Boots...

The boots Christmas 2011 advert really inspires me and is also quite comical, so again this is the kind of advert I'd like for my company but of the girls on a night out.

Other currrrvy loving blogs...

I have found two more blogs about naturally curvy women, issues around the subject and other bits n pieces. I like to look on these for inspiration and ideas for my own business and ways of promoting plus size clothing/models.

http://blog.annascholz.com/ Annnnd http://modelmagic.wordpress.com/category/crystal-reen/

An image from 'Anna Scholz blog'

Designers who I would like to work with...

A few designers I would like to work with and sell their clothing in my catalogue are: ASOS curve, Peter Pilotto/Christopher De Vos and of course LANVIN as all of their clothing is very glamorous and would suit my target customer...

Lanvin

http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/designers_catwalk.aspx?designerid=395&seasonid=25#pic0

Although the clothing in the pictures above isn't on naturally curvy women, theres no reason why the pieces can't be made in to size 12+

Ideas for advertisment!

Ok so in order for word to get out for my company I have been looking into how to grab their attention and what I think would be a good idea is to have a short youtube video that would show the girls getting ready, going out and having a fun night out in all our outfits. possibly naming it 'THE GIRLS' I had been inspired to do this by a Lanvin video I saw recently on youtube that made me laugh alot and I feel adding humour to the advert definitely draws attention in...heres the video below which inspired me...

Target customer...

When speaking in my tutorial it was suggested that I aim my clothing at all ages, which I probably will to some extent although from looking at my research I still feel that younger customers won't be as willing to spend as much money.

Plus size stylebog DIVA

Whilst looking for inspirational images I found a 'Plus size style blog' which will be helpful along the way to find out about more plus size companies

http://divalookbook.com/

(is a very cool blog too....slightly jealous ha)

Hush...

An example for the previous blog post would be 'Hush' Their customers bring in their new and 'nearly' new clothing and accessories and then the company sell these on giving 50% comission on each sale. Which is a really good idea!

SO for my company I like this idea although would go directly to new and upcoming designers and sell their clothing on, offering them around the same commissions.

Designers...

In my tutorial we also spoke about when my business first sets up having different designers sell their clothing on to my company to sell to the customers, so starting off with mainly outside work and then as the business  picks start introducing more of the companies own designs.

So would sort of be like 'Dress agencies' on google but not second hand and more designer.

New finds...

Whilst researching into Avon and Anne Summers I have found a different company which also provide 'Home parties' for their customers called 'Tupperware' although they do not provide fashion products their approach is slightly different as they host different theme evenings and have 'online parties' which is interesting and inspiring for my business ideas.

Transport...

In my tutorial we also discussed how I would get to and from my 'PartyNights' that would be hosted and we decided that the company shouldn't just hire a rental van as we are trying to sell sophisticated evening wear and turning up in a run down rental van instantly puts out a bad impression of the company... so instead we suggested perhaps renting a nice car each time, with a rail in the back to hang the clothing on and  the customers would be impressed with what they first see...

Would look very professional to turn up in this car ^

Wouldn't look very professional to turn up in the van^

Tutorial and re-thinking...

After speaking with Tony in my tutorial about my business I have now realised that I need to further my research, looking more into how Avon run their business and look into other 'direct selling' businesses to fully understand what I will need for business.

I will be using Avon and possibly an Anne Summers (because Anne Summers run 'Anne Summers parties' which in a way is similar to how I want to sell my clothing)  to write my comparative business report, So I will be interviewing two representatives from these companies

business plan..

So far so good for my business plan....At the moment I'm writing a bullet point 'draft' version so I can get this checked and then bulk out with my information. I'm quite enjoying writing it, as I can finally...(slowly....)see my ideas and business project coming together...

Inspiring image....

http://weheartit.com/entry/12186944

I would like to have an image similar to this to advertise my business....

Apple&Pears clothing...

Another piece of information is that Apple&Pears will mainly and 99% of the time be providing sophisticated evening wear, so long dresses, short dresses, glamorous tops, trousers and skirts will be the main pieces. There won't be any casual pieces unless we decide to bring out one off collections.

