Feature

Myer enters the 21^st Century

That's the headline that should have been on the front pages of papers leading up to Christmas. Instead, reporters focused on the store closures that Myer will be making over the coming year. But the real news is that the department store giant is to finally have a proper crack at selling via the web. "Myer will embrace the internet as a friend and our goal is to give customers a choice," a Myer spokeswoman chirped. This new "friend" is the same friend that Brooks complained about 12 months earlier allowing consumers to purchase goods free of GST and saw the department store set up a direct import site which was nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to force the Government's hand on the GST issue.

James Boston is the Managing Editor of ATF Magazine, Editor, Publisher and Founder of Window Furnishings Australia, Online editor fashionsource.com.au, textilesource.com.au, and most recently Editor, Publisher and Founder of OR Magazine. Narrowly avoiding a career in finance, James has spent the last decade watching, analysing and writing about the Australian TCF industry in both his own publications as well as a number of mainstream titles.

Figures recently released by internet insights specialist Experian Hitwise report a rise in traffic to online shopping and classifieds sites. However Australian retailers are conspicuously absent from the rankings. Ebay continues to lead the market, with a significant share of traffic with Big W the first of the big Australian retailers appearing at number 12. The other majors lag significantly behind, notably: Kmart (31), Target (36), Woolworths (60) and Coles (63). Myer appears at position 71 and David Jones doesn't rank in the top 100 at all.

The question I would be asking of senior management at Myer (and other major Australian retailers), and the question that shareholders should be asking, is why has it taken this long to realise that internet retailing should be a big part of your retail model? You don't have to look very hard to see the progression elsewhere. In the UK, H&M, Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, and Laura Ashley are all in the top ten online retailers. In the US, the home of eBay and amazon, both Sears and Walmart are in the top ten and number one and two in fashion retailing respectively.

But why am I focusing on Myer? Well I had an interesting chat pre-Christmas with a former retail supremo who had been in the Myer offices over three years ago imploring Myer to get on board with online retailing. The idea was pitched to the head honchos, who tossed it to IT, who ended up spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants, who then decided they should instead create an online "catalogue on steroids". You can lead a horse to water...

On another note, I expected my last editorial (Award to put outworkers out of a job) to generate a fair bit of a response. I was right. I had a stack of emails, tweets and phone calls from industry members supporting my view. I pointed them all in the direction of the Government's review of the Fair Work Act (for which submissions have now closed). The review is being undertaken by three experts; Reserve Bank board member John Edwards, former Federal Court Judge, the Honourable Michael Moore and legal and workplace relations academic, Professor Ron McCallum AO.

The panel is currently considering evidence from stakeholders and will provide a report to the Government by May 31, 2012. My hope is that they realise that the Award in its current form is killing the Australian cut and sew sector and as a result killing the future of the workers themselves.

*This article originally appeared in the January/February 2012 edition of ATF Magazine. For more information or to subscribe go to www.atfmag.com

Image via Sassi Sam

NYFW SS12 footwear trends - What comes next for Fall?

With New York Fashion Week about to kick off the global show season, there is always speculation splintered across the myriad of fashion sites predicting the major trends they think will dominate the catwalks. It's a fun office game. For fashion afficianados it can be likened to a footballer enjoying a game more after he's put a bet down on who he/she thinks will win. This is our chance to feel a similar buzz.

So in that vein, we decided to take a look back at the Spring Summer 12 trends that populated the runways - and our shoedrobes - and take a punt on which ones we think will stay, which ones will go, and what colours we will see them in.

Images via Ladylux

The Trend: Heels came down from their towering heights to a more, dare I say it, walkable level but where it lacked in height it made up for in style. Strappy sandals were given an update with laces and cut-outs.

Our Verdict: This trend is here to stay. Let's face it, the lower heels are so much easier to wear and while we will always love platforms, it's never chic when you're tumbling over from ridiculous skyscraper heights.

The Trend: Pumps were also taken down a notch with thinner, sleeker heels, exaggerated pointed toes and cut outs for detail.

Our Verdict: Marc Jacobs brought back the pointy-toed mule for his SS12 show featuring ethereal creatures on a carousel. So that means this trend will definitely be moving forward into Fall 2012. Because let's face it, anything Marc does is almost bibilical in fashion terms.

The Trend: Wedges were popular on the runways with the heeled versions replaced by the `flatform' styles and cut-out wedge heels.

Our Verdict: Wedges will continue purely for their comfort and fashionability combo that cannot be denied, but they won't be as popular as they were last season. The raffia styles that we saw on the Burberry runway will continue to be popular among shoe lovers, but not sure it will take off as a mainstream trend. And as for the flatform, this is one that is certain to die. It doesn't look flattering on anyone but a model with ridiculously long legs that can pull it off. On anyone else, it's just plain daggy and dowdy.

For more detail on the NYFW SS12 trends, visit Ladylux.com

Send us your trend hit list, we'd love to know what you think will be hot on the NYFW week funways next month. Visit us on our Facebook page, HERE.

Win $1000 credit towards your Fashion Exposed purchase

There's no denying the turmoil of 2011 and retailers have been at the brunt of monumental changes in the fashion industry. While the Ausrtalian dollar continues to surge forward, there is the online realm that is shaping a new future for consumer purchasing, along with the numerous channels we now need to tune into to keep in touch with them.

We appreciate that the tough climate in which retailers are currently operating is unprecedented and in recognition of this, FASHION EXPOSED will cover the cost of an order placed at the fair up to the value of $1,000 for three lucky attendees. This is an unrivalled opportunity and we are looking forward to making our contribution, because we are all in this together.

To enter the draw simply attend the fair on any day, fill in an entry form at the Concierge Desk (inside the entrance of hall 2) and put it in the entry box. Too easy!

Pre-Christmas retail forecast

The latest retail trade figures from the ABS are out, showing a modest boost in September on the month before. Year on year figures paint a significantly different picture, with serious cause for concern over discretionary spend. Clothing and footwear and department stores have fared worst out of all the categories, showing year on year declines of 8.1 and 3.8 percent respectively.

Russell Zimmerman as the Executive Director of the Australian Retailers Association. Since 1980, he has owned and operated the Spark's Shoes retail chain with his wife Marion. Spark's Shoes is a 75-year-old family business specialising in the fitting of children's footwear.

Cafes and restaurants have also shown some year on year decline, as well as one of the largest monthly boosts (0.9 percent), which is still a bit of a blow for department stores as they would traditionally expect their wares to be the focus with the new season and some of the more organised attendees of events such as spring racing.

Looking ahead, those retailers relying on the discretionary dollar will be hopeful for a slight spring racing boost, but aren’t holding their breath. Retailers finally received some welcome news at the start of this month when the RBA announced a long- awaited interest rate cut. The rate cut will have given retailers more hope as they head into the festive season that there is a bit more money in the pockets of consumers.

Retailer sentiment leading up to the festive season is so far conservative at best, and might show a ‘once bitten twice shy’ mentality as memories of last year’s Christmas trading period are still fresh in their minds. Last festive season, many retailers involved themselves in a pricing war, putting goods on sale- anything to entice customers to emerge from their homes and take a tentative step into the store.

Hopefully retailers have had the chance to review their vision between the panic of last Christmas and now. Before the panic sets in again, it is worth noting sales aren’t the only way to motivate customers to come through the door. There are many other ways of getting them through which won’t compromise your bottom line and might even fit better with your long- term strategy.

While not officially collated at time of writing, ARA survey results have come in and show expectations from retailers that the pre-Christmas period won’t be as busy as last year (over 55 percent), and as a result neither will sales, with over 60 percent predicting sales to be “not as high as last year”. November’s interest rate cut may convince some retailers to stick to their bigger picture and find innovative and meaningful ways to get customers doing their Christmas shopping.

A December interest rate cut would of course be the icing on the cake for retailers, as we know most shoppers are out there at the last minute picking up items to go under the Christmas tree or for that work Kris Kringle they almost forgot about. Meanwhile, as we head into November retailers will hopefully be able to rely on the immediate sigh of relief consumers will make as some mortgage pressure is alleviated.

Future as it was imagined in the past

Albert Einstein once said "The distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent Illusion". What a visionary statement that can be applied to today's evident resurgence in fashion trends.

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, a trend analayst and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

It seems nothing that is fashion is ever new, just reinvented with a contemporary twist. This, I am sure, is common knowledge and every now and then some fantastically creative designer breaks the evolutionary rule of bringing back a classic trend and creating something completely new.

Unfortunately I am not here to break anything new, but I do believe this concept steps away from the norm to tap into a fresh idea and inspiration. Have you ever wondered if we will ever see the fictional garments predicated to be trends of the future in stores now? The types of garments portrayed in classic time travel/ sci-fi movies such as Back 2 the Future, Tron, Star Trek or Stanley Kubricks' A Space Odssey.

For SS 2013 I believe designers will start to explore the concept of future as it was imagined in the past and even though I think this will be a trend more prominent in a couple of years time, there are some early adopters, such as Nike already jumping on it. Designed to be an exact replica of the fictional sneaker worn by Michael J Fox when he visited 2015 in back to the future part 2 (1989), the Nike Mag is soon to be released. They will Include a glowing Nike name on the strap, but unlike the movie version, these shoes won't futuristically lace themselves.

How do you see fictional trends interpreted in the near future?

As always, interested in your thoughts email me at: eryn@gingertc.com.au

The State of the Shoe Sector

Most people will recognise Russell Zimmerman as the face of the Australian Retailers Association, but perhaps what you didn't know about him was his personal history in the retail sector. Since 1980, Russell Zimmerman has owned and operated the Spark's Shoes retail chain with his wife Marion. Spark's Shoes is a 75-year-old family business specialising in the fitting of children's footwear.

So of course Shoe Fair Online saw it fitting to ask the ARA Executive Director specific questions regarding the footwear sector, its current state, his own tips and tricks for seeing out this tough economic climate, and the importance of multi-channel retailing.

As the Australian economy continues to recover from the downturn in 2008/09, industry growth is also predicted to remain steady. What is your opinion of the current state of the shoe sector? How do you think it will fair over the next five years?

