The Fashion Industry Insider

Last week I was in Milan and this week it has all been on the phone. Making appointments by phone is my absolute pet hates and talking to other agents there seems to be common agreement among us that this is the worst job we have to do. I absolutely love meeting and talking to boutique owners but when I call them I never know what sort of day they are having and can’t make eye contact, which is an obvious disadvantage. Next week I will be on the high ways and byways of Ireland, calling to my customers and seeing what is happening on the ground. With the sales in full swing it’s a busy time for owners. All of us in the Fashion business have one foot in the present and the other firmly in the future. Plans are well advanced for the coming selling season with all the ranges due into the showroom during the month of August and September. Jaeger London, which has been one of the biggest UK success stories, arrives into the showroom on August 3 for 10 days only which means that all the appointments have to run like clockwork. We Irish are not known for our time keeping and each season I become a juggler moving appointments around to make sure all the buyers are accommodated as best I can. Following Jaeger the new Nicowa collection arrives and running alongside these is the large Falke and new ready to wear Yummie Tummie collection. Heidi Higgins Spring Summer 2011 will be in mid September so it feels like I’m in training for a marathon!

I’m taking time out this week end to go to the fantastic milliner Linda McKay who holds hat making work shops in her gorgeous home in Kilkenny. Chloe, my youngest daughter is coming along too and we will be staying in the gorgeous Ballduff House nearby. This is something that will be totally relaxing and creative and while we all run around like headless chickens it is very important to keep in as relaxed frame of mind as we can manage. I will certainly be trying to stay focused and cool and will let you know how I get on.

Have a fashionable week ahead……

The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

You could be forgiven for thinking that the world of fashion is all glamour, fun and excitement but the reality is that there are several mundane areas of the business too. Travel isn’t always great fun and airports can be trying at the best of times. Packing four days worth of outfits worthy of the fash pack just isn’t possible in a Ryan air size carry on bag! Paper work is a constant battle and like housework is never completely done.

During the Celic tiger many people opened boutiques. They thought that because they had a huge love of fashion that it would be an enjoyable challenge to open their own. They travelled the world and brought labels to Ireland that we only saw in magazines . Many of them are now struggling with the realities of a severe downturn in retail sales and are finding life as a fashion retailer very tough indeed. Some of them won’t survive but those that do will be stronger and leaner by the time the upturn comes.

News from the shop floor is that this year has certainly started out better than last year when we were all in economic shock. Accessories are selling strongly and the new Spring Summer ranges are starting to move.

Double jobbing has brought a whole new viewpoint into focus for me as I now get invited to launches and openings which means I can have a good look before the clothes hit the shop floor..

The good news is that Irish women in particular love fashion and recession or no that is not going to change. Boutiques and stores are working even harder to provide customers with great service and the clothes that suit their budgets.

I’ve noticed that the prices are very keen across the board. Of course you can still splurge on that ‘to die for’ handbag or pair of shoes but you can also but a completely fabulous outfit for a more reasonable and affordable price.

I’m off to London again next week for four days and am looking forward to working in the Jaeger showrooms there, bringing Irish customers who have not completely lost their nerve and who are prepared to continue to seek new ranges to bring to the Irish market. I will let you know how I get on and in the meantime have a great ‘fashionable’ week ahead!........

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The Fashion Industry Insider by Nick Harris

'The Season' is in full swing and our showroom is buzzing. Over the years Fahions come and go, customers come and go. Each season we add more to the wonderful life stories that we weave together, catching up on business, family which have nothing at all to so with fashion but everything to do with relationships which are the lifeblood of any business.
The Job of an Agent has two sides. One is to represent the Companies and the second is to form a relationship with the customers. Companies would like to think that our alegience to them comes first and in truth we let them think that because it keeps them happy. We attend range meeetings before the start of each season and tell thm their range looks great (even if privately, occasionaly it looks like a dogs dinner!) After all it's too late at that stage for any changes to be made.
Out main alegience is always to our customers, those who come to our showroom Season in and Season out and place orders with us. They trust us to tell them when we think certain garments should be bought and trust us when we tell them that certain others shouldn't. The customers are our life blood and it doesn't matter how wonderful the companies are ( and we do our utmost to look after their business in Ireland) As on the shop floor 'The customer always comes first'.
Next week I will be in London with some of my customers for London Fashion Week at the Jaeger London Catwalk show which will be great fun in a very business like way , of course! So Fashions come and go but hopefully the retailers will remain and they will continue to do what they do so well. Buying great clothes and providing Irish women, who so love style and fashion, great choice across the many collections on offer.
Have a great week ahead.....

