Shoe dilemma?

So as my SS12 Lookbook shoot is creeping closer, I have been on the search for the perfect shoes... there is far to much to choose from, so i narrowed my options down to my top 5. The dilemma is going high street or designer? Here is a mix of Topshop, Office and Jeffrey Campbell... Must decide by tomorrow and get buying! Ahhh....Decisions!

Getting distracted... : Inspirational Pictures.

So I'm looking out my window on this 'summers' day (While I'm supposed to be researching the perfect shoes for my shoot) and all I can see is grey grey grey.
Here is a few inspirational summery pictures I love and thought I'd share...

look book look

So with all my toiling FINISHED and finalised, my master patterns are in the factory being cut and sewn as we speak. EXCITING!

My samples will be ready to collect in a couple of weeks.... so in the mean time, i'm organising the Spring Summer 12 lookbook shoot: Photographer, model, hair, makeup, accessories and styling etc... it's definitely one of my favourite bits.

Here are some of my ideas?

HAIR: Effortless, chic, summer plait.
MAKE UP: Fresh, clean, neutral.

Drawing, Cutting, Sewing and alot of Dot and Cross.

So with an action plan in place, a factory to sample my collection, a supplier to supply with me with beautiful fabrics and now the perfect pad to work in!
The FUN can finally begin.... Designing and making time!

So many decisions when range planning... How many pieces to make, what garments to make, which style to go for, how to keep consistency... etc .... etc....

I decided early on that minimise costs at the beginning, I would only create 8 fantastic styles consisting of tops and dresses (the most commonly purchased garment according to my market research)
A couple of weeks of designing, drawing and finalising ideas, decisions were made, garments were chopped and my line up is ready!

Let the cutting, sewing and toiling commence!

New collection, New studio...

So after my super successful trip to Leicester, my sprits from the not so great London trip had been well and truely lifted!

I was able to sit down and write a more accurate realistic business plan and get searching for a work space.

Before, I had done some freelance work from home, but I felt for running a business, I need to exude professionalism. I needed a studio!

Yet again the search for impossible greatness was on. After lots of 'no's and let downs... I had hit gold once again!
I found a beautiful studio space in the heart of the city of Norwich (about a 10 min bike ride from my house). I have my own little office with a joining studio space to cut, sew and create.

PERFECT

Road trip to Leicester!

Fabric suppliers:
So I found a couple of really brilliant high quality fabric suppliers in Leicester SPECIALISING in Jersey. They actually manufacture all their fabric here in th UK (as apposed to shipping it in from France and Italy and knocking the cost up to silly prices)... so I arranged a day of meeting with them to check them out!
What struck me straight away on arriving at these places was their willingness to accommodate me and my millions of questions. These people who ran these business were so pleasant, they gave me so much of their own time and expert knowledge, advice and explained everything from the actual manufacture of each fabric, the cost of the yarn, and all the minimums and exact costs.
I knew these were people I wanted to be working with.

Production Factory:
After this successful morning, I headed to a factory I had spoken at length to on the phone and previously arranged a meeting with. About 5 minutes down the road from the fabric suppliers and coffee or 2 later, I found myself again extreamly impressed by the kindness, the time and the proffessionalism these people were giving to me.
I discussed my design ideas, possible quantities and prices ....they quoted me around one quater of what I had been quoted in the London factories. The owner of the factory, even took time to discuss a couple of my design finishes with one of his sample machinests, then walked me round the place to show me the superior level of quality they have to offer... buy showing me the last 100 or so samples they have produced. Very impressive. Whats more, is the owner actually bothered to ask me about me as a designer, what im wanting to achieve, and how everything is going. I thought this was nice.

Again I knew by the time I had walked back to the car outside that I wanted all my sampling and production done here. I think working with people you trust and actually willing to help you out in the early days is of key importance.

Thinking outside the box definitely payed off!!

New Beginnings

So for the first month of 2011 I spent my life either meeting business advisors, going on short business courses, searching for articles and advice on on small fashion business start up, studying all the new designers and their stories, talking to people, reading book and getting loads of general advice.... basically gaining as much knowledge on business and the idustry as I possible could before the SS12 designing season begun!
I can safley say that 'How to set up and run a fashion label' by Tony Meadows, is possibly the most helpful book I have read so far... (well worth a buy)

I spent weeks at a time chained to my computer while I researched factories and fabric suppliers for production, methods of selling, marketing, branding, buying, botiques to stock in, PR to represent me... the list was literally endless.

After all this very thorough research, I decided the most important thing was making sure my clothes were beautiful, covetable and very well made. Of course the beautiful covetable bit I take care of myself in the design process, but the well made bit was out of my control. My priority was to suss out which factory and fabric suppliers could offer me the highest quality at the most cost effective price.

So i set out for fashion capital London. Feeling positive and optimistic I had researched some real gems! I had a couple of days of meetings to see how these places and people operated, to get an idea of the costs, qualities and timings I would be looking at. Despite the excellent recommendations and the fantastic quality these places had to offer, the prices were completely outrageous and the timings not much better - so laughably un-affordable for a fashion start up. I left London that day feeling deflated, confused and totally disappointed.

I got back home to lovely Norwich and had a serious re-think of the situation.
In my opinion I had 2 options.
1) Admit defeat, these prices are too silly to even begin this venture. It's doomed.
2) Think outside the box and find a better solution away from London.


I didn't want to produce anything outside the UK as quality is one of the most important factors for my brand, and producing in the far east or abroad would definitely compromise this. It may be massively cheaper abroad, but quality control is difficult when your a one man band!

Before London became the hub of the fashion industry, all UK textiles were manufactured in the Midlands and the North of England. This got me thinking positively again and so the frantic search to seek out the best fabric manufacturer and production factory in the Midlands had begun...

After about 100 phone calls, countless email, alot of 'no we don't do small production runs' or 'no, our minimum order is a millon meters'.... My persistence paid off....
I FINALLY STRUCK GOLD!!

Living the DREAM...

After almost 7 years of hard graft; studying, internships, placements and relentless work, this is the year I have decided to bite the bullet, live my dream and start my own fashion label 'Alicia Stone'

Along with all the risks and obstacles of running a business and establishing a name in the fashion industry, I am making the brave and exciting decision to turn my brilliant, beautiful ideas in to my reality, my life, my future......

This Blog is a place for me to document the journey of my thoughts, ideas, adventures and progress... Enjoy