Less Girly please.

Apparently my illustrations are too girly girl and need to be more crazy and dramatic!!!

I wanna be a shoe designer!!

How utterly yum are these new YSL Mohawks? Im guna put show designer in my name and start designing amazing pairs myself!! =) for now ill just go buy myself a pair....!!

Mixed Media

                                                             Line

Silhouette and Volume

Shop Report

The University of Westminster
Name: Lubaina Karimjee
Course: BA Honours Fashion Design


Introduction

The two shops I am going to analyse in my shop report are both located at Bond Street. H&M is on Oxford Street and Kamara is located opposite James Street in Christophers Place.

Location

Oxford Street is a major street running through the City of Westminster with 548 shops
situated along this mile and a half stretch of road. It is the most dense and busiest shopping street in Europe. Selfridges is located on Oxford Street which is the second largest department store int he UK only a two minute walk away from both Kamara and H&M. Selfridges attracts a prosperous clientele which is a benefit for the stores around this area. Both H&M and Kamara are facing opposite Bond Street tube station.

Shop 1.
H&M

                                                  360-366 Oxford Street,

                                           Marylebone London, W1C 1JN

                                                     Tel: 020 7518 1630
                                                   Email: www.hm.com

                                      H&M Friday afternoon at 3.15pm

H&M is a Swedish clothing company selling fast fashion clothing for men, women and children. It operates in 37 different countries and has around 2.000 stores worldwide. As well as selling clothes they also sell a range of different accessories from jewellery, handbags, footwear and outerwear such as scarves, gloves and hats. H&M are always up to date with the latest trends with their collections attracting different age groups from teenagers of ages between 13 - 17, and adults from 18+.

The store on Bond Street has three levels. Ground floor accommodates the full cotton range, the latest season collection and accessories. Lower ground floor stocks items for teenagers such as hoodies, duffel coats and mini skirts where as the 1st floor previews the 18+ range of trench coats, formal work wear and footwear.

                               Ground floor selling the cotton range

Price Range

H&M have a range of prices to meet different customers. Womens work wear ranges from £19.99 for a plain white cotton blouse to £89.99 for a long suede double breasted trench coat. Footwear can range between £14.99 for a pair of flat plimsoles to £79.99 for their latest high knee leather boots. The teen collection ranges from £3.99 for a plain black fitted mini skirt to £24.99 military jacket. H&M's new fall 2010 collection ranges from chiffon dresses at £34.99, tunics at £24.99 and trench coats at £29.99. The price range is affordable for both students and working class individuals.

Current Trends

The current trend is the Fall 2010 collection show casing the new treggings priced at £14.99, pastel coloured ruffled tunics at £24.99 and the most popular aviator jackets at £24.99 that is currently sold out in 3 of the H&M's located on Oxford Street.

                                        Aviator Jackeet / Fall 2010

Chiffon tunic / Fall 2010

Collaborations

In 2004 H&M had their first fashion collaboration with designer Karl Lagerfeld which turned out to be a great success with the line selling out within the first hour and caused a media frenzy. 2005 saw the collaboration with Stella McCartney followed by the dutch duo Viktor and Rolf collaborated with the store in November 2006.  Recently H&M have collaborated with the British designer Matthew Williamson creating two exclusive ranges for the company followed by Jimmy Choo footwear designers with shoes and handbags ranging from £30 - £170. Fall 2010 sees the collaboration with Lanvins designer Alber Elbaz which will be on preview on the 2nd of November and available throughout 200 stores across the globe.

                                                                 Karl Lagerfeld for H&M

                                                             Matthew Williamson for H&M

                                                                Jimmy Choo for H&M


Competition

There is a lot of competition with similar department stores like H&M such as River Island, Topshop and Zara that sell garments at the same price range following the same trend such as the Aviator, chiffon tunics and suede knee high boots which are currently the fashion trend at the moment. H&M have been able to diversify there company with these top designer collaborations which allows the company to stand out against the crowd.

Shop2.
Kamara

3 Gees Court
St Christophers Place
London, W1U 1JB
Tel: 020 74939222
Email: www.kamara.co.uk

Friday afternoon 3pm

Kamara is an independent boutique situated just before the beginning of Christophers Place. It sells a collection showcasing the work of three designers Angela Mele Milano, Anima and Primatist, jewellery collection from designers Kamara and Otazu and a hand bag range from Ozakii and Strass. Each garment is a one of piece which is their USP.

