Lora Velichkova Representation Techniques 2 MIED 506, Level 5 Computer Tools 2 Nicolas Godon 1
TABLE OF
CONTENTS I. ANALYSIS II. EDITORIAL III. CATALOGUE IV. WEBSITE V. BIBLIOGRAPHY 2
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Corporate Profile
ictoria’s secret is an American lingerie brand established in 1977 by Stanford Graduate School of Business and Tufts University alumni Roy Raymond and wife Gaye. The company was originally founded in San Francisco, California and has its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, U.S. There are 1,017 company-owned stores and 18 independently owned ones. The lingerie umbrella brand combines two sub-brands -the original Victoria’s secret line and the youthful line PINK. Some of the various products available for sale are women’s underwear, clothing, nightwear, swimwear, footwear, fragrances and cosmetic products. The reason behind the company’s cre-
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ation was that Ray Raymond felt uncomfortable entering a lingerie store and buying products for his wife, because he believed that in some places the saleswomen would perceive him as unwelcome intruder. Mr. Raymond studies the lingerie market for eight years and reaches the conclusion that he needs an estimate of $80,000, which he acquires from his parents and a bank loan. In 1882 Ray launches a men’s lingerie line, which does not turn out to be profitable, therefore the brand is headed towards bankruptcy. That same year, Victoria’s secret is sold to the creator of Limited Brands- Leslie Wexner for $1,000,000.
Our Strategy V
Market Position
ictoria’s Secret is currently the largest player in the lingerie market controlling about 35%, which is a remarkable number for a specialty retail brand. Competitors are American Eagle, H&M, Etam, Chantelle group, Gap and start- up businesses such as AdoreMe. Victoria’s Secret remains the most dominant brand on the lingerie market, because of their successful marketing and communication strategy to capture the attention and adoration of American women. The brand sells a range of products from underwear to sweatpants, hoodies and cosmetics, but the women’s intimates are most profitable. They sell an idea of sexiness and sophistication, which any woman could achieve through buying their products and wearing them. The brand’s fashion shows each year feature a number of celebrities apart from the famous su-
permodels working for the brand. Their sales increase with each event, because all the collections shown are in real- time during the season and become accessible in stores afterwards. The target market is a middle class woman, from the age of 18 to 45. These women take good care of their looks and tend to be comfortable and confident with their bodies. The places they go to vary from nice restaurants to vacations abroad, the gym or just to the cinema. The women of target enjoy leisure time and have a job, in order to afford their products, they also enjoy time by the beach or being pro- active in nature. The lingerie of VS aims to help women look and feel sexy, but also sophisticated and elegant.
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Current Situation
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he brand is currently operating more than 1,100 stores around the US, UK and Canada in addition to their online store on their website. There are 400 small stores in more than 70 countries operating under franchise, license and wholesale arrangements. The current success of the lingerie giant is owed much to their ability to sell a product which women could relate to. They have managed to find the balance between playful and sophisticated meanwhile using models that are mothers and wives in order to reach larger audiences. They have managed to link e- commerce to their
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physical stores, which has brought convenience to many women who know their size and prefer ordering online. Victoria’s Secret pays attention to international markets, alters according to them and continues to expand rapidly. Since the label is well recognized for their incredible yearly fashion shows, I thought it would benefit the brand to find inspiration in the myth of mermaids. The brand’s image is already based on the earthy perception of angels, which are seen as beautiful innocent godly creatures, therefore looking back at the myth of mermaids could create a unique new collection.
Communication Background
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n the past as well as in the present, Victoria’s Secret communication strategy is one using very few words, but powerful visuals to capture their target’s attention. The brand uses media such as printed and online magazines, in addition to their seasonal catalogues and annual fashion shows with duration of an average of 60 minutes. The models are referred to as angels and are styled in limited edition pieces featuring precious jewels. There are world famous performers such as Taylor Swift and Adam Levine performing throughout the show. Victoria’s Secret sells a lifestyle via photographing some of the most beautiful women on the planet. Instead of using text, which can be easily forgotten, their strategy emphasizes on seductive images, which stick to one’s memory. They have a YouTube Channel and also occasionally participate in advertisements related to Super Bowl.
