Story of Two Entrepreneurs - Case Study Example

Jasper Conran is a designer, familiar with fabrics, colours, shapes and textures. He emerged on the British fashion scene three decades ago at the age of nineteen (The Independent, 2008). Known primarily as a womenswear designer, Conran also creates high fashion menswear, along with J Line, a lower-priced range for Debenhams that includes jeans, accessories, childrenswear, homeware and hosiery. Conran never fails to miss a business opportunity and has even added a bridegroom collection. Because of his flair for designing, he has described as "Britains equivalent to Ralph Lauren". He is not only a hard worker but he finds the application of creativity to pure business solutions very invigorating. Because of his dedication to the industry he was awarded an OBE for services to the retail industry. He is keener in using skill and craft to come up with exclusive products and prefers to make simple dresses. He likes to work in a team. Conran’s designs are inspired by early garments of Coco Chanel and he is known for the elegant versions of the British tweed suits (Answers Corporation, 2010). He did not change his main collections every season and hence his garments were considered a long-term investment. He was a talented person but did not get the opportunity to expand to his fullest potential. Under a ten-year licensing agreement with the Marchpole Group Plc, Conran would be able to penetrate the European market with his menswear collection and expand the range to include accessories. However Conran did manage to position himself solidly in the British fashion scenario with clientele such as Diana, the late Princess of Wales. The motivation was from his father who too was a designer – Sir Terence Conran, known as the design guru (Donald, 2010). One of the top fashion designers, Conran has had a prosperous profession for the past twenty years (Mahalo, 2010). He was amongst the first designers to show at London Fashion Week. Over the years he entered into furniture, luggage, children’s wear, fragrances and fine bone china. Overall his collections personify sophisticated, authoritative lines. He started his career as a design consultant but within a year launched his own collections. He is the recipient of several awards in the fashion world. He has 45 different lines sold in 68 different countries (Roberts, 2009). Although he has it in his genes to be a designer like his father, but Conran did not find it easy to be the child of a living god who has to carve a place for himself in life. Conran has also entered into eyewear fashion and launched an exclusive 36 optical frame collection for Specsavers (Anonymous, 2008). Conran is already renowned for his association with Debenhams as well as his J womenswear collection and fragrances. His eyewear collection is exclusively for Specsavers and is marketed under Jasper Conran brand name. It offers a sophisticated look accessible to everyone. While designing he does not allow age or hair colour to affect his creativity. He merely works on the object. He does not follow the current trends in the market but feels that products should have an appeal to be bought when seen. Conran’s competitors include Katherine Hamnett, John Rocha, Betty Jackson, and Paul Smith, all of whom have gone international (Priest, 2005). The fashion sector rejects the commoditization of fashion and hence is driven by unique creative communities of fashion designers. Nina Campbell is one of the world’s most respected and influential interior designers. She has a brilliant sense of personal style and a prestigious clientele list (Decorex, 2010). She is synonymous with chic interiors and she entered the field of designing at the age of twelve trying to rearrange furniture with her mother (London Shopping, 2010). Today her linens, wallpaper and china brighten up brighten up any self-respecting home. Each design has been developed by herself and each piece is stylishly practical. Her designs appeal to both young and old and in both contemporary and traditional interiors. They brilliantly combine classic influences with a real sense of fun and individuality (Furnitures England, 2010). She has carried the romance and tradition of the English country house and given it importance in homes round the world (1stdibs, 2010). She received her first inspiration and instructions from John Fowler, with whom she worked as his assistant as early as the age of nineteen. He taught her to “wait and let a room speak for itself”. Campbell humbly claims that she went into decorating because she was incapable of doing anything else. She got into business at the age of 22 with a friend and client and one of her first business was designing the interior of a new night club for a friend. Her clients include European Royalty, English aristocrats, rock stars and other celebrities. Campbell has also decorated the private apartments at Buckingham Palace. Campbell is always in demand in the States and her skill is in blending the skill and architecture of diverse locations with English atmosphere and comfort. She uses a lot of antiques to bring out special effects. Campbell has diversified and has introduced fabrics and wallpaper. The richness of the timber can be revealed only when it is polished properly. She likes to work with young and fresh people as it induces her own creativity. She has also diversified into related products such as wallpaper, fabric and furniture, luxury blankets, soft accessories like travel and laundry bags, gift wraps, stationery. She has global residential projects to her credit and knows how to leverage advantage from her