Evaluation
Evaluation for professional project, 'Recession Reactionary'...
For my professional project I chose the Recession Reactionary brief. I felt that this brief related to my own specialist practice as after graduating and gaining the necessary experience I plan/hope to work within a magazine, and this brief has enabled me to explore, learn and gain new skills in this area and to put them into play by creating my final magazine. As this project is slowly introducing me into the magazine world, it has made working on this project more interesting for me as I have had the self-motivation and interest to learn and progress my skills further in this area to better my experience and knowledge, when I finally enter the real working world. This is a huge area of interest for me so I have been keen to make this the best I can with the tools and help provided. I have managed to enhance my knowledge on magazines, magazine layouts, Ethical & Sustainable fashion, styling and the Recession as well as having improved my computer and visual presentation skills.
Within my learning agreement I had originally added “I plan to include various interviews and facts about designers/companies that use either recycling or an ethical approach to fashion. I will speak to these designers/businesses to find out what their aims/missions are for their business, what they are doing to survive the recession, what they predict will be next for fashion and which direction they feel they are headed towards next. I also want to find out how they reach and approach their target audiences, and how they meet the needs and wants of their consumers by providing them with that specific service whether it is fashion with a conscience of breathing life into the old. I will display these findings within my magazine over 4-6 pages. If for any particular reason I am unable to complete the whole magazine I plan to hand in this section as the ‘4-6 images of A4 size’ for assessment.”
Unfortunately this has been an unsuccessful approach, Initially I had tried to send out various questionnaires to a number of stores asking them about the recession and for those that it related to, being ethical. As the recession is such a private and confidential matter, it was impossible to get the larger brands to talk about how they were affected, what their opinions were, and their tactics for survival. I did have 2 smaller companies respond, but this was not enough to base any valid research upon. Instead I had to abandon this part of my original plan. I decided to mainly base my magazine on where I thought fashion was headed towards next after the recession as this was part of the main brief, I chose ethical fashion which I based this decision on my own personal opinions and by research I had gained from my questionnaires to friends, family and others. Not having the research I originally was looking for has not been too much of a setback for me, I feel I have put across more of my own thoughts and feelings into this magazine rather than basing most of my text on information I have been given from other sources. This may have resulted into a duller magazine spread, which is what I need to avoid when trying to attract my particular target audience.
For the main basis of my magazine I instead concentrated on one brand ‘Annie Greenabelle’ which I had come across when doing my initial ethical and Fair trade brand research. I felt this brand was well suited to my magazine as it is young, fresh and vibrant. I did also try and send out my recession and ethical questionnaires to this company but with to no avail. I managed to find some information on the business from their website which I then translated into an easier and lighter context adding my own thoughts and opinions about this brand into my spread. This helped to make the magazine feel more natural, and as if we (the magazine) are on a close basis with the brand. I also based my photo shoot on this brand, so this ended up being a large section promoting this particular brand. I felt that this came across well, and even though I had troubles contacting designers and businesses about themselves, I am happy with the outcome of this Annie Greenabelle section. I was also planning to do another photo shoot to be included within my magazine after the Easter break, as I wanted another scenario and different garments to add variety into this section, but this fell through with the photographer. I could have used these photographs to add another dimension to my magazine, but it would have meant lots more pages needing to be added to go along with that particular theme, which may have made the magazine as a whole a bit disjointed, and I would have probably ran short of time. This has not affected my end result, as my magazine flows well and feels like a finished product, with enough material.
The written brief stated that our outcome would be a 4-6 page spread, which I found to be quite limiting for showing off my skills, so I decided to go for something more challenging, and agreed with tutors on attempting to make ‘as much of a magazine’ or a ‘whole magazine’ depending on how my time was going. This was a large project I set for myself, but I have managed to complete the work I set for myself, with each page being as strong as the next, which I am very pleased about.
I have managed to meet all my deadlines on the critical path analysis that I set myself at the beginning of this project, with all proposed dates met exactly on time or very close to that date. Doing the critical path has helped me to manage my time well, clearly, and easily. I set the dates realistically, so that they were all achievable. I set enough time for each task to be able to get done with time to spare in case of troubles that may have occurred, which thankfully was not anything too serious.