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The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

I arrived in London yesterday for a series of Range Meetings, which are ‘de rigeur’ in the life of a Fashion Agent. They are billed as a run through of the new collection and a meeting where the nuts and bolts of business discussed.

Well that’s it in theory. Of course the collections are already in our Showrooms and the business dealings can be sorted over email and phone. The truth is that we need to do the ‘Face Work’ that is the sitting down at table together. Meeting up with other Agents from the different countries and the collective discussion about all aspects of our business. I am always in awe of those agents who work in the larger countries because of course they deal in many multiples of the Irish market.

One good thing about the Fashion Business is that far from being bitchy and nasty it is filled with the kindest bunch of souls you could hope to meet

Tomorrow it’s the turn of Yummie Tummie, which is an American company with distribution throughout Europe. The new ready to wear tops and yoga pants with the secret shaping panel look ab fab bringing the product to an even wider audience. Heather Thompson the designer and celebrity LA stylist will be there and I’m really looking forward to finding all about her BF’s Heidi Klum and Beyonce! If I hear any juicy gossip I will let you know but for now I need to dress up for Dinner. There is a car arriving at seven. It’s a hard life this Fashion Business you know!!!

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The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

News from the Showroom on ‘Miserable Monday’

Well the news bit is true but the Miserable Monday bit? not likely ! I always look forward to Mondays and especially at this busy time of the year. Luckily one of my showroom assistants arrived back last week and just in time too. I’m afraid my organisational skills are a little lacking and the presence of some one else is sometimes all I need to get me more organised.

Some samples have arrived and others are still on the way. The minute they arrive then emails of changes to the range start flooding in. Each day these changes have to be noted. They can simply be colour changes but invariably they are cancellations. Samples that will never be made and sometimes these are items that we love and think would sell. Marketing brochures by the lorry load gather in large boxes and take up valuable room. Sometimes they are worthy of giving out to prospective customers but often they are of such bad pictorial quality or are photographs of the wrong samples for this market that I tear my hair out at the waste. Waste of money, paper, time and effort only to be consigned to that big recycling bin.

Catwalk dates for the Jaeger London range (which is our newest collection) are still to be confirmed. It seems that London Fashion Week is as organised as me, which gives me some peculiar comfort.

I’m off to London on Sunday so will be blogging from there next week. It will be interesting to see what’s happening and London is one of those rare Fashion Vibrant cities. A quick run around my favourite Indies is on the cards. That’s if the flights go and we haven’t been hit by another weather related catastrophe. Which if we are thinking about catastrophe’s lets do something for the beleaguered and struggling people of Haiti and remember how truly lucky we all are.

Have a good week ahead………..

Nicky

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Nickys Ragtales

Planning, planning and more planning sums up the week in hand in the life of a Fashion Agent. Showroom matters include a huge sample clearout and this entails several black sacks of socks and tights, which get de-labelled and dropped to the local charity shop.

I wonder if any of you have had the eerie experience of passing a charity shop and seeing your old clothes in the window? This happened to me last year and they looked even better there, than hanging in my wardrobe. I took a different route home for a couple of weeks, as it was such an odd feeling. It’s true that we have emotional connections with our clothes and shoes. Recent research has discovered that women remember buying their first pair of fashion shoes and this has confirmed that there is a very strong emotional connection with our clothing. We, of course have always known this and it’s what makes us so fascinated and in love with fashion.

