alexandraknight-fcnu-blog

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Fashion Revolution Brief

Please see the link below for my latest project- a live brief in collaboration with Fashion Revolution. 

https://alexandra-knight-fashion.tumblr.com/

This brief involves working with Fashion Revolution to create a new PR campaign to attract a new audience to the issue of sustainability and transparency in the fashion industry. The brief requirements include a PR campaign- including research, strategies and tactics- presented in a pitch presentation, as well as a film, a graphic poster in addition to branded content. 

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Hygge-  a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment.

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

How to Set up a Successful Marketing Collaboration

By collaborating, brands are open to new audiences which they have previously not found on their own.

1.       Be Strategic

The collaboration needs to have a specific aim in order to succeed. A brand needs to identify whether it wants to reach more people; to reach a very specific or niche group of people; or to improve brand reputation; or even reward current loyal customers in some way. This will enable a brand be able to think of what it would to like to do with another brand.

2.       Think like their customer

When thinking of what brand to collaborate with, the brand should consider what their customer base by and interact with. What brands do they aspire to? Which ones complement the brand?

3.       Be true to the brand

The most effective marketing collaborations are when the very essence of the brands involved genuinely work well together: Whether it is having a common cause, matched brand values, or a similar tone of voice - something must be complementary to make a successful relationship, rather than a superficial one.

4.       Cash is not king

It’s best to build relationships between brands based on mutual benefit rather than cash exchanges

Research source: https://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/marketing-strategy/cost-effective-marketing/how-to-set-up-a-successful-marketing-collaboration 

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Consumer Futures 2020- Scenarios for Tomorrow’s Consumers

This report was led by Forum for the Future in partnership with Salisbury’s and Unilever and analysed the future and how this would affect us a consumers of the future. The report also looked at how businesses could act now to prepare for change in the coming years.

The report displayed key implications for business and suggested five key recommendations that businesses should be acting on now to prepare for a rapidly changing economic, environmental and social climate.

1.       Take innovative models to market

To succeed, business models need to be much more flexible than today. They will also need to face up to challenging questions. In a world where people buy directly from producers, for example, what will be the role of retailers and bricks and mortar stores. Companies should be ready to innovate, and to develop, trial and learn from experimenting with new, sustainable business models. The companies that do this today with be the ones profiting tomorrow.

 2.       Work with your value chain to find new solutions

Manufacturers and retailers operate in a complex system, and the challenges of shifting to sustainable consumption are too great for any organisation on its own. Consumer Futures itself is an example of how businesses are starting to collaborate, a global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company joining up with a national retailer to develop sustainable initiatives that will deliver mutual commercial benefit. Value chains are under huge pressure to be more resource-efficient, security of supply of raw materials is an even bigger challenge than today. Companies should collaborate across their value chain, incentivising farmers, suppliers, designers, producers, retailers and others to work with them to find innovative solutions to bringing goods and services to market.

 3.       Strengthen local brands and local production

There is no guarantee that global brands will continue to win the hers and minds of consumers. In one of the scenarios explored in the report, consumers buy collectively directly from producers to save money, in another scenario they have a system of peer-to-peer exchange and trade. While some supplies will always be global (such as tea and cocoa), brands that embrace and boost local production and have a local authentic story will resonate with customers. Even in the absence of consumer demand for locally resonant brands, strengthening local production will also reduce the risk of supply chain disruption from resource shortages and climate impacts.

 4.       Build up long-term trust through transparency

Consumers can find information on the origins of products and services more easily than ever before thanks to social media and advances in information and communication technology, and this trend is likely to continue. In the scenarios explored in the report, consumer demand for product knowledge and regulations that require openness and transparency have changed the business landscape significantly. In this world, ‘green’ and ‘ethical’ are no longer niche, and robust standards on environmental and social performance are mainstreamed into everyday products and services. Companies should prepare for a world where society demands absolute transparency from brands. Businesses which open up their value chains for scrutiny now will earn the most trust from consumers.