This project has been hugely helpful to me, and has given me an opportunity to express my creativeness in a way that I may not be able to do straight away or for a while when joining the industry. It has given me the chance to do what I want and what I enjoy. I have had initial practice to playing and learning about layouts, studying magazines, continuously learning and experimenting whilst using computer programs such as Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator, which are key and essential programs when wanting to go into this area of work. This magazine will be something that I can be proud to show at interviews to impress potential employers, showing off the skills I have learnt and progress made. This project has generally been a pleasure to work on, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.
PRINT UPDATE
I have had a lot of trouble with this printing. I sent off my work to be printed last friday to Ashley Press, which all went smoothly with the man I was emailing asking me what paper quality I wanted. I then emailed him this Monday evening just gone asking when this work would be done by (as the deadline is Tuesday next week), there was no reply for 2 days! I then decided to contact Minute Man Press as I thought Ashley Press would not get back to me. I asked them if they would print off my work, and it all went smoothly, and have sent them the PDF and this should be ready by Monday morning.
I decided to email Ashley Press again today (Thursday) to double check what the status update was on my work, and he said it was ready and I could come and collect it tomorrow (Friday), SO I am going to end up with two copies of my magazine overall, resulting in about £50 worth of damage, but i'm really hoping it will be worth it in the end. I am not worried about having two copies, as this will give me the opportunity to choose which magazine type I like best, and which would be better for the final deadline.
Printing Options Changed
After having emailed around a few more places to get quotes, I have decided to use a different company called 'Ashley Press'. I decided this because the final price was cheaper, and I actually preferred the way I was getting responding to by email, also their options seemed more appropriate to my type of work, they could make a heavier weight front and back cover which is always much nicer for presentation purposes, they can also do this on gloss or silk paper. Below is the email I had received after asking about a quote.
Thank you for your much valued enquiry
We could do this for £20 VAT Zero Rated, but we would have to make it a 32 page brochure perhaps leaving the inner covers blank as we have to print in 4's.
We can print on a gloss or silk coated for this price and you can have a heavier weight cover if you so wish.
If you need further quotes or advice please don’t hesitate to contact me further
Many thanks
Peter
Hopefully this company will be able to achieve what I am hoping for, for my final magazine. If not I will then send this also to 'Minute Man Press' to see if their outcome is any better! But fingers crossed it will all be a-okay.
Printing Sorted? I think so!
After having my tutorial/crit, I emailed a company Jo told me about (One Minute Man Press) and they got back to me today saying that it would be possible to print out my magazine spread, (yey!) for a much cheaper price than I had expected, and much cheaper than what quotes I had previously been told by other companies! So i'm extra happy. The target is to get this finished by the end of the week, and sent off for print early next week!, phew.
Emails sent today (read bottom first):
If you can send the files to the files directly to this email that will be fine.
Regards Rachel
From: Jennifer T
Yes that sounds perfect, sorry I was unsure of how it would be put together!
Would it be easier for me to come in at some point or to send my files once completed?
Jennifer
Would it be easier for me to come in at some point or to send my files once completed?
Jennifer
minutemanpoole.
Hi Jennifer,
The price I have given to you is for an A3 folded in half to A4 with 2 staples (like a magazine), is this not what you were looking for?
Regards
Rachel
From: Jennifer T
Hi Rachel
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I am definitely interested in using your services!
Do you do binding of any sort or would this have to be done elsewhere?
I was also wondering about the front cover and back, would it be possible to have a more heavy-weight paper/card for presentation purposes?
Jennifer
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I am definitely interested in using your services!
Do you do binding of any sort or would this have to be done elsewhere?
I was also wondering about the front cover and back, would it be possible to have a more heavy-weight paper/card for presentation purposes?
Jennifer
From: minutemanpoole
Hi Jennifer,
For 1 Copy of a 32pp A4 Brochure Colour throughout, on a 120gsm Paper, printed from artwork supplied, the cost would be ?28.72 +VAT.
