ITALIANS DO IT BETTER?

Last week, my agenda was full with some business related workshops... At the marketing and branding part, just while discussing what it meant to be a global brand, the following words came out of my mouth: " To be a strong one, the company's image must be recognized in the same way everywhere around the world; and the customers have more or less same expectations from the name..., this is the same for Gap, for Chanel, for Mercedes or simply McDonalds... ". The lecturer was noddding his head constantly as a proof of confirmation and boosting my confidence in my marketing skills... But was my theory really valid for the following case?...

In Continental Europe and also Japan; the clothing company Woolrich is an exclusive brand mainly sold in the corners of well-known department stores, boutiques or their own stores. The collection successfully combines the American vintage with a hint of European modernism; The result is amazing... For male customers, without travelling beyond the borders of the camp and highly feminine European style (i.e D&G aka "Dumb Girl" and the others); the brand positions itself for who enjoy luxury, some level of refinement with clean and nice details, and of course the vintage look reminding of its past in Pennsylvania since 19th century... Below are some of my favourite pieces from their AW 2009 collection.

Expecting to see more of the above on the online store of John Rich & Bros' company and keeping my Visa card in my hands for a probable online purchase; I simply looked at http://www.woolrich.com/; the US website. All that cool image of the name had left itself to a big frustration. It was nothing but a boring competitor of L.L.Bean, specialized in outdoor wear. Then, curiosity took over... While the Italian based European branch is so exclusive and right; what's wrong with the US guys?! Then few ideas came to my mind trying to justify this big difference... Maybe;

1- The management could be just fine with the US customer base and were ok to reach them with this collection using catalog, online store and some retailers as the channels... It could be nothing but a risk to re-launch the brand for a younger modern clientele same as in Europe; and do the same, as Abercrombie and Fitch did to revive from its ashes..

2- To launch the brand in Europe under a license agreement with an Italian company, they would have to push the envelope and market themselves with an exclusive and refined collection, of course using their American heritage... rather than the L.L. Bean style...

3- For the company, it might not matter how differently the customers across the world would see the brand; as long as it generates its revenue, that's fine...

Of course, whether smart or not; it is their own strategy.. but as a customer across the pond, I am surprised and the brand disappointed me by wasting their potential. In this case, I must say: "Yes, Italians do it better.".

To see the difference, check http://www.woolrich.com/ and http://www.woolrich.it/

HOW TO LOOK GOOD ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD

Before the summer is over, if you have a plan to make a trip to mountains, and still concerned with your style; British utility clothing designer Nigel Cabourn would be a perfect option to address to your vintage taste-buds...

In his collection, my star is the Tenzing Norgay Jacket, a replica of the original, which was worn by Norgay himself on his first trip to the summit of Everest Mountain 50 years ago with his buddy Sir Edmund Hillary. How cool to be the first on the top of the highest place on Earth, with such a chic piece like this!... it almost feels like walking on the Moon with an Armani suit...

Made of high quality Tweed and with ventile patches on the elbow and shoulders to resist water and wind ; this beautiful piece is on my wish list for the rainy and windy streets of London; if not the Everest Mountain itself...

CLARKS 60TH YEAR ON THE DESERT...

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Desert Boot, Clarks Originals have created six unique, new designs.. Just to avoid fashion accidents: 60s, 70s and 80s models are for women...

Themes are:

1950s: Harris Tweed

1960s: Liberty Print with Paisley design by Liberty

1970s: Purple Suede, tribute to Andy Warhol and his Factory followers

1980s: Denim Blue, era of the acid washed, faded jean

1990s: Union Jack, Red/White/Blue: The rise of Britpop with Oasis and Spice Girls

2000s: Vintage Design, the first design by Nathan Clark (my favourite)

COME TO YOUR GRANDADDY!

If a china store is what for an elephant; today, one could easily spot me as the "bear" on the men's floor of the Liberty Store, London. Most of the cool stuff on the hangers are for skinny, or maybe swimmer body types; so I knew none would fit me, just vain to try... The only thing, which (perhaps?) might work for me, was an XL size slim-fit Ralph Lauren shirt; however it was pink and still another X was missing... uhmm... didn't bother myself with that either...

Even if I knew there would be a size problem; while passing by the Folk, Hartford and Haversack collections,  I could not help spending some extra time and enjoyed the look of the handsome "grandad shirts". Nothing fancy, nothing extra, just telling themselves with clean words, they have been my favorite pieces among all. Already having an indigo blue half placket piece since last summer (yeah, with the right size); I quite enjoy the comfortable feel and effortless chic look. And as Folk and Haversack did, if you treat them as an architectural project; the result is certainly great.. 