5.       Use the power of marketing to accelerate sustainability

The report advises business to not wait for consumers to demand more sustainable products and services. External social and environmental trends drive sustainable consumption into the mainstream, whether or not consumers actively demand sustainable goods and services. Savvy brands will seize the opportunities that this brings today and make money by accelerating the transition to a more sustainable world. Some brands are beginning to have conversations with consumers on the sustainability agenda, but that tends to focus on today’s issues: too many marketing teams use yesterday’s insight data to make decisions about what tomorrow’s consumers will want. The report predicts that leading a sustainable lifestyle will be much easier than today. Although consumer awareness of the issue varies, companies have made sustainability easy by offering consumers additional benefits such as efficiency, durability and improved nutrition. The duality of benefit is critical for brands and businesses to start to get right today. Companies should use their marketing, communications and innovation skills to create consumer demand for sustainable and profitable products and services. Brands need to understand possible future consumer needs better and to positively influence the things that the consumers buy and how they use and dispose them.

Read the full report here:

https://s3-eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/learn-eu-central-1-prod-fleet01-xythos/5b6bce0407d12/6648775?response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27Consumer_Futures_2020_full_document.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20181113T174139Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIZ3QX2YUHH4EOO3A%2F20181113%2Feu-central-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=ce450cc5b786156a3d80b75225d37b0550cf275ac2630343c07a8c6c63214e9a

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

How the Blockchain is Changing Fashion

Transparency in the fashion industry is growing and is becoming an important factor that consumers are more aware of than ever. 

Too many brands have been exposed as wasteful, environmentally unfriendly, or simply unethical. The backlash against fast fashion is evident with millennials consuming less fast fashion and the younger generations are happy to purchase vintage pieces that have stood the test of time. 

The blockchain solutions in the industry stem from its unique ability to create a physical-digital link between goods and their digital identities on a blockchain. Often, a cryptographic seal or serial number acts as the physical identifier, linking back to the individual product’s “digital twin.”

This link offers opportunities for a more transparent supply chain. Every time a product changes hands, that change in custody is recorded on the blockchain. Counterfeit goods missing the physical-digital link are obvious, as are any attempts to divert goods. The chain of custody on blockchain provides a record of the last party to gain custody of the product, showing where the counterfeit product slipped in—or the authentic product was diverted out.

Greater transparency in supply chains will create new incentives for companies to change the way they do business and even how they view themselves as an organization.

This transparency created through blockchain will also improve transparency within a brand and will attract consumers from all generations, particularly younger generations.

This transparency could be brought into store and even closer to the customer.

Imagine a consumer walking into a store to buy a t-shirt. They use a screen to choose the type of fabric, the cut—even the brand. After a short wait, they have the exact shirt they want in their hands.

Truthfully, this model is not that far fetched. The technology is already here to begin making clothing quickly and locally, and it’s not just going to change the way apparel is made. It’s going to change patterns of consumption and behavior. People will make what they need when they need it.

Brands will have to think ahead and position themselves to integrate with the technology. They’ll need to answer fundamental questions about their existence. How do they maintain their brand’s integrity? Do the concepts of scarcity and exclusiveness still play a role in the brand’s image? What does it mean to be authentic if people can make clothing at home, on demand?

Sourced from: 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/samantharadocchia/2018/06/27/altering-the-apparel-industry-how-the-blockchain-is-changing-fashion/ 

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

VR & AR in the Fashion Industry

This time, I have researched into how virtual reality and augmented reality are already integrated in the fashion industry as well as how they may impact the future of fashion. 

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

V&A: The Future of Fashion

The V&A have launched an exhibition titled Fashioned from Nature which is the first exhibition in the UK to explore the complex relationship between fashion and nature from 1600 to the present day.

Part of this exhibition focuses on innovative new fibres and fabrics which are being produced from and are inspired by nature, inviting visitors to think about the materials of fashion and the sources of their clothes.

Bolt Threads:

This company has produced a new silk fibre which is derived from nature.  This new fibre is created by using the protein produced by spiders. They then copy the DNA of the protein and put this inside a yeast cell which is then allowed to grow in a giant fermenter. Whilst the yeast cells eat the sugar inside the fermenter, they release the spider silk protein which is collected, purified and then is extruded, similar to how a nylon or viscose fibre is processed. This can then be woven to make products such as men’s ties and hats. At the end of its cycle, the fibre can be broken down by any cell on the planet- making it totally biodegradable. The whole process does not use polluting chemicals and does not require the land, water and pesticides of conventionally farmed fibres. Bolt Threads have been recognised by the fashion industry after recently collaborating with Stella McCartney to launch the first fashion collection using the new bio-engineered fabric.

