Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the final installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next week and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
Ailish will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio House Facebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
The Galway Designers Network are always looking for new and exciting designers or anyone who feels they would love to be involved. Get in touch by commenting below, via Facebook @galwaydesignersnetwork, via Instagram @galway_designersnetwork or email galwayfashionshowcase@gmail.com.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the twelfth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next week and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
Based in Ballyglunin, Tuam, Co Galway, I design and made bespoke headwear in using a variety of techniques and textiles.
Mick Russell Photography
What sparked your interest with millinery?
Always had an interest in fashion and design, and in particular millinery since I saw Philip Tracy’s black ship headpiece a number of years ago.
Timothée Cognard Photography
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
Studied in Lina Stein’s International School of Millinery in Westport over the past few years, and also did a number of classes with internationally renowned milliners.
Mick Russell Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
Friends and family gave me the confidence to make a career out of it.
Aay Kay Photography
What is your aesthetic?
Primarily contemporary but this is evolving, and of course when working with a client, I aim to help them meet their style objectives.
Mick Russell Photography
What inspired this collection?
This is my first collection and prices shown represent a number of styles and techniques. Dashes of colour fascinate me and are reflected in a number if my pieces.
Timothée Cognard Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
Expanded range of styles and techniques, and exploring my creative side.
Mick Russell Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
Allowing time for the business side as well as the design side.
Aay Kay Photography
Describe your creative process.
When working with a client, I like to understand them and to ensure that the final headpiece really reflects them and their style.
Mick Russell Photography
How do you get unstuck creatively?
Go outside for a quick walk or do some cooking.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
What style suits the person, how will they wear it, hair up or down, outfit colour, shoes and bag, preference for headband or elastic etc.
Mick Russell Photography
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
Try to fix my working hours.
Timothée Cognard Photography
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
There is a lot of fast fashion; I love the idea of people using local designers to get the outfit they want, properly fitted garments made to make everyone look fabulous.
Mick Russell Photography
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
Expanding into different accessories and international markets.
Marie will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio House Facebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
The Galway Designers Network are always looking for new and exciting designers or anyone who feels they would love to be involved. Get in touch by commenting below, via Facebook @galwaydesignersnetwork, via Instagram @galway_designersnetwork or email galwayfashionshowcase@gmail.com.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the tenth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next week and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
I am Ailish McElroy and I am a Milliner based in Bodyke, Co. Clare.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What sparked your interest with millinery?
I was a Graphic Designer for many years so I always had an appreciation for colour, texture, shape and pattern in the composition of an image. I think what attracted me to Millinery was the chance to create away from the computer but to apply the same key elements in the creation of a finished headpiece using traditional hands on skills.
Timothée Cognard Photography
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
I have a Masters in Digital Media & Communications. At the beginning I was self taught until I reached a point where I wanted to progress my skills further. I then interned with Award Winning Milliner Margaret O’Connor in London. There is always so much to learn in Millinery and that fascinates me and challenges me in equal measure.
Mick Russell Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
It wasn’t really a conscious decision, I was just constantly lost in the creative process. It seemed to evolve into a career as people began to inquire if they could commission headpieces from me. Suddenly I had deadlines to keep. I started prioritizing my work load and before I knew it I had to make a choice between my job as a Graphic Designer or to change careers and become a Milliner. I decided to take the leap and go for it.
Mick Russell Photography
What is your aesthetic?
My pieces are feminine and beautifully embellished with a nod to vintage influences using luxurious materials, trims, feathers and beading.
What inspired this collection?
A skirt I bought in a shop in Lithuania inspired this collection. Something about the bold primary colours and pattern in the skirt sparked so many images in my mind every time I looked at it. I wanted to reflect that celebration of colour in this collection. I am also drawn to religious iconography and Gothic imagery in particular is a source of fascination for me. It represents romance, mystery and dark femininity.
Paul Cooley Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
My skills have evolved through experience, practice and constant learning. However, my designs evolve to accentuate the best attributes of my wearer and their outfit. Experience in working with clients has enabled me to create a process that streamlines my work from initial design concept to the completion of a finished headpiece while trying to create a harmony between new emerging trends and the traditional styles.
Paul Cooley Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
You need to believe in yourself and aim to be pro-active and professional not only in the skill of Millinery but with your Brand. Prioritising my workload clarifies my mind and allows the creative process to flow. It is also a constant challenge!
Paul Cooley Photography
Describe your creative process.
It begins with the outfit that makes its way into my workshop. I also take into account my client and what I think would suit them best. Then I begin to source my materials. Sometimes the nature of the materials will influence the design as they won’t always obey my demands! Then I begin to get lost in the process of creation, experimenting, accepting and rejecting ideas as I go along until I get the perfect symmetry.
Paul Cooley Photography
How do you get unstuck creatively?
The first port of call is a cup of coffee just for a breather. I might also try to work on something else for a while, maybe just do some basic tasks or tidy my workshop. If that doesn’t work I try to get out of my workshop and go for a long walk or a run. Enjoying the nature around me calms my mind and I love taking photographs of what I see. It helps me to start thinking and working creatively again. I also enjoy looking at paintings and photography which can really spark my imagination. Also, sometimes things occur to me just be studying the materials that I am using for a particular headpiece and this might dictate the direction I take with a design.
Paul Cooley Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
What will suit my client? What is the time frame? Do I have the materials required and if not, do I have time to order the materials?
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
It’s hard to find the right balance as I work from home and I have young children. My work is very unpredictable and my deadlines change constantly. My phone could ring at any moment with a customer looking for an appointment. I keep a detailed diary where I schedule appointments. I would be lost without my Big Black Book!
How do you feel about the current state of the fashion industry?
We need to sit up and pay attention to the massively untapped potential of the Irish Fashion Industry and how lucrative it could be to our economy. I would like to see something akin to the British Fashion Council being set up here which would solely serve the industry by seeking out new emerging talent and supporting them. There is so much more we could be doing in this country to celebrate and support our Irish Designers and helping to pave the way to a strong Irish fashion industry. Why is it our best designers have to go abroad to develop their careers? Ireland has lost out on laying claim to the rise of some great talents and we continue to lose many of our best design graduates to emigration.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I will continue to expand on the foundation I have built over the last 3 years so that I can offer my customers more options and continue to provide excellent customer service. My dream would be to open a centre for designers in East Clare where we could work and sell our designs, however I think it’s important to build your brand one step at a time and to set realistic goals as expansion takes time, research and money.
What advice would you give to young designers?
Turning your passion into a career requires motivation. Be pro-active and take a step every day that gets you nearer your goal. There will be tough days where you may not be able to design. Instead use those days wisely to do some marketing, photograph your work or do some networking. Value your work and learn to recognise an opportunity when it arises.
Ailish will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the ninth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next week and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
What sparked your interest with fashion & millinery?
My fashion interest was sparked by my mum who was a fashion designer. I had the privilege of working and running errands for her as a young girl, from passing her the threads to taking down of her client’s measurements. I would make dresses with papers and head wraps to match. I became more interested after I came to Ireland years ago and couldn’t get anyone to make my outfits, so I decided to get myself a sewing machine to make most of my outfits till date.
Mick Russell Photography
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
Being around my mum as a young girl really helped me learn the basics skills I need for today in fashion and designing. I never really studied fashion designing as a course.
Mick Russell Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
I’ve always been a fashion lover. I like to stand out in my designs. I get a lot of compliments on daily basis. I have a huge passion for fashion and I am really looking forward to carving a niche for myself in the fashion industry.
What is your aesthetic?
I love elegance. I love print fabrics, feathers, trimmings and unusual laces. I source and wear a lot of them for weddings and classy events. The end result of mixing both fabrics make me want to do more.
What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
My collections are created with my local materials and flowers. My hats are made out of different fabrics from my country and it can be worn in so many ways. I am fascinated at the moments with different designs especially from the just concluded Races in Galway and abroad. The designs are mind blowing and really inspiring.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
As a young fashion designer, I practice on daily basis to develop myself. I push myself to try out new and different things, and I am looking forward to creating more classy pieces.
Mick Russell Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
To believe in myself and trust my intuition. Learn from others who are good in the field and never lose focus.
Timothée Cognard Photography
Describe your creative process.
I create my pieces from what I have in mind and with a twist as I start to create. I love that my pieces that can be styled in different ways and worn several times.
Timothée Cognard Photography
How do you get unstuck creatively?
I rarely do but I find I switch off, I go shopping and watch some movies, chat with my kids or with that one friend who cracks me up.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
I take a very good look at the fabric and design. What can I come up with? Will it compliment the body? Do I need to add any accessories to enhance the style?
Timothée Cognard Photography
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
One is never organised when creating anything, especially with kids around; doing the laundry and running down to the shops for quick groceries. There has to be a balance.
Timothée Cognard Photography
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
Just do your best to be the best you can. The industry is big enough for everyone.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I am currently working from home. I hope to see my brand go globally.
Aay Kay Photography
What advice would you give to young designers?
Believe you can and you will. Set a standard and be passionate.
Esther will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the eighth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next week and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
My name is Gayle Poppers, I’m 34 and a single mother of 2 young girls, trying to build my business and be a positive role model for them as they grow up. My label is called Kizmet Clothing; Kizmet means ‘ Destiny ‘ and when I started my label, it seemed so fitting with what I was starting to do. It felt like the right path, like it was my destiny to create something which would fulfill my creative needs along with sharing with others my passion for clothing and style. I am, I suppose, not your ‘standard’ designer. I create from what I love to wear myself, my sketching skills are not the strongest and I tend to make out of a vision I have, and a lot of it is trial and error! My main aim with all the pieces I design is to be comfortable, yet to feel beautiful while wearing them. Clothes which are versatile, feminine, yet practical and comfortable!
What sparked your interest with fashion?
I have always loved clothes! From as far back as I remember I was very particular in the clothes I would wear, yet I never really ‘followed trends’ as such. I would always take elements of current trends and make them work for me in a different way. My grandmother and my mother both worked making costumes in theatre, and growing up, my mum always had a sewing machine which she often used to make us clothes, and I started sewing doll clothes when I was 8 or 9. When I was a teen then I used to make myself handbags and various other things, I always wanted to make and wear my own clothes, it just took me a while to get there!
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
When I was 20 I studied Fashion Design in Galway and later then I studied Fashion Business in Melbourne, Australia. The design course was pretty basic, so although I did learn a lot there, most of my recent work is self taught with some guidance along the way.
Mick Russell Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
The fashion industry for me was a difficult one to crack, and I chopped and changed various jobs over the years, trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do. When I had my youngest was a year old, I started to feel like I really needed to focus on something again, something for myself but also something that would allow me to be at home with my kids and work around their needs as best I could. I started Kizmet on a whim to be honest, loving that I could be creative and work for myself, but not fully knowing where it would go. I think it is only in the last year that I have really started to take it all more serious, working with others and listening to the feedback I have gotten for my work, I started to think that maybe this could be something great! I still feel I am at the beginning of it all, learning as I go, but it is definitely my career now, and I am so passionate about making it work, I can’t imagine doing anything else!
Mick Russell Photography
What is your aesthetic?
Feminine flowing lines, simple yet beautiful.
Mick Russell Photography
What inspired this collection?
My A/W collection is more chic than previous work. I am inspired by strong women, women who make stuff happen for themselves, and I wanted to create something wearable which represents this, in my eyes anyway! I do really love the current trend of voluptuous sleeves and wanted to have an element of that in my line also.
Aay Kay Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
When I first started, there was a lot of hit-and-miss pieces. I would have made without much extended focus on the finish product. I would have worked with off cuts and remnants, so one off pieces, never to be made again! Whereas now, I make things more in collaboration with each other, making a collection of pieces which compliment one another.
Kizmet Clothing
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
There’s always more to learn!
Kizmet Clothing
Describe your creative process.
I just start. Usually with a piece of fabric which I love, and an internal vision of something I would like to create. I drape and fold and try on myself, until it eventually works! I’m usually in my studio after the kids are in bed, watching Netflix as I sew, that’s my happy place!
Kizmet Clothing
How do you get unstuck creatively?
I usually would take a break, away from my studio for a few days, so I can come back to it with fresh eyes when I’m ready. Sometimes I will look at magazines or Pinterest for inspiration, or will just mess around with making something silly, or something for my kids, just to take the pressure off making something really good!
Mick Russell Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
Mostly, will this work? Who would wear this? Will anyone wear this other then me!? Is it something that represents me as a designer?
Mick Russell Photography
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
Ha! I am still trying to figure out this balance. Ill let you know!
Mick Russell Photography
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
I feel a lot of it is regurgitated fashion, in slightly different and often bizarre forms! It must be difficult I would think, if you are one of the top leading fashion designers to come up with new concepts, as its all been done before. Every year we see a different era of fashion styles coming back onto the catwalk, in varying ways. This season I am most taken with the extravagant sleeves and 70’s style. It is hard to keep up with fashion these days, as it is such a fast paced industry. But I also feel that these days, anything goes, people are free to wear anything or any style they feel without prejudice, which is really nice, in my opinion, as it allows freedom of creative expression.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I would love to start to expand my market to Europe, and start to outsource construction so I can focus more on the design aspect of things. Ideally I would start to work with a team who could collaborate with me and really build on the brand of my label.
PurpleBlues Photography
What advice would you give to young designers?
Ummmm….. I still could do with some advice myself haha! I think what I would advise though, is that there are more ways then one to create your designs. As I mentioned before, I have had to work around the fact that I’m not a great sketcher, but I have found my way through that. You don’t have to always follow the rules of fashion design, and no one person is able to do EVERYTHING, find your strengths and the rest will follow!
Gayle will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the seventh installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next week and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
Claire Kelly Badger – CKB Millinery
What sparked your interest with millinery?
I have always had an obsession with hats. Since I was a young child, my grandmother had a fabulous collection of formal hats hidden in a wardrobe that came out at special occasions. I used to try them on all the time along with her big coats and I think my obsession started from there!
Timothée Cognard
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
I have a Degree in Business in Human Resource Management. I started out doing a beginners Millinery course in Galway a few years back as a hobby, then proceeded to do one-to-one lessons with Lina Stein, an International award winning Milliner based in Westport. I have continued to do courses with Lina over the years, there is still so much to learn, I am only tipping the iceberg.
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
As previously mentioned, I am only a part-time Milliner. I work full time in my career in HR. Millinery is like a release for me, somewhere to go to relax and get lost in the world of creativity.
What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
I love whatever is in fashion, I love to shop and key an eye on what is trending – I love colour, jewels, lace and anything sparkly so if I can incorporate any of the into my collections I am happy. For the Autumn Winter, I love to keep hats simple but sophisticated, very demure.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
Continuous learning online and in millinery classes has definitely brought my hats to a new level in recent times.
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
Plan plan plan! Don’t leave deadlines until the last minute and always have your brand looking professional – first impressions are key.
Describe your creative process.
When I get in the zone, I cannot get my pieces done quick enough. I have ideas in my head and I’m afraid If I don’t get the work done immediately, I will lose the creative flow.
