THIS WEEK STARTED OFF LOOKING AT WHAT IT MEANS FOR A BUSINESS TO BE FAILING WHICH HELPED ME TO DECIDE WHAT BRANDS I SHOULD START TO LOOK AT AND RESEARCH BEFORE MAKING A FINAL DECISION ON WHAT I WAS GOOING TO SUGGEST TO MY GROUP. I STARTED TO LOOK AT WHICH BUSINESSES AREN’T SEEING A GAP IN THE MARKET, HAVE A LACK OF MOTIVATION, FLAT-LINING, DON’T HAVE A STRONG BRAND IDENTITY AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS RESULTING IN THEM NOT DOING ENOUGH WITH THE BRAND.
THE MAIN THING THAT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON WAS BUSINESSES BEING UNSUSTAINABLE WHICH BROUGHT ME TO GIVENCHY. I WAS GOING TO LOOK AT GUCCI OR PRADA BUT THERE SUSTAINABLE RATING WAS PRETTY HIGH SO I STUCK WITH GIVENCHY AND BEGAN TO RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF THE BRAND. I LOOKED AT TTHE TEAM BEHIND GIVENCHY AND WHO THE PREVIOUS DIRECTORS WERE WHICH INCLUDED ALEXANDER MCQUEEN WHO I HAD ALREADY RESEARCHED AS PART OF MY HOLIDAY PROJECT. THE HOUSE IS KNOWN FOR BEING ELEGANT AND CLASSY DUE TO THE ENDORSEMENT FROM AUDREY HEPBURN BUT ALSO HAS A DARK ROMANTIC SIDE. HOWEVER, CURRENT DIRECTOR CLARE WEIGHT KELLER (IN MY OPINION|) IS MISSING OUT ON KEY WAYS SHE CAN . MAKE THE BRAND STAND OUT MORE INSTEAD OF RELYING ON THERE HERITAGE AND LOYAL CUSTOMERS. WHILE SHE IS AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY SHE ISN’T ACTIVELY MAKING CHANGES WITHIN THE HOUSE SO THIS GAVE ME THE IDEA OF NOT ONLY CREATING A SUSTAINABLE LINE BUT PLANTING NEW TREES WITH EVRY 5 OF THESE ITEMS BROUGHT. THEY WILL BE PLANTED IN CONSERVATION AREAS (GIVENCHY PARKS) AND ON ROOF TOP GARDENS/ BARS WHICH WILL ALSO BE USED FOR EVENTS TO BREAK DOWN THE WALL BETWEEN GIVENCHY AND THE CONSUMER.
WE ALSO WORKED IN MINI GROUPS TO MAKE A NEW WINDOW FOR A BRAND. MY GROUP CHOSE D&G BECAUSE OF THERE CONTROVERSY IN CHINA. WE DECIDED TO SHOW INCLUSIVITY AND ACCEPTANCE. WE CHOSE TO USE GRAFITY FONTS TO APPEAL TO A YOUNGER AUDIENCE. THE WHOLE SKETCH UP IS ROUGH BUT THIS WAS THE IDEA WE WAS GOING FOR.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT TREND CYCLES WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING. FOR EXAMPLE ITS INTERESTING TO LOOK AT WHAT EFFECTS THE TRENDS AND HOW WHATS GOING ON IN THE WORLD INFLUENCES HOW WE DRESS. THINGS LIKE MUSIC, POLITICS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND FILMS ALL HAVE AN IMPACT IN THE CURRENT STYLE.
THERE IS ALSO A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE ECONOMY AND FASHION. I FOUND IT SO INTERESTING (SURPRISINGLY) THAT WHEN THE ECONOMY IS BAD HEM . LINES ARE LOW AND WHEN THE ECONOMY IS GOOD THE HEMLINES ARE HIGH. IT SEEMS SO STUPID BUT THERES FULL ON EVIDENCE TO PROVE THIS AND WHEN YOU ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT IT, IT MAKES SENSE. BUT THIS DEFIANTLY GAVE ME SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
(All images my own)
My Givenchy Journal 