New New Gen

It might tickle us when Karl Lagerfeld declares that he likes computers as objects and prefers fax to email, or when Alber Elbaz says he doesn't 'do' the internet.  We might find that cute, endearing and perhaps for some, comforting.  These designers and their ivory ateliers!  Why should they open an email or look at the internet when they're mad busy sketching, draping and creative directing.  For some reason, certain designers love upkeeing the image of themselves being immune to technology, finding email blase or the internet a great bore.  There's almost a weirdly 'cool' and defiantly lo-fi bravada attached to designers/creatives that think that the internet is one giant "bore-off-dot-com", that bloggers are irrelevant/serve no purpose and that Facebook is pointless, which of course is at odds with with what their marketing/PR teams and social media specialists have to say on the matter - a contradiction I find mildly amusing.   

I kind of accept that's the status quo of the big fashion houses, but what about a younger generation of designers that not only utilise the internet but embrace what it has to offer.  The Proenza Schouler boys speaking at the IFB Conference in February is just one of many examples of designers who have used the internet to their advantage and actively engage with their audience online either by scouring blogs, reading reviews on The Fashion Spot or having a reactive Twitter account.  During the course of this blog, I feel like I've grown up with a new generation of designers, similar in age to me, that have also been getting a hands on experience in the process of self-promotion through social media, engaging, interacting with bloggers and even becoming bloggers themselves.  I, in turn have increasingly giving talks to designers about  communicating their work with bloggers and how to establish an online press strategy (there is actually no big secret... email, snail mail, pigeon carrier, saying "Hi" to you in person... all of these things hey PRESTO WORK!).   In this way, there has been a breakdown process between customer, press and designer, cutting out traditional channels to have a more open and fluid dialogue that I think is incredibly exciting. 

So I thought I'd introduce three London-based designers, who are in very infant stages of their career - one, two or three collections old - with two of them being bloggers themselves, to talk about their experiences and thoughts on engaging with bloggers and using that as a form of press and feedback, that's valuable in the early stages.  I've specifically focused on blogging, which is of course only one aspect of the internet as a designer's aid, but as you can see, this is already a bit of a long-ass read that perhaps I'll explore again in the future.  Incidentally have had all their A/W 11-112 lookbooks shot by photographer Christina Smith resulting in these square-shaped evocative images that I've had to slideshow up to compactify this blog post.

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Danielle Jade Windsor

 

Danielle Jade Windsor has had the breadth of work experience spectrum having interned at Michiko Koshino and Topshop and worked for Viktor & Rolf and Zara.  She's currently a semi-finalist as part of Fashion Fringe 2011, entering with her debut collection "Assemble", combining architectural and structural elements in muted tones that make for a cooly contemporary bit of wardrobing.  From her blog,Nike Air Max 2009 Womens, you can see how trend-forecasting in her previous roles have infiltrated her way of presenting collaged moodboards which for me are useful articulations of trends that she has spotted as well as clues into her own aesthetic leanings.

When did you start to read fashion blogs and when did you realise they could be an alternative way of communicating your collections in addition to printed press?
I would say three years ago, in my previous role it was mandatory to check blogs on a daily basis to follow street styles and trends.  When I began creating my AW/11 collection I don't think I was aware of the expense as much as I should have been so it has been a lot more accessible to communicate using the internet intially to get press.

Do you have a specific policy when it comes to contacting and working with bloggers and internet press?
I have been working in the industry for the past 5 years and I am extremely selective of who I contact especially as this is just the beginning.  I have been following New Gen designers, Creative Directors, Design Heads for the past few years and have been closely monitoring their paths.  My main policy is to be open to a wide audience, blogs that attract not only the younger generation but design professionals, buyers, potential recruiters etc.

(Moodboards from Danielle's blog)

When did you start your own blog and do you see it as a marketing tool for your own work or more as a tool of inspiration for yourself?
I started my blog in January of this year as an expanding project for myself. I enjoy creating concepts/themes and colour ways and always want to push myself.  I feel terrible now if I don't update on a daily basis as I don't want to disappoint my fans,Replica Scalpel Sunglasses! I often find that blogs share the same images and info and when you are working in an office environment desperately trying to source inspiration this just isn't helpful!  I hope with my blog I can inspire others as well as myself. I also like to blog about up and coming artists and designers who I feel have something new to bring to the table.

Does the internet hinder or help a young designer starting today?
Again I would say it depends, the internet is as you have said press, bad press is never good in which ever form. What I love about the internet though is the accessibility to the world!

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Manuela Dack

 

I've featured Manuela Dack previously having experienced her chiffon/leather jackets on a shoot.  Having worked with Hussein Chalayan and Alexander Wang, she started off with a capsule collection of these jackets that has led to fully formed collections.  For A/W 11-12 she has concentrated on the construction of her garments as well as a shift away from those jackets towards pieces that can be layered.  Dack was inspired by a vintage dress belonging to her mother and the fusion of old and new in a collection that feels like it's era-less with a hint of Iran where her mother lived.  Dack has also been working on a private-client basis which gives her the freedome to explore high levels of craftsmanship that she wants as a cornerstone of her work.  She'll be working on her signature of layering of contrasting fabrics as well and introducing prints and accessories for what should be an exciting next season.

