Tanya TheBerge is one of those fashion designers with an inspiring story, a fantastic background and a great product. A well known bikini designer for fitness competitions, we are thrilled to see her début collection at fashion Art Toronto (F.A.T.) this spring. But we will let you read her story from her own words, and don’t forget you can support her Indiegogo campaign with as little as $25.
Luevo: What is your favorite part about being a designer?
Tanya: My favourite thing about being a designer is that it encompasses so many different art forms in one. From illustrations, sculpture, tailoring, embroidery, textile design, conceptual collections and countless other forms of multi-media. The limits really are endless.
Luevo: What obstacles did you have to overcome to get to where you are today?
Tanya: Everyday comes with its challenges when you are a mother of two, entrepreneur and emerging designer but I believe it’s more important to focus on the positive. Although, some challenges I’ve had are seeking credibility without the possession of a degree from a prestigious fashion school, having to take care of and support a family of four while creating my collection with limited/no funding available to emerging designers in Ontario/Canada. I’m trying to overcome the challenges associated with an industry that is designed for the privileged to succeed.
Luevo: What advice do you have for young designers?
Tanya: My advice for young designers is to see the silver lining in every situation because it is from the bad experiences that we often times learn the most. Complete tasks fully, stay focused and be self analytical so that you are able to produce work that is authentic to who you are. Expect to have to work hard and then work even harder.
Luevo: Why crowdfunding?
Tanya: I decided to do crowdfunding because there is no financial assistance for fashion designers in Ontario. The costs of producing a collection, brand, label and campaign can be astronomical. I also liked Indiegogo’s feature of giving back to contributors. As a proud person, asking people for money is not something I’ve ever felt comfortable with but being able to give a piece of the collection and gathering my supporters together has been a great experience.
Luevo: What are you top tips for a designer going the crowdfunding path?
Tanya: My three top tips for designers looking to do a crowdfunding campaign. 1) Hire a consultant!! I worked with Ana from Luevo, and without her guidance, support and knowledge we would not have been able to launch a campaign that we can be proud of. She kept us on track and was an abundant source of information and knowledge. 2) The majority of the work is done before the launch so focus on making real connections with people who can make a difference 3) get used to everyone tell you “You should do this… You should do that…” and do the best you can.
Luevo: Let’s talk about your brand. Who is LaFemme Theberge?
Tanya: LaFemme Theberge is an artist who exists with a rebellious heart. La Femme Theberge is about taking the adventurous route, the route less travelled in order to discover new ways of being and thinking. La Femme Theberge is a rule breaker and innovator.
Luevo: Finally, where do you see the brand in the future?
Tanya: I see the brand growing to be recognized for producing unique and artistic red carpet pieces and being curated for art exhibitions worldwide.
Make sure you follow Tanya’s journey on Twitter and Instagram. You can connect with Tanya via her website, and you can always show your support by sharing her crowdfunding campaign with your friends.
https://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Tanya-Theberge.png667500Ana Carahttp://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/luevo-logo-2x.pngAna Cara2016-02-08 11:58:152016-02-08 12:13:40LaFemme TheBerge Crowdfunding for the Fashion Art Toronto Show
Over the last year we’ve seen hundreds of applications from eager independent fashion designers who want to take their brand to the next level, with a little help from crowdfunding. So,what is crowdfunding? Simply put, today, crowdfunding means raising money from different individuals through an online portal.
There are three types of crowdfunding: donation based crowdfunding, when the project owner gets “donations” for his or her cause; reward based crowdfunding, when the project owner provides different rewards to backers for their monetary support; and there is equity based crowdfunding, when the project owner gives away equity in return for money.
Luevo’s crowdfunding platform is product-based, very similar to the reward based crowdfunding model. On our platform, fashion designers use their product as a reward, so those interested in supporting a brand they can do it by pre-purchasing a product. It is the basis of pretail and the future of fashion.