Source: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-future-of-fashion 

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

MIT Design Lab PUMA: Biodesign

MIT Design Lab has been working with the sports brand Puma to conduct new research on the topic of biodesign. Biodesign is the practice of using living materials such as algae and bacteria to create products. This new research explores the new aspects of biological design and fabrication to make these advances in technology more integrated in our daily lives through sport products.

The project focuses on how the next generation of athletic footwear and clothing can adapt and how performances can be enhanced by using living organisms.

The final project was displayed at Milan Design Week 2018 and showed four experiments: a breathing shoe, a deep learning insole, carbon eaters and adaptive packaging.

The ‘Breathing Shoe’ is biologically active and pushes the boundaries of biofabrications and enables the bacteria to create personalized ventilation by growing its own air that enable to foot to keep cool.

Through real-time biofeedback, the ‘Deep Learning Insoles’ improve the athlete’s performance. The organisms in the sole measure long and short-term chemical phenomena that indicate the fatigue and wellbeing of the athlete.

The ‘Carbon Eaters’ t-shirt is microbially-active and changes its appearance in response to environmental factors as well as informing the user about air quality.

In addition to wearables, the research has produced biologically programmable materials that change their shape and structure to become new types of alive biodegradable and adaptive packaging.

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

The Future of Retail

Barely a month passes, without the headline news of another beloved high-street store closing or choosing to shut down a number of stores. The most recent casualty being the giant department store- House of Fraser which went into shock administration before being bought by Mike Ashley- a super businessman who made the decision to close many of the stores up and down the country.

Despite the drastic changes over the past years, retail remains the single largest private sector employer in the UK, with one in 10 people working in retail, in addition to annual sales reaching a staggering total of £358bn.

Even though there has been discussion in recent years of the competition between online and instore shopping, according to the Office for National Statistics, online sales still only account for 17% of total retail sales in the UK. With this in mind, are our bricks-and-mortar shops really in big trouble as the headlines suggest?

Online shopping is growing fast, and this factor cannot be ignored. One key factor which will dictate whether a retail chain survives on our high streets is whether they choose to adopt new cutting-edge technologies.

Technology is already being explored and experimented with by retail companies from AR “smart mirrors” that allow the customer freedom of the colour of their clothes as well as staff using digital technologies to assist with customer requirements.

US stores such as Lowe’s are developing and trialling VR rooms and even voice-controlled robot assistants to transform the customer experience. However, according to Will Robinson, technology director at Advanced Supply Chain, the technology most likely to reshape the retail landscape is artificial intelligence (AI), driven by data from customers themselves.

Retailers will be able to use this data from their customer to offer personalised services. “When you are shopping on retail platforms, you are giving them [retailers] a huge amount of information. If you can crunch those numbers against an AI platform, they can start making accurate predictions, backed up by very targeted advertising on social media. That’s incredibly powerful,” he says.

Using AI could inject £27bn per year into the UK retail market, says Richard Potter, co-founder and CEO of AI and data analytics company, Peak. According to Mr Potter, retailers using AI are growing 30% faster than those that don’t.

Smartphones are also becoming an important factor. Customers are increasingly using their devices to check prices, look up items and even complete purchases. According to PayPaI, it’s predicted that by 2020, two-thirds of all UK ecommerce purchase will be made on mobiles.

In addition to a change in customer experience within retail, new payment trends are set to take off within the next few years. China is leading the way in these new ways to pay. Already two-thirds of payments made in China are processed by mobile phones with “wallet” apps such as Alipay and WeChat.

Biometric payments, where fingerprint or even iris scans are used to complete payments, are set to take over cash payments in the near future with analytics and research consultancies predicting that more than a trillion biometric payments will be made every year by 2022. There will be numerous ways to pay in the future like the ones mentioned above as well as voice recognition payments as well as “chatbots”- AI intelligent robots used to check balances and make payments.

