Wholehearted. The Brand Concept.

Open publication - Free publishing - More brand

Above I have displayed a digital copy of one of my final books, Wholehearted. The Brand Concept. The concise, formal book introduces and presents Wholehearted, the new fresh and contemporary bridal brand I have created.

Directed at investors, this book details the creation of the brand, describes the reasons behind Wholehearted's concepts and explains why Wholehearted will be a successful bridal brand and a worthwhile investment.

Wholehearted. The Brand Concept. The physical book.

Wholehearted. The Image.

Open publication - Free publishing - More bridal

Wholehearted. The Image, the book displayed above, uses a range of photography to effectively illustrate the contemporary, fashionable and creative style of Wholehearted, my new bridal brand.

The book is aimed at Wholehearted's customers to help them understand and appreciate Wholehearted's image.

Wholehearted. The Image. The physical book.

Wholehearted. The Research.

The book displayed within this post documents the research, inspiration and ideas which have developed and influenced this project. The work presented within this book has enabled me to produce the outcomes of this project, ‘Wholehearted. The Brand Concept’ and ‘Wholehearted. The Image.’

I hope this book provides the reader of an understanding of my development and journey through this project and how the work has helped me to achieve the final outcomes, ‘Wholehearted. The Brand Concept’ and ‘Wholehearted. The Image’.

Open publication - Free publishing - More branding

Wholehearted Range Plan and Website

As my new bridal brand has taken shape, the idea of creating a range plan for the boutique has developed and become more appealing. It seems only right that after designing the boutique and identifying my customer, I present the garments Wholehearted will offer. Presenting a range plan will enable me to further illustrate the style of my brand and will evidence my buying skills.

Although I am unaware of the exact costs of the dresses I have included, I have tried to be as realistic as possible. I have chosen designers that share a fairly similar ethos to Wholehearted’s to ensure the brands compliment one another. I have also  chosen a collection of dresses which incorporate different features however are of a similar style genre in order to appeal to Wholehearted's target market and form a cohesive, united collection. Through incorporating a variety of features and dress shapes, the collection will appeal to a wider range of people and cater for a variety of body shapes.

Below I have included an image of a website page I have designed for Wholehearted.

Wholehearted Bridal Boutique Exterior

Wholehearted Bridal Boutique Exterior

The image above illustrates the exterior of Wholehearted Bridal Boutique which takes inspiration from research I have carried out into boutique exteriors, window displays and brides impressions of bridal boutiques. I have been conscious to design a fresh and inviting boutique frontage which eliminates any possible feelings of intimidation from the brides perspective on entering the boutique.

The boutique exterior is white, a fresh and welcoming colour that is closely associated with the bridal industry. The clean, tidy and stylish frontage appears luxurious and professional and well highlights the black and lime green Wholehearted logo.

Taking inspiration from a couple of London boutiques and Kleinfeld (USA), I have designed a quirky and elegant shop front which consciously uses colour to create a unique, relaxed and contemporary feel. The large, simplistic yet effective window displays are vibrant and quirky in order to catch attention. Within the window displays, two solitary dresses which best illustrate the style of the Wholehearted are exhibited. In an attempt to reduce the mannequins static nature, the mannequins are positioned creatively in flowing postures which give the dresses shape and life. Through the suspension of the dress fabric viewers can appreciate the texture and drape of the beautiful fabrics. On exceptionally busy days, the fabric could even be gently blown using a wind machine. This would exhibit the beauty of movement in the fabric and create a very eye catching and imaginative window display.

Kate Walker Bridal, Honiton Interview

Kate Walker Bridal Shop Front

Kate Walker Bridal Interior

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with Kate Walker and learnt a great deal. In the same way I was inspired by the success of Wedding Time, I am very encouraged by the success and demand for designer bridal gowns in the local area. I was interested to hear of the increasing popularity and demand of bespoke wedding gowns however perhaps this is another indication that consumers have an increasing desire for quality products that justify their cost.

Kate’s boutique is very similar to how I envisage Wholehearted Bridal boutique; it is modern and luxurious however so homely and welcoming that it eliminates any feeling of intimidation. I love the fact Kate can be so hands on, designing and constructing her own bridal gown designs as well as altering other designs.

Kate has many years of experience in the bridal industry which without doubt has helped her to understand what it takes to run a successful bridal boutique.