I hope we can be of assistance
I will then be concentrating on this blog, and my research file, filling up any gaps and spare information needed. I have also decided to print off another booklet from staples of the spare images from my photoshoot that I have not included within my magazine spread. This will also be good for my portfolio in the future.
Critique
Today Friday 23rd April, I had a critique with Jo and Sarah which went very well.
I had shown them both my progress with my magazine spread (which has been a lot since the last time I had a tutorial) and they seemed really impressed with what I have done. I was told to change some of the floral patterns I had added on my ethical fashion page, and I agree, they don't feel edgy enough and do not work well with the rest of the magazine and with the rest of the pages. I was also advised to try and make all of my images fit the A4 pages rather than having gaps. So all in all not too much that needs to be done, and they really like the work I have been doing so I am extremely happy! I am going to aim to get this magazine spread finished by next week and sort out printing so that I know its done and will leave time for any problems or troubles that may occur. Once this has been done I can concentrate on organising my research file and blog, annotating and adding any other information I may need before the final deadline.
INK
Illustrations I've been working on for magazine spread- if you look at older posts these are illustrations that I drew originally for my sketchbook, but as I decided against that idea I have decided to re-do them on InDesign so that I can include them within my magazine spread...
Leanne Marshall
Leanne Marshall
and
her eco-chic spring collection 2010.
Leanne Marshall won Project Runway back in 2008. Her sustainable Spring/Summer 2010 collection, “Basic Math" is a collection that features fun, flirty garments (in organic cotton, silk, and hemp) that she has embellished with 'accordion-style pleating and multidimensional origami folds'.
Another example of how fashion with a conscience can be pretty and delicate too, it does not have to be boring or plain like these common organic tees.
NEW MATH
“Basic Math” is not only mathematically inspired, but it’s also based on a Whitelabel's font of the same name (pictured below).
'The architectural shaping of the garments more than echo the font’s typography—Marshall cut out the letters in fabric, then folded, pleated, and manipulated them to create her unconventional silhouettes.'
This is an amazing brand with such stylish and one-off pieces! I have bought a dress from this company before and this was before I was really aware of such issues within the fashion industry! The clothing is amazing quality and something you will treasure as it is most unlikely that people with have the same outfit. I don't think many people know of this brand, which is a shame as I abosolutely love it! If only I were richer...
There most recent S/S collection is amazing, with lots of baby colours, pastel shades and ultra feminine silhouettes. I am loving the cotton candy colours, mint green with baby pink and white, such an easy going combination that is so effective on skin.
All of the pieces are made from reclaimed fabrics, the prices are a little high, but you pay for quality and it's worth the money for not harming the environment!
'BY USING RECYCLED FABRICS WE ARE MINIMISING THE DAMAGE CAUSE TO THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF NEW CLOTHING...'
SOME OTHER MAGAZINE STARTUP TIPS
Determining the Page Count
When choosing the number of pages in your magazine you must consider the overall quantity of content and, equally important, make sure that the total number of pages is divisible by 8 or 16. 'The reason for this is that offset presses utilize what are called signatures (or "sigs" for short) to print magazines and if your total page count isn't divisible by either 8 (a half sig) or 16 (a full sig) then you will pay considerably more for your print job. Now, there is an exception to this rule depending upon what kind of offset press you utilize. If you choose to go with a sheetfed press (a press that uses precut sheets of paper) then it is possible to go “4-up” or increase your page count in increments of four. However, if you opt for a web press (a press that uses rolls of paper) then you will definitely want to adhere to the 8/16 divisible rule.'
Saddle Stitch Vs Perfect Bind
My magazine will be printed off as A3 pages and will then be stapled down the crease, so will be saddle stitched. This will help it to look like a real magazine.
Survey Response
Sustainable Fashion
Survey Results
I have decided to stop collating responses from this survey as it seems to be hard to get people to fill out a few more. I have now had 48 responses which I am happy with. I am using this information to help me with my Eco section of my magazine to get what people really think and understand about Ethical fashion (asking a variety of people including fashion students as well as people who don't care at all about fashion!). Below I will add the results and questions asked. (Click on images to enlarge). 
