Lookbooks

I have been collection look books/catalogues for a while now to inspire my own and have made a couple brief points about each:

Howies: similar 'lifestyle' feel brand, fold out booklet format, pictures and text on both side - i think it would be more effective having just images on one side, perhaps just one blown up. Like how some of the images spread over the 2 boxes, breaks up the structure a bit. I could fill each box with a different print and brand info then have a blown up picture from photoshoot on the reverse? Howies include relevant features eg 'Winter survival kit' i could do a summer/beach guide in keeping with my designs but to add something a bit different. a2 format which would make a real impact with a picture on the back but a lot of space to fill with information considering i am not an established brand - could do a3?

Topshop: fold out booklets to promote store cards, postcard size which is effective - i think if it were too bulky it would put people off if they cannot fit it in their bags. Colourful but still some clarity/theme. All images on one side in a collage, would give me the opportunity to show off lots of images from the shoot - could perhaps fill one third with one big image for more impact as if the shoot is collaged together it will loose the effect and not be shown to its full potential. Info on the front brief - could have none or just brand name to encourage people to open it up and find out more.

H&M: booklet attached to jeans to promote - like this idea of being tailored for each product, if i had more time i could do one for dresses/prints and another for accessories. Good mix of double page shoots, text, illustrations and close-ups of product, keeps you interested. Random information inside - same things repeated and not very concise - get bored reading through it! No headers to introduce each section so just seems like a giant piece of information. Not much bigger than credit card size - 'cute' value but i want mine to be a bit bigger to show the photoshoot in its maximum potential. 

Topshop: Breast Cancer Campaign - although only got 1 clear message/image to show, i like the simplicity. I could have 1 book per print and inside just have 1 strong image, the name of the print/brand and contact details. Maybe a sample of the print to add tactile quality? Being simple makes more of an impact and will encourage people to find out more - would be more effective if i had a website to link to instead of a blog as more professional and can have clear areas eg about the brand, the collection...

Petite: Jewellery catalogue, very sophisticated design, clean cut etc which suits their high end product but i would want mine to be a bit more quirky. Mix of lifestyle shoots and then product (good mix as sometimes jewellery shoots are just close ups of the product being worn but this shows them in a wider context). 31 pages which is unreasonable for my product as i only have a small range so could not fill that many pages and as this is just a small part of my project i do not have the time to layout and design that many pages. 

Quba & Co: sailing brand - have really thought about the design and it gets across their brand identity really well - matte tea stained paper, looks like an old scrapbook, mix of location pictures to show the clothes in their context and close up of related objects eg peeling letters on a boat. I could include close ups of flowers/pebbles etc in keeping with the theme. Maybe use some old polaroids i have to push the bohemian, slightly retro washed out feel of the pictures. Each page has something completely new so again this would be something more suited to when my product range has expanded so its not just the same kind of jewellery/prints throughout. V.matte paper gives a nice quality feel - i think glossy paper would be more suited to a high end fashion/expensive jewellery product than my lifestyle prints. 

White Stuff: different theme per season - this one being superheroes. Not done very effectively, some illustrations look like they have just been put on the page for the sake of it and some of the 'extras' in the shots look tacky and do not reflect the white stuff image. Although it is 'fun' it is very random! Intro pages before each new section -  a double page spread and article (again very random eg pets dressed as bandits over a pool of sharks!?) which breaks it up. I could have a piece of information every couple of pages to break up the shoot? If i had more time for this part of the project i could have had articles relating to the theme - eg the 'Beach hut to BBQ girl' writing in with holiday stories, beach adventure etc.

Yumi: probably the best suited to what i am after - emphasis on photoshoot images and brief pieces of text. However as a start up brand i may need to include more information to introduce to people what it is all about (established companies with an existing customer base will not need to do this every time). Very simple layout so does not distract from the product. Nice matte cover matches washed out slightly grungy context but pages inside are then glossy which makes it feel a bit cheap. 

Points to take forward: need enough information to introduce the consumer to the brand but not too much that it gets boring - would split into defined sections? Eg about the brand, 'our girl', contact, maybe swatches to give a more personal feel and also add a tactile quality which is difficult to achieve with mass printed products so this would be a quick was of doing it. Who is it for? Graduate Fashion Week opportunities - give out to potential employers and anyone interested in knowing more. Could be sent out as part of a mailing list to create hype - create a facebook group. Leave in places where people i want to target may socialise - eg Devon/Cornwall boutiques, intimate music venues, beach bars...