With so many choices and success stories, crowdfunding is an easy way of raising money, right? Wrong. Crowdfunding like any other type of fund raising has its challenges. More so, studies show that fashion based projects have a lower than average success rate (for example, on Kickstarter – the largest crowdfunding platform the average success rate is about 40%, however fashion projects have success rate of approximately 25%)
I feel it is my duty to give you some insights into the challenges of creating a successful fashion crowdfunding campaign, and in a future article I’ll go over best practices and hacks you can use as a fashion project owner.
1. Time.
Project owners underestimate the amount of time they need to put into building a successful campaign. I sometimes get the very eager fashion designer asking me “I want to use your platform, how soon can I login and use it?” Well, like with any other platform, designers can use our system any time. However, my answer always includes a reminder that they should spend at least 2 months preparing for the campaign.
And this is the first challenge: taking time away from your day-to-day business in order to plan, create and monitor your crowdfunding campaign. And once the campaign is over, you are not done yet! Hopefully you’ve been successful and now it’s time to prepare those rewards for your backers.
2. Money.
Funny enough, you need money to make more money. You will need money for marketing, PR, and even for creating the rewards, packaging and shipping. Most often, packaging seems to be an overlooked expense that you will encounter. You will also need to set aside a budget for the campaign itself: you will need good photography (especially if you are using your products as rewards), a video and you even might need help from a copy writer. All of these cost money.
3. Rewards
Creating the actual rewards can be a challenge, especially for fashion designers. The most successful campaigns on Kickstarter are those that have”affordable” reward levels, like gaming projects. Gaming project owners can ask for small amounts in return for early access to the game or other features. This is easily achievable for digital projects but not as much for physical product companies, like fashion brands.
So the challenge to overcome here is to find the right suppliers and manufacturers, lower your production costs, and give discounts to your initial buyers in a crowdfunding campaigns.
I know this last point will not sit well with most designers. But you have to think of a crowdfunding campaign like any other marketing campaign. The highest cost to pay is to gain a new customer, but once you do gain them, your goal is to sell them again, and again (cheaper to retain than acquire customers).
With a crowdfunding campaign, you not only gain new customers, but you gain PR, advocacy, word of mouth marketing and support and so much more. You will gain brand ambassadors that will advocate for you and support you in your venture’s future. So yes, while there are challenges, the rewards are much greater, and a crowdfunding campaign should be seen as only a part of your ongoing branding and marketing efforts.
If you enjoyed this article, check out our crowdfunding e-book, 77 pages full of templates, workbooks and step by step instructions on how to build a successful crowdfunding campaign on any platform.
When you ask emerging fashion designers about the start of their careers, their stories are very similar. They range from getting an early start during youth to being discovered after pursuing a fashion design education. During this interview, I want to share a different story. I want to introduce to Jahi’ Fitzgerald of the label of Evoli by Jahi’. His story includes its share of accomplishments, setbacks and inspiration from his family. By the end of this piece I hope emerging designers and readers get inspired to continue to pursue their dreams despite being faced with potential obstacles.
Me: Let’s begin by letting readers know a little more about your fashion brand.
Jahi Fitzgerald: EVOLI, the brand, is about elegance, class, style and longevity. It’s about how a woman expresses herself. My desire is to present women with timeless pieces that can be worn for years to come. EVOLI, the name is about vision, dreams, hopes and desires. It’s about love, family and my desire to create a legacy for my family. EVOLI is ILOVE spelled backwards and it encompasses the initials of my 4 sisters and my mom. The placement of each initial has a significant meaning as well:
E – Evelyn
V – Vivian
O – Olivia
L – Lillie (mom)
I – Ida
EVOLI is not just a one-dimensional brand! The meaning and style of EVOLI is multifaceted and I intend to share it with the world.
Me: What inspired you to become a fashion designer?
Jahi Fitzgerald: I’ve always loved fashion. I can remember as a little boy back in my neighborhood, watching my sisters get dressed and how they would pass each other different garments to try on with other garments. They would try new things and come up with something that none of their friends would be wearing. I could honestly create collections from the things I saw on my own block. Everybody had a sense of style back in that neighborhood.
