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Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts

A Roadmap for the Tech/Mobile/Telecom/Media Sectors: Top Entrepreneurs Reflect

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Tuesday, April 13, 2010 0 comments
A tech savvy panel of entrepreneurs graced New York Entrepreneur Week April 2010 to discuss the trends of technology and how to embrace them.

Expert Panelist included: Scott Belsky, the Founder of Behance, Landy Ung, Founder of 8coupons, David Horowitz, Managing Director of Comcast Capital, Jeff Pulver, the Founder of Vonage & 140 Characters Conference, with moderator Stuart Goldfarb from Orrick. 

The panelist strongly suggest using the power of technology to connect local consumers with local retailers.  Allow technology to provide information that makes it easier to facilitate the idea of connecting people to people.  Through self-funding and bootstrapping entrepreneurs can focus on branding and building a name for themselves.

What makes a successful entrepreneur, is the person itself. Through social networking allow yourself to be vulnerable so people can hear your actual voice.  Your opinion matters to your consumers and followers.  Don't underestimate the power of other people restating what you say.  You can't hide good/bad brand experiences anymore, and use that to your advantage.  Landy Ung suggested, if you're using technology make sure you have a self-service platform to help with your technical difficulties. 

The panel agreed that transparency is something that people still don't understand and they expect some industry breakthroughs within this area.  Jeff Pulver said, "If you could actually build relationships, that's how you can change lives.  New media will never replace old media, but if you connect the two you create a 'now media'."  The possibility of the future by crowd-sourcing, hyper-communication, and managing your presence is endless.  Jeff Pulver believes this is the year of the consumer revolution.  

- Katie Evans

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Targeting the Media to Build More Productive Relationships

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, April 08, 2010 0 comments
The title entrepreneur makes it mandatory that you wear many hats, including that of being your own PR agent. But with Public Relations there is protocol, and even within the "rules" there is the expanding world of Social Networking who plays an entirely different game.

Here's some things helpful tips from the experts at Cision of what to do- and NOT do- to improve your hit rate with the journalists who really matter and in return target the media to build more productive relationships. 
 
What's the Problem?
Journalists are consistently complaining about misdirected pitches.  Some professionals have gone as far as blacklisting inappropriate pitchers.  Chris Anderson wrote a blog post entitled, "Sorry PR people: You're Blocked", and actually listed the names and emails of those he had currently blacklisted.  While a Contributing Editor from Wired said, “Pitch me stories.  I write features, which means I need good characters, conflicts, tensions and interesting pitches".  Make sure you are doing your homework and giving properly directed pitches to the correct people.


Journalists still need PR pros
Current research has discovered that 44% depend on PR pros for interviews access to sources and experts.  Although the rise of social media and blogging has helped journalists tremendously, public relations is still something they rely on.


Finding and Hitting Your Own Bull's-Eye
News is consumed differently now so make sure your content is mobile friendly and easily assessable for your audience.  There are niche sites for pretty much any topic you could think of, if you do your research correctly, you can get the closest to your target.


Social Media's impact on PR & the media
Remember that the focus is on the social capital of the journalist, not the outlet.  Since news is consumed differently and through various different outlets, make your sites available to everyone.  By targeting your specific audience you become more direct-to-consumer friendly.  But most importantly, remember you're dealing with communities, not audiences.  You have the power to directly have a relationship with your consumers.  

Key facts that make up your New Media Mix 
- What is my goal?
- Who is my target audience/community?
- How visual is my story?
- Is my idea timely?
- Is my news actionable - and how?


Blogger Outreach
Just because you can reach out to a blogger, doesn't mean you should.  Building relationships with bloggers takes time.  You have to fully understand their specific niche.  Truly influential bloggers are made up of almost 10% professional journals and 90% independent freelances who are passionate about their topics.  Do not ignore the little guys since there is no such thing as "off the record". 


Research the Outlet
Take time to look at writing style, voice, and tone.  After understanding everything they cover, research what they don't cover since this could potentially save you time down the road.  Here's a tip from a Managing Editor at Popular Woodworking; "Send us information that is useful to our readers.  If you look clearly at our Web site and (pitch the areas) in which we cover, I will look at your pitch.  If the sender does NOT do their homework, I will not look at the pitch".


