Due in 15 hours
This week, you will focus on developing your private label lines, and preparing a fiber and fabric assortment assessment, as well as setting color themes for each product category. The proposal will include the fibers, fabrics and colors you would recommend to use for the different menswear categories you planned for over the past two weeks. Continue to focus on the same season for development. A template is provided and required for this assignment.
Also, you will begin to wrap up your project and write a first draft of your Executive Summary.
Task
Task 1: Fibers, Fabrics and Colors
Research
One resource to utilize for collecting color and fabric images is the image library provided by StyleSight.com, which has a materials section, and a color section; or you could also pull color and fabric images from the trend reports on the Web site.
You can also review some of the menswear sellers in the marketplace to get a better idea of what fabrics are used for specific items, and what the price points are, and use those for your images as well.
Additional sources for definitions of various fibers and fabrics, as well as images are: http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/Knit-Fabric http://www.nyfashioncenterfabrics.com/fabric-glossary.html http://youlookfab.com/2008/03/12/fabrics-101-knits-versus-wovens/
Part 1: Fiber and Fabrics
Considering your decisions about the styles and items of clothing you will be carrying, focus on choosing fabrics for your private label line development.
Select at least two fabrics that would be appropriate for each of the following categories, and include swatches. Be sure to include information about the fiber type as well as the fabric structure. You may either attach actual fabric swatches to your paper, and scan them in, or find digital images of fabrics to paste in to your document:
· Suits or blazers
· Dress pants or khakis
· Jeans
· Dress or casual woven shirts
· Knit t-shirts or polo shirts
· Sweaters or sweatshirts
· Tailored or Casual Outerwear
Justify the choices of fibers and fabrics on the basis of their appropriateness for the category and target market.
Consider factors like:
· Fiber content
· Construction
· Cost
· Comfort
· Care
· Drape
· Durability
· Finish
· Trends
· Any other possible influence on men’s buying decisions discussed in your readings and research.
Part 2: Colors
Based on your trend report, identify at least five colors as a theme for each menswear category listed below and explain why those colors were selected. Include swatches of the colors in your proposal as well.
· Suits, Suit Separates and/or Blazers
· Formal Shirts
· Casual Shirts
· Casual Pants
· Sweaters or sweatshirts
· Outerwear
Task 2: Executive Summary
Write a 1-4 page Executive Summary updating your V.P. about your progress for this season on the areas you’ve been working on:
· Marketing Research and Analysis
· Forecasting, Advertising and Visual Merchandising
· Merchandise Assortment: Tailored, Designer and Outerwear
· Merchandise Assortment: Casualwear and Accessories.
· Fiber, Fabric and Color
You will want to touch briefly on each topic to report on the highlights and important conclusions you have made this session. You may want to also include images to illustrate your report. This is not an executive summary for a business plan, but to inform your boss about your work. For more about writing executive summaries, click here.