The layout of the store is very basic with rails on either side of the store showing the garments and a small glass table in the middle with each jewellery piece laid out. The handbags ae placed on top of the rails on shelves and one single fitting room is on the right hand side of the shop once you enter. The floor is wooden and a large gold plated framed mirror leans against the only free wall.

Shop window

The shop window features two pieces from Angela Mele Milano with jewellery pieces and footwear places on the glass shelves.

Price Range

Garments start of at £35 and can go upto £300 depending on the fabric, embellishment and designer. Jewellery prices range from £10 for small stud earrings and single band rings to £75 for long detailed earrings and heavy gold pendants. The boutique next door to Kamara names Lotus Leaf sells only garments ranging from £15 to £40 and can be bought in many different colours and sizes.

Competition 

There are several boutiques along Gees street and up Christopher Place such a Kookai, Mulberry and Lotus Leaf but only Kamara sells pieces that can only be bought once with exclusive designer names.

Amazing.

Caroline Andeiu

Im inspired so much by these two fashion illustrators! I just love the detail in each of their illustrations. Oh my i wish i had their talent to draw the way they do! All i can do is practice!

                                                                        Cedric Rivrain



Fashion Week - London

Giles SS/11

Agyness Dean

Jessica Hart

 Anne Vyalitsy

London Fashion Week showed us the best of what London has to offer and even more with jaw dropping creations down the runway to exciting locations such as an old warehouse on the fringes of Farringdon where the much awaited return of Giles Deacon’s collection was shown. The crumbling concrete floors, rusty steel columns and battered beams where the perfect contrast of Giles ‘Glam Rock’ fun filled neon loving show previewing the best of intricate colourful knits of vanilla, fuchsia and bright yellow featured big eyes and Pac - man motifs.

Designer Christopher Bailey for Burberry was inspired by the ‘Biker Chic’ with base colour cropped trench coats teamed with lime green and turquoise neon leather belts to bring in the waistline, snake skin biker jackets with studded detail really brought out the motorbike style.

Burberry Prorsum SS/11

Fashion Week - New York

Anna Sui SS/11

It all kick started in New York with Marc Jacob’s spring collection featuring the hottest seventies silhouettes back in trend in bright bold colours of sunshine yellows and ocean blues, great prints and sheer fabrics showing a Saturday Night Fever theme. Similarly, Anna Sui showed a late 60’s inspired collection in ponchos, patchwork print dresses and chunky multi – coloured crochet vests with ruffle and lace detail. No one makes hippy seems so chic as well as Anna does. Both Calvin Klein and Michael Kors took simplicity to a whole new level. Designer Francisco Costa managed to add his own personal style yet still keep the design style of the Calvin Klein Blues inspired collection extremely effortless but incredibly wearable with minimal pieces in stark shades of whites, ivory and pearl.

Marc Jacobs SS/11

Marchesa = Fairytale

Oooh how I adore each and every piece in Marchesa 2011 S/S collection. Each garment is a reflection of what Marchesa stands for. Elegance, Sophistication and definatly Red Carpet glamour! In this collection I particularly love how they have been able to incorporate Eastern elements with the Western silhouette.
I want all of them in my wardrobe!!!

Louboutin Addiction

Im a shoe addict and i mean a real shoe addict! My family thinks i have too many pairs of shoes but i say can a girl really have too many pairs of shoes?! I mean every outfit needs a different pair of shoes it only makes sense! So when a new pair comes out i have to be the first to have them and these new Christian Louboutins are a must have! His new Fall/ Winter Collection 2011 makes you just fall to your knees!

New Love

I love all things fashion but i do have a secret love which is cars... especially supercars buggati, lambos, ferraris you name it i love them and the new creation from mercedes has got me in a love affair! I always see them going up and down Edgware Road in London but i saw one up close at London Fashion Week in the courtyards at Somerset House and officially fell in LOVE.... now i just need to convinve dad that i neeeeed that car =D

Alber Elbaz brings sophistication to H&M

H&M has been collaborating with big name designers from Karl Lagerfeld, Matthew Williamson to Jimmy Choo and now their new collaboration is with Alber Elbaz for Lanvin. I really admire his work and i'm really excited about seeing the new collection that is available from the 23rd of November 2010. Girls write the date down in your diary we cannot miss this one!