Some grandad shirts in my wish list:

                                                    

    

Folk

                                              

Haversack

                                                             

Acne (can't get any better than this)

What did I do next, do you reckon? Well, did not buy them, of course... went to the top floor, and rolled over the silk Persian rugs as a free, happy bear....

www.folkclothing.com

www.hartford.fr

www.haversack.jp

www.acnestudios.com

  

WHO IS IT? WHAT IS IT? ...... WHERE IS IT?

Clara Bow "The Original It Girl"

1905-1965

The term was first introduced by the screen writer Elinor Glynn to describe the actress Clara Bow starring in the silent Hollywood movie "It" in 1927. Glynn's exact definition of the term is:

"IT" is that quality possessed by some which draws all others with its magnetic force. With "IT" you win all men if you are a woman—all women if you are a man. "IT" can be a quality of the mind as well as a physical attraction.

Self-confidence and indifference whether you are pleasing or not—and something in you that gives the impression that you are not at all cold. That's "IT".

As a subtext, the movie also portrays the "it girl" as a mix of ingenuity, femme fatal look and material girl image. By contrast, her rival is equally young and comely, and even rich, blonde and well-bred to boot, but she simply hasn't got "it".

AND NOW...

Photo by Steven Klein , W Magazine August 2009

.....Lara Stone appearing as the Fashion's IT Girl on the cover of W Magazine. The magazine says:

"... There is nothing girlish about Stone. Nor is there anything boyish; Klein calls her “the girl with the X-rated lips.” She’s neither coquette nor vamp; her seduction lies in her womanliness—the breasts, the hips—and perhaps also in the palpable ambivalence Stone feels toward the industry that she finds herself at the top of at the moment.

...Bruce Weber, who has worked with Stone several times since her Givenchy re-debut, says, “To me, Lara is part Marlon Brando, part Thelonious Monk and part Robert Mitchum. She’s big, bad and beautiful.”

“She had this sexual awareness,” the photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott recall via e-mail of meeting Stone two years ago, on a shoot for this magazine. “Normally when we are shooting, we are looking to create a character, and the great thing about Lara is that she is naturally already such a strong character herself [that] she inspires us to take a better picture. " "

OK, she is very pretty and femme fatale; but do you buy all this? To me, "this" girl just reminds me of another real IT girl, Brigitte Bardot, rather than Thelonious Monk... just another promotion of a new girl to the fashion media ... Still, I like the combination of this Chanel dress with the BB look...

( "If I go to a restaurant, other people stare. The meal is ruined." BB.)

For more curious from Wikipedia:

.... In fashion the Bardot neckline (a wide open neck that exposes both shoulders) is named after her. Bardot popularized this style which is especially used for knitted sweaters or jumpers although it is also used for other tops and dresses.

Bardot is recognised for popularizing bikini swimwear in early films such as Manina (Woman without a Veil, 1952), in her appearances at Cannes and in many photo shoots.

Bardot also brought into fashion the choucroute ("Sauerkraut") hairstyle (a sort of beehive hair style) and gingham clothes after wearing a checkered pink dress, designed by Jacques Esterel, at her wedding to Charrier. She was the subject for an Andy Warhol painting.

HOW FAR CAN YOU GO ?

Some brands decided to launch their very first shoe collections for SS2010...

Payless (Wearless) Shoes by Lady Gaga:


Hasbro Shoes:



Staples Inc shoes:



Nintendo Shoes: (Girls! Thanks to the videogame part, you can have your boyfriend crawl on your feet..)



Home Depot (or B&Q) shoes :

Ikea shoes (always one piece is missing):

E. & J. Gallo Winery Shoes: (co-design with Birkenstock)

LIMITS OF INDULGENCE

This is from the Wonder Room of Selfridges, an area on the ground floor of the store; displaying how the limits of indulgence can be pushed. To celebrate Cadbury's relaunch of the popular Wispa Gold chocolate bar, this special one wrapped with gold paper is on sale.. for a mere 961.48 Pounds.. (why not 960 btw?) The normal product would cost just 55 p, on your local grocery stores, of course wrapped in plastic package...

Another example of an indulgence is coming from Saudi Arabia. While some are born short of money, some are born with "short members"; today a newspaper was saying one of the richest men in Jeddah ordered his very personal penis extender device in 18 Karat gold, encrusted with 40 ruby and diamond stones, costing around $47000.

Though admitting the request was unusual, X4Labs must have really liked this idea, because now it is marketing the custom design idea to all male novelty purchasers. Matt West, product coordinator at X4 said he "is convinced that there is a demographic that is willing to pay for lavish medical devices for their private areas... to pay good money to spoil themselves.

Can we say it is the beginning of a new trend? What is next? Hermes designing their first "le Coq ring", while Tom Ford is working on the moulds of his signature "schmuck" ??