How do you get unstuck creatively?
Get out and explore, go for walks, shop. I find that sometimes you could might see an object, it could be absolutely anything from a tree to an ornament and you will want to recreate it with material to add to a design for a hat.
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
What mood am I in today? I think my mood determines the type of creation I start. If I am not in the right form to work on my hats, I will leave it until I am or I will sit looking at a piece of material for hours and I won’t get anywhere.
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
It can be difficult and times like summer are extremely busy. I work full time and my job is quite busy so it can be difficult at times to prioritise. But the key is to plan and not to take on too much. I only take on what I can handle, while still maintaining a work life balance.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
Who knows! I never expected to set up my own business a few years ago. I only started in millinery for the love of making things and the desire to create my own hats. This evolved overnight for me, so who knows what will happen in another few years.
What advice would you give to young designers?
If you love something enough, stick with it. Opportunities will come to you, just go with them.
Claire will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the sixth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next few weeks and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
My name is Ann and I am knitwear designer, but I don’t only do knitwear, I also sew, work with patchwork and interiors.
Timothée Cognard
What sparked your interest with fashion?
About seven years ago, I was depressed and uninspired around me. I bought myself a sewing machine and knitting needles, and I basically knitted myself out of my depression. I started with kids clothing and patchwork blankets, and then started to make clothes for myself and for my kids who by that time where on the plan.
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
I am thought by my grandmother the most. I think she was the one who thought us the craft. Then in Estonia, where I am from, you would have handcraft/sewing classes mandatory until you finish secondary school. I studied Interior designs and currently debating to take online course in Fashion.
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
CHDwas Karma Crafts before, I made baby clothes and sold them online or made to order. When I finished my interior designer I really wanted to add home decorating line to my kids clothing. 2016 I decided to stay home with my kids and that was the moment when I decided to take little more fashion approach and add extra line to my collection.
What is your aesthetic?
I guess it’s more to this romantic spirited feel. I use lot of vintage inspired patterns in my designs and try to use quite muted colours. And add splash of colour to it with flowers or beads. My designs are definitely rather feminine.
What inspired this collection?
City Royals is inspired of Vintage shawls and autumn weather. I love using knitted lace. I also like to bring this old shabby style to modern young people, make it to theirs to wear. This collection has an extension with knit/crochet clothing line, what is currently on the making but won’t be ready for the show just yet.
Mick Russell Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
I guess its slow and steady, there is up’s and there is downs. I learn with each project and design I make. My wool quality and source has gone better in past seven years. Funny note, as I have told my partner that I will more likely give up on him than on CHD! Of course if it is life and death situation…well I still might keep few needles and wool!
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
Plan, study and delegate. I plan my day everyday, I plan my marketing plan and my blogging plan. I also have learned that I don’t have to know everything nor should I do everything. But I need to have great knowledge so I could hire right people to do certain services for me, so I could keep my passion live.
Describe your creative process.
My creative process starts from the wool or material, crazy patterns or book. Sometimes its enough to see something in tv. I am very “close” to my phone and its always full of ideas. There are times I have been watching something in Netflix, seen something fabulous and then googled same moment in my phone to see can I find image of it.
How do you get unstuck creatively?
I just leave everything, take it back to my studio and take couple of days off, to play with kids, read, bath, go shopping.
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
Who is going to wear it? Would I wear it? And can I visualize it how it will be when its done.
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
Like I said I plan my day, so it usually plans around on how much should I get done and three other tasks. If I don’t get it as I planned, then its not a big deal, tomorrow is another day. Kids have taken over my summer, so I am actually excited to get back in school routine.
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
I don’t really follow fashion. I obviously do now, as I create my collection. But I more look into colour trends rather than style trends. There is so much fast fashion what has low quality made into high quantity. Having a daughter who is more ‘Tom’ than ‘Princess’ has also shown me how gender orientated the current fashion can be.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I would really like to finish this one piece off women’s clothing collection and have it steady coming out each year. I don’t necessarily want to expand too big but have this steady collection available.
What advice would you give to young designers?
Take business studies on the side of your designer studies. There is so many passionate young designers out there, who will start and fail as they have no idea how to get to next level. And also YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO START!
Ann will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the fifth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next few weeks and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
I’m Kaisa, 31 years old, a turquoise-haired freelance graphic designer / rocker chick by day, loads of other things during the rest of the time. I’m originally from Estonia, recently moved to Ireland. In terms of fashion design I do jewellery design mostly; my specialty is either beaded multi-practical and functional pieces (things you could wear as 2in1 pieces) or pixelart creations (e.g. pixel-jewelry) made out of fused beads. The latter is quite unknown in most parts of the world, especially in the grown-up department!
What sparked your interest with jewellery?
For me, it started off out of necessity. I couldn’t find from the jewellery stores the kind of stuff that would’ve gone well together with my own unique style and taste and therefore figured that I’d need to create it myself. That’s where it all got started.
Are you self-taught or did you study fashion design?
I’ve never studied fashion design, so I’d have to say that I’m self-taught. Nowadays it’s so easy to find tutorials on the internet to try out and modify once you get skilled enough. Just takes a bit of patience and practice!
via Silver Wolfie
What made you take your talent more seriously and want to make a career out of it?
Once I had started creating jewellery for myself and made it a “hip” new thing to wear out and about my friends and strangers started asking about those. So soon enough I felt like I had tapped into something that wasn’t there yet and that gave me the confidence that there are more people out there that are a bit more colourful, unconventional and like quirky jewellery, rather than the classical. Before I knew it my head was spinning with new ideas that I wanted to try out and the brand Sylph Designs was born.
via Penelope Russak
What is your aesthetic?
I love bold, confident, colourful jewellery. Being a quirky and unconventional woman myself I love to surround myself with geekery and colours. However, I want to emphasize that being whimsy doesn’t mean that you have to look like a fool. I rather like to mix and match jewellery and show to others that it’s OK to be different, to be true to yourself and to not be afraid of a little whimsy and colour every now and then. After all, we all have a little kid hidden inside of ourselves as well.
What inspired this collection? What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
Looking at it from a distance, it sure looks like I was inspired by the kid’s cartoon “Frozen”. Coming from a country (Estonia) where snow is definitely not a rare thing to see and the pure fields of ice and cold weather is a completely normal part of winter. I think that’s where the inspiration came from as well. I love geekery, pixelart, retro computer games, but I also love beautiful colour combinations, different shades of blues and whites and also the contradictions that go together with it. Life isn’t 50 shades of grey (though wouldn’t most women love that as well!); to me it’s rather a beautiful mix of bright and bold colours. Mix classical with retro, smooth lines with pixelated creations and you’ll get where I’m coming from.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
To be honest I think I’ve stayed true to myself since the beginning. Even though Sylph Designs began as a brand that did mostly pixel-jewellery, it’s now moved onto the wonderful world of beadweaving and beaded jewellery. I love trying out different things. And I do realize as well that looking from outside in it might occasionally even feel like I’m one big contradiction but why would anyone bind themselves into a box. If you can, always draw lines also outside of the box – colour outside of the lines! Life is more fun like that!
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
There are two things that I greatly value: Firstly, always stay true to who you are. I feel that I’m the core of my business, the main character in the designs and I believe that the only way to gain more audience is to be who you are. Be yourself! And secondly, branding is everything. Having a background in graphic design has helped me a lot to build up a branding around my different ventures in the jewellery business as well. Pixel-jewelry and beaded jewellery have different feels to them, therefore the brands are a bit different as well. Pixel-jewelry has a bit of a geeky flare, pixelart and computer games being a huge inspiration and beaded jewellery pieces are more classic. There is though one big thing that connects them both: COLOUR!
Describe your creative process.
My pixel-jewellery is hugely inspired by old computer games and the book that I wrote a year ago, “Bead it. Iron it. Love it.” – released in UK, USA, Estonia, Sweden, Poland and some other countries. That’s the place where I live out my kid-like fantasies. Once I’ve got an idea what I wish to create, I sketch the ideas down, fiddle around in my computer trying to nail down the pattern and then create it. My beaded jewellery is more about what kind of materials I feel like using. Each type of bead has different possibilities. Twin-beads do one thing, seed beads help you create another kind of thing and mixing them all together to create beautiful beaded ball beads is a third kind of use case. For those, I really do my research and then tweak the designs until I’m happy with it.
How do you get unstuck creatively?
Ah, that’s a big thing for all creatives I guess. I’ve tried out a lot of different things over the years. Being a bit of an impatient soul that loves doing a bit of this and that and then some I usually just switch out every now and then the activities that I’m doing. If I feel like drawing, I draw, if I feel like beading, I bead, if I feel like doing pixelart, I do pixelart. In addition to the jewellery business I always have the option to do music, sing, create some digital art, some traditional art, draw, write poems and journal. I guess keeping a daily journal is the core of it all. That’s what helps me from getting stuck, getting thoughts on paper and to keep moving. Changing hair colour every now and then also doesn’t harm!
via Penelope Russak
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
I usually don’t ask anything, I dive in right away overly enthusiastic. Ok, in all fairness, if there’s one thing to ask then this is it: do I have the materials that I need to bring my ideas to life? That’s all!
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
That’s a tough one. I think there’s a weird madness to all of this creativity. I try not to plan too much, clean up too much, organize too much, work too much, but a simple daily/weekly to-do list helps to keep things moving. But you know what they say, life is what happens when you’re busy making plans. So I’ve learned to not be too harsh on myself if I can’t make everything happen in time, I prioritize creativity over planning and staying organized because when you lose creativity and get stuck in the “I have to do this” thing, then you’re screwed. It’s hard coming back from being burnt out.
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
It feels a bit like people are moving towards extremes, like the world, in general. It’s either too over the top, too over-priced for the value you get or you end up wearing garments or jewellery that’s cheap and poorly made. I wish there were more appreciation towards custom-made jewellery and clothes and that people wouldn’t take these crafts just for granted. You can’t compare a handcrafted item with something you buy from the mall. Not if it’s made with lots of love and care.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I think for me it’s honestly just moving towards the same direction I always have been. Just doing what I love and staying true to that. As long as there are enough crazy gals out there like me there will be a market for that as well. I’m not trying to make mainstream stuff, so let’s not even try pretending that this is what will happen in the end. I’ll continue adding variety, come up with new quirky patterns and continue to hope that the women around me find more courage in themselves to stay true to their unique style and be bold enough to wear more colour.
What advice would you give to young designers?
Stay true to yourself and do whatever your heart wants to do with the utmost passion and conviction. Don’t let others tell you what you can do or who you should be. It’s hard, trust me, I know but if you’re being YOU, then nobody can take anything away from you. And please-please-please, don’t settle or start following the mainstream flow. You’ll do better staying in your own quirky lane. And who cares if it’s the right or the left lane or the bus lane instead.
Kaisa will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the fourth installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next few weeks and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
I think as a child I loved to make things, anything, and I loved colours. I made clothes from my early teens out of anything I could find.
Timothée Cognard Photography
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
I thought I could get away with teaching myself but my technical inability frustrated me and I ran out of steam. I did a short sewing machinist course, worked in a number of clothing factories and eventually met a wonderful dressmaker who knew so much about design and quality and materials. It was with her I learned a lot about making and finishing. I also studied fine art which somehow added to my view of things!
Timothée Cognard Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
Initially I gave up working in fashion, but after returning to college where I studied art I developed a love of photography. I suppose it was just another form of my love of the visual and colour. I was busy for a number of years with small children and looking for a way to work from home when I realised clothing is a more practical form of creating than photography or art.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What is your aesthetic?
I love colour, layers and transparencies, simple shapes and mixing unusual fabrics or unexpected colours.
Maeve Ayo Photography
What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
I am fascinated by nature. I am inspired by the outdoors and the cycles of nature, the colours and details of plants and flowers and water, even the atmosphere. I still take a lot of photos and I use them in my fabrics directly by printing them.
Maeve Ayo Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
I would think I am getting bolder and less precious with my ideas.
Maeve Ayo Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
Marketing is such a big deal in trying to sell anything and its important to have good support especially among other creative people.
Maeve Ayo Photography
Describe your creative process.
I tend to have too many ideas and its best for me to materialise as much as I can and usually I will see a common thread develop and this will be my focus. I usually find, buy or print fabric and don’t know what to do with it and it sits around until one day I know exactly where it fits.
Maeve Ayo Photography
What obstacles do you find when trying to work?
Negative emotions, tiredness and if I don’t walk away from something that is not working.
Maeve Ayo Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
How will I pull all the different ideas I have into a coherent set of designs.
Maeve Ayo Photogprahy
How do you stay organised when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
I haven’t really sorted this out yet. I tend to work in time blocks. With focus I can work quite fast so its about setting aside a week or two and immersing myself. I have had to learn to be more efficient in everything I do.
Maeve Ayo Photography
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
I would love to see more localised creators and markets with a public understanding of the value and worth of handmade and locally inspired garments.
Maeve Ayo Photography
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I would like establish a steady market within Ireland and also to develop a successful online market.
Maeve Ayo Photography
What advice would you give to young designers?
Always keep pushing your self for better work and better finish and listen to criticism for you own growth.. Not easy. Try to find the balance between listening to the market but really developing your individual aesthetic and style.
Maeve will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the third installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next few weeks and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
My interest in design and fashion was sparked when I was a child in Accra, watching in amazement every day all of the amazing designs that women made from wax prints. I knew immediately that this was something I wanted to be involved in when I was older. Also my grandmother and my mother both were wax print fabric traders so I guess designing with African wax print fabric is in my blood.
Mick Russell Photography
Are you self-taught or did you study fashion design?
I am self-taught. I also had the privilege to work with a few designers in New York.
Mick Russell Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
I had come to the cross roads of whether to go back to work or continue stay home with my young children. I decided to stay at home, work for myself and raise my children at the same time combining both passions. It was also very nice that my customers were asking to see what more I can design using African wax prints aside from skirts and accessories. I wanted to show them what else I could design and give them what they wanted.
Mick Russell Photography
What is your aesthetic?
I love very bold bright colors, clean architectural lines and African wax prints are far from that, so I love merging the two things together. It’s always like curating an art exhibit and seeing results always gives me so much pleasure and joy.
Mick Russell Photography
What inspired this collection? What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
My collection is inspired by Japanese culture, their food and clothing, especially the kimono and how versatile it can be worn. I am fascinated at the moment with designers like Cristobal Balenciaga, Geoffrey Beene, André Courreges, to name a few, and how they made simple designs such elegant classics. I love simple, elegant and clean lines so I look up to their style for inspiration.
Mick Russell Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
As I was self-taught I was limited by what I could make but overtime since my skills improved and I have challenged myself to try out more complicated designs. I am constantly learning what my strengths and weaknesses in designing and executing a garment are. I never decide that I can’t make anything – I’m constantly pushing and challenging myself.
