DUBAI FASHION NEWS PODCAST

Manal Waqi is by now a seasoned Popup organizer. Today she is going to share with us all you need to know about how to organize a popup, what works, what doesn´t, how to come up with a concept and what the process is like.

Hit Play to listen to Manal´s interview.

I met Manal a few years back as we started our editorial projects more or less at the same time. From the very beginning, I admired her determination and drive. She is always on the go. Her mind always thinking about what can be done next. And she is not alone… Her entire family is amazing and supports each other beautifully. Her online magazine is called The Amanqi Edit. You can check it out. I recommend it very much.

The Amanqi Edit´s focus is writing about the creative minds in the region, sharing their stories, putting them out there to be seen. Eventually Manal wanted to assist further by creating sales opportunities for those same designers she was helping promote. And so, she started organizing the popups.

Of course, everyone might have a different approach but Manal Waqi shared with us how she does it and how it works for her.

Manal popups take around 6 weeks to get organized. The months that worked better for her so far have been March and December. All this came with experimentation. Initially, they were just looking for convenient dates until one of their popups clashed with an Art Fair. Eventually, they made it work having a partnership with them.

Now she advises being more strategic, making sure there is not “too much” going on. Dubai is hectic and busy with many events, many of them being popups. Try to avoid saturated dates if possible.

Manal always organizes the Popups from Thursday to Saturday. Three days are the magic number here. One day popups are not enough and month-long popups don’t have the sense of urgency and end up being forgotten.

In the case of Manal popups, there is not any particular order. All has to be done and it gets tweaked if needed along the development of the event. To have a successful popup you will need to have:

As they already have experience and have developed good relationships with some venues and designers, there are certain things that it is easier for them.

Manal events are normally at the Culinary Boutique or at Society Cafe. Both in Jumeirah and really nice cafes with beautiful spaces and a cozy atmosphere. The popups of Manal are nicely decorated and don’t have booths or stalls that might stop the flow within the space. The idea is to make you feel like you are in a stylish boutique with easy access to everything and where you can mix and match clothes and accessories at leisure even if they belong to different brands.

She has also done Popups in London and Geneva and is considering adding Paris to the list. Europe is very different but they are hungry for the new. Middle Eastern designers bring a very interesting and fresh approach to fashion that is very well received.

Brands/ Designers

Designers come to Manal interested in the next Popup or she selects some of the designers she knows already. But she is open to having newcomers. Please feel free to send her an email and show your interest.

The Concept

You can play with different themes but it is important that all is coherent with the designers and product offering. It has to be suitable for the brands as otherwise, they won’t be joining for other popups. Some concepts are easier to develop like The Jewelry PopUp or the Ramadan Popup. Others require more creative work.

The only con might be the price but Manal tries to accommodate small designers with small budgets. The participation fee for her pop-ups is 800 USD for RTW and 500USD for accessories.

It has a lot of benefits for designers though, especially when starting. The most important one -even if underestimated- is that you get to know your customer. You get to see their reaction and ask what they like and what they don´t. On top of that, you get some sales and create awareness about your brand. The popups are marketed to press and buyers, so your next big contract might be starting at a popup. Of course, there is no guarantee of any of this happening. But you can rest assured, the team behind The Amanqi Edit tries their best and pushes as much as they can.

Popups will evolve into more sophisticated venues with added activities besides the shopping. Playing with the sensory elements, the experiential factor, the immersive experiences, gamification … all this that millennials love and I love too!

Now sit and relax and enjoy this podcast with Manal Waqi and learn how to organize a popup!

Dubai Fashion News claims no credit for any videos or images posted on this site unless stated otherwise. Information on this blog are copyright to their respectful owners. If there is any content appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please message me with a link to say which post and it will be promptly removed.

Then listen and learn with these other experts!

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We can not understand fashion nowadays without the online democratization that e-commerce and social media is bringing to all. This podcast is a gold mine if you are starting an e-commerce, especially if you are in the MENA region. No matter if you are in the fashion sector or in fitness, consultancy, or construction. You need a website and if possible an eshop. There is a lot of questions when it comes to payment gateways to be able to take payments online. So, we got Sirish Kumar, CEO from Telr to answer all of them. Telr is one of the sponsors of the podcast and is offering to all the readers and listeners a very special promo code. Keep on reading and listening to the interview to get all the details.

I met Sirish at some event at In5 where we are incubated. We started talking and I saw in him a visionary. The kind of people that has a very defined vision, lots and lots of patience, knowledge and rare-to-find leadership skills.

He started Telr after being CFO of Paypal, because there was a gap in the market that needed to be addressed. It was not easy but his laser focus on his clients and his wish to serve them the better he can, it is making a difference. Today Telr is one of the preferred online payment gateways. We use it for Goshopia.com and we can only complement the service we have received so far. Today Sirish shares with us some of his knowledge on e-commerce, and entrepreneurship.