Visit to Bath

Today I visited the city of Bath to consider in more detail whether it makes a good location for Wholehearted's first bridal boutique. I studied the city centre, the main shopping streets and the shops and boutiques as well as Bath's existing bridal boutiques and vacant boutiques.

I thoroughly enjoyed walking around the city and was inspired by the abundance of unique and contemporary boutiques which well compliment the style of my new bridal brand. I was surprised by the lack of both quality and quantity of bridal boutiques in Bath which proves there is a gap in the market for a contemporary and stylish bridal brand such as Wholehearted. 

Bath Shopping Street

Bath, Milsom Place

I also visited Bath's Wedding Fair. The fair was held in a luxurious hotel which mostly paid host to photographers, cake makers and florists.

Following my visit to Bath, depending on the rates of rent for the vacant shops I identified, I believe Bath makes a very suitable location for Wholehearted Bridal Boutique.

Wedding Time, Dorchester Interview

To aid this project and to help me build upon my market research I have planned to interview a number of local bridal boutiques. These interviews will be invaluable experiences and will hopefully provide me with information which justifies my plans for my new bridal brand. 

Wedding Time Shop Front

Overall, I found my visit to Wedding Time very enjoyable and beneficial. 

Tracy highlighted a number of points which are of particular interest to me. Firstly, she mentioned that several of their customers come from elsewhere in the country to shop with their mothers who have retired to South West England - many young women value the opinion of their mothers and enjoy sharing the shopping experience with their family. This is important due to my desire to remain local in a rural part of the country. I felt sure that there is a market for bridal boutiques in the South West however it is reassuring to hear it from a real business. 

I was inspired by Tracy’s adaptable approach to her business and her sheer determination to make it work, although I appreciate running a business is hard work, I feel determination is a characteristic I have which will benefit me in the future. Another aspect Tracy mentioned a number of times was how the business benefits from a long established good reputation. Reputations like this take years to build up but prove extremely advantageous for the business. 

Although I have no doubt Tracy has worked extremely hard to make her business a success I am aware she bought the business 9 years after it’s creation. As my next step, I’d very much like to speak to someone who has set up a bridal boutique from scratch, possibly a more contemporary boutique.

Progress...

I am pretty happy with how my major project is developing at the moment. Although I constantly feel like I have a lot to do, it's beginning to come together.

My research book is fairly full, I now need to edit this information down to create a brand introduction book/business plan. My next step is to also consider my digital feature story board with illustrations to explain the theory and practise of my digital ideas.

Also I have nearly completed my market research. I have had some great response from brides about their bridal shopping experience and have a interview lined up with a bridal shop in Dorchester.

Always plenty to be getting on with...

Umbourne Wedding Exhibition

As if on cue, my local village church held an exhibition of the parish resident's wedding and christening gowns from past years in celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The country church was very small therefore I was expecting the exhibition to consist of only around 10 dresses; I was amazed to see about 40!


The exhibition was a great opportunity to take my research into the history of the wedding gown one step further and see a real history of wedding dresses from local people in one area of the country. As I plan to remain based locally in the future, it is important I understand the local bridal market. 

1958 May

1977

Bridal Visual Merchandising in London

In order to understand and fully appreciate the glamorous appearance and atmosphere of high end bridal boutiques I recently took a trip to London to visit a number of high profile bridal boutiques.

The boutiques I visited were generally located in areas with excellent transport links on fashionable streets full of equally high profile brands. As I expected, the shop fronts were extremely neat, clean and simple creating a good first impression. The name of the designer/boutique was generally clear and contemporary with an equally simplistic and effective window display. In most cases the boutiques displayed a small number of bridal gowns presented on mannequins with little or no additional visual merchandise cluttering the scene. The boutiques appeared to employ the ‘less is more’ approach; the stunning gowns spoke for themselves and illustrated a quality and professional bridal boutique.

Major Project Logo!

My project is still coming on well although I am feeling very aware that yet again time is ticking by very quickly. It's only two and a bit months before the deadline. I think I'm conscious of this fact as it's my last project, my final chance to show myself and my skills in the best possible way and possibly the work I'll be presenting to perspective employers!

I have recently designed my bridal brand logo which was very enjoyable - the first real creative task within the project. I am very pleased with the outcome and feel I have managed to achieve the fresh, stylish, modern and quirky impression I desire for my brand.

