Backwards is the new forwards

We've talked before on this blog about how new trends such as authenticity, real customer service and uniqueness seem to be leading the way in the fight for, not just survival, but success.

Indications of those trends have been evident for a while but in the past couple of weeks some of the big names on the high street have started to show the physical reality.

According to my favourite trend watching website, Springwise.com, the Body Shop are bringing back some of their discontinued lines. On its own that might not sound like a huge deal but the reason why is what's interesting. It seems the company, now owned by L'Oreal, have really been listening to their customers. Instead of constantly pushing to make the next new discovery or launch a new, supposedly, ground breaking product, they appear to have asked for feedback from their customers and actually responded to them.

On an even bigger scale it seems that coffee giant Starbucks are rethinking their strategy too. The move was reported in a feature in the Guardian newspaper, which explained that the drastic new moves are being instigated by Howard Schultz who after 8 years as company Chairman has stepped back into the role as CEO.

Schutlz was of course the man who took Starbucks from a small chain of just three stores to the commercial giant it became. Originally the chain was based on his love of coffee making and providing people with a "third space" in which to meet, socialise and relax and that is what made it so successful. But, it seems the rapid growth of the company has resulted in some of those characteristics getting lost in the process which, combined with a dramatic decline in same store sales in the US , led to Schultz's return to the front line.

Starbucks is now concentrating on recreating the individual community based stores that they started with. Brand extensions such as a Music Production Business have been cut so that more energy can be put into the coffee shops. According to Schultz the new strategy returns the emphasis to the relationship the company wants to have with its customers which is more about local community that mass commercialisation. For a company that encountered a huge backlash as it took over the high street and put many smaller independent coffee shops out of business it seems like a smart move and it's working with reports of same store growth for the sixth month in a row in December.

Both examples show that sometimes surging forward in the quest for newer more profitable ways of working are not always the key to success. Sometimes its the experience they have and the values they share with you as the retailer that are more important than price or innovation.

The lesson - listen to your customers and don't be too quick to dismiss what made you unique in the race for profit.

Read the Springwise report on Body Shop by clicking here

Read the Howard Schultz article in the Guardian by clicking here

Hidden Gems

Every so often you can be going about your day to day activities when you come across something that really interests you. And, during some downtime at the weekend, I came across one such hidden gem in a magazine.

In February's edition of Country Living magazine there was a feature about a couple who had moved to an old farmhouse in Shropshire. It was an interiors piece really, all about how they transformed the old house, that hadn't been touched for years, into a beautiful country home. Naturally I looked at the pictures first only to find that almost every one contained items made from natural materials, many of them leather.

Upon reading the accompanying copy I learnt the house belongs to Matt Fothergill and his wife. After studying saddlery, harness making and fashion accessory design and construction at Cordwainers College in London, Matt spent 15 years making accessories for fashion designers and developing his own brand of leather and sheepskin products before moving to the country around seven years ago and it was his products that littered the stylish home.

Intrigued by the gorgeous pieces featured in the article I visited Matt's website (www.mattfothergill.com) to have more detailed look. It turns out that Matt is really quite successful with his work featuring in outlets throughout the UK and across Paris, New York and Tokyo.

The products themselves range from dog collars through to handbags and custom made jackets and gilets. Each piece is constructed with the love and care of a skilled craftsman and, while it isn't possible to reach through the computer screen to examine each piece, it is evident that the quality of the finished piece is of utmost importance.

According to the website Matt now specialises in commissions and bespoke pieces as well as volume production so if you are looking for something really special, whether it's a gift for a loved one or something for yourself, I would encourage you to take a look at his work.

Personally, I have already started to leave hints about one of his butterfly bags in time for the next birthday!

From fashion to utility and back again

I remember back in school being taught about the cycles of fashion, about how certain trends seem to reappear every ten years or so. But, there are some trends that seem to survive these cycles and remain a part of many collections year in, year out.

Over the last few years it seems that military is one such trend but when you look at the history books that's no real surprise.

If you go back to the 19th century you'll see that many of the officers uniforms were not based on practicalities or necessity - they were all about showing off and it wasn't just about the clothing. For a long time belts were a strictly decorative part of the uniform serving to present the wearer in the best possible light.