As part of the clothing and footwear industry category, the shoe industry is feeling the effects of poor sales due to low consumer sentiment, a poor winter sales period and soaring household budgets causing consumers to hold back on discretionary spending. Having said this, there is a trend towards handmade and niche products as consumers try and get maximum value out of the dollars they do decide to spend on discretionary items. There are opportunities for smaller designers to tap into this market.

The collapse of some of the larger fashion chains also open up opportunities for these smaller retailers to fill the gap and provide different, targeted products as well as personalised service. It is also worth remembering shoes aren’t always a discretionary item; kids need them for school and everyone needs a couple of pairs of shoes, so we would expect to see spikes in shoe retailing at the start of the year and at the beginning of a new season.

When the global financial crisis hit, retail trade slowed as Australian consumers tightened their spending and started saving, as a company with a rich history (and one that has seen the rise and fall of the economy over the years) how do you get bargain-hungry customer to open their wallets? What are some of the survival strategies as a company that help you ride the rise and fall?

Good customer service and innovation are both keys to the success, as is relevant product range and cash flow and stock management. It seems a lot to think about (and it is!). Some examples of what retailers are doing to attract customers in tough times are personalised styling sessions, opening the store after hours by appointment, VIP nights and involvement in community events.

Retailers must also be looking at offering a multi channel approach to retailing in response to consumer demand to shop online, via their smart phone and engage in the brands they love via social networking and other forms of eCommerce. Innovative ways to reduce costs such as through better supply chain management and better management of stock levels are often better ways to ride through the tough times, because the last thing a retailer wants to do is cut staff who are trained with product knowledge and customer service skills.

As the owner of a well-established footwear company, what strategies have helped you survive the 75 years of economic challenges, rise and falls, over the years? What were these? VM changes or customer incentives and loyalty programs?

A lot of my personal experiences as a retail business owner have been with key challenges facing all retailers, especially the smaller retailers. These include loyalty programs to retain and reward valued customers, as well as keeping staff skills relevant to offer customers the best service, product knowledge and assistance. Also, honesty is the best policy- if you don’t have the product, be very honest and help the customer find what they need elsewhere.

Customers appreciate honesty and will often come back for other products or recommend you to their friends. Direct mail is a great way to tailor messages to customers both as an information source and also to remind that new season’s stock is coming in. Other key campaigns are Back to School and end of season sales. Reaching our regular customers with this information is one of our customer service strategies, as we can send them the information first and thank them for their loyalty.

Many retailers tend to cut back on all their marketing and withdraw in a tough market, but the buying experts warn against this, why? how did you direct your marketing?

There are many creative and innovative ways to market your business even where there is no budget. Some examples are email marketing, social networking sites and leveraging off the marketing campaigns of your shopping centre, precinct or local council. Marketing is more than just paying for advertising. However, local papers often have great deals during downturns because they are facing a downturn themselves and are keen to get community businesses on board.

The continued growth of online shopping in Australia has affected bricks and mortar retail – should companies embrace this and operate an online site in conjunction with their wholesale / retail – how do you juggle the trio? And can you make it an effective recipe for profit?

Multi channel retailing is a must if retailers want to survive in the future. Savvy retailers realise they have to reach their customers in the spaces they’re in- these include online shopping, social networking, m- Commerce and through your website. Of course, in store is still a key part of the mix, but the challenge is for all of those channels to work seamlessly together to offer an awesome customer experience wherever they choose to be. The ARA is working hard to get our members into the online space and educated about the endless opportunities it opens up.

The ARA has been running a series of Engage in E-tail seminars, bringing in the experts of the online world to share their success stories and give retailers the tools they need to embark on multi channel retailing. The last seminar is running on 25 October 2011 on the topic M-commerce and Social Media for Retail- download the registration form here. The ARA Retail Institute has just launched the Diploma of Retail Management- Multichannel to respond to the growth in online and multi channel retailing. Aspects of the course include managing the supply chain and ordering process and online customer service.

Retailers should look at accredited training to deal with the challenges of a new trading environment. For more information call 1300 368 041, head to www.retail.org.au or email, training@retail.org.au

Multi- channel retailing can only be a recipe for profit when you are offering new and existing customers good service across all the channels through which they choose to do business.

Many footwear retailers have found consumers are now using their stores to try on certain styles, only to buy them online, do you think there should be a charge for trying on in-store? How do you think this can be combated?

Only an individual retailer can make the decision on whether or not they charge for the fitting service. The decision will depend on the time and expertise it takes to conduct the fitting. However, retailers should ensure they are not charging for services at the expense of potential sales. The aim is not to alienate customers at the expense of sales, but instead to put real analysis into the costs versus benefits of providing a service.

Online shopping is not something to be combated; it has to be embraced, and I would encourage all retailers to get into the online market in a way that’s relevant to their target market and strategic goals.

Do you think there is anything the government can do to ensure the sector’s survival? Do you think more needs to be done for the shoe industry specifically?

Quite often it is tied into the general fashion sector. In the short term, the RBA needs to look at cutting interest rates in the lead up to Christmas. For the future viability of the retail industry, there are some key issues government needs to look at including;

- IR reforms including reviewing penalty rates and ensuring workplace flexibility for the benefit of employers and employees
- Reduction of inefficient business taxes
- Lowering of the Low Value Importation Threshold (LVIT) to put retailers on a level playing field with their overseas counterparts who are also marketing products to Australians
- Creating a more level playing field between shopping centre owners and retailers when it comes to negotiating leases, including third party reporting of turnovers, first and last right of refusal, independent market rental valuation and national registration of leases to make for more transparency in the negotiation process

Seoul Korea Footwear Trend Analysis October 2011

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, a trend analayst and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

This week I am visiting Seoul for a look at close to season footwear trends shown by the major retailers. Located in South Korea Seoul is best recognised for it's directional contemporary and street wear trends as well as youth driven statement graphics and prints.

Clog inspired boots were in abundance, there was no mistaking this style is strongly inspired by last winters Swedish Has Beens. Updated with a commercial colour pallet and military edge in khaki green. Neutral colour ways also prominent with this seasons key footwear trend 'The Platform', this shape is so versatile and complimentary to most of this seasons apparel pieces not to mention this essential design feature offers comfort and added height. What girl wouldn't love that!

Wedge boots are a financially conscious choice with their interchanging seasonal appeal. Teamed with classic white tee and your fav pair of Jeans or a light floral shift it also has great commercial appeal. Some on trend interpretations include tone-on-tone dramatic lacing, cut out details and bow adornments.

As always, interested in your thoughts email me at: eryn@gingertc.com.au

Engage in E-tail Seminar - A lesson in social media from Follow agency

Follow agency were invited to speak at the recent `Engage in E-tail’ seminars hosted by the Australian Retailers Association. The agency spoke on their wide range of experience with clients and campaigns of all different shapes and sizes in the specific area of social media and e-commerce. One of the strongest messages they had during the seminar was; “Whether a business has $500 a month to spend on marketing or $50,000 a month to spend on marketing, the principles within social media remain the same.”

Shoe Fair Online know there are many retailers currently making the transition into e-commerce and using a social media platform to push and promote their new online venture. But there is much to learn on this new digital realm. So this issue we share some of the handy insights and useful tips/strategies from Follow's presentation to get you started and help you along the way.

Overview:

• It was all new media at one stage – radio, tv, websites, edm – no need to feel pressured or rush into it
• Business and marketing objectives first, social media strategy second • Its another component of your marketing mix. Same questions apply – Are you creating a point of difference to attract new customers? – How are you encouraging brand loyalty and repeat business?
• Social media overview – interesting facts, tools, and tricks of the trade
• Today we will focus on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube • We will finish up by touching on social commerce including the emergence of facebook commerce

REMEMBER: To take the time to get comfortable There are people at the other end.
THE RELATIONSHIP HAS CHANGED: Social media allows for many relationships between your brand and consumers but JUST BEING ON FACEBOOK IS NOT A STRATEGY The key difference between what’s come before and what is now:
TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING – is one way and disrupted the conversation
SOCIAL MEDIA – two way but the brand must fit into the conversation

COMMUNICATIONON ON STEROIDS: A customer has a good experience tells one person, a bad experience and tells many! Now a consumer has an experience with your brand and can tell the world, instantly!

RECENT EXAMPLE –

• Facebook ‘hate’ page: GASP Clothing treat their customers like dirt – 3030 likes within one week
• Facebook: GASP page removed due to high traffic of negative comments, then returned with public wall removed
• Twitter comment: "I am actually laughing.. I can't believe gasp called themselves fashion forward.. Sweetheart you sell polyester dresses u ain't no Prada.” Ruby Rose

START THE CONVERSATION, JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
• Embrace the social generation
• Environment where conversation becomes critical to breeding conversion
• Your role is to moderate and guide this conversation to benefit your business
• Communication is 2-way. Be transparent & LISTEN to the market and your customers.

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION
• The new world of influence needs a more conversational approach; advertising should encourage interaction, input and community
• This means having a blog, being in social networks, creating content such as photos, videos etc – generally being part of the conversation.
• Advertising has a big role in the future world of influence – it provides the revenue for most of the services that enable and cultivate consumer recommendation

NEW WORLD OF TRANSPARENCY
• There are no secrets in the new world of influence
• Brands, products and services are under constant scrutiny and the truth cannot be managed in the way it was when a few gatekeepers controlled the distribution of information
• The only path is honesty, openness and transparency. If you make a mistake in the new world of influence – you admit it and make good.
• All categories of goods and services are now impacted

SOCIAL MEDIA – OVERVIEW

80.1% of the Australian population is using the internet (source: internetworldstats.com)
Of this:
- 66.82% are using facebook
– 14.2 million users 39.89% are using blogs
– 8.5 million users 10.66% are using twitter
– 2.3 million users 10.34% are using LinkedIn
– 2.2 million users (source: Neilsen)

INFLUENCE REVOLUTION:
• Whether you’re involved in social media or not people are talking about your brand
• Social media has turned us all into content creators and placed billions of opinions online
• A total revolution in the way consumers share influence and opinion. Most of the time, by trusted sources
• Digital channels encourage more frequent interaction and make it easier to share influence e.g through sending links, videos or pictures.
• Retailers can try to identify brand ambassadors and leverage their spheres of influence to promote their business (traditional VIP model, online)
• This is influencing purchasing decisions. As we all know, you can’t beat word of mouth for positive or negative feedback and opinions

THAT’S GREAT BUT WHERE TO START:
Brand awareness, interaction and increased sales would be the end goal for everyone. However, you need to focus on one element at a time and match this to the current stage your business is in. Much discussion focuses on driving huge numbers of fans – we often explain to clients that this should not be the focus.