As shown in the answers above, the majority of people I questioned have heard of both Ethical and Fair Trade Fashion, followed by 12 people knowing only about Fair Trade Fashion and close by 11 people not knowing about either! This shows that most people have heard of Fair Trade and Ethical fashion, but it does not state whether they really know what it is? Or what it’s about…
For the question above only 3 people have responded saying that being Eco-friendly is not important to them, and I’m glad they have been honest when they reply, the majority of answers have been saying that being Eco-friendly is partially important to them, this shows that people do care, but not enough to change the way they buy and spend. I’m not sure if people have answered this to what they really believe or to what they feel is acceptable and the way it should be, I could be wrong, but that is how I feel.
This question helps to back up my previous thoughts, 9 people have answered that when they are shopping for clothing they prefer to buy items for what they look like and for what is on trend rather than considering environmental issues when purchasing, I think this is true for a lot of people, especially teens. I do not think they realise or are really bothered about the environment or the third world workers at a young age, as they are not taught about it in a fun way, or in a way that relates to them. The most common answer was ‘No- Not that I’m aware of’, which also shows that people are not thinking before they buy, which is unfortunately true in most cases despite age.
As before the most common answer to this Fair Trade purchasing question is ‘No- not that I’m aware of’’ followed by people saying they have some items of Fair Trade clothing. I think that a lot more people know about Fair Trade the brand then they do about other ethical issues, or much about what Fair Trade actually is. So I will use these pointers when writing information in my magazine spread, people need to know the differences between ethics and what Fair Trade actually is, if they understand the concerns to the environment and people, then they may realise it’s a bigger problem then once thought, and may want to act upon their fast fashion ways!
I think that a lot more people are aware of Ethical and Fair Trade goods such as domestic products such as cleaning products, food and drink rather than fashion, and this is why for this answer there are 20 responses to people stating that they buy ‘some’ Fair Trade goods. No one has answered that they buy all Fair Trade products and this may be due to expense or being hard to find. I find people try and make more of a conscious effort when it comes to these products rather than fashion products as it is more common and heard of, as well as being cheaper to buy as one off pieces rather than as a constant purchase.
In response to this question, a lot of people have not heard of any eco-friendly fashion brands, and by only getting 22 responses in total, I am guessing people missed this question out as they did not know any either. The most popular response is ‘People Tree’ and this is probably due to their growing popularity with a range of age generations as well as male/female clothing and kids-wear, so they cover a huge market. They are also very good at getting their brand out there with their marketing strategies such as using Emma Watson to support a younger eco-range. Other stores mentioned are mainly popular high street stores, these stores already have established and loyal customers, so when they see a new range they are immediately interested. These stores may have a few organic pieces, or are sometimes collaborated with certain ethical brands and labels, which helps to enhance knowledge.
Sometimes you can find cheaper brands of Ethical clothing, but these pieces are usually slightly boring, and the more common pieces of clothing such as plain tees and strappy tops. The more detail and work that has gone into a garment, is more expensive, which makes sense but to those who cannot afford such high prices will stick to their fast and cheap fashion ways. Another good comment was number 8, a lot of people are aware of the ethical issues that are facing some of the leading brands and high street stores, but this unfortunately will not prevent them from buying their products. People are too clued up on getting the best deals for the cheapest prices without caring about the other issues around making garments,. Of course there are some people who do not know anything or much about these issues, and in contrast there are some who do know lots about these issues, and do act upon them buy shopping this way when and as they can!
In conclusion to this survey, I feel that people need to be made more aware of the issues that are coming from the everyday items they use and buy. Especially from what we wear as this is obviously something that is not as big and well known as it should be! The companies need to try harder to promote their work, but if they are not getting that many customers than they may not be able to afford this method of promotion. They need to push to make this issue real, and to make people realise. Maybe some more shock tactics are in need?
