#epresearch

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

After developing my brand and thinking about its philosophy and USP I thought it made sense to change my Key Contemporaries to be more specifically suited to the type of brand I want to create. I had chosen Stone Island and Han Kjobenhavn as being main competitors for my brand. Both have workwear influence to their apparel designs as well as both appealing to a streetwear market. The brands also have the kind of hardened marketing and branding aesthetic that I would like for my brand - clean and industrial with an element of quirkiness. 

From doing this I have a better idea of what my brand has specifically to offer to the menswear market as well as price points and branding inspiration.

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

From my customer profiles I know that my brand needs to be:

New and different but still with a sportswear aesthetic 

Have a social media platform which promotes the brand and is clean displaying the aesthetic 

not be too expensive compared to the current streetwear market

still be wearable and not too extravagant 

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

Jason Evans Cav Empt AW15

“-they have made their name pushing a relentlessly unique collision between old and new, west and east, accessibility and avant-garde. Their collections are a time-bending, genre-hopping retro-futurist trip; radical graphics collide with obtuse slogans, bright colours clash with monochrome prints.” https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/59bqmn/exclusive-cav-empt-autumnwinter-15-look-book

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

From researching current streetwear brand from different places I have found key elements that make them successful:

 raw and natural photography with some more styled shoots

limited edition ‘drop’ releases and production

Price points (£40 tshirt, £80 jumper, £150 jacket eg.)

unique and displayed logo/name

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

While researching trend forecasts on WGSN I was drawn to the colour trend forecasts for menswear AW 18/19

The reason I was so drawn to the colour trends as I see similarities that coincide with my collection. In my preliminary idea I used natural heather growth as a potential colour palette. From this trend forecasts I can see lots of similar colours including purples, dark reds, greys and greens. 

A lot of the designer images they've used are collections that have the kind of northern/workwear/sportswear soft tailoring styles that I am hoping to create for my brand.

I am pleased that the overall aesthetic in this trend prediction is similar to my brand which means that my collection will be on trend for AW 18/19 which could potentially boost my coverage.

Seeing this trend report has helped inspire me for design ideas and I may consider incorporating the brighter colours used in the report.

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

WGSN reports of designers inspired by Northern England

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

“The beauty of the north is, it feels familiar to people who have never actually visited it – yet everyone has their own interpretation”

This is an exhibition which I will be visiting next week which I look forward too and should inspire my work.

[ekmbuggy-extendedpractice]

Is it because I'm Northern? - Kate Fox exposes a geographical bias in the comedy world

“Basically (or complicatedly) this is partly about class, partly about culture and partly about history. England’s traditional idea of itself is constructed from the ideal of the white, middle-class, Southern gentleman. The stereotypical Englishman. This only exists in opposition to the idea of the Northern working-class bloke.”

“The former is civilised and rational, the latter is barbaric and chaotic. You need one to emphasise the qualities of the other.”

“there is something special and particular about the North-South opposition in terms of upholding England’s national identity.”