Mick Russell Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
To never lose my passion for creativity because it’s what drives me to stay up at all hours of the night without sleep sometimes and to wake up in the wee hours of the morning with nothing on my mind but what my next design is going to be.
Mick Russell Photography
Describe your creative process.
I think of a particular era and what fun, sleek and chic clothing women were wearing then and then I simplify the ones that I love and add my own twist and transform it into a look that I already in mind.
Mick Russell Photography
How do you get unstuck creatively?
Normally I will close my studio door for a few days, read online blogs and magazines but lately I watch a classic films for creative inspiration since I get a lot of inspiration from very well dressed women in classic black and white movies.
Mick Russell Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
Will I wear what I am about to design? How will it sit on the body? Does the combination of the colors I have chosen work well together? Will the woman I am designing with in mind feel comfortable and be wowed?
Mick Russell Photography
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
For me personally I thrive under chaos and since I have a large young family there’s never time to properly organize or for balancing so I do everything at the same time. Most days, I am cooking, doing laundry, tiding up and working in my studio simultaneously. But I work very late into the night when they are asleep in bed as well.
Mick Russell Photography
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
The fashion industry has definitely gotten bigger and there has been a huge influx of independent designers. However, along with that is a lot of fast fashion and not necessarily good or wearable fashion. I would like to see the slow fashion revolution going further.
Mick Russell Photography
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I will like to see my line globally in small design shops that sell quality wearable stuff on a small scale.
Mick Russell Photography
What advice would you give to young designers?
Dream big and never give up if you are passionate about what you are doing.
Virtue will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the second installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next few weeks and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
I have always had a passion for art and fashion but ended up choosing a career in engineering. As an engineer I always had a flair for the aesthetics in design and got to work with designers in Paris, colour consultants in London and many suppliers of unusual finishes , materials and coatings. I absolutely love working with different materials textures and colours.
When the company I worked for closed shop in Ireland and moved back to the US I had 3 kids under two and decided to stay at home with them. This is when I got to indulge my creative side. I started painting and spent some time in GMIT studying Fine art and Design. For something different I tried millinery and became obsessed.
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
I started in GMIT (Beginners and Advanced) but have since done courses with the amazing Lina Stein and Carole Maher from Australia.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
Two things I suppose, firstly my obsession for design and secondly people were asking me to make pieces for them.
What is your aesthetic?
I personally like a very classic look but I love to use unusual materials in new and innovative ways. A lot of my clients want a custom piece to work with a particular outfit for a wedding or the races so I like to design taking all variables into account: the person (personality, hair colour, height, skin tone etc); the outfit (colours, textures style); the occasion.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What inspired this collection?
This collection was inspired by by research into thermoplastics and the new possibilities it brings. I use this material to bring drama and structure to my designs.
The large cream headpiece is inspired by the ‘Children of Lir’. a story from Irish Folklore. The cream structures when placed together create a winglike effect.
The large Black and White piece reflects the “Yin /Yang” symbol which is carried through in the Black and Silver thermoplastics.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
I think in the beginning I was like a kid in a toy shop, all over the place and trying everything. I now have developed the process and I suppose have found my own style. I certainly focus on ergonomics in my designs and have learned better how to interpret what each individual customer requires. This only happens with lots of practice.
Mick Russell Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
I think the best lesson is to trust your intuition, do your own thing and innovate where possible.
Describe your creative process.
The creative process for custom designs is very different from designs where I just get to indulge my creative side and go wild with colours and materials.
In custom designs I look at the person, the outfit , the occasion, the textures, colours etc then develop a design to suit but I always take into account the ergonomics, the balance and re-usability of the design. So many people tell me they have hats that have only been worn once and never see the light of day. I try to design pieces that can be worn lots of times. I advise clients on how to use them by working with different accessories.
My own personal creative process is usually sparked by a new fabric or an innovative new material. I will usually spend hours just testing the capabilities of the new material and trialing new ways to use it before eventually putting a design together. Believe me you do not want to see the state of the workshop on those days.
Via Majella Lennon
How do you get unstuck creatively?
I find it very difficult to switch off but I find it best to get out into nature, go for a run of a walk, or do an exercise class.
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
I love a good design brief. I love to set aims objectives etc and manage a project.
Via Majella Lennon
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
I don’t think I do stay organised. There is always a little chaos ((or sometimes a lot). I am learning to live with that and so are my family.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
I am currently stocked in Harper and Style Kloset and the Fancy Nest here in Galway. I want to build my brand at a pace I am comfortable…keep watching!
Via Majella Lennon
What advice would you give to young designers?
Nothing happens quickly, take your time, stay true to yourself and it will work!
Majella will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
***
The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Network, we would like you all to get to know our designers a little better. This is the first installment in a series of blog posts relating to the designers who will be taking part in the upcoming A/W’17 Showcase in Tribeton on September 9th. Keep an eye out on the blog and on our social media channels over the next few weeks and get to know our designers before the Big Day.
I suppose every woman likes jewellery, but I don’t really like pearls, gold, stones and sparkly crystals. I like being unique and I always enjoyed making my look a bit different from what you can see on the streets. I wanted to wear something easy to put on, big but light and most of all something eye catching and very colourful. Inspired by African style jewellery I decided to start making yarn wrapped necklaces – and that’s how it all started.
Aay Kay Photography
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
I never studied any fashion design. I am a preschool and primary teacher with an artistic soul and a passion for handmade art.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
I am not sure If I am at this stage when I think about it as a chance for a career. I still think about what I am doing as my passion, my hobby. It’s a bit like therapy, a nice break from every day life, the kids, the work, the house duties etc. Every time I see people liking my jewellery and they are willing to buy it, I take it as a compliment. This is what makes me feel unique: people’s interest, nice words and real contact with them.
Timothée Cognard Photography
What is your aesthetic?
I like colours. I think wearing something colourful makes life more happy, especially in Ireland where we have to deal with so many rainy and dull days – I like to brighten them up with a bit more colour. I am inspired by African style jewellery. I like to play with colours but also with different fabrics, trimmings, beads, feathers and anything what can be wrapped around strips of fabric.
Mick Russell Photography
What inspired this collection or what are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
When I was creating this collection I was definitely using more feathers than before. I carefully selected them while I was visiting my country during the summer holidays. I love attaching them to my necklaces . Some of them are long, some are short. Fluffy, delicate, exclusive almost. In this collection I wanted to show that my necklaces can be used as a costume jewellery as well as part of the casual look. They can be use as a part of theatre costume as they are big and very eye catching.
Mick Russell Photography
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
I am definitely more brave by using more and more different types of ”decorations”. I started using only yarns and playing mostly with the colours. Now I am focused on making more interesting necklaces when every rope has a different texture , feeling etc.
Mick Russell Photography
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
I don’t know how to answer this question… We are learning every day and all our lives. I am not that far with my company to be able to do that kind of evaluation yet!
Mick Russell Photography
Describe your creative process.
It’s simpler than you think. It all comes from the need of taking break from reality! Then I look at the yarns…I think what colours I would like to mix. I decide what kind of trimmings, or beads , fabrics or maybe feathers I can attach to make it look interesting and off I go with the creative process!
Timothée Cognard Photography
How do you get unstuck creatively?
If I feel tired from making necklaces and have no idea for the next project I usually switch to my other craft – needle felting. I make figurines, ornaments etc. After 1 or 2 felt items I can go back to my jewellery designs. It always works!
Timothée Cognard Photography
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
How do I want it to look on my neck? Do I want it very bright or maybe quiet this time? Do I want it to be casual or more costume jewellery?
Purple Blues Photography
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
Ha! Nobody said I am organized! Artistic people are usually not! I work when I can…when my kids are busy playing, between washing and feeding them. I work when they are finally asleep. I suppose it is still some kind of organization but far away from the dream!
Manon Gustave Photography
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
To be honest with you….I don’t know. I do what I love, I sell it and it makes my happy. But I am outside of the fashion industry. I don’t follow the trends, I don’t read or watch any programs about it. I wear what I like, I do what I love…I feel free.
Manon Gustave Photography
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
As far as I see 98% of my designs are selling to the United States (mostly New York) so I’d say that is my main market. Funky people over there!
Manon Gustave Photography
What advice would you give to young designers?
As a designer I feel young myself so I am open for advice from designers who actually matter in the fashion industry. My time for giving advice might come but I am definitely not at this stage just yet!
Karolina will be taking part in the GDN A/W Showcase on September 9th in Tribeton. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
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The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Here at the Galway Designer’s Networkwe are in full swing preparing for our upcoming Autumn/Winter Showcase and the countdown is on as we creep towards September 9th.
As any avid reader of this blog will know, the Galway Designers Network is a group that has been established to promote independent creativity and design. The Network was started because we felt that local designers in Galway and the surrounding areas were being overlooked in fashion shows and events due to the vast number of boutiques. We wanted to create a space for local designers to showcase their work and have a chance to gain exposure. The Autumn/Winter Showcase intends to do just that.
GDN Founders, Ann Petrov & Gayle Ita
A selection of this season’s designers gathered together early on Sunday morning in the Showcase venue, Tribeton, for a promotional shoot. Many of the images taken at the event will be used in the winder media as well as here on the blog and across our other social media channels as we approach the Big Day. The Galway Designers Network’s very own Aay Kay was on hand to capture some behind the scenes magic and as you will be able to see from the images that follow, Tribeton‘s stunningly ornate architecture will provide the most beautiful backdrop to this season’s event.
Want to know who the faces behind these collections are? Then come along to our Showcase on September 9th and stay up to date with our social media channels for more information about the talented people behind the designs.
As we have previously stated, this season’s venue is Tribeton, located on Merchants Road right here in Galway. There will be 3 individual showcases throughout the day:
Jewellery Design at 2pm
Millinery at 4pm
Clothing Design at 6pm.
Tickets for individual shows are priced at €15, or grab yourself a bundle ticket for €35 and spend the day in Tribeton, where you can enjoy 20% off all food all day or shop the Pop Up Market featuring all of the designers collections. Your ticket will entitle you to a glass of prosecco, a goodie bag specific to the show and a front row seat. If you want to get your hands on a ticket, go online via eventbrite.ie or head directly to Tribeton. There will also be a limited amount of standing tickets available for each show, but you must register your interest via eventbrite.ie prior to September 9th.
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The Galway Designers Networkis a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can support your local fashion industry and keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
‘A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.’
– Pantone Colour Institute
The PCI describe Greenery as a colour symbolic of new beginnings, representing the newness that Springtime brings. Emblematic of revival, restoration and renewal it captures the imagination leaving us all visualising lush green fields and flourishing trees. A refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings.
The reason for Greenery being dubbed the Colour of the Year for 2017? Greenery is representative of nature, something which many of us have become far removed from due to the hectic nature of modern life. How often do any of have to time to literally take a minute and admire the beauty of the world around us?
Greenery is described as a trans-seasonal shade, enabling you to wear it now in the midst of summer sunshine, or in the Autumnal winds of October, or in the dewy light of February. Greenery is one of the most versatile shades in anyone’s wardrobe – it can be paired with neutral creams and camels, bright vivacious shades of pink or blue, rich deep reds and purples, pastel and metallic tones.
Luckily for all you , in today’s post I have created a selection of some of the best Greenery inspired pieces available right now to help you keep on top of your style game.
Interested in keeping up to date with trends like the Pantone Colour of the Year? Check out two previous blog posts about the key trends for Spring/Summer 2017 and the latest trends straight from the Resort Runways.
The Pantone Colour Institute is just one of many fashion forecasting sites that designers can look to when thinking about their newest collections. To discover more about the importance of fashion forecasting read this post to understand the impact it can have on a designer.
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The Galway Designers Network is a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Resort Collections have become some of the most highly anticipated fashion showcases in recent years.
The resort collection came from the pre-season lines of ready-to-wear that a brand produced for their customers who would vacation during the autumn and winter months in hotter climates when all that was available in stores was the previous wintry A/W collections. The modern manifestation of the resort collection is aimed at customers who have bought their new A/W wardrobe and want to start buying pieces for their holidays, usually arriving in stores in November/December or February.
Resort collections not only provide some of the most beautiful fashion shows but some of the pieces can spend the longest amount of time in store. A designer has to ensure that their Resort Collection is universal and can be a one stop shop for their customers. Resort Collections nowadays will often see typically summery pieces side by side with some of the heaviest jackets, coats and boots, so it all has to mesh together and create an alluring aesthetic to attract customers, no matter what season they are buying for.
Below showcases some of the best of the trends from Resort 2018, from prints to specific colours to an exciting accessory. Keep reading for a little look at some of the easiest trends to follow to keep up to date with the latest Resort 2018 trends.
Trend 1 | Tropical Prints
Pringle of ScotlandEtroErdem
Trend 2 | Stripes
Alice + OliviaTibiRobert Rodriguez
Trend 3 | Plaid
Oscar de la Renta3.1 Philip LimAlberta Ferretti
Trend 4 | Lime Green
DelpozoAdam LippesEllery
Trend 5 | White
Christian DiorMichael KorsJonathon Simkhai
Trend 6 | Flares
KhaiteBeaufilleAdeam
Trend 7 | Statement Socks
Thom BrowneGucciValentino
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The Galway Designers Networkis a group of talented designers looking to create exciting clothing and accessories to ensure you can keep up to date with the latest fashion looks and we are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Do you ever wonder how fashion trends are decided? Who it is that wakes up one morning and tells the world that velvet is in or that we should all be wearing feminist tshirts? Decisions like these are made by a small cohort of people in the industry called fashion forecasters.
Fashion forecasting is a relatively new discipline in the fashion industry but has become one of the most critical weapons in a brand or retailer’s arsenal. WGSN and Pantone are two of the biggest and most influential fashion companies in the world, but not many people will understand their importance.
Accurate analysis of consumer trends is vital in informing brand direction and development, in the creation of relevant products and services and ultimately in ensuring their success in a crowded marketplace, given the constantly evolving marketing and targeting techniques.
The world has moved forward from the traditional, static means of identifying consumers by demographic, geography, age etc. Fashion forecasting identifies consumers by trying to understand how and why they buy, making assertions based on their moods, beliefs and the occasion.
Fashion forecasters try to identify looks/styles that they think are prophetic, capture the mood and represent the current zeitgeist. By identifying these looks early on, it allows designers and manufacturers to go into production to meet customer demand with most textile manufacturers will begin working at least eighteen months ahead of a season.
In order to pinpoint a trend, a forecaster must immerse themselves in as many aspects of culture as possible with the purpose of gathering and absorbing vast amounts of information to collate it into a coherent and viable story. A forecaster has to take an interest in all aspects of culture from the creative arts, media and travel to underground subculture movements and developments in science and technology.
Fashion forecasters will try to predict colour, pattern/print, shape and silhouette based on their findings. It is a constant flurry of trying to gather images and collect as many ideas as possible. This enables a forecaster to easily spot a connection amongst all the fashion noise. However, sometimes, there can be one thing that is so powerful and enigmatic that it triggers an immediate reaction from the industry. These findings when combined with statistical market research and observation of socio-economic shifts give an insight into what the next emerging trend may be and show the direction and potential reaction of consumer culture.
