Sears 'Arrive' advert

I'm a big High School Musical fan and came across this Sears advert (more like a full length music video) targeting kids going back to school in America featuring Vanessa Hudgens.

What amazing advertising for a generation influenced by celebrity and MTV. I must admit if I was a school kid in the US then I would definitely want to visit Sears after seeing this 'advert'. Thankfully in the UK we have to wear a school uniform which I actually loved and appreciated the advantages of. It was more fun adjusting school uniform to my taste than it would have been trying to think of something new to wear everyday.

Vanessa of course looks amazing in all 3 outfits (well 4 once all 3 are combined into one) but my favourite is the Rock chick one. The others seem a bit much for school.

Ooh lovely dress...

I've spotted a gorgeous dress I've just ordered on Topshop.com using my staff card. It is from Topshop's Punk Couture trend and wraps up quite a few Winter trends in one go: the LBD, Gothic, beading/sequins and bodycon. If it looks nice on I shall upload a picture.

Mannequin styling gone bad.

When I did a work placement in John Lewis Head Office in London during the summer, one day I was asked to accompany a member of the buying team to a John Lewis store on Oxford Street to report back on where their product was placed, if it was selling and how sales could be increased. On approaching the ladies wear department, I noticed some terrible signs that could have a dramatic effect on the product selling.

Here there are 2 mannequins set up in a key sightline but when you look at what they are wearing it is quite shocking. Both have identical wigs, identical shoes and identical summer floral dresses on. Floral prints had been massive that season so I can understand why they would be displayed. But why do both have the same dress on?? Shouldn't John Lewis be maximising potential sales by having a different outfit? Furthermore, one had a heavy black PVC jacket on. I kid not. It made no sense what-so-ever. The idea of mannequin dressing is to put a credible outfit together that a customer could imagine wearing. This also encourages them to buy the whole outfit rather than just an individual item.

Even worse was when I walked along a bit and (I think it was in the Warehouse section) I saw the worst single outfit on a mannequin ever. The photo below does not do it justice but the mannequin on the right is actually wearing a ra-ra skirt, then the same one again but sitting higher up on the waist, then a top of a slightly different (but i think meant to be the same) colour and again a similarly coloured scarf wrapped round the neck! In the height of summer!


2 nights previously Gok Wan had shown on his Fashion Fix programme, how to make a boob tube ra-ra dress from 2 identical ra-ra skirts. I think whoever styled these got a bit carried away.

What really annoyed me was that this was John Lewis's Oxford Street store so should display the best styling of the best product available. When I commented on this to the design, buying and merchandising team I worked with (who I must add, were all absolutley fantastic at their jobs and helpful) they seemed to be aware of the problem that there was no Visual Merchandising team within the store! If they are looking for someone I'd gladly go down.

Baby clothes

My eldest sister is pregnant so whilst I was in Amsterdam I kept an eye out for possible presents or ideas for something I could make for the baby. The dutch seemed to have a much more exciting approach to the likes of simple baby bibs which perhaps the British are overlooking. Here's some pictures all taken by my camera phone.

These bibs have food prints on them and come in jars like baby food. So clever.


These socks or 'Soggs' come in an egg box. I was tempted to buy them but considering the preice of all of the above, I might just make something similar. I've a while yet as the baby isn't due 'til April. I'm extremely excited.

Amsterdam

My friend Lauren and I got back from Amsterdam the other day where she was attending the first Service Design conference in Europe and I was going with her to explore and try to discover more about the city. 

We arrived and it was extremely snowy yet decided to go for a night out that lasted into the next morning.

After a days rest, I headed along to the global Tommy Hilfiger for a visit. You can just make out Tommy Hilfiger branded across this building in this phone photo. It was great to chat to two people on the team there and to hear that the company is great to work fore. It was also great to see what the inside of a massive designer brand's headquarters looked like. As you can imagine from Tommy Hilfiger clothing, it is very fresh, clean-lined with little superfluous ornamentation. Very American. 

After, I explored the city centre some more (where I discovered this amazing postcard - this photograph was taken in 1949 in New York. The shopkeeper's message definitely gets the point across but I think he could have done with some marketing tips from Mr Hilfiger).

Paul Smith purse

Following on from an older post, I was in Cruise recently and saw a Paul Smith purse similar to the YSL clutch bags I loved so much. I know my friend will appreciate this one due to her love of letter writing.

Twiggy's Frock Exchange

A new programme on the BBC has opened people's eyes to the concept of swapping clothes. On Twiggy's Frock Exchange, the idea is that everyone invited brings at least one item of clothing they will never wear again and swaps it for somebody else's. The chances are you will go away with something that you might not have considered before when high street shopping. Some lucky attendees were also going away with amazing items, some brought in by celebrities (such as the gorgeous Marc Jacob mini dress brought in by Ferne Cotton). Twiggy keeps the momentum going with help from rock chick Lauren Laverne and Grazia's Style Director Paula Reed.

I was particularly interested in the section of the programme where a person's old garment was altered and remade into a new garment altogether. I looked into this concept in my uni project (in fact even looking at the same company who do it on this programme) last year and ended up doing a similar idea.

(You can also go onto the programme website and find out more about how to hold your own Frock exchange party).

The Emmys

So the fashion parade were out for the Emmys on Sunday night with some absolutely stunning gowns on show. My favourites had to be Heidi Klum's Armani Prive dress which has caused some debate amongst the press. Many don't like it but after the latest from 4 weeks of fashion in Milan, London, New York and Paris, I think Heidi got it spot on as usual.

Grey is to be huge for not only this Autumn Winter as it predictably always is, but also for Spring Summer 09. I did a work placement within the Holiday wear Buying team for a major High street retailer. Having come back from St Tropez the week previously, the designers and buyers reported back on how this tone of grey was seen all over swimwear in the French Riviera and was sure to appear in swimwear the following SS 09.

With this dress being a brave choice, Heidi keeps to a minimum of accessories with no clutch (shock!) but with the essential statement jewellery of the moment with one large ring.

Of course, one shoulder dresses were also all over the catwalks and although a slightly different assymmetric shape, the shape of this dress makes sure Heidi ticks all the boxes.

My other favourite was Brooke Shields' fuschia dress which is a complete knock-out but a very brave choice. I think Brooke can sometimes get it wrong but here she got it so right. Not a particular colour trend of the moment but it compliments her well and the ruffles continue to be a non-mover in the style stakes.

London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week had some lovely surprises in store as usual.

For Spring Summer '09 I thought there would be a real step away from the Modern Romance themes of SS '08. However, with the likes of the Luella show (welcome back) and Emma Cook's collection again showing fragility and subtleties in light, floaty fabrics such as chiffon and silks; fresh sorbet & neutral colour pallets (I particularly loved the rose colour presence, it looks like romance is a non-mover. Ruffles and lace are still present though not as obvious and it looks like bows are eventually being played down (though still present).

Luella

Emma Cook

Also holding a strong presence was the return of the 80s with power-dressing particularly present in Topshop Unique's collection. Jumpsuits (this time more dressed up and one shouldered) held strong AGAIN as well as head scarfs and fetish-style statement shoes. 

Can't wait!

Notably, Naomi Campbell also hosted her 3rd 'Fashion for Relief' with money raised going to the White Ribbon Alliance. The occasion drew more attention this year due to the appearances of celebs on the catwalk - notably Cheryl Cole who received the biggest applause of the event.

Visual Merchandising

I've found some more old pictures of some Topshop visual merchandising I have done in the past...