ranging from 340-969, will be much better suited to accommodate the estimated 100,000 buyers, editors, and other fashion insiders who come through NYFW. Organizers have also upped the tech factor – WiFi access for all the bloggers (yes, sometimes us New Yorkers are a little late in the game) and an automated barcode check-in system will let guest gain access and receive seat-assignments. A potential time-saver or a disaster in disguise? Only time can tell.

Carolina Herrera Fall 2010 Fashion Show

70+ designers (Carolina Herrera, DvF, Michael Kors) are scheduled to show at the new and improved tents this season – yet, even more designers will be showing off-site – reflecting a growing divide in NYFW. Over the past couple of years, the majority of young designers, and some more established names too (Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein), have opted out of The Tents to have their own off-site show. A more personalized, and often less expensive alternative.

Last season, MILK studios, one of the city’s most sought after photo studios, paired up with cosmetics giant MAC to create MAC&Milk, a partnership that hosted a slew of hot-ticket shows (Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler and Preen). This season too, over 35 designers will show at Milk. What it all seems to indicate, is a growing divide between uptown and downtown, the old guard and the new. Mazdack Rassi, co-founder and creative director of MILK, sees it as a permanent, positive change: “With the move from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center, people seem re-energized about Fashion Week, and the lineup at MAC&Milk has increased too – I don’t believe there will ever be a reunification of designers under one roof – rather, uptown and downtown destinations with satellite shows happening all over the city. But that’s fashion and that’s what makes it so interesting.”

Backstage at Alexander Wang Show AW 2010, courtesy of Style Revolt

Making things even more interesting, this time around Fashion Week organizers are trying to make things a little more accessible to non-fashion-folk, and integrating the frenzy into the city itself. On September 10, Vogue and the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designer’s of America) once again sponsor Fashion’s Night Out , and today, in an official kick-off to the week, FNO puts on New York’s biggest ever public fashion show with over 200-models in the latest fall trends. Abe Gurko, the owner of ABE, an esteemed PR, production, and marketing company that has produced many a fashion show over the years, and is participates in planning Fashion’s Night Out, considers the increased attempts at accessibility a great sign: “I think the mood is very optimistic… the business is still very tenuous…but the energy around fashion week is very high. The unprecedented response to Fashion’s Night Out, which unofficially kicks off fashion week proves that there is a lot of great intention this season.”

Generally, it seems everyone’s in good spirits about the shows – but simultaneously, the whole Fashion Week “reinvention” seems a little confusing. The new tents are supposedly meant to encourage more designers to unite under one roof – yet, as the tents move even further uptown, it creates even greater physical distance from the ever-increasing downtown show scene, seemingly reinforcing that there’s a widening gap between the Fashion Week establishment, and the newer, younger MILK crowd.

Meanwhile, the tents are marketed as a symbol of fashion’s elite artistic status – as an improved, exclusive experience – yet organizers are also striving to encourage accessibility.
It feels a little contradictory, hinting that much like the fashion market as a whole, NYFW is in a state of flux – emerging cautiously, slightly disoriented from past seasons’ economic gloom and doom, not yet knowing which direction things will go – for better, for worse? To be determined.

Shop of the Week: Feldenkirchen

Natasha Binar — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:37:37 +0000

Feldenkirchen womenswear store in Hamburg

Eleven years ago Feldenkirchen opened its doors and now over a decade later, the name is known throughout Germany and the store is one of the biggest shopping destinations in Hamburg with an internationally selected portfolio consisting of a mix of young and avant-garde (Jasmine de Milo, Zadig & Voltaire) and high-end (Missoni and Diane von Furstenberg) designs. The entrepreneurial duo behind the store, Andreas and Claudia Feldenkirchen, have always tried to change and challenge the fashion landscape in Germany, the country of “big savers.”

Andreas is responsible for introducing expensive denim labels from the US and making them acceptable as part of the “street couture” phenomena. In his native British-influenced Hamburg, you will now see people wearing their Burberry coats with a pair of freshly dyed Seven Jeans, probably purchased at Feldenkirchen.

Feldenkirchen store interior

The re-opening of the Feldenkirchen womenswear store last week, on the 1st of September was celebrated in the industry. An architectural bureau did wonders transforming the 220 sq. ft shop floor into a spacious yet cosy paradise. Light base with accents in shades of gray and dark natural wood combined with polished metal meld into the the background, making the clothes standout as the main attraction.

