Ralph Lauren Brand Development

Ralph Lauren Brand Development

Objectives:

1. Comprehend the role of brand, the concept of brand equity, and advantages of  creating strong brands.
2. Identify the successive branding strategy based on the current case studies.
3. Research the industry and consumer issues related to the branding strategy.
4. Develop the brand portfolio with a multi-functional team for a simulated retail organization.

 

Learning Outcomes:

1. Encourage critical thinking through the application of branding theories and principles in business situations by evaluating the business plan as well as researching the CBBE building blocks.
2. Involve in the process of orderly thinking and analysis that is required for logical brand decision-making by performing a SWOT analysis and creating a brand positioning strategy.
3. Develop a diversity of perspectives with several branding cases by creating different storyboard themes and by using differentiation tools.
4. Develop interpersonal skills required to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings within a group setting through the media and word of mouth to increase sales and brand knowledge.

 

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Global Textiles & Apparel

• Learning Objectives:
  • The purpose of this assignment was to become familiar with resources available to investigate globalization and the relationships among countries and to familiarize myself with terminology used in the trade of textiles and apparel. The goal was to research a country’s attributes and determine what level of the Textile Complex the country would be best suited.

Learning Outcomes:

• After completing this project I learned how much Egypt contributes to the textile/ apparel industry and how important their production of denim and cotton is.
• I was surprised to learn how many trade agreements Egypt is involved in as there are a total of seven.
• Egyptian culture is very interesting and I loved learning more about it as they are the country that holds one of the seven wonders of the world; The Great Pyramids.

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Six-Month Merchandise Plan

The Six-Month Merchandise Plan 

Learning Objectives :

The Merchandise Plan is used to project the sales, inventory, and profit goals for a department or an entire store for a specified period of time.

Learning Outcomes : 

•  Learn how to efficiently complete an excel spreadsheet for a certain season or amount of time.
•  Be able to predict a sales plan for the upcoming season in a timely manner.
•  Know how to calculate each equation the plan is asking including; Sales, EOM, Markdowns, BOM stock, Planned Purchases at Retail, Planned Purchases at Cost and all their categories.

Six month merchandise plan – Click here to view

 

Final E-portfolio

Turban Takeover

Turban and Turban inspired headbands are the next hottest trend for spring 2012. This Parisian glamour has been seen on tons of runways as well as already being sold in the stores as some cant even keep them in stock.  Fashion is known to recycle itself and this is not the first time we have seen a version of the turban. According to http://www.paperpast.com and a lot of fashion history research, “The fur turban was so popular in the 1960’s that it was sold at low-priced hat bars”  (Marcus, 2010).  In today’s society, we sometimes look to street fashion to see what is trending instead of the couture and runway shows. This is called the trickle-up theory as it helps prove that the turban is a hot commodity.

Reference

Marcus. (n.d.). Paperpast yearbook. Retrieved from http://www.paperpast.com/html/1960_fashion.html

Fashion meets Technology

Fashion and Technology have definitely converged together whether it’s through social networking sites such as Facebook and Pinterest or online shopping websites. “By 2014, 53% of total retail sales (online and offline) will be affected by the Web, as consumers are increasingly using the Internet to research products before purchasing” (Forrester, March 2010).  This is over half of the total retail sales and I can only imagine how this number will increase in the future.  Personally I love online shopping as I find a larger variety and diversity of clothing. I normally read reviews on my items, which also helps with buying gifts for other people.  Technology is a major part of our society today so it only makes sense that is would combine with fashion.  People can shop online, browse the web for new trends and read fashion magazines anywhere they can use the Internet.  Technology has even become an important element in some products as well. For instance, Nike’s training line of tennis shoes can capture reps, calories burned, and can even send this information straight to your phone. It amazes me how far technology has come and how it is incorporated with fashion. I know we will be seeing even more advanced products and inventions in the future

Reference

Dave Chaffey. (2006, Jan 06). A summary of Amazon’s business strategy and Revenue Model. Retrieved from http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/online-business-revenue-models/amazon-case-study/

Shoes for Orphan Souls

After researching many important causes I have decided to collaborate with the Shoes for Orphan Souls foundation, which provides shoes and socks to orphans and vulnerable children all around the world. “Since 1999, 2.2 million pairs of new shoes and socks have been distributed to children in 73 countries” (Shoes for Orphan Souls, 1999).  I personally have served community service hours at the Shoes for Orphan Souls location in Frisco and absolutely loved it as it was so rewarding and was an experience I will never forget. I would like to come up with a colorful and fun fitness/ yoga line as well as having my own tennis shoes line. If you buy a pair of tennis shoes, 50 percent of the proceeds plus three pairs of socks will go straight to that orphan or vulnerable child.  You will then receive a picture and a bio of the child’s life you just made a difference in and every time you buy something from my line, 50 percent will go that same child.  I think this is important for my customers to physically see who it is they are helping and make a real emotional connection to them.