Designing is like breathing to me…literally and figuratively.
Me: Does EVOLI have a signature look, specific style or etc.?
Jahi Fitzgerald: I’ve thought about that myself. I would say, I’m big on details, buttons, sleeves and linings. My favorite eras are the 1930’s and 1940’s. I used to jokingly say that I was alive during those times.
Me: You used crowd funding to finance your upcoming Spring collection. What made you decide to pursue this method? Jahi Fitzgerald: I wrestled with the crowd-funding idea for 3 years. I couldn’t decide which group to go with or what I would ask for. It felt weird to ask for money. Although, I had no investors and no major money to invest myself, something had to be done. I didn’t want to sit out another season without being involved. I had 3 friends who talked me into going this route and they pushed me to ask for the amounts that I did. As I said before, designing is like “breathing” for me. I finally decided to do it, and I thought of how I could give back. On the Go Fund Me campaign, I offer gifts back to all those who donate, but what I’ve also done is created some t-shirts that will be for sale soon, which will benefit two separate charitable organizations.
Me: Evoli has showcased at several fashion weeks. You also designed a 60th birthday gown for singer Chaka Khan. What would you say is your favorite moment & why?
Jahi Fitzgerald: I’ve showcased at NY Fashion Week (EMERGE Fashion Show), Presidential Inaugural Fashion Show in DC and in Connecticut with my first fashion show. I’ve also been featured on ABC Ch8 – CT Style. I have to say, the Chaka Khan opportunity was awesome. I think I was in another body when I did that. I still think about that night. Chaka Khan is an amazing person and was the first celebrated person I’ve had the pleasure of dressing. The favorite moment for me was when a coworker looked across my desk and saw one of my sketches – she wrote a check based on a sketch. She inspired me to do something I would never have imagined – “live my dream”!
Me: What advice would give to a fellow emerging designer from your experience so far? Jahi Fitzgerald: I’m still learning myself and not sure how much I can influence anyone. I’d say, if designing is what’s in your heart of hearts, by all means keep pushing. Keep dreaming.
Make sure to follow Evoli on the links above. Also, you can find a link to his GoFundMe here.
This article was written by our guest blogger Tamarah Brown. You can follow her on Tumblr and Twitter.
https://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/EVOLI-by-Jahi3.jpg540720Luevo Teamhttp://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/luevo-logo-2x.pngLuevo Team2015-03-08 00:44:292015-04-01 19:39:42Spreading the love with EVOLI's Jahi Fitzgerald
Crowdfunding is now a popular alternative to traditional funding, but is it right for you and your fashion business?
Luevo has teamed up with Startup Fashion and put together a detailed and resourceful guide and workbook for fashion businesses interested in crowdfunding. It took us months and we accumulated hundreds of hours in research and in writing, but hereit is available now to fashion entrepreneurs around the world.
The 77 page guide includes 7 chapters from how to choose the right platform, how to prepare for a crowdfunding campaign, how to market it and what to do once the campaign is over. To make things easier, we’ve also included templates, checklists, extra resources, budget tools and sample social media messaging. Basically, everything independent and emerging fashion brands need to know to successfully launch and manage their crowdfunding campaigns, on any platform of their choice.
Check out the table of contents!
