FOREWORD As a fashion agent, we often find ourselves in a strange position. What do we do? Who do we work with? How do we work? The following pages shall give you some insight into the tasks and operations a fashion agent does and will hopefully be a help if you are considering working with an agent. It will furthermore tell you the story of Bjรถrn, including our values, unique services and our role within the sustainable fashion industry. We are much more than just an intermediary; we like to see ourselves as a link within a whole network, connecting the right people to go forward and create the best outcome possible.
Photo: Tafilah Yusuf | Pixabay
FASHION AGENCIES Working with a Fashion Agency
SUSTAINABLE FASHION
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BJÖRN AGENCY 6
Who is Björn?
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BJÖRN in the World
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The BJÖRN Blogger Event
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The Business of Dressing Kids
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The BJÖRN Box
The Future of Sustainable Materials
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Cradle to Cradle
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Fashion For Good
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Fashion Revolution
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Mission Sustainability
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CONTENTS
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About this Magazine
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WORKING WITH A FASHION AGENCY
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Photo: Ed Gregory | Stokpic
Planning Your Marketing Mix Strategy
Benefits of Working with An Agent
The Importance of Finding the Right Agent
Making the decision to work with an agency is part of a business’ overall marketing strategy. ‘Place’, the third P of the marketing mix does not only indicate the location of the point-of-sale but also the distribution path: how the product reaches the end-customer. Different paths have different advantages, however, working through an agent can hold great benefits.
An agent increases the freedom of being able to focus on the main skills of a brand, such as design and production, while additionally growing and expanding with the right knowledge. Just like every brand is unique, every agent is unique. The right agent will take all of the brands requirements into account and can offer a service that is specifically tailored to the brand’s needs and wishes.
Taking the step to working with an agent is a tremendous decision that requires a lot of research. Finding the right agent is crucial to guarantee a satisfying outcome and fulfilled expectations along with the attainment of defined goals. To experience the best outcome on all sides, a focus should be set on creating a trustful and sustainable relationship for the best cooperation.
Factors to Take into Consideration • • • • • •
The working methodology & the level of technology applied The experience of the agency and desired working relationship The markets that are planned to be targeted The agency’s existing brand portfolio, network and outreach The potential alignment of the business’ and agency’s values Any future goals and aspirations
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WHO IS BJÖRN?
Photo: Robert Anthony Carbone | Pexels
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Making Sustainable Brands a Standard in Society When you see or hear the word ‘Björn’ you might be wondering about the fancy ‘ö’ or possibly think of Björn Borg. So what is the deal with our agency’s name? Here we have a little explanation and language lesson ready for you! You might be surprised to hear that ‘Björn’ is actually the Swedish word for ‘Bear’! Hence why the ‘ö’ in our logo is also the blue björn bear. Why Swedish? Our two founders Martine and Frans grew up in Sweden and decided to add a little Scandinavian touch to their business name. And now, to the fun question: why ‘bear’? Out of all the reasons that might exist for such a decision, our founders just happened to like bears. We think that’s a fair enough reason!
Smart service solutions At Björn we don’t just simply focus on sales - we aim to provide you with an all-round service for highest growth and exposure through adding maximum value: we offer support in international sales, customer service, marketing & PR all on a worldwide level. Due to our large network, we are able to introduce you to our international retailers and influencers within the (sustainable) fashion industry. Our team is dedicated to help and advise you with all of our mixed expertise. We see ourselves as an innovative and digital-forward
company that is reliable and efficient. We are on the forefront of the sustainable fashion movement and are inviting you to be a part of it.
Digitally-Forward Thinking What is setting us apart is our operations and way of thinking: we are all about innovation and growth. With our invention of the Björn Box we are offering an alternative to showrooms and tradeshows. Björn has also taken the step to move away from utilising the traditional method of paper and pen and its digital version of emails and excel sheets. Instead, Björn is focused on implementing an outstanding B2B platform, that allows for a high level of automation. Due to this, we are able to provide our services to several countries simultaneously.
Experts in our Niche Market We are proud to have expertise in one of the broadest and most potential-holding markets: the children’s wear market. This makes us a suitable agency for everything within children’s fashion, toys and accessories. With our extensive experience in children’s wear, we are proud to have built a reputable network within the past years.