There are two methods of fashion forecasting: short and long term. Short term forecasting is used to predict trends based on current events. It predicts colour and fabric by considering fashion events, sport, science, technology etc. Long term forecasting utilises methods of predicting trends based on economical, political and market growth point of view.
To understand the difference between short term and long term forecasting it is important to understand the different factors to be considered by forecasters. There are certain trends that are ubiquitous through the internet, social media and magazines that have come from catwalk collections. These images are used to predict the next one or two cycles in the fashion year. However, sometimes, there are major changes in the industry which will have lasting effects. Another factor that must be considered by forecasters is the importance of certain perennial elements in the industry e.g. military, 1920’s glamour or 1990’s minimalism and how these trends will never fully leave future fashion cycles.
The fashion industry is changing in ways like never before and with the rapidly changing pace of the fashion cycle, the demand placed on fashion forecasters has increased. Fashion showcases are being streamed live and retailers are obsessed with shortening the turnaround from the catwalk showcase of a collection to its availability in-store. This has changed the forecasting industry from a niche sector publishing literary reports every six months to a massive online service which is constantly creating new material. This shift towards immediacy has led to the industry often being seen as reactive rather than innovative. Many forecasting agencies will often pull from the same pool of information which inevitably leads to an overburdened and stale high street where fast-fashion dominates and short-term micro-trends have become the calling cards of the industry.
The opportunities the internet has created for the fashion industry has also made its impact on fashion forecasting. Social media is a vital platform forecasters utilise to both showcase their findings as well as keep their fingers on the pulse of the consumer market. Fashion blogging is reshaping the means by which forecasters conduct their research as bloggers become a more common source of inspiration for the public than any other part of popular culture. This has even had an effect of the employment opportunities within the forecasting sector as certain retailers see bloggers and social influencers as being more connected their demographic, pushing out the more established forecasting agencies. This has created friction in the industry as agencies try to keep their subscriptions up and remain seen as leaders in the sector, leading to them constantly aiming to raise their profile and accessibility.
These changes in the fashion industry have required fashion forecasters to make use of a more bespoke approach to catering for their clients’ needs. Carefully considered guidance is necessary for longevity in the current state of the industry with retailers being offered tailored advice to navigate forthcoming trends in order to successfully match their customers’ needs. Not only does this offer designers like us here at the Galway Designers Network an opportunity to successfully compete in the marketplace but also combat the identikit culture pervading the industry.
Despite the vast changes the fashion industry has seen since the start of this decade, if fashion forecasters can maintain their role as an inspirational resource for those who wish to be innovative and creative, the role of fashion forecasting will always remain a critical aspect of the fashion industry.
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If you are a young designer looking to make your mark in the retail sector and start your own fashion business, check out the following blog post for a strategy in negotiating the various challenges of going from a hobby-designer to a successful fashion business. It might also be a good idea to read this post about how to identify your target customer or this post about the various challenges and opportunities for designers in the modern retail environment. Check out last week’s post all about tips for marketing your fashion business!
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The Galway Designers Networkare looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Young designers need to understand what they are and why they are starting their own businesses. If they do it, it is because they really believe that they have something to say that cannot be said in the context of Paul Smith or Oscar de la Renta or Dior.
Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director, The New York Times.
In the How to Start a Fashion Business blog post, I mentioned a tip regarding the importance of creating your brand identity through marketing and advertising. I will include the exact extract below but click here for a link to the full blog post.
There is no point in having a company if no one knows about it. Right from the beginning you should establish your brand identity, by which I mean how you want the public to perceive your business. This refers to the consumers perceptions about the product, the quality and the advantages your brand has over its competitors.
A strategised marketing and communications plan are key to building your brand. Understand your market share, your target audience and how you are going to approach your customers. While social media is critically important to tapping into the current fashion audience, there is a lot more to it than setting up an Instagram page. You need to create a disciplined approach to tackling your consumers and peaking their interests in an super-saturated market.
It is also important to see PR companies and the rest of the media as powerful aides in your broader marketing plan. Hiring a PR agent or company is probably one of the best steps you will ever take in taking your business to the next level, but you should only try to bring your work to the attention of a wider audience if your business can sustain it.
For this week’s blog post, I thought it would be ideal to elaborate on the importance of marketing for the success of your fashion brand and offer a few helpful tips and tricks. Hopefully, you will learn something new or can adapt some of the techniques to suit your business.
Starting a business, particularly in the fashion industry can feel a little overwhelming. With so many brands out there all vying for coverage, your efforts to get your brand noticed can feel a little futile, almost as if you are just one of many, spreading your message, hoping it catches someone’s attention. However, you should never let the saturation of the marketplace deter you from giving it your best effort.
Once you have a solid foundation for your business – by which I mean you have a comprehensive understanding of your brand identity, including your distinct design voice and aesthetic, values, beliefs and an understanding of your customer (click here to read last week’s blog post for some helpful tips on how to identify and target your perfect customer) – it is time to use all of this information to create a marketing plan.
Some of the simplest tips for marketing your business are to post regularly on social media, having a blog, running competitions, joining different online or offline communities and going to events. However, sometimes you might find you have attempted all of these things and they seem to have no impact. That is hopefully where these few tips will come in and help you to market your business.
Tip 1: Directly Ask People to Share
This may seem slightly intimidating, or even a little desperate, but it is probably the most effective marketing technique. If you are lucky enough to have a customer base already, contact them and ask them to share your brand with a friend, or tag it on social media. There have been numerous times where I have been scrolling through Instagram, saw an outfit I liked and tapped the picture to check the credits only to discover that the one thing I was interested in wasn’t tagged. If you don’t have customers yet, ask people in your circle or even other members of our own Galway Designers Network. Make a list of names and send a short email telling them about your latest work or newest pieces, how much you would appreciate a little support and add the direct links to your various profiles and social media pages. It will not appear pushy so long as you phrase everything in a polite manner, and the majority of people are happy to support brands they admire, believe in and have good experiences with.
Tip 2: Ensure Your Presence at All Events
…even if you are not physically there.
How can you manage this? Well there are a couple of options available. One way many of the larger designers and brands do it is through the use of ambassadors. While this can take some time, finding a customer who knows your brand as well as you do and who is happy to publicly represent you will be an invaluable resource. If you have someone you think fits the bill, organise an event that your ambassador can host to present them to the world as your new Brand Ambassador, perhaps a lifestyle event or a personal styling session. That way, you have someone who can host events for you in areas where you or your team cannot be or even have them simply attend events in your stead.
Another option could be to try and gain sponsorship. This does not have to cost a fortune; make use of interesting events or clubs in your locality where you could offer merchandise, goodies or services, or even some financial support. By conducting some succinct research, you can gain an understand of the interests your customer base has and use this information to create an effective sponsorship marketing plan that will not cost the world.
Tip 3: Share your Expertise
We’re all experts in something. As a designer, you will have extensive knowledge about textiles, pattern drafting, construction, sustainability practices, even topics like the tools required for starting a business, what its like to be a designer in a small town etc. Take your experiences and channel them why writing about them. Be yourself, open and honest, and share everything you can. Find the best place to share your work, either in a magazine, newspaper or on a blog. By doing so, you will broaden your audience and cast your sales net even wider, thus attracting more sales.
Tip 4: Social Media Conversations
Social Media is one the most critical marketing tools for the current retail sector. As a designer, it is important to have an online presence where you can engage with customers. Make sure your have a Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram and Snapchat and use them to interact with customers, bloggers and journalists in your area. By doing so, you will open your brand up to a world wide audience and help to strengthen it.
Facebook: It is important to post regularly, with relevant updates. You can also try to engage with your customers by posting poles or doing live Facebook videos showing you at work while taking questions from your followers. Facebook is one of the best channels for audience interaction and questions, but it will inevitably be the first place they go to complain, so keep an eye on all customer interaction.
Twitter: Much like Facebook, you should try to tweet regularly, ensuring your tweets are relevant and consistent with your brand. You could tweet about your latest design, a new fabric or pattern, your current line, some of the best sellers etc. Also, promote your other social media platforms as well as your sales channels. Another tip is to be seen to be tweeting with reaction to different collections during fashion week/cruise collections or other fashion business news to showcase your awareness of current developments. Keep the tone personal, approachable and interactive – get talking to people!
Instagram: Use Instagram to showcase your work by post images of each of your pieces. Show them individually and styled with different outfits to give your followers inspiration. If you see a piece from a high end designer similar to a design of yours, share that, with the relevant link to your item showing your customers how to get the look for less. Instagram is fast becoming the most relevant social media platform for fashion and offers a wonderful place to engage with other designers, customers or bloggers and journalists in your area. Instastories also offers you the chance to post daily updates and short videos of you at work as a designer or even offer sneak peeks of upcoming pieces. One of the best features of Instastories is the ability to tag where you are, adding to the Instastory of the locality, particularly helpful if you decide to upload a video of an event or showcase you are taking part it.
Snapchat: Although, Instastories has somewhat over taken Snapchat in recent months, having a Snapchat account can prove to be a critical social media tool in terms of engaging with followers and potential customers. Snapchat is a quick, hassle free means of taking customer questions and interacting with your audience. It is also a great tool if you want your personality as the designer to become part of your brand identity, as many people will feel like they can get to know you through the videos or images you post. Again, much like Instastories, you can post daily updates and short videos of you at work, offer sneak peeks of upcoming pieces, or tag where you are, adding to the Snapchat story for the local area.
By using social media, you can expand your audience and forge better relationships with the followers you have. Tools like Facebook Live/Instagram Live are great means of having long, engaging conversations with potential customers, rather than sporadic chat in a comments section.
People love what others are passionate about, and if your fashion line is your passion, then there is someone out there just waiting to discover it. How do they do that? Through your effective and efficient marketing strategy.
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If you are a young designer looking to make your mark in the retail sector and start your own fashion business, check out the following blog post for a strategy in negotiating the various challenges of going from a hobby-designer to a successful fashion business. It might also be a good idea to read last week’s blog post about how to identify your target customer or this post about the various challenges and opportunities for designers in the modern retail environment.
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TheGalway Designers Network are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
This is the number one question for any designer who hopes to take their work and turn it into a successful business. By understanding who your target audience is you can execute your product design and marketing messaging with precision and a definitive strategy enabling you to make strong business decisions and generate sales for growth. Essentially, the more specific you are about who your ideal customer is, the easier it will be to attract them.
Customer Profile
The key to customer acquisition is finding your niche.
In order to identify your ideal customer you need to be exactingly specific, focusing on explicit attributes and using this information to create your best client. Once you have become established, you may choose to expand your brand and attract a wider consumer base, the in the initial stages, it is critical to remain focused.
Initially, as a designer you should identify the following factors:
Demographics: age; gender; income; profession etc.
Psychographics: values; attitudes; belief systems etc.
Lifestyle: geographic location; leisure activities; travel etc.
Buying Habits: brand loyalty; price awareness; paying attention to the other brands they buy from
However, the most critical element is to define the specific needs of your ideal customer.
Does your client want to wear a dress to a wedding that they know no one else will have? Are they a mum of three who needs comfortable, easy to wash clothing? Are they a wealthy business woman who needs office wear that she can carry through to social events in the evening time?
What do they need and why are you the best option for them?
A successful business relies on one factor – a customer base who are willing to part with they money for your product because it meets their need, it really is as simple as that. By understanding why your customer is buying from you, it will make it much easier for you to give them the clothing or accessories they want.
How to Identify Your Customer
Some designers see themselves as their ideal customer, inspired by a desire to satisfy their own needs. If this is true for your brand, it will be to identify the specifics about your customer.
However, if this is not the case for your business, you will need to carry out some customer research. It is critically important that you do not try create a customer profile based on assumptions or guesswork because you will inevitably end up wrong about some aspect, no matter how easy you think it will be to build your customer profile.
Talk to your current customers or people you would consider to be your ideal customer. Find out the information regarding the attributes listed above as well as information regarding their needs. Spend time in your competitors stores, watching how the customer shops, the other bags they carry, how much they spend etc. Approach people as they shop and explain who you are and what you are trying to do. Research brands like yourself online to get a grasp of their customer base and then use this knowledge to inform your own. Start up designers sometimes prefer to do this themselves or you have the choice of hiring a company to do the research for you, the choice is really up to you based on what your budget can allow.
The fashion retail industry is an over saturated market place as it stands right now, with only more and more brands emerging every week. It is a highly competitive arena and without a loyal customer base, your business will flounder. An attempt to appeal to everyone will leave you constantly chasing your tail as you try to attract sales.
By defining your ideal customer, you can provide focus for your business, enabling your merchandise, branding, marketing and message to be consistent and which will target a customer who is somewhere out there, waiting and willing to hear what you have to say.
If you are a young designer looking to make your mark in the retail sector and start your own fashion business, check out the following blog post for a strategy in negotiating the various challenges of going from a hobby-designer to a successful fashion business.
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The Galway Designers Network are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the Galway Designers Studio HouseFacebook Page to read all about the project and how you can take part.
We want to invite you all to come along to our June Meet-up on Friday 23rd, in the Workbench Bank of Ireland.
This is an opportunity for us to catch up with what everyone is doing at the moment, meet new faces, have a chat, and tell you about news from our end!
Topics which will be covered:
– Details on the upcoming September Fashion Show
– News on our membership offer
– Update on the Studio House progress
– A meet & greet of each of us, with everyone getting a chance to introduce themselves and tell about their design business
– Sounding board for any issues as a designer which you would like to address in a future workshop/talk
There will be nibbles and drinks, and we will have quite a structured meeting in order to get everything covered..
Fashion retail is a multi billion euro industry with women’s clothing accounting for over fifty percent of total revenue. Once upon a time, fashion was strictly a seasonal business with most sales made in the run up to holidays or the start of school terms. Now the fashion retailing has become an year long booming industry with a constant and unyielding consumer turnover.
Now fashion retail is at a cross roads, facing certain challenges as well as many opportunities as it tries to negotiate the modern age. This week’s blog post will offer a brief look at some of these challenges and opportunities in the hope that we as members of the Galway Designers Network will be able adapt as we operate within the industry.
Challenges
1. Data Protection
The biggest challenge facing the retail sector today is protecting point of sale and customer data from security breaches. As stores interact with their customers online, data is being acquired by stores to ensure they meet their target market’s needs. This included vital personal information which must remain secure from hacking. In addition to this, retailers face the dilemma regarding the ethical consequences of selling this data to third parties for monetary gain.
2. Customer Acquisition
Retailers are struggling to continually drive traffic to their stores and keep returning customers. Now virtually all growth in consumer spending is being captured by e-commerce via online sales. Retailers need to stand out from not only their competitors but also from the online versions of their stores so as to ensure the store’s function in customer acquisition and retainment is relevant and successful.
