The trend for something unique continues...

We've been talking a lot on this blog about how offering something unique could help both independent designers and retailers appear more attractive to consumers.

Only last Friday we discussed the possibility that the definition of "luxury" is changing and could soon include products that are connected to the customer. Why? Because they are inherently more valuable to them - they say something about that individual.

Some retailers are offering a unique customer service experience to please their customers, others are offering products adapted to the individual customers needs, desires, tastes or even to their ethics e.g. environmentally friendly products. But now trend website Springwise has bought a new concept to our attention.

On Friday their site featured two new necklace designs from Etsy designer Triggerhappy that can be personalised to reflect the owners own life story. One design is a sterling disc inscribed to reflect the moon phase on a particular date and the other is a recycled silver tag that can be inscribed with the coordinates of a location significant to owner.

In the latter case each personalised silver tag also comes with a secret password so the wearer can share the story of that location on an interactive Google map, taking the idea of personalised jewellery to another level - not only does the customer get something that means something to them but they get to share that thing with a whole host of other people.

But is that taking the idea a bit too far? While I'm sure it's great to be able to have something that holds a personal value for the customer (and I'm sure they make a great present with Christmas coming) do we really need to share that special moment, or feeling, with strangers on an interactive Google map?

The value of something personalised and unique is that it is just that - it's unique. By sharing it with people who may not understand the significance you may lose the value of it. On the other hand, in an age where some seem willingly to post almost anything online, there will be people who think the opportunity to share their experience and life stories with a wider audience can only add to the value of it.

What do you think? Does something unique need to remain exclusive to hold its value or can you add to the value by sharing?

Can independents do more to encourage sales?

Back in October there were reports of huge numbers of independent shops closing their doors. The possible reasons for it were numerous and varied from retailers having limited access to credit to consumers being more careful with their money.

But, overall retail sales don't seem to have been too badly affected and this week, Drapers Online reported another rise in retail sales volume during November with further growth expected next month.

As you walk down the high street there are certainly plenty of people with plenty of bags, but the figures suggest they may be forgoing the independents and taking advantage of the offers and promotions available in the bigger chain stores.

So, if retail sales growth really is on the up and with the massive sales opportunities provided by the pre-Christmas rush what can independents do to make the most of this upturn in fortunes?

Do they need to offer promotions or pre-Christmas sales in order to get the customers in? Because many independents may not be on the main street is an eCommerce function the answer? Or should they stick to their guns and hope that people really will be looking for something that is just that little bit different and be willingly to g out of their way or pay a little bit more for it?

We'd love to know what you think so take part in our poll and let us know. All you have to do is choose from one of the options on the right hand side or if you think there is another answer why not let us know by leaving a comment below...

What's your idea of luxury?

Recently luxury brands have been for those who can afford them and they usually require big money but is all that about to change?

According to trendwaching.com's 2010 consumer trends briefing one of the big trends likely to appear in 2010 is (f)luxury.

The idea behind it? That luxury will no longer be defined by cost and exclusivity - it can be whatever you want it to be. They stress that the traditional idea of luxury will not disappear but that for many it will no longer be about having "the next big thing" as defined by the market but instead be about what is important to the individual.

Among the many ways in which luxury could be defined in the coming years, the briefing suggests items which are specially commissioned or extremely personalised. For me, that is where the value lies - in order to be luxury the products have to be important to you. But it's not the same for everyone.

Eric Pfanner wrote a recent article in the New York Times about how technology is starting to play a huge role in luxury brands using the new Oakley sunglasses as an example. They are made of carbon fibre, employ technology used in the manufacture of F1 race cars and require 96 hours of labour but would you class them as luxury?

They are certainly expensive at $4000 a pair and quite exclusive as the company only plans to make 250 pairs so they fit the bill as far as the current idea of luxury is concerned, but does the amazing work behind them make them a luxury item or just a very expensive piece of technology?

In the same article Alain Dominique Perrin, executive director of Richemont (that owns brands such as Cartier and Piaget) questioned the durability of any shift in the perceptions of luxury. While he understands the importance of technology and innovation it appears he doesn't think they replace more traditional values asking "Who would consider handing down an iPhone to their child or grandchild?"