Exeter, Devon Wedding Fair

Exeter Wedding Fair was another fair I felt would be beneficial to visit in order to further develop my knowledge of the local bridal industry. Exeter is a large town in South West England and caters for large parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. The show was a similar set up to Lyme Regis however a in slightly more luxurious atmosphere.

Again, I was surprised at the lack of bridal boutiques exhibiting and feel this is something I need to investigate further, perhaps I can ask this question if I am fortunate enough to secure interviews with local bridal boutiques.

Ideas on Paper...

The first and second years have been away this week which has meant no timetabled lessons for the third years. This has given me some valuable time to get on with my project and allow me to get all my ideas on paper. I feel far more on top of things at the moment but as usual there's still plenty to do!

I keep thinking about how I'm going to present my sketch book - there are so many options but I've decided it can wait. I need to get on with the content and think later down the line about how exactly I present my work.

Major Project Continued...

So we're a few weeks into the project now. My initial ideas are definitely developing and I have a more certain idea of what I hope to include in the project and produce. We've had a number of tutorials and lessons recently to talk about our ideas but, at present, I feel I want to do less talking and more doing, I'm feeling like I need to slightly ahead than where I am at the moment.

During our lesson yesterday we had to each present our work placement experience or entrepreneurial unit. I found this a particularly helpful and beneficial exercise as I'm keen to incorporate an aspect of a business plan into my project. Fortunately I watched Tiffany's entrepreneurial presentation, the only other student in my class particularly inspired by bridal fashion. I found it really reassuring and inspiring to hear from someone who shares my passion and has the same aspirations as myself. Within her entrepreneurial project she created a hypothetical bridal boutique and carried out the appropriate market research and costings etc.

First Major Project Review

This was the first time in a while I've sat down to discuss the development of my project with my tutors, in recent weeks I've been working on my initial ideas and research.

I felt the tutors were happy with my ideas and, despite original concerns, once assured I wanted to create a stylish and contemporary bridal brand as opposed to a 'frilly', dated brand were supportive of my plan to create a brand centred around bridal fashion.

Anya mentioned that I will need to be careful how I incorporate a business plan into my project; at the moment I have a desire to create a visually attractive and interesting book to present my business plan however Anya mentioned this is unusual and that business plans are usually formal documents.

Major Project Ideas

My ideas for my major project are coming on well at the moment. I'm beginning to form ideas of the kind of pieces and publications I will produce as an outcome of the project. At the moment I'm hoping to produce a project centred around the opening of a new bridal boutique. I've been thinking of ways to make my bridal boutique different, perhaps with a digital aspect to ensure it is contemporary, hopefully an aspect and concept that could be applied across the entire fashion industry.

I received my placement report mark recently which, unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed with. However I don't wish to dwell on it too much so shall put it behind me and use it to drive my passion and determination to do well in my major project.

As part of my major project and for my own information purposes I've been looking at the head office location of bridal designers. Unfortunately, as I expected, most designers are based in London HOWEVER there are a couple based more locally which shows there are some out there!!

Lyme Regis, Dorset Wedding Fair

Conscious that in the future I would very much like to be based locally, or at least within South West England, I felt Lyme Regis Wedding Fair would be an invaluable experience in helping me to understand the local bridal fashion industry and local competition.

The fair was set up like most other fairs with a variety of exhibitors displaying examples of their work on stands placed around the room. I was interested to see how many photographers, cake makers and venues were exhibiting compared to bridal shops - I counted only three out of approximately 25 exhibitors. 

I was lucky enough to arrive in time to watch a catwalk during the afternoon. Bearing in mind, as a result of my work placement at Jenny Packham I have been used to viewing dresses worth £3000, I could see the dresses on show were worth much less and were no where near the quality of the Jenny Packham dresses. This is by no means a bad thing, it may simply infer that these are the quality and price of dresses in demand in the area.  Personally, perhaps naïvely, I had my sights set on selling the likes of Jenny Packham etc in my boutique however if there isn’t the local demand then it is unlikely my boutique would be successful. This is an issue I need to research in more detail and an aspect I will need to seriously consider when deciding where to base my boutique and what bridal dresses to sell. 

Dissertation Complete!

Today I handed in my essay so I now have two of my final year units behind me which is kind of scary. I feel relieved my final essay is complete....now it's full steam ahead with my major project! I will consider my initial ideas in more detail and hear feedback from my tutors within forthcoming tutorials.

