Lifestyle Report

After spending five days exploring Covent Garden and Oxford Street it quickly became apparent to our group that while Covent Garden and Oxford Street had many similarities they were by enlarge two social opposite hubs with different target markets and different purposes.
Covent Garden’s main draw is the fact that is has its own quirky style of individual shops and unique places to eat mixed with the higher end high street chains. The main heart of Covent Garden is its market which sells a variety of produce from clothing and jewellery to art work and food. You are then led out on to a more commercial cobbled high street which includes indoor places to eat and shops such as Cos, LK Bennet and Jack Wills.
One of the many draws for tourist and Londoners to Covent Garden is its entertainment such as street magicians and singers, as well as its outdoor food stools that our open in peak times.
People go to Covent Garden for a day out with friends and family where they can get everything they want in one place. They can eat lunch, shop and then have dinner without leaving the area. Its luxury convenience at its very best.
Oxford Street similarly is known for attracting tourists but its attraction is just different to that of Covent Garden. People of all ages and with all price budgets can shop along Oxford Street, there is something for everyone. From the high end of Selfridges to the more basics of Primark and you only have to cross a street to get from one to the other.
Oxford Street is not about looking pretty but about cramming as much in to a small space as possible. It is again convenient but in a more business and productive manor.

 Oxford Street

 

Covent Garden 

Street Casting

Due to the similarities and differences in the lifestyle of Oxford Street and Covent Garden, it was expected to find one or two similar trends. One of which was the use of fur to trim parts of garments, specifically on hoods. The difference in the trend was in the use of real and faux fur. Due to the high-street nature of Oxford Street and the middle-upper-class market of Covent Garden, it was apparent that we noticed more real fur in Covent Garden.
On Oxford Street the two other trends reported were ‘Clashing’ and ‘The Black Coat’. When relating these two trends to the area, it is not hard to see why they were seen. Oxford street is well known for its fashion retail, targeting a variety of markets, and is not surprising to find that not everyone let’s say has a ‘sense of style/fashion’ when shopping; the clash of material, print and colour derives from a shopper that simply takes what they see from the shop windows and puts it all on in thinking that they are on trend.
A key trend in Covent Garden was the British Heritage look, through shoes (The Brogue), coats and even colour: Oxford Street has black, while Covent Garden has browns and dark greens. A final trend in Covent Garden was the Quilted Jackets, due to the British nature of Covent Garden and the brands seen there (Burberry and Barbour).
We noticed a British presence in both areas, with the rebellious nature of London Fashion seen in the clash on Oxford Street and the heritage feel of Covent Garden’s colours. There was an air of making statements in both areas seen through the use of fur, but more so on Oxford Street with the idea of clashing and the classic black coat that never fails to go out of fashion during the winter months.

Oxford Sreet

Covent Garden

Street Interviews

MASAHITO KAJI

During London Fashion Week 2012 Masahito Kaji was showcasing his 15 piece men’s hat collection. It took place in Somerset House as part of the international fashion showcase, representing Japan. He has titled his exhibition KABUTO, showcasing the autumn/winter 2011/12 collection as well as the spring/summer 2012.
The inspiration for his A/W collection came completely from Samurai Armour, in particular, the helmets. Every piece in the collection is made from 100% Wool. He had been in London for the whole week, but only to see the international showcase. The international showcase is made up of 19 different embassies to display the work of emerging international designers.

GLORIA BAUME
Gloria Baume is the fashion director of Teen Vogue magazine, based in New York. Her job involves going to appointments & presentations, meeting designers, viewing collections, directing photo shoots for the magazine, organizing stylists & journalists and generally managing the fashion department.
We found Gloria rushing through Somerset House on her way to a Press Release. She was attending London Fashion Week covering all the shows to create a trend book for the magazine, attending roughly 5 shows a day. We were curious as to what her favourite shows had been but she couldn't choose, saying she'd seen so many good things. Her narrowed down 3 favourites were Burberry, Acne and JW Anderson.
Gloria was looking cute & creative wearing a red leather Tommy Hilfiger jacket, Boy Band of Outsiders blue patterned trousers, and a floral shirt under a navy sweater.

 

KTZ

‘From here to Then’ is the loose translation of Kokon To Zai, KTZ and I think that this can really be seen when looking at the inspiration for this collection.

Early 80s, new romantics and the likes of Boy George give us the ‘then’ feel to the garments, a sense of nostalgia. KTZ was also inspired by asexual and unisex clothing, male models can be seen wearing kilt-like skirts, it creates a sense of rebellion, there are no limits and no rules to the clothing. 