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Photo: Karolina Grabowska | Kaboompics
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ALL OVER THE WORLD
At Bjรถrn, we are proud to have expertise in three very profitable and potential markets - the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Benelux countries - and have a retailer portfolio that goes even beyond. We also take care of our international network, which includes France, New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
Examples of our Retailer Portfolio
Benelux
USA NZ
World
AUS FR
UK & Ireland
Björn’s Markets Based on Revenue
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THE .. BJORN BLOGGER EVENT Our BjÜrn Blogger Event in June 2017 has been a huge success. With 13 Dutch and Belgian bloggers visiting us in Amsterdam, we made sure that everyone had a great time. Our programme included a Wobbel Yoga Session for all the little (and not so little) ones, a sustainability workshop hosted by Ilona Buddingh’-Maas, author of Begin met Duurzamheid (English: Start with Sustainability) as well as a nice lunch that was finished off with some typical Dutch tompouce. Our guests had the exclusive opportunity to view the new Maxomorra, Lily-Balou and Liv+Lou collections before the official release date. To finish everything off, all of our lovely influencers received a free sample to utilise in their blogposts and showcase on social media.
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The Business of Dressing Kids
Fashion is a powerful way of expression. It is a stunning way to make a statement, both subtle and bold. As adults, however, we often face certain restrictions. These can range from special work attire to expected dress codes set within society. Kids, however, are always exempt and can wear what they want, when they want. Even if it is two odd shoes, a top worn inside out or the craziest colour combination, they can get away with it. Because in the end, they’re just kids. No judgement, instead full freedom of expression.
A Profitable Market According to Mintel’s Clothing Retailing Report (2017), childrenswear is driving growth within the apparel sector. It is estimated that in 2017, it has increased its share of the overall apparel market to 14% while still being a growing focus for many retailers. It has further been reported that 60% of consumers that purchase childrenswear do so as gifts, highlighting the importance of gifting particularly in the babywear market.
The Reflection of Their Parents Interestingly, in recent years, a new wave has gone through the childrenswear market. What used to be a slower and more independent market has changed rapidly due to its influence by many major lifestyle and fashion trends. It has been found that the millennial generation is driving the ‘Mini Me’ trend, with 24% of parents wanting to dress their children more fashionably. This can especially be observed within the premium and luxury market, which is highly influenced by the use of social media, both regarding posts from celebrities as well as the desire to share pictures of their own children. Looking at the cut and style of children’s clothing, a lot is still highly influenced by the on-going Athleisure trend, creating a demand in clothing that is comfortable, casual and sporty. Further, a significant movement towards gender neutrality can be observed, particularly influencing the childrenswear market. With a growing
number of retailers, including John Lewis in the UK and Hema in the Netherlands, that are removing ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ labels, it highlights the freedom and encouragement to dress kids regardless of gender-related stereotypes. It has further created a demand for more genderneutral clothing. Lastly, a trend has been detected towards a higher consciousness for sustainability and ethical clothing. This leads to a bigger desire for quality as well as purchasing clothing secondhand. The significance of influences on the childrenswear market shows that children’s clothing can be a form of reflection of how parents want to view themselves and how they would like their children to view the future. In the end, the beauty behind children’s clothing is the freedom of choice. At no age is it more acceptable to dress according to your mood than when you are still in your early years.
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THE BJÖRN BOX An innovative sales tool as an alternative to crowded tradeshows and timely showroom appointments for busy industry professionals
“Time is money” as the famous pro-verb suggests. In today’s age, everything is built towards productivity and efficiency. And due to the digitalisation and the internet it is getting easier and easier with every day. We can easily shop in the middle of the night in the convenience of our own home and have it delivered straight to our office the next day. Quick and convenient. So if it is that easy as an end-consumer to shop online, why should it be any different on a Business to Business basis? Why do buyers and retailers have to use their precious time to travel to trade shows when they could view new collections in the convenience of their own home? Why should they have to schedule another showroom appointment into their busy day additionally to their regular work time? Why should they be pressured by time when viewing the collections and talking to represesentatives from the brand? Our solution for this: the Björn Box.