Identify the Right Contacts
"Pitchers should do their homework. I often get things that are completely out of the realm of what I do." - Movie Editor, Philadelphia Daily News.  By looking at past bylines, reports, and posts you start to identify the right contacts and can target them more efficiently.


Developing Relationships
Start developing relationships by researching past coverage of the individual you're pitching to.  Find a current article they've written and reference it.  Send an introductory e-mail complimenting their work.  Or start by asking about current and upcoming story ideas.  Comment on their blog posts or online articles and follow them on Twitter. 


Quality VS Quantity
A Reporter from Modern Healthcare says, "The ideal package is a press release attached with a personalized message: here's why you should care, here's the newsworthy element...".  And an Entertainment Reporter from WABC-TV agrees by adding, "...a great pitch, shortly done, gets me to do things, and that makes me happy, because that makes the client look good, you look good, and me look good".  It's better to send out fewer, personalized releases and never send a release/pitch without an introduction.  Your introductions should be clear and brief and even if your release isn't used, your contact will appreciate effort.


Respect Preferences
Through surveys, researchers have discovered that most contacts prefer e-mail.  Don't leave long voicemail's or follow up via phone unless you are required to do so at your job.  And, if you haven't heard back, don't panic, but also know when to step back and when to push.


Deadlines
A Reporter from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said, "Earlier in the day is always better, as opposed to calling me with some huge store idea at four in the afternoon, when I'm on deadline".  With this being said, be aware of lead times/editorial calendars.  Do some research on their companies to recognize their usual business hours which will help you determine the best time of day.  Also, know their policy on embargoes.


When in Doubt, Include an Opt-Out
Your subject lines must be accurate.  For example, if sending a press release, don't be shy about identifying your message as a press release.  Also, share with recipients how to opt out of receiving future emails from you and honor their opt-out requests promptly.


Be Prepared, and Follow Through
Have the right spokesperson available and the necessary product information lined up.  If you are suggesting a story that needs to include opinions from several different people, have their contact information and availability ready for the journalist


Steps to follow to create a great pitch: 
- Know your pitch inside and out
- Find contact on Twitter; do a Google Byline search
- Send a brief e-mail to introduce yourself and why your pitch is a good fit for them
- Be transparent, for example, tell them if you're pitching the story elsewhere
Make all your resources available and even if the pitch isn't used, you've still established a relationship!


Here are some tools and resources provided by Cision to help you target productive media relationships even more... 
  • Blog.cision.com
  • Navigator.cision.com
  • Journalisttweets.com
- Katie Evans

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How User Experience Designers are like Therapists

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Wednesday, March 03, 2010 0 comments

In writing for NYEWeek, I always try to think of topics that will relate to the Entrepreneurial mind. The post I write today may or may not do so, but my hope is that it will invoke some ideas that will change your thinking about how you approach your customer.  As I’ve mentioned in several previous posts on my blog.


I’m surrounded by counselors and therapists of all kinds. In talking with these folks, I can’t help but see the similarities that keep coming up between our two professions, those of Therapy and UX Design. 


Recently, I asked a seasoned therapist how he chooses to deliver responses to his clients. Basically I wanted to know; if Client A came to him with a problem and Client B came to him with the same problem, would he give them the same response? His reply to my question was eye opening.


The therapist replied “It is not my job to push my thoughts and ideas onto my clients. I am not their friends. Friends do that. When someone comes to them with a problem they respond ‘well this is what I would do…’ then explain their point of view instead of giving tailored advice. My job is to listen to my clients, take their needs & personalities as well as the way in which they explained their problem into account, and really understand what kind of help they are asking for.  From there, I tailor a response that the specific client will be able to absorb best as well as one that their personality will be able to use. My personal opinions are thrown out the window.”
Wow, if this didn’t make some connections in my head.


That is precisely how a User Experience Designer is different from the majority of professionals out there in corporate or start up land. Let me explain further. Our job is not to push our opinions about how to create websites or features we like onto our users. There are a ton of interactions out there that I personally despise that I include in my designs. You may ask “Well if you despise them, why do you include them in your work?”
I do so simply because the majority of the users that I’m designing for do NOT share my opinion. These interactions and features are ones that they actually feel comfortable using or that make their experience delightful. My role as a UX Designer is not to force my opinions about certain treatments or interactions onto users. Just because I love or hate something does not mean it will facilitate a great user experience. A UX Designer should NEVER talk in opinions. That is one of the first things we learn in our profession. Instead we take a great deal of our time, including “non-work” time, to study people. We learn what works for users and what doesn’t. We try to understand others’ behaviors and by doing so are coming to our clients with facts and not opinions.