3. Evolving Customer Profile
The contemporary consumer is highly informed, enabled by new technologies to access unprecedented amounts of information such as pricing, product reviews, newest trends etc. This means that retailers are finding it difficult to acquire loyalty or new customers altogether. Consumers expectations are higher than ever before; they want the best of everything – high quality merchandise, 100% availability, next-day delivery, free returns, excellent customer service – and they expect the best of everything.
Added to this, consumer class structure is evolving constantly as even the most affluent consumers find it strange to pay full price for most things, while lower and middle class consumers will push themselves into debt to afford faux luxury goods and services. This results in a difficult balancing act for retailers to stimulate purchases without being aggressive on price or delivering exceptional value.
Opportunities
1. Omnichannel System
The omnichannel system offers several opportunities for retailers. It gives customers the chance to experience effortlessness in their shopping experience and enables them to be in constant contact with a company through multiple avenues at the same time: by visiting the brick and mortar store, going online via the website or the app. They can research products and compare prices, which will ensure a company has to stay competitive to stay relevant. By completing purchases online and paying for in-store purchases via click-and-collect services, companies can also draw online consumers into their stores. An omnichannel system also gives retailers the flexibility to make near-real-time decisions to reroute products and streamline transportation to get the right products to the right locations at the right time, ensuring customer satisfaction.
2. Market Segmentation
Market segmentation enables retailers to identify the specific needs and wants of customer groups and using these insights to provide products and services which meet customer needs. Retailers can use market segmentation to ensure they do not find themselves facing a downturn in sales by creating and exploiting opportunities directed at the top and bottom consumer classes. The current rising income inequality gap has resulted in an ‘hourglass’ economy, which has placed a lot of pressure on the middle classes and an intriguing opportunity for retailers to attract the attention of the upper and lower income groups.
The top strata of consumers often account for a disproportionate amount of consumer expenditure and given they have the means to spend, it has resulted in more retailers coming out with faux luxury products or experiences and aiming them at this market. e.g. the personal shopping experience with complimentary champagne. On the other end of the consumer scale are the bottom strata consumers, who are more conscious about how and when they spend.
ZARA provide a perfect example of how they use market segmentation in their company to ensure strong sales in all three consumer strata. ZARA will often have a ‘studio’ or ‘premium’ collection, with a slightly higher price point and higher quality merchandise aimed at the top consumer class. Then for the squeezed middle classes, the ‘special’ prices section offers consumers a chance to purchase merchandise at a slightly discounted price point, and the stock available changes week to week as new stock drops. Finally for the bottom consumer class, ZARA’s biannual sale will enable consumers to become a ZARA customer through the heavily discounted seasonal merchandise.
3. Optimizing The Offline Sales Process
One of the biggest opportunities for growth in the retail sector is the proficiency of the offline sales experience. More customers are choosing to shop online, and while they may be loyal and recurring customers, they may never darken the door of the store front. The retail sector has the opportunity to convert more customers and increase sales by creating an efficient and inviting experience for customers in store. This can be achieved in several ways: the use of promotional events will drive incremental visits; click-and-collect/buy online and pick-up in store services must be executed flawlessly; a proficient, engaging and friendly staff dedicated to good customer service.
4. Inventory Management Processes
The retail sector now have the opportunity for to greatly improve and shorten inventory management processes thanks to developments in technology and the changing pace of the fashion cycle. Buying and selling seasons are no longer mutually exclusive and stock outs result in a loss of sales for retailers. Retailers have the opportunity now to choose the right inventory for their store/channel at the exact time it is required, not six months prior as was the tradition. This not only ensures the most up to date trends and styles are supplied by retailers, but also that stock replenishment can be accomplished efficiently. Now retailers must focus on flexibility and speed to market rather than cost cutting measures.
The future of fashion retailers is standing at a precipice, and how an individual retailer chooses to navigate the various challenges and opportunities will dictate the success of the industry as a whole.
If you are a young designer looking to make your mark in the retail sector and start your own fashion business, check out last week’s blog post for a strategy in negotiating the various challenges of going from a hobby-designer to a successful fashion business.
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The Galway Designers Network are looking to make our own mark in the fashion retail sector. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs, Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing and Virtue Shine of Emerald & Wax, but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the link to read all about the project and how you can take part.
— There are three dimensions of success within the designer fashion sector:
1 Creative acclaim (how the designer’s creativity is perceived)
2 Communications perception (public profile and awareness)
3 Commercial acclaim (how much sales and profits the designer generates)
This is how the report defines success, and while your outlook on success could be very different to commercial viability, for the purpose of the report and this blog post, I will define success in a similar way to the authors.
This post will offer 6 Tips which are based on some of the most critical and interesting points of the report and try to give up and coming designers a blueprint for turning your hobby into a successful business.
The report has striven to identify the biggest challenges designers may face and the best means to approaching and eventually conquering them. The report is based on information collected from a varied and knowledgeable group of people.
Acknowledgements, Commercialising Creativity
Tip 1: Behave like a Business
The business and creative side of being a designer need to become interconnected so it is critically important that from the start you treat your craft as a business. This means that you as a designer should embody entrepreneurial spirit that will drive your business towards success.
What do I mean by entrepreneurial spirit? I mean having a clear vision for your company and drafting a business plan right from the start. You should have a desire to promote yourself as being reliable and credible, more than someone just tinkering away in there kitchen. There’s noting wrong with tinkering away in your kitchen, as long as you are working towards a establishing a solid business.
It might also be worth considering bringing on board a business partner, someone with tried and tested commercial and business skills, to help out, although it is of the utmost importance that you as the designer have an understanding of the basis of commerciality.
Tip 2: Recognise the Importance of Product Development
Once you have decided you want to turn your talent into a business, the tendency can be there to show off everything you can do and create lots of beautiful designs. However, if you look at any emerging designer who was fortunate enough to find commercial success and establish themselves in the industry, they all started small with one product line and then developed their brand from this jumping off point. This is an important step to take as it creates a concise image of your brand which needs to be consistently intrinsic in all of your future work to give your business brand recognition.
Linked to this is the process of setting the correct price point to ensure commercial success. Ensure that you price your work accordingly, taking into consideration the cost of materials, manufacturing, delivery, market value as well as your cut as the designer of the piece. Too often, emerging designers will forgo their dues and pay themselves little to nothing, which results in them losing out on the much needed revenue to invest in their business.
It is also important to try to gain feedback from people who understand the commercial success of a designer, which surprisingly are not the press. The fashion buyer is an emerging designer’s best friend. While it may be super exciting to have your work featured in a local magazine or showcase, the only thing that will sustain your business is sales, not column inches.
Tip 3: Create your Brand Identity through Marketing & Advertising
There is no point in having a company if no one knows about it. Right from the beginning you should establish your brand identity, by which I mean how you want the public to perceive your business. This refers to the consumers perceptions about the product, the quality and the advantages your brand has over its competitors.
Young designers need to understand what they are and why they are starting their own businesses. If they do it, it is because they really believe that they have something to say that cannot be said in the context of Paul Smith or Oscar de la Renta or Dior.
Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director, The New York Times.
A strategised marketing and communications plan are key to building your brand. Understand your market share, your target audience and how you are going to approach your customers. While social media is critically important to tapping into the current fashion audience, there is a lot more to it than setting up an Instagram page. You need to create a disciplined approach to tackling your consumers and peaking their interests in an super-saturated market.
It is also important to see PR companies and the rest of the media as powerful aides in your broader marketing plan. Hiring a PR agent or company is probably one of the best steps you will ever take in taking your business to the next level, but you should only try to bring your work to the attention of a wider audience if your business can sustain it.
Tip 4: Tackle the Challenges of Production
As a designer and head of your business, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of the manufacturing process so as to ensure that you can make realistic demands. Creating a sustainable relationship with a reliable manufacturer will be the key your success. You will be faced with the ethical dilemma of choosing to manufacture locally, which while good for your local economy and local fashion industry but can prove to be expensive, or to outsource production overseas where it is cheaper but perhaps more questionable.
As a new business you may struggle with production. You’ll be placing smaller orders, which ultimately leaves you in a poor position to bargain with manufacturers. Often, a manufacturer will ask you for a deposit before you are anywhere near to receiving payment from a retailer. While this can be a difficult pill to swallow in the early stages, it is essential to make this payment or any other promptly so that production is not delayed. If you rescind on your promises to get deliveries to retailers, it will damage your credibility.
Tip 5: Find the Key to Sales and Distribution
In order to be a successful designer of a successful company, you need to make sales. Lots of them. The direct financing of you own independent store is not the only option when it comes to making sales. If you do wish to open a flagship store, there are numerous investment options such as partnerships or joint ventures like our own Galway Designers Studio House, franchising or to approach established retailers.
When approaching an established retailer, you need to attract the attention of buyers. Approach buyers with an understanding of your Unique Selling Point, how your product fits with all of the other brands they buy, a set price point and a well structured business.
I think what could be improved is the designers’ sense of place. They need to know how they compare to the competition. Who is going to buy the product? Where you would like to be sold, realistically? Will it be the right price? These questions have to be answered before picking up a pen to design.
Anne Pitcher, Managing Director, Selfridges
Designers need to fully understand the contractual conditions of working with retailers, distributing companies and sales agents. When deciding to take your business this step further, you must fully appreciate the various different channels and options available to you and the effect each choice could have on the business.
If you choose to create an online business, it is important to consider all of the advantages, disadvantages, opportunities and peculiarities of this choice. Selling online is entirely different to selling in-store. With no tangible items for a customer to hold or try on, it can be incredibly difficult to make sales. As a general rule, more colorful or printed products tend to be the best sellers, and any item that has an unusual shape or fit will be a tougher sell. However, having an online site will maximise your sales and increase your brand recognition.
Tip 6: Understand the Importance of Funding and Financing
Money, money money. At the very start, you will find your cash flow is going out a lot longer before it starts coming in. It is critically important therefore to know where your funding is coming from and keep your finances under control. In order to establish a successful fashion business, you need to appreciate the fact that the gap between funding your company and recovering revenue from the sales of your designs needs to be carefully managed with the utmost skill.
As a fashion business, you will need to be fully aware of the various funding options – loans, investors, grants etc – and and take into careful consideration what option is best to maximise your liquidity. Most businesses will bring an investor or two on board to gain some initial funding. If you choose to take a similar step you need to understand that you will lose some of the control over the business as you will have to meet their requirements and demands, so think very carefully and don’t undersell yourself and your share of the business.
The above tips offer just a brief snippet of what the full report explores. It has been written with the UK in mind, but all of the advice can be appropriated by anyone starting a fashion business.
Read the full “Commercialising Creativity Report” here to read case studies and educate yourself fully on the factors that contribute to the success or failure of a designer’s fashion business.
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Supporting emerging designers in the fashion industry is of particular importance to us here at the Galway Designers Network. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by young designers, Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs, Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing and Virtue Shine of Emerald & Wax, but they need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the link to read all about the project and how you can take part.
Following from last week’s blog post an interesting thought struck me. While female empowerment is one of the biggest fashion trends for Summer 2017, why is it that female empowerment in the industry itself is such a rarity. Why is it a current trend rather than an eternal staple?
Currently, the majority of creative directors for luxury fashion brands are men. Why? Is it that men are more talented, more deserving? No.
Women are miles ahead of the game in other areas: two of the arguably most powerful figures in the industry are women: Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, and Linda Fargo, senior vice-president and women’s fashions director for Manhattan based department store Bergdorf Goodman.
Anna Wintour – Image via Koket
Linda Fargo – Image via Gotham Magazine
However, in the design field, women are still trailing behind their male counterparts. Let’s take take the three biggest luxury fashion conglomerates: LVMH Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton, Kering and Richemont, and examine them. Out of over 15 fashion and leather good’s brands owned by LVMH, only 4 of them are led by women. They are Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior, Phoebe Philo at Céline, Carol Lim at Kenzo, a shared position with Humberto Leon, and Silvia Venturini Fendi who is the creative director for accessories & men’s for Fendi. Within Kering, there are only 2 women heading the 8 brands: Stella McCartney is the creative director for her own label and Sarah Burton helm’s Alexander McQueen. Finally, within Richemont, there is only Natacha Ramsay Levi, the creative director for Chloé.
Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior
Phoebe Philo, Céline
Carol Lim, Kenzo
Silvia Venturini Fendi, Fendi
Stella McCartney, Stella McCartney
Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen
Natacha Ramsay Levi, Chloé
Major fashion colleges such as Central Saint Martins and New York’s Fashion Institute boast a huge majority of female students who win exceptional placements and excellent graduate jobs. LVMH, Kering and Richemont all boast excellent relationships with leading business schools around the world. In terms of these fashion conglomerates, Delphine Arnault of LVMH is a lone she-wolf among male executives.
Delphine Arnault, LVMH
While many of the world’s fashion houses were established by women many of them have since been taken over by men: Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Madeleine Vionnet, Elsa Schiaparelli, Nina Ricci and Marie-Louise Carven.
Coco Chanel
Jeanne Lanvin
Madeleine Vionnet
Elsa Schiaparelli
Nina Ricci
Marie-Louise Carven
There are exceptions that prove the rule. We have the likes of Miuccia Prada, Rei Kawakubo, Tory Burch, Angela Missoni, Donatella Versace, and Consuelo Castiglioni, all of whom either achieved their success by inheriting a family business or by starting their own.
Miuccia Prada
Rei Kawakubo
Tory Burch
Angela Missoni
Donatella Versace
Consuelo Castiglioni
It is a thought that leaves us with many questions. Perhaps it is that female designers are seen as less pioneering or innovative than their male counterparts? Is it that idea that women are incapable of balancing family and work life? Are women more interested in the glamorous side of the industry rather than the business? Is it sexism and male privilege?
The appointments of Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christian Dior, Natacha Ramsay Levi at Chloé, Claire Waight Keller at Givenchy and Bouchra Jarrar for Lanvin show that the tide is turning, but is it soon enough?
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Supporting women in the fashion industry is of particular importance to us here at the Galway Designers Network. Our current project the Galway Designers Studio House has been established by three women, Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs, Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing and Virtue Shine of Emerald & Wax, but these women need your help to make their dream a reality. Follow the link to read all about the project and how you can take part.
We may be halfway’s through the month of May already but there are so many more weeks of Spring Summer Wear to come. Here in Galway, we have been particularly lucky with the weather of late and all the bright sunshine has us looking forward to the what will hopefully be a beautiful summer. This week’s post will offer a concise round up of four of the stand out Summer’17 fashion trends to give you all some fun styling and design inspiration to enjoy over the next few months
Girl Power
There has been a turn in the tide recently in the fashion industry as four female designers have recently taken over the role of director for some of the most well established European fashion houses. With the appointments of Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior, Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, Natacha Ramsay-Levi at Chloé and Bouchra Jarrar for Lanvin, feminism has been one of the key themes this season. SS’17 is all about empowering women and celebrating femininity with our fashion choices. Maria Grazia Chiuri started the trend when she showcased slogan t-shirts with ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ emblazoned across the front in her first collection for Dior and designers like Isabel Marant and Stella McCartney have also been taking part in this new feminist trend. The High Street have been quick to follow with Topshop doing some of their own versions here and here. The slogan t-shirt is one of the easiest trends to try this season, adding a new contemporary vibe to even the most basic of ensembles.