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Mythical Mermaids Mermaids are creatures from mythology who are half women, half fish.
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heir name comes from “mer� meaning sea and they are thought to be beautiful. The upper part of their body is one of a young and fascinating woman, whilst from the waist down, they own a fish tail. Mermaids are said to have long hair, thus there are many stories about them brushing their long beautiful hair, while sitting on a rock in the middle of the sea. The mysterious creatures are a distraction to sailors, as they sing to them mesmerizing songs. The mermaids allure young men into their homes deep down in the dark waters and legends tell that they have sank ships, which have crossed their fate. In Greek and Roman Mythology, the name of mermaids is
nereids or sea nymphs, while men were called tritons if their bodies took that shape. Cultures on the east had a different point of view on the creatures and saw them as the personification of beauty found in sea. In Polynesian mythology, the God Vatea, who was half human and half porpoise is celebrated, while in Japan the mermaid Ningyo is said to have the power of giving deserving humans immortality. In Europe, the myth is the Greek one where mermaids are vicious but seductive females who are extremely dangerous and at the same time very magnetic. I think that the idea of integrating the mythical women of the sea to a brand that is famous for their 9
summer swimwear could turn out into an interesting concept. Looking at the colors of the sea and the influence these beautiful women had on the sailors, we could make comparisons to the marketing strategy of Victoria’s Secret, which aims to select the most alluring females on the planet and dress them well. Victoria’s Secret is all about imagination without limits and perfection wrapped up intemptation and elegance. The brand will accumulate ideas from the Greek and Roman my-
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he target of the brand are middle class women age 16- 49, but this collection specifically will target younger women of the same class, age 16- 36. The
thology and some of the main fashion aspects will be the color swatches related to the mermaid theme, as well as certain materials used to reproduce the feeling. Some of the crucial elements to the collection would be pearls and various accessory reminders of the natural habitat of mermaids. The shades of blue and green are the obvious necessary colors to portray the idea, but there will also be coral and white swatches for the different pieces.
Target reason behind the slight shift of target is the mermaid inspiration,which will seem more attractive to younger females. The target profile of such females is the following:
they have a range of occupations, which vary from being a sales assistant to working as a manager, editor, marketer etc. Since the brand has both online and offline stores, their
items could be purchased from any location, but the biggest amount of stores are in North America, hence the targeted women are mostly geographically located there. These females
enjoy traveling, going out with friends to bars and restaurants, as well as cinemas and theaters. They are sporty and at the same time casual, they enjoy feeling comfortable with a touch of
elegance and style. In addition to that, they enjoy summer and being on a beach next to the sea, tanning and relaxing with their loved ones. 11
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Objectives
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he objective is the break the monotony of always portraying the models of the brand as angels and to create interestingly themed pieces of swimear. The inspiration behind the new collection has the goal to enhance the loyalty and relationships they have with their customers and also increase their profits, which is always an advantage.The campaign and launching of such collection will aim to make the women who buy Victoria’s Secret underwear feel sexy and comfortable in their own skin,
with a touch of magic and mystery. On a daily basis our lives can get unvarying and so being able to dress up with underwear, which makes you feel better and confident about yourself is always a plus. Our brand is about helping women be a part of a magical and beautiful world and we want all of them to find something in the new collection, which will trigger positive emotions and joy when purchasing them.
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Where To Look For Inspiration
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he company has already found inspiration in magic and beauty and so it wishes to extend that touch of angelic and mystical feel. The mermaid collection is based on thousands of interesting myths that vary from one culture to another, but all together it portrayed women as powerful misunderstood creatures who had the ability to allure sailors through their sex -appeal and enchanting voices. This is exactly what the brand wishes to achieve- they want to give women that ability and power to feel, as they can be alluring and attractive on any day of the week. Women are often misunderstood and at times self-conscious due the immense amount of criticism towards their bodies that they face on a regular basis. The inspiration for this collection comes from the strength of females and the magic within them.