When I tell a client “That is not something that users will understand.” It is because I have studied users, not because I don’t understand it myself. This is a key feature to look for when hiring and working with a UX Designer.
This thinking is a big shift for most people dealing with the web. For example, many people tend to pick colors for their websites because they like the colors, not because these colors facilitate easier reading or emotional response. This same behavior happens with other features (i.e. I like drag and drop and I want it on my site, even if there is no need for this type of treatment). There is actually a science to website creation and the number one rule is to throw away your personal opinion.


You are not your user, and your opinions may or may not match theirs. The fact is you are the one that needs your users to use your website or buy your product and you should make that experience enjoyable. The way to do this is to remove the subjective and work in the objective.


- Lis is the Founder of Hubert Experience Design, a boutique user experience firm based in NYC. Her firm has worked with a wide range of organizations, from Fortune 500 to start-up. Hubert Experience Design takes pride in making websites better and easier to use.
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Gothamedia Ventures presents Fashion Tech NYC Technology, Social Media, and Fashion

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Tuesday, February 23, 2010 0 comments
The seats slowly ran out in the packed office building at Gothamedia Ventures for their 2010 "Digital Breakfast" about Technology, Social Media, and Fashion.  Panelists included David Reinke (CEO and Founder of StyleHop Corporation), Matthew Snodgrass (Senior VP of Digital, Lippe Taylor), Rafe Totengco (Designer; CEO of Rafe NYC), Luke Watson (Director of Andy Hilfiger Entertainment), and Yuli Ziv (Editor-in-Chief of MyItThings.com and Founder of Style Coalition.  This was the first in a series of events as Gothamedia Ventures plans to focus the next few panel discussions on fashion and technology.  The panel today focused on how social media is changing the way that consumers relate to fashion and the fashion industry.  


Talk of "flash sales" as seen on sites like RueLaLa were in heavy discussion as the panelists feel they are changing the way the structure of shopping for consumers.  They believe this could potentially threaten designers who can't afford to put their items on sale price.  The panelists also felt that these "flash sales" can bring a separation of being excited about a brand to the actual point of purchase to consumers.  


Matthew Snodgrass brought up the fact that, "Most fashion companies only spend 5% of their budgets on marketing which creates a barrier in the industry".  As the other panelist agreed, he talked of fashion designers being behind on the social media trends which is negatively affecting them while other brands are building relationships with their consumers through social media.  


Yuli Ziv raved on blogging and the business advancements it can place your company in.  Since we are living in a "Reality TV culture", blogging is a great way to get your readers up close and personal with an inside scoop on your life.  Rafe Totengco says he receives more positive feedback while tweeting "behind the scenes" than he does when tweeting on his collections.  Twitter and blogging brings you closer to your current customers creating a long-standing relationship.


For more information on the seminar or live video, visit gothammediaventures.com

- Katie Evans
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Perception is Reality

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Saturday, February 13, 2010 0 comments

Recently, I saw a post on twitter by Gary Whitehill, founder of New York Entrepreneur Week (NYEW), “One of the hardest things to understand in life is: You’re not what you are, but what you’re perceived to be.” In this day and age of social media, this is one of the most important things for people to remember. First impressions last a lifetime and in today’s day and age, our first impression is made with the information that people see about us online.


Let’s be honest, when we connect with a person at a meeting or are introduced through a mutual contact, the first thing we do is go to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more about this person. If the individual has no information available or a spotty resume on these sites, part of the excitement of the initial introduction is lost immediately. The person will now have to overcome this void in order to make a great first impression.
In today’s age of the internet, you are your own brand and how you market and sell that brand will make you a success. You need to take an active role in building that brand so that when you do meet someone you are prepared and give off a great first impression. Some of the ways this can be accomplished are:


· Start a blog about your industry – Portray yourself as knowledgeable and people will listen to you and ask for your advice. This will give you a lot of credibility.
· Learn the industry – Make sure you know the names of the key companies and players in the industry. You don’t want to look dumbfounded when these individuals’ names are mentioned.
· Network – Build up a network of contacts in your field and related fields so that you can leverage their knowledge. Attend industry events and roundtables so that you can be more visible and be an active participant so that people know who you are.
· Learn how to make a great first impression – Make sure you know how to attract someone’s attention when you meet them. People have short attention spans so make sure you know how to get engage them from the first moment. You only have one chance at a first impression!