Dior SS’17 via Vogue.com
Dior SS’17 via Vogue.com
Stella McCartney SS’17 via Vogue.com
Stella McCartney SS’17 via Vogue.com
Topshop
Topshop
Pretty in Pink
Pink, pink, pink everywhere! If the summer of 2017 is going to go down in fashion industry for any single trend, it will be for the colour pink (and possibly the bell sleeve). From powder pink to fuschia, if you want to wear one colour that will signify that you know about trends, then wear pink. All shades were seen everywhere during fashion month on the catwalks of design heavyweights like Céline, Balenciaga, Vetements and Valentino. Every brand are doing their bit to ensure they are a port of call for the Millenium Pink Brigade, with brands like ASOS, ZARA, Topshop, Dunnes Stores, COS and & Other Stories all embracing the pink trend. For those of you who really want to kick it up a notch, team your pink pieces with vibrant red shades to ensure you look chic and on trend for spring summer.
Balenciaga SS’17 via Vogue.com
Vetements SS’17 via Vogue.com
Céline SS’17 via Vogue.com
Valentino SS’17 via Vogue.com
Savida at Dunnes Stores
ZARA
Asymmetry
The asymmetrical hemline is a key silhouette for Summer 2017. As one of the most innovative design motifs seen on the catwalks this season asymmetry highlights and elongates the body, showcasing the fluidity of fabrics to their fullest extent. The trend started on the catwalks at Proenza Schouler, Monse, Magda Butrym and Isabel Marant, and has made its way into the high street retailers like ASOS and ZARA as well as brands like our own Kizmet Clothing. The trend is super easy to wear and offers an exciting chance to refresh your wardrobe.
Proenza Schouler SS’17 via Vogue.com
Proenza Schouler SS’17 via Vogue.com
Monse SS’17 via Vogue.com
Magda Butrym SS’17 via Vogue.com
Kizmet Clothing
ZARA
Hyper Florals & Eccentric Prints
While floral is a print that returns every season, this Summer the ever present motif has had a whole new revamp, bursting onto the fashion scene in bright acidic colours. Linked to this trend is the eccentric, vibrant coloured print trend which has been dominating the season so far. High end designers like Chloé, Balenciaga, Dries Van Noten and Dolce & Gabbana have showcased beautiful pieces with immense vibrancy, exotic blooms and unusual colour combinations. Our own Emerald & Wax is known for her daring prints and her work sits perfectly alongside her designer counterparts as well as high street brands like ZARA, Glamorous, River Island, Warehouse and Oasis. The key to wearing this trend in the best way is to ensure that the positioning of the print is of a flattering shape for your body. Mix these bold prints with other prints like stripes or gingham to ensure you are really upping your style game.
Balenciaga SS’17 via Vogue.com
Chloé SS’17 via Vogue.com
Dries Van Noten SS’17 via Vogue.com
Dolce & Gabbanna SS’17 via Vogue.com
Warehouse
Emerald & Wax
With Autumn fast approaching, take the opportunity to make the most of your Summer wardrobe and experiment with new trends, silhouettes and styles, because before you know it, we will all be wrapped up in parkas, camel coats and black ankle boots, trudging through the Irish winter.
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P.S.
Have you heard about what’s on the cards for Summer here with the Galway Designers Network, May Gathering & Galway Designers Studio House? Follow the links to read all about our current projects and how you can take part.
The fashion industry has undergone some pretty significant changes over the course of the new millennium.
Trends are dictated less and less by one It-Girl/Celebrity or one designer showing in Paris/London/New York/Milan and there is a surplus of disposable income like never before. As a result of this new found financial freedom, fashion is starting to become dictated by us, the People, as we have more money to spend on the clothes we want. We as consumers and fashion lovers have drastically changed the ways designers, creative directors and buyers have had to approach their jobs.
This week’s blog post is going to explore three new developments in the current fashion landscape which have been directly influenced by us and how we are approaching fashion in a modern world.
One of the biggest developments in fashion in recent years is the move towards socially just, organic or fair-trade fashion. The cosmopolitan middle class of the industrialised nations in the Western World are more aware than ever, thanks to the widespread availability of news and media, how immoral some clothing production and manufacturing methods have become. No longer ignorant to the damage fast fashion has caused, designers and buyers are increasingly looking for goodly alternatives to satisfy the now savvy consumer.
The LOHAS Market
Consumers are now looking for fashionable clothing which has been manufactured under environmentally friendly and socially just conditions. Designers and buyers have to make smart decisions in order to meet the high standards of this new target market, an educated middle to upper class grouping known as LOHAS, which stands for lifestyle of health and sustainability. These people want to buy clothing that is socially conscious but without any concession on style. Nowadays, ethical fashions are compatible with the desire for mass consumption, given they are no longer inferior to the mass produced competition.
Fashion with Social Criteria
Designers and buyers have to look out for materials which have been grown or processed organically without the use of chemicals, pesticides or pollutants, and without the wasteful use of natural resources like water. They have to ensure that they are liaising with suppliers who are ensuring an infallible application of social criteria in regards to working conditions whereby the staff receive reasonable wages and working hours, adequate health and safety protections as well as a ban on any child labour. The current move towards market globalisation along with technological advances have meant that production, networking, purchasing and shipping of clothing for the Western market have created numerous ethical black holes for consumers. We as consumers are aware more than ever before of the hazardous conditions in which some clothing is produced for the West, and the fashion industry have become acutely aware of the resulting backlash.
Gone are the days of fair-trade fashion being associated with hemp trousers – sustainability is chic, and the People have created a need to meet the growing gap in the market.
Today, fashion shows are being streamed live and we, the consumer, have become obsessed with shortening the turnaround from catwalk to wardrobe. As a result, the fashion industry has had to change in ways like never before and the fashion cycle has had to evolve to keep up with consumer demand. Gone are the days of design houses showcasing looks in a catwalk presentation and the consumer having to wait six months for the new collection to drop. Designers like Burberry and Tommy Hilfiger have adopted a ‘See Now – Buy Now’ model with catwalk looks being readily available as soon as the clothing hits the runway. Consumers want to be as trendy and fashion forward as possible as soon as possible and this has created a whole new dynamic in the fashion industry.
The rise of the Fashion Blogger Fashion blogging is reshaping the fashion cycle as the People have looked to bloggers more and more as a source of inspiration. If a blogger has it, a designer, buyer or retailer knows the customer will want it sooner rather than later. No better way to have your item sell out than have it featured in a blogger’s Instagram. Consumers do not want to wait to have their favourite bloggers latest accessory, which has shifted the fashion cycle from a waiting game to a now is not soon enough space.
The idea of a fashion cycle is becoming more and more obsolete as we as consumers have decided to disregard its rules and we slowly move towards a constant and immediate fashion continuum.
Technological developments in recent years have had a dramatic effect on fashion. The advent of the smartphone and laptop have created new tools to harness our interests by enabling us to constantly keep up to date with fashion news through multiple media channels: online newspapers and magazines, fashion blogs, fashion related YouTube subscriptions and other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. We are living in a sea of continuous fashion feeds and designers have to create work that is not only trend driven but also conscious of the fashion culture within which they are being created and viewed to satisfy the interests of their consumer base. Designers are no longer creating clothing with a view to how it will look on a runway or in a printed magazine; now they have to create with a square Instagram frame or YouTube thumbnail in mind.
Your Order is on its way: The Internet & Changing Shopping Habits
Technology has streamlined business interactions and impacted consumers shopping habits unlike nothing before. We are conducting transactions in a much more efficient manner than ever before. With a few simple clicks, we can have clothing at our front door in a matter of hours. The advent of e-commerce has meant that designers and retailers now not only have to stay connected to the people who walk in and out of their stores, but they also have to form a critical understanding of the customers who buy from their brand online. Our choice to consume much of our fashion content and conduct purchasing online has given designers and buyers the opportunity to form a comprehensive study of a detailed analysis of our buying habits in having access to our internet history. Technology has been able to capture consumer information which is critical for designers and buyers when making decisions about a future seasons’ range plan i.e. size, colour, silhouette, macro/micro-trends etc.
By understanding the influence technology has had on us as consumers, designers and buyers can assess market trends, enabling them to make smart decisions in the future.
The biggest change to have struck the fashion industry in recent times is the influential role our voice as consumers has begun to have. We are dictating the trends in deciding what we want to buy and while there are those still out there who will heed the advice of Anna Wintour and her ilk, more and more designers and buyers are coming directly to us, the People.
Unfortunately, with great regret, we have to cancel this weekends gathering. There was a double booking and mix up in the venue so sadly, we found out today it cannot go ahead this weekend. We are looking to still have the brunch on Sunday to meet and chat and see where we all are at!
Please let us know asap if you want to attend that so we can confirm booking.
We will rearrange another date for the gathering, and will be back in touch soon with further details.
Those of you who already booked, will be refunded.
Our sincere apologies, please pm if you have any issues or queries.
Gayle & Ann xxx
This is a 3 day event taking place from Friday May 26th to Sunday May 28th. It will be aimed at helping current and prospective members of the Network in the art of building connections and learning more about how to start or grow your business.
Graham Clarke – Seminar, Friday 26th
Pop-Up Market – Workbench, Saturday 27th
Brunch – 56 Central, Sunday 28th
On Friday evening there will be a Seminar from the knowledgeable Graham Clarke. Graham Clarke is the manager of the Workbench in Galway and is heavily involved in the Network and was an amazing resource and help for us during our Galway Fashion Showcase in March. The seminar will take place in from 6-8pm in the Workbench, located in the Bank of Ireland premises on Mainguard Street here in Galway City. With years of practical experience and degree in business and finance, Graham has a wealth of knowledge regarding start up businesses. Graham will be giving his insight into what you need to do as a start-up business, providing the where, what & how to knowledge necessary. The Seminar will provide a great opportunity to learn, ask questions and get to know other designers in Galway and the surrounding area.
On Saturday, The Workbench and Bank of Ireland have kindly offered us the space to have a Pop-Up Market. There from 12-6pm, the Market will be open to the public, offering designers the opportunity to utilize the space and set up a table or rail where they can showcase and sell designs.
On Sunday, there will be a delicious Brunch for designers and members of the Network. The brunch will take place in 56 Central, on Shop Street, from 12pm. The Brunch will offer designers the chance to come together, chat, enjoy some good food and coffee. This will just be an opportunity for us all to get together and share impressions about the weekend, provide everyone with the chance to offer feedback, reviews, new ideas for the Network going forward while enabling us to get to know one another a bit better.
To take part in May Gathering, we encourage designers to purchase a ticket for €25. This price covers all events from the weekend, including the Brunch. To book your ticket, email galwayfashionshowcase@gmail.comand we will send you Paypal invoice with details.
May Gathering is just the start of what the Network hopes will be series of similar events. We are always looking for new and exciting designers or anyone who feels they would love to be involved in the Network. Get in touch by commenting below, via Facebook @galwaydesignersnetwork, via Instagram @galway_designersnetworkor email galwayfashionshowcase@gmail.com.
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P.S.
Have you heard about one of the Network‘s current projects, Galway Designers Studio House? Find out what you can do to help make this dream a reality.
The Galway Designers Network are delighted to announce some incredibly exciting news: Galway Designers Studio House.
Galway Designers Studio House: Providing a space for you to grow your business.
The Galway Designers Studio House will be a venue, rather than a store, created for the purpose of offering a solid space for designers to sell their merchandise, whilst also offering a designated hub for people to come together, collaborate and learn something new as well as promote themselves and their business.
The vision for Galway Designers Studio House has grown from a need to create a new shopping experience, enabling consumers to step away from high street and department stores, from faceless fast fashion, and towards supporting local industry and ethical fashion.
A Store & A Studio.
The structure of Galway Designers Studio House will be two-fold: a store and a studio.
Within the store, local designers will have the opportunity to ‘rent’ a rail/table/window display, which will give them the much needed chance for exposure and getting their designs and their names into the minds of the wider public.
This studio is a space onsite will enable designers to work in a professional environment, helping you to get your designs/work stations out of your spare room. The studio will also serve as a venue for information evenings, networking events, courses and showcases to not only boost the profits of a designer’s business but also to offer education, tools and support to take the business to the next level.
The hardest part of being an independent designer is having your voice heard and your creative vision seen; Galway Designers Studio House offers you the chance to achieve just that!
Gayle, Ann & Virtue: The 3 women behind the idea.
This is an idea that has been created by three members of our Network, Gayle Poppers of Kizmet Clothing, Ann Petrov of Cozy Handmade Designs and Virtue Shine of Emerald & Wax. All three women have a desire to come together and combine their passion and experience to create a new avenue for their respective businesses. Each of these women have been designers and members of the fashion industry for a long time, and have gained extensive, essential experience in not only design, but also styling, marketing, event management and merchandising.
Below are some photographs of the three ladies so you can put faces to names and some thumbnail images of examples of some of their own stunning design work:
Gayle Poppers & Ann Petrov
Virtue Shine
Kizmet Clothing
Kizmet Clothing
Kizmet Clothing
Cozy Handmade Designs
Cozy Handmade Designs
Cozy Handmade Designs
Emerald & Wax
Emerald & Wax
Emerald & Wax
Help make this dream a reality!
Gayle, Ann and Virtue have set up a crowdfunding campaign, to not only raise the much needed funds to back such an ambitious project, but to encourage everyone to get involved and support your local fashion industry. Galway is a hub of talented designers, innovators, crafters, stylists, models and photographers, and a project like the Galway Designers Studio House will be beneficial to everyone who wants to be a part of this special industry.
Gayle, Ann and Virtue have set a target of €11,000 in order to get the project up and running. This money will cover the costs of renting a secure premises, utilities, rates, fittings etc. The money will also go towards creating a strong and innovative marketing campaign which will help to spread the word, encourage more designers to join and ensure customers come flooding through the doors. With a detailed and extensive business plan in place, Gayle, Ann and Virtue can see the potential success this business will have, all they need is a little helping hand to get project off the ground.
You donate, we give you presents!
By donating some your money to this project, you will not only ensure that designers have the chance to achieve the dreams they have always longed for, you will also receive some special gifts as a reward to show you all our appreciation. We know you work exceptionally hard for your money, and we do not want you to think that we take your kindness for granted.
Donations of varying values will receive the following gifts from Gayle, Ann and Virtue:
€10+ : A specially designed thank you card & a specially designed tote bag.
€25+ : A specially designed thank you card & tote bag along with a 10% discount card to use in store.
€50+ : A specially designed thank you card & tote bag, along with a voucher for €20 to use in the store, a front row invitation to our networks bi-annual fashion shows, and a personal invite to the launch of the shop.
