Week 7 BOC: Visit a retailer

          I recently went into a Thomas Sabo store. Their store is mainly all sterling silver accessories. Their motto is “We love fashion, we are fascinated by it, we are inspired by it, every day of our lives. For us, it is a way of playing with our personality as fashion is not static, but changes and develops – just like our personality.” Everyone that works there looks really punk, or alt. it wasn’t scary or anything but they do carry the brand really well, and they also know the product knowledge which is a part of their brand rep. skills.

            The store was made to almost look like the jewelry, it was stark and silver, and all the lights were really dim. The fixtures were of course, either white or silver. The message I got from the retailer is “if you want to look fashionable, outstanding, and different, shop at Thomas Sabo.” Like I said before the atmosphere was really interesting, at first it looks like you’re walking into a cave, then you also have the associates just staring at you, but they’re not staring, they’re really just observing you to see what you like and what you don’t like. Pretty weird huh?

            My overall thoughts of the store were really good, they had exceptional customer service, and their store layout and the whole concept of the store matched the jewelry. What I got from the store is that they are a statement brand. My definition of statement brand is what it says it means. It makes a statement in fashion, only because the jewelry is really gaudy and out there. That means you have to be very fashion forward and gaudy in a sense. Even though I would never buy it, other people would buy it because it’s their particular item they would purchase.

Week 6 BOC: Bruce Weber

“The condition of inebriation is very nearly a universal experience and the words come from all our societal venues-the fraternity house, debutante ball, literary luncheon, longshoreman's bar, the Wild West.”

“He's not 100 percent yet but he'll continue with the water therapy and riding the (stationary) bike and they might even let him do a little shooting. As long as he doesn't go crazy, anything that gets the blood flowing there helps the healing process. It was a positive report.”

“Anytime you win and have to fight to get through it, you learn from it. Experience is your biggest learning tool. We went through it, had some slip-ups on defense early and then late. And there were ill-advised shots that allowed them to stay in it, but at the same time, we held our poise and found a way to win it, which is the most important thing.”

Bruce Weber is an American Fashion Photographer. He is best known for showing his work in Calvin Klein, Abercrombie and Fitch, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, Vogue, and Rolling Stones magazines. Bruce Weber is also known for his graphic nudity shots. His artwork sparks a controversy, but that is why high fashion companies love to use his photography to help   them help others understand their brand in a different perspective. His artwork is very abstract and appealing to the eye. He has collaborated with a couple artists along with celebrities, which makes him stand out from all the rest. Bruce Weber does have a website, and still continues his work, he also has a very extensive client list. Most of them are editorial.

Week 4 BOC: Final

“Several years of close collaboration with the German Sports Institute of Cologne resulted in revolutionary running shoes using natural motion. BIOM, as the shoe was called, became an immediate success.”

“We constantly strive to reduce the environmental impact of our operations while increasing the positive impact we have in our global communities. We have a responsibility to be an environmentally responsible neighbor and conserve resources for future generations through sustainable development.

ECCO owns and operates the production of leather, the production of shoes and retail stores worldwide. This enables us to fully integrate best environmental health and safety practices and design into all our businesses and operations. We can develop new initiatives and implement sustainable solutions efficiency throughout our operations.

“Running, interval and jogging. Light weight; appreciate the integrated tongue design that only opens to the outside. These are literally the most comfortable shoes that have ever been on my feet.”

I chose ECCO Retail LLC as one of my other brands. They started the company in 1963 but didn’t establish the company in the U.S. until 1990, which is 23 years in the making. Ecco is a lifestyle brand only made for a particular type of customer that would spend money on quality and not quantity. With their innovative European style, and color choice, they’ve made the breaking point of combining a fashionable shoe with comfort. As far as competitors go, they haven’t ad anyone match the product, most of these competitors are; Clarks, The Walking Company, Rockport’s, and Aerosole are some of their competitors, but non of them can compare to the way they make and produce the product. The product that I chose within the brand is the ECCO Biom technology, which is short for biomechanical. The idea of the shoe is that it is a performance shoe. Meaning that you can use it for running, walking, jogging, and any other athletic sport you can think of, even golf. What makes Biom so special is that they put so much research into the shoe that they actually scan 2,500 pairs of feet to get the right fit for the shoe line. The shoe was made to fit anatomically to fit your feet, and has a low to the ground profile so that you were made to feel like your wearing no shoes, or you’re barefoot. Studies do show that walking barefoot is good for you because you create more balance for yourself, and you aren’t confined to a shoe where it grips your foot and you’re dependent on the shoe for comfort. While using Biom you depend more on your feet than the shoe, creating the motto, which is the shoe, should always follow the foot. Biom has been a great feat for Ecco, and is one of the best selling shoes in the stores around the U.S. Not only is it a great shoe, but also it is designed very well with great materials such as Yak Skin, and Polyurethane. This brand goes to show you that you don’t need to be extravagant to be well known, you just need to be very minimalist and fashionable. 

Week 3 BOC: Mid-Term

“Kryolan has been a partner on I AM She, Miss Universe India pageant since its inception in 2010. It has an amazing range of products to suit every skin type across countries, and their commitment to quality is what makes them an outstanding brand!”

“During all these years in the body painting industry Kryolan Professional Make-up has always been an integral part of our make-up bags. “

“Being part of the Kryolan International Make-up Team to create make-up looks for the new corporate design of Kryolan Professional Make-up was such an honor.”

“What makes me love Kryolan Professional Make-up is the quality of their products. Their make-up makes my skin look healthy and beautiful on the outside.”

“I have been using Kryolan products as an invaluable part of my kit for over 30 years in the field of make-up and hair for movies, TV and theatre.”

      I chose Kryolan Professional as the brand; as for the product, I chose the T.V. Paint Stick Professional make-up foundation. Kryolan started in 1945 as a theatrical make-up company in Berlin, Germany. The company slowly moved into the U.S. and made specific contacts in 1976. The Kryolan type of consumer is a makeup professional who works in pageants, T.V., commercials, and advertisements. Kryolan doesn’t have a specific competitor, but their closest competitor would be make-up forever and they do more stage and high-end makeup. As of right now Kryolan still specializes in theatrical make-up, drag performers, and the miss universe competitions. This make-up brand has now become a lifestyle, and therefore people choose that type of lifestyle. I personally use Kryolan for drag performing.

The product that I chose was the T.V. Paint Stick Foundation. What the foundation does is gives you a full coverage of your face leaving any skin showing painted. It comes in 250 different shades and great on all skin types. It withstands HD lighting and filming conditions, but still stays true to its color. It is really an amazing product to use, when exposed to those types of conditions. For a closing statement the website also has a message from the their clinical credentials which state “We’ve always made our products to the state-of-the-art. In fact, the raw materials we use are of highest purity exceeding the requirements and expectations for cosmetics.
To meet outstanding quality standards is our goal. That is why we cooperate with leading dermatologists and accomplish ongoing clinical tests to ensure excellent skin compatibility.”

     Kryolan professional makeup has dominated a specific range of consumers here in the U.S. for 38 years and still continues to produce and market to the masses. Even though the brand is made theatrically, you can still use the makeup for everyday use, if you want your makeup to last longer. Overall, Kryolan professional makeup can either be used in the day or in the evening. Either it’s for an event or maybe you just want to look good.