This is an especially important lesson for entrepreneurs. Very often entrepreneurs are young and have no track record. The only information people have about you is what they can find online. When you are going out to raise capital or to sell your product, people want to know who you are, what you stand for and what kind of person you are. You need to use all the tools available to you to create a certain perception of yourself in the eyes of others. This perception can often be the difference between getting the funding you need or the potential investors having no faith in you.


You are the most important thing that you are selling – make sure you are perceived that way.


- Aron Schoenfeld, the co-founder of DreamArtists Studios, a boutique music production company specializing in music for television, commercials and film.
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Esprit... The Interview

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Monday, February 08, 2010 1 comments

Esprit Spring 2010 
You know the brand… Red logo, fun minimalistic lettering, bright energetic images.  It’s Esprit, started in 1968 in San Francisco by Susie and Doug Tompkins who sold garments out of the back of their van.   Now, the Group operates more than 800 directly managed retail stores worldwide and distributes its products via more than 14,000 wholesale locations internationally, occupying total selling space of over 1.1 million square metres in more than 40 countries. They are rapidly expanding their US retail presence but still always have a global conscience.  Recently Esprit, through a fund-raising campaign in their retail stores, donated to help Haiti.  The total amount raised, 115,000 euros. will go directly to SOS Children’s Villages Haiti via the ‘Esprit Cares Trust’ in Hong Kong. This will enable Esprit to assist aid workers on the ground as well as ensure the long-term well-being of the children in Haiti. Lynn Furge garnered a lucky moment with John Gunn, President of the Americas, Esprit to talk about the future plans for such an iconic global brand.
Lynn Furge:  I remember my favorite pair of Esprit pants.  They were orange and blue and checker board and had black fish sketched on them and every girl in school wanted them, but they were mine!  With a new boost in your retail businesses you are looking to re-introduce the brand to growing Gen X’ers like myself.  How do you plan to do that?
John Gunn:  Many of our consumers in the US remember Esprit from when they were young.  We find that now we can appeal to both old and new shoppers since we have a variety of lines that get the attention of different generations.  While we still have the basics that have been available since the start, we also have pieces that follow the trends a bit more, so there really is something for everyone.   
LF:  The Esprit Brand is unique because it was one of the first affordable luxury brands that started in the US and built a global empire through partnering and then brought it all back under the same roof to New York as the corporation expanded, how are you able to keep the Global Esprit image consistent?
JG:  The image of Esprit worldwide is that it’s OK to be yourself.  The typical Esprit shopper likes to follow fashion but is not a slave to trends.  She enjoys being out with her friends and family and lives a busy life outside of fashion.  Our new campaigns will show an edgier side of the brand with Julia Restoin-Roitfeld representing our Women’s Casual line and Daisy Lowe as the face of edc by Esprit.  We hope that both will grab attention and have a lasting impact on our consumers. 
LF:  Esprit seems to be the one global company that has been opening store after store in different international markets and now begin to bring attention back to the US with boutiques popping up all over America.  Can you explain the risk and how it has begun to pay off?
JG:  There is always a risk when starting a new business venture in a new market.  Our team is successful at researching and developing new ways to expand our business and make improvements with each new opening.  Short term we are looking at opening up to 20 stores in the next fiscal year.
LF:  Do you take any type of different approach when handling retailer partners vs. wholesaling to your own boutiques?
JG:  Our approach is different when handling retail partners vs. wholesale.  The target customer for each channel tends to be different in their shopping approach.  We need to appeal to our shoppers that are both loyal to the brand but also those that are not label conscious.    
LF:  You are really looking at all angles of the consumer demographic… we touched on the aging Gen X’ers who grew up with the brand… now tell me about the initiative to get a Facebook following, how do you feel that will benefit the brand?
JG:  It’s very important for a business to grow with the times and right now, tapping into social media with sites like Facebook and MySpace and even Twitter will allow us to reach a new customer and develop a deeper relationship with existing ones.   We recently launched a Facebook page for the US which has been very beneficial to us as a company.  Facebook has created an open line of communication between us and our customers which has provided us with great feedback. 