And I guess that's what it comes down to - is luxury about having the newest product or the most advanced, or is it about having a connection with something because you believe in its values and want to treasure it?

Well, in the spirit of (f)luxury, it really is up to the individual.

Something a little bit different..

At George Stuart we're used to working with leather. It's a fantastic material with many different qualities that make it fantastic for making belts - it's strong, it's hard wearing and it's beautiful. But those same qualities mean that it an also be used for a number of other things so we thought we'd share a few with you...

(Remember: George Stuart hopes you enjoy these blog posts and any related sites but they cannot be held responsible for the content of any websites outside of their control and cannot guarantee the safety of any of the linked sites)

Now, we're used to seeing leather being used for interior furnishings like chairs and sofas but what about the selection of pieces from Tactile Interiors with products including bowls and coasters made from recycled off cuts of leather?

And it's not just interiors that are getting a leather makeover - even first aid is getting a look in with this leather plaster, featured on the LG blog back in June.

Returning to more artistic climbs, leather has also been used in sculptures like the fantastic leather garlands and posies from Val and Bill Norrington at www.candlesintherain.com,

Or these amazing etchings by Mark Evans who discovered his unique method of design when trying to clean a stain on a leather jacket.

If you have seen any other innovative uses of leather whether it's in art, interiors or any other medium (within reason!) please feel free to share them with us!

How easy is it to break into the high street?

Earlier this week an article on Drapers Online reported that some of Britain's most established designers were encouraging up and coming labels to make the most of licensing opportunities and high street collaborations.

But for labels and designers who are still in the process of establishing their reputation is it really what they want?

High street collaborations seem to have worked brilliantly for designers like Matthew Williamson and Debenhams. The most likely reason for the success is that the agreement provides advantages for both parties. The designer gets access to a market that would otherwise be unlikely to be able to afford his products and the retailer gets to use a designer name to attract new customers.

And, as far as creative input is concerned, it could be argued that the previous success and the reputation that comes with established designers such as Matthew Williamson is likely to give them enough clout to take control of the direction of their collection for the retailer.

But, if the designer is yet to establish their reputation what are the advantages on offer then?

Well, the retailer may well be looking for the "next big thing" and could benefit massively if that designer becomes successful while being stocked in their stores. For the new designer a huge benefit could be access to an established customer base.

But, while a collaboration with one of the major high street chains may seem like good business sense because of the possibilities for profits and market access, would the designers reputation suffer as a result?

From talking to designers who are just starting out and established independent retailers, much of their business seems to come from people looking for something that is a little bit different. The value they provide is in new and innovative designs. They benefit from being that little bit more exclusive, not necessarily in terms of price but simply by not mass producing their designs.

I don't know the answer and I suspect, if the opportunity arose it would be a difficult decision to make, but what do you think?

If you are new designer would you want to build you own reputation and stick to the independent sector or would you relish the opportunity to take your skills into one of the major retailers?

Let us know...

Is renting the answer to shopping in the economic downturn?

Renting has always been a way of accessing those things that you can't afford to buy outright but now the concept has moved on from cars and homes and started to make it's mark in the fashion world.

Back in 2004 people started to be able to rent designer fashion accessories such as bags, sunglasses and jewellery from websites like www.bagborroworsteal.com and more recently people have been renting designer dresses for those special occasions from websites like www.renttherunway.com.

Admittedly both those websites come from America, but surely the UK won't be far behind. We already have www.rentnotbuy.co.uk which provides a free Internet portal for users to lend and rent their own personal items from televisions to dresses. So is renting set to become the new buying?

Personally, for everyday items and high street clothes, I'm not sure it's necessary - especially with the promotions and deals available at the moment. But what about those items that, for most of us, are completely out of reach?

www.renttherunway.com was born out of two women's desire to be able to wear the same designer dresses as the rich and famous. They now have relationships with some of the biggest names in fashion and members of their website can rent the latest designer frocks for around 10% of the retail price.