The designer mentions Russian monks as another influence due to their humbleness, strength and presence, and then follows this spiritual influence by looking into 2012 being the end of the Mayan calendar. ‘Bringing a moment of spirituality’ and a purity, a new calendar, a new start.

KTZ loves showing in London due to the strong, fresh, punk and rebellious feel, something he can relate to with his designs. Accompanying music for the collection was by a DJ friend from New York.

 

 

Brand Analysis

Covent Garden 

 H&M

We visited the H&M store in Covent Garden. As a large shop there are 3 levels too it, one for men’s wear and 2 for women's wear. The first thing noticed when we walked into the shop was the vibrancy of the clothing matched with the black decor. Pop and current music was blaring loud, and there was a very ‘young’ atmosphere. Wooden hangers, vintage rugs and bright lighting all added to the stores ambience. The shop was busy and felt cluttered, but the clothes were organised and neat. Stitches were larger but the clothing looked appealing on the hanger, ready to wear. Changing rooms were professional, spacious and stylish. The dress that we chose to look at was made from fabrics not usually seen in H&M, they were sporty and had fastenings such as toggles but they werent actually functioning, they had mesh pockets, high necklines, flouro colours and were tight fitting.

Shoot proposal for editorial:

Studio shoot based on the up and coming Olympic games in 2012. The bold contrast of the black against the neon yellow and white would shoot great against a light gray background, to ensure the clothes stand out and to add a powerful theme that the Olympic winners purses.  Two female models in shoot, with hair up and little make up, with athlete build and strong facial features to ensure powerful feel comes across to audience.    

Ralph Lauren

 

 Rugby, was another store that we visited during our time at Covent Garden. I personally, loved this shop. The atmosphere was amazing and the décor was incredibly well suited to the brand. It looked very traditional/nautical with dim lighting, lots of mahogany and of course the ever welcoming, be-a-utiful door man to entice you in. Clothes in there were, as always, stunning. Beautifully made, classy and original. We took a look at one garment, in particular, more closely to get a bit more insight into the brand. 100 per cent silk, long sleeved and gorgeous, with an intricately detailed crochet neckline, panelling down the front and a tie at the back to cinch it in at the waist. It had a little longer than average stitch length suggesting it a little ‘upper market’. A classic piece for a sophisticated woman.

Shoot proposal for editorial:

On location shoot sticking closing to the young and fresh feel that Ralph Lauren sell. Location is a countryside field with model having long brunette hair, which is worn down with natural make-up. Model is wearing top pictured and jeans with riding boots, getting ready to ride her horse on a sunny Sunday afternoon. 

 Burberry

 The Burberry Brit store at Covent Garden offers a calm and relaxed shopping experience with a luxury designer feel. It is marketed at men and women who are around 24+ and also features a children’s wear range. Burberry is a well-established high quality designer brand which is shown through the use of  wooden engraved hangers, small stitching, branded fastenings and other intricate detailing on the garments . The store has an organized and refined layout. The professional staff make finding what you’re looking for an easy and pleasurable experience. A chic minimalistic window displays the seasons four key looks for Burberry, one of which being the signature trench which continues to be a best seller. Burberry Brit offers timeless quality and classic design, which is accessible and more affordable. 

Shoot proposal
We discussed that we would shoot this coat on location in an open space near an iconic British landmark (in keeping with Burberry's British style) similar to Guy Ritchie's film for Dior Homme, where the silhouette of the jacket stands out and the model's are placed near the Eiffel tower. Styled with black heels (Laboutins) and nothing under the coat, opened at the top to reviel some cleavage and a tall long blonde haired lady creating a sexy shoot for Burberry. Shot at golden hour with heavy backlighting and wind blowing through the hair. The viewer asks oneself: Who is she? What/Who is she waiting for? Why is she there? 

Oxford Street

 Chanel

Chanel in Selfridges had a luxury atmosphere; as soon as you walked into the little room with shiny black walls and cream carpet you felt misplaced. The clothes themselves sat well on the hangers, arranged in complimentary colour schemes in well-lit alcoves. The main colours were black, white, cream, navy, pale lilac, primrose yellow and soft duck egg blue. The stitch length was small, the trims were subtly textured or not there at all, but the Chanel logo was emblazoned on every button. The silhouettes were modest and elegant, with structured suits and boucle weaves. You would be required to ask for specific items; and there were leather sofas provided in case that was too strenuous for you. Although empty, it would be difficult to ask for help from the assistant, who was ‘too busy’ for anything. Beautiful clothes, bad service. 

