THE once sleepy Edwardian holiday town of Greystones, Co Wicklow, has seen a burgeoning of new businesses from fashion to food and wine, flowers and gifts, cafes and restaurants and a hip pub. On a recent visit I met some really enthusiastic people working hard to keep their businesses on course in these times.
As you drive up Church Road you see people dining outside A Caviston's and The Happy Pear, which are side by side. Nearby is Azur shoe and accessory boutique, only six weeks old. It is the venture of Brigid Whitehead, and she clearly has a flair as she has bought like an expert. Her taste is impeccable, with a sparkling array of lovely shoes, handbags and classy costume jewellery and belts.
"I have been in publishing, but this is something I always had an interest in. We have a small publishing company in Bray where we were publishing interior and architectural magazines for almost 15 years, but we decided to take a year out. Business is tough.
"I worked for a year on my own... I just decided life is too short and I needed to start looking at something else."
Last October Brigid started researching her new business and found her premises.
"I just love it. I am delighted, I am a people person. I did the bulk of my research on the internet."
Brigid's aim was to stock quality products at the right price, which she has done. "I have been very busy. I couldn't anticipate how it was going to go -- it was a roll of the dice! I have tried to source things you can't get elsewhere."
Azur has a lovely range of costume jewellery by Martine Wester from London and a beautiful Danish range, Tokyo Jane, with bangles from €18. There is a fantastic range of bags by Martine Wester, shoes by Marco Moreo, and espadrilles by Vidoreta of Spain. Look out too for classy recyclable Canadian bags Matt & Nat.
Next door is the Greystones Eye Centre, where I met Ken Murray. Ken says, "Although it is a very tough trading climate out there, we are going from strength to strength due a very loyal customer base -- but also to an increasing number of visitors from south Co Dublin."
The Eye Centre has an extensive range of ophthalmic frames and sunglasses, including Gucci, Ray-Ban, Marc Jacobs, Bvlgari and Chanel.
Nearby too is Sophie Rieu's Garden of Unicorn sustainable designer label, where you can have her lovely designs made to measure.
Across the road is the authentic Italian Caffe Delle Stelle -- owned by Tomasso and Nadia, who used to have Papa's Restaurant in Blackrock, Co Dublin. They have a great value daytime menu.
Next door is the edgy Toil & Glitter boutique, with many Scandinavian clothing ranges. It stocks all sizes and has some funky labels, including Odd Molly.
The very popular Georgio's Shoe Boutique, owned by Cheri Feely and Yvonne Boland, has been on Hillside Road for 10 years. "We do a lot of mid-market comfort ranges from Germany --the Rieker, the Ara -- as well as dressy shoes for weddings."
Moving down the street I passed the new, hip Mrs Robinson Bar with its funky retro decor and sofas. It is proving a big hit in the area.
At Browzround gift shop I met Lana Kelly and Sandra O'Connell, a mother and daughter team in business for three years.
2012年4月15日星期日
2012年4月4日星期三
Debranding: The great name-dropping gamble
Some say Nike was the first, but now the practice of eliminating the brand name from products or marketing activity is becoming a popular way for companies to differentiate themselves or extend their business.
Dropping a well-known company name from a product or marketing activity might seem counterintuitive, but some businesses are doing just that - employing a debranding strategy to make their companies appear less corporate and more forward-thinking.
Starbucks is experimenting with this strategy in an attempt to position itself as a friendly local coffee shop. Its 'Starbucks' moniker was removed from coffee cups in the UK last year, leaving only the siren symbol. And last month, its staff started asking customers their names, so they could write them on its takeaway cups, to make its service seem more personal and less corporate. 'We're Starbucks. Nice to meet you' is the line used in the TV advertising that explains this decision.
The US store JCPenney is another brand that has developed separate ranges that do not use its name, including The Original Jean Company and Xersion. After posting an operating loss of $171m (107m) in the third quarter of 2011, the business is restructuring and is using a debranding strategy to help push forward its private label brands.
JCPenney declined to comment, but a statement from the company says that newly appointed senior vice-president of strategic brands Bill Gentner will be "responsible for reinvigorating JCPenney's portfolio of high-performing private brands, including ensuring brand integrity in how they are merchandised, marketed and presented in the company's private brand in-store shops."
The revamp comes in the wake of the end of a deal with Ralph Lauren, which produced garments exclusively for retailer JCPenney which were marketed under the American Living label - no use was made of the Ralph Lauren branding.
