Although we haven't really had a chance to discuss the "story" behind the Lady Libertine label, i thought i would brainstorm some ideas so that we could tie in the marketing and possible store layout because everyone seemed to agree that we liked the idea of there being a story that the customer could connect with. So i have looked at the idea of Lady Libertine being a burlesque dancer who's shows always have a component of the lady libertine from the film and book 'Frank and I' - perhaps beginning the routine dressed in masculine clothing, transforming into a beautiful, elegant, exotic woman... She is strong, confident, glamorous - like film stars of the time, some burlesque dancers were considered just as famous and glamorous. Women admire her, men desire her!
Keeping this idea in mind we have discussed possible marketing ideas, including a flip-book created out of 
a set of polaroid images of Lady Libertine performing a burlesque show in black and white or colour, signed 'with love from lady Libertine'. It could also be a way to photograph the collection... As discussed we are also looking into a 'Lady Libertine Branding' exercise, that will essentially be us dressing up as Lady Libertine while out one evening, and having polaroids taken of us with men who have been branded with a Lady Libertine logo somewhere on their bodies! These would be compiled and put on the website, and also displayed as the cover lining of our S/S09 lookbook...
Some of the labels we have researched have also have their own retail stores so i looked into how they have decorated and designed their interior as well as display of garments and hanging. The most obvious one that came to mind was Chantal Thomass, who's store in Paris is heavily themed and co-ordinated. You can see in the images below that it has a very french provincial bodiour feel, in her colours pink and black. Other labels like Fifi Chachnil, or the Melbourne boutique Smitten Kitten have also taken on this bodiour influence creating a very intimate, glamorous, provocative mood. AP stores are also appear to be themed in a similar way, however, in true AP style they are a litte more erotic and remind me of the old 'red-light' districts!
a set of polaroid images of Lady Libertine performing a burlesque show in black and white or colour, signed 'with love from lady Libertine'. It could also be a way to photograph the collection... As discussed we are also looking into a 'Lady Libertine Branding' exercise, that will essentially be us dressing up as Lady Libertine while out one evening, and having polaroids taken of us with men who have been branded with a Lady Libertine logo somewhere on their bodies! These would be compiled and put on the website, and also displayed as the cover lining of our S/S09 lookbook...Some of the labels we have researched have also have their own retail stores so i looked into how they have decorated and designed their interior as well as display of garments and hanging. The most obvious one that came to mind was Chantal Thomass, who's store in Paris is heavily themed and co-ordinated. You can see in the images below that it has a very french provincial bodiour feel, in her colours pink and black. Other labels like Fifi Chachnil, or the Melbourne boutique Smitten Kitten have also taken on this bodiour influence creating a very intimate, glamorous, provocative mood. AP stores are also appear to be themed in a similar way, however, in true AP style they are a litte more erotic and remind me of the old 'red-light' districts!
So considering this research and trying to link in the story of lady Libertine i was looking at creating our retail store themed as backstage of an old theatre...the changeroom of Lady Libertine. Her dressing tables, cloth racks hanging with lingerie and silk stockings; mirrors framed with lights; chandeliers hanging from the roof; lay lounges padded in velvet; images/photographs of lady Libertine with many of her famous friends; bunches of flowers from her admirers; the changerooms draped with heavy velvet curtains like the stage... The colour scheme would of course depend on the final colour choice for the logo, but i can see lots of black, highlighted with nude pinks and peaches, and gold... So although the ideas are similar, it is a twist on the bodiour theme many labels we would consider our competitors have(?)...While discussing the retail store i thought i should also mention the discussion we had in Friday's studio class about price point. We considered the fact that we are an Australian label, competing with predominatly well established European and American labels. We also want to remain fairly exclusive with a reputation for qualtiy fabrication and production. We discussed the fact that we do not want to just choose the 'easy-way-out" by slotting into our competitor's price point, so decided that a way to make Lady Libertine a little different could be the choice to create a price point that is not as expensive as our competitors but still reflects the exclusivity of our work. (considering the finacial markets also, this seems a sensible idea!) I went and looked at some of the prices for competitor garments available here in Melbourne and most started bras started around $120.00 going up to anywhere around $395.00. As discussed on Friday, i think we have decided to try and keep our price point at $100-120.00 for a bra, up to $80.00 for a brief or suspender belt, clinchers and corsets starting at $200.00...(let me know what you all think about this!)
We also discussed briefly our ideas about our target market...so i have listed below the ideas/points that i had:
- female, around 27 years of age
- she knows where she is in life and where she is heading (she is self-aware)
- she is confident, aware, intelligent, elegant, sophisticated and sensual
- she enjoys spending time with her close friends - shopping, eating out and going out for drinks
- she likes to 'dress-up' - to look good, stylish, fashionable
- she is either single or with a partner
- she has an 'urban' lifestyle, possibly living in or very near the city
- she is financially independant - works; has a career
- she likes the way lingerie makes her feel; the confidence it gives her - she feels empowered, sensual, for her it is not about pleasing her partner but she does enjoy the pleasure he gets from it
- she desires lingerie (all her clothes) that reflects her elegance and sexuality; she desires quality fabrics and production that reflect sophistication and excentuate the beauty of her body; she likes stylish designs - reflecting to some degree the fashion trends of outer wear...
Finally, i have been thinking and brainstorming about the final theme in terms of a name...like Madeline blogged before me, the name is so important!! Considering the theme idea we had about incorporating the wrapping of line around the body; the layering and seaming that represents this; and the concept of being tied up; tying the body up...i have looked at words that represent this, linking them with the idea of creating a dream state - a reverie 9as mentioned by Madelaine also) I have just listed words and ideas below that we could possibly use:
reverie - dream; contemplation; muse; meditation; rever; daydream; preoccupation; detatchment
seams - bond; bound; union; coupling; connection; structure; closure
tie/tie up - enclose; enfold; cloak; bound; viel; shroud; restrain
"shrouded in your reverie" "bound to your reverie" "your muse, your reverie"
'a reverie cloaked in you"
-Joanna
Thank you all, you are using your blogs really well. Keep it up.
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