Roitfeld and Daisy Lowe for EspritLF:  How does imaging/branding play an important role now more than ever in a global retail business?
JG:  We are extremely proud of our Spring/Summer 2010 image campaign featuring Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Daisy Lowe, global fashion influencers that are relatable to our international customers.  We have never attached famous faces in an image campaign before.  The feel of these photo shoots relates to Esprit’s heritage of a laid back, cool lifestyle but is a bit more updated to show that we’ve grown over the years. 
LF:  How much of the business is ecommerce? And what plans for growth do you have for this aspect of the business?
JG:  Ecommerce is a significant portion of our business for growth right now.  We have recently expanded our e-shop to include Canada as well added menswear into the product mix.
LF:  Esprit’s flagship store in the UK is really using technology to gain the advantage on an entertainment and interactive level any plans for the American stores following suit?
JG:  While the recent technology we have used to leverage business in the UK proved to be successful, we have not yet made plans to integrate this into our marketing strategy in the US. 
LF:  What does your partnership with the London College of Fashion consist of?
Esprit is working with the second year BA (Hons) Fashion Design & Technology womenswear and menswear students over two terms since 2005. Esprit’s head of design Melody Harris-Jensbach asked the students to “Create a cutting edge line for Esprit based around the existing ‘Collection’ or ‘edc’ lines for either men’s or womenswear. The objective is to push the boundaries forward.”
As part of the ‘Esprit Academy’ students need to design a versatile capsule range of 4-6 outfits.
The lucky winner has their designs produced and sold through Esprit stores worldwide as a
“limited edition line” with it’s own individual label and special window display. In addition to this,
the winner has the opportunity to work with Esprit at their Global Business Headquarters in Germany
following their graduation.
It was our first step in supporting new fashion design talent, and the start of a long term
world-wide campaign in which they plan to collaborate with design students. We plan to work
in the future with other internationally acclaimed fashion design schools across the globe.
LF:  Is there any market you are not already in that you are really interested in investigating or introducing to the Esprit brand, either in terms of an Esprit boutique or a retail partnership?
JG:  We are thrilled about our expansions in the US market so far with our largest opening on 34th Street in New York City following the openings of four other stores – Rock Center, Columbus Circle, Soho and Flatiron.  We also have expanded to the west coast, the birthplace of Esprit, to open Esprit Santa Monica on the famed Third Street Promenade and also to Philadelphia to open Esprit Walnut Street.  We are continually researching other markets that we feel could be beneficial to the brand and are always seeking out new opportunities.  
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New Technology in Fabric Finishings

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Friday, August 07, 2009 0 comments



In the market there are a large variety of finishing products for fabrics which can add value to the garments and offer functionalities to the customers making each piece unique and competitive in the marketplace.
Technology has become important in fashion not only through computer generated design, but though textile options as well.  Textile manufacturers are looking for new ways to improve the longevity of fabric and also give consumers added bonuses of supple skin, better shape and protection against the environment.  At the Special Finishings and Screenprinting Conference organized by the company A. Montenegro y Cia, experts unveiled unique techniques in finishings that will change the future face of fashion.  It is important to mention that some of these products have a wash durability of approximately 10 laundry.
Wellness finishing : A process that protects the skin through an intelligent transfer system
Nouwell® this product belongs to laboratory CHT, had a wide variety of options all revolving around the ingredients benefit the skin it touches:
NouWell SCA and NouWell PLX, both are products based in silicone that gives skin nurturing effects with the extracts of aloe vera, promoting wound healing, anti-inflammatory and moisturization.
Nouwell Bee: A product with a mixture of natural bee’s wax, which supports wound healing, it gives smoothness, improves the stitch sew ability, and adds outstanding shiny effects to the overall look of the fabric
Nouwell E: A Vitamin E complex, which transfers to the skin
Nouwell Cool: Hydrophilic textile softener based on a mixture of fatty acid condensate silicone and menthol, it gives cooling refreshing handle plus good level of wetting and antistatic properties
Nouwell SPA: A combination of micro emulsified silicones and silk protein which gives softness, smoothness, has good durability, and is especially suitable for the softening of wool fabric.
Nouwell Gik: Hydrophilic textile softener based on a mixture of fatty acid condensate with silicone, caffeine and Ginko extracts.  It gives a very soft and smooth handle, with a good level of wetting and antistatic properties.
Repellent: A shield against water, oils and soiling. Some of the products of laboratory CHT are Tubiguard®, Tubigard SR, Tubigard Nano
Flame retardant: Apyrol, which can work in PES (polyester), PA (Nylon), cotton or Wool, there is a special kind of product formula for each kind of content
Wicking: Gives soft hand feel, excellent hydrophilic (absorbs water in an excellent way), anti static and is good for sewing
Antimicrobials: The new trend in antimicrobials has Silver Ions that reduces the toxins, and Sol Gel which help the permanence in the fabric
Anti pilling:  Prevents that appearance balls or superficial fluffiness, by using a treatment of enzymes. This kind of process can be done in products of cotton, viscose, etc
By implementing the above into your fabric choices, a basic garment becomes a revolutionary technical piece that can hedge off the competition.
The conference was placed in Lima, and was about Special Finishings and Screenprinting. Was organized by the company A. Montenegro y Cia.

