“We want to plant seeds that will sprout in a few years’ time. Aspiring designers will get to know the environment in which they will be developing their brand and the things they will need to focus on to break into new markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America,” says Anna Rykova, supervisor of the fashion intensive course “New Markets – New Prospects: Building Successful Fashion Brands in the Globalization Era”, fashion editor, stylist, creative consultant, mentor and teacher at the British Higher School of Art and Design, teacher at the Design School of the National Research University Higher School of Economics. The event, with leading Russian and foreign experts as instructors, will take place at the Manege Central Exhibition Hall on 4–8 October as part of the BRICS+ Fashion Summit.
Many young brands are thinking of expanding onto foreign markets. Yet this might be a real challenge sometimes: each region has its own ins and outs, so a strategy that works in one place could fail in others. To mitigate risks, one needs both book knowledge and hands-on experience, as well as awareness of the experience of those who run businesses in the region of interest. That is why the workshop organizers have taken such care in selecting the speakers for the event. “We would primarily go for lecturers from leading universities that set the pace in fashion education. Most speakers are both academics and practitioners: in addition to teaching, many of them have experience of creating their own brand or collaborating with others,” Anna Rykova says. She then highlights that the organizers’ global mission is to provide trainees with the most comprehensive information: “We would like to cover all phases of brand building, from design and trend analysis to the search for new materials, environment and promotion.”
The fashion intensive course instructors agree that brand vision and identity are the first things you need to determine. “It’s essential for potential customers to see who you are and what your brand stands for. Once you have straightened this out, your marketing strategy is clear,” claims Dean Gregg Maragelis from Cape Town College of Fashion Design (CTCFD). Associate Professor Santiago Romero Rodriguez from Jorge Tadeo Lozano University (UJTL) in Bogota remarks that “the fashion industry is overcrowded with products and brands, so it’s vital for young businesses to turn their attention to image and product.” “By shaping its image, a brand signals to potential customers that it shares their values, and then it manifests these values through its product. Profound knowledge of technology, proper choice of suppliers and market assessment are essential. At the same time, you need to show responsibility in everything you do and follow the principles of sustainable development,” says the trainer from Colombia.
“The BRICS+ Fashion Summit closes a gap in the international fashion agenda by bringing business and education together and inviting speakers who do not usually appear in public outside their home region. From this perspective, the event is a wonderful opportunity to make your way into the agile, inclusive and pluralistic world of fashion.”
Luciana Duarte, Lecturer at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS)
According to Gregg Maragelis, the phases of costing, product development and manufacturing should follow determination of the brand vision. His Costa Rican associate Oscar Ruiz-Schmidt thinks the same, stressing that the story behind the clothes you make helps you build up a community of brand fans who appreciate the “distinctive design elements”. At the same time, Obra Gris creative director, professor of communications design at Veritas University and professor at UCR School of Architecture, believes that designers can create such elements when they understand the cultural code to be explored “until you see a sign that says ‘You have reached the end of the Internet, please turn around’.”
“To build a strong brand, you need a strong identity, a well-explored market, a clear understanding of your customers and an empathetic offer that caters to their needs and the environment.”
Angela Liliana Dotor-Robayo, Director of Visual and Interactive Design at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogota (UJTL)
While they agree that the brand vision should be the starting point, fashion intensive course instructors are at odds on the issue of finding a balance between authenticity and global trends, as well as on the need to use cutting-edge technologies. Gregg Maragelis believes that a brand’s core values must come first and no improvements should be to their detriment. At the same time, Santiago Romero Rodriguez predicts exponential development of technology and suggests integrating innovations into the manufacturing processes. In turn, Professor Angela Liliana Dotor-Robayo from UJTL says that the key factor is feedback from customers and assessment of user experience, while diversity and creativity lead to success. Oscar Ruiz-Schmidt sticks to a conservative approach, arguing that “technology is great, but nothing compares with authentic handmade products.”
“South America is very attractive owing to its natural resources, market opportunities and prospects for building geopolitical alliances. My lectures will focus on the ideas of male beauty and fashion in some regions of Brazil and Colombia.”
Santiago Romero Rodriguez, Professor at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogota (UJTL)
You can see that the answer as to whether or not you should follow trends depends largely on the brand’s positioning and target audience. The final choice is up to the designers. Fortunately, the fashion intensive course organizers have tried to provide trainees with lots of valuable information that will help them make the right choice. “The curriculum is packed with analysis, strategic planning and marketing – the must-haves for building a brand today. The leading market players in the luxury segment are consistently building a customer communication strategy, and any local brand that wants to grow needs to understand how to do this,” Anna Rykova stresses.
