Aquascutum FW07/08 - London

[Faust]

Mmmm, not sure what to think of this. Is it possible to like and not like a collection at the same time? :-) I think I like it more when it's simpler. I don't think their complications in the form of ornaments work - they look kinda tacked on. I like the capes. I think the two previous colelctions were better.

[Faust]

Re: Aquascutum FW07/08 - London

[Faust]

Re: Aquascutum FW07/08 - London

[Faust]

Re: Aquascutum FW07/08 - London

[Faust]

Re: BBC on Aquascutum

[quote user="tweedlesinpink"]

not being familiar with the label, i was randomly clicking around when i found the brand website and then googled their name which turned up this old (October 06) BBC.com article. not exactly the most insightful, but i found their point about the gap between Aquascutum's runway and mainline collections quite interesting. does anyone who knows more about the brand know if things have turned around for the company?

their preservation of the history is interesting

She has set herself a target of doubling turnover to almost half a billion pounds within three years.

The only way she's going to be able to do that is by hanging onto existing customers while attracting new customers as well.

In the early months there were three things she had to get right.

First was to redesign the company's flagship store in London.

Secondly, to create a brand new advertising campaign and find a face to front it.

And thirdly, to make sure an entirely new range was ready for London Fashion Week.

Work on the adverts started almost immediately with Ms Winser employing brand guru Valerie Wickes.

The first task was to decide on a clear message. They
decided to go for a campaign which evoked the heritage of the brand:
its English-ness.

They cast their net wide looking for the ideal face to
front the campaign - considering Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Daniel Day Lewis
and Pierce Brosnan.

She wasn't happy with the way the flagship Regent Street store looked - she thought it felt cold and uninviting.

And then there were the clothes.

Aquascutum has two distinct lines of clothes - the catwalk collection and the mainline.

The catwalk collection, which has received critical acclaim from the fashion press, is expensive and exclusive.

The mainline is cheaper and unsuccessful.

Her plan was to increase the influence of the successful
catwalk on the mainline collection. She started by dumping some
mainline clothes from the August launch and picking some catwalk
outfits to be adapted for the mainline.

[/quote]

Think of Aquascutum as you would think of Burberry. It's a very similar situation - an old traditional brand revamping itself. I am sure that success of Burberry Prorsum prompted them into that pschizophrenic business plan. I think they are doing well, but there is something missing. Maybe it's the star designer name, or the right PR firm? I don't know. The clothes look good.