In the armed forces of various Eastern European countries it was not unusual to see officers wearing extremely tight, wide belts around the waist to show a trim physique with wide shoulders and a strong chest - does any of this sound familiar? After all, while it may be a very different environment the principles are surprisingly similar to the corsets of women aiming for a small and dainty waistline.

The belt itself did move on from a purely fashion piece when, during the later part of the 19th century, soldiers used their belts to hold their swords leading to one of the biggest advances in the design of the military belt.

It happened after a British army officer named Samuel Browne was injured. Previously the soldiers' swords had hung from their belt but, when the they moved around the swords had to be steadied by the left hand to stop the them from sliding around. But during a battle in 1857 Browne suffered a couple of bad injuries, one of which resulted in his losing his left arm at the shoulder.

Without his left hand to steady his sword, Browne had to find a solution to avoid injuring himself so he developed the Sam Browne belt. It is made up of a regular waist belt and the addition of a second belt which went over the right shoulder and held the scabbard of his sword in just the right place.

The belt soon became part of the standard uniform of the time and continued to be a mainstay of the British army until the 20th century when it started to be phased out due to safety concerns. However, it's influence can still be seen in some of today's formal military dress uniforms.

Today, everyday military uniforms are much more practical and designed for purpose rather than looks but their influence has since made its way back across to the fashion world.

Over the past few years a number of trends have shown a military influence from the flamboyant style first popularised by Adam Ant which has since undergone a modern makeover, to the more classical stylings of designer labels like Burberry who's strong military heritage is evident in the Burberry Prorsum pre-fall collection for 2010.

And, as designers continue to seek inspiration from within military history it seems that the look is here to stay. Maybe the Sam Browne belt will even be seen on the catwalks in the next few years but I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

On to the next show...

After the visit to Chic earlier this month we thought we'd get on the show trail to see what else is happening and to bring back some information for those of you who might not be able to make it.

As always, we want to provide you with information that will help so if you have any questions you want us to bear in mind as we walk through the shows or any recommendations for stands to visit please let us know.

The next couple of shows will be in February. Here's a few more details:

Spring Fair 2010 - This is the big one. Spring Fair International is billed as " the place to meet the leading buyers from the world's leading stores, independents and mail order retailers" and it is huge!

With up to 20 halls dedicated to all things retail the 2009 event saw over 52,000 people come to look at the huge variety of products on display. You can find anything at Spring Fair from Gift and home wares to jewellery and kitchen, dining and housewares to fashion accessories.

If you want to visit all the halls you'll need to dedicate some real time to this show to the point where the website now provides a tool to help you plan where and who you want to visit and how much time you will need to leave in order to get it all done!

Pure - this is a show designed to bring buyers and suppliers together and is full of womens wear, footwear, accessories and unisex clothing. Taking place at Olympia in London between the 14th and 16th February, the show's organisers are expecting over 900 exhibitors and it is always a well attended event.

As well as the hundreds of stands there will be daily cat walk shows as well as trend presentations from Drapers and other business seminars all aimed at those in the trade.

Amazing opportunities for up and coming designers

Back in November we discussed the difficulties faced by independent designers when they were trying to break into the business. At the time Drapers were covering the story because a group of established designers were encouraging up and coming designers to make the most of licensing opportunities and high street collaborations.

We wondered whether it was really the best option for some designers who may risk losing their individuality and/or the control of their design direction but now, there is an option that seems to be an amazing opportunity for those who have managed to get involved.

Wolf & Badger , a concept store aiming to provide a showcase for the best design talent from the UK and abroad, is set to open on the 1st February.

The store is the brain child of designer Zoe Knight and her husband, Samir Ceric and it's not just shelf space they're offering. For those designers who make the grade, the couple are offering advice and support covering all aspects of retailing as well as mentoring, PR support and a web presence - all for a small simple licensing fee.

There is nothing "studenty" or cut price with this effort either. The store, which will showcase up to 70 new designers, is in a fantastic location in the Notting Hill area of London. Products and pricing will be set firmly at the luxury end of the market as they will have to compete with neighbouring high quality stores.