strong position in the market. This has prompted her to partner with Britannia on a collection of range cookers featuring her design (Decorex, 2010). She also has a fashion range and rug collection, both in association with partners. Both Conran and Campbell come from wealthy families and did not have to struggle to get into business. Finance was not an issue with either of them. Both started working at a very young age and while Conran became an entrepreneur at 19, Campbell became one at the age of twenty two. One is an interior designer while the other is a fashion designer. Both had short stints of employment in their respective fields before becoming entrepreneurs. This suggests that both had the acumen right from the beginning and were very sure of the paths they had chosen. Thus innate characteristics are revealed at the slightest opportunity. Campbell used to rearrange furniture at the age of 12 with her mother and this was her inspiration into the field of interiors. Conran’s inspiration came from the family as his father too was a designer. Both have excelled in their own fields, have their products available in several countries and have earned international repute. Both these sectors – interior designing and fashion clothing – have very good markets as consumers’ lifestyles have undergone a sea change. Both the entrepreneurs thus have very bright prospects in their career. Another interesting feature that is common to both is the diversification into a wide variety of allied products or accessories. While Conran caters to fashion garments of different budgets, lifestyles and occasions, he was also entered into eyewear – in short – anything that consumers can find fashion and style in. likewise, Campbell has specialized in the interiors and has accessories that she deals with. Both have also partnered at the right time for the right products. Conran has an exclusive agreement with Specsavers for the eyewear while Campbell has launched upholstered furniture in conjunction with Francis Russell. In addition, both these entrepreneurs have become authors in their own way and both have international repute and fame. While Campbell has authored the book on her subject – interiors, Conran has focused on the countryside in his book. Campbell has featured upscale interiors for a variety of residents in her book titled Nina Campbell’s Decorating Notebook: Insider Secrets and Decorating Ideas for Your Home. Her books describe her own approach to decorating and she provides practical tips on how to overcome challenges such as low budget, dim lights or an awkwardly shaped room (ninacampbell.com). She also familiarizes the reader with homes that she has designed in Europe and United States, including her own home. Conran’s book COUNTRY brings alive the ancient crafts and traditions. He traveled around rural England to lend natural texture and flavour to the book (Conran, 2010). He has managed to capture in words and photographs, the threads that make up for the fabric that is rural England. Hence for him too, the book in an expression of his passion for fabrics and the output when weaved together. Both these entrepreneurs have been early starters and have charted a very successful career in their own respective fields, suggesting that sincerity, dedication, talent and hard work can reap benefits. Both continue to excel in their own fields and. Both are still creative and always come out with something distinguishing. Entrepreneurs are born, not created. While they may have received the financial and moral support from friends and families, their own innate characteristics has reached them to this point of success in their careers. References: 1stdibs, 2010, Style Compass, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://1stdibs.com/articles/style_compass/nina_campbell/index.php?sid=913 Anonymous, 2008, Jasper Conran has gone to Specsavers, The Optician; Feb 1, 2008; 235, 6137; ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry, pg. 8 Answers Corporation, 2010, Jasper Conran, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.answers.com/topic/jasper-conran Conran, J, 2010, Jasper Conrans Country: exclusive extracts and photographs, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/7421235/Jasper-Conrans-Country-exclusive-extracts-and-photographs.html Decorex, 2010, Seminar Speaker Profiles, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.decorex.com/page.cfm/Link=108/t=m/goSection=8 Donald, C, 2010, No cider, just rosy, April 4, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/buying_and_selling/article7086131.ece Furnitures England, 2010, Furnitures England, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.ostamyy.com/furnitures/England.htm London Shopping, 2010, Nina Campbell, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.londontown.com/LondonInformation/Shops/Nina_Campbell/af18/ Mahalo, 2010, Jasper Conran, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.mahalo.com/jasper-conran ninacampbell.com, http://www.ninacampbell.com/books/nina-campbell-books/nina-campbell-on-decorating.html Priest, A 2005, Uniformity and differentiation in fashion, International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 17 (3/4), 253-263 Roberts, A 2009, Jasper Conran on Victoria Beckham, Elton John and his baby, London Evening Standard, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23747735-jasper-conran-on-victoria-beckham-elton-john-and-his-baby.do The Independent, 2008, Jasper Conran: Designs for life, July 14, retrieved October 24, 2010 from: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/jasper-conran-designs-for-life-866763.html Read More