This new store is an addition to their menswear shop which opened also in Hamburg this March.

Feldenkirchen is making the down-to-earth German consumer see luxury products and beautiful high-end items in a whole new light by constantly pushing young international designers. Their newest campaign for the shop – “New Season, New Reason” – promises exactly that: new reasons to come by and discover names that are likely to make fashion history tomorrow.

Brands:
Cèline, 3.1. Phillip Lim, Gryphon NYC, Missoni, Style Butler, J Brand, Canada Goose, Diane von Furstenberg, Nina Ricci, Jasmine Di Milo, Zadig & Voltaire, Woolrich, Siwy.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00 – 19:00

Poststrasse 51
20354 Hamburg
Tel +49 40 3571 0778
women (at) feldenkirchen.de

For press enquiries contact Christina Holzum +49 40 35 71 52 27 or via e-mail christina(at) feldenkirchen.de

Monetizing Fun, Part Two: How Twitter Does It

Samantha Garfield — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:10:03 +0000

SponsoredTweets.com

The beauty of Twitter is its (arguably) simple, rarely-changing format and purpose. As its user base grows, and as businesses begin to catch on to the growing necessity of marketing through Social Media, Twitter stays the same, adding only the most minuscule tweaks of improvement from time to time. Twitter’s admirable resistance to change (imagined mostly in the form of blatant advertising) has also, consequentially, dictated Twitter’s challenge in monetizing itself.

Fortunately, you can still reap the financial potential of such an enterprise. It’s called Sponsored Tweets. Some feel it’s going to save Twitter, some that it will cause its downfall.

SponsoredTweets.com's Business Model

On Sponsored Tweets, advertisers can create campaigns and then hand-select and invite Twitter users they want to participate. In other words, they can present any Twitter user with lots of followers (most of the time, this means a celebrity) with the opportunity to, simply, tweet about a product. Alternatively, Twitter users can also preemptively set their pay rate, then search for campaigns they would want to support by tweeting, then get paid per tweet and/or click.

Critical mass is the key here. If you and your brand haven’t necessarily accomplished gaining thousands of followers, take advantage of a Twitter user who does have thousands of followers (perhaps even millions). Or, you can explore tweeting collaborations with different companies, which might prove lucrative. Here, for example, Women’s Wear Daily (who boasts over 1.5 million followers) has obviously been recruited by W Hotels (who have separate Twitter accounts for each hotel location, and thus, no critical mass to tweet to) to tweet about an upcoming project, from which a collaboration has also arisen.

Even Women's Wear Daily does it...

This is tricky business. Firstly, we recommend that you read Jennifer Van Grove’s full, critical guide to Sponsored Tweets on Mashable. But the big question also becomes: who do you entrust with this responsibility? William Martin-Genier, fashion editor of LURVE Magazine, recently weighed in on the subject in a guest article for Fashionably Marketing, “Who Should Handle Your Twitter Account?”

Martin-Genier points out that Twitter accounts for Diane von Furstenburg and the late Alexander McQueen were run by the designers themselves, due to their celebrity presence in the media. It’s clear that followers would have been more interested in the icons themselves then in particularly useful or strategic tweets. And this, in and of itself, was the brand’s strategy for gaining the most followers–successful in both instances. Additionally, as Martin-Genier aptly states, “getting a reply directly from the ‘famous’ creative masthead is a strong experience for the user.”

Other brands enlist their PR person to tweet, namely: Oscar De La Renta, DKNY, Kenzo and Marc Jacobs (via Robert Duffy). Brands should take this approach if they’re hoping to inspire their followers to use Twitter as a customer service tool. Users certainly get the feeling a PR person is more approachable and communicable (and for good reason!) then the designer himself. The downside? Users get an unflinchingly cheery, never critical image of the label. And Twitter users like transparency.

Sometimes Robert Duffy tweets from the main account, too.

Our suggestion? Let multiple people in the company tweet for the brand, but avoid announcing who is tweeting what. This way, followers get well-rounded, diverse content offered up with great frequency. Just make sure all those people are tech-savvy and fluent in Twitter Terminology. Twitter is, first and foremost, a technology and communication tool, so it’s important to find someone who is literate in both. And quite succinct in nature.