€100+ : All of the above, with an increased voucher of €50, along with a token gift and a VIP invite to the launch of the shop.
€250+ : All of the above, with an increased voucher of €75 to use in store along with a hamper of goodies worth €100.
€500+ : A very personal specially designed thank you card, a special mention on our website as a sponsor, VIP membership card which provides VIP invites to all our events, workshops and courses along with the store opening launch event. You will also receive 3 x €100 vouchers to spend on our in-house designers clothing lines.
Let’s make this happen!
If everyone gives, even a little, we can soon make this dream a reality, a dream that not only will benefit the designers involved, but also any potential designers who see that they too can have their individual voices heard and become successful, fulfilled and happy in their work.
What is the benefit? It will always inevitably end up costing more than purchasing from fast fashion or franchised stores. So why is it important?
Small businesses are vital to the success of a community.
By supporting local designers, you are ensuring the longevity of Irish design. They give character to a community. They give Irish design an identity and offer up and coming designers inspiration and a framework to follow.
Supporting local Irish design improves the quality of Irish design.
Yes, every high-street franchise is the same, which makes everyone feel at like they belong, but not everyone wants to or should belong in generic high street stores. Some people want to buy unique to feel unique. Independent designers give people that choice. It is where excitement and innovation happens, where new ideas can grow and trends can be made.
By supporting local design, you can ensure complete transparency.
If you purchase any item of clothing from a high-street brand, more than likely, it has been made in Asia. You do not know its history, who made it, how they made it, what conditions were they working in, were they paid adequate wages etc. Local designers make their merchandise accessible and offer a much needed clarity to a sometimes cloudy industry.
Buying Irish designs fosters a relationship between customer, clothing and designer.
Supporting the endeavours of designers in your area not only creates social capital and mutual goodwill but also strengthens social bonds. It gives personality to the brand and offers you a face to put to a name to ensure your opinions are heard. It offers an invaluable learning opportunity by allowing for curiosity, exploration and the learning of something new. You can identify the designer by name. We all feel like were in this together, on the same fashion journey.
Supporting locally owned businesses supports the the local economy.
The profits of a business are not being siphoned off to a head office somewhere else. Local businesses are more likely to use local suppliers and this in turn supports the local economy. This is a huge benefit to not only the local economy but also the environment by manufacturing locally, reducing their carbon footprint – always an added bonus.
The Galway Designers Network hopes you will try to support our designers and the hundred others like us. We are always looking for new designers who feel they would love to be involved in the Network and make their mark in the local fashion community.
Please leave a comment below as we would love to hear from you, about what you do and where you would like to see your business develop to!
Founded in February 2017, we are a group of hardworking, creative and innovative designers based in Galway and the West of Ireland looking to help and support each other.
The Network is open to all design genres and all backgrounds: jewellery, millinery, clothing, EVERYTHING!
The Network is a support system with regular meet ups, online support and recurring events which will enable each member to grow and expand within their creative field. The Galway Designers Network wants to boost each of its members, share ideas, offer advice and build a close community of talent and support.
Don’t give up on your dreams; if you want to do something and you are passionate about it, the Galway Designers Network is the place for you.
Through joining our Network, you will receive our regular newsletter which will give info on upcoming events, news and assistance which will help with your design business.
Please leave a comment below as we would love to hear from you, about what you do and where you would like to see your business develop to!
I always had an interest in fashion, my nana would have made clothes for us in the past and I suppose I knew from then I had an interest in Fashion. I started out in Galway Technical Institute for two years studying fashion design and graduated from St Angela’s College in Sligo studying BA in Fashion Design, Textiles with business management.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
I am based at home, I work full time in Retail and I do my fashion part time. Hopefully one day my career in fashion will be a full time job.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
I absolutely love Ashi Studios the designs are very structured but elegant and this is an interest I have also. Another designer I’m in awe of is Balmain he is amazing I love his beading and his placements on garments and especially the fabrics he uses.
Tell us about the last collection you created and the inspiration behind it?
My latest collection is based on the Aran Island’s on inish mor. The concept came from the natural habitat and surroundings of the Island. My colour story is very rich deep tones combined with soft colours that reflect the true beauty of the island.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
I love working with leather and suede although they can be tricky to get used too. I like to work with other materials such as chiffon and organza to have simplicity and flow. Knitwear is also a favourite of mine.
What are your next steps with your brand?
I’m looking to expand my business and open my own store in the future.
What connections do you have to other designers and how do you feel about collaboration?
I think its great to learn new techniques of other designers and it’s a great way of getting to know the designers network. I am working on establishing my own brand at the moment and that’s my main interest and ambition.
If you could only choose one piece of design, what would it be?
If it had to be one piece I think it would have to be the fur top and leather blue skirt.
You can find more of her work on FacebookandInstagram .
First Show starts @ 5.30pm
Doors open 5pm
Interval @ 6.15pm – TheDirty Circus Performance
Second Show @ 6.45pm
There will be a Pop-Up Prosecco Bar provided for your refreshment
After the show, you are invited to join the ‘Afterparty’ for some cocktails above in the Tribeton Bar.
Tickets are €12 and can be purchased from Tribeton or from the Galway Designers Studio House, located in the Cornstore Mall.
They can also be purchased on the door for €15
Limited standing tickets available on the door for €7
Tickets get you a seat with goodie bag and 20% discount off any Tribeton food purchases
Photograph by Kasia Ratajczak in association with Ros Model Management.
How did you begin your interest in design?
I have always loved designing, when I was young i made clothes for my barbies and other dolls. That was only time I was actually playing with them. When I got older I figured that I didn’t like clothes what were in shops and tried to make my own clothes out of my mum’s or sisters old clothes. So it has been always there. My love to knit and crochet has just well blended into it.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
Great thing about knit and crochet is that I can take it EVERYWHERE! But I am yarn hoarder by shame. I have a studio at home full of wool/yarn.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
I love pops of colour, and many high end designers, eg. Vivienne Westwood, have inspired me and I would have followed their work. Lately I find hard to get inspirations from catwalks. I really enjoyed Versace and Chanel’s new AW18/19 collection and it has made me excited for next season. It hasn’t happened for long time.
Tell us about the last collection you created and the inspiration behind it?
I wanted to use pink and grey contrast and be dearing. Also move away from accessories and do more clothing. I love pink roses or any flowers, I use them in my house and against grey background. So Feminine delicate soul with the strong mind would be the idea behind it.
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
I pick colours first then details and then work my way around it. Lot of the times I let wool to take me places, “wondering hook” so called. I try to sketch down if I have idea and have mood boards handy to stay in track.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
Natural fibres like cotton, merino, alpaca etc etc. Silk, casmere and viscous has really come now my attention as well, specially when they have been blended in with one of the main wool produce.
What are your next steps with your brand?
AW18/19! Absolutely smitten about it!
What connections do you have to other designers and how do you feel about collaboration?
I love working with other designers and pass on my knowledge or take on theirs when
needed. I don’t see myself as competiton nor do I see them to be mine. Instead I like to consider us as bid strong creative family where we support each other and encourage each other to look and reach bigger.
If you could only choose one piece of design, what would it be?
Probably my gold top what am I going to wear on the event! Its casmere and merino mix,
there is movement and I absolutely love that colour!
Tell us a funny story/highlight from your career?
I think it must be how I met Gayle, My Wifey and business partner. We knew each other for quite a while but never really made effort to meet. One failed market together with kids in tow and next thing we were organising fashion show! We have had rows but she is the rock who gets me up and keeps me going when I want to throw in the towel. I dont think I would have done all of it without her!
Ann Petrov is one of the featured designers in theGalway Designers S/S Fashion Showcase ’18
First Show starts @ 5.30pm
Doors open 5pm
Interval @ 6.15pm – TheDirty Circus Performance
Second Show @ 6.45pm
There will be a Pop-Up Prosecco Bar provided for your refreshment
After the show, you are invited to join the ‘Afterparty’ for some cocktails above in the Tribeton Bar.
Tickets are €12 and can be purchased from Tribeton or from the Galway Designers Studio House, located in the Cornstore Mall.
They can also be purchased on the door for €15
Limited standing tickets available on the door for €7
Tickets get you a seat with goodie bag and 20% discount off any Tribeton food purchases
My designs are all vintage inspired, my love of vintage goes back to childhood.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
I work from home, which is great as I have a three year old toddler who loves ribbons and feathers almost as much as I do
What artists and designers have inspired you over time?
I’m very inspired by historic milliners, such asCaroline Reboux who invented the cloche hat. I also adore the sophistication of vintage coco Chanel.
Tell us about the last collection you created and the inspiration behind it?
My recent work is mostly inspired by the 1930s with lots of turbans and heavy embellishments.
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
I work in a very free flowing and organic way, letting the material shine as much as possible.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
I love natural materials like wool felt and silks.
What connections do you have to other designers and how do you feel about collaboration?
I love working with other designers, most frequently I work with kinsale based Charlotte and Jane and Limerick based Caroline Mitchell. I love coming up with a hat to finish an outfit
If you could only choose one piece of design, what would it be?
Irene Curran is one of the featured designers in theGalway Designers S/S Fashion Showcase ’18
First Show starts @ 5.30pm
Doors open 5pm
Interval @ 6.15pm – TheDirty Circus Performance
Second Show @ 6.45pm
There will be a Pop-Up Prosecco Bar provided for your refreshment
After the show, you are invited to join the ‘Afterparty’ for some cocktails above in the Tribeton Bar.
Tickets are €12 and can be purchased from Tribeton or from the Galway Designers Studio House, located in the Cornstore Mall.
They can also be purchased on the door for €15
Limited standing tickets available on the door for €7
Tickets get you a seat with goodie bag and 20% discount off any Tribeton food purchases
I think I’ve always needed to have an artistic outlet, as a child I would have been constantly drawing everything around me and became interested in sewing as a teenager. As well as being glued to The Clothes Show every Sunday afternoon, especially fashion week specials. As an adult I became interested in the technical side of making and found that costume in theatre and film/TV was the perfect place to combine that skill and the love of watching characters come to life. I would say it was through working on period productions that I fell in love with vintage underpinnings, my start has been a very practical hands on approach. From getting to make beautiful clothes with luxurious fabrics, to dressing cast and seeing how they work. I love the way a piece of cloth when it iscut and draped the right way can transform the person inside.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
My daily practice is between home and a studio in town, it all depends on where I am in the process as to where the best place to be is.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
Vivienne Westwood was probably one of the first and over the years Gautier, Commes des Garçon, Alexander McQueen, Galliano and of course Chanel and Dior through to performance artist Leigh Bowery who’s crazy imagination always gets me excited.
Tell us about the last collection you created and the inspiration behind it?
The last collection I created was for street spectacle theatre company Macnas in October 2017. Even thought I have 17 years experience designing and making this will be my first personal collection under the name Vintage Desire Boutique. I’m very excited to finally bring a dream that has been bubbling away for a while to reality, 1930’s lingerie and Art Deco architecture have been the inspiration for thiscollection.
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
I’m very much a process based designer, as in my approach usually starts off with a fabric that inspired me. I love working directly on the mannequin, drapping and shaping around the form. Understanding the properties of the fabric. Then I sketch to refine the idea, which leads me onto pattern drafting and making prototypes of the garments. This way you see if there are still aspects that need to be refined. for this collection I have been drawn to silk and satin, but I also love working with leather and I fully expect that to creep in too.
What are your next steps with your brand?
I’m still at the beginning stages of this, so developing a social media presence and working on the website are the next steps for me.
What connections do you have to other designers and how do you feel about collaboration?
As an artist I have collaborated many times in the theatre world and always enjoy and always enjoy and appreciate the connection you make and how the work grows through honest communication and an openness to share and learn. As for my own work, well I’m only just starting to bring this to life so this is my baby right now. Let’s see what the future holds.
If you could only choose one piece of design, what would it be?
I honestly can’t choose one piece of design…The world is full of amazing creativity.
Tell us a highlight from your career?
I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to travel and work with wonderful people. I think getting to work in Austin Texas in 2016 with Macnas and bring magic to the streets will always be something I’ll never forget. But right now being part of the S/S 2018 fashion showcase and starting on this new journey is a very big personal highlight and one I’m bursting with excitement about
Cherie White is one of the featured designers in theGalway Designers S/S Fashion Showcase ’18
First Show starts @ 5.30pm
Doors open 5pm
Interval @ 6.15pm – TheDirty Circus Performance
Second Show @ 6.45pm
There will be a Pop-Up Prosecco Bar provided for your refreshment
After the show, you are invited to join the ‘Afterparty’ for some cocktails above in the Tribeton Bar.
Tickets are €12 and can be purchased from Tribeton or from the Galway Designers Studio House, located in the Cornstore Mall.
They can also be purchased on the door for €15
Limited standing tickets available on the door for €7
Tickets get you a seat with goodie bag and 20% discount off any Tribeton food purchases
I’ve always had an interest in design, and I had an opportunity a couple of years ago to explore my interest in fashion. I did a few dressmaking courses in Dublin, hosted by Roisin Cross Silks (RCS) that were taught by some of Ireland’s leading designers for Wedding Dresses. Some of my classmates designed knitwear and handbags. One of the attendees recommended Lina Stein’s international Millinery School located on the doorstep of Westport. I contacted Lina and everything took off from there.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
I am based at home and was fortunate to be turn my hobby room into a more dedicated and focused workspace.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
Inspiration comes from the nature around me, catwalk trends, historic fashion plates and classic movies 1930’s-1950’s. Classic designers such as Givenchy, YSL are a great source for generating new ideas. Exploring the RCS fabric showrooms is great firming up ideas on colour and fabric choices. Judith is great on suggesting colour combinations.
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
I tend to play around a little with an idea, decide how it will be attached, test materials on a shape, prepare base or frame, constantly checking the emerging piece in the mirror until it is fully finished. I am a big fan of having pieces fully hand stitched, it would be extremely rare for me to use glue instead of hand stitching.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
I work with sinamay, buckram, felt, sisal, tressa braids, esparterie, leather, thermoplastics to develop the foundation shape. I love working with silk, the finish is truly sumptuous. In addition to freeform pieces I enjoy working with blocks. I recently started collaborating with Colman of C G Hat blocks (facebook.com/C-G-Hat-Blocks) in Co. Galway on some bespoke new and exciting fascinator and hat shapes.
My interest in design began when I was in craft school. When I finished at the school I started making very elongated feature mirrors inspired by 1920s rectilinear designs. These looked like metal but were actually made from recycled cardboard. I worked on these pieces alongside interior designers, shops and at one stage a set designer, until I packed it in to go to art college to do a degree in painting.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
My studio is at my home in the Ox Mountains, County Mayo. These are pre-ice age low mountains, and they are fantastic to get lost in on a painting expedition. Or any kind of an expedition, for that matter. It’s a beautiful place to be.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
Designers/Artists? I love love glam and punk looks- I love Pam Hogg’s work for example. One the other end of the scale, Edith Head is a top favourite of mine – the clothes she designed for film are swoon-worthy. I’m drawn to geometric, stepped designs from Art Deco. It all goes in the mix. I won’t go there with painters – I’d be here all day!