You should be seeking the right social media following. Much like a bricks and mortar store, it’s no use if your foot traffic is high but made up of the wrong market, likewise, having 10 fans that buy each week is better than having 2000 that never purchase. What do you offer offline that you can offer online? What content, how often, when? Why will someone choose to frequent your page over every other one?

Here are a few things to think about before engaging in a social media channel for your business:

• Integrate social media into your operations – planning and strategy is key!
• Write down specific business goals and objectives
• Brand awareness
• Interaction
• Increased sales
• Customer support
• Recruitment
• Research
• Business development
• What's in it for your friends, followers and fans?
• How will you initially engage your consumers?
• How will you keep them engaged and interested?
• How will you reward them?

About FOLLOW agency:
• Follow are a full service agency based in Brisbane with clients ranging from small to medium to large national businesses
• They specialise in social media and ecommerce and creating effective strategies to achieve ROI
• They are about creating brand loyalty and believe that the most effective marketing stems from engaging with your customers and joining their conversation

www.followonline.com.au

Runway fashion accessible to the everyday shoppers

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, a trend analayst and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

Traditionally the big 4 runways are an expression of one's creativity and ultra out-there design that most of us would never conceive wearing. More commercial Interpretations of the runway trends are what we see in the like's of Topshop or Zara. Pretty much all retailers incorporate the commercial runway trends into their seasonal ranges, it's appealing and it's what sells however it's at this point in the product life cycle that the creativity has dwindled somewhat.

American fashion designer Lela Rose and former Project Runway star Christian Siriano have taken 'ready to wear' to a whole new level designing a line of affordable and runway worthy footwear for Payless shoes. This is the 4th year Rose has successfully paired her $50 Payless specials with her $2,000 dresses worn by the likes of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Selma Blaire and Mischa Barton.

Payless Shoes CEO LuAnn says "we are thrilled to be able to make these designers' unique fashions available and accessible for shoppers." LuAnne I can't say I agree with that statement given the environmental impact of developing a product for the mass market especially one that is so appealing to such a large scale of customers.

So I would like to ask the question, do you think showing throwaway designs on the Runways is lacking in creativity, is it going again everything the Runway designs represent? Does this take the 'luxury' the 'exclusivity' and the 'special' out of designer fashion?

Or on the flip side do you think this is a positive to make designer fashion more accessible to the mass market?

Interested in your thoughts, email me at: eryn@gingertc.com.au

New York Fashion Week Spring 2012 Shoe Report

While the fashion world is going crazy for the clothing collections, footwear fans everywhere are heralding the new season's styles they are strutting the runways in. And there is plenty to look forward to. The ankle strap style was especiallly popular, along with the old faithful wedges, stilettos, and platform heels tuning into the 70s flavour that is popular throughout many of the collections.

But one style we couldn't have predicted was the clear plastic seen on heels at Prabal Gurung, the plastic cowboy boots at Marc Jacobs, and even seen at Oscar de la Renta, and 3.1 Phillip Lim. Then there was the surprise combination of rubber and stingray for Proenza Schouler, the pink camo desert boots at Tommy Hilfiger, and marbled loafer's at Peter Som.

Let's take a look at some of the styles you will see come spring summer 2012.

Prabal Gurung, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, 3.1 Phillip Lim

Tommy Hilfiger, Peter Som, Ralph Lauren, Victoria Beckham

All images via Fashionologie

Calling the Wild

If you are looking for an inspirational concept to base your next winter range around then I suggest putting a call out to the wild, though not literally. Key for Winter is a rustic and authentic trend juxtaposed with a raw infusion.

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, the exclusive agent for UK trend forecaster Mudpie and its online platform MPDClick, and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

Handcrafted and Handmade will be the big picture ideas behind successfully executing this trend. Style is being driven by an increased emphasis on artisan design and individuality and with that said one such inspirational brand at the forefront of this trend is footwear brand 'Quoddy'.

Quoddy has been in existence since 1909 when Harry Smith Shorey started making his own hand made footwear in Maine, USA. In fact the whole area is know for it's unique hand made footwear brands dating back to the early 1800's, those brands have left town for the most part however Quoddy still remains and employs highly skilled and talented shoemakers. All of Quoddy's products are hand made with out any man made materials and what has stood the test of time is Harrys belief that artistry combined with fine craftsmanship is what makes his footwear special.

Every piece performs with durability and the ability to conform to ones foot over time for a true custom fit. One more trend driven concept this brand identifies with for winter is its nostalgic rustic American folk heritage. The branding is almost non existent and the designs understated, truly reflecting the spirit of Passamaquoddy Bay, Maine where the trees grow thick and tall and the oceans are far from calm.

You might also look for inspiration from the famous 1977 children's Disney classic set in Passamaquoddy Bay 'Pete's Dragon' as a back drop to this trend.

Plastic Fantastic

The iconic jelly footwear, melissa shoes from Brazil will feature as an installation at Premiere boutique trade event for exclusive labels. The 'melissa Art Installation' has been lovingly created from pre-loved melissa's by local Melbourne designer Shayli Harrison. Alongside this, various styles and colours from the plastic brand will feature on pedestals throughout the venue.

So in honour of this artistic display, we thought to provide you with a bit of a backgrounder on the melissa shoe’s brand. With over 50 million pairs of melissa plastic shoes manufactured in the last 25 years, it’s safe to say they have firmly stamped their feet as the popular brand of choice. And this sentiment is global. More than 20 million pairs have walked their way to 80 different countries, leading the way in contemporary style and must have footwear fashion. But it’s not just consumers who love the looks, leading fashion designers and top labels have been heavily influenced and inspired by the melissa plastic shoe phenomenon.

By wearing melissa, not only are you in sync with the latest trends, but you're also in line with the ever trendy green theme sweeping the fashion industry. All melissa plastic shoes are created with a zero waste ethos with particular attention to the life cycle of materials. melissa recycles 99.9% of factory water and waste, and they recycle overstock styles into next season’s collection.

Head to Premiere boutique trade event for exclusive labels to see this artful display this weekend from August 28-30 at the Royal Exhibition Building.

To register visit www.premiere.net.au

Moving off the shelves – retailers need to be heading online (and they need do it well)

It’s the year of online retail in Australia as consumers are moving more of their shopping habits online. The attraction of online shopping includes the ease and convenience and of course, the relative strength of the Aussie dollar in overseas markets.

Wai Chim is the Head of Content at Switched on Media, a leading search, social media and digital marketing agency based in Sydney. She has spent the past five years telling stories and writing content for some of Australia’s leading brands across a number of industries. She works to help brands think more about their online content and Content Strategy - striking the right balance between search engine optimisation, messaging and engagement .

Latest studies show that consumers are increasingly shifting from researching online and buying in store to trying out products in store and then making their purchases on line. The recent closure of Borders stores has shaken up the retail industry as well, and the takeaway for many retailers is to adapt or perish.

Getting your retail business online – and doing it right

Of course, investing in an online presence is a significant consideration, and for smaller retailers especially, it can be hard to understand even where to start, let alone how to do it well. There are so many options, channels and opportunities but here are a few key ideas to keep in mind.

1. Get your website and its content right – an eye-catching, professional and easy to use website is vital as it will be your visual storefront in the online world. This means having a clean, relevant and professional design, professional photos and images of your products and engaging content that provides consumers with the information they’ll be after. Ensure you have clear and prominent call-to-actions so they know how they can update their shopping carts and checkout.

2. Get your site to convert - E-commerce technology will be critical in converting eye balls on your page into buyers on your site. Users need an easy, safe and hassle free way to make payments and conduct transactions on your site. Sites like eWay, SecurePay and of course, PayPal offer secure merchant facilities that will make it easy for customers to check out and make their payments online.

3. Be seen where customers are looking – How will people get to your website? Search engines are key to visibility and unlike some traditional ad mediums, these channels are transparent and immediately measurable so you can be more targeted in your efforts and increase the value of your marketing dollar spend. It’s important to start thinking about your online marketing efforts early on especially, when you’re building your website. Too many times, we’ll find businesses have invested hundreds of thousands into a tricky web tools that won’t perform well in search engines. So what you should you be thinking about? Search marketing for starters. Even if you rely on word of mouth, you’ll find that customers are searching for brands on search engines like Google and Bing so you’ll want your site to be optimised for search and take into account SEO. You may even look to set up a Google Adwords account that will let you advertise for important keywords on a pay-per-click basis.

4. Social media and good content will add value and build your customer base – it’s important to also be thinking about your ongoing strategy and how you’ll continue to update and maintain your website and any other content channels. Retailers that do online well, use social media channels like Facebook and Twitter to engage communities, answer customer service inquiries or provide exclusive offers. It’s important to keep your website new and your content fresh as consumers want to know that they can trust the site that they’re transacting on. Nothing raises alarm bells about online shopping like a homepage that looks like it hasn’t been updated recently.

Meanwhile, while Australian retailers are thinking about moving online, the way customers are using technology is already changing. Mobile shopping is seen as the way of the future with smartphones and tablet devices becoming more popular and providing a more tangible experience to online shopping. So if you are going to be moving your store online, it’ll be smart to get it right from the get-go by ensuring your site is mobile friendly too.