And, let's face it, if you have to go down the licensing route you'd have difficulty finding anyone better than Zoe Knight to get involved with.

Plucked straight from her graduation show at Northumbria University to design the first Billy Bag collection, she went on to work with some of the biggest names in the business including Anya Hindmarsh, Stella McCartney, Jimmy Choo and Matthew Williamson before launching her own label.

Personally, I can't wait to see what they've found and will certainly be visiting the shop next time I head to the city but more than anything I salute them for their effort to help nurture the up and coming design talent.

The humble belt buckle...

It's a part of everyday life for many of us, but how much thought do we really give to the humble belt buckle?

Let's face it, we'd be a bit lost without it. For those who use belts for purely practical reasons we need them to hold our trousers up, for those who use belts as a fashion item the buckle is a key way to express our individuality and style and, for George Stuart, it makes up a huge part of our product. So, I decided to find out a bit more about where they came from with a new series of posts looking at the history of belts and buckles.

Firstly, where did the belt buckle actually come from? Well, opinions are a bit mixed. Some say the belt buckle was invented by an Italian Blacksmith called Tomaso Kellioni during the Elizabethan era and others say the Persians introduced them to the Romans after their conquest. But by far the most common answer is that the buckle stemmed from the trials and tribulations of the British Maritime Industry during the 1600's.

Before the introduction of belt buckles sailors used eyelets and string to hold up their trousers but the design didn't work very well once they were soaked through from long hours on deck so the buckle was designed as a way of keeping sodden clothes in their place and being easy to put on and take off, even when your fingers were frozen!

Belts and buckles continued to be a huge part of maritime and other military uniforms and items from historical events continue to be hugely collectible. However, one of the major factors of bringing belts to the masses were the Cowboys from the American West with designers such as Edward Bohlin leading the way.

Bohlin was actually born in Sweden but emigrated to America in the early 1900's. After starting his new life in America as a cowboy in Montana, a chance meeting with a Hollywood star led to Bohlin moving to California and becoming a world renowned designer and maker of luxury western style silver mounted saddles, horse tack and related goods such as belt buckles.

He developed the styles of equipment gun belts, spurs, saddles and buckles that helped to dress such film heroes as Hopalong Cassidy and Topper, the Lone Ranger and Silver and Roy Rogers and Trigger among many others.

Bohlin died in 1980 but his craftsmanship lives on in the hands of skilled craftsmen and women at the Bohlin Shop. While the company has changed hands a number of times since his death, Bohlin's methods and attention to detail are still evident with each buckle being individually hand formed, hand built and hand engraved. And, the level of skill is reflected in the price with buckles selling for upwards of $1500 each.

It just goes to show, if you have a real passion for what you do and you do it well, anything is possible.

Next week we'll look at some more historical belts but before that look out for more posts on up coming shows and news reviews from the independent retail sector.

What is the best way to communicate with your customers?

If great customer service is the key to success then the way in which you communicate with your customers is going to become ever more important, but what is the best way to do it?

Gone are the days when the only communication you had with your customers was while they were in store. First came mailshots, telephone calls and then websites and emails. Now the options are endless and include any number of online channels such as Twitter and Facebook where you can not only talk to your customers but they can talk to each other.

But are all these options making things more difficult? While it is great to have so much choice it is also possible that your customers could start to feel bombarded and overwhelmed by information coming at them from every direction. If all they want is to find the perfect accessory do you really need to provide them with email newsletters, talk to them on Faceboook and tweet about every option available until they pick something just to get some peace?

So there are the downsides to all this new technology but no one can doubt the benefits if, rather than bombard your customers with information, you use these channels as tools to build relationships.

You can have a Facebook page just so you have a presence but if you don't keep it updated, don't get involved in the conversations, people will quickly get bored. You can tweet all day long but unless you say something that is actually of interest to your potential customers the only followers you'll get will be spammers.

You see, it seems to me, the online world is simply an updated version of the old one where those that prosper are the ones who put their customers first. The ones who ask questions, listen to the answers and do something about it.

It's all so Chic!

