News
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...starting to get excited! Launch -10
Had a fantastic few hours in the local Botanical gardens today and amused (may be bemused would be a better choice of word) the locals no end. Today was the day that we finally got to hold our photoshoot. As always this too was filled with drama, just to get the adrenal glands going. First cab off the rank, the photographer was delayed at the airport in Melbourne. No problem, every one was happy to delay half an hour. Just as the first victem - errrhm model was getting painted and beatuified I received a call stating that the third model wouldn't be able to make it. Panic call out - any one know a tall blonde, who can be here in 30 minutes... Luckily Michelle stepped up to the plate and we had our team of 3 back on board! Kerri Francis did a fantastic job on makeup and hair, turning the three out beautifully (her father is also into horses so it is, I think, an appropriate phrase:) ). First location was vetoed so we all jumped into cars and hit the botanical gardens where we set up change rooms and mountains of clothes. The heat and humidity added authenticity to the shoot - we all looked like we had run the city to surf after about 5 minutes. Lots of great photos capturing the fun and joyful mood I was hoping for thanks to the lovely Heather. My heartfelt appreciation to the awesome models, Rebecca, Moana and Michelle who posed like professionals and endured numerous poking and proddings. The garments had become old hat for me as I have been handling them so much but seeing them on people in a 'real life' situation made me appreciate them once again. I can't wait until the models get to see the photos and we get to release them on the website.
The first lot of garments (hoodies, bras, bike shorts, tops and leggings) should be ready for collection on Monday, yippee! The swimsuits are about a week away and we have more garments in the pipeline. It feels like we are really on the launch pad and ready to start the countdown!
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The ups and downs of getting things into production
The last two days have been a bit up and down - but as always interesting and challenging! I returned from NZ on saturday to find a text waiting for me telling me that one of my makers was getting out of the business so couldn't sew the garments we had booked in to start this week after all. I thought I had better phone the other maker to see that all was OK with him. Nope, he broke his leg at Christmas time and was just out of hospital. Luckily production is just running behind and not cancelled! Next stop the cutter who had promised to have all the garments ready to go, ummm well somehow we are 7m short of one of the fabrics, and he hasn't got the pattern for the 5th garment (oh no, neither have I - where is it???). The cutter had also said that he would ask around to see if he could find a replacement maker for me, this involved handing out the samples so that they could be quoted on. Oh no, there goes my photoshoot again.... Off to the maker with the 1 garment that is good to go. A large sigh of relief as I hand it over - first garment finally on its way. But oh no! I have forgotten to pick up the patterns and spec sheet from the cutter, and bring the sample with me so there isn't isn't any guide for the maker to work from and information on bindings to use. The smile fades. After kicking myself all the way back to the car paranoia sets in. Did the cutter deliberately not give me the pattern and spec sheet back because he has given everything out to be copied? am I being naive and an easy target because I don't really know the industry? did the man who took my samples to find an alternative maker have a hidden agenda? Deep breath, time to eat I think, blood sugars must be low as the imagination is running wild. A quick stop for lunch and then off to the printers. And here I get the high of the day. The swing tags are awesome, the stickers exactly as I imagined and the garment lables, well the colour is spot on and it all goes together so well. Total elation, and I am back on track. Yes, I have to make one or may be two trips back to the city this week but what the heck, it's going to be worth it! -
Great planning doesn't always pay off....