Are you planning on making the move to online? What technology are you most excited by when it comes to e-commerce?
Email me at; wai@switchedonmedia.com.au

Inside Retailing

Most of us enjoy buying new clothes or shoes, but we often flinch at the thought of trawling through a maze of stores with the expectation of little or no assistance. As consumers, we are not generally familiar with the features, benefits, and composition of the many products we purchase, so we are often in the hands of the un-enlightened, the mediocre or indifferent sales staff to blindly navigate us through a purchase.

Peter Parkinson is the Chairman of the National Footwear Retailers Association (NFRA) and proprietor of the iconic McCloud Shoes on Queen Street, established in 1949.

Dennis Price sums it up in one line from his “Inside Retailing” article by suggesting - ‘…that even robotic courtesy would be better than what goes for service in most stores.’ The joy in salesmanship is connecting with your client and providing the best possible product and fit to suit their needs.
Service industries can be so personally fulfilling, but we must be watchful not to develop a mechanical approach that can make our work dreary and repetitious. If we have chosen a vocation in sales, it is important to have a genuine interest in people, and be prepared to tolerate their idiosyncrasies. There are many clients who are difficult to connect with, so we are challenged to establish some sort of rapport with them, because problem clients are not problems, but opportunities to gain their confidence about your ability and the store.

Selling and fitting footwear at all levels can be a satisfying experience, as you are working with a product that has to endure the harshest of treatment possible from consumers, and yet it must be a comfortable fit, and generally be visually pleasing. During a sale, offer constructive and logical advice, and be cautious about trying to pre-empt how your client is thinking. Clients will quickly discern if you are patronising them with commentary that is overly flattering or fallacious.

To my way of thinking the foundation for successful footwear selling is dependent upon your Product Knowledge and Fitting Skills. Confidence to Sell starts with our product knowledge; otherwise this technical inadequacy can easily erode your personal confidence to communicate with a stranger, who is asking questions which we should be answering with informed product patter. Any reader who has attempted to sell when NOT understanding their product will know precisely what I am alluding to. It is a deep void of insecurity. Remember, we are not talking about ‘super glib salespersons’ here, but regular bricks and mortar staff that we employ in our own businesses and who should be able to structure a sale.

The National Footwear Retailers Association Fitting Course is the ideal platform to re-educate staff about Selling, Fitting and Product Knowledge. One of the many principles of business that I can assure retailers about is this: The greater degree of confidence that your clients have in your staff, the more frequently they will return to your store. This is not Rocket Science.

How many complaints do we hear about the major retailers where clients cannot find service or co-operative sales staff; and in many cases they walk out! Our desire should be for our clients to leave the store with a sense of satisfaction about their purchase and good vibes about the store. It sometimes takes a little effort to discover what is pleasurable in our work, but remember the alternative is far from palatable to live a repetitious life as Bill Murray played in the movie, “Ground Hog Day,” where every day can just replicate the previous day – if we let it!

It is not easy to find satisfaction within yourself, your work, or your life, but many of the skills we learn from dealing with the public are the skills we carry with us for the rest of our life.

The National Footwear Fitters Course will be held next weekend from August 20-21 commencing from 1 pm (registration and lunch) on the Saturday at the Medina Grand Melbourne. Cost for members is $400 and $490 for non-members. For 2 or more persons it's $400 for members and $450 for non-members.

The intensive two day course will cover Interactive selling; Podiatry – tailored for retail staff; Shoe construction, components, the relationship to orthotics and helpful hints; Correct fitting theory and practice, including a segment on children’s fitting.

For more information and to register, visit the NFRA website, www.nationalfootwearretailers.com.au

Light Footwear

In it's 25th year Bread and Butter Berlin has established itself as the go-to trade fair for contemporary streetwear apparel; the place to witness trends being set for the next season. And this year was no exception.

Between the 6th - 8th of July Germany was a fashion industry buzz catering for over 580 of the worlds leading brands in urban and street wear, all exhibiting the next big trends set to hit us for the Spring Summer 12 season.

Footwear collections across Bread & Butter saw an emerging trend for lightweight footwear. Leather and heavy soles were replaced with interesting foam or cork. These functional materials dictated a new form for the footwear as we take a look at some of the key brands that are already embracing and setting this trend.

Traditional brogues were updated with bright white soles and even Dr Martens embraced a lighter foam sole.

Dico Copenhagen used concealed cork on black platforms for a lighter summer shoe.

Hussein Chalayan for Puma used a foam wedge to create a comfortable and durable design that didn’t sacrifice on style.

While sportswear giant Nike heat bonded materials together to reduce weight and trainer bulk.

The new luxury: The curated wardrobe

For a long time it was exactly the opposite: a big wardrobe was the hallmark of the haves and the have nots. Those with wardrobes bulging at the seams were those who lived a life of luxury. They were also often the rich.
So for lots of people the desire for a wardrobe that contained every potential shoe and shirt combination became their desire, became a point of envy. But society has moved on.

Daniel P Dykes is Fashionising.com's Editor in Chief and Chairman. He set about creating a fashion publication that would go someway to being an arbiter on fashion as it appeals to the emerging power generations: those who don't remember a world without the Internet and for whom work plays second fiddle to pleasure. And so Fashionising.com was born as a publication for those who were focused not just on fashion's trends, but on society's too, and how those trends could all go to heighten the art of living.

Over the past decade we experienced a change in the way we could consume fashion, one with an impact not seen since the days of the industrial revolution. It became quicker and easier to produce fashionable clothes and accessories than ever before. In fact, the fashion industry at all ends of the spectrum allowed it to happen. With fanfare the world's big fashion houses showed their next collections six months in advance and the high street stores, imbued with new technology and able to understand every detail and trend that had been presented before the catwalk was even cold, were able to release it in mere weeks. The fact that so many shoppers readily bought what the high street offered up was not our fault. The industry model was and is broken. Broken to a point where it encouraged us - after all, why wait 6 months to invest in a look that you're excited about now? There was a novelty to it all too. Fast fashion. Good looking fashion. Affordable fashion. Had we ever had it so good?

But that novelty has worn off. The ability to access fast fashion has grown at a rate faster than Zara have been able to open their 1,700 stores. Comprehend that figure and add to it the an imaginary figure of just how many stores there are for other fast, fashion-foward brands such as H&M and you realise that fast fashion, and the dream of the massive wardrobe that it enabled with an affordable price tag, is now commonplace. It's not just available to everyone, it is everyone. And a fashioniser - the world's fashion forwards who make stylish socialising their hallmark and understand that fashion is a projection of where they're going in life - never wants to be everyone.

So the definition of luxury changes. Because luxury is always the opposite of commonality, in every facet of society. The working class poor could scarecly afford food, so the rich Edwardians were luxuriously fat. Processed and average quality food is now so accessible that organic and 'pure' foods, the polar opposite of what you find in the freezer isle and at takeaways, are now considered the luxury. Cheap food is now so accessible that waist lines have bulged and obesity has become an epidemic, thus it's perceived by many to be a luxury to be slim. Across society luxury is defined by the polar opposites of what is most common and what those without a particular attribute, an attribute that is sometimes wealth but just as likely to be skill or knowledge, can have. So where does that leave fashion in an era where everyone can have a big wardrobe, where everyone can own too much, and they can do it cheaply? The new luxury is a small wardrobe. Not necessarily an expensive one nor one filled solely with goods from only the world's leading fashion houses. These are defintions of luxury fashion past. The new luxury is now to be able to live and thrive with a small, pleasurable wardrobe. But a small wardrobe needn't mean doing without. Anything but. It is in fact the hallmark of the modern fashioniser with their finger on the pulse.

To read the full version of this story, head to Fashionising.com

Or you can become a fan of Fashionising.com on Facebook to join in the conversation.

Step out in style

Play around with heel heights this season from the super heights of skyscraper silletos or the stacked-up platforms, down to the humble ankle boot or modest mary-jane styles.

The Autumn Winter 11/12 Runway collections from the big four cities further highlighted for another season the need for the consumer to be be more creative with their statement accessories. And what better way to make a statement than with fabulous footwear.

There were a couple of standout footwear collections that will inspire the market. The new trompe l’oeil shoe/boot looks fresh and exciting especially with a twist of 1940s styling teamed with 1970s-style moonboots to keep the look from becoming too pastiche.

Patent leather and Perspex-heeled winter sandals were worn with patterned socks – offering a ‘2 in 1’ feel, these are bound to be a big favourite with fashion stylists.

However my personal favourite the super duper high heels and platforms set to continue to be the key footwear item for the AW 11/12 season.

And for those who prefer to stay a little closer to the ground, very prominent on the Runway (and sure to make it to the hight street for a commercial take) are lower boxy heels as seen in the Jonathan Saunders and Prada collections.

For regular trend updates, visit Ginger Trend Consulting Facebook page.

The humble origins of the Sandal

We often refer to them as the everyday shoe - a style that is both chic and casual, has optimum comfort but can also transcend from daywear into evening better than any other footwear on the market. Of course we are referring to the common sandal. But if we look back at the history of this style, it is much more than ordinary.

Sandals are believed to be the very first crafted footwear with their simplistic strappy style and customary leather soles. While the modern version varies in style, colours, height, fabric and style (from strappylicious knee high leather versions to coral coloured simple styles), the early sandals were plain and built for practicality over fashion.
They consisted of only two parts, that being the sole and the thong, which has made way for the widely popular flip flop today. Since plastic wasn’t an option back then, sandals were made from whatever material was most available in their region.

Egyptian sandals

Unbelievably, the first Egyptian sandals were basically made from a footprint in wet sand. Braided papyrus (a tall water plant used for making paper) was then moulded into the sole prints and attached to the foot by palm fibre to form the traditional thong structure. It wasn’t until the Egyptians learned to tan hide that sandals were eventually made from leather.
Apparently these early leather shoes didn’t accommodate for fit or size, so people with feet outside the general mould just had to make do.

In ancient Egypt, the sandal was the sign of power and rank as shoes were a sign of luxury and wealth as not everyone could afford them. The colour of your shoe was also a sign of class. Gold and jewelled sandals were for the king and his court, pastels for dignitaries with red and yellow being the only colours allowed for the middle class. As for the slaves? Well, they went barefoot.