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W
What NOT to do
magazine did an editorial about mermaids called “Far, far from land” in its December issue of 2013. Kirsten McMenamy is starred in the photos, which tell the story of a mermaid who has fallen in love with a man living on land. The photographer is Tim Walker and he enjoys using fishtails in his photography. These particular series found their inspiration from “The Little Mermaid” tale with a little taste of punk in addition. The editorial looks different and definitely is realistic, but at the same time mysterious and catchy. I believe that when using such myths as an inspiration, the key to success is to break the monotony created by clichés. Many creative editorials can be born through the idea of creatures half fish, half human. The interesting concept of myths is that everybody is allowed to perceive them differently, because nobody truly knows what the truth is, therefore interpretation could set the beginning of various crazy ideas.
In the editorial for Victoria’s Secret I would like to put together photographs, which are not solely focused on the perfect bodies and the beauty of the models themselves. It is important for people to feel emotionally connected to the stories and so they shouldn’t illustrate perfection from all angles, but rather be more raw and natural. 15
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Editorial Brief
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y editorial is based on the myth inspired by mermaids. The story is about a woman who feels trapped between the walls of her own mind, captured in a vulnerable state. As she lives at sea, she is unable to fully connect with the people on land, thus she feels to be the only person she has and can relate to. The mermaid’s desire to explore land and the opportunities beyond capture her emotional journey with herself and her thoughts. The model will be styled to
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resemble a creature, which is both human and fish, through carefully picked out garments and appropriate color tones. The photographs will be done inside and by the water. The seas and oceans are home of the mythical creatures, therefore the beach with natural light is the perfect setting. Towards the end, the mermaid will be revealing and partly naked, which will illustrate her desire for physical and spiritual freedom.
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Stylist
he stylist reference for the editorial would be the Indian Vogue stylist Anaita Shroff who is considered one of the most leading voices in the Indian fashion community. Her influence came from her grandfather’s tailoring shop and later began her career as a stylist and costume designer for Bollywood films. She has been awarded best stylist of the year in 2005 and 2006. The reason I would choose her is because of her unique perception in fashion and her experience with underwater editorials. Also the fact that apart from fashion garments she works with costumes is to advantage to the recreation of the myth. The model will be wearing different outfits inspired by the brand’s collection. The jewelllery and colors of the garments are styled according to the chosen reference. The stylist will decide the positioning of each item and how exactly the model should present it best.
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Model Casting
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he models of Victoria’s Secret are emblematic and symbolic to the idea that they wish to sell as a brand. In order to break through the idea of what perfection looks like, the choice of mod-
els for this collection will be slightly different. The models will have to be found more exotic and unusual than the ones we keep seeing in their campaigns. There is not going to be a specific rule for hair color or skin
tone, so that the story can seem appealing to a larger target portion. They do have to have nice outlined bodies, but instead of picking them by weight, it would be more about shapes and femininity.
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Make-up and Hair
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he hair of the model will be semi length and will be dyed only in its ends in a lighter shade of pink. Her hair will be let down freely floating in the water, or just going down her shoulders, as it is a rawer and more organic look. The make up for the editorial will
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include heavy mascara layers for an illusion of thick and beautiful eyelashes. The make up artists will play around with shades of green, blue and red. The woman will have dark eyeliner cat eye done to escalate the light skin color of her face.
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Preparation
The location of the shoot will be Phuket, Thailand.
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here will be a trip of the team to go shoot there, because of the beautiful beaches that cannot be found elsewhere. The models will be booked through employees of Victoria’s Secret assigned for the responsibility. The trip will last six
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days and there will be hotels and food provided for everyone. Hair stylists, clothing stylists and make-up artist will be a part of the crew traveling to ensure incredible results by the end of the adventure.
Time Schedule
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ince the VS models and entire team will have six days in Thailand, the first they will have free in order to rest well and look ready for the shoot the day after. On the second day, the make up artists and stylists will prepare the models starting at around 9.30 am. They will finish the preparation and test it out at 11.00 am and begin the shoot by 11.30 am. The photograpWhs might take up to four hours with little breaks for food and water for the whole team. Around 4 pm the shoot will be wrapped up and everybody will have a free day. The third day of the trip, there will be a continuation of the shoot. The models will repeat the cycle from the previous day only this time they will finis at around 1.30 pm. The fourth day is also necessary, because the photographers will look over the material and might need to change idea or add more options for the story. The fifth day is for everybody to enjoy Thailand and leave their job location with exciting memories.