As well as innovations in technology, there will also be advances in the way a customer experiences a store. The stores of the future will provide experiences rather than simply focusing on selling stock and the figures, according to a report by NatWest this year. For example, US luxury retailer Nordstrom has already trialled concept “stockless” stores, where customers can get advice from stylists, but cannot walk out with clothes.

The retail industry in Britain and across the world is changing and this cannot be denied. However, with technological advances becoming ever more common, it seems that there is opportunity for the retail industry to expand and grow with the changing times. So perhaps, it’s not all negative from here on.

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Group research and presentation focusing on the fabric Gingham as an introductory research task.

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Shopping Online: The Pros and Cons

You’ve probably heard how bricks and mortar stores are in trouble up and down our highstreets and how the future predicts that we’ll all carry out our shopping at home in our pyjamas rather than making the trip out to the shop itself but is a virtual basket necessarily better than a physical basket in your hand. In this post, I way up the pros and the cons of doing your shopping the online way.

Advantages:

- No effort needed!

You don’t even have to get dressed if you don’t want to! You can simply just shop whenever, wherever and however you want. You can shop on the bus journey home, whilst eating your lunch at your desk or even whilst taking a bath. The list is endless!

- No queues

There’s no need to queue at the changing room for 10 minutes only to find that what you thought would suit you, in fact doesn’t. You can try on the clothes in the comfort of your own bedroom and even blast out some music and put on a mini fashion show for your friends if you want to. There’s also no need to queue at the tills deliberately whether you actually need one more dress. With a click of a button, it’s done. Your shopping is on its way to you and you don’t need to do anything other than look forward to your parcel coming that always seems like a present, doesn’t it?

- The choice

Stores can only hold so much stock, but online the choice is endless. You can browse for hours and still not have searched the whole website. It makes for a bit of fun on a Sunday afternoon and in the end, you can click off without the sales assistant giving you an odd look because you’ve spent hours in a shop and not walked out the door with anything.

Disadvantages:

- Real life

Your parcel arrives, you’ve waited for what seems like an eternity, but finally it’s here. You unwrap the top you’ve chosen only to say to yourself “well that doesn’t look like it did on the website”. The amount of times I have sent things back, and probably you have too, because they look nothing at all like the image on the website. Also, that soul crushing feeling of ‘it looked good on the model’, only to discover we look nothing like the model at all.

- Predictability

When you’ve walked out of a store with a shopping bag in hand, you’ve probably just bought something that you are 100% happy with and you know you’re going to enjoy and wear. The same cannot be said for shopping online though. The wait in between clicking ‘buy’ and it actually arriving can always be a bit tense. ‘Will it suit me?’, ‘Is it going to fit?’, ‘Will it arrive in time?’ are all the questions that are going through your head. All of which could have been answered if you had just bothered to go into the shop itself.

- Delivery

Walking into a shop is completely and utterly free. However, if you choose to shop online there’s always that extra fine of delivery. Depending on how fast you want your purchase to arrive, delivery can seem like a hindrance. Luckily for those of us that can venture out to the store itself, ‘Click and Collect’ is now a service that some stores offer, meaning we can pick up our purchase instore without any extra cost. Personally, I always choose this option if its available, although it can be dangerous. You’ll walk in with all intentions of just picking up your order, but then you spot a t-shirt you hadn’t seen online and just have to have.

 So, there you have it. Some of the pros and cons of shopping online. Ultimately, it’s personal choice but spare a thought for our bricks and mortar stores who may need you that little bit more.

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Generational Shopping Habits

It may seem an obvious one, but every generation doesn’t shop in the same way. Each generation is different and is defined by their own political and cultural traits which affect their shopping habits. In this post, I shall explore these habits and compare the different generations of today’s society.

The four generational demographics that make up today’s world are known as ‘Baby Boomers’, ‘Generation X’, ‘Generation Y’ (more commonly known as ‘Millennials’) and ‘Generation Z’. Each generation is unique and the retail industry tailors the market to suit these different generations.