I left for the Christmas break thinking that I had everything organised - photo shoot first week back, models organised, hair and makeup organised, cut garments to take to the manufacturer, labels to pick up. How wrong could I be! Very:) The hint of potential trouble came from the label company. They phoned at 4.17pm on the Thursday as I was nearing Woodonga (6hrs from Sydney). "Your labels are ready for collection, we shut at 5pm today and wont reopen until the 9th." Even if I was in Sydney, I would never have got there by closing time! Oh no, I will be in NZ on the 9th and the garments can't be made without all the labels.. OK, contingency plan number1 coming up, if I get Lyn to pick up on the Monday and take to the maker then all will be OK. I just need to leave clear instructions and have all the other bits and bobs of packaging already so she can just drop it off. Problem solved. Next comes a text from the cutter. I'm having an extra week off and wont be able to get to the factory. I know you wanted to pick up this week but that wont be possible. OH NO! the things were the sample garments for the fashion shoot. Fashion shoot postponed, but organising another date? Not easy. I'm away, photographer is away, one of the models is away. This also means Lyn is now going to have to pick up the cut fabric and deliver. Thought I should just phoned the maker and check that production is right for the 10th and that my cunning plans re labels can swing into place. An unkown voice greets me at the makers.... Oh no, the main man at the makers broke his leg over Christmas and is in hospital so if I could delay it would be fantastic. I am sure that there is a reason for all these things happening - even if I can't figure it out right now! -
and it goes like this!
I've decided that if I ever make tons of money I am buying a helicopter. Our brand new car has over 1000kms already and it is only 5 days old! This weeks hunt was for the missing pattern piece (lost when our car got crashed into and all my patterns were in the boot), an elusive fabric (finally tracked down in Brisbane,) and a doctor who would tell me why I was acting like a drunk when I hadn't touched a drop of alcohol (delayed concusion and something to do with that inner ear balancer thing)!
The highlight had to be when 2 very tolerant friends tried on one of the tops (at different times obviously) that I had reworked with a lighter, funkier, fun fabric. Both looked just lovely - fresh, young and cheerful. They both loved the original top, but now have a dilema. So do I - do I go ahead with the new fabrics or stick with the old or go all out and make both? Choices, choices....
Getting together with Ruth is an expensive excercise. Not in terms of actual cost but where our imaginations take us. We both have to haul on the reins and get back to getting this first collection out before we start truely getting carried away. We have enough garments planned to last us well into the next decade:)
Another exciting event this week was the scheduling of production. First garments should be churned out on the 10th of January. The photographer is all lined up and ready to do her thing after Christmas. I so can't wait untill we start selling for real and people can get to try our range and start giving us feedback.
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ahhh, the learning curve....
Join me on the learning curve of creating a new brand from scratch! After numerous requests for larger size sports clothes in fashionble styles and colours in our retail store I thought I would take the plunge. We are always being chased by offshore companies to take some of their apparel so that is where I started. When the first samples turned up and I couldn't squeeze my body into a 2XL I got the hint that maybe off shore wasn't the way to go. Canvassing friends for some one who knew a bit about the trade resulted in lots of homework - and being told that I was definately starting behind the eight ball! Never one to shirk a challenge I found a patternmaker, a lovely lady who interviewed me to see if I was worth working for (no high heels and mini skirts allowed - just as well I had left those in the wardrobe that day). Off to the fabric guy. Learned a whole lot from him including the fact that over 80% of people that make samples never end up manufacturing. He wished me well though and was extremely helpful. Next on the agenda was a sample hand. Walking around the streets of Marickville frightening the locals by asking "Visa, visa" while searching for a garment maker of that name probably wasn't my smartest move. Over that hurdle and onto the next adventure.
First samples made and what a hit. An order for 10 bras from the 3 people that tried the sample bra on. YES! on the right track. But now to get them produced... First step, need a cutter.
There is a move afoot to bring back garment manufacturing to Australian shores. With turn around times of 4 weeks it is certainly attractive. Being able to speak directly with the person is also a great advantage. Cutter located, fabric ordered and production scheduled. Then it is on to labels and packaging. No-one told me it would be this complex - or that I would have to make so many decisions! What type of label do we want, where are they all to be placed... Language is definately a barrier in this case and it is back to the fabric manufacturer for assistance on care labels having thought I had every thing under control.
Well tomorrow is another day and will bring its own set of chances to learn and laugh :)