Sirish advises checking these three main things when looking for the payment gateway. First, we should ask ourselves if we would want to use social media as an additional sales channel. Right now, social selling is getting bigger and bigger and it is possible to have a link that connects directly to the Telr checkout. This means expanding your reach to new levels.

Second, is security. You shouldn’t underestimate the impact of fraud in any given business. It can damage not only your numbers but also your reputation. Online shopping is very much linked to trust. If your page is not trustworthy, you are doomed. Telr is offering one feature called 3D Secure. It basically requests a confirmation number sent as a message to the phone linked to the bank account. Without that confirmation, the transaction will not go through.

The third key is innovation and keeping up to date. Plugins get updated and if linked to a payment gateway, it might give errors. Telr makes sure the integrations are seamless and updates constantly with the changes in partner plugins. Also, there are so many innovations when it comes to how to serve better your clients, that you need to have an eye for all that. Like the QR codes that allow for remote payments instead of cash on delivery.

The offer that Telr has for the readers and listeners, for the friends and family is fantastic. It is zero setup fees, zero monthly fees and only 2.5% per transaction. This rate applies to whatever transaction volume.

If there are no transactions within the first three months, then a monthly fee of AED99 will be applied from month 4th onwards, for each month without transactions.

This means huge savings for startups. So go ahead and use it, share it with your friends or friends of your friends. To avail it, it is very simple. You just have to go to their contact page here and send a message stating that you have the promo code FASHION. If you have any question related to the offer conditions or to related to any other thing that we can help you with ( we are good at Marketing, SEO, Social media, Content creation, Podcasting and Setting up a business in Dubai) please feel free to reach out. We are happy to help in whatever way we can. Our email is [email protected].

And now sit, relax and hit play to learn about e-commerce and how to get paid using online methods with our guest.

Dubai Fashion News claims no credit for any videos or images posted on this site unless stated otherwise. Information on this blog are copyright to their respectful owners. If there is any content appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please message me with a link to say which post and it will be promptly removed.

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I enjoyed so much this podcast that I think you are going to love it too. Today we speak about the pretty and the ugly emotions you might face when starting your own brand. Mohammed Rabi, the designer, and entrepreneur behind the brand The Letter will share with us his journey and how he manages not only to stay afloat but also to thrive.

Starting your business is not easy. It requires a lot of work and determination. Rejection, fear, frustration or even self-doubt hurts the entrepreneur. Much more if it is the creative brain behind the brand. We might even take it personally … At the end of the day, it is our baby and we are putting so much of ourselves in it. Mohammed Rabi is a successful designer opening up and sharing how he overcame all these emotions and kept his mind clear and focused to keep on working in his brand.

Mohammed is a reserved person, but once you start getting to know him, you see he has a really cool vision on life, work, family and also, success. Originally born and raised in Dubai, he studied Art Education in San Francisco. That, allowed him to venture and research into all sort of different ways of expression and creativity. Not only the traditional drawing and sculpture but also fashion and graphic design. Thanks to all the experimentation he found his passion and what he wanted to do.

His California period was amazing. After the initial culture shock, Mohammed Rabi got to know the locals and embrace the freedom and the essence of the place. There is something about it, that is simply put, COOL. Being Mohammed a total movie and pop culture lover, his inspiration started with leather jackets. You can read about this here as we did an article about his brand.

When it was time to come back to Dubai, he didn’t feel he would fit the 9 to 5 and started helping his sister with her bag business. That inspired him to actually start his own brand.

The Letter couldn’t have started any better. When they did launch the brand, sales started to come in immediately. It was something new and fresh in the market. It was a hit!

But Mohammed was already two steps ahead wondering… “ok, So now… How do I keep this consistent?”. Retail is now at his lowest, but at that time it was not so. Diversifying was suggested. And so, he started creating t-shirts that complement his offering and started developing other types of jackets.

He says it is better to start bit by bit and grow organically rather than his way. But one way or another you learn.

He produces his leather jackets in a very small factory in India. The workers there are super creative and skilled. They do the hand paintings over the jackets. Mohammed appreciates their talent very much and wants to keep on helping them by being loyal. “I found my other family here”.

A jacket needs 4- 5 days to be produced without any artwork. If there is artwork involved it can take up to 10 days. There is a lot of love and dedication in every piece.

Mohammed likes to play in his mind with different fictional characters and imagine what kind of jacket will they fancy more. It is a mental styling work that drives tons of inspiration! After inspiration, comes sketching, color scheme, testing, and sampling (different body types, different shapes,…). It is a long way from thought to reality, but it is worth every second.