The highest ranking sandal of course went to the Pharoah who had his own special style featuring a peak at the top of the toes, pointing upwards. These pointed shoes began to show up around 1234-1250 and were made from fabric or soft leather.

Greece

The Greeks were the known masters of shoe making and by 400 BC they had perfected the craft and in the process made them popular culture. According to Head Over Heel’s History, people’s obsession with footwear became such that social `rules’ were placed on certain styles.

Specific shoes were assigned to certain occupations and were only worn outdoors. Cheap sandals made of wood, felt or linen and were worn by countrymen, priests and philosophers and these were called phaecasium.

The Romans

While the Greeks developed a sophisticated sandal, the Roman Empire saw footwear as a means to prepare their soldiers for battle. A soldiers uniform had to be both practical and this meant the shoes were more durable and sturdy.
Like the Greeks, Roman shoes were also a sign of class distinction with varying styles and colours according to where you stood socially. Red was restricted to the emperor only, while black and white was designated for senators and pale colours for the wealthy. The slaves and poor once again went barefooted or very simple styles.

The Romans were known for their decadent feasts, and since they would never wear shoes inside, a specific `banqueting’ slipper was designed called a soleae, carried by a servant when they were outdoors.

A soldier’s footwear, known as campagnus, was one of great importance as their style designated rank. These were heavily tooled and guilded, according to rank, with ornamental symbols, such as a real head and paws of a small animal such as a fox, or ivory, over the instep. The boots laced up the front with a leather tongue to protect the front of the foot and shin. The higher the boot was worn on the leg the more superior the rank of the officer.

The modern Roman gladiator style made its way back into popular culture when style icon Mary Kate Olsen wore the knee-high cage version around 2008.

This article referenced information from Head over Heels History blog, visit here.

And the History of Sandals blog, here.

trends: craftsmanship is key

Over the past few years we have been tracking the steady decline of fast fashion, triggered by the recession, in favour of ‘investment’ buys that hold longevity and uniqueness. Ginger Trend Consulting's Eryn Behan reports.

Consumers are now starting to yearn for a more handmade approach to their purchases and a growing number of footwear brands are catering to this by using locally sourced materials and trained craftsmanship as their key selling points.

A recent article at Trend Central has highlighted key brands pioneering this unique, handmade approach to footwear including Wassookeag Moccasins.
The company was established by Mark Wintle who was trained by his cobbler father; giving the brand a home-grown feel. They create hand sewn leather moccasins from high quality animal hides, lined with deer skin or fleece.
The shoes are all individually designed and handcrafted at the Maine based workshop in the US and boast durability and comfort as well as style.

A number of shoemaking classes are also popping up around the world, such as footwear label Paul Thomas who runs courses in the art of shoemaking in London for both beginners and experienced students.
This also reinforces the significance of the abundance of Italian tailoring schools, catering to the desire for true artisan craftsmanship within the fashion industry.

A renewed interest in traditional craft is noted and set to influence future trends where a growing demand for local, skilled and artisan products will emerge.

Image source: Paul Thomas Shoes

The top five key shoe trends

Fashion trends are not only important, they're inevitable, and as the 2011 Shoe Fair rolls into Melbourne they'll manifest in the clusters of sandals, heels, and over-the-knee boots that line the booths. Understanding those trends is key to successful buying and selling, be they current trends that are sweeping the mainstream, or yet-to-be-realised trends that are starting to infiltrate the wardrobes of the early adopters. Tania Braukamper from Fashionising.com reports.

Tania Braukamper is a writer, trend analyst, and the Editor of Fashionising.com. Now the most visited online fashion publication to be based in Australia, Fashionising.com is both a visual feast and trend resource for the consumer and fashion industry alike.

The Australian Shoe Fair largely amasses the key trends which are in full swing or on the near horizon, rather than those still seasons away. With that in mind, I have carefully selected the five key shoe trends to look out for when visiting the fair from August 28-30 at the Royal Exhibition Building.

1970s inspired footwear
You'd be hard pressed not to notice the overwhelming wave of 1970s fever sweeping the fashion world, but it's far from costume-hippie, instead leaning heavily to the glamorous/sophisticated side.
Think floppy felt hats, crochet, and shimmering blouses tucked into high-waisted pants.
Complimenting the clothing is, of course, a range of 70s-inspired footwear. Expect to see plenty of wood-stacking, platforms, and suede thigh-high boots.

Clogs and their evolutionary successors
Similarly, clogs have had a massive resurgence in the past few seasons. While their glam-grunge appeal has faded somewhat, you can still expect clogs to have a lingering presence. So what's best to keep an eye on?

Their evolutionary successors: shoes that have clog-like elements, such as studding, without being full clogs.

Biker and punk inspired

On another end of the spectrum is the range of footwear inspired by the punk movement, and biker trend. Both trends that lean heavily to rock-chic influence these are likely to be chunky, buckled, and made from black leather (or animal prints, for the more daring).

Kitten and mid-heels
The influence of Mad Men on fashion was that a smaller trend towards 50s and 60s ladylike dressing emerged. We see this as evolving, beyond 2011, into later 1960s inspirations.

From here out it's less Betty Draper/Joan Holloway and more Jean Shrimpton/Jane Birkin - but either way the end result is a re-found acceptance of mid-heels. A rejoice for the comfort of women everywhere, kitten heels and mid-heels (though not for everyone) will have a much wider clientele than they've had in previous seasons.

Bright block colours
For Spring. expect to see plenty of bold colours splashing their way onto sandals and heels.
From neon brights to jewel tones, spring and summer will see lots of shoes that are made to make an outfit pop.

All images via Google images

GDS - The Premier Shoe Event

About the show: GDS - The Premier Shoe Event has been successfully organized for many years. In the event, exhibitors will get an opportunity to showcase fashion footwear, footwear accessories, leather, footwear machinery, and footwear components for all genders and ages. Many exhibitors will be participating in the show like manufacturers and representatives of clothing brands.

Eryn Behan is director of Ginger Trend Consulting, the exclusive agent for UK trend forecaster Mudpie and its online platform MPDClick, and a provider of fashion forecast services and consumer insight trends to the fashion and interior design industries throughout Australasia.

Location: Dusseldorf, Germany
Show dates: 16th – 18th March 2011
Market: Footwear

Here Mpdclick provides an overview of all that GDS had to offer for the autumn/winter 2011/12 season; from clothing to accessories, we have compiled a report of women's, men's and kid's must-have styles for the season. Brand profiles of key exhibitors spotted at the show are also featured in this report complete with the collection's specified age range, inspiration and brand contact details.

Trends of the show

Style: Classic shoe shapes such as the boat shoe and brogue are reworked in boot form to create contemporary hybrid styles.

Shape: The suede desert boot is a popular option, with the shape also seen in polished leather in a move towards a cleaner look.

Colour: For the fashion conscious consumer, add a pop colour accent to any style for a subtle nod towards the popular colour blocking trend.

Fabric: A prominent fabric at GDS is suede, seen across a myriad of styles. Adopt midnight blue tones for a subtle yet contemporary feel.

Detail: For autumn/winter 11/12 hi-tops and casual boots are seen with padded ankle cuffs in a contrasting fabric

www.gingertc.com.au

Retail Trends: February 2011

Word is that solid, sculpted looks in block colours, or quirky shapes and platform silhouettes are currently walking off store floors. GTC's Eryn Behan reports.

www.gingertc.com.au

Exclusivity unpacked

The exclusive White Donna event in Milan last month provided some useful footwear and accessory pointers, as Ginger Trend Consulting's Eryn Behan reports.

White Donna is an unusual salon concept, in which a limited number of brands guarantee an exclusive, select atmosphere. The show focuses not only on creating an imaginative promotional 'world' for exhibitors but also on attracting the best and most representative buyers for its target market. It is widely regarded as an opinion maker for new trends and a leading hub for the latest product and brand launches positioned in the upper end of the European market.

Key trends from the February show...

Footwear: As seen at The Gallery trade show in Copenhagen, androgynous footwear styles prevail as a versatile option for both career and casual styling.

Colour: Bright hues are a key trend of the season used uniformly or in accents.

Accessories: Bags were seen in slouchy relaxed styles for this season, use washed leather to achieve this look.

Taking place in Milan, Italy, from 25 - 27 February, White Donna showcased a select array of premium brands in the womenswear, accessories and footwear markets

www.gingertc.com.au

Courting the ‘segment of one'

With brands increasingly tapping into the new consumer individualism, or ‘segment of one', a recent (and romantic) example from a certain global giant embodies the trend. Ginger Trend Consulting's Eryn Behan reports.

The Nike Bespoke Air force 1 ‘I Do', designed by a general consumer Brandon Renken, is certainly a new way to propose to that special someone.

Renken went to a Nike store (21 Mercer, New York) where he personalised his chosen design with ‘Will you' and ‘Marry me' typography on each shoe, complete with a diamond ring secured onto the hand tag. The shoes were designed with the help of Nike iD Bespoke, an innovative by appointment design experience offering consumers the opportunity to work one-on-one with Nike design consultants to customise selected Nike footwear styles.

"Consumers will be able to create a unique design by customising up to 31 parts of the shoe, including the base, overlay, accent, lining, stitching, outsole, laces and deubré. Consumers will also be able to choose from 82 premium, iconic materials and colour options." - nike.com.

Featuring a white and green upper with yellow contrast stitching and an icy outsole, Renken's inspired ‘design proposal' is a pure example of the potential for big brands to individualise according to their customers' unique demands.

www.gingertc.com.au

Nike: an eco take on being in print

Most brands will do anything to be in a magazine, but Nike has taken the opposite approach... with magazines now enfolded into Nike's slick new range of sneakers. Eryn Behan reveals how...

Nike has created an exciting range of limited edition sneakers designed from recycled magazine strips. The Women's Premium Print Pack contains "...three Nike styles: The Nike Flash Macro Premium (sail/birch), Nike Blazer Mid premium (sail/khaki) and Nike Air Rift Premium (sail/sport red)."