Designer Focus: Karen Walker

Melisa Gray-Ward — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:29:13 +0000

Cropped Bob Blazer from the from the Salzburg, U.S.A 2010 mainline collection

Since the label’s humble beginnings in 1989, Karen Walker has become one of New Zealand’s most esteemed fashion exports. An Auckland native, Walker still resides in the Antipodes and continues to receive international acclaim for her sleek womenswear designs.

With a personal investment of NZD$100 (55 EUR at today’ rates), the then 18-year-old Walker used the capital to produce a shirt. Twenty-two years on, the company now has stockists in over 350 stores, with three flagship stores in New Zealand (and curiously, one in Taipei). The label has formed an acclaimed clientele over the years, ranging from Madonna (performing in a pair of ‘killer pants’ at the 1998 MTV Music Awards), to Björk and Claudia Schiffer.

Bow Shoulder Top and Fredrick Shorts from the Salzburg, U.S.A 2010 mainline collection

Walker employs a mixture of design elements, combining crisp, masculine tailoring with playful street wear styles, incorporating bold colours and delicate prints to create the effortless chic aesthetic the brand is noted for. Focusing on womenswear, the company has managed to produce parallel collections since 2004, catering for customers in both Northern and Southern hemispheres. In addition to these premium collections, diffusion line Hi There was first produced in 2008 for exclusive sale in Australian retail giant Myer and continues to be produced with each new season. The brand’s expansion into accessories has also proved triumphant, with additional lines Karen Walker Eyewear and Karen Walker Jewellery, both retailing in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the U.K and the U.S.A.

Karen Walker Eyewear: The Prisoner, from the 2010 Sun Gods collection

The overwhelming response to the label from the international fashion community is indicative when considering Walker’s continual presence away from home. The label’s first runway show took place in 1998 at Hong Kong Fashion Week, with Walker presenting the Daddy’s Gone Strange collection. Since then, she has continued to make fashion history as the first New Zealander to have a solo show at New York Fashion Week in 2000. After landing the front page of the New York Times following the season’s showing, the label is now a regular at New York Fashion Week and will be showing at this year’s event.

Fall Out Dress from the Salzburg, U.S.A 2010 mainline collection

A recipient of the 2007 Prix de Marie Claire award ‘for best creative talent’, Walker’s achievements are a prime example of how strong design and business prowess create international brand longevity.

Karen Walker

Karen Walker has showrooms established in Sydney, London, Tokyo and New York. To view a full list of press and trade enquiry contacts for the U.K, U.S.A, Japan, New Zealand and Australia click here.

Visit the online store at shop.karenwalker.com

Karenwalker.com

Isabella Blow en vogue

Natasha Binar — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:55:05 +0000

Isabella Blow portrait by Phil Poynter

Three books, a play and a movie. Several memorial services. All dedicated to one eccentric person who parted three years ago, Isabella Blow. And the fashion world is still searching for someone new, someone equally quirky with a touching personality for the next fashion generation. In times where stardom and popularity vanish quicker then last season’s collections, and talent and creativity are desirable goods, the task has proved extremely difficult.

Isabella Blow, image courtesy of Martina Rink/Thames & Hudson

A book by Isabella’s husband, Detmar, Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow is out today, while Isabella Blow by Martina Rink, her former assistant and companion, will be released on September 9th in Berlin where Rink currently resides, and later on in London. The third one, Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion by Lauren Goldstein in December, not to mention a theatre play by Jean Grillo staged in New York this summer, and a movie with John Galliano rumoured to be one of the producers.
So now it seems that Isabella’s life – and death – is again in the spotlight, with several people feeling the urge to tell the world how enigmatic and irreplaceable Isabella Blow was.

Isabella Blow Portrait by Donald McPherson

Isabella Blow, an eccentric British editor, dedicated fashion-lover and a creative, glamorous woman, always pushed boundaries and used her personality as her most offensive weapon. Credited with discovering talents such as Alexander McQueen (by buying his complete first collection and securing him a deal with Gucci) and Sophie Dahl (who, at size 14, was not previously considered suitable for the catwalk until Isabella encouraged her to be a model), Philip Treacy called her a muse. Her status in the fashion industry was a phenomenon too: no show would start without her and her endlessly picturesque display of exotic style in the sea of classic black.

Isabella’s relationship with the fashion industry can be described as profoundly complicated. As Martina Rink, book author, states, “It embodied the most conflicted aspects of the fashion community’s ethics, identity and aspirations.” Throughout her career as a fashion director, editor, contributor and stylist, Isabella Blow often felt misunderstood and simply bored with the daily routine and general lack of true passion that she considered fashion world was going through.

