2. • Brand Analysis and Visual Codes
• Brand Essence
• The Consumer and The Competitors
• Brand‟s Communication Channels
• Perceptual Map
• The New Concept
4. Who is Martin Margiela?
The Brand –
The sense of invisibility has been part
of the brand‟s DNA since the beginning.
Margiela is looked at as a faceless
brand due to the impersonality and
absence of Martin Margiela himself.
„The
Invisible
Designer‟
Born: April 9, 1957
Education:
Royal Academy of Fine Arts
(Antwerp)
Occupation:
Fashion Designer
- No face to face interviews, no bows
at the end of shows and unknown
backstage.
- Main focus – the garments and
designs.
- Accomplished tailor who has made
deconstruction his signature.
- Margiela left the label in 2009,
however a 'faceless' team continue to
produce surreal and challenging
collections.
- „The Maison‟ don‟t provide
interpretation to their work.
- Believe that the wearer defines the
design.
5. Absence equals presence
- Classic tailoring and experimental design mix
- WHITE = unity and purity
- Deconstruction = exposed seams and tailor‟s markings
‘Invisibility and anonymity
defines the brand’
Visual Codes
7. Personality
Avant-garde
Futuristic
Distressed
Artistic
Brand Promise
Brand Values
To deliver high
quality, unconventional
fashion. Sophisticated
class and status.
Couture
Vintage
Luxury
Class
Sophistication
“Removed from other
fashion brands. Not
shouty in terms of
what the brand is
saying. It is very
minimal. Wanting to
belong or wanting
people to belong to a
brand.” (4 stitches).
Consumer Target
People who are inspired
by art... 35-55 fashion
conscious people with
high income. Celebrity
supporters: Kanye West.
Maison Martin
Margiela
Brand Essence
“the continual
questioning of the
function and utility of
garments”. Unity and
purity of white blank
canvas Lab coats.
Design Equation
Classic, bold, statement, dist
ressed, rough textures.
Text: Personal, familiar and
bold.
Numbers and 4 stitches
instantly recognisable.
9. PSYCHOGRAPHIC
The consumer…
Busy lifestyle
Minimalist
Influenced by art
Fashion conscious
Lavish
DEMOGRAPHIC
35-50
Highly educated
Independent
GEOGRAPHIC/USAGE
High disposable
income
Lives in a large city
Buys into the brand too
feel high class,
sophisticated and on
trend
“the brand will appeal to consumers who connect
with their own personality traits” – Harriet Posner
10. The consumer…
CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS
The designer of the Maison; Martin Margiela doesn‟t like to
be interviewed or be apart of any press events. Instead they
have used the form of promoting through brand
ambassadors, often known as celebrity endorsement.
• Kanye West
• Michael Stipe – celebrity collaboration
• Sarah Jessica Parker
Maison Martin Margiela have also recently
collaborated with H&M bringing the
High street a taste of the brand
with affordable prices
“Made luxury available to people, it‟s very
demographic” - SJP
“Younger people who can‟t afford the real Margiela
can shop at H&M and get to know the brand, it‟s a
great way to mix both cultures” Doutzen Kroes, model
11. The competitor…
Selfridges and Co;
Concessions - Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Alexander
McQueen and Helmut Lang.
Mayfair;
Competitors nearby: Diane Von
Furstenburg, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney
and Vivienne Westwood.
Stores around the shop suggest a certain type of
consumer that belongs to Margiela through;
-Product
-Price
-Location
13. Brand’s Communication
Maison Martin Margiela
does not like to be
interviewed because he
wants his brand to stay
faceless, in result of
that he needs to find
another ways to
communicate with his
consumer.
One of them is social
media. Brand has numerous
accounts in various social
network channels such as
Twitter, Facebook, Pintere
st, Instagram, etc. There
are brand updates and news
which gives a consumer
insight into what is going
on.
Maison Martin Margiela arranges a lot of exhibitions in
relation with projects that he is working on with his
brand e.g.