Senior vice-president of advertising, marketing and corporate communications David Lauren has previously explained the strategy to Marketing Week. He said:
"We have started brands from scratch like American Living which do not say Ralph Lauren and they reach a totally different customer.
"No, they do not know [that Ralph Lauren makes American Living clothes] and it does not matter, it is just us reaching a customer who is looking for less expensive products and in a store where we would not sell Ralph Lauren products."
Other luxury brands are experimenting with whether their logos should feature on products or not. Gucci is working on finding a balance here, to make sure that it reaches 'the more sophisticated end of the market', presumably in response to its logo being flashed on handbags by those in the public eye deemed 'unsophisticated'. Parent company PPR says: "This new strategy is not simply based on finding a new balance between logo.
Other brands are using debranding in their advertising to appeal to specific audiences. Unilever's VO5 Extreme Style hair products were advertised last year in an unbranded 'teaser' TV spot, later followed by a branded commercial in the same style. It featured the 'Pliktisijiteur Pageant,' a show in a fictional village and set early in the 20th century.
Dropping a well-known company name from a product or marketing activity might seem counterintuitive, but some businesses are doing just that - employing a debranding strategy to make their companies appear less corporate and more forward-thinking.
Starbucks is experimenting with this strategy in an attempt to position itself as a friendly local coffee shop. Its 'Starbucks' moniker was removed from coffee cups in the UK last year, leaving only the siren symbol. And last month, its staff started asking customers their names, so they could write them on its takeaway cups, to make its service seem more personal and less corporate. 'We're Starbucks. Nice to meet you' is the line used in the TV advertising that explains this decision.
The US store JCPenney is another brand that has developed separate ranges that do not use its name, including The Original Jean Company and Xersion. After posting an operating loss of $171m (107m) in the third quarter of 2011, the business is restructuring and is using a debranding strategy to help push forward its private label brands.
JCPenney declined to comment, but a statement from the company says that newly appointed senior vice-president of strategic brands Bill Gentner will be "responsible for reinvigorating JCPenney's portfolio of high-performing private brands, including ensuring brand integrity in how they are merchandised, marketed and presented in the company's private brand in-store shops."
The revamp comes in the wake of the end of a deal with Ralph Lauren, which produced garments exclusively for retailer JCPenney which were marketed under the American Living label - no use was made of the Ralph Lauren branding.
Senior vice-president of advertising, marketing and corporate communications David Lauren has previously explained the strategy to Marketing Week. He said:
"We have started brands from scratch like American Living which do not say Ralph Lauren and they reach a totally different customer.
"No, they do not know [that Ralph Lauren makes American Living clothes] and it does not matter, it is just us reaching a customer who is looking for less expensive products and in a store where we would not sell Ralph Lauren products."
Other luxury brands are experimenting with whether their logos should feature on products or not. Gucci is working on finding a balance here, to make sure that it reaches 'the more sophisticated end of the market', presumably in response to its logo being flashed on handbags by those in the public eye deemed 'unsophisticated'. Parent company PPR says: "This new strategy is not simply based on finding a new balance between logo.
Other brands are using debranding in their advertising to appeal to specific audiences. Unilever's VO5 Extreme Style hair products were advertised last year in an unbranded 'teaser' TV spot, later followed by a branded commercial in the same style. It featured the 'Pliktisijiteur Pageant,' a show in a fictional village and set early in the 20th century.
2012年3月28日星期三
Double life of Revenge for Sarah
IT'S a warm evening and from this multi-million-dollar Manhattan apartment, the sun setting over Central Park and the New York skyline is magnificent.
The interior has exquisite furnishings and the walk-in wardrobe is filled with Chanel, Gucci and other designer clothes, shoes and handbags.
Thing is, it's not an apartment, but a set on TV drama Ringer, the twist-and-turn-laden drama starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as two characters - Siobhan and recovering addict twin Bridget Kelly.
The apartment is not in Manhattan. It's a set in Stage 3 on Los Angeles' landmark Culver Studios.
To make the balcony view realistic, a 24m x 6m canvas print of the sunset over the city skyline and Central Park was erected.
"I think we've done a pretty amazing job," Gellar says. "I mean, I'm a born and raised New Yorker and it's important to me that we keep not just the look of New York City but the feel of it."