Now, listen to the full interview. It is really full of insights and valuable information. Hit Play and Relax!

Dubai Fashion News claims no credit for any videos or images posted on this site unless stated otherwise. Information on this blog are copyright to their respectful owners. If there is any content appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please message me with a link to say which post and it will be promptly removed.

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In today´s podcast, you are going to learn everything about fashion buying with the creative consultant Adela Alonso. She has tons of years of experience doing precisely that not only in the Middle East but also in Europe and Asia.

If this is a career path you thought you would like to explore, don t miss all her tips and comments. She didn’t keep anything for herself. Listen to the podcast here!

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Initially, Adela studied fashion. She wanted to become a designer. When she started working, she realized she loved following up the whole process and so her interest in fashion buying increased. The jump was easy as she is very analytical, and she did it for many years in different continents. One year ago, she decided to start her own company in Dubai.

She found that designers don’t get enough business training at fashion schools. And business people ready to invest in the industry have no idea what will work and what won’t as they don’t understand the nitty and gritty of the sector.

Alonso & Alonso was born to bridge that gap and it is doing really well.

Most of the designers want to know how to get their collections in front of the buyers. They seem to be hiding and to be difficult to reach. Today you are going to learn what they are needing and how to get through to them.

Fashion buyers’ roles depend on the business model of the shops. Adela worked in Landmark and they have many brands and markets under their umbrella. They have teams of designers, buyers and factories and a very well-oiled work system. Other fashion buyers might be buying for multi-brand shops such as Debenhams, Galerie LaFayette, Bloomingdales, Robinsons or Harvey Nichols. In reality, designers and buyers need each other. You have to make sure that what you offer is right for the shop and their clients and send all the information they will need.

Adela explained to us the trilogy between the fashion buyer, the merchandise planner and the designer. They have to work in total synchrony to make sure the items designed, and produced are desired and bought by the clients. How the different departments work together in order to achieve good margins and benefits for the company.

If you are a designer, you might want to listen to the full interview to learn how to negotiate and leverage when dealing with factories among many other super juicy topics.

Check all the great tips that Adela shared with us in the podcast.

Play it here!

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Buyers are required to know about trends and what is working and what not. Therefore, they normally visit the shops, read trend reports and watch the street style evolution.

What do shops do when the items are not selling? If you have only one shop, you can put the items on sale and offer them discounted. Also, you can save them for later when the sales are on. Retail space is expensive, and you need to maximize it as much as you can.

If you have more than one shop, you can see where those items have been selling better and send them to that shop using what is called Reverse Logistics. Zara is very efficient in doing this and has a very small ratio of items not being sold.

If the items don’t get to be sold still, you can repurpose it by changing the color or adding some embellishment or something trendy.

If you want to get in touch with Adela Alonso, don’t hesitate to send her an email to [email protected] and check her website www.alonso-alonso.com.

Dubai Fashion News claims no credit for any videos or images posted on this site unless stated otherwise. Information on this blog are copyright to their respectful owners. If there is any content appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please message me with a link to say which post and it will be promptly removed.

Then for sure, you will also love our other podcasts!! Check some of our other episodes.

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Don´t miss your free content. This is a fashion masterclass! Hit play and enjoy!

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In today’s podcast, we interview Winde Rienstra. She is the mastermind behind some of the most daring shoe and clothing designs out there. You can see her pieces in museums and in celebrities like Lady Gaga or Selena Gomez. She uses cardboard, glass beads, wood, lego blocks, plastic… there are no limits to her creativity.

With Winde Rienstra we are going to learn about her creative process, her personal and professional journey and how to live out of unconventional fashion. Click play and enjoy!

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Today we are starting the third season of our Dubai Fashion News Podcast and we are really excited because this interview is different. We admire very much the people that decide to change the status quo of things, that challenge what is accepted and reinvent their own rules. Great couturiers are now remembered thanks to that daring attitude. Winde is sweet, shy, very observant, but it is a creative powerhouse.

Winde initially studied Arts to become a teacher to later realize that, in reality, she wanted to be a fashion designer. In love with art and architecture, she always managed to impress her teachers. Thanks to that, she went to Australia as an exchange student. She loved the freedom of that semester and one of her assignments got the eye of Australian Vogue and was featured. All this, even before she graduated.

Regarded as a very promising star in the Netherlands, she immediately started producing fashion shows after finishing her studies. For three years, she prepared every single detail of the shows, and created absolutely everything that would go on stage. Not only the clothes but also the shoes, the bags and all sort of accessories.

Now she doesn’t do this anymore. “It is a lot of work, for a 10-minute show. Great for publicity, but not necessarily for sales.” At that time in her life, she realized that her priority was to safeguard her creativity, even if that would mean having less money or less visibility. She remembers the energy of friends, family, and interns working together to produce a show, the adrenaline that comes with the applause, the fun…

She loves art, architecture, nature and the small things. That is why traveling is a great source of inspiration. Dubai and Oman are now part of that inspiration after this trip. Oh! Our desert did leave quite an impression on her memory.