Like this very glamorous dress from ASOS Curve....

Apple&Pears PARTYNights...

Obviously the way my company is selling their clothing is through direct party evenings. SO a good way to promote the business is to have a big 'PARTYnight' each time a new catalogue comes out.....

AVON research...

Seeing as I want my business to be direct selling I have been looking into AVON as they are also a direct selling business and I have found that they make their money by having the representatives do the selling, for instance if the representative gets an order of over £148 then they will earn £1 to every £4 they make, so the Avon business gains £3 for every £4 the representative makes. Also if the representative doesn't at least earn £78 in an order then Avon gets all the commission and the representative doesn't get any. They also only get 20% which is £16.50

For my company I would probably use the same basic scheme but perhaps could sort money out from how many garments the representative sells and at what price the clothing is going for.

(obviously at the moment this is just ideas milling round my mind!)

Direct selling business

'Apple&Pears PartyNights'
....Is going to be the name of the 'direct selling evenings' that will be hosted..

ALSO...

I completely forgot to mention that my business is not going to be the 'norm' and isn't going to be in a shop...I am going to provide a direct selling business, going straight to the customer and offering them 'party evenings' with wine, nibbles and lots of clothes to try on and buy! (kind of like AVON, but with clothes!!!!!!) now I just need to research into companies who already provide this....

Business plan drafts...

Sooo today I have begun my business plan draft, which is going to be a very rough idea of what my business plan will be like, once I have done this I will have a tutorial with Tony and after this I will begin to bulk out the business plan to produce the 4000 words required.

Alssso

I am liking the fact at the moment all my projects are tying into one, my Entrepreneurial unit, then my diseration and finally even my final major project are all based around the same issues that I feel very strongly about...

THE COMPETITORS...

I have began looking at companies that would be providing for the same target customer anddd so far I am not very impressed with what I have seen, so am fairly positive for my business ALTHOUGH I love the fact that ASOS have a section for naturally curvy women (DIDN'T know this and ASOS is very fashionable!)

Names...

OH ALSO....
before I forget, I have decided on the name of my business and its going to be (drumrollll):
APPLE&PEARS *

*I initially got this inspiration/idea from a girl in my class (so thank you) and I really like the name as is unusual compared to the normal curvy clothing companies!

DEADLINES eeeek

So the deadline is steadily creeping up(like they always do!) and I 100% need to up my work load so I can do well! We have to produce our 1000 word research report and have a draft sorted for friday 25th, so from today its go.go.go

SO TRUE...

Could maybe include illustrations like this in logo..

'blogging' along...

So far I am actually enjoying the project, although obviously I am a little stressed. But is very exciting planning your own business and having an image of what the future business would be like! AND I had forgotten how much I lurrrve blogging, so all in all the life of a Entrepreneurial student is going relatively well at the moment...

check.check.checcck it out!

From looking at my results I am going to be providing my clothing for naturally curvy women who are aged 36+ and looking for sophisticated evening wear....

its ALL about the research....

I have began gathering research for my business plan, at the moment I am doing surveys to find out where the gaps in the market are and then from this I can decide where to specifically aim my business and I can begin looking into my competitors.

All is going OK so far, I feel I'm struggling slightly as I am more creative then business orientated but Rome wasn't built in a day and everyone has to start at the beginning before their good at something!

LETS PUSH THINGS FORWARD...

IDEAS.THOUGHTS.

After initially getting my idea for my business plan, I showed the rest of my class to see what their opinions were and generally all the feedback was pretty positive and they all liked the idea. NOW I just need to go further afield with my research...

AND SO...the Entrepreneurial business plan commences...

From today onwards I will be beginning my ideas on my business plan, so what I want to do, how I'm going to do it and why....

I already have a vague idea of what my business will be:

Basically I find in high street stores they do not provide enough fashionable clothing for naturally curvy women that fit well. So from this stage I need to gather research and see if there is a gap in the market for my business idea.

SO FAR. SO GOOD???. yep.