Rubí Zagaceta , General Manager, Textiles of Peru / Partner Peru  www.textilesofperu.com
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Interview | Fashion 360 Powered by Nikon

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Sunday, August 02, 2009 0 comments

Nikon is a name that is associated with superior quality in the camera industry.  This year, they were the official camera sponsors of the 2009 MTV Movie Awards. 
It is here where they set up 50 Nikon D700’s around a podium to capture celebrity’s fashions at the awards show from all angles and not just your typical front shot.  Fashion stylists, trend trackers and gossip hounds received up to the second blasts of wardrobe from some of Hollywood’s hottest young stars. 
Market Editor Oriana DiNella spoke with Rose Guarino, Communications Supervisor for Nikon Inc. about the impact of the debut of the Fashion 360- Powered by Nikon at this years 2009 MTV Movie Awards and how it is affecting the fashion industry, especially with the promotion of independent designers.
Oriana DiNella:  What does this initiative mean for Nikon?
Rose Guarino: Lisa Baxt our senior manager of communications put it best when she said, “Being at the forefront of digital cameras, Nikon is excited to have its stylish line of Nikon COOLPIX cameras among today’s biggest style influencers and our D-SLRs in the Fashion 360, Powered by Nikon. Viewers at home will love their exclusive look at the red carpet, the biggest celebrities and entertainment moments of the last year.”
OD: What exactly makes the Fashion 360, Powered by Nikon revolutionary and how is it used?
RG: The Fashion 360, Powered by Nikon, will synch 50 Nikon D700 digital SLR cameras to capture celebrities in a visual “surround sound,” providing a stunning 360-degree perspective.
OD: Why was this decision made to unveil the Nikon 360 at the MTV Movie Awards?
RG: The MTV Movie Awards is one of the biggest nights of pop culture, style and entertainment each year.  The Fashion 360 – Powered by Nikon brings a whole new element of fun, interaction and technology making the partnership between Nikon and the MTV Movie Awards timely and appropriate.
OD: What will this do for the brand? Do you see this increasing brand loyalty?
RG: Bringing Nikon’s superior technology to the forefront of entertainment and fashion at the MTV Movie Awards was an excellent way to increase Nikon’s brand recognition among a young, stylish and influential audience.
OD: Did celebrities and viewers love the new technology? What was the response?
RG: The Fashion 360 – Powered by Nikon was the central focus of the glamorous red carpet with most celebrities stopping to pose for the cameras.  Some celebrities were impressed with the way this will change the way people experience the red carpet.  You can see the great viewers comments on http://movieawards.mtv.com.
OD: In terms of fashion what do you feel Nikon technology delivered that is different than the usual blogs, and weekly Celebrity Gossip magazines?
RG: By virtue of this being a Flash file rather than a still photo in a publication, the audience is invited to view their favorite celebrities in new and comprehensive ways thanks to the technology at the Fashion 360 - Powered by Nikon.
OD: Do you foresee it helping emerging designers?
RG: While we’re not directly working with any emerging designers, the Fashion 360 – Powered by Nikon experience would certainly benefit designers because of the unique ability to capture celebrities and what they’re wearing from all angles.
OD: You have new software that also allows your cameras to record videos as well.  How would that be beneficial to the independent fashion designer?
RG: Sometimes a photo can only convey a limited view of a designer's true expressive vision. Video provides a way to display the garments for websites, buyer presentations, and can also be used by those shooting runway shows. The HD video capability in the Nikon D90 and now the Nikon D5000 SLR cameras allows all professions, including fashion designers, to bring additional versatility and a new medium to their business.
OD: Nikon has always been a name associated with professional photographers.  As technology advances, what should a business owner, who might not be a professional, yet has a great need for images, know about Nikon and options for their needs?
RG: Nikon takes great care to ensure ease of use with their digital SLR cameras. The cameras now do most of the advanced technology thinking for you to deliver magazine quality images with vibrant color and rich detail for a fashion designer's work.
OD: I feel that lately, Nikon has been branding in the direction of hip/young fast and fashionable, can you tell me more about that movement, (including Ashton Kutcher and Nikon 360)?
RG: Yes - Ashton Kutcher, the partnership with MTV, as well as the Look Good in Pictures program with Carson Kressley, are all successful efforts to introduce the Nikon brand to a younger, stylish audience.
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Fashion Turns to IT as the Smart Way to Combat Hard Times

