OUGD601 - Visual Research - 01

Practical Idea Development

- Tell a brand's story (using digital media)
- Taking focus off of the clothes themselves
  > and focusing on the brand story/ identity/ imagery/intentions etc

- Produce a digital collage for an existing brand that promotes their lifestyle/story that people would want to buy into
  > As an instagram feed

- Imagery - Take existing models wearing bape clothes
  > place them on/in images relating to brand/story
  > cut out clothes, leaving just models body parts on show, the image behind becoming the garment

- Needs to tell a story/narrative... promote a lifestyle
  > youth culture in Japan?
  > something more specific to chosen brand

- Using a combination of Bape imagery and Japanese youth culture imagery

Research
Lifestyle brands - Selling more than just clothes

Black Eye Patch

Online Lookbook

As well as selling their clothes, their digital lookbook also sheds light on the lifestyle and story behind the brand. The photoshoots will feature models in particular environments, with some images not including their clothes at all.

Another part of their website is called 'feature'... pictured below. This page has a short explanation about the following photoshoot and then shows the images themselves. This particular article focuses on the "Aoi industry' which is described as the method of embroidery, a process used within their designs.

"The way to deliver their designs is to sew original items with embroidery on customers' items brought in, embroidered on old clothes selected by their own aesthetic eye. Their way and stance are completely free from the subculture framework as well as the traditional apparel industry."

The article then features an interview with someone who works for the brand along side images that further tell a story, this time focusing on how the clothes are made and in what environment.

Their Instagram feed
In order to fully immerse their following in their brand story, they also use Instagram to share imagery...
Rarely featuring the clothes themselves, images shared feature graphics, art, architecture etc that all come together to form one identity/tone of voice/ story.

COS

In partnership with Design Miami 2017, COS collaborated with London-based artist studio SWINE to restage New Spring, an interactive multi-sensory installation that was unveiled at this year's Salone del Mobile in Milan.

COS × Studio Swine Design Miami/ 2017

This is another example that demonstrates clothing brands have to go further than just selling clothes in immersing their audience in a range of different ways. COS has achieved this through art installations featured on their website and also available for customers to attend. Black Eye Patch achieved this through articles, interviews, and photoshoots. This is taking focus off of the clothes themselves, but still encouraging consumers to feel part of the brand and part of the lifestyle.

Richardson

Starting out as an erotica magazine in the late 1990s, the brand has since become a lifestyle streetwear brand.

Richardson have earned their lifestyle status through targeting a range of different aspects of life through merchandise. This has included umbrellas and incense sticks.

The imagery they use the promote their clothing is also recognisable as lifestyle branding. The models are situated in unique and unconventional environments that fit in with their style and image.