1.    ‘Baby Boomers’- born 1946-1964

Above anything else, ‘Baby Boomers’ want convenience. According to a report, ‘Boomers’ were the least likely to agree with the statement “I think shopping is a great way to relax”. They also lack in patience as the report also showing that only 37% of ‘Boomers’ would be likely or willing to explore a store for new products. This score was much lower than ‘Millennials’. With the most disposable income out of all the generations, ‘Baby Boomers’ have the power when it comes to spending meaning they do not need to search for a bargain, which is a greater characteristic of ‘Millennials’ and ‘Generation Z’. ‘Boomers’ are comfortable browsing and shopping online with 85% claiming they research products online but 84% said they prefer in-store to online shopping. This is related to their preference for personal engagement and customer service.

 2.    ‘Generation X’ born 1965-1980

‘Generation X’ (Gen X) are often referred to as the ‘middle child’ due to its reputation of being forgotten by marketing specialists. As a result, there is little research into this generation’s spending habits despite making up 20% of the population in the UK. ‘Gen X’ tends to shop more conservatively than other generations and are more sceptical about marketing tactic. Because of this, this generation is more likely to research their purchases extensively before purchase. Digitally, email is one of the best channels for reaching out to this generation as they check their emails regularly and are more likely to respond well to personalised offers based on previous searches. Similarly to ‘Boomers’, ‘Gen x’ relies on quality customer service for brand loyalty.

3.    ‘Generation Y’ (Millennials) born 1981-1997

‘Millennials’ use web devices in nearly every aspect of their life from social media, research and purchases. They’re the most likely to make use of every avenue of purchasing available to them. Younger Millennials (aged 20-23) on the cusp of ‘Gen Z’ are more likely to shop in a physical store when compared to older ‘Millennials’ (aged 32-35,) who are the most likely within the group to buy via mobile. Overall, they are much more likely to make a purchase in-store than online. According to a survey, 82% of’ ‘Millennials’ say word-of-mouth influences their purchase decisions greatly with shopping seen as a social event as well. This differs from older generations with ‘Millennials’ seeing shopping as enjoyable, fun and relaxing in contrast with ‘Baby Boomers’. ‘Millennials’ are also heavily influenced with 68% admitting to being strongly influenced by social media posts. Similarly to ‘Gen X’, ‘Millenials’ tend to reject retailers who over advertise and are ‘pushy’ and instead prefer authentic interactions similar to both older generations.

4.    ‘Generation Z’ born 1998-2010

This generation can’t remember a time before the internet. They use this platform to research styles, availability and ratings to make the most educated purchase possible. By being more selective, ‘Gen Z’ may often only buy products when they’re on sale. Similarly, to ‘Millennials’, ‘Gen Z’ enjoy shopping in-store and see it as a social excursion. Despite the inevitable connection with digital content, ‘Gen Z’ still prefer in-store shopping but desire a store that can keep up with their technology. This preference for in-store shopping comes from this generation liking the instant gratification rather than waiting for delivery.

 Despite the generations seeming obviously different, there are some overlaps which connect the different generations on their shopping habits.

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

5 Challenges Fashion Retail Faces in 2018

Whilst researching on Drapers online, I came across an article on the struggles that retail will face in the upcoming year. 5 challenges mentioned were:

1.    Creating a unique experience

As retailers constantly aim to drive footfall, the pressure to create a unique experience for the customer is a new challenge for retailers to achieve and is likely to increase this year. Last year, the challenge began with some stores offering experiences such as manicures, blow-drys and the high street giant Topshop even offered customers brow-taming services, as well inviting customers into their café and even sending them down an in-store slide! However, the experience must enhance the overall customer journey and not just distract from poor retailing.

2.    Streamlining the customer journey

In 2018, retailers will have to pay attention to their customer and improve their multichannel journey to purchase in an increasingly competitive environment. They must ensure that this journey is seamless as possible as customers shop where, when and how they want.

3.    Brexit Consequences

As Brexit continues this year and the sterling continues to weaken, retailers will continue to struggle to absorb higher costs resulting in retail prices continuing to rise, ultimately resulting in customer confidence dipping further. As shoppers have to fork out more for their daily essentials, retailers may suffer with clothing and footwear sales meaning they will have to give their shoppers a reason to buy. This can be achieved by offering in-store experiences, as mentioned earlier, as well as expressing how their product is different and represents good value for money in the customer’s mind.