 

zabigfatblog.blogspot.com

 

http://london-sightseeing.net/selfridges-london-shopping/

  

http://1000fragrances.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-exclusive-chanel-fragrance-bar.html

 

Shoot proposal for Chanel: 

Chanel in my eyes is all about pure, French elegance. Combining its typical chic look, with a very on trend sports esthetic, the clothing could be shot in a glamorous country club location, where upper class women in extravagant outfits go to remain in shape. The model would be young, athletic looking, whilst still remaining elegant and chic. Simple hair and make up, including low key up-dos, as seen in the runway show. 

http://www.chanel.com/fashion/7-cruise-2011-12-chanel-collection-look-14,26#7-cruise-2011-12-chanel-collection-look-14,26

 

French Connection

After such a bad experience in Chanel, it was refreshing to be greeted by beautiful sales assistants, wide open spaces and well placed stock in French Connection. The ambience was welcoming and the store was well merchandised, and displayed via revolving mannequins. We noticed the chunky wooden hangers complimented the style of the store, creating a wholesome appeal. However, compared to Chanel the clothes did not hang so well, especially knitwear which should have been folded. Prominent colour-ways included bright reds and blues, right through to washed-out peachy pinks and creams. Finishings and fastenings were neat and discreet, but stitch length differed dramatically from Chanel. Shapes were generally form fitting and high necklines seemed to be favoured above other styles. A dolly-vibe ran through the silhouettes but there seemed to be multiple collections maintaining the French Connection brand. 

  Shoot propsal for French Connection: 

A long, flowing dress such as this needs to be shown in an enchanting location. Its feminine, and ethereal feel takes the mind to a warm, summery location with a bright fresh floral pallet. French Connection describe on their website that the dress should be accessorized with sandals and gold jewellery, which I believe would match its tone perfectly. 

http://www.frenchconnection.com/product.aspx?categoryid=Woman%20Collections%20Dresses&productid=71AO7&seoterm=Spell%20On%20You%20Maxi%20Dress&&mscsmigrated=true

 

Topshop

We went and visited Topshop on Oxford street. It is an extremely large store that covers five floors including different features such as a nail bar, tailoring service, hair salon and clothes. The store offers a wide variety of different funky fashionable clothes and accessories including makeup and shoes. Topshop also have a menswear collection and is marketed at girls and young woman at affordable high street prices. Inside is vibrant and thrilling with pleasurable displays everywhere you walk, creating a memory you won’t forget. The store is full of activity and up to date fashion. 

 

Proposal for Topshop Shoot:

 

 A teenage model would be wearing this dress with a freckled face, making her look unique and rebellious. A dress such as would be shot with a plain background in a studio, with a gradient for added visual interest and texture. The pose would suggest a fun, outgoing attitude. The lighting would highlight the gem embellishment which could be exaggerated in post production, to enhance the selling point. A dress such as would be featured in a young adult magazine such as Company or Look. 

 Zara

From the outside Zara set a benchmark for themselves with an interesting window display of suspended mannequins; yet inside it seemed a shambles compared to the other two shops. Colours and garments were placed haphazardly beside one another with little thought to merchandising or aesthetics. There were bold floral prints beside peach trench coats, neon pink jeans next to mock Chanel jackets. We dared not breathe in case the flimsy clothes slid off the hangers. Acetate, acrylic, “metallised fibre”, and so much polyester our hair crackled with static. Bright gold zips that didn’t work, big plastic buttons badly sewn on; all topped off with messy overlocking. The store assistants were rushed off of their feet, and the floors were being cleaned in the middle of the day! Yet despite all this, the clothes were affordable and reflect the mass Oxford Street customer base.

http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/uk/en/zara-S2012/189516/631719/DRESS%2BWITH%2BTRANSPARENCY

  Shoot proposal for Zara:

A 20+ model in her prime time would be shot wearing this dress in a studio with an interesting set design.It could perhaps have a tropical or exotic theme to aid the imagination of the viewer of where they could wear this dress.This dress could be shot in two ways: the model could be moving to enhance the lightness of the fabric, prove her youth, and show the ease of wear-ability. However she could be stood still to enhance the drape which looks quite Greek goddess like, showing sexuality and strength.