Parlour X will be among a string of luxury boutiques to receive a dedicated capsule collection from womenswear designer Fernando Frisoni, following a production overhaul which commenced over autumn/winter 2012.
Frisoni has been with working with a shortlist of buyers to develop custom garment ranges, replacing all seasonal collection deliveries to boutiques and department stores from AW12.
This will be a precursor to a new venture launching in October, which will see the designer take on a bigger and more mainstream enterprise.
“I am moving forward to work more with better price points and fast turn around production runs to a broader market but always keep a high quality finish and a beautiful design aesthetic,” he told Ragtrader.
The capsule collections will be delivered in one drop, with minimums of 50 pieces per style and a minimum of 10 styles per capsule. These collections are developed with each individual buyer based on styles which are most in demand, with pants retailing at around $380, shirts at $280 and dresses at $380.
Payment is split into a 50 per cent deposit and 50 per cent prior to delivery, with the bespoke model attracting bigger margins for buyers, lower price points and faster sell-through.
“The current market is awfully slow and nasty at the moment and there is no sign of a bright light in the near future,” Frisoni said.
“When we design a collection, we design with all our heart and soul.
“Today high-end fashion is very competitive, so competitive that it is hard to share a space in the market, even being an established designer with established clientele.
“I realised that to be in the market today one needs to be in competition in the best possible way. A capsule collection is designed to that particular boutique with the buyer and with the mind set for the target client.
“Even the price point is discussed to suit the client, making such a difference and a much better sell-through.”
Frisoni said the model had already proved to be financially successful, and other designers could benefit given the industry-wide issue of outstanding receivables.
“If [designers] can manage their own collection production and organise individual production, having excellent quality and perfectionism in both then yes [it would work], otherwise keep trying to squeeze money out of stone.”
Assia Benmedjdoub