4.    Sales

Recently, fashion retailers have become more reliant on discounting in order to drive sales and this doesn’t appear to be going anyway in 2018. According to Barclaycard, Black Friday spending was up 7% in 2017 and those retailers who had resisted previously, took part for the first time- showing the increase in discount popularity amongst retailers. Not all retailers are offering discounts here, there and everywhere. Some retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Jigsaw and Fat Face have reined in their sales. This will not be so easy though for all retailers this year.

5.    Key changes

A number of policy changes are set to affect UK retailers this year. These include the national living wage increasing by 4.4% to £7.83 per hour in April this year as well as new rules being introduced to tackle the gender pay gap where all British companies employing more than 250 people, will be required to publish figures breaking down their pay. In May, the General Data Protection Regulation will come into force and retailers will have to provide more transparency over how they use their customers’ personal data. Fines of up to nearly £18m or 4% of annual global turnover, whoever is greater, will be the result for companies if they fail to comply.

Read the full article here on Draper’s website

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

PR Self Evaulation

Starting this module seemed daunting but at the same time exciting as I really had no idea what PR was, let alone how it relates to the fashion industry. As this module draws to a close, I feel I am walking away with a clear idea of not only what PR actually is, including its fundamentals and its tools, but also how it links to the fashion industry and how subtle it is.

One of the first tasks of this brief was to write a self-evaluation of how PR affects me. After only having one lecture on the principles of PR, I found starting to write about it quite difficult. Once I got started, though, I found it eye-opening how much PR affected me and yet how unaware I was about it before I started writing. I was feeling surprised at how much it affected me and curious to find out more and learn more about this topic I had never touched on before. 

Another task we were set on the first week was to create an Instagram story- a feature on the social media platform that allows for an individual to post multiple images for a limited period of time. This feature is commonly used by brands of all different types as a method of PR and effectively advertising too, as a method of reaching their consumers without forking out a huge advertising budget which can be costly for a brand. I created my Instagram story for the modern vintage brand Cath Kidston. I thoroughly enjoyed the task and I enjoyed learning the features which can make an Instagram story reach as many people as possible. This taught me a different aspect of PR I had been aware of before but I was not previously aware of its strong effect on the consumer. Reflecting on this particular task, I could have enhanced my Instagram story to look slightly more professional and use examples of Cath Kidston’s original stories to inspire my own. 

The notion of desire and want in PR is something else I was aware of before starting the module but not in great detail or its powerful impact and how persuasive it can be- subconsciously affecting us all. 

A large aspect of this brief was working with the Bowes Museum, a historic building located in Durham with a renowned art collection. The prospect of visiting the museum was exciting and I was looking forward to it. With the task in mind, I tried to filter my viewing to focus on the brief and I feel that this was helpful rather than just visiting like a normal member of the public. I enjoyed my visit and feel it was highly beneficial. However, in reflection, I could have taken more photos to help visualise key points when I returned home, and I could also pay another visit to the site to really enhance and refresh my knowledge. 

I have enjoyed this module and have really engaged with the different topics much more than I originally thought I would. Taking the module into the future, I may consider looking into placements in the PR industry, however, I feel that there are other areas that I am more interested in which I wish to pursue first.  

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Manufacture at Marks and Spencer’s

The British high street giant, that has expanded globally across the world, has always been known for its quality and value for money. But like many others, Marks and Spencer’s chooses to produce the majority of its goods overseas rather than here in the UK. In this post, I investigate further.

A simple Google search of ‘marks and spencer manufacture’ will tell you that the company operates on a global scale with suppliers spread over sixty-eight countries with a total of nearly two thousand factories and over a million workers. Investigating further with the company’s interactive map, I discovered that here in the UK, 393 factories are working for the brand with over a hundred thousand employees. The majority of these factories are food factories with only 1.7% of the factories in the UK producing clothing, accessories or footwear for the brand.  In contrast, China has 243 factories which produce either clothing, footwear or accessories. Similarly, India has 133 factories of which 100 produce clothing, footwear or accessories for the brand. Vietnam is another contender as well as Turkey, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Marks and Spencer announced the switch to foreign suppliers back in 1999 with the Independent newspaper reporting that the brand would cut the proportion of its clothes made in the UK to less than one-third with unions claiming that the move would mean the loss of 16,000 jobs to countries such as Morocco and Indonesia, where wages and other costs are low.