Think Tank Project

For the last few weeks (our first few weeks back at uni) we have taken part in a 'Think Tank' with Anna Pegg who used to work for WGSN. We set about predicting a spring/summer trend for 2013. As advised by Anna, we thought about the colour, materials, silhouettes, styling and key details of our new trend.

We took inspiration from a variety of sources including:

• Blogs
• Art and Culture
• Catwalks
• Celebrity
• Vintage
• Magazines/Newspapers
• Trade Shows

After a great deal of mind mapping and research, we came up with a number of trends and themes. These included tie dye, Gaucho, Halston, Sports shapes and denim with an over-riding theme of patchwork, whether it be a patchwork of colour, texture, material or theme. We considered how these themes worked together and choose the best images to represent the themes. We gathered together a number of colours we felt tied into the themes. Within the third session we considered the materials, silhouettes, style and key details. 

Below I have included two images that I plan to include within my portfolio to illustrate my team work and forward thinking skills. 

Back at Uni for the Spring Term...

I thought it might be quite strange being back at uni considering I haven't really been there properly since May, it's gone so quickly. I've been in a couple of times this week and am loving the feeling of knowing this is really the last leg! I have enjoyed the sessions I have had and seeing everyone again, it's nice to hear how every has been and what they've been doing and be around like minded people again.

I am majorly working on my essay at the moment, not my favourite task for sure! I am seriously looking forward to my major project and putting my all into that, I can't believe it's probably going to be my last big project! My idea's are really developing now and I feel very positive about my initial ideas and thoughts.......first things first, getting the essay behind me.......

Last Day...

Well, I've finished! My last day was all pretty normal really apart from a 'Cake Party' to wish me good-bye which was lovely. I made sure my desk was clear and finished any outstanding jobs. The production team kindly bought me some chocolates and a gift and a card signed by the team.

Although in a way I am relieved the placement is over and I'm very much looking forward to going home, I was emotional leaving Jenny Packham feeling a huge sense of achievement. I am very pleased I undertook the placement at Jenny Packham and take away a greater knowledge and confidence.

Deadline and My Last Week...

So I'm in the last week of my placement, actually my last few days! It has flown by! More than I could ever imagine. I can't believe I've been here for three months!

My placement report deadline was today and unfortunately sending the several documents to AUCB has proved slightly difficult and stressful! Overall I'm very happy with my work for this deadline and I believe I have managed to well explain and relay my work placement experiences.

Going home time isn't far away now, I'm most looking forward to getting back to my friends and family and DEVON. I think one of the only things I will miss about London is Oxford Street, the hundred other shopping centres and the fashionable buzz and culture!

The end is in sight...

Today I discussed the date I will finish my placement with Anke and Nigel (Eveningwear) as December is fast approching. It looks like it will be between the 9th and 16th December. I am relieved to have a finishing date in mind and a final goal to work towards. 

The last week or two have been harder going than it has been for a while, mainly as I’ve had a lot of my own things to do yet I’ve still been working 9-5 and have had to fit my own work into the evenings. As I reach the end of my placement and we near Christmas, I have to admit I’m thinking more and more about home and how much I'm looking forward to being back there. 

In saying that I reckon, when it comes down to it, it will be hard to leave the place I have spent the majority of my time in the last 3 months, somewhere that has provided me with such a valuable experience and one I am proud of myself for :-)

Placement Report Draft Deadline & Jenny Packham Interview...

After a busy few days my placement report and presentation plan are pretty much complete and I have sent my first draft to my tutor. I think a draft deadline is a brilliant idea as it has pressurised me to get my report and presentation plan complete a couple of weeks previous to the final deadline, allowing me time to ensure it is the best it can be. Between now and 9th December (the final deadline) I plan to compile a draft slide show to include as part of my presentation plan.

Within my busy few days last week I managed to speak at length with Hayley (Bridal Coordinator Assistant) about the bridal industrial process in more detail to ensure my report is accurate. I also carried out my placement interview with Beverley Essam (Bridal Coordinator). I asked a number of questions relating to my report which I have outlined below. Beverley was extremely helpful and gave me detailed, in depth answers. She even let me record the interview which enabled me to concentrate on her answers and give feedback.

