Interview - Bento Part 2

In Part 1 of my interview Samantha discussed her background and why she decided to manufacture her garments in Melbourne.


In Part 2, Samantha discusses business issues she has faced since starting Bento.

Samantha modeling one of her beautiful
dresses

7. Do you think there was enough guidance and support (from the industry and government) to help you when you decided to not only pursue a career in the fashion industry, but start your own small business? (e.g. you’ve spoken about the difficulties about initially finding stockists for your designs) From government, absolutely. The fashion industry on the other hand is incredibly skeptical of newcomers and really make them prove their value before they’ll work with them.

8. How are you using social media (e.g. your blog) to support and promote your business? Primarily, we use social media to stay in touch with our friends, fans and supporters. It’s a great way to hear from individual Bento devotees as well as share what’s happening behind the scenes.

9. What are some of the challenges of being an up-and-coming designer? What support would you like to see given to designers such as yourself? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I’m really not a designer! I’m a marketer who is lucky enough to be able to create the product as well.
But anyway – the challenges are huge… finding quality support from a supplier perspective is one of the biggest. Developing genuine, meaningful relationships with stockists is really tricky too.

10. You said the majority of boutiques are buying less, buying lower value and buying from “established” label. As a new label in the market, how do you market your designs to attract stockists? We’re much more hands-on than other labels in the market. We spend time in our stockist’s stores, getting to understand their customer. We also provide very detailed training and point of sale information to support retail staff. Unlike many labels, we can also warehouse stock for boutiques, do custom colours with low (or even no) minimums and have sold-out styles recut for special customers.
More than all that though – we have a product that is virtually unequalled in quality and is designed to complement the rest of the store.

11. With the GFC and rise in e-commerce, the Australian retail industry is struggling. How can designers and retailers collaborate to improve current marketing techniques? Due to my marketing background, we recently launched an e-mag called The Boutique Broadsheet specifically for buyers that looks at such things. I do however believe it is paramount for labels to work in conjunction with their stockists to ensure survival – not just in the current climate, but on an ongoing basis.

12. What do you love most about your job? 
That you never know what will happen in the next 24 hours. 

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Thanks to Samantha for taking the time to answer my questions! It's great as a consumer to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by different labels.

All the best for the future Samantha!

Checkout Bento's website here.

Find Bento on Facebook here.

Follow Samantha's blog here.

Here's the stylish Samantha showing how you can mix versatile Bento pieces into your wardrobe:

Images courtesy of http://republicofstyle.blogspot.com, Six Wolves for Pedestrian TV, http://www.pagesdigital.com

Interview - Bento Part 1

I was lucky enough to interview the lovely Samantha Hardman, designer of Melbourne label Bento. Samantha is one of the fantastic designers supporting the Australian industry by manufacturing all her garments in Melbourne!


Read more about Bento here.


Given her unique background and smart approach to marketing her label, Samantha had some great knowledge and insights to share about her experiences in the fashion industry.


1. You started off your career working in the banking industry. Why did you decide to make the transition from Banker to Designer? 
To say I was a banker is actually a bit of a stretch, it’s just the easiest way to put it. I actually worked in senior management for a major bank in a marketing role. Anyway – it was about following a dream. I’d always wanted to work in fashion and I eventually decided there’s no time like the present!


2. What was the most difficult thing about making this career change?
As superficial as it sounds, giving up a very healthy regular salary has been tough!


3. When talking about your career to date, you said even if you could go back and change the past, you wouldn’t. How have you used your experience in the corporate world to help your business today?
As I mentioned before, my background, although very corporate, has been in marketing. Having the knowledge, skillset and experience I have in marketing has been invaluable in building a new brand… albeit in a very different industry!


4. You support the Australian industry by manufacturing all your clothes in Melbourne. Why did you decide to manufacture in Australia and not outsource it overseas?
Many reasons! Initially, it was about being able to personally observe and examine the working environments of people involved in manufacturing Bento garments. I’ve read and seen a lot of horrific things about working environments overseas and I wanted to ensure we were supporting ethical manufacturing. Secondly, from a carbon footprint and environmental perspective, keeping a supply chain geographically tight is a big step toward minimising the impact of the construction process. Finally, we also wanted to support the Australian economy. Next season we will release the first garments where the sheep live in Victoria, were sheered in Victoria, their wool milled and dyed in Victoria, the garment designed in Victoria, the fabric cut and the garment sewn in Victoria, the care labels woven in Victoria and the swing tags designed and printed in Victoria. 


5. Were there any challenges with choosing to manufacture your clothes in Australia?
Many – there are countless pressures from stockists about reducing your price point by manufacturing overseas (I expect this will change over time), lots of people believe that something manufactured locally isn’t the same calibre as something made overseas too. There’s also just the sheer difficulty finding them – there aren’t many locals left!


6. Your clothes are perfect for the office, but can just as easily transition to after work dinner and drinks? How has your experience working in the banking industry influenced your designs?
Thank you! Working in a traditional office for so many years definitely gave me a deep understanding as to what women look for in versatile pieces. I spent 8 – 12 hours a day with my target market for 10 years! 

Click here for Part 2 of this interview!

Here's a sneak peak of some of the beautiful pieces from Bento's AW11 collection:

Images courtesy of http://www.thread.co.nz, http://cecylia.com, http://www.caitlinjanephotography.com/

Désir du jour - Bento

After starting her career in the Banking industry, Bento designer Samantha Hardman knows what working women want. I know first hand how hard it is to find stylish corporate wear which not only is made of great material, but is flattering enough to transition easily from the office to after-work diner and drinks. Bento not only provides versatile, chic workwear, but as an added benefit, all clothes are made in Melbourne! In an industry where most companies have outsourced their manufacturing, Bento is one of the few brands supporting the Australian community. To learn more about brands that manufacture in Australia, read Where Is It Made?

The perfect trans-seasonal outfit, the Georgia knit in berry and Sophie skirt in grey can be worn with nude pumps for warmer months, or with tights and boots when the weather gets cooler. This Is Bento pieces are also easily integrated into your existing wardrobe as their classic design and colour palette means they will never go out of style. Available at Cecylia boutique in Armadale or online at The Dreamery, treat yourself to a new work wardrobe today!

Stay tuned for an interview with lovely Bento designer Samantha Hardman!

Where Is It Made?

Karla Spetic

Prior to talking to people in the fashion industry, I never thought much about where my clothes were made. I always liked supporting Australian designers but never took the time to consider where production of their clothes actually took place. On closer inspection, there are very few clothes by Australian designers made in Australia. 

As cheaper labour costs and economies of scale often mean it’s cheaper for designers to produce their clothes overseas, this shift in production function offshore has detrimentally affected the manufacturing industry in Australia. Less manufacturing in Australia means less employment, and the loss of expertise of niche manufacturing skills (e.g. the ability to produce wool and silk garments).

Hopefully as consumers become educated about this important issue, we can all do our bit to support the cause for keeping manufacturing, and as a result, jobs, in Australia.                              

Bento

                                                                                                              So how can you help? I’m not suggesting you only buy Australian made goods, but it is important to educate those around you about this issue.  Also, you can support the designers who produce in Australia, and retailers who chose to only stock Australian made products.  For example, Cecylia boutique in Armadale only stocks labels who produce their clothes in Australia (e.g. Karla Spetic, Bento, Sara Phillips). Stayed tuned for an interview with co-owner of Cecylia boutique, Cecylia Kee, where she discusses this very issue and more!

So next time you go shopping, remember to check the label!