It's genius really. Designer dresses cost a lot of money and for regular people require a huge investment so the idea that you could pay a tenth of the price, have the dress for one night (or a week, the rental agreements can vary) then be able to give it back and not even worry about the dry cleaning is very attractive it's certainly a lot more affordable. But is it realistic?

Would you really be willing to rent a dress for just one night or would you miss the thrill of buying it for yourself? Once you had it would you have problems giving something so beautiful back?

Let us know whether you would rent rather than buy by leaving your comments below.

Welcome to the new recruit...

Over the past couple of weeks we've been letting you know a bit more about some of our team here at George Stuart and now we'd like to introduce you to our newest recruit - Claire Langford.

Claire joined our design team just over a month ago and is settling in really well so let's find out a bit more about her...

As part of the design team what does your job actually involve?

I look after customer accounts, help develop products and liaises between the factories and the designers.

You've not been at George Stuart long - what did you do before you arrived here?

I've worked in design and product development since completing my BA(Hons) in fashion design. I spent over 8 years as a designer and then head designer for a handbag company before going travelling for 16 months. On my return I worked on bespoke packaging and baby nursery products where I managed customer accounts, developed products and was heavily involved with sourcing from and working with Far East Suppliers.

What has been your favourite thing about working at George Stuart?

The people are fantastic, the variety of work is great and I'm really enjoying working with the leather!

Nuturing new talent...

Even the most successful independent retailers and designers have to start somewhere. Nurturing new talent is essential to the future of any industry so we wondered what is being done to help those just starting out?

One place that's forging the way is tucked away just outside Derby city centre. Celebrating it 10th anniversary this year, Banks Mill Studios counts illustrators, designers, jewellers, sculptors, artists and photographers among its many residents.

Banks Mill Studios is part of the University of Derby and was initially set up to help their graduates establish their independent careers but has since become a home to all manner of creatives, irrespective of where they did their training.

The rent for the individual studios is subsidised by the University on a sliding scale for up to five years but that's not the only benefit - residents also receive one to one business support to help get their businesses off the ground.

Louise Jones is the Incubation Manager in charge of the work spaces and business support. She told us a bit more about the project...

"There are 37 studios all of which are dirty workspace. They are aimed at creatives like ceramicists and painters, in fact anything that makes a mess!

The project is designed to help new creative start ups and most of our tenants stay for a few years before their businesses are ready to move on to bigger premises, freeing up the studio for another new start up.

We do have some tenants who stay on longer, they're our anchor tenants. They're allowed to stay past the five year limit if we feel it is beneficial to the other tenants. They may have a lot of experience or be able to provide help and advice to the other tenants.

On the business support side we are able to offer help with marketing and other business areas but we also have events and training aimed at our residents and we invite speakers to come and tal to our residents - we've just had one recently from the Derbyshire Arts Partnership.

But I think it is the support network that the building provides that is the most beneficial. Everyone here is supportive of the other residents. Many of our residents work alone and so having that community around them can make a big big difference."

Walking around Banks Mill, you can't help but be inspired by the creative talent and the unstinting motivation and commitment to building a career within the creative industries. It's a fantastic place that has already made the difference to many start ups and long may it continue.

Hopefully, over the next few weeks we'll get to talk to some of the residents to find out a bit more about their products but until then, if you would like to see just what goes on a Banks Mill Studios they have an open weekend coming up at the end of November or you can visit their website at www.banksmill.org.uk

If you know of any similar initiative or independent designers that are building a career in the creative industries we'd love to hear about them - just post any information as a comment below.

Is online shopping being hit by recession or is there more to it?

According to a recent article in Drapers online, online spending growth is at an all time low.

It suggests that sales were hit by factors such as early high street promotions, the recession and the threat of postal strikes but I wonder whether there isn't more to it.

The huge popularity of online spending is understandable when you look at things like grocery shopping because in that case, most of us already know what it is we want to buy. We know what brand of beans we want and we know how much pasta we need.

Even if we were to visit the supermarket we wouldn't expect to be able to "try before we buy" so it makes no difference if we buy the goods in person or online. Except that if we order online we don't have worry about lugging the bags to and from the car because they are delivered straight to our front door.

But what about when you want to buy some new clothes, a new bag or a new accessory - does the same apply?

