Walter Van Beirendonck

Walter Van Beirendonck (Brecht, 4 February 1957) is a Belgian fashion designer. He graduated in 1980 from the Royal Arts Academy in Antwerp. Together withDirk Van Saene, Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee (graduated in 1981) and Dirk Bikkembergs (graduated in 1982) they became known as theAntwerp Six.

Since 1983, he issues his own collections. They are inspired by the visual arts, literature, nature and ethnic influences. His unusual color combinations and a strong graphic influence are characteristic for his collections.

Walter also designs for a children's collection called ZULUPAPUWA for JBC. His range of creative and artistic talents shines when it comes to children, as he constructed a reclining teddy bear chair that was close to thirty feet long incorporating a change room, so that he could display and sell his childrenswear. 

His work speaks of his passion for life. Often, his exhibits offer a message about his views on social issues. What is great, though, is that the displays are fun in nature. The message is important, but you can get someones attention without being too deep and morbid.

Mambo Graphics

Mambo. It's fresh, colourful, ever changing and sometimes rude. 

The founder of the label, Dare Jennings, commissions artists to do work to be reproduced on Mambo fabrics. The artists include a famous maker of ceramics and jewellery (Gerry Wedd), a pop star from the band Mental as Anything (Reg Mombassa) and a cartoonist (Matthew Martin). Their art features surreal suburban landscapes populated by vomiting dogs, horned bulls, boxy fibro houses and Australian insects such as Bogong moth

Their prints are iconic and very successful. Below are some examples of prints which I think are highly inspirational. They work very well as they represent the Mambo brand and can stand out in the crowd.

Sophisticated Colour Combinations

Looking at some more sophisticated colour combinations that are currently on trend in menswear.

London Men's Fahion Week

London Men's Fashion Week has produced exciting menswear pieces in 2012. Below are a selection which I have found inspiring and whom are doing great things for menswear. Digitally printed fabrics are a trend as well as contrasting colours and materials.

LONDON COLLECTIONS: Mens Fashion

Menswear in London has been going from strength to strength over the past few years and it is long overdue for the city to get a dedicated menswear weekend. Previously tacked on almost as an after thought to the Women's schedule and crammed into one single day, this season saw the three day-long London Collections eEn Lmake its debut. London has been long seen as a hot bed of talent, consistently producing forward-thinking pioneers. In the past these talents have had to eventually leave the city in order to further their career trajectory. The launch of LCM now allows them both the freedom and the profile to build their brand from the city they are based in, hopefully keeping them here and in turn placing London menswear on the same platform as Paris or Milan...

Minti

Minti is a childrenswear label that stocks in children’s boutiques all around Australia. Perpetually Five believes that this is the main competitor. Their clothes are fun, childlike and offer something different in the childrenswear market.

Surface Magazine

Surface Magazine featured this men's jacket that has a similar silhouette to the Tent Jacket.

Adult Competitors

Below are some brands that would be my direct competitor for my more expensive items. The designs maintain a normal silhouette yet have a twist to make it more fun and visually appealing to the consumer.

Children dressing like adults & adults dressing like children

In fashion, youth is the ultimate idea, which may explain the lingering trend of adults wearing clothing with animal shaped hats or T-shirts with childlike prints. They are all adding to an ever-increasing trend of childlike clothing for grownups, including brightly pattern rain boots and overalls.

It is curious reversals of the oft-maligned trend in which manufactures and celebrity mums dress children in overly mature clothing such as G-String underwear (Abercrombie & Fitch) and high heels. These two trends may seem opposite bit in fact are much the same, meeting in an ageless middle ground of fashion. It adds up to a blurring of the line between clothing for children and adults.

As adults aging themselves down and children are being aged up gives a great design challenge for Perpetually Five. Keeping adults sophisticated and fun is a great way to keep adults young at heart This can be done in different ways with colour and cuts of a garment. Children have the majority of their life being an adult why take the youth away from a child. Fun quirky designs with colour will keep kids being kids.

Abercrombie & Fitch childrens G-String

Children are wearing more sophisticated styles forcing the children to grow up faster. These styles are taken from the adult trends with minimal colour and styles. In many cases the designs have graphics which are to differentiate them from the adults clothing. Perpetually Five aim is to use minimal graphics but a lot of colour which will be a niche in the childrens market.

Adults are adopting childrens fashion as their own. But in many cases the styles are not right with over the top graphics and pockets. Perpetually Fives aim is to create sophisticated yet fun designs which are young and fashionable.

Similar Styles on the catwalk

Perpetually Fives designs are more on trend in both children and adults clothing. with unique angles and colour blocking. Exaggerated pockets and raglan sleeves are also seen as a trend coming in. 

Although Perpetually Five is not trend based it seems that with out even trying the designs are on trend.

 

Competitors

Below are boys clothing and prices from 3 major department stores: Target, Myer and David Jones. As you can see the prices vary with Target being the cheapest and David Jones being more expensive. The quality of the clothing is not so great on the cheaper items. It is great research as you see the quality and the styles that parents are buying today. Although the prices are cheaper the quality is not that great that why Perpetually Fives product, quality and price will do well in the market.

Target: http://shop.target.com.au/kids/boys-1-6

Myer: http://shop.myer.com.au/shop/en/myeronline/au-kids-toys-r-12/au-kids-toys-childrens-clothing-c-68/au-kids-toys-childrens-clothing-boys-3-8-s-300

 David Jones: http://www2.davidjones.com.au/shop-online/for-children/childrenswear.jsp

Agi & Sam

Agi and Sam began the brand with the fundamental thought of designing for men. After years of countless menswear collections displaying either a fear to create something different or collections which push too far and never seeing the light of day they aim to sit firmly in the middle.

With a strong emphasis on entirely bespoke print and humor they believe that fashion should never be taken too seriously.

This fashion label is quite similar to Perpetually Five. They have a lot of colour and tailoring and do not stick to the norms of men's fashion. Their collections are fun and unique which is what Perpetually Five is all about.

http://www.agiandsam.com/frameset.html

Cotton On Kids

Cotton On Kids is Australia's leading Childrens' wear label. They would be my main competitors in my childrens' wear proposal. Their clothing is highly trend based and affordable. Their clothing is not that individual.