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Art Direction The models will use to their maximum advantage the professional expertise of the stylists and make up artists who will do their best to achieve accurate and beautiful results. The photographers will focus on capturing the models at their most vulnerable and natural postures. As the shoot will be in the water, the photographers will have to find a place at the beach where the water isn’t too deep and be able to shoot comfortably. The whole process will happen during daytime, thus the lighting is expected to be natural and strong due to the heated temperatures.
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Model Direction
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n the first image of the editorial, the model will be floating in the water, fully clothed with her dress floating freely around her body. She is on her back and the photograph is taken from a bird’s eye’s angle so that the woman is facing up and the whole body is captured. In the second one, she is also floating in a similar position with her head upwards and her hands floating. Her posture in the third photograph will slightly change, as she will be shown until the upper part of her shoulders, captured from the back as she is looking forward into the blue horizon. On her left side will be the image of herself in her own thoughts,
which will represent her daily struggle to find peace. The fourth photo takes place closer to the sand beach and the model will have to lay down, partly in water and partly on land, with one arm stretched out beneath her head and the other one lightly wrapped around her waist. Her head will be slightly lifted upwards, meanwhile her body will be facing the shore. Lastly the model will again be captured close to the beach, but her upper body will be naked, so her arms will be wrapped around it to cover herself. Her head is lifted from the water and her legs are bent at the knees on her right side facing the playful waves.
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Post shoot Processing and Retouching The photographs will be taken during the four days of the photo-shoot scheduled in Phuket. The files will be chosen by quality and by most appealing visual representation so that they can be processed and put in order for the retouching process. Photoshop is always necessary, so that the images can reach perfection and illustrate the products of Victoria’s Secret in the most attractive, but also effective manner. The colors will be brightened where needed and for the editorial story the model will be used twice for certain photos. She will be photographed in various positions, which then through the help of the program her image will be doubled to enhance emotional connection to her story.
Page Layout The layout of the pages for the editorial will be full-page placement, where every photo has a specific position according to its function in the story. The photographs are five and so five pages will be needed for it. The photos will be aligned with the rest of the catalogue’s layout, therefore the white spaces will remain balanced and the black lines supporting them will be also incorporated. The minimalistic feel will be kept, but the images should be the perfect size to capture the attention of the reader. 28
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Dress: Victoria’s Secret
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Scarf: Victoria’s Secret
Dress: Victoria’s Secret
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Dress: Victoria’s Secret Hairband: PINK
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Dress: Victoria’s Secret Ring: Guess
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Shirt: Victoria’s Secret
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The Catalogue T
he catalogue is where the collection inspired by mermaids is shown. Unlike a fashion lookbook, the photographs featuring the new items can have a more creative background, instead of the typical white background, which focuses the viewer’s attention onto the fashion gament they are wearing. The models I have chosen to represent my idea have a similar look to what the brand Victoria’s Secret uses as a representation.
The catalogue’s purpose is to serve as an insight to the public of the creative process of developing the idea, while showing what the swimwear from the mermaid collection would look like.
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Photographer: Russel James Stylist: Anaita Schroff
Make-up: Mario Dedivanovic
Hair: Paul Meritt, Lindsay Ellingson
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Website T
he website is linked to the content of the catalogue project and will have only two title categories apart from the Home option. There will an About tab and also “The collection”. In the tab, which is named “About” I will give a brief description of the brand Victoria’s Secret, so that the viewer is able to understand what the content is regarding. I will have two
posts that will show on the home page. The first one will be about the editorial and an explanation about the mythical creatures- mermaids, and how I have implemented that story onto the brand’s ideals and values based on perfection and beauty. The section, which is about the mermaid collection, will feature some of the swimwear that is going to be on the market.
The URL for the website is: Themermaidmyth.wordpress.com
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