Shopping for clothes is a more personal experience. If you are looking for the perfect black dress there are likely to be hundreds of options - different materials, different shades of black, different lengths and different cuts. So how do you choose if you're shopping online? You have to rely on the product description.

You can't try the garment on, you can't feel the fabric and you don't know whether it will look the same on you as it will in the picture. You don't get to talk to the shop assistant or ask for advice the way you might in a shop environment. You can always order the product and send it back if its not right but is that just too much hassle?

While it is likely that in a recession promotions and cheaper products will be attractive to some, for others it may be the full customer service experience and coming out with a product they love that is important and that may be what sends shoppers back to the pounds the streets instead of surfing the web. If they are going to part with their hard earned cash they want to now it's going to be worth it.

So, is the Internet really falling foul of the recession and high street promotions or is it actually starting to become a victim of its own automated success. Is it price that is driving people back to the high street or the prospect of an old school shopping experience where they try the clothes on and are looked after by a shop assistant who actually cares about whether the product the customer goes away with is the one that is right for them.

We don't know but we'd love to now what you think...

Introducing the Magnificent Max!

As one of George Stuart's longest standing employees Maxine Parkes may well be a familiar face to any of you who have been involved with the company.

If, once you have looked around our new trade site, you decide to make George Stuart one of your suppliers it is more than likely that you will find yourself talking to Max - so let's find out a bit more about her...

How long have you been at George Stuart?

I started work at George Stuart back in 1988 so I've been with the company for over 20 years. I
joined as a machinist and progressed on to supervisory, quality control then stock control. I went on to get involved with the sampling and really enjoyed the challenges and seeing all the different styling. Then, when Richard and Andrew took over the business a couple of years ago, they asked me to organise a few of the trade shows and help to look after the website so my role is constantly developing!

So, apart from the website, what does your current role involve?

The bulk of my responsibilities are in product development where I work with the our foreign agents dealing with the French and American markets.

You've been with the company a long time - what has made you stay?

The people I work with are fantastic and the developing nature of my role means I never get bored!

Time to meet another member of the George Stuart family...

As Senior Product Manager, Sam Bamford plays an important role in the design side of George Stuart's work. As well as guiding the design for the manufacturing side of the business Sam is heavily involved in the creation of George Stuart's own collection of belts that will be available later this year.

Here's a bit more about Sam and what she does day to day...

What does your job actually involve?

Although my official title is Senior Product Manger I spend most of my time as a designer. I work with our customers to create new collections using either existing hardware from our bank of suppliers or our team will draw up new options for them. I also work with the tanneries on new trends for colours, textures and prints etc. I spend as much time as possible watching their competition and what's happening on the catwalk to be able to translate those ideas into affordable concepts for the high street.

Where did your love of design start?

My love for design actually started when I trained in ceramics around 20 years ago. I went on to work in various design positions in the pottery industry including Tableware Pattern Designer to Head of Licensing Design before moving over to the fashion industry.

What is your favourite thing about working at George Stuart?

Being able to see our ideas come to life!

What has been your favourite moment from the last three years?

Ending up at a fashion shoot for Vogue was brilliant.

And finally can you give any clues about the new collection - maybe your favourite belt?

I might have to keep this one to myself until the collection is launched, that way everyone will have to come back and have a look for themselves when we release the designs!!

Are you seeing the signs of increasing confidence?

Despite the news that the UK is likely to be the last major country to claw its way out of recession, it seems shoppers are already starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But who is really benefiting?

Last week the Guardian reported on retails sales growing at their fastest rate for nearly two years while just a couple of days ago Drapers reported another rise in consumer confidence. But is it all as rosy as the statistics indicate.


The idea that things are on the up for retailers seems to clash with the news that may independents were having to shut their doors. While a fall in sales is just one of many factors that could lead to the closure of an independent we would hope that, if consumer confidence really has been increasing and levels of retail sales are continuing to grow, we would be starting to see signs of recovery by now.

So, are these new statistics relevant for small independents or are too general and more concerned with the larger high street retailers?

We'd love to know what you think. Are you seeing signs of recovery? Are your customers starting to spend more?

Post your comments below...