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Showcaze News
April 2008:
British Fashion Council Seeks New-Gen Designers
The British Fashion Council (BFC) has commenced its seasonal search for the UK’s
New Generation (NewGen) fashion designers. Last season in excess of 200 designers
applied to be part of the BFC sponsorship initiative supported by TOPSHOP whose
alumni include designers such as Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, Giles Deacon,
Christopher Kane and Marios Schwab.
Designers should apply directly online via London Fashion Week. The closing date for applications is
Monday, 5th May 2008. All of those meeting application requirements are requested
to submit samples from their collections which are reviewed and then selected by
a highly acclaimed advisory panel comprising of leading fashion directors from retail
and publishing as well as representatives from the BFC and Topshop.
Caren Downie, Topshop Buying Director adds: "Building on last year's amazing line-up,
we are looking forward, more then ever, to encouraging exciting new design talents
of the future".
Hilary Riva, chief executive of the British Fashion Council commented: "London’s
creative reputation has been built on designers graduating through the New Gen sponsorship
scheme. The New Gen winner’s announcement is key to building excitement and anticipation
of the quality of new design talent to be showcased on London’s catwalks each season
to a global audience."
New Generation winners for February 2008 were:
Catwalk: Christopher Kane, Duro Olowu, Erdem, Krystof Strozyna, Louise Goldin, Marios
Schwab, MeadhamKirchoff and Todd Lynn.
Exhibition: Anna Vince, Borba Margo, Charlotte Olympia, David David, Emilio de la
Morena, Felder Felder, Hannah Marshall, House of Holland, Justin Smith, Krystof
Strozyna, MeadhamKirchhoff, Nicholas Kirkwood, Peter Pilotto, Poltock & Walsh and
Todd Lynn.
For more information regarding applications please contact: Katie Bain at The British
Fashion Council by e-mail katie.bain@britishfashioncouncil.com or phone +44 (0)20
7636 7788.
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December 2007:
Share your Season's Greetings on your PR BLOG
Showcaze members can now enjoy their very own PR blog, as an integral part of their
eBoutique.
As part of the PRpod (Pr On Demand) facility, each Showcaze eBoutique now has an
optional, built-in, blog for sharing your seasonal messages, daily news of events
and shows, upcoming sales, press coverage, or any other item of interest. All in
a familiar blog format.
The Showcaze PRpod blog is simple to use, and allows you to upload and automatically
resize images on the fly.
Selected items from individual PRpod blogs are automatically collated and regularly
featured in Showcaze's own campaigns and PRpod section on the Showcaze homepages
on www.showcaze.co.uk and
www.showcaze.eu.
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November 2007:
Another Accolade: Award Nomination from the European Commission
Showcaze’s NextWave™
prototyping trial with the European Commission’s 14 million-Euro Digital Business
Ecosystems (DBE) initiative was last week nominated for a special award in Germany.
The award ceremony coincided with the conference entitled ‘Economic Participation
in the Age of Networking: Digital Ecosystems of Knowledge, Business and Services’.
The DBE places special emphasis on improving the competitiveness and ICT take-up
by SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises), including those in fashion. The DBE
is in advanced research, development and deployment stages, and may be in widespread
use in about 2-5 years time.
The extensive NextWave™
trial has successfully demonstrated Showcaze's compatibility with emerging technologies
of the future, such as DBE.
For details of the conference proceedings and awards visit: http://de-2007.eu/.
About European Commission
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union - which currently
represents the economic, legal and political union of 27 countries. It operates
in the method of cabinet government, with 27 "Commissioners", one for each country
of the EU, led by a Commission President (currently José Manuel Barroso). Visit
the official website 'Europa' at www.europa.eu
for further details.
The European Commission’s Culture Programme is currently providing over 400 million
Euros to support and promote cultural cooperation (including fashion). For details
visit: http://ec.europa.eu/culture.
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October 2007:
Designer Success Story: NOKIA plays the Aiisha tune
London Fashion Week designers see benefits of Showcaze
In April of 2007, Showcaze met with the senior management team of the British Fashion
Council (BFC), where we presented our key ideas on the benefits of providing a showcasing
facility to fashion designers, by using the
'Always-On Showcasing' feature of Showcaze.
Showcaze is delighted that the BFC has decided to embrace our suggestions, as reflected
in the recent enhancements to the Designers section on the London Fashion Week website.
We are honoured to see our suggestions bring benefits for the more established fashion
designers, too.
Showcaze looks forward to further developing its partnership with the BFC, and in
helping to bring about new innovations.