Each strip of recycled magazine has uniquely been put together to create designs across the Print Pack. While holding eco credentials by recycling forgotten magazines, the collection also pays homage to printed media which is losing dominance in the digital age.

While using recycled materials, Nike reassures customers that quality has not been overlooked.

"Function was not compromised with this project. The surface has been treated with a transparent material for resistance and durability. Each shoe in the pack will be sold separately and debut in limited quantities within the Nike Sportswear Spring 2011 collection beginning January 1 in Europe, China and select emerging markets."

Similar to Nike's recent ‘Trash Talk' range using scrap foam found around Nike's own factory, the Women's Premium Print Pack boasts sustainability along with the type of consideration that needs to take place in today's design industry; thinking about our environment and creative innovation is definitely a step forward.

www.gingertc.com.au

Onitsuka Tiger

Steeped in history, with a reputation for bringing classic sports footwear to the masses as well as satisfying even the most discerning sneaker geeks, Japanese athletic company Onitsuka Tiger held their spring/summer 2011 press day this month. Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports.

First formed in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka as way to "promote a healthy lifestyle and bring up a sound youth through the spirit of sport", Onitsuka Tiger's founder later teamed up with two contemporaries in 1977 to create the major sports brand Asics, incorporating the OT brand. Over the years, Onitsuka Tiger has become renowned for reworking past classics, creating shoes that stay true to their originality yet remain perfectly in tune with contemporary fashion.

In the words of the brand, "Onitsuka Tiger's spring summer 2011 collection comprises five exciting ranges each influenced by its unique Japanese heritage: Aisen, Okatabi, Midori, new models and the UK's second season of kids' styles, all of which include a number of innovative new products. The collections combine traditional Japanese techniques with contemporary designs and craftsmanship that have resulted in a unique, modern collection of Japanese footwear, tops and backpacks."

For spring/summer 2011, emphasis is placed firmly on versatility; styles move on from being solely sport-specific, combining trend-led details to appeal to the leisure and lifestyle markets. The introduction of summer casuals to the footwear lines, as well as details including traditional Japanese split-toes and brogue-like perforations adds a commercial yet fashion-forward feature to the coming season's offering.

www.gingertc.com.au

Countering online fraud

Princess Chic founder and SFO blogger Tanya Williams sheds light on how to deal with one of online businesses' biggest bugbears.

Unfortunately most online stores have probably been the victim of online or credit card fraud at some stage. While the World Wide Web brings fabulous global trading opportunities, it also brings unscrupulous players who are always on the hunt for ways to scam or defraud online traders. Sad but true!

My own business experienced this problem a couple of times in the last two months. Our online credit card transactions are set up in such a way that we don't see the credit card details. When a customer processes an order and chooses ‘credit card' as a payment option, this is handled by a third party system and authorised by the bank before we are sent the approval and process the order.

Seems simple enough right? Wrong.

Due to the way banking processes work, it's usually not until months later that you find out that a transaction has been fraudulent - in other words, someone has used a stolen credit card to pay for the goods. What usually happens is the owner of the credit card makes a complaint to the bank, they contact you (the business), and the bank debits the money from your account. Usually you have already processed the order, so you are out of pocket for stock and also haven't been paid for it.

This is something that you will never be told when starting an online store. I have found out the hard way, by experience. However, recently I discovered a boon after filing my third Police report, when the officer in charge gave me the web address of a site where suspect IP addresses can be checked to see if the location matches the location of the address on the order. It's a sure bet that if the IP address is in China or Nigeria and the order details are from someone in Melbourne, we're talking about a fraudulent transaction.

This is an great tool for any online business. Simply put the IP address into the relevant field on the site and see where it originates. http://centralops.net/co/ We use it for all our credit card orders now and say a huge thank you to the constable in question for sharing it with us.

Online credit card fraud is something all online stores need to understand and know how to minimise and counteract it particularly over busy trading periods like Christmas. And one more thing - go with your gut. If an order seems strange or odd somehow, then listen to your intuition. Guaranteed you will be right and it can save you a lot of money and heartache.
Happy online trading!

www.princesschic.com.au

Italian job - the Lineapelle lowdown

Lineapelle is a key international exhibition dedicated to leather, accessories, components, synthetics and models for footwear and leather goods. Here Mudpie provides an overview of the show's offer for the autumn/winter 2011/12 season, featuring women's accessory & footwear styles and a range of fabrics & components.

Location: Bologna, Italy
Show dates: 12 - 14 October, 2010
Market: Leather models for accessories, footwear, garment and homewares

Graphics & prints
Printed leathers are seen in a flurry of wistful prints from vintage style florals and leaves to metallic finished animal prints.

Form
Refined handbags that ooze timeless appeal and lasting quality will be those that stand out as ‘investment' styles. Slick leather finishes, structure and muted colours are key.

Styling
Ornate embellishments that carry an undertone of heritage and authenticity are key, cue cameo buttons, intricate beaded embellishment and highly decorative metallic trims.

Fabric and finish
Animal skin finishes, particularly reptile are seen in both natural and synthetic colour ways. A number of techniques are used to create a vintage effect leather, from black pointed engraving, extreme cracking and even prints that exude a time honoured quality.

www.gingertc.com.au

Relationship guidance for shoe lovers

Like many women, Tanya Williams possesses a zeal for shoes that borders on obsession. Unlike many women, it led her to quit her corporate job and launch an online custom-made shoe business. Here, in her new Shoe Fair Online blog, the Princess Chic founder shares her shoe views and news.

We all know women love shoes, but just as we have different relationships with our family and friends, we have different relationships with our shoes. Here are some of mine...

Steady relationship
These are the good old faithful shoes - you can wear them everywhere and they always look good. For me it is a pair of custom made nude platform peep toes. They go with everything, are comfortable and stand out just enough.

Casual relationship
These are usually those on-trend shoes you just had to have... at the time. You were never really ‘in love' with them when you bought them. Perhaps the salesperson talked you into it or a friend urged you on. Whatever the reason your heart was never really in it and the relationship was only ever designed to be short lived. A shoe fling!

True love
When you first saw them your heart skipped a beat and your knees went weak. You are in love, the attraction was instant and the spark will always be there, guaranteeing this pair a prime position in the wardrobe.

Love/hate relationship
They may look amazing, but honestly you hate wearing them. These are usually referred to as ‘taxi shoes', designed to be worn from taxi to restaurant and most definitely not for traipsing the streets looking for your next watering hole.

Dysfunctional relationship
You are not supposed to like these shoes, yet you do. There is some common ground but you are not emotionally involved in this relationship. Perhaps you are bored or resent them for taking up room in an already overfull wardrobe. You are likely to wear these shoes less and less until the relationship eventually withers and dies.

Soul mates
These are the perfect style, heel height, have just the right amount of adornment and make you feel like a princess every single time you wear them. There is absolutely nothing you would do to change them. No matter how you are feeling, they will give you a lift. They are your shoe sole mate!

Whatever your shoe relationships remember that key rule - any relationship is a two way street, Love and cherish your shoes. Look after them and they will look after you.

www.princesschic.com.au

Profile - A tale of shoes and princesses

Like many women, Tanya Williams possesses a zeal for shoes that borders on obsession. Unlike many women, it led her to quit her corporate job and launch an online custom-made shoe business. Shoe Fair Online talks shop with the CEO (that's ‘Chic Executive Officer) of Princess Chic.

How did you become a full-time footwear princess?
Princess Chic was founded in 2007... I ran the business part time for a couple of years while working in a corporate role and after a particularly bad work year and a death in the family, I decided life was too short to spend so many hours doing something you don't enjoy. Thanks to a very supportive husband, I took made leap from media sales account manager to full time shoe princess. Since launching the business I have never worked harder in my life. I often find myself at my desk at 10pm at night, but it's worth it.

Where do you get your design inspiration?
I am constantly online looking at footwear trends on the runway with footwear. Some styles come from Europe and US and others are variations on existing styles that I half like but think need further development! I am inspired by many things. I might see some material or colours on a dress and think: "How would that translate to shoes?"

Who is your target market?
Our core demographic is ladies aged 21 to 45 who love shoes and want something unique and different, in other words, not mass produced. We also cater for weddings, special events and formals.

What's your pricing strategy?
We keep our price points as low as possible to make the product affordable. Our custom made shoes retail from $199 to $269, while our made-to-order styles cost from $159 to $209. These are all handmade shoes; you would expect to pay similar prices for mass produced, chain store product, so our prices are very affordable. We could probably charge more but we don't. We want our shoes to be affordable for anyone. Our biggest cost is getting the shoes shipped to us from overseas... I know some companies that are charging large amounts for postage and making money from this, but we refuse to go down that path. We only charge what the postage costs us, and while sometimes it actually costs us more, we are happy to offer this service, no matter where our customers live.

How important was knowledge of online in launching the business?
Starting an online business was a massive learning curve, particularly for a technophobe like me. I worked with a web designer to set up princesschic.com.au, which is now on its second site and third shopping cart. He did all the technical bits and I told him how I wanted the site to look and feel. I have to admit I don't know much about HTML but I am learning new things everyday. I think it is very important to seek out experts who can do the things you cannot. As much as I'd like to think I am wonder woman and can do everything, I can't! There are so many things you need to be aware of; you could literally spend all week on Google Analytics, site administration and so on.

How do you deal with returns?
We have a number of tools in place to minimise returns. These include a printable foot size chart on the home page, instructional DVD showing ladies how to measure their feet and brand size comparison charts on most shoe pages. We also take customers' measurements and double check these against our size charts. For example if a lady says she is a size 8 but her measurements don't match this, we will ask her to double check. We also have an exchange and return policy for shoes in the wrong size. At the end of the day I want ladies to love their shoes and be proud of them. It is of no interest to me to sell people shoes they cannot show off and love.

What percentage of your business is wholesale?
Wholesale is a new area for us. We don't do much wholesale currently but have just appointed a Queensland wholesale agent and are looking for agents in other states. Ladies are always looking for something unique and we are constantly fielding enquiries about our product, so I would love to see our own line of Princess Chic shoes in stores across Australia and New Zealand.