After all the bad weather over the last week we did wonder whether we would be able to make it Chic UK yesterday but we're glad to report that, despite a few traffic jams, we managed to make it to the final day of the show.

There may not have been much snow at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry but it was very cold so it was lovely to get inside and be greeted by the summer holiday themed exhibition hall and the colourful array of products on display.

The show continues to grow each year and this year was no different. There was a wide variety of exhibitors for visiting buyers with displays including around 300 fashion accessory and travel goods brands from all over Europe.

For some exhibitors Chic has become a regular date in their diaries but for others it was their first year. The majority of stands appeared to be displaying handbags but there was also a good range of jewellery, purses, hats, umbrellas and other accessories available.

Here are some of my favourites:

Jump Luggage - this luggage company were at Chic showing their new "Dot Drops" range. It included hard wearing suitcases that can be personalised and decorated using adhesive coloured dots. So, whether you want to create a new work of art or simply put your name across your suitcase so you can spot it on the carousel - this new range offers you an unlimited number of options.

Woodbridge - with new eye catching designs that included huge floral rosettes and tassel detailing, this stand couldn't fail to attract visitors to their new ranges including the newest line from Charley Chalk.

And finally, if you love a bit of childish fun, you would have loved the Trunki stand. Trunki's designers have committed themselves to creating a boredom busting range of travel products for children. There's a ride along suitcase that comes in a range of designs from tigers to Gruffalos and a friendly looking travel pillow with arms that connect under the child's chin to help keep their head in a comfortable and stable position when they fall asleep while travelling. A quick look at their website also reveals a backpack that will double as a booster seat coming out later this year so keep your eyes open for that.

Aside from taking a good look at all the stands we also managed to catch up with one of the show organisers, Mark Greenhalgh, to ask him how the show had gone over the last few days and find out a bit more about the upcoming Boutique show in April.

Mark explained that Chic is an in season show that has been going for 16 years now. Unlike some of the bigger shows that coincide with the fashion seasons and are based on forward ordering, Chic is timed to coincide with the retail selling season. It means that retail buyers can browse and order their chosen products and have them in their stores ready to sell in a matter of weeks.

But as most of us know, things have been hard for retailers over the past year or so with the overall economic situation having a huge impact on consumer confidence and buying trends. The repercussions of that can be seen throughout the industry including exhibitions like Chic so, combined with the current bout of bad weather I wondered whether attendance had been affected.

"Weather had been a factor this year and the recession has, of course, had a profound affect but it's not been as bad as we feared with attendance only down about 10,%"

"All the exhibitors are remaining positive and bookings for the next Chic in July are looking good," said Mark.

Mark went on to explain that the idea behind Chic is not simply to get huge attendance figures - it's about getting the right people at the right time. Where the larger shows like Pure, Moda and Spring Fair might have larger attendance figures, many of their visitors are likely to be looking for clothing or other products. By concentrating on fashion accessories and luggage, Chic attracts buyers looking specifically for those products. So while there may not be thousands of people passing the stands, those that are there are all potential buyers with their chequebooks at the ready.

It's a message that makes perfect sense to me. Instead of trying to compete for attention amongst a huge crowd, why wouldn't you want to display your products to a captive, and importantly, interested audience in an environment specifically designed for the purpose? If it works, it could be a much more productive way of getting your products seen.

Chic's January show has now finished but it will be back in July. But, if you just can't wait that long , the organisers will be presenting their Boutique show in April. This show is very much fashion focused and looks to bring the best European fashion accessory brands in a luxurious and enjoyable atmosphere with Barcelona style avenues providing a new trade show experience and exhibitors benefiting from their own boutique store style stands.

I will definitely be attending to keep an eye on the latest products and enjoy what should be an enjoyable day out so maybe I'll see you there?!

Don't forget if you went to Chic we'd love to know what you thought so please leave a message below.

If you want to find out more about Chic please visit their website by clicking here

If you want to find out more about Boutique please visit their website by clicking here

Time for a new poll - how was your Christmas?

At the end of last year we put up a poll on the blog to see what you thought Indies could do to try and encourage sales over the Christmas period.

According to our results 50% of you said to use offers and promotions and the other 50% said that you should stick to your guns and continue trading as normal. So it seems that, for those who voted, the way to succeed is split right down the middle. But what actually works?