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The Björn Box is our very own in-house service that we have developed over the years and provide to our brands and retailers. Being an agent that works across borders, we understand the need of getting a real feel of a brand and their collection. Especially when it comes to the children’s wear market, we have developed the understanding of the importance of saving time. We coordinate the samples that will be sent out to our retailers, so that they are able to see, touch and feel the clothing as a true experience. Furthermore, we provide all the neccessary information on the collection via email, telephone and in the Björn Box. On top of that, we offer all the tools to be a true alternative to a showroom visit. Any questions or inqueries will be answered quickly and efficiently via email or on the phone and there is always the option to schedule a personal skype call to be talked through the collection.
Ways to Showcase Your Collections Bjorn Box +
• Saves time • Saves money • More privacy and freedom when seeing the samples • Less hassle on all sides • Fits into everyone’s agenda
Tradeshows +
• Exposure to potential customers • Good socialising & networking opportunity • Still utilised very often in many countries
Showrooms +
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• Better personal relationship due to time and ease for each customer • More time to show the collection • Individual and personal advice
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• Less personal contact • Shipping costs • Less control about what customers buy • Good B2B system is required
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Travel and logistics High costs Preparation time Short time window for service and to view collection • Dependent on date and location
• High rental costs • Showroom is only needed during sales season • Potentially long travel for customers • Time consuming for customers
Thanks to the Björn Box I can really experience the collections and make my choices in peace
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I can’t think of a more convenient way to view samples!
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What the Björn Box Users Think
We can only tell you so much about the benefits of the Björn Box. Read for yourself what our users are thinking!
Tradeshows are logistical nightmares, I love the Björn Box
The Björn team is always responding so quickly if I have any questions regarding the brand or collection
Thinking Outside the Box
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A Work in Progress Despite our huge success with the Björn Box so far, we are constantly seeking for ways to improve our service. Currently, Melissa, a product design student, is working on the Björn Box as part of her Bachelor’s degree. Her goal is to improve the overall function of the box - from improving the display of the samples inside the box to working within the Cradle to Cradle philosophy to create a sustainable product that is fit for purpose and aligns with the values of Björn.
The Future Björn Box • Is environmentally-friendly • Is made exclusively from recyclable materials, C2C-certified where possible • Offers an improved display of the collection • Can be customised to your brand
© 2017 Björn Agency
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The Future of Sustainable Materials Without textiles, there wouldn’t be any clothing. Textiles are the whole base of the fashion industry. Through the democratisation of fashion in the 50s and 60s, the demand of clothing rose and thus, the pressure on natural resources, leading to the increased use of synthetic fibres. Generally, a distinction can be made between natural fibres or man-made fibres, which can’t be used a textiles in their original form. Natural fibres can either be proteinbased, such as wool and silk which are all of animal origin or cellulosic-based, such as cotton or flax and therefore of vegetable origin. Man-made fibres on the other hand, can also be regenerated cellulosic-based, like viscose and lyocell or manufactured synthetics, such as polyester and nylon. The choice of the fibre depends on the requirements of the fabrics, including durability, comfort, aesthetics, maintenance level and protection.
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Lyocell (Tencel)
Organic Cotton Lyocell, also known under its trade name Tencel, is known to be one of the most sustainable fabrics. It is made out of cellulose fibres made from dissolving wood pulp, most often eucalyptus trees. Although Lyocell derives from a natural resource, it is classified as a man-made, regenerated fibre as the material has to be processed and broken down with the help of chemicals before it can be used in textiles form. To produce lyocell, wood pulp is mixed with a solvent. Lyocell has typically a shiny and luxurious appearance with a smooth handle.
Cotton has managed to hold a reputation that might be a bit better than it actually deserves. It’s the most popular textile right after polyester. Generally, the problem with cotton is the high demand: Cotton is a hard plant to grow as it requires a lot of water and is very prone to be attacked by pests. Therefore, conventional cotton is often grown in monocultures with no biodiversity and requires the use of many chemicals, some of which can be very harmful. Organic cotton is seen as the good twin of the two. One of the most known industry standards is GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard, an independent certification that takes the whole supply chain into account, from harvesting the raw material all the way through to the production and finishing of the garment. The natural colour of organic cotton is actually of a yellow offwhite shade.