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Thursday, July 30, 2009 0 comments



Retail I phoneWhile the world of fashion retailing is not alone in needing to adapt to a tough trading climate, it suffers more than most from external conditions. 
These include the demands of multiple season stockholding, complex supply chains, competition from cheaper markets, and fickle customers with less disposable income for discretionary purchases.  We’ve seen these elements influence the way in which fashion retailers behave towards their IT suppliers and use IT.
In the past, inhouse teams would be expected to evolve a 5-year or even 10-year IT plan, which brought together commercial vision and IT investment.  Today, it’s short-term tactics and results that count, as retailers focus on 6-24 month developments that can make tangible improvements.
When it comes to supplier relationships:
• Under-performing systems are no longer tolerated and retailers look to squeeze greater efficiencies from an existing core system

• Gone are the days when a systems change meant a long process, starting with an ITT.  Today, pressured retailers want rapid results: a better system or a better deal from their suppliers

• Suppliers are expected to come up with flexible working and licensing models

• Large-scale capital outlays have disappeared, as leasing, rental and SaaS options become the norm

• Timescales have been squeezed.  Lengthy implementations with long workshop programs don’t get signed off
• Packaged solutions have ousted bespoke developments.  The former approach puts the main elements in place, with minor customization cost-efficient solutions and can often be done by users
In terms of how IT is used today, the focus is on ’quick win’, justifiable changes that are easy to see, save money, and enhance processes, customer service and stock management.  Increasingly, retailers use software solutions as the agent for improvement.
The customer experience:
• While many brands boast about store ordering, their processes are often cumbersome. The best amongst them use their supply chain software to create a swift and slick process, whereby items can be sent for home delivery or store pickup

• Linkage and loyalty come from connecting with customers in new ways, such as via mobile phones, SMS texting and e-magazines. All can build brand loyalty and demonstrate customer care

• IT solutions are helping fashion retailers to learn a lesson from their supermarket peers and improve flexible pricing and promotion. 
Stock availability:
• Inter-branch transfers done manually are labour-intensive and prone to inaccuracy.  Today’s IT systems look for overstocked or wrongly-stocked stores and suggest moves.  This rebalancing of in-store stock means sales opportunities aren’t lost

• It’s especially important in fashion to phase stock deliveries. Having stock arriving ad hoc has cost and space implications and negatively affects cash flow. Better inwards tracking and control makes a real difference.  While this is often done manually on paper or spreadsheets, savvy businesses use their supply chain solution to give them control and a holistic view
• It’s important to impose consistent standards for the whole business to use.  Staff must be trained to understand and follow processes for replenishment.  Here, IT can provide the backbone and prompt staff to take necessary actions.
Efficiency and cost:
In boom times, it was easy to ignore ways in which economies and efficiencies could be achieved. Now, there’s no choice.  A number of practical remedies are being put in place thanks to technology.
• Automated carton merging identifies ‘fresh air’ in cartons, enabling warehoused items to be moved from one carton to another to fill up space.  This saves cost where carriers charge delivery per carton
• Tough trading conditions have called for better processes in franchise management.  In the past, critical data would be transmitted spreadsheet (products from the supplier, sales from the partners). Standardisation across multiple partners was rare and processes were inefficient.  Today’s software solutions eliminate manual processes and set standards that save labor and hassle
• Using IT to automatically generate purchase orders for continuity items which you and your customers assume will be always be available means you should never run out of stock.  Systemised processes look at sales trends and stocking levels then automatically generate orders for manual approval