Ringer marked Gellar's return to starring in a TV series.
After her seven-year run on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, she concentrated on films, but that changed in September 2009, with the birth of daughter Charlotte.
When the 34-year-old, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr, was offered the roles of Siobhan and Bridget, and the opportunity to executive produce Ringer, she signed up.
With the series shot in LA, she could work and always be close to Charlotte.
"I realised, 'I can be somewhere the entire year. I can take my child for the first day of school'," she says.
"Two weeks ago my daughter was very sick and I got to go home and be with her."
Gellar created a creche on the Culver Studio lot so the actors and crew could bring their children to work.
The interior has exquisite furnishings and the walk-in wardrobe is filled with Chanel, Gucci and other designer clothes, shoes and handbags.
Thing is, it's not an apartment, but a set on TV drama Ringer, the twist-and-turn-laden drama starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as two characters - Siobhan and recovering addict twin Bridget Kelly.
The apartment is not in Manhattan. It's a set in Stage 3 on Los Angeles' landmark Culver Studios.
To make the balcony view realistic, a 24m x 6m canvas print of the sunset over the city skyline and Central Park was erected.
"I think we've done a pretty amazing job," Gellar says. "I mean, I'm a born and raised New Yorker and it's important to me that we keep not just the look of New York City but the feel of it."
Ringer marked Gellar's return to starring in a TV series.
After her seven-year run on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, she concentrated on films, but that changed in September 2009, with the birth of daughter Charlotte.
When the 34-year-old, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr, was offered the roles of Siobhan and Bridget, and the opportunity to executive produce Ringer, she signed up.
With the series shot in LA, she could work and always be close to Charlotte.
"I realised, 'I can be somewhere the entire year. I can take my child for the first day of school'," she says.
"Two weeks ago my daughter was very sick and I got to go home and be with her."
Gellar created a creche on the Culver Studio lot so the actors and crew could bring their children to work.
2012年2月6日星期一
Bags that passion!
It 's enough that single gesture: Christine Lagarde and the Louis Vuitton raised in front of photographers.
In Davos, waving a limited edition bag for almost 4 000 euros, the director of the IMF was trying to save the collection for the Eurozone. It 's taken immediately the controversy: a plethora of articles and debates on how the feminine passion for handbags is now also become an instrument of power, a symbol of command.
It 's really so? Maybe. But values ??and theatricality of the gesture aside, that a Lockit is an icon of elegance and one for the bags in general and genuine love, we women have always known.
And in love with those who are among the accessories that best represents the world of women are too. Small and valuable for the evening, couture-style with embroidery and stone, almost like jewels. Medium "bon ton" for the life of every day. Large, sometimes very large, when - combining practicality and style - we need to take a walk around our world.
And since the bag is a key element to the look of each one of us, then it becomes important to know how to choose.
First, it is pointless shopping spree just to follow the trends of the month, or year. The ideal is to find something really special, who knows how to embody our character, our uniqueness, our style: only in this way is truly ours. Then will be useful, usable: why buy one that maybe is a real marvel, but who will never have the opportunity to wear? Finally, the quality of "supreme", one of the perfect bag: the ability to be timeless, un'evergreen. Here, an it-bag is often an investment of those who remain for life.
In Davos, waving a limited edition bag for almost 4 000 euros, the director of the IMF was trying to save the collection for the Eurozone. It 's taken immediately the controversy: a plethora of articles and debates on how the feminine passion for handbags is now also become an instrument of power, a symbol of command.
It 's really so? Maybe. But values ??and theatricality of the gesture aside, that a Lockit is an icon of elegance and one for the bags in general and genuine love, we women have always known.
And in love with those who are among the accessories that best represents the world of women are too. Small and valuable for the evening, couture-style with embroidery and stone, almost like jewels. Medium "bon ton" for the life of every day. Large, sometimes very large, when - combining practicality and style - we need to take a walk around our world.
And since the bag is a key element to the look of each one of us, then it becomes important to know how to choose.
First, it is pointless shopping spree just to follow the trends of the month, or year. The ideal is to find something really special, who knows how to embody our character, our uniqueness, our style: only in this way is truly ours. Then will be useful, usable: why buy one that maybe is a real marvel, but who will never have the opportunity to wear? Finally, the quality of "supreme", one of the perfect bag: the ability to be timeless, un'evergreen. Here, an it-bag is often an investment of those who remain for life.
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