Reference

Shoes for orphan souls. (1999). Retrieved from http://www.shoesfororphansouls.org/

Veganism

I have come to realize that vegan consumers’ ideas on purchasing products are a lot different then the normal consumer.  Veganism is based on deep seeded human feelings of guilt over the rape of the natural world. The companion emotional component to guilt is a feeling of human connectedness to nature.  This means that they are very environmentally conscious and take pride in our planet.  Vegans may only purchase a product made of natural fibers or one that has not been chemically treated.  Eco friendly fibers consist of “organic cotton, silk, wool and other fibers that have not been chemically treated” (Ledet, 2009).  Vegans also refuse to wear anything made of animal fur so those beautiful mink coats are not an option for vegans.

The vegan and Eco friendly lifestyle is a trend that has publicly been on the rise for a few years now. We are seeing the trend in magazines, store advertisements, and it’s the “hot new trend” in Hollywood. The vegan lifestyle is not something that just pops up every few years, even though it’s growth has almost doubled. The concept of the lifestyle has been around for decades. Characteristics of vegans are those who do not eat meat, are skinny but not athletic as they do not have enough protein to be, and are focused towards the younger generation.

Reference:

Ledet, M. (2009, May 05). Eco-Friendly Fashion. Retrieved from http://www.stepin.org/casestudy.php?id=ecofashion&page=2

 

Blogging day # 7- Emerging Fashion Designer

There are many high-end fashion designers that have been introduced over the past two years. One that I personally love just from first glance is Suzanne Rae.  Suzanne had an amazing spring 2012 collection and blew everyone’s socks off during fashion week. “Suzanne Rae is a Brooklyn-based fashion designer who realizes her feminist and feminine designs by employing local talent and supporting local industries” (Thomas, 2011). Suzanne is all about empowering women and this is something that has helped her earn the spotlight. She wants women to feel confident and secure while wearing her clothing. She is also focused on using sustainable fabrics as this also helped her earn the spotlight because this is such a major trend. Women who are environmentally conscious are also supporting her designs, as they are good for the environment. “Suzanne collaborates with local artists to create unique prints for each collection and supports local industries by making all samples in-house and with 100% of production done in New York City’s Garment District” (Roxo, 2012). This is so great as I think its important that no matter how big a designer gets, they stay close to their roots and don’t loose sight of who they are. “Suzanne Rae creates clothing women can actually see themselves wearing. Nothing is over pretentious or crazy and every piece is a staple and can be worn year round- not just for the season” (Vaughan, 2012).   I totally agree with this statement, if I’m going to spend a lot of money on an article of clothing it needs to be durable and something I can wear all year round. Suzanne Rae is definitely a designer that needs to be followed as I think this is just the beginning for her.

 

 

 

Thomas, L. (2011). Rise. Retrieved from http://www.suzannerae.com/

 

Roxo, A. (2012). Suzanne rae. Retrieved from http://www.suzannerae.com/about/

 

Vaughan, R. (2012). Suzanne rae: Fall 2012 new york fashion week. Retrieved from http://sociallysuperlative.com/2012/02/20/suzanne-rae-fall-2012-presentation/

Blogging Day # 5- Where Fashion Meets Technology

Wearable technology is starting to trend in the Fashion Industry as many new inventions have been produced over the last few years. It’s not before long that this trend will start spreading like wildflowers and pop up in the fast fashion stores as well as higher end. “Shirts that light up with LED ads. Textiles with embedded temperature sensors. Athletic gear that changes color to show the intensity of an athlete’s workout. Technology is not just for your desktop anymore; it has the potential to infiltrate your closet.”  (Wilson, 2008) The technology that has been combined with fashion is simply genius and definitely has some major benefits. Lets take health and fitness for example, by using the new technology in many brands of tennis shoes, they can actually track how many calories you’ve burned throughout the day as well as how many miles you have walked.  Another great example of how technology fashion can help improve health is the amazing electrode suit that helps with nerve disorders. “The electrode suit is designed for individuals suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s and various other nerve disorders.” (Williams, 2012) It blows my mind that there is something you can physically wear that will help improve the symptoms to these diseases.  It may not be very fashionable looking but I would definitely wear it, if it helped my illness. “When Katy Perry lit up the red carpet at the Met Gala in her LED-paneled gown last week, she really got one over Rihanna and Lady Gaga, her fashion-boundary-pushing popstrel peers.” (Berigin, 2010) This shows that technology fashion is a trickle down theory as it starts with the stars and higher hierarchy and works its way down.  It is also very expensive but as I stated above we will be seeing this trend lower end stores soon enough. Technology is a huge part of our lives today and it only makes sense that it converges with fashion as I think they can do great things together.

Wilson, A. (2008). Fashion tech. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/article/150971/wearing_tech_where_fashion_meets_technology.html

Williams, S. (2012). Elektrodress. Retrieved from http://www.fashioningtech.com/profiles/blogs/elektrodress-an-electrode-suit-for-treatment-of-nerve-disorders

Berigin, O. (2010). Is ‘wearable technolog’y the future of fashion?. Retrieved from http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/article/TMG7710379/Is-wearable-technology-the-future-of-fashion.html