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.
Deirdre Kennedy – Deirdre Kennedy Rainwear
Who are you & what kind of designer are you?
Deirdre Kennedy Rainwear is my label and www.singingintherain.ie is my website. I design and create bespoke rainwear. All my coats are made to order and measure. So if you want to feel fabulous in the rain and have a coat designed especially for you then check me out.
What sparked your interest with fashion?
Its always been there, since I was a child. My school books are full of fashion doodles, lined up on the catwalk. However I followed the advice from others to pursue a career in business as growing up in Ireland in the 80’s art was never encouraged as a career so most of us dropped it there and then. I spent 20 years in recruitment. Although I did enjoy this, I had this constant desire to work in something more creative. When my second child arrived I decided to take time out and this is when I came across an advertisement where you could become part of an upcycling team and learn design and dress making skills. A few weeks later I landed a place in St Vincent de Pauls Head office redesigning clothes they could not sell in the charity stores. This is where it all started!
Are you self taught or did you study fashion design?
Both really. After spending two years in the upcycling of clothes I did a year with GTI Fashion which was amazing. I was also fortunate to have David Young as a mentor. David trained in Saville Row in the 80s as a bespoke master tailor and I have been working with him for the last three years now and I get his advice when I am putting my designs onto fabric. He is amazing!
What made you take your talent more seriously and want make a career out of it?
I am not sure, only that when I left my career in recruitment and started to pursue fashion, things started to fall into place for me. Its hard work but it feels right and I feel I like I am going in the right direction.
What is your aesthetic?
I love the black and white Hollywood movies, the music and the clothes. I am not sure why but it brings out excitement in me.
What are you fascinated by at the moment and how does it feed into your work?
My first raincoat was inspired by the Hollywood actress Grace Kelly. I wanted to create a raincoat that was glamorous, flattering and a head turner. I bring a little of this in all my raincoats. It rains here all the time in Galway so why shouldn’t we feel a little bit Hollywood when we put on our raincoat.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label?
Its still at the very early stages so it hasn’t evolved to much from when I started out. I don’t have lots of money to throw into manufacturing so each piece is designed individually by me and on a made to order basis. I do hope to have a ready to wear collection available in the future however.
What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your company?
To trust your own instinct and style.
Describe your creative process.
When an idea comes into my head I need to put it on paper immediately. I then work on a moodboard around this. The idea may stay there for months before I take it up again or it could become part of another project. Lots of sketches, fabric research and finally a pattern.
How do you get unstuck creatively?
Check out what other artists, designers have done. Look through fashion magazines, Pinterest etc are all great ways to get inspired.
What questions do you ask yourself before you begin any design project?
It depends. If its for a customer I meet with them and get an understanding of their style, shape, what colours suit them and then I go through some moodboards to get a more indepth knowledge of what they are looking for. I then sketch up a few designs, with fabric swatches and the customer make a decision on what they want.
How do you stay organized when trying to design and create while balancing family or other work related responsibilities?
Oh dear that is a tough one. Well I work on whats a priority. When there are no deadlines impending I spend this time organizing myself, my work area, improving processes, revisiting my goals for the year all while making sure that family, life and health needs met. It’s a constant juggling act.
How do you feel about the current state if the fashion industry?
I think we need to think and educate ourselves more on our environment and human rights when it comes to the fashion industry. We turn a blind eye to the real cost of fashion and its only when you educate yourself more on the subject that you discover the problems that are out there. I think we all need to play our part in making fashion sustainable for everyone.
Where do you see your brand expanding to?
Any country where there is lots of rain!
What advice would you give to young designers?
Persistence, follow your instinct and believe you can do it. You can only believe you can do it by doing it.
Deirdre 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 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.
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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 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.
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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.
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.
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.
Galway Designers Network 