Well, now that you will have looked at your Christmas trading figures and know how you did compared to last year we'd like to know how you're doing. Did you have a bumper Christmas or was it a bit of a disaster?

If you would like to leave more information - maybe you had a fantastic couple of weeks due to a Christmas sales promotion or maybe you did well by offering your products at the normal price but making the shopping experience extra special for your customers. Whatever you think made the difference to your sales - we'd love for you to share it so we can all learn ready for next year.

The poll will close at the end of January so get voting!

Until then - don't forget to look out for the review of Chic on Wednesday and details of the soon to be released new George Stuart collection!

Small independents can compete with major retailers according to a new survey.

According to a recent survey by ekmpowershop.com, the UK's largest shopping cart provider, independent retailers are growing more resilient to the clout of major retailers.

The survey shows that while bigger retailers like John Lewis continue to grab the headlines, smaller independents are thriving online.

The survey, which involved over 6000 online independents found that, across the board, trade went up by around 23% in the run up to Christmas, compared with the same period in 2008. ekmpowershop.com say that is real proof of retailers growing their business by diversifying through online channels - despite the recession.

However, the online debate is still ongoing. Many independents have neither the inclination or the resources to move into a crowded online market where your search engine rating, rather than the quality of service or product, gets you the customer.

But, if you look hard enough, the survey still provides some encouragement for those keeping it real on the high street. Within the press release comments are made about there being a shift towards value based purchases (that doesn't necessarily mean the cheapest but those the customer gets most value from), niche product lines and better customer service.

While they may be referring to the online market, all those principles apply to the regular independent stores. It seems the way to compete with the big boys, whether you're on or off line, isn't to try and compete on price or sell the same products but to maintain and promote what is special and unique about your store and encourage customers to understand why shopping with you is better than shopping with them.

If you have an independent high street store and an online presence, we'd love to know which part of your business is most successful. Would you recommend going online to other retailers or has it been more trouble than its worth. Let us know by leaving a comment below.

To read the full ekmpowershop.com press release about the 2009 survey click here

We're on our way to Coventry (snow permitting!)

While we continue to battle through the snow and concentrate on getting through the cold months ahead, many retailers are already thinking about Spring and Summer.

Yep, for many it's time to think about what and who they want to stock over the warmer months and one exhibition that's there to help is Chic. And that's where we'll be going next week.

Chic is an International Fashion Accessories and Travel Goods Fair. It started back in 1994 after a group of leather manufacturers found the large national events were not responding to the need for a show in July for the Autumn/Winter season. The show went from strength to strength and soon exhibitors were requesting another show in January ready for Spring/Summer.

After it's original home, the National Motorcycle museum in Birmingham, burnt down in 2003, the show moved to Donnington Park and then on to it's present home in the Jaguar Exhibition Hall in Coventry. This year the event takes place between 10th and 12th of January and will include a host of different brands, with stands where visitors can look at and feel the products and talk directly to the suppliers about what they need.

In the current climate we hope that the event continues to be successful and, if you are planning on visiting the show, please get in touch and let us know what you thought.

As for us, George Stuart are not exhibiting this year but our representatives will be visiting the show on Tuesday (as long as the snow lets them out of their houses!) so we look forward to seeing you there!

If you would like to find out more about Chic or order you tickets (it's free!) click here for more information

Happy New Year from George Stuart!

I know it's a few days into the new year already but we'd still like to wish you a very happy new year and good luck for 2010!

If you would like to know a bit more about what we've seen over the last couple of weeks and our hopes for 2010 then please click here to visit the main George Stuart site for our full New Year message.

As far as the blog goes then over the next couple of weeks we'll be looking at where you will be able to see George Stuart, upcoming shows and exhibitions and plans for the year ahead. And of course there will be more of our ponderings about the industry news, features on independent retailers and designers as well as anything interesting we find as we go through the year.

Don't forget, we'd love for you to get involved with the blog so if you have an opinion on one of our posts, have a suggestion to make or simply want to say hi - please just leave a comment!

In the mean time here's to a happy and healthy 2010!