blog 3: Selected Brand and Research

Josie and I have chosen to make an advertisement for the shoe company Mossimo for Target. We chose this because of the fashion forward stance of the brand. It is also a brand made accessible to a large demographic by means of the store it is sold in, Target.

Target's demographic is incredibly broad and changes due to the town the store is in. Even though, "the median age (for their customers) is 46" (Walker http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20061011/BUSINESS/610110648?p=3&tc=pg&tc=ar) the location in the Columbia Mall caters more to a different age bracket. For instance, the Target we are catering to is located in Collegetown, USA aka Columbia, Mo. There are many families that shop at this location, however, their is still a large student population that is shopping at this store for their essential needs, as well as their fun wardrobe staples.

As far as clothing brands, Mossimo was among one of the pioneering brands that Target began to carry in their stores (Target PR website). The brand is fashion forward and at the same time a line full of classic pieces and elements of design, strong structure and still a hint of youthfulness is incorporated with many of the designs. The shoes that have been seen recently in the Columbia Mall location are mostly flirty sandals that are perfect for those little summer dresses sprouting out of the Mossimo collection. The other style that is still being seen is, a wardrobe staple that any female needs to have, the classic pump. Mossimo for Target has his variation on this piece online in different colors and the option of closed to or peep toe, however, in the Columbia Mall location all that they have as of right now is the simple, clean-lined black patent-leather, closed toe pump. The price point on this shoe makes it perfect for the demographic, at roughly $25.

The reason we chose this style shoe is to hopefully bring on a more high-end feel to the Target ads and the Mossimo line at Target. Lately, Target has been having other designers randomly 'pop into' their stores with lower price point merchandise. Josie and I are hopeful that our ad layout will bring a higher standard to Mossimo. Through looking at current trends we have pulled color samples, such as jewel tones in emerald, ruby red, purples and teals. These colors can transition from summertime fun with cocktail dresses to richly colored shoes for the fall and winter months. The closed toe also helps with the versatility of this shoe.

My personal inspiration has been drawn through swipes I have made from the magazine pages of publications such as, Vogue, InStyle, Marie Claire, etc. Throughout looking at the trends in these fashion magazines I have not only noticed the vibrant colors but also the 'bombshell' quality related to the shoes and the models wearing this style of shoe. I personally like the glamourous feel the style represents, with models in bright red lipstick and loose curls and shiny shoes. I would like to incorporate this sort of model into the Target ad, just to play up the glamour factor for this shoe and the astonishing low price point. However, to play into the more normal style of Target ad we might also try to portray the same style and time period by using all props and not any models. Many Target ads found in magazines are just showcasing the product and models are not used. So it will be our opportunity to blend these two techniques of advertising, just the product and a model showing off the product, into a seamless design that fits the needs of Targets shoppers.

Blog Entry 2: Formal Runway Show

The lights, the sounds, and the scurrying feet of models backstage remind me of my first fashion show experience. I was a model in the Reflections Fashion Show, which was under the direction of Stephanie LaHue. It fell into the production show fashion category and all the glitz and glamour resonated throughout the backstage corridors all the way down the runway surrounding every audience member and the energy even seemed to flow into every room the show was held in. In the end it took a lot of hard work to put together and be a part of but in the end I walked away with a new respect for all aspects of pulling a show together. From the extensive dreams of the designers for the clothing, the set the venue to how the stage actually came to life, the show was a success and a magnificent opportunity to be a part of. Along the lines of production style fashion shows I have also attended an outdoor fashion show n down town Kansas City called the West 18th Street Fashion Show which was held in the summer months in the Kansas City fashion district. That show was completely different because I went as a guest and not as a model. So it was a lot less stressful, however throughout the entire time I found myself wondering about the production aspects of how they put together their show in comparison to the one I had been in. I have also been involved in a small bridal fashion show at Stephens College, called Bridal Boot Camp, this style of show falls closely under the consumer style of fashion show because the garments on display are targeted for a very small demographic, there was one consumer market in mind for this show. Seeing the Valentino film again in class was exciting, I saw it in the theater and loved it, so getting to see it again was great Valentino made the film incredibly personal and watching it felt like I had a front row ticket to the entire production of the show and gala. Of course the most notable color in this show was the Valentino Red, another color and style that was present throughout the show was a crisp white in very flowy fabrics. The look of Valentino spreads the span of time through the garments elegant and classic tailored lines and colors the designer has chosen in his pieces.
Valentino is simple and classic, a timeless designer.

My Journey

I have had quite an interesting journey during my time at Stephens. I think I have tried every major possible, starting my college career in acting, switching to film studies, then fashion marketing and finally I have settled on fashion communications. Needless to say I have learned a lot about my self in the past two and a half years. I believe that throughout every class I have taken at Stephens I have grown into who I want to become in my future and have discovered more about myself. I will always have a love for acting and honestly hope that the silver screen is where I will end up someday but through my time here I have developed a great interest in the visual aspects of fashion. I absolutely love styling and photo-styling. My style is a simple, classic, with a hint of a current trend. As recently as last semester I discovered a passion for accessories and how they can transform an entire look. It is my hope that during this semester and especially by taking this class I will be able to understand more of the visual lay outs and photo-styling for magazine work. I would also like to learn more about the careers available in print magazines. After taking Photoshop courses and being enrolled in an InDesign class this semester I am ready to dive into this course head on. I was enrolled in this course last year and then fell ill in the beginning of the semester. After taking more computer courses and learning more about myself and what I want to do I am even more excited to take this class and give it my all! In my opinion, he Fashion Communications class is the backbone of my degree and full of vital knowledge for me to learn.