• System-driven pre-allocation of stock to stores enables retailers to smooth out workloads and use staff more effectively and economically.    Before stock arrives, you tell the system how you’d like it to be allocated.  Not only is the workload better spread and stock better distributed but also those critical processes, which you struggled to put in place, don’t get jettisoned due to pressure of work.
Armed with software systems that are functionally-rich, resilient and adaptable to individual requirements, fashion retailers are fighting the battle and winning.
 - Nigel Illingworth, Retail Assist’s Product Director www.retail-assist.com - www.merret.com
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Interview | Microsoft

Posted by fashionentrepreneurreport On Sunday, June 28, 2009 0 comments
Microsoft is a name many associate with easy productive office-based computer software, but with real-time business insight software, Microsoft is making a stamp in the retail sector. 

Creative Director Lynn Furge spoke with Tim Gruver, Director of Technology & Strategy for Microsoft Distribution & Services Business about how such a large corporation takes care of the small business owner step-by-step.
Nolcha's Lynn Furge:  With today’s consumer focusing a lot on on-line retail, what initiatives do you have for a young entrepreneur who wants to grow their retail business?
Tim Gruver:  At Microsoft we focus just as diligently on the small entrepreneur as we do the large corporation.  One thing that differentiates us from competition in the retail space is our deep consumer connection through several channels online through advertising, commerce, and gaming.  We not only provide software capabilities to create an online presence, but through our assets in advertising, search, and portals we enable a young retailer to “be found”.
LF:  Many independent retailers are savvy when it comes to pulling the hottest looks but confused when using terms “end-to-end business solutions”, “business-critical software” and “better customer connections” can you please explain in simple terms what some of these items are?
TG:  To Microsoft when leveraging technology in retail regardless if customer experience or a back office system it must ‘just work’.  We work hard to take the challenges out of technology adoption yet while always focused on it must work and be secure.
LF:  What have you found is essential for a retailer to consider when looking at the new digital lifestyle?
TG:  Two ways I look at it when discussing with a retailer.  Really take time to understand your customer and don’t underestimate the power of the customer.
LF:  Most technology initiatives seem expensive, complicated and something impossible to keep up with as technologies change.  How has Microsoft managed to minimize these concerns for the small business owner?
TG:  We have empowered the small business owner with easy to use and familiar software that makes running a retail business powerful yet simple.  We fundamentally believe that familiar software minimizes the need to learn a new system, in contrast to user interfaces we experience across all Microsoft products.
LF:  Why more than ever is globalization important in retail?
TG:  With the changing global economy and growing diversity in retailers the ability to sell and deliver products on a global nature is a key area for growth as new emerging markets mature.  It is also as critical to understand your global competition as other retailers are moving into new regions annually.
LF:  How does Microsoft keep the sales manager/business owner aware of the constant changing preferences of the consumer?
TG:  A very important aspect to our retail strategy is this concept of real-time business insight which is about giving the sales manager real-time access to the customer preference and sales data anywhere from any device.  With the growing presence of mobile for business applications, Microsoft it positioned well to provide store managers with the access to their data.
LF:  Cutting costs, streamlining operations and creating efficiencies is just as important to the individual or small business as it is to the large public corporation… how does Microsoft see the implementation of the above in terms of smaller retail ventures?
TG:  You are correct that the size of the organization is not what is important when it comes to operational efficiency vs. that of the organization itself.  For Microsoft we’ve always positioned a cost-effective small business platform that provided all the efficiencies that large enterprises enjoyed while yet scaled and priced effective for the small business.
LF:  All e-commerce experts talk about lately is virtually connecting to consumers at anytime… anywhere.  Please explain Microsoft’s practical application on this concept.  Are people really going to be shopping on-line while waiting for the red light to turn green?  What impact do you feel these new applications have on impulse buying versus the current economic state?
TG:  There is a delicate balance that customers continue to strive towards, as while mobile commerce has worked for a select group of retailers it’s the ability to integrate commerce into several new channels and even at a macro level provide new immersive ways to connect to the consumer.  For example, there are millions of people a day playing Xbox Live who are heavily focused on that experience and what a great opportunity to connect.  Another great application is a technology Microsoft released in January called Microsoft Tag (www.microsoft.com/tag) which is a technology all about bridging the physical and digital medium from all major mobile platforms.
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