The switch to foreign manufacture came at a time when the high street giant was facing difficult times as profits fell.

According to the GMB, an industry trade union, 90% of M&S clothes were made in the UK in the 1970s. Within 20 years that figure had dropped to 70% and then to 55% in 1999 when Marks and Spencer’s announced the move. The proportion was expected to continue to decrease.

The high street giant justified the move with a spokesperson for Marks and Spencer saying that "in order to stay in the high street we have to be competitive. To do that, we have to source more overseas, just as our rivals do”.

The controversy with the British brand continued when the Guardian newspaper reporting more recently in 2016 how the workers making clothes for Marks & Spencer in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India were still not being paid sufficiently, six years after the retailer promised to support the payment of a living wage in those countries. Under the company’s Plan A environmental and social policy, Marks and Spencer’s claimed that the promise of suppliers paying workers a fair living wage was met in 2015 but a report by the workers’ rights group Labour Behind the Label, said workers from numerous factories in South Asia were all being paid well below the amount required for a decent standard of living.

The global company replied with a spokesperson saying how they are “committed to further improving working conditions in the clothing supply chain and work since 2010 has made a significant difference. For example, average wages at supplier factories in Bangladesh are now 60% above the current minimum wage”.

Marks and Spencer’s are not alone in their decision to shift manufacture overseas. Many brands are following the same path where prices are cheaper meaning maximum profit for the brand- the unsurprising underlying reason for all of this.  

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

The History of Britain’s Clothing Industry

The UK has always been known for its history in the clothing industry. However, where did it all begin and why do we not hear so much about it today?

In this blog post, I shall explore the history of making clothes here in the UK and investigate its disappearance.

A turning point for the industry here in the UK was the textile revolution in the mid 18th century. But let’s start this journey back in medieval Britain where the clothes we wore were influenced by Scandinavian invaders and the Roman Empire. The contrast between the rich and poor was evident with the rich wearing imported silk, linen and patterned wool whilst the poor would wear local or homespun wool. These would often be without colour and finished with hand embroidery.

Things had progressed by the 13th century, with the dying and working of wool becoming more common as well as the use of linen in simple clothing as opposed to being exclusively for the rich. Later, in the mid-14th century, tailoring was becoming increasingly popular with curved seams, lacing and buttons. Wool manufacture became more sophisticated yet still within a cottage industry.

A revolutionary change in the industry came in the 18th century that changed clothing manufacture in Britain forever. The textile industry was one of the first to be mechanised and was aided by many well-known inventions. Powered devices were invented to spin cotton including Richard Arkwright's Water Frame, James Hargreaves' Spinning Jenny and Samuel Crompton's Spinning Mule (a combination of the Frame and Jenny). Cotton mills began popping up across the country particularly in the Midlands. Trade was expanding in the UK with the newly built canals, railways and roads. As people came from the countryside to towns and cities to join the revolution, the workforce swelled, making the industry boom. New textiles were being introduced such as viscose, nylon and polyester providing the industry with even more opportunities.

The textile production peaked in England in 1926 but the outbreak of the First World War meant that exporting cotton to foreign markets and countries like Japan was no longer possible. Instead, countries like Japan set up their own factories, with cheaper labour than the UK. Much of the machinery from decommissioned mills and factories were sent to help development in countries such as China and India. This lead to an enormous expansion of textile production in these countries in the late 20th century.

Textile production returned to Britain during the second world war where essentials such as uniforms and parachutes were produced. This was short lived though, as once the war came to an end, Britain could no longer compete with the cheaper overseas manufacturers.

Currently, the UK clothing industry employs around 140,000 people but over the years, many manufacturers based in the UK have struggled to compete with overseas industries and have fallen as a result. However, there are some remaining textile manufacturers who are based here in the UK and potentially in the future, there may be many more.  