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Hemp 22
Recycled Polyester
The best way to reduce waste and be more sustainable is reusing what is already there. A big debate has always been going on on the topic of polyester - as a synthetic, how can it be sustainable and environmentallyfriendly? However, did you know that qualitatively, recycled cotton is not a replacement for virgin cotton whereas recycled polyester is equal to virgin polyester? And further, that conventional cotton is worse than virgin polyester in regards to the environment? By using recycled polyester, the dependency on petroleum and crude oil is reduced tremendously.
Hemp is a fairly easy plant to grow; it only requires little water and no chemical protection at all due to its natural winter hardiness. The textile that is made from hemp is very durable and sturdy. Unfortunately, the feel and look is rather unpleasant. However, hemp can easily be blended with other fibres and it gets softer with every wash, similar to its cousin linen.
Deadstock Material
Deadstock or surplus fabric are leftover fabrics from mills or factories. For instance, it could be overstock, the fabric could be somehow damaged or flawed, it didn’t meet the requirements of colour-matching or just wasn’t suitable anymore. If unused, these fabric would otherwise go into landfill. For many big brands, the problem behind deadstock material is the limited quantity. For smaller and mid-sized brands, however, this can be used as an advantage.
Photo: Janko FerliÄ? | Unsplash
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Cradle to Cradle
Photo: Sarah Dorweiler | Unsplash
Did you know that on 2nd August 2017 we have already used up all of our resources for the year of 2017? This day is coined as the ‘Earth Overshoot Day’ and puts the impact of our consumption into perspective. The Earth Overshoot Day marks the day when the demand for ecological resources in a given year has gone beyond what our planet can renew within that year. To satisfy all of our needs, we would currently need 1.7 earths and judging by our rate, we would require 2 earths by 2030. The plan? Pushing the date back 4.5 days per year, to be able to return back to utilising the resources of one earth by 2050.
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Cradle to cradle as a solution approach
Not ‘doing better’ but ‘doing good’
Reduce, reuse, recycle. In the times of trying to reduce waste, this motto is widely spread. But did you know that most re-cycling is actually downcycling? Plastic bottles made from PET for instance, are widely ‘recycled’, however, PET can only be recycled so often as the quality is decreasing with every time. So unfortunately, the deceptive dream of utilising a bottle for an infinite amount of time is false. What happens then? The bottles end up in landfill, going from ‘Cradle to Grave’. And the root of this problem lies in the design and materials that we are using. Therefore, the problem even starts before we get to the consumption part of a product. Human design is flawed as we often have the need to control everything around us and be as efficient as possible. In nature, however, systems do take from their environments but also give back and return high benefits over time. There, not efficiency but effectiveness is the main focus. This is the root idea of Cradle to Cradle (C2C). C2C design is part of the natural world. Everything that is used, will be returned and fed back into the natural cycle. In C2C, ‘waste equals food’ for new things so essentially, no waste is existent.
The thought behind Cradle to Cradle is not to reduce harm and ‘be better’. Because concentrating on ‘being better’ is not the solution - it is essentially only delaying the harm that is created. Instead, the aim is to ‘be good’, to create no harm at all and even concentrate on making a positive impact on our surroundings.
The Five Goods
Fashion Endlessly Based on William McDonough and Michael Braungart there are different criteria that have to be taken into account: The characteristics of the materials used, the amount and source of energy and water that is used and the social responsibility. This ensures products that are not harmful to humans nor to nature, a growing economy that is benefitting all the participants, clean energy that is renewable, clean water that is available to everyone and safe and decent working conditions that ensure appropriate living standards. Fashion for Good, a version of C2C that is adapted to the fashion industry, have taken these characteristics into consideration to build a framework that is based on the five goods.
A global initiative to make ‘all fashion good’
Not to make the fashion industry better but to make all fashion good - that is the vision of the fashion for good initiative based in Amsterdam. Fashion for good started in 2016 with the C&A foundation as a founding partner and now receives further support from Galéries Lafayette, the Kering group, the Impact Hub in Amsterdam and the start-up accelerator Plug and Play in Silicon Valley. A global network full of innovators, forwardthinkers and industry experts.
The initiative is aiming to create a circular economy within the fashion industry through the adoption of the five goods which are aligned with the Cradle-toCradle principle. As a well-rounded initiative, it supports start-ups, advises existing businesses, connects likeminded organisations and educates endconsumers. As an agency that is on the forefront of the sustainability movement, Björn Agency has been part of this global initiative since 2017.
