Speaker Profiles
We are delighted to welcome a number of professional retailers and educators to the Creative Fashion Forum.
Susan Bishop - De Mystifying Marketing
My passion for fashion started at a young age. When I left school I dressed windows for a large department store. My grandmothers were very well dressed in the latest fashions and both lived abroad so I had an interesting cultural view on what to wear.
I work as a Post Graduate lecturer teaching fashion and event marketing at the University of Brighton, Northbrook College, Oxford College and I am and examiner for the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
In 2005 my colleague Sandra and I conceived the Creative Fashion Forum, a group of small independent fashion retailers and designers. The membership has grown and developed resulting in a community of local and national fashion businesses.
Since 1992 I have shaped both large and small companies and their marketing plans. I work best as a catalyst for change by undertaking specific, measurable projects, Research has played a major role in my portfolio and Sandra and I implemented a survey in Brighton looking at purchasing behaviour, focusing on independent shops.
Anna Hayman
My background is in retail, working for large fashion companies and small independents. I began trading on eBay in my spare time selling high heeled shoes. Under the name ShoeMissy it has now grown into a wholesale/retail business with an online shop at the heart. I have used social networking and blogging extensively to spread the word online and build online presence for the brand. I’m hoping in the future to trade with a large online retailer, and get ShoeMissy better known.
Having always been interested in retail display I also do window dressing for a small independent boutique in Lewes, Sussex, which I really enjoy as it brings a weekly creative challenge and keeps me in touch with real live customers! Shortly I will also be working freelance doing window dressing and merchandising for menswear store MERC in Carnaby Street, which will hopefully be a good learning curve and round out my experience further.
Esme Hilliard - Personal Image Consultant
I trained with Colour Me Beautiful as a personal image consultant 5 years ago and work mainly from my studio in Lewes, East Sussex. I am enthusiastic about my work and think that personal image consultations are a life changing experience. It’s an emotional experience for many clients but when they start to feel confident about putting an outfit together its very rewarding. I love what I do - It’s all about helping people look great and this of course makes them feel good.
I work with both women and men and have delivered image consultations both in colleges, on cruise liners and in a corporate setting. I have facilitated sessions for women who are setting up new businesses and who want to reassess their image. I also runs parties for groups of friends as well as consultations on: colour, style, make-up, wardrobe weeding and style updates.
Recently I was very pleased to have been chosen to be a model in the recent Colour Me Beautiful book “Colour me Younger”. It’s so important for women to be confident about how to update their look into their mature years.
esme.hilliard@which.net - www.cmb.co.uk
Renaissance – Designs that make a statement
After training in Theatre Design at Wimbledon School of Art, Kevin Freeman worked as a designer for theatre and TV before setting up his own bridalwear company, ‘Diva’ in London in the 90’s. The first sample he produced went straight into full-page editorial in ‘Brides’ magazine and from then on the company achieved great press coverage. Kevin produced gowns for clients across Europe and in the Arab States, ranging from leopard skin weddings to pagan ceremonies to full-blown jewel encrusted baroque fantasies.
‘Diva’ continued for six years until Kevin was offered the post of Head of Fashion at Hastings College of Art. He decided on a less stressful existence (!) coupled with a regular and reliable income would be a marvellous thing, moved to the South Coast and went in to rebuild an ailing National Diploma and write and implement the new Foundation Degree which opened in September 2006.
Having achieved all he could at Hastings and missing a full time design role, he set up Renaissance Creative Design Ltd in January 2007 and hasn’t looked back since. In the first year Renaissance produced large events for the Royal Albert Hall, the British Library and the opening of the 02 Dome as well as creating bespoke garments for individual clients.
The eveningwear collection ‘Fallen Angels’ was shown as part of Brighton Frocks weekend in June last year to an amazing response and great press coverage and the new Bridalwear range has just been photographed at Brighton Pavilion. Kevin loves being in Brighton and being part of Brighton’s creative culture and absolutely adores his job and the people he meets doing it; ‘I’m very lucky’ he says.
www.renaissancecreativedesign.com
Kevin@renaissancecreativedesign.com
Rachel Holland – Gives a talk about how designers can take eco responsibility?
Rachel’s professional background spans across TV, film, set design, graphics, art direction, styling and event management. Reaching the pinnacle of her design career in TV, working on Doctor Who and Torchwood with a great team and fantastic rewards. However, her growing concern for the environment and ethical beliefs caused her to toy with the idea of setting up a sustainable design company. In 2006, she packed her bags, left her job and moved to Brighton in the search of other like-minded individuals and companies.
She was lucky enough to work with the creative & ethical design group 'Neo' and enjoy a lot of freedom within her job role, allowing her to explore new industries and movements within eco & ethical design. What she saw was amazing. She realized that this was no small movement and was witnessing exciting new developments within this brand new industry. From then onwards, she saw an increasing gap in the market for someone with her skill base, ethics and ideas. This ignited her passion to combine two loves - creativity & the environment.
From here the seeds were firmly planted and from then onwards she has taken the steady steps towards going it alone. Rachel currently styles and art directs photoshoots, works as a consultant within eco and ethical companies and generally tries and work with the latest technologies and new developments to provide cutting edge, sustainable design solutions. Rachel says ‘I am always learning and pushing myself to go that extra mile. I work with nice people and companies, who care about making a difference and want to use my creative flair and knowledge within design to enhance their project. Its very rewarding to say the least!’
Sarah Appelhans: Unravel your signature – what does branding mean to a small fashion business?
By its simplest definition, a signature is a sign or a stamp, but without core values to enhance it and hold it up, it falls hollow.
So why you, not them, nor it?
What is the experience that your customer engages with? Ask yourself; did it leave a sufficient imprint to get them to return?
When you are true to your signature and committed to the world it presents and conjures, it permeates through all aspects of your business. Even before financial considerations, if you remain true the rest will follow.
Think of any successful brand, you instinctively know what they stand for. Omnipresent subliminal messages: integrity is coherent and the business is healthy.
When messages are convoluted, clients are confused, windows are closed, and the rust consumes.
You owe it to your customer, out of respect, to tell them about your business. It’s your promise to them, and in return they know you are being authentic.
Focusing on your signature and its meaning is a daily practice and you will question it time and time again but it will serve you well. So listen to it’s voice - it’s powerful.
Then you can evolve and unfold.
Sarah Appelhans - Unravel
Little did I know that my teenage years spent devouring ID magazine and being a club kid in London’s nightlife would lead me into my career in Fashion.
With no formal training, fate has been kind to me and I have worked for designers such as Liza Bruce, and Michiko Koshino. For over 5 years as PR Manager for Rifat Ozbek I worked on fashion shows in Paris, Milan and New York. I then went on to be Head of Marketing and PR, launching the womenswear for Reiss.
More recently I have managed a division within a creative agency, representing stylists, hair and make-up artists and Creative Directors.
I certainly don’t have all the answers, but what I do have is 15 years of experience and observations to share with you to help develop your vision and business.
I offer transformational creative services incorporating:
- Creative Direction
- PR and Marketing
- Brand Management
Working with fashion businesses I help them to Unravel their brand signatures and create communications that represent ethos and brand values.
Email: sappel@unravel.org.uk
Mobile: 07776 252198
For details of our next event see our Events Section.
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