Booking my (several) plane tickets I was reminded of my first excursion to London Fashion Week way back when I worked with Red or Dead. Fifteen years ago. A Fashion Week Virgin is the only way I can describe myself. I thoughtfully dressed in what I thought was a suitable ensemble, a cream suit and if memory serves me right a red! Coat. My fringe (as I remember) was blue or orange? I know, I know ! what was I thinking about.

Upon arrival at the queue as I looked around, every single person (bar me) was in top to toe black. The Prada nylon bags were in at the time and to a person there was a Prada fest going on.

I felt like a clown but head held high walked in. One good thing about standing out in the crowd for me that day was that even though I looked like Zandra Rhodes I ended up in a room with Vidal Sasoon where we had a lovely chat and back stage with the models including the one and only Kate Moss. There is life after the wrong clothes after all!. Have a good week ahead.

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Fashion Industry Insider Blog

The Fashion Insider : Reflection!!!

'As I reflect back on 2009 and polish off the remains of the Christmas Cake I can't help feeling that amid all the uncertainty and difficult trading there were enormous positives. Will we look back at 2009 as the year that defined who we really are? Had we really lost the 'run of ourselves' and have we now streamlined our businesses ready to take on 2010?
Personally for me 2009 was a positive year, a year where I sharpened up my business. As an agent I am always one step ahead and like many boutiques I focused on the add on sales with 'little and often' being the buzz words. Fashion trends battled between the 80's and the 40's. Lady Gaga sported shoulders of American football proportions while Joan Collins had the right idea and sold all her 80's power suits for charity.
Skinny Jeans, leggings and ankle boots marched on apace with the ankle boot outselling the humble shoe. Retailers sharpened up their businesses and spent more time at home rather than away. They offered better service, better prices and good old fashioned better buying.
On a personal note I joined a pack of Fashion Bloggers who present a unique take on the world of fashion. Some commentators say we're 'pissing in the wind' but with bloggers now sitting alongside Ms Wintour (who did her own about turn with her 'reality' documentary) I can't help but say 'watch this space'

Best Regards and a Very Happy, Prosperous and above all Healthy New Year,

Nicky

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The Fashion Industry Insider by Nicky Harris

Working as a Fashion Agent and since last July as a blogger means I have one foot firmly in the next Season and the other fixed in the present

Working as a Fashion Agent and since last July as a blogger means I have one foot firmly in the next Season and the other fixed in the present. Selling Fashion a season forward means that by the time the clothes hit the shops I am already finished selling the following Seasons ranges. If that sounds confusing it’s because it is! Right now as I struggle to get all the gifts and all the last minute cooking sorted for Christmas I find myself continually looking at my calendar for January. I see already that I have a range meeting early in January in South Molton Street, London where we will preview the next Autumn Winter Falke hosiery range. It’s a meeting I can’t miss as it’s really important to go through the range and predict what the strengths and weaknesses are before I see my first customer. I also have a Yummie Tummie range meeting in London later in the month plus a Jaeger meeting. A Nicowa meeting in Munich is sandwiched somewhere in between. It’s just my luck that the meetings aren’t concurrent which means that I will be spending huge amounts of time in that horrible tunnel hanger in Heathrow and the last time I went to Munich I got lost from the Airport and arrived in a bar with thirty Germans playing poker in an Industrial estate miles from my hotel at one O’clock in the morning! I won’t survive any of the travel without a good book and my Iphone. In between all that I will be planning and sending out invitations to all my retailers for the selling season which will start in earnest at the end of January. Organising the ranges as they arrive into the showrooms, ringing customers, talking and making appointments are all part of the lead up. Doing a spot on ‘Off the Rails’ another on Tubridy and writing a daily blog are just on the side…. Phew I’m getting tired just looking at the list.

Oh by the way if any of you great Irish boutiques owners are reading this and don’t have a website I’d like to know why? Ireland is a small country going through what can only be described as a torrent of difficulties. Don’t hide your particular unique brand under a bushel. Shout it from the rooftops and put yourself out there…

www.nickysragtales.com