[alexandraknight-fcnu-blog]

Stories from a Seamstress

Anyone would think that working for one of Britain’s leading fashion designers would be a dream job and there would be no reason to want to leave.

It appears not though as I speak to Patricia Luxton née Vincent, a former seamstress for Norman Hartnell back in the 1940s.

Seeing as my last post looked at the illustrations of Hartnell’s, it seemed only right to interview Patricia to find out about her time working for the leading British designer of the 20th century.  

She tells me of how she first found herself working for the designer. “I was at a school up in London from the age of 16-18 learning dressmaking” she says, “called the Barrett Street Trade School”, now known as the London College of Fashion, “and there was a teacher there who was leaving to go and work for Hartnell”. Patricia said how she would love to work there and to her surprise the teacher turned to her and said, “I’d like you to come with me”. Bypassing any interview, “I just went straight from the school to work for Hartnell”. She told me of the pride she felt and how she was the only one to be selected. “She [the teacher] knew what sort of work I did at the school, she obviously thought I was suitable to go and work there”.

Patricia then goes on to tell me of her first day working for the British fashion giant and how it didn’t go as expected. “I was 18, that was in 1946 and it was in January”. “You walked in and there was this clocking in and clocking out system” “and because I was a bit late they [the people in charge] rang later on in the day to ask why was I late” she tells me. “I said I didn’t realise how long it took to walk from Baker Street station to Bond Street!”. She states how they told her not to do it again or “you’ll get your money docked and I thought well this is a good start to my first day”.

Despite her initial excitement of the thought of working for such a big name in the fashion industry at the time, Patricia goes on to tell me of the disappointment she felt. “It was so dark downstairs in the basement, there was no windows” “You never saw daylight from morning till evening when you left”. “We had our meals, our drinks all in the workroom- we didn’t go anywhere else to eat”. I feel Patricia’s 18-year-old self’s disappointment as she tells me how the experience was “an eye opener for such an established, well known person”.

Despite her disappointment, she goes on to tell me of her daily duties as a seamstress for Norman Hartnell. “We’d be sewing seams or we’d be putting collars on things or blouses or anything really” she explains “neatening of the inside seams were all done by hand”. Patricia then goes on to tell me of a particularly fond memory she has of her time at Hartnell’s. “I remember working on a blouse for a mannequin show and I made the blouse completely”, “it was two shades of green with white stripes I think”. “We were allowed to go to the fashion show rehearsal [and] there were rows and rows of gold chairs like little wooden chairs and we could see the mannequins walking up and down in the different clothes other workrooms had made and then I saw my blouse on the mannequin walking up and down and I was quite pleased with that, thrilled to bits actually!”.

When asked about the man himself, she tells me that she “only saw him once”. She goes on to say “I remember Norman Hartnell coming to see us, I think it must have been about the third day, he came in the workroom and stood there and he said good morning to us all and asked us if we were happy” she tells me “we all said yes but I wasn’t very happy”.  “I stayed there because I thought the name Hartnell, you can’t go any higher than that and I thought if I leave I can say I worked for Hartnell’s”. “It was alright, but I didn’t like the atmosphere I was very, very disappointed”. “It was an experience and it was a good experience because I can say I worked there and it’s good for me to go on to other places and say I worked there”. “I was only there for a few months” she tells me “I didn’t stay there any longer I couldn’t take it anymore”.

I ask her about Hartnell’s illustrations and she tells me of how “there would be some on the head’s table, but she had a separate table to us, but you never really got to see them”.

As I previously wrote in my last blog post, one of Norman Hartnell’s most iconic designs was for Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding dress back in 1947. Patricia tells me of how she “left just before the Queen’s wedding dress was being made so I didn’t get the chance to contribute”. She goes on to tell me how “evidently everyone in all the workrooms had a chance to put something, some stitches into the wedding dress”.

By talking to Patricia, I learnt how working for one of Britain’s leading fashion designers is not necessarily all that you would expect to be.

Thank you to Patricia for telling me your story and I will always be proud of you, after all, you are my Grandma.