This one month & half journey has coached us to be active listeners, have critical note taking techniques and build graphical concept diagrams in systematic way with respect to individual guest’s presentation styles. In addition, we have been challenged to utilize creative power by the new ideas generation drills at the knowledge building worksheet.
Wherefore, here are my reflection journals which are based on the given speeches in the seminars, classroom interactions, previous lectures, peer’s sharing, my education and personal experience.
R & D in Triumph
Guest speaker: Karl Mayer (October 31, 2007)
Head of research & development department
Triumph International Overseas Ltd. Hong Kong Branch
“Don’t rush for the deadline; never settle with products that have less quality.”
Since Mary Phelps Jacob was the first to patent a brassiere in 1914, our forefathers have invented multiple styles and innovated new features. Launching inventive or innovative products could take up to one year half from concept planning. The research & development direction is toward to budget, comfort, aesthetic, and functionality based of the customer’s demands.
Moreover, our industry is unalike the rest of fashion empire. The product trend follows by the outerwear. Our customers are brand loyal and usually repeat purchasing the same products if suitable. The product cycle and production schedule are usually divided into five seasons from Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter to Christmas. Several bestselling daily brassieres and panties could be sold throughout the year.
In spite of these prerogatives, creating a totally new style that could be accepted by the customers immediately is very rare. Customers might concern the appearance, fitting and health impacts. Product safety is the first priority of R & D criteria as intimate apparel is people’s second skin.
For example, One piece bra, one of the innovative products has been launched in 2000s. The selling point is seamless, smoothness and comfort. Customers still question about the comfort and the tactility. Some comments are about the lack of sex appeal and the swimsuit material texture. Limited number of women’s breast shape could be well fitted in the current styles than the traditional. A few negative feedbacks have been reported.
- Was the one piece bra launched too early and the customers were not ready for the change?
- What if R & D staffs spent more time to improve the product features at the end of development stage?
- Will massive marketing campaign refine the product impression of one piece bra?
- What resources should the company allocate to boost the sales?
One fact we know for sure: The machines have been purchased, technicians have been trained and product line has been developed. Enhancements should be achieved in the timely manner.
Therefore, successful product should never settle the quality that has not truly met the selling point. Trial & errors should happen in the product development stage, but not in the mass production level. Company’s reputation could be harmed by product that does not deliver the promise. Plus, prioritizing our tasks wisely is the most crucial factor of punctuality. Deadline will not drive us nut.
Product Concept
Guest Speaker: Mr. Notes Luk (November 7, 2007)
Sourcing Manager – Field & Technical Support VF Intimates,
LP Hong Kong
“Learn how to say “No!”"
Product concept is the backbone of a successful marketing plan which is defined at the beginning of the business deal. No company invests in a product that does not have one. Even a knockoff project, the sourcing department does have the original product for setting up quality control specifications. With a product concept in detail, merchandisers could enhance product development progress, generate accurate quotations and eliminate the misunderstanding the product expectations among manufactures, suppliers, agents and customers
“Intimate apparel is a repetitive business. The bras are always with two cups.” Mr. Notes Luk pointed out. If the product styles are seldom heavily revised, the product concept could be used numerous times by various clients.
On the other hand, comfort is a critical factor for customers to determine whether to purchase to the intimate apparel product or not. Customers are less likely to purchase products that do not fit comfortably.
Notwithstanding the unfamiliarization of manufacturing process, some clients might rise unreasonable requests or bring the shipment date forward within a short period They might not consider risking the product quality by these “minor” changes.
As future intimate apparel professionals, we should learn how to politely reject these requests with organized evidence and uncomplicated explanation. Clients should acknowledge our expertise and trust our following suggestions in return.
Start Your Own Business in Intimate Apparel Industry/ Retailing: Difficulties & Challenges
Guest speaker: Dr. Andrew Sia (November 14, 2007)
Managing Director
ACE Style Intimate Apparel Limited
“Passion is vital to start up the business”
Starting up your own business is not easy compare to working for a company. Idea, knowledge, business plan, network, money, previous working experience, risk calculation, chance and passion… these are key factors of starting up the business. Dr. Andrew Sia emphasized that Passion has brought his dream come true and kept him going through the difficult time. Without his passion, we might not be able to study in this program with excellent facilities and helpful lecturers.
Personally, I believe in passion too. Working as a sales associate in a major intimate apparel chain store at the downtown Seattle, I was a fresh graduate with a happy smile and unexceptional selling techniques. I did not know much about customer’s needs because they were curvier than Asian people. The only thing I shared with them was my personal fitting experience and memorizing selling scripts.
Thank to my passion for the intimate apparel, I always asked my coworkers about their feedbacks and browsers online catalogue regarding the product features. From a hard selling saleslady to an active listener, I was transformed and find the perfect products for my customers. Also, this passion has kept me going throughout this challenging course.
Trend Forecast
Guest speaker: Miss Georgina Williams (November 21, 2007)
VP- PD & D dept
Clover Group International Ltd
“Check out the fair and know what’s going on in the market”
The opinion of trend presentation could be subjective sometimes. Buyers, designers, merchandisers might have a great day. They see everything beautiful. What if somebody gives them a hard time, would they see the same thing differently?
Unprofessional designers might create products according to their personal tastes. As we could find failure products in the fashion market, some of them are fit comfortably and perfectly made. However, the color mismatching or odd shape kills the customer’s mood to purchase.
Trend presentation is the start of forming the product concept. Sorting out the information and making suggestion according to the trend forecast and client’s budget could be difficult. Miss. Georgina Williams suggested that we should attend the intimate apparel fair and network with our peers more. It could broaden our horizon and know what’s going on in the market.
Seeing variety types of products and trend presentations, we could develop skills that help us to differentiate the quality of work and forecast the trend closely to the target customer’s needs. Especially in our industry, new fabric and technology have been rapidly launched and highly demanded by customers. Our end-users are more educated and exposed with enormous product information nowadays. We should be equipped and get ready for new movement of intimate apparel.
Guest Speaker: Mr. Raymond Yung (November 28, 2007)
Technical Manager
MAST Industries (Far East) Limited
“Well balanced sizing specifications could reduce the number of defect in mass production.”
Plus-size market might sound new to Asian consumers. Old local sewing workers were naughty to make jokes with the long sleeves, wide shoulder straps and extra large panties… wondered who would wear something like that in the world.
To me, plus- size was no longer a strange word after the summer practical training. The bill of labor, the bill of materials and the packaging are different between the normal size and the plus size. The elongations of fabric and elastics should be adjusted in order to provide the cozy support to customers. Even though the outlook of the products is the same, professionals in the industry have handled them separately.
My first experience with the plus size products was in Seattle. My friend and I were shopping in the local mall. She was about 160 pounds with 170cm.
“Let’s go to Express Boutique”
“ They don’t have anything for me.”
“Express has many cute clothes.”
“But they don’t have my size.”
I was embarrassed for not being sensitive to my friend’s body shape and feeling. At the end of the shopping experience, we went to Lane Bryant and my friend bought a piece of dress happily. It was my first time to step into a plus size specialty store.
On the other hand, preciousness is critical in the quality control in intimate apparel. 0.5mm might make a huge different in the fitting. Mr. Raymond Yung has shared tips regarding setting up sizing specifications for manufacture and client’s quality control. He suggested that we should set the sizing specifications better balanced. If possible, asking the suppliers to make extra two versions of product- smaller & larger which could budget the error preciously and create room for tolerant. It also could reduce the number of defect in mass production.
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