Working on adding to range

[ssp]

Been busy the past two weeks coming up with new designs and new additions to the range i am building. I have spoken with a few friends in the states and I have added another branding to the range, more on that one to follow after clearance of the name here and there.

In the meantime I have been working on the inked kustoms range again. I decided to get some of the novachrome bags in and the cushions and give them a press out. The results were very good i have to admit , better than i thought they would be and I was very pleased with very positive reactions. The first day the cushions went up they sold, i used some of my dia de los muertos designs and they flew out. I have also put these designs onto the bags and I am now looking at doing a range of Bandanas and going down the screen printing route as well.

Here are pictures of todays run of bags all of which are now spoken for.



Now the bags are really nice as are the small clutch bags, however I still need some way to hang and describe the items also a branding head as well. Lately I have taken to carrying my small A5 blank sketch book with me with a pencil and liner as I have been getting flashes of inspiration all the time. Today I had a really good idea for a single cardboard hook with a contour cut logo section and a paisley design with cursive fontwork.

It took me about 20 mins to come up with a good design that i liked, I then built the shape and layers up in illustrator and printed the header card out and cut it out. This is just a concept proof but the idea works and is valid, a much higer gsm of card would be needed and this is something I will look into this week. I will order some small self sealing bags from ebay tomorrow to see what the finished item so to speak would look like totally packaged.

The rear of the header card will carry other information, but for now the idea is valid.

Printed and cut Header card.




Test Fit





The header card will be extended by two inches for the clutch bags, however it also looks good for them.

I have yet to recieve the folding clear pvc poly box sample i ordered monday for my baseball hats, that should be here in the next day or so, and then i can try a cap with one of the display cards i have designed for those in situ, as soon as i have it all ready i will post up pictures.

Hopefully onver the next week or so I will have a large range of items ready to show to Some retail buyers, they have shown interest all I have to do is show a product.

[tlworkwear]

Looking very good! Particularly liking the card to display the brand name.

[pisquee]

You thought about doing a retail trade show?

[ssp]

You thought about doing a retail trade show?

Hi pisquee.

To be honest I wouldnt know where to begin. I have been working really hard on designs and new typefaces and mock-ups etc so that i have something to approach buyers with, however I am still trying to get things finished and ready!

Today i had a foldable clear pvc box arrive as a sample for my hats to go in. they fit but it is snug, so I am at a loss on do I go wit hthem or do I pay for tooling to make a larger box. Luckily the company is u.k based so i can pay a visit to them to get things measured.

My business manager is rolling some figures aroound for me this week as to wether i buy a new or refurbed large format printer and the big bed press i have my eye on. I am also inclined to get a big roland system as well but it is a lot to outlay in what is a choosy and fluctuating market.

What i want to do is meet some retailer buyers and get thier input on things and then i can work on what would be needed.

Unfortunately there are no marketing agencies here or agencies that can get me in the door with buyers so i have to do all the hard work myself.
That and I have my other business to run at the same time, its got to a point where i need to choose what I am going to concentrate on.

However if anyone or yourself have advice on a retail show and how i go about it etc then please advise away, contact would be great as well.

thanks

simon

[pisquee]

Big retails trade shows include Top Drawer (probably the biggest) and Pulse in London, Home and Gift in Harrogate, Spring Fair in Birmingham.
You will need to be budgeting about a grand to cover a stand, plus your travel/transport and accommodation.
This is your opportunity to meet 100s of buyers from all over the UK and abroad, and they are there to buy, with budgets, and shelves in their stores to fill, so it can be more effective than just turning up at a store and asking to see the buyer, who will be doing other things.

There is also a branding and licensing show in October (I think) in London, where you, instead of showing your products to sell, you show your designs (printed on example products if you want) to get companies to licence your work for them to print on products to sell themselves.

[mrs maggot]

i love the design for your hanger, i would suggest making it a slot rather than a bar, as things can and do fall off, esp when people try to look at the one behind even if its exactly the same as the one in front, as a slot where you can unclip the bag, feed it through and then clip it shut again it wont be able to come off so easily - (then they just rip the hangers - yes honestly they do) displaying items easily is a nightmare