In talks with event organiser of Manchester Fashion Network

With the Fashion Network conducting a series of discussions and forums on specific areas of retail in today's changing climate and working between Manchester and London, FashionUnited posed a few questions for event organisers and heard more on

what arose from the panel experts, including Jo Davies, founder of independent luxury boutique, Black White Denim, on the 'Future of Independent Retail.' last month. The next part of the series to take place will be next week, 13th December, featuring Manchester Arndale and Marketing Manchester covering areas such as retail, marketing and footfall.

How

did the idea for this forum on independent retail come about?
Why have you focused specifically on North West regions? We wanted to offer an opportunity for the independents to take part in a frank honest discussion about issues and topics that were relevant to them. We also wanted to give Manchester Fashion Network members a development opportunity and to hear from industry professionals.

Can you let me in on some of the key panel experts you have/are working with on this project and why you chose them?
We featured Cheshire based, award winning luxury boutique Black White Denim and Lancashire based award winning boutique Fashion PA and also Manchester city centre based menswear retailer Intro. We wanted to offer a good mix of retailers in terms of location and product and also we knew all three were passionate and down to earth and could engage with our audience.

How do you feel the reactions and feedback/stance of conversation have differed across the Manchester and London where you are based?
In terms of Manchester, we always get great feedback as these types of events usually tend to be very London centric and it’s great that there are opportunites for industry professionals and students to get together to discuss current issues and topics in outer regions.

What do you think has been some of the most interesting/key comments to have come out of the discussions so far?
Our panellists are always very engaging and insightful and also very honest and frank. What was most interesting about the independent discussion was the unanimous opinion that local councils need to support independent business's to a much higher degree.

How do you think Independents can best differentiate themselves and survive today?
Independents need to find their niche and use clever marketing initiatives to engage with their customer. That doesn't mean that they have to have a huge marketing budget, social media tends to be even more useful and cost effective for smaller businesses.

How do you think bricks and mortar stores can best integrate ecommerce into their own retail strategies?
Integrating e-com in to an existing bricks and mortar store is no mean feat! It’s usually a long and costly process and easy to make mistakes with. A lot of independents are feeling the pressure to have an online presence but it’s not always the online nirvana everybody thinks. Returns rates are higher, it’s much more time consuming to update the site with products and the positioning usually is very different. For an independent brand or boutique, who usually have to do everything themselves or with very limited help, it can be a huge mountain to climb. An online store has to be treated like a separate store, with a separate strategy.

And how do you think multichannel can best be used to support their growth?
I think independents should only aspire to becoming multi-channel if they can fully commit to it. Social media is a great way to test the water, lots of brands take orders and reserve items over Facebook. It's a great, low cost way to engage and test new products.

Who do you consider a good example of a retailer making ecommerce/multichannel propositions work for them?
I think N Brown Group have embraced multi-channel very well across their portfolio of brands.
They're going against what's happening everywhere else on the high street with new store openings for Simply Be and High & Mighty. Their stores are supported with a multi-channel strategy including direct mail, CRM and online.

How do you see the future of retail?
I think for independents, it’s all about good old fashioned retailing and customer service. People want a more personal experience and a store that gets their customer and knows their products inside out. In terms of retail in general, despite the current climate, we're in exciting times. Topshop’s use of live streaming and social media during London Fashion Week was pioneering and more brands will follow suit. Developments in mobile for retailers will also be key.

Where and what can we expect to come from these Fashion Network events?
Our next event is on 13th December and features Manchester Arndale and Marketing Manchester discussing the future of retail in the city centre and for 2013 we're planning a digital series and also a professional development seminar covering topics like marketing, buying and e-com.