The designer doesn’t think of a particular person or muse when creating. She follows the material and what it can be done with it, using the moulage -draping directly the materials over the mannequin- instead of sketching.

Food for thought: Excessive knowledge might hinder our creativity.

When it comes to the production, and due to all the different materials Winde uses, her studio was not enough. Sanding machines, laser cutters, 3d printers… are part of the utensils she needs to create her pieces. Her father is very good with his hands and helps her a lot in transferring her ideas into the real world. It is an amazing team. We could say that the family that creates together, stays together!

Most probably you will work with their stylists, not with the celebrities themselves. Celebrities help put her name out there and it is great to get more people knowing what she is doing. “If only we could work with some more time”, says Winde. “Normally they come with very little time in advance. And because everything needs to be custom made, sometimes we end up running”.

Winde Rienstra has done already Opera-yep! the Madame Butterfly outfits. And she would love to be able to work on films. Taking into account her unique vision and talent, I am sure that is something to be happening very soon. I can see her dressing Khalessi and all the Star Wars cast!

Being so futuristic her designs, this is a recurrent question for sure and she is very clear. “we need to have biodegradable clothes, recycle and be less wasteful. This is the reason why I am distancing myself from the fashion industry. It is not sustainable.”

To the question what would you advise any student that is considering to do unconventional fashion? She replies, “Stay true to who you are, find your own creative way and choose whatever feels good to you”.

I think is such good advice, that we should all take it.

Listen to the full interview here!

Dubai Fashion News claims no credit for any videos or images posted on this site unless stated otherwise. Information on this blog are copyright to their respectful owners. If there is any content appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please message me with a link to say which post and it will be promptly removed.

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Modest fashion is a trending topic not only in the region but everywhere. Today we will speak about modest fashion with Alia Khan, president, and founder of IFDC which stands for Islamic Fashion & Design Council. She is also going to share her journey creating the council and how they are helping designers and other industry players succeed.

Have a listen to the interview here.

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Originally from Pakistan, Alia Khan grew up in California. She moved to Dubai in 2005 to be closer to her family. At that time, she had a media company that created content for huge companies like Procter & Gamble. You can tell she knows how to express her thoughts and ideas when listening to her in the interview!

IFDC is not a religious body so the criterium is not something they will impose on anybody. Alia Khan explains that it is a matter of personal interpretation but there are some general guidelines.

• Clothes that are not too revealing

Probably the most controversial piece of modest dressing, the hijab is more than just a piece of cloth. Alia shares with us what is behind it. “Not everybody is ready to follow it and they are many different ways to wear a hijab”.

Hijab means partition, veil, something that protects you from something… in this case, evil. But they are many different hijabs.

I must admit that this romantic way to explain what the hijab is, resonates more with me. Of course, in the podcast, we spoke about how the hijab is seen in other places as something imposed. Not a choice. IFDC is trying to change the narrative. Hijab is a personal choice and it doesn’t necessary correlates with any sort of repression. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but to focus on the exceptions is what is damaging how everyone else wearing a hijab is perceived.

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The event that took place at City Walk took Alia and her team good 10 months to put together.

“It took this long because it was the first event we were doing and because we wanted to do something original and never seen before”.

And so, they did! The catwalk didn’t have models, but rather projections of each and every designer showcasing. This way not only the clothes but also the vibe and energy, the story or the inspiration were part of the experience. 15 LED screens, water screens, and around 20-25 projectors did the job. Not sure if it was easier than having the models doing the walk but definitely it was a different and unique concept, we might see more of.

The sponsors seemed to be very happy and IFDC managed to get more sponsors interested in participating in the coming events.

The Islamic Fashion & Design Council is offering mentorship, education, and quality events where all the industry players come together. Alia explained to us what makes them different from Arab Fashion Council or from DDFC (Dubai Design & Fashion Council). Arab Fashion Council is interested in the region as such, not particularly in modest fashion designers. DDFC is focused on talent growing and being developed in Dubai, especially locals and again not necessarily focusing only on modest fashion designers. The gap is where IFDC sits and rules.

I asked Alia why then maybe not call the council Modest Fashion Council and she explains. “Modest as a concept is difficult to define. It is subjective. What is considered modest in California is not the same as in this region. So as a term, it was not global enough. I decided to call it Islamic because the primary market of modest fashion is being driven by the growing Muslim population and they are driven by the Islamic guidelines for fashion”.

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If you want to join the council, it is free to do it for now. In the future, there will be some tiered programs with benefits for members.