Event organisers interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities with our Always-On Showcasing - for bringing real collaborative capability
to their events - may contact us via
this website.
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Showcaze congratulates Selfridges & Co on the Graduate Fashion Pop-up Event
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Showcaze has strongly commended Selfridges & Co on holding the one-week Graduate
Fashion Pop Up Event, starting Monday, 1st October.
In a recent communication to the Selfridges owner, Mr W. Galen Weston, O.C., Showcaze
has expressed strong endorsement for seeing similar events and initiatives taking
place in other 'mega fashion' stores around the world. Showcaze has also urged Selfridges
to consider making such events an annual feature, perhaps even held for a longer
duration.
Showcasing and retailing the work of eleven fashion students, including Jasper Chadprajong
and Kelly Shaw (whose dress has also been adorned by Victoria Beckham), the Pop
Up Shop is located in Selfridges Contemporary and Spirit Departments, Oxford Street,
London. For details visit the Fashion News section of www.selfridges.com.
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September 2007:
Winners of ‘Rising Star’ Competition Announced - Press Release
Showcaze is pleased and privileged to announce the winners of its Rising Star competition,
which also accompanied the Showcaze survey of designer fashion online
retailing.
The competition attracted a huge level of interest and top talent from independent/emerging
fashion designers; making the selection process very challenging. The high calibre
of creativity and energy exhibited by so many designers has been truly impressive.
The winners have been grouped under the following categories (no ranking implied):
The final selection of winners was narrowed down to five designers who, in one way
or another, demonstrated the following traits:
- Professional and business-minded approach to market
- Consistency in producing high quality designs and products
- A high degree of customer focus (need identification and fulfilment)
- A sustainable business model, coupled with dedication to fashion
The competition winners will each receive a free 12-month subscription to a Showcaze
Smart eBoutique – which would help to provide a tremendous boost to their brand
image, marketing and sales growth; along with the usual benefits and features available on Showcaze.
For further information on Showcaze visit
www.showcaze.co.uk.
Download this press release (PDF document - file size: 75kB).
Showcaze report unravels what's on the mind of over 70% of designers
Showcaze's online survey of fashion designers has been a resounding success. Thanks
to the efforts of everyone involved.
The survey, which gathered the opinions and experience of almost a hundred independent
and emerging fashion designers from around the globe, has provided useful insights
as well as a reality check on online retailing (eCommerce).
Given the high level of response and the enthusiastic participation by many talented
designers, Showcaze intends to make this survey an annual feature - to serve as
an industry barometer for fashion designers.
Moreover, in response to the needs expressed by participating designers, Showcaze
is pleased to announce the launch of Showcaze Media - a unique branding and
technology service, providing professional, highly effective, and affordable "easy
lease" eCommerce and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions for fashion
designers.
A free summary of the survey report, entitled Profiting with eCommerce - A Reality
Check for Fashion Designers is available to all the participating fashion
designers. The report puts the following trend information at your finger-tips:
- Key characeristics of participating fashion designers
- Key issues affecting online sales generation
- Desired online marketing and sales features
- Length of time using eCommerce
- eCommerce annual revenues
- Type of eCommerce facility in use
- Additional features used to compliment eCommerce
- Level of investment in eCommerce
- Payment method utilised for online orders
- Regional take-up of eCommerce
The report also includes expert tips in the form of a quick checklist, to
help fashion designers with their eCommerce initiatives.
Fashion designers who may have missed the survey, but would still like a FREE complimentary
copy (normal price £50 GBP) of the above report should contact Showcaze.
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August 2007:
London Fashion Week: Nico-D to showcase Nostalgic Legacies
Once again, Showcaze member Nico D will be showcasing his new Spring/Summer 08 collection
- "Nostalgic Legacies" - during the London Fashion Week.
Creating a new genre of fashion within the heart of London’s Soho, Nico-D has established
itself as a mecca for London’s fashionista elite. Combining traditional tailoring
with à la mode flare, Nico-D is not only leading the way for future trends but redefining
the whole concept of fashion in the city.
The fabulous new Nico Didonna collection for Spring/Summer 2008 has been predominantly
inspired by the remarkable lives of Mrs Wallis Simpson and her husband Edward Windsor.
The pair were only permitted to be wed after the then King Edward VIII advocated
his throne. The scandalous couple soon became two of the greatest style icons of
the 1930’s. Featuring classic trade mark looks such as the double breasted Jacket
and plus fours. Other key revelations for the new collection came from other nineteen
thirties influences such as the surrealist art movement fronted by pioneer visionaries
such as Salvador Dali and the Art Deco architecture and interior design trend, created
by revolutionary artists, such as Maurice Dufrene.