Chapters:
Introduction to Crowdfunding Is Crowdfunding Right for You? Choosing Your Crowdfunding Platform Preparing for Your Crowdfunding Campaign Marketing Your Crowdfunding Campaign Before Your Launch Marketing Your Live Crowdfunding Campaign What to Do After your Campaign Has Closed
Tools and Bonus info:
Pre-Launch Campaign Checklist Social Media Resources Social Media Sample Posts Email Templates Project Budget Template Fashion Industry Interviews 8 Tips for Positioning your Brand for Funding 12 Tips for Continued Business Success
If you’ve used our crowdfunding guide let us know how it helped you and your fashion business via Twitter. If you’d like to apply as a designer on our platform, please do so here, our platform is now open for any designers located in USA and in Canada.
https://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/crowdfunding.png767958Ana Carahttp://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/luevo-logo-2x.pngAna Cara2014-12-08 11:23:002015-02-19 20:15:39Learn how to crowdfund your fashion business
When does the love of fashion begin? For Brazil-born designer Isabelle Donola, that love started when she learned to stitch at the age of three, making Barbie clothes by the time she was six. This early passion sparked a career in fashion for Donola who has been a participant on Project Runway and is showing at this year’s New York Fashion Week.
Growing up, Donola’s creative and imaginative eye allowed her to draw inspiration from many different art forms, ranging form cloths and textiles to metals and recycled materials. For her most recent collection, Donola was inspired by abstract shapes, well-fitted garments and oversized structural pieces.
Even after exploring various other hobbies and career opportunities, including journalism and ballet, Donola knew from a young age she was destined for the world of fashion design. With such a deep passion for every step in the design process, fashion design is more than just a job or interest, for Donola it is a necessity.
Donola was featured as a designer on popular T.V. show Project Runway on the “Under the Gunn” season and has shown at various New York and Los Angeles Fashion Week events. Donola currently has a successful fashion line “ Isabelle Donola NYC”.
Isabelle will be showing her new collection this Monday at New York Fashion Week. She describes the collection as:
“Nude. That was the first word that came to mind when I thought about this collection. The reflection of human nature and how people so often wear a mask. So I created a collection to evoke the naked beauty of the human being, raw in its essence and beautiful just as it is. I want people to embrace their inner beauty and extend that to their second skin. Allowing the garments to fearlessly speak to the world about who they are.”
The new Skyler Man collection, The World is Yours, shares a commonality of the natural world; natural stones, pearls, gold and silver in all of their jewelry. The jewelry is rich in style as well as substance – it will not lose value as the seasons change, but become a timeless staple in your wardrobe. The World is Yours is dedicated to the distinction between the romantic and dark side of nature. Pre-order pieces from the newly launched collection here!
I really appreciate the message you have behind your jewelry. How did you got involved with sustainable goods and what inspired you to move towards that?
We pride ourselves on the point that Skyler Man is an eco-responsible brand and we aim to be as sustainable as possible in everything we do. Not only do we use recycled gold and silver, as well as conflict-free diamonds, but we are committed to this pursuit even behind the scenes. Our packaging materials, our tissue paper, our stamps, ribbons, mannequins, everything we use, is either recycled or recyclable, locally produced and made in the USA. It’s really just our signature, what we believe in and this philosophy extends beyond our jewelry line and into the way we want to appreciate the world because, why not?
If you can minimize your carbon footprint, then why not do that? But also, jewelry is not so much a philosophy but an aesthetic luxury, and truth be told, it’s also the way a piece of jewelry looks and feels when it’s hand-made that really led me on this journey. I decided right from the beginning how I wanted the jewelry to look, and that required it to be hand-made, which required local production, which led to local refineries that utilized recycled materials. I then sourced local companies which offered conflict-free stones and gems. So I would say that my designs and desire towards a certain aesthetic is what originally drove the need for a sustainable product.I wanted that look and feel, so it became a win-win.
What was your designing journey like? Growing up, is this what you aspired to do?
I come from an artistic home. My mom is an artist, a painter. She used to paint little tiny figures and stories on miniature canvases. I can’t paint, but I have been designing for as long as I can remember. I started dabbling in jewelry design at least 15 years ago with the idea for Skyler Man coming about around 5 years ago. It began with the desire to create edgy, punk- rock, urban pieces that embodied a vintage presence through a modern interpretation.