Alia Khan, for example, is working to put together some pop-up schools where fashion professionals would come, teach and share their experiences. She is aiming really high to top designers like Dolce & Gabbana. Why pop up schools? Because we barely have time, especially if you consider taking a full year away from your brand and because it will be a very practical approach, hands-on learning. Also, because like this, it will give her the possibility to cater to the different destinations depending on the needs.

Of course, Malaysia has been there for quite some time, and they have an amazing market. Similarly, we find the UAE and the rest of the Gulf States. But according to Alia, the really interesting upcoming markets for modest fashion are Pakistan, Italy (with a growing population of Muslims and an already stable Catholic crowd) and Australia. Who would have thought!

If you want to learn more from IFDC or Alia, check the website or send her an email. But before, relax, get your headphones, and listen to this super interesting interview from Dubai Fashion News Podcast.

Also, if you like it, PLEASE give the podcast your 5-star rating on iTunes. It helps rank the podcast higher, get more visibility and it gives me a hint that the content that I create for you, it is useful and fun for you.

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This podcast episode I know you are going to love! We interviewed Shahd Alasaly from Blue Meets Blue. This brand is making a difference in the world, one stitch at a time. Blue Meets Blue hires female refugees that come to the US running away from war-torn areas like Syria. They help them integrate by having a job they can be proud of and becoming part of a team with an inspiring mission. Help each other, work together and make beautiful garments.

The name brings an image to our minds once Shahd explained to us what is behind. When refugees have to flee their countries often they have to cross the Mediterranean Sea where the blue of the sky meets the blue of the sea. It is a journey to freedom and to hope but is full of uncertainty and fears. Will we reach the other side? What is going to happen to us and our families?

This fashion label started in 2015 in Chicago and they are everything about ethical, humanitarian and slow fashion. Where fashion meets Humanitarianism is their motto.

We met Shahd at the event called Pret-a- Cover organized by the Islamic Fashion and Design Council. In the US, the ethical fashion movement is taking momentum. People are happy to help the cause while at the same time they are getting a beautiful garment.

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Initially, Shahd studied International Psychology and her thesis was about How to assist the refugees to integrate and be happy. As you can imagine, being able to find a job is critical in the process. It gives them a sense of dignity and belonging, allows them to provide for their families and also allows them to meet people and start having friends.

She learned from her grandmother how to sew when she was a child. Later, she took courses in fashion when she felt this was the right way to go and to help. Blue Meets Blue was about to be born.

At Blue Meets Blue you can find refugees from different areas around the world. It is a bit of a Babel Tower. Shahd explained to us how they are coping with it. As they normally come through a relocation agency, they help them with classes. At the atelier, they have to use English to communicate and that makes them start using the language faster. There is a feeling of real community and everyone help each other.

Blue Meets Blue is produced 100% in the US and they only use high-quality fabrics. They are proud to say that they pay fairly good salaries to their employees. Of course, all this impacts their bottom line. They are a luxury high-end ethical fashion label and their price is in the range.

We asked how the story behind helps Blue Meets Blue getting more sales. Shahd is very honest. “If you have a beautiful story but your product is not good, people will not buy it. That is why we focus very much on having an excellent product”.

Some brands are using the terms “ethical” wrongly and sometimes this leads to certain mistrust. But once they know your story and they get to know you, they are able to see through.

If you are considering shifting to ethical fashion, Shahd recommends to do it for the right reasons and not because of potential sales. Do it because it is what feels right and it is the right thing to do.

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Trump election was a shock to many of us. The messages of isolationism and America for the Americans had a response in many cities. Chicago, in particular, is a sanctuary city. With Trump in power, there are a lot of people that realized that the message of hate was not for them. And as Shahd relates “It happened just the opposite… People were reaching out, offering themselves to help in whatever way they could…” In my very personal opinion, this is what makes America Great again Mr. Trump.

When it comes to migration laws, the US has restricted some countries in the region. They fear terrorism. Shahd says that Homeland Security statistics show that no acts of terrorism were done by refugees. They have a very strict vetoed process, so it is not easy to enter as a refugee. Education will be key to promote peace, tolerance, and acceptance.

Maybe our world is moving too fast, maybe we don’t care as much, maybe we got used to having far too many clothes without questioning why they were so cheap. After Rana Plaza and some other disasters involving fast fashion titans, the world saw there was an issue. We are so disconnected from one another. The supply chain is so long, and it has so many intermediaries that designers might not even know who is producing their fabrics or sewing their clothes. They might not know who is at the end of the chain, where or what conditions they live in, work or how much they get in their salary slips.

This is where fast fashion supply chains fall in order to keep very low prices. Slow fashion is a rising movement that cares for the many faces involved in the process, that prefers local production, that wants everyone to have a good well-paid job, that wants to educate us that things- especially good things- need their time to be created.