1. How would you describe the way in which your job works and fits into the broader fashion industry?

2. In essence, what is Jenny Packham’s marketing strategy?

3. You appear to have strong working relationships with your suppliers. Are there any rules and restrictions in place regarding the factories Jenny Packham employs to manufacture garments?

4. How do you consider the luxury fashion industry will evolve? Do you consider there to be any threats or concerns with regard to the future of your company?

More of the Same...

Yep, pretty much more of the same the last few days which is to be expected, several jobs I do are weekly tasks. I was sent into London briefly on Thursday which happened to be the first day of Versace's new collection at H&M - the queues were absolutely ginormous! Crazy. I later found out Donatella was actually at the store in Oxford Circus at some point throughout the day!

Other than that not much to report, deadline for placement report is really creeping up so I am very focused on that!

John Lewis, Exeter Branch.

A recent trip to Exeter has made me aware of a new John Lewis store opening in the city. It has been a rumour for some time but it is now official and the building work has begun. This news is very intriguing and, as the store is scheduled to open in late 2012, comes at a convenient time as I will have finished my degree. 


I undertook a 2 week placement at John Lewis Headquarters in May 2010, working within the womenswear and lingerie buying department. The store is recognised as being a leader in high street retail and known primarily for it's impeccable customer service. 


Having experienced living in London the last few months I am more certain than ever that I'd prefer to live and work in South West England/the countryside. My placement at Jenny Packham head office has also highlighted how much I enjoy the store atmosphere and dealing directly with the customers. 
For both these reasons I am extremely interested in learning more about possible job opportunities or graduate schemes within the Exeter store.


Originally the plans for a branch in Exeter was for a 'John Lewis at Home' store however in March 2011 the plans were reconsidered and it was decided to open a full John Lewis store consisting of 11 floors. The store will "offer and edited collection of products across fashion, home and electronics, in an inspiring and contemporary setting."


Watch this space...

Architect Image for new John Lewis, Exeter store.

Kate Middleton in Jenny Packham Grecian Style Dress

So...I've kept my lips sealed all this time and now I can spill! Jenny Packham has made another dress for Kate which she wore last night at a charity dinner held at St James Palace.

The dress was silver in a grecian style, draped over one shoulder and gently gathered in at the waist. It is so crazy that the dress was only in the Jenny Packham office on Wednesday on a mannequin. I actually went into London last week to source several samples of velvet or double faced satin silver ribbon specifically for Kate's dress.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2060105/Kate-Middleton-dazzles-Grecian-gown-St-Jamess-Palace-dinner.html

Dress by Jenny Packham

The dress has also been worn by Angelina Jolie this year in it's original colour, red.

Week 9

Another busy week this week filled with a wide variety of jobs including:

• Preparing and gathering items for the sample sale.


• Sending out sketches and swatches to customers.


• Collecting ribbon from Bethnal Green.


• AND, the most enjoyable, re-fixing rhinestones to the Marie Louise dress. The dress was a sample for a bridal boutique which had been sold to a bride with the agreement that the missing rhinestones would be replaced. Over the time it had been used as a sample several of the crystals had fallen off or come loose. I used a 'Kandi Electric Rhinestone Applicator' which is simply a hot rod which sends heat through the gem to melt the glue on the bottom of the stone onto the fabric. It was very easy to use and the finished product can look neat and precise. Wrongly positioned gems can even be moved by re-heating the glue.

Marie Louise Dress

The rhinestones were positioned around the neckline and waistband.

Placement Report and Essay!!

Looking at dates over the weekend I am slightly panicked by the fact our Placement Report deadline is creeping up pretty quickly! In saying this, thank goodness I am now aware rather than blissfully ignorant and can actually form some sort of plan of how I will achieve the deadline.

I have admit the thought of uni work in the evenings or weekend when I just want to relax is not ideal however I really want to do my very best this year so needs must and all that, I need to get on with it! I have already roughly drafted my report and have noted my thoughts etc and to be honest it will probably be a nice way for me to compile my thoughts and evaluate the whole placement and experience. In order to have the relevant information I need to best complete my report I plan to carry out an interview with a member of Jenny Packham next week hopefully. These will include a wide variety in questions but before I proceed I need to find out the best way to undertake the process.

In addition to the above, while researching for my placement report I am having different thoughts about my essay topic. this is something I will talk through with my tutor and think about further down the line when my report is more under my belt.