Photo: © 2017 True Fashion Collective
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FASHION REVOLUTION # W H O M A D E M YC LOT H E S FA S H I O N R E VO LU T I O N .O R G
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We need a fashion revolution. With the only fashion news that you will hear in the media being about terrible working conditions and horrible tragedies, something has to change. Finally, it was the 24th April 2013 that marked the birth of Fashion Revolution and the growing demand for more fairness and transparency in the fashion industry. The tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh caused the death of thousands of people. Further, it left many brands wondering whether this concerned any of their own production. And that leaves the questions - if not even brands and retailers know where their clothes are produced, how is anyone else outside the chain supposed to know? The solution? Increasing more awareness and encouraging curiosity and action. And that starts with one simple question: Who Made my Clothes?
much more. The Fashion Revolution Week is now an annual event in various countries and universities, organised and represented by ambassadors of different backgrounds.
Fashion Revolution NL
In the Netherlands, the Fashion Revolution team consists of five dedicated members: Roosmarie Ruigrok, Rosa van Erdere, Ashna Chhatta, Jos Cozijnsen and Matthijs Kettelerij. Roosmarie, the coordinator of Fashion Revolution Netherlands is contributing to the sustainable fashion industry with her passion and knowledge to make improvements in the supply chains. Through her foundation Clean & Unique she offers consultations, workshops and events to support brand from the inside.
The idea is simple: a customer will post a picture of their favourite garment on social media, tag the brand in it and ask them: “Who made my clothes?”. In turn, the brand will answer to this post with a picture of the person that made the garment, stating “I made your clothes.” A simple exchange like this will increase transparency, trust and respect. Because that is what fashion should be about: celebrating creativity, craftsmanship, artisan skills and passion. Within 4 years, Fashion Revolution is now active in more than 90 different countries, has set up a fashion transparency index, published two fanzines, released a podcast, started a garment worker diary project and
© 2017 Roosmarie Ruikrok
Mission Sustainability It is no secret that the fashion industry can be very ruthless – the quicker, cheaper and easier, the better. But of course, that doesn’t come without any costs; working within the second most polluting industry is nothing that we want to support any further. Instead, we aim for change. As an agency, we are literally sitting in the middle of everything that happens – connecting all the different ends. Because of this, a certain amount of passiveness is not to avoid. Although we are not able to directly influence the industry, we can for sure contribute and join the movement. Innovation is the key to sustainability and that is what we concentrate on. We innovate, we digitalise and connect. We act as ambassadors for brands that we believe in and that are driven by that same ambition of ours. We are problemsolvers and forward-thinkers.
Photo: Crown Agency | Unsplash
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We hope that these pages have given you further insight about the role of an agency as well as new insights about the sustainable fashion industry. We believe that a positive change in the fashion industry is possible and we invite you to take part in this movement.
About this Magazine This magazine had been created as part of my internship at Björn Agency from July - December 2017 with the goal to establish the position and role of an agency and to explore how an agency can contribute to the sustainable fashion industry. Firstly, my special thanks goes to Frans and Martine for enabling me to take on such a project and proving me with enough freedom to experiment around with my creativity next to our regular tasks within the agency. Further, I would like to thank Frederique for her patience, guidance and endless hours of help and discussions. A massive thank you to Britta for sharing the same interest and love for (sustainable) fashion, for all the countless conversations, social media overlegs and our mutual motivation. Also, a thank
you to Melissa and good luck with your project, I can’t wait to see the endresult! And of course a big thank you to Jaqueline for all the constant words of encouragement, I miss working with you! A shout out to everyone whom I’ve met at Fashion for Good while enjoying lunch and utilising the co-working space to work on this magazine on Wednesday afternoons. A thank you to Roosmarie for taking some time out of her busy schedule to do an interview with me. As always a thank you and hug to Evi, my proof reader for all existing kinds of texts for all imaginable situations. Lastly, a massive thank you to anyone else whom I’d met during my six months with Björn, you have all made my stay a fantastic experience full of growth and opportunities. Jenny Thai Amsterdam, December 2017
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bjornagency | Amsterdam