Meandering through the ever extending Spirit section at Pure this month we were impressed to see all the new brands and companies taking the plunge and investing in stands there. The show really has grown in the last few seasons but as we looked closer we could see an overriding trend from new attendees. It appears as though when it comes to product or branding it really is a toss up between the two.
Impressive stands with insightful branding exuded an established feel to several labels, yet on closer inspection quality of garments lacked. On the flip side, new exciting brands with innovative designs, quality of fabrics, finishes and great back stories really had left branding to last, leaving them looking cheap and thrown together. We really wanted to just reach out to them and say “what are you doing?? Let me help you. Why are you spoiling your lovely product by photographing it on your friend in your back garden?? Have you heard of dpi? What the hell is that font??”
Sadly, the same exasperated feeling consumed us as we entered sub-show Label. The room boasted brands from across the sector and while it could well have been the answer to the lack of young branded shows in the UK, little thought had been given to the dressing of the room with stands looking mish mashed together. Maybe buyers can see past branding and experience and focus on product, either way there’s room for Label to fine tune and grow.
Across town new menswear show Stitch appeared to have a better handle on the overall feel of their show. Well thought out branding from both the show and exhibitors, it was a calmer and more aesthetic experience.
Even with tight budgets it seems to be an experimental time for both shows and exhibitors. Can we all really afford to neglect areas of our package or is it simply the case that designers aren’t marketers and vice-versa.
Does product win through at the end of the day? How important is a logo really? Do people buy into the full package or can you get away with one or the other?
Maybe we all need to take a long hard look at our offerings and start ticking all the boxes.