Blue meets Blue is part of this philosophy. Care is inherent in their every process.

Shahd mentions the docu-movie called The True Cost. Check it out here.

If you want to get in touch with Shahd, find more information about Blue Meets Blue. Check their website and their Instagram and Facebook.

Now time to listen to this amazing interview. Put the headphones on and hit play!

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DFN PODCAST: HOW TO BUILD YOUR FASHION BRAND WITH MAIRE MORRIS

Maire is coming very soon to Dubai to teach her masterclass. Join her at CFD and learn everything from one of the best and most reputable fashion consultants in Europe. Check their link here.

DFN PODCAST: HOW TO HAVE IMPECCABLE VISUALS FOR YOUR FASHION BRAND.

DFN PODCAST: WALK THIS WAY WITH SILVIA LAGO SHOES

OR

DFN PODCAST WITH DINA MELWANI AND HOW TO GROW YOUR FASHION BRAND INTERNATIONALLY

The post DFN PODCAST: BLUE MEETS BLUE – FASHION MEETS HUMANITARIANISM appeared first on Dubai Fashion News.

We have seen drones recording some catwalks and even recently Dolce & Gabbana used them as “models” to show their latest it-bag… But what is the future of visuals? How can we use the technology that is coming to promote our brands? We asked Fouad Choufany, the CEO, and entrepreneur that turned a passion into a profitable business and that thanks to that is helping NGO´s around the world.

In this podcast, we wanted to shed some light over the visual part of fashion. Visuals, whether photos or videos are key in this industry. It is not possible to sell a collection without them. You basically can not go around with bad pictures. Instagram, probably the most visual of all social media -together with Pinterest- need to have good images and now video is becoming the king.

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Fouad started in this business 17 years ago. In reality, it was a family business and he took over and reinvented it by following what their clients were requesting. His company is called Inspiration Group. A very good name considering that you want to inspire and get inspired! Photography has been lately complemented- if not replaced- with video. TV, YouTube, and the many social media that are allowing videos now are turning videos a need in the Marketing strategies of brands of any given sector. In the fashion sector, it is almost compulsory due to the natural visual component of it.

So, Fouad shifted from photography into video production and now also uses drones to record takes and views that otherwise will be impossible. You have to be ahead of the competition. – he says.

Every country has specific regulations when it comes to the use of drones. Depending on the location you might need permissions from the army, civil aviation, or the municipality. When you are recording indoors, the venue has to allow it. For example, at the last Arab Fashion Week Fouad flew his drone and he had the authorization and the request of the Meydan Hotel. Mind you, to do this you have to be extremely skilled. You will be recording the catwalk, considering beams, lights, props, columns, and people.  In some countries and because of safety reasons, it is not allowed to fly over people.

Check the video they did for Arab Fashion Week here.

The truth is that we love the overhead shots whether with the drone over a never-ending landscape or over a kitchen counter (like tasty.com).

Fouad Choufany told us about other pieces of equipment that make the recording, angles, or perception special and unique. Like the spider cam-used in soccer matches already, or the robot cam or the very much talked about virtual reality. Virtual reality happens thanks to a 360-degree film equipment. It is expensive to buy but, it is possible to rent for particular projects that might require it.

For catwalks, the minimum would be to have a tripod and a camera. It is very important for the photographers to liaise with the event managers and see the available light and space before starting shooting. So, if you are organizing a fashion event make sure you have the advice of the photographers and videographers to make the event a success after the event has finished.

The next step after the tripod and the camera would be to set up what is called a track cam or an A-B camera. A wire that will go parallel to the catwalk and that would be controlled by two people. One recording and managing the angle and the other controlling the camera to go at the same pace when the models start their walk.

For beauty videos, the light is extremely important. You have to use soft lighting and the camera needs to be able to do close-ups in a gentle manner, with soft transitions. That means you will need special lenses. As videos are costly to “photoshop” it is much better to have everything as desired from the very beginning.

Fouad Choufany worked as Segment Director for a while, so he knows quite a lot about how TV programs are produced. Still, his focus is tv commercials, promotional films, and corporate movies. You need to work on the message, the story, create a storyboard, the shot list, organize the location and what each camera and each actor will do at every moment. It is challenging, but to him it is fun.

He works with clients that come through agencies and have all this already prepared and clients that need a bit more guidance as they are coming directly with their raw ideas to him. Inspiration Group has different profiles depending on what the movie will be requiring.

If you want to know more about Fouad Choufany or his company check their website here.

Check the link to Maire Morris podcast and avail the amazing early bird discount she is offering now. Her Masterclass is going to be awesome! I joined already and so should you!

And also don’t forget to JOIN the ongoing COMPETITION with Osseyan. You have all the details here!