What are your goals and strategies over the next three to five years?
To expand our product offering of shoes, styles and colours. We want to take our custom made service to the next level and give people more choice in styles and new and unique materials. I'd love to be able to create any shoes someone wanted... I think that would be a great point of difference and totally unique. I would also like to see our shoes in stores everywhere, from small Australian regional towns to overseas markets like Russia, Europe and the US.

www.princesschic.com.au

Baby boom - spring summer 2011 trends

Baby footwear & accessories for spring summer are all about fun and colour, making childsplay of the many choices available in this booming sector, as Mudpie reports.

www.gingertc.com.au

Men's footwear - spring summer 2011

The feeling for upcoming spring summer seems to be "Let's hear it for the boys", with daring colour palettes, two-tone combos, styled up sandals and chic smarter looks forming the key highlights of the season, as Mudpie reports.

AW 11/12 Regeneration Footwear Forecast

There's something about places like Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden that seems to nail contemporary style. Ahead of her forthcoming trend forecast at Fashion Exposed, co-located with Australian Shoe Fair, Eryn Behan explains why.

Don't miss Mudpie's Autumn/Winter 11/12 trend forecast on Sunday 29 August at 9.30am at Fashion Exposed, co-located with Australian Shoe Fair. To book, visit https://tickets.aec.net.au/default/shop

Influenced by contemporary, functional architecture, Regeneration's ethos is inspired by the innovation and originality integral to the Nordic States. Urban spaces, lifestyle and fashion are rejuvenated. Casual cool styling mixes clever classics with an eccentric twist. A clean, minimal geek chic persona ensues, exuding the now world famous Scandinavian cool.

The most commercial footwear trends going into store late summer for AW 11/12 include buckles and suede wedged heels. Include a modern twist on classic design by using contrasting textures like knitted trims. Key colours are workwear inspired think metropolitan greys and navy blue hues.

Enduring Legacy - Converse & the master's touch

The iconic status of Converse has been given added piquancy thanks to an inspiring new take on its premium label First Sting. Ahead of her forthcoming forecast at Fashion Exposed (taking place alongside Australian Shoe Fair and the Bags & Accessories Fair), Mudpie's Eryn Behan reports.

This season, the art of traditional Italian shoemaking has been re-mastered by Ryusaku Hiruma for the second collection of Converse's premium label, First String.

Based in Florence for over a decade, Hiruma has learnt from the true masters of shoe craftsmanship. Using the classic 'Jack Purcell' and 'One Star 1974' designs as inspiration, he has created a timeless interpretation which reiterates the legacy of the brand as well as its strongly held value of age-old skill. In either off-white or black, these precious creations are made totally by hand, down to every perforated detail and stitch.

The personality of Converse is further shown through a cut out star detail in the vintage tan leather laces, and, adding a premium factor, the leather soles are printed akin to rubber.

The collection's sense of extravagance and nostalgia, imbued with the value of restoring heirlooms, links it seamlessly with one of Mpdclick's upcoming trends for the spring/summer 2012 season.

Don't miss Mudpie's Autumn/Winter 11/12 trend forecast on Sunday 29 August at 9.30am at Fashion Exposed. To book, visit https://tickets.aec.net.au/default/shop

Bread and Butter Berlin - spotlight on men

The recent spring/summer 2011 edition of the renowned Bread & Butter fashion trade show comprised three long and exhilarating days packed full of the "best brands, best buyers and best business". Mudpie reports back with some hot men's footwear tips.

This hugely popular event, held in Berlin's historic Tempelhof airport, once again delivered on its grand promise, presenting a truly outstanding brand portfolio, some exciting new concepts and a vibrant party atmosphere; it is no wonder Bread & Butter is considered the trade event not to be missed.

Bread & Butter's success is by no means an accident; it can be largely attributed to the tremendous collaborative efforts of the brand and its selected exhibitors. Each season sees the two parties unite to plan the best spaces and ensure that BBB retains its status as the world's leading international fashion trade show.

Key Male Footwear Trends of the show:

Shape: Fashionable Oxford style shoes are a vital shape amongst footwear this season; opt for classic suede or even vibrant leather.

Colour: White painted boots have been acknowledged this season; cracked edges create that distressed, haphazard style.

Detail: Visible stitch detail on footwear accentuates the shape and reflects each individual style.

Italy's finest: Pitti Uomo

To sample the hottest and best men's footwear, Italy's Pitti Uomo fair is unsurpassed. Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports back from the stands.

Event: Pitti Uomo Trade Fair
Location: Florence, Italy
Show dates: 15th - 18th June 2010
Market: Menswear

Pitti Uomo is the leading trade fair for men's fashions, featuring some of the industry's most prestigious brands and latest trends, presenting high end goods with a cutting edge ethos. The event hosts an eclectic mix of exhibits, representing numerous contemporary styles and the contrasting worlds of formal and casual wear, presented in a systematic manner.

Pitti Uomo also strives to present a balanced view of innovation and elegance, bringing together products from leading luxury brands, as well as new and forward thinking labels.

Leather remains the fabric of choice for footwear, with polished leather ideal for accessories to be styled with business attire, while scuffed, weathered and tanned finishes add a rough luxe edge to casual looks.

Some of the most memorable footwear designers at Pitti Uomo were F.lli Giacometti Marmolada's distressed; weathered; worn; brown leather footwear, including H'katsukawa from Tokyo, whose use of scuffed, weathered and worn suede in light brown footwear was innovative, offering forward thinking versatility for casual wear.

Rocking the utility look

Clogs, up-styled sneakers and hard-edged buckles and straps will feature big in the upcoming spring summer season, in which utility is a key look. Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports.

Retail Tip - Merchandise your way to fame!

In a highly competitive market with consumers watching their wallets, it pays to make your in-store experience as enticing and engaging as possible. As Mark Davis reports, creative visual merchandising is the key to this. What's more, it needn't cost a lot of money, and if you're plugged in to online networking, it has the potential to turbo-charge your business.

An expert and trainer in all things retail, business coach Mark Davis divides his time between Australia and Europe, traversing the globe to share his retail, sales, business and Internet marketing insights.

Great displays are an art form. For many years they've been the domain of window dressers, merchandisers, company reps and strategic designers. But given the current move to cost cutting, retailers now have to improvise, using their imagination and the tools immediately available. For many this is less about having enough merchandise, or risers, or stands and racks... and more about creativity. In all likelihood it's also about leveraging the power of that little thing called social media.

A display that grabs customers' attention, be they old or new, and tempts them to take more interest in the rest of the store, is a powerful motivator to get them to stick around, hopefully for long enough to buy! Just as a good website encourages users to click and browse, the key merchandise displays in your store are there to grab attention and engage with customers.

In some cases, people will often make the journey to a destination just to see stand-out visual merchandising. Be it a mountain of teddy bears and tigers in the Disney Stores or an eye-catching seasonal display, a destination or feature merchandising ‘moment' can be the thing that makes your store a must-see in your town, city or suburb. Department stores' Christmas window displays are a good example of this, but there's no reason to limit creativity to Yuletide.

And take note; social media has given good visual merchandising an exponential power boost. People love to take photos and put themselves up on Facebook, whether it's next to a living Statue of Darth Vader on Hollywood Blvd, or beside the logo of the store they just shopped in. They hold up bags, they pose, and they promote your store for you. If someone poses with your stock items, in your store, with your staff, next to your renowned merchandising display, then posts the photo to Facebook, you get 100 to 1000 free advertising shots.

And it doesn't end there. Offer to be the photographer for them, take three or four snaps, from which they can create a mini-shopping album, and you get even more photos online. Ask them to add your business to Facebook, and you can tag your store as well!
Remember, people are going to take photos of things they like. Now you can let them promote you for free!

So, to re-cap:-
• Create a merchandise display people want to be photographed beside and tell their friends about.
• Encourage photos.
• Tag people in photos including your Facebook profile.
• Get creative. Have competitions, prizes and offers for all your Facebook friends.

Never forget that the fusion of visual merchandising and social media creates an unbeatable way of driving more business into your store. Good luck with designing that display!

www.coachmarkdavis.com

World Cup Fashion Fever

Sport has long been considered a fashion influence, but with a global ‘sporting moment' such as the World Cup afoot, the sports shoe category is really kicking goals, as Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports.

With the World Cup about to kick off in South Africa, it appears everyone is catching football fever. Even at Mpdclick HQ, we were all ears when we heard that the newly-designed team kits were about to be revealed. After all, as the most widely viewed sporting event in the world, it's important that the players look good!

German sportswear brand Puma are greatly involved in the 2010 World Cup. To celebrate the history and culture of South Africa, Puma have teamed up with African American artist Kehinde Wiley, commissioning him to design a clothing and footwear collection to coincide with the tournament.

Known for contemporary paintings that merge street style with traditional portraiture, Wiley is showing this collection around the world before concluding in South Africa just before play commences on 11 June.

Highlights of the collection include tribal inspired clashing print trainers with frayed edges, and colour blocking animal print hoodies.

From Google to glamour

Sydney based company Shoes of Prey has harnessed the power of the internet to create something wonderful - custom designed shoes. SFO talked to co-founder and director of fashion Jodie Fox (pictured) about an unusual but highly successful combustion of web smarts and delectable heels.

When was Shoes of Prey founded and what has its growth been like since?

Shoes of Prey went live (after a nine month gestation period!) in October 2009. Growth has exceeded our expectations with over a million unique visitors to the site and sales beyond our projections.

What part did founders' understanding of the World Wide Web play in launching shoes of prey?

It definitely played a big part. Both of the Michaels [Michael Fox - co-founder and director of operations and Mike Knapp - co-founder and director of technology]
had been working at Google and brought with them skills that have been absolutely integral to our business. Mike Knapp had been working as a software engineer and therefore had the skills to develop our shoe designer and website. Although he's very modest he is extremely talented - besides being able to do the production side of things, he is also able to create a website that operates clearly from a communications/design point of view. Michael Fox had been working in advertising sales and so brought with him an intimate understanding of Search Engine Optimisation and Search Engine Marketing, which has been brilliant for underpinning all of our marketing and PR work. Generally speaking, both are well-versed in all things online.