When using this information for my magazine section on Ethical clothing, I am going to make sure to make it fun and interesting for the reader, not too heavy but detailed enough for my readers to understand the real meaning behind these issues! I want to make ethical fashion cool, and for people to want to shop in this way. I will also be exploring ‘Make do and Mend’ styles, where you can alter the clothes you already have (recycling) and to charity shop buy as this is also a method of recycling, and by doing this it reduces the amount of fast fashion waste we buy! I want to also find some cheaper brands of ethical clothing that is affordable to a younger generation such as ‘Tweens’ 15-20 year olds (which I am aiming my magazine for).
10 Hot Tips
for
First-Time Publishing
1. Concentrate on markets that you know very well.
For a small publisher with limited resources, the best strategy is to stick to a subject you already understand very well. If you really know what you're talking about, then your content is probably going to be useful to its readers. In addition, you'll find it easier to manage your publishing business if you have a deep connection to your topic.
2. Listen to your readers and advertisers and develop products responsive to their needs.
The worst mistake people make is this: They concentrate on what they want to WRITE, not on what their audience wants to READ. Great communicators listen as well as they speak. So, give your customers plenty of opportunities to tell you what they think. For example, use chats and online polls or e-mail to solicit their comments and suggestions. And study the information habits of your audience before you design your publication: Make sure you deliver a comparable mix of features they're used to finding at other websites or magazines.
3. Aim for readers who have continuing information needs.
It takes money to find new readers and earn their trust, so look for people who will need you years from now as much as they need you today. Within every subject area, there are people with transient needs and people who remain interested for the long haul. For example, you can concentrate on divorce lawyers not individuals going through a divorce.
4. Get help from experienced people.
Experienced people can help you learn quickly, and the quicker you learn the publishing trade, the sooner you can expect to succeed. As soon as you can afford to do it, hire people with publishing experience to advise you. Meanwhile, you can get excellent advice for free from people right in front of you like your printer, website host or banker. If you come across someone you respect, don't be shy about asking them for business suggestions.
5. Adopt good ideas whenever you find them.
Don't reinvent the printing press. Study other publications and get to know other publishers. One fast way to master the business is to study what's already working for other publishers. For example, collect media kits from other magazines and websites, or renewal promotion letters from other newsletters, and see if you can borrow some good tactics from them.
6. Befriend influential people in your market and ask them to support your publication.
Key people in your field can support you in many ways: sharing their thoughts in a column or interview, introducing you to their colleagues, or simply helping you understand trends and new developments. Reach out to them!
7. Study the results of your actions.
You can learn much more quickly if you keep track of what you're doing so that you can concentrate your efforts where you are most effective. Track email promotions, for example so that you can discover which appeals produce the highest response rates. Monitor reactions to individual articles and web pages, too.
8. Be prepared for change.
Save some of your resources for the proverbial rainy day, and always consider alternative strategies ahead of time because the one thing you can count on is change. New competitors will come along, readers will change their reading habits, and your organization will continually evolve. Many inexperienced publishers lock themselves into a single strategy and they fall apart when their circumstances change. For example, can you keep publishing even if a key editorial contributor decides to quit?
9. Look for add-on or spin-off profit opportunities.
Once you've got a trusting relationship with advertisers and subscribers, look for add-on or spin-off products you can sell to the same customers. Many niche publishers make most of their profits from special reports, electronic newsletters, seminars, books, videos and other ancillary products.
10. Plan well before you leap into production.
Publications are relatively easy to launch but hard to maintain. Make sure you've chosen a subject that you care about and that you're suited to a publisher's lifestyle. Do a lot of homework before you launch — learn as much as you can about publishing, study your audience and your competitors, and carefully define your own goals and aspirations. Don't go forward until you've got a long-term plan you can live with.
TO ANSWER: Clear evidence of where the finished piece/s will be positioned (eg which magazine, which store, etc) WHY?
My target Customer for this magazine spread will is for 'Tweens', mainly females between the ages of 14-19 years old. By setting this age group it has given me the opportunity to show off my creative skills by trying to come up with something that will not be too dull for my customer. I need to create something that will be attractive as well as informative for my particular audience. I will be developing my creative skills further by exploring and experimenting with ways to visually communicate and promote a number of products/designers to their full potential.