Are you curious about how Dolce & Gabbana used drones as models? Check the video here.

The post DFN PODCAST: HOW TO HAVE IMPECCABLE VISUALS FOR YOUR FASHION BRAND WITH FOUAD CHOUFANY appeared first on Dubai Fashion News.

We are thrilled to start the new season of Dubai Fashion News Podcast. In this first episode, you will be learning how to build your fashion brand with fashion consultant Maire Morris.

In fact, Maire Morris is coming back to Dubai to deliver a 2-day masterclass at D3 the 2nd and 3rd of November about precisely that. The podcast we recorded it when she came here for the first time to deliver her masterclass back in May. I am very excited to have her back! Why? Because she was simply awesome.

She has over 15 years of experience working in the fashion industry in different roles. Initially a fashion designer, she struggled to start her first brand. That helped her develop skills and knowledge in fashion buying, merchandising, and branding. Maire is an expert when it comes to sourcing and manufacturing too. She created her eponymous company: Morris Fashion Consultancy and started helping local and international brands. She soon realized that there was still a gap in fashion education and that there is a real need to reinforce and link creativity and business. Hence her masterclass was born.

Sit down now and hit the play button to enjoy the full interview.

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According to Maire, the first thing designers need to do is plan their business and plan their product range. This is critical even if it is meant to change multiple times. The exercise of creating your business plan will allow you to think ahead and strengthen weaknesses your business might have.

In the business plan, you will cover market research, define your brand identity, make sure you have a financial plan so that you don’t run out of money before starting, develop your marketing and sales strategies, plan your inputs and where you would be sourcing them, etc.

We asked Maire how we can attract investors when we are barely starting or even when we are just a project. She advises preparing a very strong Business plan with very good financials. The only way to get investors at the very early stage is to convince them of the potentiality. Most of the fashion brands though start with bootstrapped funds. And having business partners is not easy either. You need to find the right fit for you and for your business. Someone that brings something you don’t have to the table. Finding a complementary profile to yours and making sure he/she is able to respect the division of tasks and is someone you can trust blindly.

This is a nightmare for most fashion start-ups. Maire recommends working hard on the initial product development plan. Thanks to that you will have an idea of what you will require to produce your product range: meters of textiles, cost of fabric, labor, set up, suppliers, shipping etc. Based on that you can start creating the samples. With those samples, you can approach the buyers. When the buyers are ready to sign a contract, then is when you can go ahead and mass produce.

MOQ or minimum order quantities is one of the many obstacles small fashion brands face. Maire Morris recommends looking for production partners and pay the surcharge fee they might be requesting. It is important to know the surcharge fee if any, as you need to add it to your costs and it will affect the final pricing or your margin.

When looking for suppliers, whether local or overseas, she advises to always visit their factories. Be attentive to potential red flags as poor communication, unethical behavior or disorganization and keep an eye open at any given time.

The keyword when selecting a supplier must be “reliability”, not price, or name… It might be a costly mistake.

When sharing your designs to get the initial quotes, you can have the suppliers sign a Confidentiality agreement. That way if the suppliers breach the contract the designers can have a legal case. Copyright takes long and in the fast-paced fashion industry, it will put you out of business. It would only make sense if your product or idea is revolutionary or very innovative.

She advises though to always trademark the logo. That is what gets copied all the time if the company gets well-known.

Part of the business plan is the pricing structure. It is very important to get all the factors added as the result will be your cost of producing: your base. To that, you can add your margin.

If you don’t have all this under control you might be working a lot and not covering your own costs.

Part of the initial business plan. Your product, your colors, your logos, your packaging, your website … all that is part of your brand identity and it is critical. At the end of the day, it reflects on how your brand is perceived by your target market. That is why it is very important to define who your target market is because it is your starting point.

We asked Maire Morris how we can make our brands stand out in such a saturated market. She says that the trend now is to envelop the brand within the lifestyle where it belongs. Branding is now immersive. Share the lifestyle of your product, look for images that recall the product. There is always an aspirational factor, so make your product desirable, appealing and very importantly authentic.

Social media is a good way to start but be selective. Concentrate on one or two -make sure your target market likes the social media networks you choose.

Buyers are extremely busy, and they have lots of lookbooks and people looking for them. If you want to be able to access them, go through the right channels and be professional. Have a strong lookbook and send it on time and always do follow up. Of course, don’t shot to every store on the planet. Check fist that the store they represent is a place where your product will sit nicely- in shape, price, target market, demographics etc.

Be aware that stores might have terms and conditions that might impact your financials (payments in 90 or 120 days, or absence of deposit for example). Are you able to do business with those terms? It is a question you better address without delay when negotiating with them. At the end of the day, look for win-win solutions to be fair on both sides.