FLAGS, COUNTRIES AND CITIES AS AN ELEMENT OF DESIGN AND IDENTITY

Here is a list of some products which caught my eye today..

The questions to myself are as follows:

1- Did you like or dislike?

2- Why did you like or dislike?

3- Would you or who would buy it?

Here we go:

1- I liked it, they caught my eye right away when passing by the shop-window.

2- Finally Clarks had decided to make some fun rather than boring ordinary shoes. After being lost in the jungle of ugly soulless shoes, they were embracing their British heritage and emphasizing on the timeless look of their signature Desert Boots. The one with the Union Jack matched well with the brand identity.

3- Only If I were a band member in Oasis ...

1- Not bad, fine actually for its target group though so many examples were made in the past...... (B/w t-shirt from All Saints; Skull Union Jack from Firetrap).. They fit well with brand's image; both targeting young. But don't wanna see how they look (and smell) on a man who is eating kebab at 5 a.m in the morning after heavy clubbing and booze...

2- It fits well with the rock'n roll image; vintage feel, union jack, some punk, skulls, etc..

3- I may wear the skull one at Glastonbury Festival and get dirty in the mud. it should be specially on display in the store, targeting young tourists who want some punk clothes from London.

1- didn't like it, loved it. Especially Keep Calm and Carry On summarizes the mood of Britain in the recession times..

2- I would not mind putting those pillows in my living or bedroom. The one on the left especially was great (sets you back 125 pounds btw). ditch the pottery and heart shaped pillows though. I would buy the kitchen board too.. berries make me happy.

3- Any one who likes to live in or visit UK would buy them... It gives me that traditional but also funky London feel.. Assuming they made a corner like this, they must be targeting the tourists in Selfridges.

1- Victorinox is cool

2-The brand is identifying itself with the Swiss army and using its flag in the logo to emphasize its origin. Like Swiss chocolate, watches, train and airline transportation system; the brand is making a promise on quality, precision and clarity. What's the next step? To paint their cows on the Alps with the Helvetica cross?

3- Would buy it, the dark blue military sweatshirt is mine anyway. If let's say, a competitor like Samsonite would offer a sweatshirt like this; would I buy?? No; as it doesn't go with a luggage label; but no problem for me if Victorinox is selling ear-plugs for travellers...

http://www.swissarmy.com/fashion/Pages/default.aspx

1- This brand, Aspinal of London, is a British luxury leather goods company. Would you pay 325 Pounds for this "The Brit Tote" bag, as a luxury piece? It is a limited edition designed for the London Fashion Week to celebrate the British contribution in trend-setting and style.

2- To me it did not look convincing, doesn't say anything interms of creativity or style. ... Would you get the same feel of luxury and style in a grim souvenir shop on Oxford Street?

3- I have a problem to imagine who wants to pay 325 pounds for these days? Would you invest in a more neutral stylish bag, maybe pay a bit more, but keep as a staple? Good idea for London Fashion Week, but as a goody bag after the shows..

1- I like the Polos with the flags. The German theme Aussiebum also ok ..

2- like them only because they are sportswear. Would not wear the briefs under my smoking, if I were getting married... or somebody had to see it...

3- If I can't find my own country's flag, why should I wear others' ? Why there is no polo with a Saudi, Chinese, Qatar or Russian flag by the way? They have all the money now.... Or should these countries match with brand image?

For the Aussiebums... ok I confess.. had one as "Property of Australia"... Now as a property of a German, I could wear it..... (should add my devilish smile here )

IN SEARCH OF THE “PERFECT TOWEL”….

An Australian friend is off to Istanbul for holiday this week and was asking me how to find the flagship store of a Turkish towel brand whose products were sold  at the Conran Store last year (must be definitely with high figures on the Sterling price tags) … Actually Turkish towels have been well-known for a long time with their quality; and many major premium brands from USA and Europe have gotten their bath collections manufactured in the looms of Denizli and Bursa; and marketed them as “superfine Turkish delights”…  

I eventually found the website of the company, which visually looked quite different from others with its cotemporary but yet “Ottomanesque” touch brand identity. More surprisingly, the company had co-worked with two well known Turkish furniture and fashion designers; obviously some smart men had really understood how a design can change the fate of the company. It was apparent that the concept of “branding” was finding its well-deserved place among the local producers of Turkish textile, which is actually the only the way for the survival against the competitors from Asia.

While assuring the maximum water absorbtion rate on the wet body  (don’t ask me “where exactly”) of my Aussie friend; from a design point of view, they were also promising to make him feel like a modern time Ottoman Pasha pampered in his flat in London… 

http://www.hamam.com.tr

HELLO WORLD

Note (nōt): n. [from Latin nota] Record, comment, eminence, characteristic, sign, distinction of a smell.. a melody, tune… or… a song!