Isabella Blow and Anna Piaggi, courtesy of Thames & Hudson/ Martina Rink

Three years after her suicide in 2007, the fashion industry finally seems to be awake and aware of the influential role Isabella played in sustaining this passion. Martina Rink has brought together letters from all those who loved the enfant terrible – from Mario Testino to Boy George. The contributors list reads as a Who’s Who of fashion, with images from biggest fashion photographers, Rankin and Ellen von Unwerth, illustrations by Hilary Knight and Paul Smith, a foreword by Philip Treacy and a transcript of the memorial speech Anna Wintour delivered at Isabella Blow’s funeral in 2007.

Rink’s very personal and touching tribute to her mentor has even been acclaimed by the ‘competition’, Detmar Blow. She recalls the evening when the book had just come from the printers; Blow’s husband personally congratulated Rink and said he and, more importantly, ‘Issy’ would have approved of the book. A week later, in London, Rink literally bumped in Mario Testino who was very pleased with the outcome too, calling the book “amazing”.

Martina Rink did not know Isabella Blow for a long period of time; the two first met in 2006 in Milan during Fashion Week, where Rink simply had the guts to approach her long-time idol with an invitation for a drink. Isabella Blow replied she would love to but had a dinner with Dolce & Gabbana. However they met later on, and soon the two “shrimps” (as they were known due to their small statures) became firm friends, with Rink helping Blow through all of her ups and downs in the last months of her life.

Isabella Blow at the Julien MacDonald AW98 show in London, Photo: Chris Moore

Rink recalls anger and frustration being her first motivation to compile the book so full of love now. “I felt very angry at the memorial service. It has been frustrating that people did not show much appreciation when Issy has been upset and ill, and they only did once the limelight was on. Only around 10 people visited her in the hospital and when she was ill over her last six months, yet 700 arrived at the service.”

Frustration and anger are not the best companions but very powerful ones. The Daily Mail has been publishing extracts from Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow written by Isabella’s husband of 19 years and Tom Sykes, brother of American Vogue Contributing Editor Plum Sykes. The extracts reveal how, beneath all the glamour and glitz, the “maverick” Blow was crippled by depression, which, ultimately, led to her suicide. The book, due out today, is very personal, honest and deep, and it almost certainly will not be the last book written about Blow.

The fashion world might be a duller place without her, but the stories and the anecdotes about Isabella’s tragic life provide an insight and an entertaining value – all in an Isabella Blow sense.

Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow
By Detmar Blow, Tom Sykes
HarpersCollins, ISBN 9780062020871

Isabella Blow. By Martina Rink, foreword by Philip Treacy
Thames & Hudson, ISBN 9780500515358

Brand Focus: MYKITA

Guest Contributor — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:18:15 +0000

MYKITA Campaign 2010, Image by Mark Borthwick

By Lucy Higgins

Long gone are the times when glasses are worn only for practical purposes; now people are clamouring to wear the latest designs, particularly those by German designer, MYKITA. And its popularity is set to rise even higher, with the news that is has been nominated for yet another prize at the German Entrepreneurs Awards. The eyewear design company, based in Berlin, was founded by Harald Gottschling, Daniel Haffmans, Philipp Haffmans and Moritz Krueger and, from their humble beginnings in the autumn of 2003, the team has built up a business that employs over 140 people and is internationally recognised. Named after the first premises of the company (a former children’s daycare centre), MYKITA has become ever more successful, with worldwide acclaim and a plethora of awards under its belt.

MYKITA awarded products

MYKITA was a winner from the beginning: its first range of glasses marketed as Collection No.1, won a 2007 iF product design award and the collection’s Rocco model won a 2007 red dot design award. The all-new collection was singled out for its highly functional hinge designs that got rid of the more-commonly used (yet complex) soldered joints and screws. Also, as the frames were made from stainless sheet steel, the glasses themselves were much lighter and more easily adjustable than their competitors.