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
My process always starts with sketches. I usually then surface pattern various textiles using batik techniques- brush, tjap, tjanting, sgraffito. Mark-making and creating a painterly look is very important to me. I love to layer these patterned textiles, creating textures along the way. Then I refer back to the shapes I’ve drawn and start to construct the pieces, one item at a time. Each jewelry piece is one-of-a-kind.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
I love working with any raw material that can be surface patterned. I like everyday/humble material that can be manipulated into something glamorous or luscious – I really have a lot of fun doing this.
If you could only choose one piece of design, what would it be?
My choice of one piece of design? Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair- Yes Please….Thank You! I could live on this chair, and dream, and sketch…!
I’ve started my adventure with soutache in 2014, and the year after I became a mom. Because of many reasons, I couldn’t go back to work and it was terribly irritating that I had nothing to do besides dealing with the house and kid. The role of a housewife didn’t suit me well. So I decided with my friend, that we open a small business based on local Irish markets with handmade things. Again I tried many techniques, among other loom beading which I have come back to after a long time. The idea of working together died very quickly but I’m still here.
I thought soutache was something that I wanted to try, but I was afraid that the time it took would discourage me, so I ordered just a few meters of cord, some beads and I looked for tutorials and just began sewing. At first, I was basing it on tutorials available on the network and copied the patterns that I liked, (I’m sorry for all victims, most of these pieces have been recycled) but I quickly came to the conclusion that this was not the way for me. I started to design my own compositions, always creating something new. It’s very rare for me to copy my pieces because the monotony bores me terribly.
I love soutache so much today and more than three years later, I cannot imagine a day without a needle and thread in hand. I have so many ideas that it is enough to keep me occupied over the next few years of very hard work.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
I’m working at home. I have another job so I’m catching every single minute to create something new.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
I didn’t have any proper inspiration from other artists or designers to begin with. When I started my journey, I just saw a few pictures on Pinterest and decided to try it out. Later I found Dori Csengeri, which is funny because she’s the first ever person working with soutache and using it to make jewellery. It does not change the fact that my style is completely different. After a period of learning, I never tried to imitate anyone but I can say that I am still looking for my path as a designer. Hence, experiments, learning new techniques and continuous learning are all a part of it.
Tell us about the last collection you created and the inspiration behind it?
The collection that I last created is inspired by specific colors, specifically ultra violet and peacock colors. Of course, black with rainbow colors could not be missing from this too.
I try to follow my imagination, therefore every piece will be completely different.
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
I am quite meticulous when it comes to design. I spend a day to design a few times in a month. I sit with a sketchpad in the morning and set a goal, for example: 20 necklace designs. I stay focused until I realize it. Usually, after such a design session,
I have 2-4 good ideas to implement.
The next point is the preparation of materials, that is, searching for matching strings, beads and all the stuff I need. At the end I can sit with a thread and needle and focus only on what I do. Often my works evolve during the creative process, which is an advantage for me.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
Soutache cord and beads. But last days I started some experiments with copper.
What are your next steps with your brand?
Change of name as I think.
You can find more of Patrycja’s work on her facebook.
Patrycja is one of the featured designers in theGalway Designers S/S Fashion Showcase ’18
First Show starts @ 5.30pm
Doors open 5pm
Interval @ 6.15pm – TheDirty Circus Performance
Second Show @ 6.45pm
There will be a Pop-Up Prosecco Bar provided for your refreshment
After the show, you are invited to join the ‘Afterparty’ for some cocktails above in the Tribeton Bar.
Tickets are €12 and can be purchased from Tribeton or from the Galway Designers Studio House, located in the Cornstore Mall.
They can also be purchased on the door for €15
Limited standing tickets available on the door for €7
Tickets get you a seat with goodie bag and 20% discount off any Tribeton food purchases
I have always loved drawing, making and altering clothes and generally I had a huge interest in fashion. My background is Nursing and Psychology but my passion is Art and Design. I did the GTI course in Fashion Design in 2007 and then went on to get an Honours Degree in Art and Design, GMIT in 2012.
What’s your practice like? Do you work from a studio or are you based at home?
I work from home, I draw on white paper in black ink and then add colour. I then begin the design process and digitalise my designs to suit scarves.
What artists/designers have inspired you over time?
Definitely Alexander McQueen, Prada and artists like Louise Bourgeoise and some illustrators. I like those who have their own unique styles that are unmistakably theirs.
Tell us about the last collection you created and the inspiration behind it?
I draw my inspiration like most designers and artists from the world around me. I love walks on Howth Hill, Dollymount Beach and all the awesome places in Dublin and Galway. I draw from memory and my imagination. I love birds and a lot of my drawings unintentionally become birds and butterflies that then become characters with their own style, such as the birds that wear shoes. Another drawing I have is from people watching in Dublin while I was sitting having a coffee. All the different people from school kids with heavy bags to dog walkers, sensible shoes people, cool people, tired people and the dressed up girls on a day out. Some of the other drawings come about as I draw as a form of relaxation and unconsciously draw what may be on my mind in a sort of abstract way. For instance, when I was moving, I kept drawing lines and a pretty little house right in the middle of a big city.
Tell us about your process and how you take an idea and transform it into a finished piece?
I am compelled to draw and I find it very relaxing. When I really like a drawing, I then start to add colour. I scan the hand drawing, add colour and then start to design using Illustrator or Photoshop. I then finish the design with the desired colours and juxtaposition. This part takes the longest time as I love colour and design and getting the right placement and colour to create a design I’m satisfied with takes a lot of changing and experimenting. Listening to music such as Lord Huron or Fleet Foxes at the time also helps, sounds idyllic but the focus has to be sharp! Finally the design is sent away to be printed onto silk.
What materials are you most drawn to working with?
I think everyone loves silk, the luxurious feel and the shimmer of color. The fact that its a sustainable natural fibre adds to its appeal. It looks so good as a scarf. I always admired Hermes scarves and clothing and the silk used was an unmistakably huge element to their success. I needed a fabric that could reflect the colors I wanted. I have always admired silk as luxury precious fabric. I have also used other fabrics such as cotton which is great for colour also, it is very soft with natural fiber and lovely to wear. I have also tried wool/modal for rectangular scarves but the appeal always returns to the silk.
What are your next steps with your brand?
I would love to expand into clothing, dresses etc, I already do some ties and pocket squares. I’d love to be in the larger retail outlets and get more internet and international recognition, especially from America.
I am making lots of textile prints at the moment on different fabrics for use as dresses and tops etc.,
What connections do you have to other designers and how do you feel about collaboration?
At the moment I am still in the process of defining my own brand and I want to create a strong definite image that is unmistakably ‘ritawhite’. When I feel happy with that I would love to collaborate. I am currently working with a few other designers on projects but its early days and we will see how it goes.
If you could only choose one piece of design, what would it be?
A favourite piece? I think it would be Orange birds, because I clearly remember the day I saw the large bird basking in the stormy sea. It was a very stormy day with high wind and waves and it just kept was totally unfazed by the storm and appeared to lay back and enjoy going with water. The abstract drawing that I did later from memory was to me the perfect reflection of that moment.
Tell us a highlight from your career?
My highlight at this stage is the nomination for the award. I also love when someone gives me feedback about how much they love my scarves and that they are very recognisable as being different and being unique.
I love when I am asked to collaborate or do a unique piece for someone. I was also delighted to see my scarf being worn by Margaret Molloy who established ‘wearingirish’ .
Rita White is one of the featured designers in theGalway Designers S/S Fashion Showcase ’18
First Show starts @ 5.30pm
Doors open 5pm
Interval @ 6.15pm – TheDirty Circus Performance
Second Show @ 6.45pm
There will be a Pop-Up Prosecco Bar provided for your refreshment
After the show, you are invited to join the ‘Afterparty’ for some cocktails above in the Tribeton Bar.
Tickets are €12 and can be purchased from Tribeton or from the Galway Designers Studio House, located in the Cornstore Mall.
They can also be purchased on the door for €15
Limited standing tickets available on the door for €7
Tickets get you a seat with goodie bag and 20% discount off any Tribeton food purchases
So you’ve made it to Etsy (or opened an online business), kudos to you! You’ve set up your beautiful shop, you’ve worked on your detailed product descriptions to overcome SEO and now you’re wondering how will people know that you’re somewhere ‘out there’.
Well… there are a few ways how these things might happen. To me, it seems the basis of it all is still this little word called ‘communication’ and various forms and strategies that are related to it.
COMMUNICATE WITH A GOAL IN MIND
It can’t be emphasized enough that creating, holding and keeping up good relationships with your customers as well as peers in your network is a MUST. Turn your ‘nice’-button to the max and start making friends. Having friends in the business scene will get you further.
If you’re able to please a customer with your products and buying experience then there’s a more likely chance that they will rave about their awesome experience to others as well. This is especially true about fashion bloggers or today’s vloggers (short for video-bloggers) who often do product reviews in front of a screen and if you’re lucky enough to get mentioned this could bring a lot of good exposure to your business.
However, getting their attention is the key to getting noticed and mentioned in their blogs or vlogs. There are many roads that might lead you there eventually – some longer, some shorter. But getting started by following their blogs, commenting on topics that are genuinely interesting for you and engaging in online conversations is a good first step.
NETWORKING IN THE NAME OF BUSINESS
Selling something online is a tough business but having a group of like-minded people support you on the way is a good start. So my suggestion to you would be to find ways how to collaborate with your fellow peers to create ‘win-win’ situations. Organize a fashion show together with other designers, join forces and set up a pop-up shop at a local fair or city in anticipation of big holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day etc).
Women helping other women succeed will have a better outcome than everyone trying to make it on their own. In the process of running mutually beneficial projects, you’ll make new friends and partners, get more insight into how other people are working and simply think bigger. Networking, when done the right way, leads to important new connections, meeting the right people and getting your foot in the door. Plus, it’s always great to meet people that are having similar kind of hurdles when it comes to running online businesses.
The good news is that when you’re organizing a joint effort such as a fashion showcase, a pop-up shop or a networking night it’s always a great idea to involve known local bloggers or newspapers in the events. Invite the blogger or reporter over, give them a free seat, meet up and ask for advice or invite them to come and give a talk at your networking event to educate others about blogging in general.
COLLABORATING WITH STRANGERS
Getting good collaboration offers from strangers on Etsy might initially seem the very unlikely thing to happen, however, you might be surprised. If your Etsy shop looks appealing, the quality of your product pictures is high and your personality oozes through the descriptions, then you might get picked up by other fellow Etsy sellers/bloggers. After all, on Etsy you’re both the seller as well as the buyer and everyone loves looking at pretty things.
There are 2 ways how getting noticed and offered a collaboration might happen: 1) they’ll ask you if it’s OK to blog about you and your products 2) they’ll ask you to send some free stuff that they’ll take photographs with or of, that they might video blog about and offer you some exposure through that.
The first option, of course, is the less risky business, because then you won’t have to send any free stuff to a stranger at your own cost. The least you might be asked to do is to answer questions and share your product photos. So it’s always a good idea to keep a collection of work in progress shots, images about your workspace or studio, or amazing product photos at hand. The latter, by the way, makes also great material to use on your Instagram or Facebook channels.
Option 2, as shady as it sounds, however, could also be a blessing in disguise. A fair warning before you start sending free stuff to someone: make sure you do your background check: look at the person’s blog, vlog or photographs, see how many followers they’ve got and if the audience fits your brand’s, and ask if you can use the photographs (if the person is asking your products to use on a photo shoot) later on for your own shop or blog. That way it will be a bigger win for you as well than just a vague promise of ‘exposure’ on a channel that might not even be popular.
PARTICIPATE IN OFFLINE EVENTS
Having an online shop is a big deal. But don’t forget that you’re dealing with real people and people who shop for hand-made things will more than often also want to touch your things. After all, that’s why clothes stores were invented! Same goes for jewellery and another kind of products. The more expensive your product, the more likely it is that a person will think long and hard before hitting ‘buy now’ button.
Participating in online events, such as craft fairs or beauty fairs, has a lot of advantages, in addition, to actually selling things. I personally have found it a great way to communicate my brand, introduce myself as the face of the brand and to convince people to buy my products. Once they are on the hook, keep up their interest by encouraging them to touch your products, feel the texture, try it on etc.
And don’t underestimate the power of having your business cards on the table. If you’re taking part in a big fair the people might get overwhelmed by all the choices they’re surrounded with. Having business cards available at your desk will allow possible customers to pick your card and find your Etsy shop later on online to close the sell.
Furthermore, offline craft fairs are like a buffet dinner for fashion bloggers who come to hunt down their next big article idea, favourite designer or up and coming brands. And sometimes you might just attract the eye of a tourist or travel blogger that will share their experiences and cool findings while writing about their trip to your country. If the outcome is a blog post, you’ve been successful!
JOIN FORCES WITH FELLOW SHOP OWNERS
If you’re running an online shop then the chances are that you’re active in social media as well – if you’re not, I would suggest getting busy online to draw in more traffic into your shop. The key to getting more traffic, however, is to keep a blog, make constant photo-updates on Instagram or Facebook and keep your possible fashionista buyers in the loop about what’s going on.
One quick way of getting more exposure on other people’s blogs is to take advantage of your fellow show owners and designer’s that need the exposure as much as you do. Fair warning though, as much as it seems like an easy way out, it might not leave the best of an impression if both of you are not so genuinely raving about each other’s products. I would suggest you find a more creative way of approaching things.
If you’re selling clothes, ask your blogger friend to write or video vlog about ‘outfit of the day’ or ‘3 ways to wear this piece of clothing’. It’s easy to include links in a not so obvious way to products being mentioned in such a blog post. If you’re selling jewellery then a review of ‘what’s in my jewellery box’ kind of a post might be the answers to your prayers.
Whatever you decide in the end to do… just remember to make sure the outcome won’t look like an obvious advertising piece. That kind of a reading material would not be interesting to your current customers as well as new business and it might have the complete opposite effect on the fans of your work.
LET’S WRAP IT UP
To summarize, the key to any kind of good advertising is the kind where the customer doesn’t even realize that by reading your content they’re slowly but surely being drawn into your world: so instead of selling a product, ‘sell’ an experience, a feeling, a brand.
Have you got any cool tips or tricks to share about getting your products noticed or picked up by bloggers online? If you do, don’t be shy about sharing your thoughts in the comment section below. After all… communication is the key to learning.
Kaisa is a freelance graphic designer, Jack(ie) of all Trades Creative and the creator of the brand Sylph Designs that is known for its quirky and colourful retro-vibe pixelated jewellery. Feel free to check out her Etsy shop or follow her on social media (F
Images courtasy: The daily beast, Aay Kay and Sylph designs.
Galway Designers Network 