I mostly liked to wear “real” jewelry, meaning made with real gold, silver, and gems. I like the way I feel when I wear a precious piece of jewelry that also holds more value for me. I feel I can pass it on. Instead of a splurge, I feel as if it’s an investment. So there weren’t too many cool pieces of “real” jewelry out there at the time, so I started to make my own. I learned a lot over time, because my school and training was actual practice and real life mistakes. The brand has evolved over time and naturally through the design process, to include a wide range of pieces that are more affordable and easier to wear, much like the collection we are doing for Luevo.
For each collection, you have a brief description about the inspiration behind it. Do you do any additional research leading up to each collection? i.e. listening to music, researching history, basing a design off of a picture or texture of clothing etc.
I don’t do research leading up to a collection, but I definitely get inspired by various elements and definitely all of those that you mentioned. I don’t need to travel to a distant land and be thrust into foreign experiences to get completely inspired to design and create. I think that comes from within a designer and it can and will be inspired and triggered by immediate circumstances that ignite an idea or thought that lives within. We are all made up of experiences.
I am lucky enough to have grown up in New York, where my artistic interpretation has been shaped by the rich diversity that paints this city. I am and have always been inspired by the urban streets, past and present, and always the unique styles that represent the times, which primarily include music and clothing. Also, I have a Masters in literature, so my mind is always naturally travelling to different times and various places. I have been conditioned to pay attention to the circumstances which shape thoughts, and so my thoughts are shaped by past experiences and styles, and they manifest themselves and are interpreted into my designs.
If you designed a collection that was solely based off of your personality would we see a lot of colour, texture, and design?
My personality is a dual one. I think most of us are that way. We are not strictly one way or another. My style is black but expensive, an example being the Black Celebration collection. A lot of black diamonds, encased in 18 karat gold, where the diamonds are set upside down so they look like spikes. It’s a sort of edgy glamour or a gothic luxe look.
At the same time, my dark personality is conflicted with my romantic side. Perhaps this comes from my love of Romantic poetry, or perhaps it’s because black spikes look so beautiful paired with bright flowers. Everything looks better and becomes more complimentary when it’s set against its opposite. I would have to say that all my designs are really pieces of my personality. I have to design things that I love and things that I would wear myself. I have to be true to myself and only then I know the designs are good.
I feel that a lot of your pieces stand out on their own and can easily be worn as a statement piece. How long does it take you to find the right materials for a collection? What is that process like?
Sometimes a piece starts with an idea and sometimes it starts with an actual piece of material, like a gem, then I have to build the rest of the piece around that. The hope is always that the piece I make flows smoothly but that’s rarely the case. Like with everything, there is always a multitude of problems, and sometimes I can’t find what I am looking for as easily as I had hoped, but honestly, with experience, the process becomes a lot smoother because at this point I know a little more of what I am doing.
Since fathers day is coming up, what would be your top 3 suggestions as a gift from your collection?
I take pride in the fact that many pieces from Skyler Man are androgynous. It obviously depends on the guy who is wearing it, and on the budget, but if I had to choose for my man, the cufflinks in both gold and silver are great, because you really can’t go wrong with them. I also have teeth cufflinks which look amazing, and they’re cool because they’re teeth, but they’re really substantial and solid.
I also love the Fallen Ring, and the Howl Ring for men, and I found that men love those pieces too. The Pyramid Macrame Bracelet is a really cool, casual piece which I have sold to both men and women alike. Some men who like to be more bling are into the inverted diamond studs and the Black magic earring. But you have to be blingy to pull that off. And if you can, they look amazing.
Is there anything that Skyler Man has yet to do in terms of jewelry that you are looking forward to doing in the future? i.e body chains.
I’m not really into creating jewelry like body chains, I like more classic jewelry, although we did some midi rings which are fun and super cute. The only thing I really look forward to, in terms of design, is more design ideas that I currently have residing in my head. I have an idea for an amazing limited edition, One-of-a-Kind collection. I really can’t wait to do that, but those collections are expensive to make so….soon.