I am visualising this magazine to be mainly sold and promoted online, this is to save as much paper and to be green to the environment. As it is an eco based magazine it seems only right to have it published in this manor. Another benefit to using the Internet for my magazine is that this age group are more increasingly using the Internet for a number of reasons for both work and play. You can now read many magazines and articles online, for free, which is something that is good for a younger generation that may not have the money to be spent on a magazine.
As well as this I would also imagine my magazine being sold in a select number of stores and will be printed on fully recycled and eco-friendly paper that does not harm the environment, this will be an expensive way to print but I'm sure buying in bulk and working with or becoming close with the paper suppliers would help to keep costs as low as possible.
I would get in contact with lots of the ethical stores/brands that are young and fresh, to try and get our message out about Fashion With a Conscience for the younger generation by asking them to sponsor us, or maybe to include our magazine within their store or online. To start off with these companies could add my magazine free with purchases of certain items to widen awareness. This will hopefully be something new and exciting for companies to want to be involved with so it may offer us more links, sponsors or cheaper deals for advertising and selling the magazine in the future.
My target Customer for this magazine spread will is for 'Tweens', mainly females between the ages of 14-19 years old. By setting this age group it has given me the opportunity to show off my creative skills by trying to come up with something that will not be too dull for my customer. I need to create something that will be attractive as well as informative for my particular audience. I will be developing my creative skills further by exploring and experimenting with ways to visually communicate and promote a number of products/designers to their full potential.
I would get in contact with lots of the ethical stores/brands that are young and fresh, to try and get our message out about Fashion With a Conscience for the younger generation by asking them to sponsor us, or maybe to include our magazine within their store or online. To start off with these companies could add my magazine free with purchases of certain items to widen awareness. This will hopefully be something new and exciting for companies to want to be involved with so it may offer us more links, sponsors or cheaper deals for advertising and selling the magazine in the future.
Issues & Trends
www.bsigroup.com
A few more pictures from the shoot... SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT.
Photographer: Bryony Sly
Stylist: Jennifer Louise
Make up Artist: Samantha Tarleton
Clothing: Annie Greenabelle
MAKE-UP
Below are some images of some of the make-up used for the Annie Greenabelle shoot, I decided to choose a light smokey eye for the make up for my models as I felt this complimented the outfits well. Nothing too heavy. The colour palette for the clothing is- Navy Blue, White and Silver, (with a splash of pale pink in one garment), so a smokey eye felt well suited. The smokey eye can be worn during the day or night, and is easy to apply, yet gives the eyes great exaggeration.
All images above are from the body shop website.
Most make up used was from Body Shop- sticking to the Ethical lines of my project (it would feel wrong using anything otherwise!), my make up artist was my sister and she did an amazing job of capturing the feel I was looking for. Unfortunately I did not manage to get a close up of this make up, but it is clear in some of my images! But the first model had grey/silver with a white highlight smokey eye, and the other model wearing the clown frill dress had a light pink going into grey with some splashes of white. They looked amazing, Note to self: Remember close ups.Below are some inspirational make-up images:
Annie Greenabelle
Fashion Photo Shoot
Fashion Photo Shoot
SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT.
Photographer: Bryony Sly
Stylist: Jennifer Louise
Make up Artist: Samantha Tarleton
Clothing: Annie Greenabelle
Stylist: Jennifer Louise
Make up Artist: Samantha Tarleton
Clothing: Annie Greenabelle
Here are three images that are my favourite from the 10 I have been sent so far from the Photographer Bryony Sly. Unfortunately, when we did the shoot yesterday the weather was awful, (typically) it was cold, wet and windy! But we did this didn't stop us, the models Becky Hatwell and Lucy Evans did an amazing job fighting the cold, as well as the photographer, plus myself the stylist and my sister the make-up artist stayed out for a good few hours. I feel with these images you cannot tell that the weather is that bad, which is great as I want my magazine spread to be aimed for S/S10 and I was worried that the shoot would not be able to pull of this season, but it has!
Hopefully out of the selection there will be a few more that I can consider to use within my magazine spread!, I am deffinetely going to do another shoot with different Ethical clothing when the weather is better, and with some different models, to add more variety within the magazine.
Will add more once they have come through and been edited.