Linear Figure

Severe angles can lead to an unflattering look. It’s good to have movement, so look for soft, flowing fabrics that will help create rounder shapes. Adding a belt to your waistline works well. Your goal is to draw curves and minimize angles on your figure. Example body type: Nicole Kidman

Lower Figure Large prints, bright colors and too much detail on your lower body draw attention to that area. Women with a prominent lower half should avoid these kinds of fabrics. Your goal is to direct the eye up, towards your torso. To help create an even proportion, try bold colors on your upper body and boot cut or wide leg pants on your lower half. Example body type: Kate Winslet Upper Figure

With a prominent upper body type, it’s best to direct the eye towards your hips. Try wearing fuller skirts – they will work best for balancing proportion. Avoid cap sleeves; the tightness on your arms is unflattering. Example body type: Madonna

Middle Figure

You want to draw attention away from your waistline. Avoid tucked in blouses and any belts around your waist. Tunic blouses and mid-rise jeans work well. Your goal is to direct the eye towards your face and adding jewelry to your neckline is one way. Example body type: Queen Latifah

Hour Glass Figure

Don’t hide any part of your body, you want to show off your voluptuous upper and lower body figure. Stay away from stiff, bulky fabrics. Your goal is to draw attention to your small waist and show off your curves. Simply add a belt or accessory to tighten the waistline and wear shirts with an open neckline. Example body type: Salma Hayek

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Article written by J’Nee Wittboldt for Phoenix Fashion Week

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Q. What do you see as your mission?

Q. I recall you’re telling me that you had an interest in creating a fashion TV program. Where did this idea come from?

Article by Liz Riley, Editor

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Dallas, TexasIf everything is bigger in Texas, that holds true for the shopping malls. The Galleria is Dallas’s most extravagant shopping mall, boasting 1.9 million square feet of shopping pleasure. This includes over 200 top retailers, more than 30 dining options including full service restaurants, an indoor ice rink as well as the Westin Galleria hotel. The Galleria is home to a long list of first-class stores, including Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Gucci, Versace and Cartier. The idea for this shopping giant came from the fashion capital of Milan, Italy. It was inspired by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Milan’s famously glamorous marketplace. In addition to fantastic shopping, it is also a great place to see celebrities. Stars such as Robert Pattinson and Mary J. Blige have recently been spotted shopping there.Chicago, Illinois

For further information on shopping in these cities check out: www.galleriadallas.com, www.littlefivepoints.net, www.themagnificentmile.com/shopping, www.virginiahighland.com and www.decaturga.com/cgs_citysvcs_ced_sdsguide.aspx*We love feedback! Leave a comment on this article and you could win a Phoenix Fashion Week t-shirt!

Article by Alyssa Wagner for Phoenix Fashion Week

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After working in Mexico for several years with his cousin’s screen-printing company, James Ross decided he wanted to start his own clothing line in 2006.

After years of trial and error, James, Adam and Elizabeth accepted the most popular designs and replicated their style. Instead of debuting a clothing line, Kiss the Girl debuted a brand with more than 25 pre-tested pieces. Those 25 rock-solid t-shirt designs attracted 24 boutiques around the country. Today, more 500 retailers across the globe carry Kiss the Girl Clothing Company.

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Article by Alex Valenzuela for Phoenix Fashion Week

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Mary Jane Smokewear

Now that you’ve come to the point where you’ve created your first line, and have your samples ready to show, how are you going to introduce it to the marketplace? While there are a few different choices, presenting it in the professional setting of a tradeshow is a great one.  Buyers will already be there, and more buyers will see it in less time than if you were running to them. Therefore, you have increased the possibility of getting more orders in a very efficient setting.Check out the stores, first, to make sure you know which ones are merchandising to your target market. You’ll see what other lines the store is carrying and you’ll be able to determine if the store is selling to your target customer.  Also, it gives you face time with the buyer.  It’s much easier to work with a buyer you know than one you don’t.Now that you’ve decided to spend the money to lease booth (or showroom) space to present your line at market, what’s next?  If you’ve done your homework you’ve made a list of stores and buyers you want to have see your line.  Make sure you call them and set appointments if you can. Sending out a marketing piece such as a postcard, prior to your call campaign is a really good idea.So far, so good, but every trade show has multiple booths with lines displayed, and reps or designers who want to attract the same buyers you may be targeting.  That’s where these tips come in handy.Create an eye-catching display. Find out ahead of time exactly what you’re getting in terms of booth space. Make a sign to fit in the booth with your logo and the name of your line that can be seen from across the room. Keep your table neat and tidy, and make sure you have plenty of line sheets and get some promotional giveaways such as brochures, or pens, etc., with your company’s name on them.

Bri Bridge

Wear Your Product. At market in the fashion world, dress code only exists so far as your product is concerned. No one can make it work like you can.Giveaways. A pen with your company name on it, or notebooks (small ones are fine). If you have more money to spend on marketing, tote bags are great. Anything disposable is less effective.Look Book. Keep your look book handy for the buyers to see. You may want to put it on a disc they can take with them.Be Approachable. Buyers will have questions and enjoy chatting with the designer or knowledgeable reps.  Other exhibitors may come over with friends or colleagues. Your first responsibility is to any buyer you’re working with, but be polite.Always Get a Business Card. You’ll be seeing buyers you may not have encountered before. Building your buyer database is essential for growing your business. After market, shoot buyers a “nice to meet you” e-mail. Don’t forget to include your contact information. Some buyers may miss the market for one reason or another.  You will want to make appointments with them to go out to their store and show the line, or maybe even do a trunk show.  It may be a lot of work, but you’ll be glad you did it.*We love feedback! Post a comment or question about this article and you might win a free Phoenix Fashion Week t-shirt!