Make sure to keep up to date with Skylar Man and check out their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
This article was written by Jonika. You can follow her at @JonikaJun.
https://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/skylermanbanner.jpg666822Ana Carahttp://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/luevo-logo-2x.pngAna Cara2014-05-29 10:00:572014-12-11 15:43:07Getting to Know Skyler Man Jewelry
Dylanium Knits was created by Dylan Uscher, self-taught knitting passionate and businessman, whose talent and designs have gained him world-wide recognition… and that, all before even launching his debut collection last Fall (FW13’)!
Indeed Dylan Uscher has not only collaborated with top Canadian fashion brands like Sid Neigum and Greta Constantine – but his designs were also featured in a MAC Cosmetics global campaign with visibility in over 90 countries! Quite impressive for the American-born autodidact, whose decision to pursue his passion after graduating his Master’s of Arts here in Toronto, Canada has lead him to his dream job: Designing, Creating, Knitting.
Motto of the day:Do like Dylan, and do what you love! I personally can’t wait to get my hands on the Fall 2014 collection (available for pre-order here)!
That being said, I was more than excited to discuss fashion with the designer himself (pictured above) and talk about his upcoming Fall 2014 collection, his inspirations as well as his road less-travelled to success.
Here is the Dylanium Knits story:
Dylan Uscher was first introduced to knitting in 2005 while sitting on a bus with a friend who was making a sweater. Dylan not only took a liking to the craft but he also picked up on the technique rather quickly. The self-taught designer and creator initially started hanging out in yarn shops throughout Toronto trying out knitting patterns as well as networking with other knitters in those shops to learn.
Dylan Uscher’s passion quickly evolved as he became more aware of the design of his creations. The designer felt that existing patterns were either one of two things: Fun to make, but that didn’t look that great, or vice-versa. He hence began challenging himself to make beautiful pieces that were intricate and that he could enjoy crafting as well. It was only after graduating from his Master’s degree and briefly working in an un-related field however, that he decided to follow his passion and knit full-time. Dylanium Knits was thus created in 2010 and he hasn’t looked back since. Dylan Uscher slowly began collaborating with designers and it was only last year that he launched his debut collection.
Dylan’s upcoming Fall 2014 collection is composed of six accessories, which includes three heavyweight knits, as well as three lightweight knits. The heavyweight knits are similar to last year’s best sellers and the lighter weight knits beautifully showcase the designer’s diversity and skill-set -as they are a new addition to his line. The Fall 2014 collection is inspired by the designer’s trip to Florence, Italy earlier this year: The stitch patterns are reminiscent of moldings as well as tessellation within tile patterns embedded in the city’s architecture. The color palette for this season is also said to be inspired by the colors of the stone buildings there as well as the Italian skyline.
The pre-sale of the Dylanium Knits Fall 2014 collection is set to launch on Luevo May 4th.
Dylan Uscher’s Boston-based studio will also be participating in the SOWA Art Walk that day, and hold an open doors launch event demonstrating his knitting techniques and machines, and taking pre-sale orders on Luevo directly from his studio.
On May 12th, Dylanium Knits will also be participating in the Aid for Cancer Research Runway in Boston, and have a pre-show pop-up boutique to further take Luevo pre-sale orders.
What is next for Dylanium Knits? The designer wouldn’t be surprised to see if he suddenly began making more and more apparel sketches and ultimately incorporating clothing into his accessories line. In the meantime however, we will simply have to order our beautiful winter and fall accessories on Luevo and keep following the designer’s progression! You can follow Dylanium Knits on Twitter @dylaniumknits or visit Dylan Uscher’s website at www.dylaniumknits.com for more details.
Motto of the day:Do like Dylan, and do what you love! I personally can’t wait to get my hands on the Fall 2014 collection (available here)!
Well known in the urban scene for their talent in professional breakdancing, these B-boys, Weiming Yuan, Wei Dong Yuan, and Patrick Lum are the creative minds behind the newly yet rapidly growing fashion label, AEON Attire. Making waves on the global fashion map, AEON Attire is already located in 30 boutiques across Canada and the USA. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Wei Dong Yuan to talk about their story and journey in fashion.