That’s not to say the new Nico-D collection is an absolute retrospective, mixing
nostalgic elegance with contemporized stylising has created a unique range that
delicately mixes both the traditional with the innovative. Key looks from this new
season include: double breasted shirts printed with Deco-inspired prints and twisted
cuffs; surrealist circular golden jackets finished with black satin collars and
cuffs; and distorted tweed effect suits with piped creased trousers. All of the
collections luxurious fabrics are tinted with a sensitive colour palette of cool
neutrals, opulent golds, and rich metallic blacks, creating a classically elegant
feel with a refreshingly post-modern twist.
The Spring/Summer 2008 collection is aimed at an array of individuals from young
professionals to the creative, living the city lifestyle. They have a varied age
from industry novices in their early twenties to seasoned specialists in their late
forties.
Nico-D customers enjoy a fashionable existence of schmoozing in stylish bars and
clubbing in the ultra trendy night spots around the world. Enjoying a variety of
pastimes including dinning in regional restaurants and watching breakthrough artists
playing at the most exclusive nightspots; as well as meeting with their friends
and business partners in chic coffee houses and swanky juice bars. Having become
great lovers of refined city dwelling and devoted fans of the unique hand picked
designs sold inside influential boutiques. They create individual looks mixing designer
brands and couture garments, but still maintain all of the elegance and class of
the fashionable metropolitan professional.
Nico-D’s new Spring/Summer collection maintains a strong distinct style in keeping
with the brand, yet employs the playful sophistication of nineteen thirties culture
and artistry. Thus creating a beautiful progressive look with a subtle retrospective
style.
Download press release and your
own personal invitation.
Visit Nico-D eBoutique
on Showcaze.
Copyright © Nico-D 2007.
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Download press release and your
own personal invitation.
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July 2007:
Shhhh...can you keep a secret?
The holiday season is business as usual at Showcaze, and we have been working up
some fantastic new projects as part of our NextWave™ programme.
Be the first to know our secrets... register
today. It's free.
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May 2007:
Showcaze featured in the 'Royal Visit' Edition of Dockside magazine
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Showcaze has been featured in the Royal Visit edition of the Dockside magazine.
The article covers the efforts of Showcaze and one of its industry partners - the
ELFIC (East London Fashion Innovation Champion) project - through the ongoing NextWave
programme, which has already delivered a number of key innovations for the fashion
industry.
Please click on the picture opposite to read/download the full article (in PDF format).
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February 2007:
Showcaze Pioneers the Global ECO Fashion Directory
Showcaze has today committed to extending its current global online marketing and
e-Boutique facility with an ECO section.
The new ECO section called “GO-ECO” will provide a dedicated and completely FREE
global directory of fashion businesses that have embraced the key principles of
Fair Trade, Organic Production and Recycling. Designers and businesses operating
in the fashion industry will be able to register their business details in the directory.
The directory will be accessible FREE of charge to all users who will be able to
quickly search and locate eco-friendly buyers, suppliers and manufacturers anywhere
in the world. In addition, there will be a facility for Showcaze partners and affiliates
to contribute relevant content to the GO-ECO section to help communicate and share
best practices on this important topic.
The response from designers exhibiting at Esthetica during this week’s London Fashion
Week has been very positive, with the following Esthetica designers having expressed
a firm interest in being included in the GO-ECO directory:
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- eGain NYC
- Charmoneshoes
- Davina Hawthorne
- Entermodal
- Fifi Bijoux
- From Somewhere
- Junky Styling
- Makepiece
- Mumo
- Unicorn
The GO-ECO facility is scheduled to go live by the end of March 2007. Organisations
and individuals interested in having their details included in this unique directory
may pre-register at showcaze.co.uk by using the ‘Sign Up’ section. Please specify
GOECO in the Referral Code field.
About Showcaze
Based in London (UK), Showcaze provides an essential channel to market for both
new and established designers who want to get ahead in the fashion industry. Showcaze's
innovative fusion of self-manageable e-Boutiques, brand marketing, professional
prestige and PR is unique in the whole world; making Showcaze over 20 times more
cost-effective than conventional websites, online marketing campaigns and generic
"free for all" portals and blogs.
For further information on Showcaze visit the INFO section on
www.showcaze.co.uk.
Aiisha wins her dream for Dubai Fashion Week
Aiisha Haute Couture has won the prestigious place of honour to showcase her first
high-end Prêt a Porte collection at the Dubai Fashion Week in March 2007.
