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Sunday, May 21, 2006

Design Festa Madness!

Well the Design Festa is over, and boy did I learn a lot. It was really worth going, just for the education alone!

I'm sure you want to know about how my bags went. They were photographed, and filmed by customers, and called 'kawai,' meaning cute in Japanese but I didn't sell a single bag. I am not disappointed because I didn't have expectations on them selling. And not because I think they are crap, because they are not, but because most of the people there were only looking, plus have a limited amount of money to spend. I have been to the Design Festa twice as a customer, so I have an idea of what goes on there.

Items that did sell were small little knick knack things and postcards because they are cheap. I spoke to a few other store holders and they hadn't sold anything either.

A few exciting things happened. I was filmed and interviewed by the Design Festa organisers. I should be on their website sometime next week (I'll post the link up during the week). In addition to that NHK International interviewed me too. ( Lets just hope I don't end up on the editing floor) That will be broadcasted on Monday internationally, but not within Japan. I wish I could see it! I didn't expect to be interviewed and wasn't prepared for it so the first one didn't go too good. I was very nevous!

I also had a retailer who is interested in selling my bags in Evisu, Tokyo (near Shibuya). We spoke for about 15 minutes with my friend Tomomi helping me out with translation (THANKS AGAIN TOMOMI!!). He gave me heaps of tips and advice. He told me that I was selling my bags too cheaply, that should increase the price to 5000 Yen or more ($55 - 60 AUD) and liked the fact that they were not made commercially. There was a time when I thought he was going to buy all my bags, but that didn't happen. In additon to that he asked if I could put the handles a little more closer together and make them in different colours (the ones he liked). We exchanged business cards and he told me he would contact me. So fingers crossed he will!

I spoke to two other DE's too. I will talk about them and post more photos of the Design Festa during the week. I need to go on finish off my online store.

Comments:
Hi Jason-
I posted a little photoshop tutorial.
It's here
 
COOL! I'm gonna check it out!
 
Hey Jason you got some great feedback on the bags, why the handles closer together? Is that something you're going to do ? Good news that people think you could sell the bags for more money , better than people thinking you're overpriced!

You should chase this business contact up, is there enough money in it for you to sell wholesale, I suppose you'll have to sell for half the price if you sell to wholesalers, thats probably another good reason to put your prices up !
 
Evisu is a very cool label, it would be pretty neat to get your bags in their shop! Their jeans are soooooo expensive in Australia are they cheaper in Japan?
 
Hey lol b. He said he wanted them closer together to make the bag look more even overall. So I will do that for him. I need to make a sample and see how it looks. He said it doesn't have to be much..so I'm thinking a cm on each side..

As for wholesale. I think we briefly discussed I would sell them to him for about 4-5000 Yen($45.00-50.00 AUD then he would sell them for 7- 8000 yen each. They will be selling in TOKYO and they will probally pay it. The Japanese are mad on fashion! Humm I need to do some sums on making a profit..or something. I am going to email him sometime this week...although this week is nearly over!

As for EVISU, there is a 5 level store about 40min from where I live. The prices of jeans are about $200.00 cheaper. Or you can just buy the fakes which appear on the street markets every so often for about $100!
 
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