No stranger to praise and accolade, the brand has simply gone from strength to strength and has notched up an impressive 10 awards, with four being won this year alone. 2010 has seen MYKITA scoop prizes from red dot (for the Oda model, with an honourable mention for Dries, which features the brand’s new patented hinge technology), iF (for the Dries model), GOOD DESIGN (for the Grace model) and IDEA award (for the Brooke model). Hoping to add one more trophy to their proverbial cabinet, this year sees MYKITA being nominated for the Most Promising Performer at Deutscher Gründerpreis (German Entrepreneurs Award). Considered to be the biggest accolade for enterprise excellence in Germany, if MYKITA wins the award, (which is announced on 14 September), it will join the four that it has already won in 2010, and there will be no stopping it.

MYKITA collaborated with ALEXANDER HERCHCOVITCH: SS11 show at the fashion week Sao Paulo

The design label is known the world over for not only its fashionable and forward-thinking designs, but also for its innovative technology that has led the way with the use of thin sheets of stainless steel, and patented screwless hinge technology.

And it’s not just the industry and the public that are swooning over MYKITA’s collections. Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are all counted among MYKITA’s fans, with the Franz aviator model being worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City 2.

Franz aviator model, MYKITA & Bernhard Wilhelm AW2010

Awards aside, this year looks set to be MYKITA’s best yet. Now synonymous with luxurious, innovative designs, the label has pulled out all the stops for its AW 2010 collection. In the new MYKITA & Bernhard Wilhelm ‘Trans’ collection, the ever-popular aviator models, Franz and Sepp, have been joined by a new shape, Alois. Similar to the classic aviator, the Alois is distinctive thanks to its very high nose, and is set to become a firm favourite. New colours are also introduced this season, in the shades of silver and brown, and a bright ‘jungle’ green.

Also new this season is the new unisex model, Lucidus, which joins the MYKITA & Bernhard Wilhelm collection. Described as “a shape that is both futuristic and sporty,” the wraparound glasses are designed to be worn both during sporting activities, and also as streetwear, and come in three colours: Matt Black, Mustard and Pebble.

Lucidus model, MYKITA & Bernhard Wilhelm AW2010

And just to blur the boundaries even further between real life and futuristic technology, the MYKITA & Romain Kremer AW 2010 collection is titled: ‘The Plastic Eating the Natural’. The French avant-garde designer says of the collection: “The back eats the front. The shadow eats the reality. Man fights with the second dimension, the image of the original.”

Yuri model, limited edition MYKITA & Romain Kremer AW2010

Confused? So are we, but it doesn’t stop us admiring the Limited Yuri in Red or Black. With inspiration from Innuit wear, and with the aim of “transcending the prevailing pessimism in the world today”, the glasses are inspired by the future and are perhaps better described as a headpiece instead of simple eyewear.

MYKITA has stores in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Zurich and Monterrey. All frames are hand-made at MYKITA’s own production site in Berlin and are available at over 1,400 high-end opticians and selected department stores across the globe.

MYKITA
Brunnenstr 153, Berlin, 10115, Germany
Tel: +49(0)30-20456645

For press enquiries contact Xenia Deger, x.deger (at) mykita.com

For sales enquiries send an email to mail (at) mykita.com

www.mykita.com

Shop of the week: Hunting and Collecting

Natasha Binar — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:24:50 +0000

Hunting and Collecting entrance view

Hunting and Collecting is a Brussels-based boutique that opened in February 2010 by Aude Gribomont and Niels Radtke. The duo’s background in fashion and event production enables them to smoothly run a creative laboratory and a series of events together with the retail business. Their enhanced version of the online store followed shortly after, in May this year, and has been popular among fashion and art lovers ever since.

Hunting and Collecting store interior

There are many concept stores around, yet Hunting and Collecting’s concept has been quite special in putting together an impressive, carefully selected portfolio of the brands. By thoughtfully using the 300m2 space over two levels, each season has seen new décor and offered their core shoppers and followers that special, unique shopping experience, ensuring that customers come back again and again.

The secret of their success is the personal involvement of the shop founders into every detail; be it product selection, booking DJs and artists for their events or choice of decoration.

This fall, it is ‘Alpine’ that sees the boutique playing with the theme while managing to avoid clichés: skies, furs, rocking chairs, hockey sticks, sleighs, trees, neons and wood are all integrated into the store.

Changing cabine

The portfolio varies every season too, and AW 2010 has quite a few names to offer: Alexander Olch, Christopher Shannon, J.W.Anderson, Libertine-Libertine, together with classic Our Legacy, Levi’s for Opening Ceremony, Rag & Bone and Silent by Damir Doma. Ladies are spoiled too with Stine Goya, Maria Francesca Pepe and The White Briefs.