Maire Morris will go step by step in her two-day masterclass. The seats are limited as it is a very practical hands-on masterclass. If you want to get in touch with Maire, you can email her here.

Date: Nov 2nd- 3rd 2018

Place: D3

Price: 2.990 Dhs is the full price. But if you book before the 15th of September, you will enjoy a huge discount. The early bird price is 1.695 Dhs.

If you want to have more information or if you want to join the masterclass, click here.

NOW hit the play button and listen to the full interview. Maire is a great communicator and she explained it all beautifully!

https://dubaifashionnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/DUBAI-FASHION-NEWS-PODCAST-19-HOW-TO-BUILD-YOUR-FASHION-BRAND-WITH-MAIRE-MORRIS.mp3

Then you are a podcast lover or a fashion professional! Check out these other articles, we think you will like them.

DFN PODCAST: WALK THIS WAY WITH SILVIA LAGO SHOES

DFN PODCAST ABOUT WHAT IS VEGAN FASHION AND HOW TO LAUNCH AN ECOMMERCE

or

DFN PODCAST: WITH TAMARA HOSTAL FROM ESMOD DUBAI. DO YOU WANT TO STUDY FASHION?

DFN PODCAST WITH TOBY MEADOWS- INSIGHTS FROM A FASHION CONSULTANT

I am very proud you read the article until the end, but if you didn’t listen to the audio as yet, now it is the right time to do it.

The post DFN PODCAST: HOW TO BUILD YOUR FASHION BRAND WITH MAIRE MORRIS appeared first on Dubai Fashion News.

We met Silvia Lago at the past Arab Fashion Week. Her exquisite shoes speak loud about femininity and confidence, but also about fun and cuteness.

What was a surprise was everything else behind those pretty shoes. The comfort, the amount of time and care put into every little detail to make them shoes you want to wear all the time.

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Silvia wants all women to feel beautiful and empowered while wearing heels, and if your feet are hurting it is not something easy to achieve. That is why she took the mission of making heels comfortable for all of us. And we thank her for that!

In today´s podcast, Silvia Lago will tell us about her journey and why innovation is so important for her and her brand.

“Innovation is part of the DNA of my brand”

Not every designer decides to invest in innovation. Shoes are particularly complex and that adds costs and time to the equation. But innovation is a necessity of our fast-paced times, a way to differentiate yourself. For Silvia, it is a bit more than that… She just wants us pampered.

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Silvia Lago studied Business Management and soon she realized that there was an unattended niche: for luxury and comfortable shoes. The dichotomy was either to wear ugly (or not so pretty, let’s be diplomatic) shoes and have comfort, or have beautiful shoes that you just want to get rid of because they are killing your feet.

She studied shoemaking and got on board scientists and engineers to help her shape what today is called the LagosFit.

In the podcast, she explains all the details of the LagosFit. But what I can tell you is that if you try one of her shoes, you will instantly understand. It feels like the shoe is hugging your feet.

There are cushions to protect the ball of the feet. Also, the heels are shock-absorbent, so your knees are not suffering. The inner lining has soft leather that has an antibacterial treatment. The shoe is well-balanced, meaning that the weight is distributed evenly.

Easier to say that to do. It took 3 years of research and many trials, errors, and adjustments. The good thing is that Silvia Lago was the first one to try and test and she is not easy to please. Her determination and passion are what drives her high level of demand.

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Silvia is now back in Dubai to do the launch of her latest collection. We couldn’t miss it and there we went to the Five Palm Hotel. A gorgeous hotel with amazing views and a breathtaking architecture.

“Divas” is the name of the new collection. The inspiration behind it is the timeless elegance of the divas in the 40´s and 50´s. Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly… they became fashion icons and their style is always in vogue no matter the years.

These shoes are so elegant and so beautiful, that I am pretty sure the divas would have loved them. They come in vibrant colors: yellow, baby blue, shades of pink, fuchsia, green, and of course, red, off-white, and black.

Her shoes use Italian leather and Swarovski crystals. She chose to produce them in the Alicante area- in Spain- where traditional shoemaking passed from generation to generation for centuries. The best shoes and bags are done there and in the Ubrique area (in Andalucia).

Magic happens in the hands of these artisans and many Dubai Mall luxury brands know it and also produce there. The final result is a shoe that will take you to places… Beautifully and comfortably.

If you want to get in touch with her. Check her website, her Instagram, her Facebook page or send her an email.

Then, check these ones too.

Not sure if you listen to our podcast directly from the computer or from iTunes on the phone but it is time to sit and relax. Get your headphones on, and enjoy the great interview with shoe designer Silvia Lago. Just hit Play.

The post DFN PODCAST: WALK THIS WAY WITH SILVIA LAGO SHOES appeared first on Dubai Fashion News.