How have you advertised or promoted the brand since launching?

We've really focussed our efforts on PR and social media. There's definitely value in more traditional advertising, but you may have seen that we were voted a finalist in the TechCrunch best boot-strapped start up in 2009, so as you can assume, we don't have the marketing budget that's needed for that kind of advertising.

What's new at Shoes of Prey at the moment?

We're looking to hire a full-time staff member in Australia, you can check out the job description at our website (below). We're also in the final stages of preparing for our launch in Japan, while 2010 is the year of cracking some vegan shoe options as well...!

Any shoe trend predictions you'd like to share?

Yes - this winter try out socks with high heels and make sure you own a pair of dark purple heels. Moving into summer, nude patent leather is essential. Marc Jacobs didn't show any heels in his last collection, suggesting that we're moving away from the teetering heights of the last 18 months - but I personally don't see this trend ending just yet! We're also keeping on with heavier shaped heels and thick straps, but the studs and heavy-duty, metallic footwear embellishments both seem to be finally falling off the radar - we're now exploring heavier heels and thick straps in a more feminine way.

www.shoesofprey.com

The Boys Are Back

Equestrian influences, fringing and sports styling were the key shoe trends from the AW 10/11 runways, as Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reports.

Boots were the key trend seen on the men's global runways for the autumn winter 10/11 season. These were presented in a range of styles, including equestrian inspired riding boots shown by leading luxury designers Dsquared and Etro, whose use of panelling and leather versus fabric styles made for smart yet practical shapes.

Also drawing on the equestrian inspiration were brogue lace ups, with Salvatore Ferragamo's interpretation in deep burgundy a must-see.

Fringing prevailed as a key detail for smart shoes, while contrasting fabric and worn out effect trainers stood out in the sportswear sector. Check out Cipo & Baxx and Vivienne Westwood, Ginger Trend Consulting's number one picks for leading the sports footwear trends this season.

For a concise overview of the latest footwear trends and shapes visit www.mpdclick.com and register for a free trial.

'Generative Art' meets footwear

Fashion takes its influences from the zeitgeist of the world around it, and today's trend insight from Mpdclick examines an unusual collision of art and shoes.

"Generative art refers to any art practice where the artist uses a system, such as a set of natural language rules, a computer program, a machine, or other procedural invention, which is then set into motion with some degree of autonomy to, or resulting in a complex work of art" (Philip Galanter - generative artist.)

Mpdclick recently discovered the work of generative artist Keith Peters. Peters' work, constructed through the use of computer algorithms, creates thought provoking images with complex codes behind them.

Influenced by traditional generative artists such as Tristan Tzara and John Cage, Peters' latest collection of ‘art from code' features cube farms and urban city inspired images created with Action Script 3.0 code. When questioned about the source of his ideas, Peters revealed that he takes inspiration from the world around him, and a passion for the translation of formulae and information into art.

Focusing on the beauty in science, Peters' art overlaps with Mpdclick's autumn/winter 11/12 ‘Innovate' trend. This trend is influenced by refracted images, the use of science and maths in design, and linear and geometric shapes, all of which can be seen in Peters' art work. This style of art also reflects new discoveries explored within the ‘Innovate' trend, portraying a minimal, futuristic feel.

Examples of designers already adopting this trend in footwear can be seen in the featured images including Versace, Binetti and Jill Sander.

Retail Tip 6 - Don't succumb to fear... or discounts

With commentators predicting a grim half year ahead for retailers, it's all too easy to throw in the towel and join the discounting frenzy. Here, Mark Davis explains why retailers should avoid such strategies at all costs... and what they should consider instead.

Right now retail is in a danger zone; interest rates are going up, the mortgage is getting tighter, sales are dipping... and everyone seems set to enter panic zone. So if you're sitting at your computer attempting to fend off the jitters, I hope that this issue's double-edged tip helps.

You don't achieve anything by being the same as everybody else. And you really don't achieve anything by panic discounting.

The other day I found myself walking through Melbourne's Crown Casino. Brand new, six-figure fit-outs of designer labels lined the walkway; we're talking sleek chrome, gold, black and silver windows, cool lighting, music and opening hours with guaranteed traffic that the rest of us can only dream of. And what was emblazoned right in the middle of most windows? "10-70% off"!

Let's think about this for a second or two: Was this a discount factory outlet? No.
Was this an ageing strip mall having a closing down sale? No. Was this a brand nobody knew about that was launching with a teaser item to coax customers into the store? No.

This was desperate shock advertising that completely disregarded the surrounding target market. Most people visiting the casino sincerely believe they're in for a win, and will then be able to buy expensive clothes at full price tag that they can show off to their friends. Even those not in the mood for gambling are most likely lapping up the high-tone, luxurious atmosphere.

So when you put a discount as your lead marketing strategy, it's a downer. And in the end, it's all people see. What they don't see is your store.

Arguably it's different if you're in a discount shopping centre, but even there such strategies are questionable... When you watch shoppers in outlet stores, no discount is ever enough... most of them are just window shopping. It's a high traffic, low conversion method.

In tough economic times, what retailers need is to break free from the herd. And here's why: a hundred sales at $100 is $10,000; a hundred sales at 50% is $5000. That may cover your cost and overheads, but not your staff, and you can say goodbye to profit. Discounting 50% should only be ever used for those last10 pieces on a rack by the door; never for a big promotion, never for attracting people into store, and never in your mind as a salesperson. If your staff focus on discounts, you'll be in serious trouble within three months.

Here's how we get those 100 sales and turn them into $20,000.

1. Teach your staff to cross-sell to other items. Not just suggesting, but walking customers and their initial purchases to the racks, matching the pieces, giving them four or five things to try on and encouraging them to get into the clothes.

2. Teach your staff the rule of three. The rule of three says that if you have three items, people will choose the middle one nine times out of ten. In terms of price, this means - budget option, good, and luxury. It helps to find out the shopping budget first, usually from assessing the customer in terms of their existing clothing, accessories, and attitude.

3. Talk to customers! Some women shop on days they feel great, and will spend a lot, others shop to get out of the house. If you take the time to build a relationship, they'll return, bring their friends, and buy more every time.

4. Remember to tell your staff that it's not their decision when to stop selling. It's the customers' decision when to stop buying. I've had sales of $30 turn into $200 using this method. I've seen stores where a woman just wanted a piece of jewellery, and ended up buying the dress, shoes and bag to match.

Now, more than ever, the professional sales person earns their money. At Christmas they are just order takers; tough times are when they show why they were hired in the first place. Talking of which, the $5000 you were going to lose on discounting, you can now invest in training your staff to double their existing sales targets. Pay them commissions and bonuses, and you'll still be way ahead.

And please, as a favour to me, rip up those discount signs.

www.coachmarkdavis.com

Cut it out!

Mpdclick's monthly retail trend overviews provide the latest product trends emerging from the world's leading markets. This month the forecaster takes a look at ‘cutaway' footwear.

Focusing on footwear retail trends from London, Los Angeles, Miami & New York, this month's report covers target markets of all types to ensure fashion professionals have the broadest outlook of the global retail sector.

In the northern hemisphere we are seeing the emergence of 'Cutaway Footwear' as a must have accessory to add to consumers' wardrobes for the coming summer season. This trend is everywhere on the high street, with key retailers showing their individual interpretations!

'Urban Outfitters' used perforated leather and lattice uppers, while 'Office' had woven styles. Be sure to use clean, block colours, broderie anglaise effects and peep toe heels for commercial viability and appeal.

Cutaway Footwear for tweens has a summery theme; use metallic colours on casual silhouettes to make this key summer trend vibrant and fun.

Retail Tip 5 - Delegate!

One of the simplest yet most overlooked business secrets is that you can't do everything yourself. Here Mark Davis spills the beans on the art of sharing the load.

Being in business can be tough. Operating your own retail venture involves a multitude of skills: hiring staff, dealing with government compliance, keeping everybody safe and making sure you don't break one of the thousands of rules for your store, your franchise, your industry, your council, your state and your country.

So it's really important to consider this: the business doesn't run without you, so you need to replace yourself.

If you ever want to experience freedom in your business, you don't just need to delegate; you need to actively focus on replacing your activities with a skilled professional who can do the same things.

The funny thing is, when you do, you'll find that your replacement for say.... book keeping... does it faster and better than you - after all, it's their speciality.

As a business owner, you're probably a generalist - able to do everything. However if you can do everything OK, it makes sense to hire people who can do some things excellently.

Then you can take a holiday knowing that all the aspects of your business are taken care of. Some things require your physical presence, others don't. Book keeping can be done through elance.com or ymii.com with an outsourcer in India... Writing contracts, agreements, even your payroll can also be outsourced.

Other things, such as sales or merchandising, will require physical staff. For areas such as marketing, it might pay to outsource to an agency or a young graduate, whose fresh ideas will give your business a new lease on life.

Think about it!

Campaigning for success

This issue Ginger Trend Consulting for Mudpie reviewed some of the most standout and inspiring recent ad campaigns from Europe's luxury fashion houses. If you're looking for some creative inspiration, check out Eryn Behan's footwear advertising highlights.

Standout accessories from Louis Vuitton's spring/summer 10 collection are the dominating factor in the brand's new campaign, which features model Lara Stone. Like a magical cross between Bridgette Bardot and a dishevelled Alice in Wonderland, Stone poses in broken doll shapes on a mossy green grass background complete with fake doves.

With all the glamour of the 1950s and the aristocratic elegance of Claudia Schiffer in the style of Princess Grace of Monaco; Cristina Ortiz has gone out with a bang with her last ad campaign for Ferragamo. Classically elegant flowing scarves teamed with luxe python and, crocodile skin handbags shot by Mario Testino in beautiful Monte Carlo make for a truly decadent ad.

British model Ollie Edwards is shot by Josh Ollins and styled by Edward Enninful. Slick and every inch the Armani man, Edwards is pictured looking oh so dignified in profile, reclining in a beautifully cut grey suit with an oversized grey wool and, leather trimmed bag at his side.