How did your interest in fashion and design come about? From the beginning, I was always interested in fashion. I was interested in the aspect of how you can change a person’s perspective and how they express themselves in a unique way. As professional break-dancers, I think there are a lot of overlap between dancing and fashion, which are both self-expressive.
How did AEON Attire form? My brother and I met Patrick in the breakdancing scene, and we were in a crew for a couple of years. After doing professional performances, we wanted to take it to the next level, which was creating a company for fashion accessories and products. Through street performances and private events we used our dancing to make money and put our dream into reality. For our first street performance, we took out a boom box, rolled out linoleum flooring and put out a bucket that read “free smiles”. Not having an educational background in fashion we purchased sewing machines and taught ourselves everything we needed to know by watching YouTube videos and asking our friends.
In a few words how would you define the AEON brand? Fashion, function and timeless. Not only do we want our accessories to be fashionable, but we also want them to be functional to serve a purpose that will make them valuable. Our accessories also have a timeless aspect; the word AEON is a Latin term that actually refers to a lifespan and eternity, which essentially refers to timeless.
Do you have a specific lifestyle and consumer in mind when you design? In the beginning, the AEON Taper was an inspiration that came out of the dance community. We saw that dancers were aiming for a more slimming fit on their pants when they danced; it wasn’t an in- style to dance with baggy pants. We wanted to solve this problem and we knew that dancers are always looking to express themselves in new and unique ways. In both ways we wanted our product to function, like taper the pant leg to be slimmer, but also to function as a form of expression.
In terms of our others accessories – Beanies, 5-Panel Hats, Circle Scarves, Sunnies, gloves, belts – we do have a clear target market. Our target consumer we envision exists as a hybrid a hybrid between a styling of Club Monaco and Urban Outfitters. Something that isn’t too outrageous and something not pretentious, we design for a fashion that can be relatable to someone. We want our consumers to stand out yet also fit in.
Why does AEON focus on accessories? Will you expand? Beginning as a small company, we wanted to create items that could be worn by anybody and transcend the boundaries of sizing for the most part. We felt that accessories were something that we could really make an impact in, and eventually dominate that market. While, we do have tank tops, currently we are looking to expand in the accessories market. Accessories are a great way to accessorize, and we feel the details are what make life worth living.
What is next for AEON Attire? Currently, we have been focusing on our Touchpoint Glove campaign, and we are lucky to have such support. While, we are going to be expanding our Beanies, Circle Scarves and 5-Panel Hats, our main focus after the glove campaign will be watches.
What do you recommend for emerging aspiring designers? When we started we didn’t know anything, not even the fundamentals of how to turn an idea into reality. We were just brave enough to go out and do it. Rather then waiting, just go out and do it but of course have a team that you can rely on, as Drake says, “it’s hard to do these things alone”.
We would like to introduce Raylin, our newest member to the growing Luevo team. Raylin is a recent graduate who holds a Master of Arts in Communication and New Media from McMaster University in Hamilton. Raylin will be focusing on marketing and using her social media savvy on Luevo’s digital networks like Facebook, Twitter, Vine, and Pinterest to connect with fashionable and tech minded followers.
Identifying with her artistic side, Raylin has always had a passion for the arts, which developed from her experience as a writer and dancer to her interest in music, fashion and the visual arts. Through working in a fashion boutique in Port Credit, Raylin’s interest in fashion soon matured into her aspiration for working in an environment that combined fashion and her academic career.
Rather then approaching fashion narrowly through clothing, Raylin says that she admires the words from Madam Coco Chanel, “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”. Raylin enjoys keeping up with the latest fashion news and trends, walking in the streets to find fashion inspiration and constantly looking at different places in the world for fashion influence. When in the streets of Toronto, she is a seeker for street art and says the colours and designs imbued in the streets inspire her.