Aiisha’s designer, Aiisha Ramadan (pictured right) secured her place with the Show’s
selection panel, fending off strong competition from several other new generation
designers.
Dubai is fast emerging as a high growth fashion market. And, no doubt, the Dubai
Fashion Week will, once again, host a flagship event that will impress, challenge
and stretch the imagination of the fashion world.
A graduate of the American University in Dubai (Fashion Design & Marketing), Aiisha
has previously won the award of the Young Designer of the Year 2000 (Bride 2000),
sponsored by Swarovski. Prestigious companies such as Fairmont Hotel Dubai, Peppermint
Lounge club, and BIOKOSMA Cosmetics have also commissioned her as a costume designer.
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Aiisha is delighted with her success, but also has her eyes firmly set on building
a strong brand that is synonymous with high quality and exclusive designs. Work
has started on her collection for the Dubai Fashion Week.
Aiisha also had a few words to say about Showcaze:
"Showcaze has been empowering talented designers with its e-Boutiques - to rapidly
market themselves and maximise their brand exposure. As a result, Aiisha Haute Couture
has not only gotten closer to the European market, the brand has received the exposure
normally worth a million-dollar PR Company! What makes it really work is the teamwork
between the designer and Showcaze, which helps to turn the spotlight on each designer
in a unique way."
Her current collection can be viewed by visiting her e-Boutique on Showcaze.co.uk:
www.aiisha.showcaze.co.uk.
For further information on Showcaze visit: www.showcaze.co.uk.
Love of fashion blooms with Showcaze.eu
This Valentine, designers on Showcaze will start enjoying double benefits with the
launch of our sister site at www.showcaze.eu!
The recent launch of www.showcaze.eu more than
DOUBLES the brand exposure for each designer label currently on Showcaze. What’s
more, there is no extra effort or costs incurred by designers. So effectively, it
means getting TWO e-Boutiques for the effort and price of one!
Moreover, Showcaze’s
NextWave programme remains on track to deliver even more innovations and
customer value during 2007. So keep visiting any one of the Showcaze sites for regular
updates.
To join Showcaze's global Fashunity ('Fashion Community') visit the
Sign Up section now.
January 2007:
Stage 1 of the Showcaze NextWave goes live!
More good news this New Year for the Showcaze fans and our "fashunity" (fashion
community).
Showcaze has recently introduced a number of new features as part of the
NextWave initiative. The Stage 1, which is now live, has resulted in a number
of improvements. Four of the newest features are:
(1) Gallery Viewing Access Option
Designers now have the option to grant viewing permission to either all or selected
parts of their portfolios to pre-approved Showcaze users only. Viewing access is
fully manageable by the designer, for each product in their gallery.
This feature gives designers the added option of using Showcaze for sharing their
“Look Books” and providing collection previews to selected buyers only.
Designers wishing to offer "invitation only" previews to prospective buyers in the
run up to the various Fashion Weeks during 2007 can also use this feature to their
advantage.
(2) Brokering Fashion Events
Special packages and group discounts are now also available to the organisers of
fashion events and PR companies. Showcaze can broker arrangements for integrating
Showcaze e-Boutiques into external websites for the purpose of providing online
promotions and previews on behalf of exhibiting designers.
Please contact Showcaze with your
specific requirements. We will dedicate our resources and expertise to realising
the optimum solution that best fits your needs.
(3) Catering for the Wider Fashion Community
Showcaze fans and users can now register under different categories (e.g. Corporate
Buyer, Designer, Stylist, PR, etc) and apply for approval to access restricted areas
of the designer e-Boutiques (mentioned under 1 above) via a username and password.
(4) e-Commerce Option
Designers can now choose to add the e-Shop (e-Commerce) facility to their e-Boutiques.
This feature is completely optional and is provided at a nominal cost. Please see
our
Optional Services guide for more details.
This option gives the designers total control and flexibility over the online sales
and marketing of their portfolios.
NextWave Stage 2 - Sneak Preview!
Stage 2 of NextWave is scheduled for completion during Q1, 2007. It will include,
among other exciting new features, the optional facility to upload designer's company
LOGO. Subsequent NextWave stages are also planned during 2007. These will seek to
accommodate new service features in direct response to comments and suggestions
received from fashion designers, whilst also ensuring alignment with Showcaze's
own strategy and plans for service development and growth.
Rewarding Customer Loyalty
Showcaze will continue to appreciate and reward the loyalty of EXISTING e-Boutique
customers. Therefore, all existing subscribers will automatically qualify for the
majority of the new features at NO extra cost to them.
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