When did you start to read fashion blogs and when did you realise they could be an alternative way of communicating your collections in addition to printed press?
I started reading blogs very early on at university. The fact that people generally only feature things that they really love appealed to me. I like to understand how people think and blogs are very open in that way. It's the same thing that fascinates me about the fashion industry, you really have to think about who your market is and what they want, and find a way to create something they didn't even realise they wanted.

Do you have a specific policy when it comes to contacting and working with bloggers and internet press?
I didn't really think about using blogs as a marketing tool until it started happening of it's own accord. I decided to start posting images from my graduate collection on my blog because people asked about it and soon the were getting re-posted.  I wouldn't say I have a specific policy, but I definitely have favourites! I generally only contact blogs that I really love and follow myself. I recently got in contact with Jen from Gnarlitude who wrote a post about my label for the Urban Outfitters blog. I've been following her blog for a really long time so it meant a lot to have her fall in love with our aesthetic.

There are obviously some blogs and online platforms that are well known and influential and generally the reason for that is that they are good,Denmark Soccer Jersey, slick and with real opinions.  Having said that, it's really great when a blog you haven't heard of gets in contact and wants to write about you. I still find it really amazing how excited people, who I don't know, get about my label.

It's always interesting to read the comments on posts too. Like the feature you wrote on our LFW Capsule collection. The pleating on the jackets sparked some interesting conversation and it was totally surreal to have other readers defending my work.  It's important to be aware of the fact that we are part of a new generation where online press is just as valid as printed journalism. I'm not saying that all blogs and sites are good, there are some really poor ones out there too, but theres a reason why a select handful have reached the audience they have.

(Images from Manuela's blog)

When did you start your own blog and do you see it as a marketing tool for your own work or more as a tool of inspiration for yourself?
I started my own blog Silver Cleaver in August 2007 as a way of filing images and links that I found online. Initially I really like the anonymity it. It was not until the end of my degree that I started posting images of my work and encouraging readership.  It gives readers an insight into the brand in a format they are familiar with. Blogs can communicate with people on a much more personal level and I think people really like the fact that they can see the designers thought process and inspiration as well as find out more about the label.

Does the internet hinder or help a young designer starting today?
I think the internet is definitely a great tool for new designers. There is no way that I could have reach the audience I have without it. Like everything it is not a guarantee of success. The great thing about blogs is that they are generally very honest. Bloggers wont write about something that they are not interested in so the product is still the most important element. I remember Tom Ford in an interview said that he hates the word 'marketing' because he feels it implies a way of creating hype around a bad product. So in that sense blogs are not about 'marketing' but about consumer awareness. Its another way of allowing people to get to know your label.

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Yasmin Kianfar

 

Yasmin Kianfar is probably the most 'advanced' of this trio with stockists such as Browns (YAY for their website revamp!) and Opening Ceremony.  From the linear cut-outs that she has incorporated into her own signature she has evolved her A/W 11-12 collection into a more elegant vision.  She cites the circus and show-girls as references but the result what with the elongated silhouettes in black and with the pearls seems to be a reconfiguration of that iconic outfit Holly Golightly wears in the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany's.  These are slinky looks done in a way that is palatable to our modern ways.  I especially love the tiny star cut-outs which I think are the subtlest way I've seen star shapes used in clothing.  Yasmin is one of those unfortunate souls who has actually endured one of my random talks where I say things like "I'm a blogger and my email address on my blog makes me UBER contactable!" 

When did you start to read fashion blogs and when did you realise they could be an alternative way of communicating your collections in addition to printed press?
In all honesty- reading and appreciating blogs is a relatively 'new' phenomenon to me. I don't think I started reading fashion blogs before I read Style Bubble for the first time. I must also confess, that I only started reading it when people told me that my label had been featured, this was July last year.  I have since been an avid reader of Style Bubble, and also been introduced to other blogs such as Jak and Jil, they have usually been recommended by a friend.  I am now addicted to at least 10, which I consult on a regular basis and I know that an increasing number of people are the same.

It was when my S/S 11 collection was featured on StyleBubble, and people begun to contact me in response to that, that I realised the impact of fashion blogs on my work and as a medium to reach my desired audience. I do believe, however, that like magazines not all blogs are created equal and it is important to be as discerning with features as with printed press.

Do you have a specific policy when it comes to contacting and working with bloggers and internet press?
I contact my favourite blogs, after that I respond to those that seek me out. This is namely as a result of my lack of time, to scout out all the many interesting and wonderful blogs that I know exist. I have a look at the blog and decide if it will attract the right interest, looking at everything from the layout, the writing and importantly- the other designers featured. I generally give a blog a further look if it is well laid out and they are professional in their communication with me.

Does the internet hinder or help a young designer starting today?
There are certainly pros and cons of the internet in terms of helping a new designer. The negative is arguably the transient nature of the net. If you are lucky enough to get good press it disappears as quickly as it arrived. However, the positives of this outweigh that as it has the capacity to reach a far larger and more varied audience than printed press.

Aside from press, the internet allows a new designer to develop a dialogue with their customer via their own site. In the past, we would have all had to wait for a store to decide to take a chance on us- no mean feat. As well as allowing us to showcase our new collections, we can also use the net to retail, which has clear benefits. Blogs and Twitter then allow us to communicate directly with our customer, which is the ultimate goal.