While fashions may grow fainter, Raylin agrees that style is eternal. Her style is feminine and classic with contemporary aspects, admitting she is a fan of fashionista, Olivia Palermo. In terms of fashion designers, Raylin enjoys the styles of Montreal based, Ilan Elfassy founder of Soia & Kyo. Along with being a supporter for made in Canada fashion, Raylin says her Soia & Kyo jacket is the perfect blend between classic style and practicality for Canadian weather.
Fond of authentic things, Raylin is a passionate collector of unique accessories and is currently collecting handmade headbands. She is looking forward to attending Toronto’s upcoming One of a Kind Show to meet talented artisans. On Sundays, you can find her in a local coffee shop where she reads autobiographies, and writes about something that inspires her.
Born in Mississauga, she currently resides in Port Credit where she enjoys window shopping and walking along the Credit River surrounded by friendly people who have a community centric lifestyle.
https://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/raylin.jpg17382046Ana Carahttp://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/luevo-logo-2x.pngAna Cara2013-11-18 18:09:232014-12-11 16:01:02Growing the Team
In a web 2.0 generation, the ‘crowd’ is synonymous with the buzzword, crowdfunding. This collective effort of the crowd or “wisdom of the crowd” has become a mainstay for the creation and success of many early stage companies, startups and digital platforms.
From the many successful crowdfunding campaigns through Kickstarter and Indiegogo it seems like this trend won’t be disappearing anytime soon. While, we may think crowdfunding is an easy and simple effort in actuality it requires extensive thinking and planning. What makes a crowdfunding campaign successful? Many would ask. To explore this question, let’s look at five tips for crowdfunding success.
Do your research. When planning a crowdfunding campaign, research is a crucial step that shouldn’t be overlooked. Research provides the building blocks to understanding your key demographic, competition, and place in the market. By doing your research, you can stumble upon other successful crowdfunding projects, which could lead to inspiration and ideas for your project. Additionally, you’ll need to research relevant media and keep an ongoing list of people who may be interested in your project.
Define the specifics: Defining and knowing your brand is important. For instance, spend time planning out your goals, missions, and any descriptions that resonate with your product. Here, you should consider the perks or incentives that will encourage people to get involved and support your campaign.
Communicate your brand: While, knowing your brand is important you’ll need to communicate it to others. In order for potential backers and media to support you, and the crowd to follow, make sure your pitch is genuine and well articulated. Simply telling people about your product won’t lead to success, you’ll need to create a story for your product. Resist the hard facts and tech specs, and opt for a story that connects with people in a meaningful way. Add in some creativity and weave in videos, images, and anything that will catch people’s interest.
Leverage your social networks: The words ‘hype’ and ‘buzz’ should resonate with your ambitions for a successful crowdfunding campaign. Get heavily connected to social channels to help spread the word about your crowdfunding efforts. You’ll want your crowdfunding project to be promoted to people in your personal social networks and beyond. By reaching out such as through a tweet, you can connect to like-minded and tech-savvy people to start channeling the interaction about your efforts. In addition, you can generate a lot of buzz by reaching out to bloggers, journalists, and reporters for potential press coverage and media recognition.
Always recognize your contributors and supporters: Have a ready to go list of core contacts that can help promote your crowdfunding efforts. These contacts will help contribute and make the project successful, and also give you the extra confidence and positivity needed for launching. Even after the initial burst of energy after launching, you’ll need to stay engaged, which requires frequent updates to your contributors and supporters. These contacts can do wonders for your campaign, but you’ll need to find ways of returning the favour to make them feel important and appreciated for their effort.
Article written by Raylin Grace aka the Red Curl Owl with Luevo. You can follow Raylin at@raylingm
https://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2013-05.png550960Ana Carahttp://www.luevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/luevo-logo-2x.pngAna Cara2013-11-15 14:45:042014-12-11 16:01:13Five Tips for any Successful Crowdfunding Campaign