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Susan Brandt

Over the past decade, retail has gone from sleepy brick and  mortar, with the seasonal catalog on the side, to instant gratification.  You see it, you want it, click, and it’s yours. You can get just about anything online, from shoes to steaks, and cars to houses.

More and more retailers are choosing e-commerce over, or in conjunction with, the more traditional form of retail we all grew up with. So what goes into establishing an online store? What do you need to know? We asked Susan Brandt, CMO of Voomerang, a new “deal-a-day” website, for some insider tips. Here’s what she told us.1. Study and learn what others are doingEcommerce is constantly changing and it is important as a new merchant when you enter this field that you learn as much learn as much as possible and keep up to speed with the changes.  Fortunately, there are many great resources available online — all you need to do is find the time to  read them all!  One great place to start is CNET– You don’t  need to be a technical expert to run a successful online store, but you do need to have a little understanding of how online stores work.  CNET also carries the latest technology news.Also, look at other online stores so when you select a vendor you can tell them some of your favorite stores and what you like and don’t like about how they work.2. Plan carefully and be realisticOne of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting out is to assume that on the Internet, normal business rules do not    apply.  You need to have a business and marketing plan. You need to be realistic about the time and money it will take to build your business. You need to determine the number of visits you think you will receive, and the percentage of visitors who will make purchases.  Always remember to focus on your customer.3. Choose your shopping cart carefullyAnother mistake people make is to choose a shopping cart that only meets their current needs, not their future ones.  If you create a plan that defines plans for now and in the future, you need to incorporate this into your shopping cart. Of course the technology changes frequently so you need to be realistic in planning for 18 to 24 month ahead.4. Selecting a vendor to build your storeThere are a lot of vendors out there who say they can build and promote your store for you. This is why it is important to do some research ahead of time to  have some technical understanding  and you are not overwhelmed by the vendor.  If you know other people who have an online store, ask for a recommendation.  If you see a website you like contact them and ask who has built the site for them.  If you find a vendor you like on your own make sure you check their references.  You want to make sure this person gets the work done on time and is available if there is a problem.  You need to determine if this person is going to host the site for you or do you need to find your own hosting company.   If you want to update products on your store by yourself you need to make sure you can learn to do it easily.  Check to see if maintenance is included in your fees.  Many of these vendors have packages, but you need to determine what is included in the package.5. Make sure your site is designed well and has good functionalityThe principles of web design are just as important for an online store as other websites.  Keep the site simple and the graphics small.  The fundamentals for web design include having good, clear navigation.  The navigation should either be on the top of the page or on the left hand side of the page.  An important thing to remember is that people might enter your store from many directions (not just your homepage) so make sure all of the pages have the navigation or links to the homepage. Look at other e-commerce sites for the locations on the shopping cart and other vital information. Users are accustomed to having these elements in the same location so it is a good idea to keep them there.6. Accept credit cardsWhile there are many methods of paying online, the main one is credit cards.  It is vital to accept credit cards on your site if you want to maximize sales.  Remember, from your customer’s point of view, the most important issues are privacy and security.7. Having postage information upfrontThe longer you wait in the order processing, the more anxious potential customer get.  The more anxious they get the more they are likely to abandon their shopping cart and the sale.  Try to have this information upfront so there are no surprises before checkout.8. Promote your storeThere are many ways to attract visitors to your site, some are free and some cost money. Some free ways to promote your online store are submitting to search engines, soliciting links from other sites, and posting information to bloggers and other newsgroups.  Some paid methods include search engine advertising (keywords), banner ads, doing public relations and advertising in other paid media. Make sure you know your customers and figure out the best way to reach them.  Your website vendor might also offer some services which you might want to review.9. Listen to your customersThe most important data you will receive is feedback from your customers.  You must reply to inquiries, complaints, etc. in a timely manner.  Your response will determine if people will come back to your site.10. Analyze your dataIt can’t be stressed how important it is to have an analytics  package as part of your store. The Internet is great because you can take so much information but you need to have analytics package so you can get to this information quickly and easily. You need to and analyze the data, make required changes, and test the changes.  Some of the data you should look at are the path customers are taking through your store and the pages they are buying from.  You also want to know how they come to your site.  If it’s from a search engine, what keyword or phrases did they use to get to you?Susan Brant is was formerly VP of Marketing for Shopzilla and has over 15 years of internet marketing experience. Susan received her MBA from The College of William and Mary, and earned her BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Long Island University .Are you going to Los Angeles? Check out www.Voomerang.com  before you go to find some great deals on restaurants an entertainment.Enter a comment or ask a question and you could win a Phoenix Fashion Week t-shirt!

Article by Liz Riley, Editor

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“The Resource For All Things Fashionable”