According to the shop founders, all of the selected brands hold a common value, in that, “Each possess a clear vision of style and a distinctive identity that results as the product of true artistic creativity and individuality.” To maintain that notion, Hunting and Collecting stocks only limited quantities and refreshes the portfolio a few more times a year.

The White Briefs selected pieces

The newest coup on their agenda is the men’s line of the French label Le Mont St Michel, designed in collaboration with singer and frontman Bent Van Looy from the Belgian band DAS POP. On September 15th, the store will be transferred into a catwalk and party area, with a DJ set by Bent Van Looy on the playlist. Other projects include Kwangho Lee’s exhibition, Lifelike Design and Modo Brussels.

Store founders Aude and Niels

Hunting and Collecting

17, Rue des Chartreux, 1000, Brussels, Belgium

+32 (0) 2 512 74 77

Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm till 8pm
For press enquiries contact press (at) hungtingandcollecting.com or call Niels Radke +32 472 49 94 87
Hunting and Collecting online shop:
www.huntingandcollecting.com/shop

Monetizing Fun: An Updated Guide to Advertising on Facebook

Samantha Garfield — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:09:12 +0000

From previous issues of Web 101, you’ve become familiarized with Facebook as a powerful mode of social media. But how do you monetize the success and activity of your brand through such a venue? In this new and highly topical Web 101, we help you boil Facebook, a seemingly complicated supplement to your business, down to the bare, profit-producing essentials.

Last time we featured Facebook Advertising, the concept was based on basic advertising models—catch phrases, succinctness and genuineness. Since, Facebook has released a slew of new features designed to help you reach your target audience. Especially in light of the 500,000 regular participants Mark Zuckerburg claims browse the rocky terrains of Facebook Pages daily, this comes as quite a boon.

Facebook Targeting helps you and your brand (who presumably now has a Page) pinpoint future consumers by gender, “likes”, even birthday. The new “broadened age targeting” ensures that by choosing “ages 24-35,” for instance, you’re not excluding a 36 year old who may be as interested, if not more so—and for the same price as before. Just uncheck the “Exact Match” box as you “Create an Ad” on Facebook.

For example, Facebook recently sent out some ideas for Ads targeted at mothers and students, given that school is around the corner. For moms, it said, try setting your target gender to Female, and then choosing keywords like “family,” “school,” “spending time with my kids,” and things of that nature. For kids, it also said, try toggling the target age to suit your product—consider if it’s for students of preschool, high school, university, or adult education.

When creating your first Ad on Facebook, we recommend you sign up for their Ad-centric newsletter. This way, you’ll stay in-the-loop on their insiders’ tips. Additionally, if you have experienced a particular success story through Facebook Advertising, you can share it with the Facebook Team, and they might feature you in one of their newsletters—which of course, can only help sales and exposure.

For your reference, consult the Guide to Facebook Ads and Facebook Page Guidelines. If you find yourself drowning in the massive amount of information Facebook provides on their advertising system (it is really quite extensive), you can economize your time spent educating yourself and your team by registering for a Webinar! They are held rather frequently, and of course, online. We also recommend reading this recap from CyberHomesBlog, if you don’t feel like committing.

The Altimeter Group in San Mateo, CA is, as they so beautifully put it, “research-based advisory firm that helps companies and industries leverage disruption to their advantage.” And like many social media experts of this caliber, they are generously providing a stream of public advice on the internet—this time in the form of a study, entitled “The 8 Success Criteria For Facebook Page Marketing.”

Jeremiah Owyang, a Partner at Altimeter Group, asserts that brands “need to stop experimenting in Facebook on their own customers.” Rather, a roadmap must be heeded and adhered to–one modeled on the success of brands who did experience success through Facebook Marketing primarily by taking advantage of communication and word-of-mouth. This model begins, first and foremost, with encouraging you and your business, as we once did, to accept Facebook as a common modern means of conveying information. Owyang then goes on to outline his 8 most recommended methods of turning Facebook into a productive environment.

This wealth of information, and a plethora of other resources, are all out there for you to synthesize, read at length, and apply to your business models. Some of our favorites are TechCrunch, Mashable, and Fashionably Marketing. Subscribe and keep learning!

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Next week on Web 101, we’ll explore how Twitter can be used to the same effect, and how Twitter itself plans to monetize.