- Replica fragrance collection
Collaborations with other brands such as H&M, Converse
on purpose to attract different (younger) range of
demographic, who later could possibly become their
loyal consumer.
14. In Store Experience
Maison Martin Margiela
- Modern, luxury feel
- Furniture is previous collaboration with CERRUTI BALERI
- The colour palette is monochrome (black, white, silver) with
some earthy tones.
- Employees are dressed in white lab coats.
Brand’s Communication
18. New concept
A sub brand named
Anomaly.
Focusing on metamorphic
furniture, multifunction
al to achieve different
purposes around the
house however also
acting as works of
art, after all beauty is
in the eye of the
beholder.
Anomaly Something that
deviates from what
is standard normal
or expected. A
contrast to what
is seen as
current.
High priced
items in true
Margiela
fashion;
Reflecting a
quality product
to a loyal
consumer.
21. New concept
Bus adverts and bill boards in and around
central London‟s classiest hotspots will be
marketed with sneak peaks of the furniture and
brief concept insights to the “Anomaly” brand.
However these will maintain the anonymous theme
the brand Margiela holds as well as being
informative to attract speculation.
Margiela‟s “Anomaly”
stores will have
selective advertising to
ensure target consumers
are reached. Adverts
will feature in
Vogue, Elle, and high
end furniture magazines.
And a brief short movie
will be released for
online use 6 months
prior to the collection
drop as a taster; once
again causing
speculation.
22. Launch Party & Invitations
Location:
Domino Sugar Factory, New York
Inspired by the use of lab
coats as uniform for
employees:
- Test tube invitations,
which include a very
straight forward, simple
piece of fabric with
information printed.
- Invitation itself to link
with his „Replica‟ tag.
- Abandoned, large space suitable for a launch party.
- Suits that mysterious feel that Margiela expresses
with his shows/launches
New Concept – Promotion
23. Launch Party
Inspired by Hussein Chalayan‟s table dress and chair suitcases
at his Autumn/Winter 2000.
- Models stood around
wearing parts of the
furniture.
- Photographs of finished
products but no finished
products will be shown.
- Models deconstructing the
furniture then back.
again, however missing a
part so ends unfinished.
The
concept
of
the
Launch
Party, is to keep Margiela‟s
invisible
brand
recognition,
and
to
keep
everything
mysterious
and
unknown.
New Concept – Promotion
24. References…
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY LARRIMOR'S, 2013. Sans Jewelry Minimalism. Jewelry Style. 25.11.13. Available at:
http://www.larrimors.com/blog/jewelry-style-which-one-are-you/
By LE FASHION, 2012. LE FASHION. White Black Grey. 25.11.13. Available at:
http://lefashionimage.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/white-black-grey.html
By Luxe Soleil, 2010. Luxe Soleil blogspot. JE NE SAIS QUOI. 25/11/13. Available
at:http://luxesoleil.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/je-ne-sais-quoi.html
By My Friend Franky, 2012. My Friend Franky. Global Street Style; part 2. 25/11/13.
Available at: http://www.myfriendfranky.com/global-street-style-part-2/
By Dani Lev, 2013. LA MODELLA MAFIA BLOG. Street Style: white minimalism. 26/11/13
Available at: http://lamodellamafia.com/category/street-style/page/4
By Milica Stoisic, 2013. Milica Stoisic lookbook. DIY Celine!. 26/11/13.
Available at: http://lookbook.nu/look/4503339-Selfmade-Diy-Cline-Zip-PantsMaxmara-Oversize
Mark Stuart, 2012. Yomego. The H&M Effect and Maison Martin Margiela. 26/11/13.
Available at: http://www.yomego.com/blog/posts/2012/november/14/the-hm-effect/
Jessica Bumpus, 2012. Vogue. Maison Martin Margiela. 28/11/13. Available at:
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2012/couture/maison-martinmargiela/full-length-photos
BOOKS
Posner, Harriet, 2011. Marketing Fashion. London:
Laurence King Publishing Ltd. [page 106]