2022 Fashion Scholarships Fund Case Study

DESIGN AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

3.15.21

BACKGROUND:

The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused a significant shift in consumer behaviors and buying trends. People are
working from home and socializing less, with growing concern over going out and shopping in stores. This has
created a shift in needs that focus more on casualwear, activewear, health and wellness, home furnishings and
pets. People value comfort and easy care over more structured fits associated with career wear. According to the
Global Connected Index, when consumers were asked if they planned to shop when the world returns to the “new
normal”, 39% of those surveyed say they will shop in a mix of online and in-store, 28% will shop mostly online and
24% say they can’t wait to get back in-store while 10% say they have not planned that far ahead (over 100% for
rounding). Taking these details into account, we can see that consumers have changed their buying habits to
reflect the global health crisis. The accelerating trend towards online shopping vs. in-store shopping means that
quality and fit will be vital in the design of fashion items to reduce the probability of returns. With 91% of
shoppers saying they miss in-store shopping but only 5% planning to return to stores in the next 6 months it is
now more important than ever to design into items that will have appeal in an on-line platform. Value perception
from a digital perspective has become key as consumers are more careful with their spending in this time of
economic uncertainty. According to financial advisor Deloitte, normal economic activity is unlikely to resume
before mid- 2021 which means design solutions for the future are necessary.

OBJECTIVE:

For this year’s case study, your goal is to create a collection of either apparel, accessories, footwear, beauty or
health and wellness products that addresses the needs of post COVID-19 consumers. This collection must be for
an existing fashion apparel, accessories, footwear, home, beauty or health and wellness brand or retailer. The
collection can be for an existing product category and market segment addressed by the brand, or it can propose
a brand expansion into a new product category or market. Explain why you have chosen this brand and how you
think it will be a valid driver for retail going forward. As you develop your collection be mindful of the recent
trends in working from home, videoconferencing, and the need to transition quickly from a meeting to home life
and back again. Value perception is paramount - think about how your line might appeal to consumers with
limited resources due to the changing economy and fit their lifestyle. Focus on materials that will wear well and
have easy care. Apparel collections should consider a waist up meeting lifestyle while allowing for head-to-toe
style to go to the next activity. Accessories and beauty should consider what the new normal is and the needs of a
work from home culture and lifestyle. Consider how addressing our current social structure and changes in our
culture could be an additional focus to help your collection have a stronger voice and appeal.
FORMAT:

The case study should be submitted as a minimum 16-page slide deck and up to a 21-pages including appendices.
The slide deck should be in landscape orientation, with slides sized for on-screen show 4:3, 10” x 7.5”. Submission
files can be created in any software of the applicants choosing (PowerPoint, Keynote, Adobe InDesign, Illustrator
etc.), however all cases must be submitted in a flat PDF format without video or sound.

No specific font or format will be enforced, and you are encouraged to utilize visuals throughout your
presentation (all digital images used must be properly cited). It is advisable to not overload each slide with
information, and to keep your presentation concise and to the point: each slide should take no more than 1-2
minutes to absorb by the reader.

All references should be annotated in slide footnotes. If additional footnotes are necessary, you may add one (1)
additional slide to the Appendix for footnotes. Do not use hyperlinks in a footnote as the content cannot be
accessed once the case study is converted to a PDF to upload.

Do not include your name or college/university affiliation on the title page or anywhere in the case study as the
review process is anonymous.

Be sure to proofread your case study. Points will be deducted for not following format directions, as well as for
grammar and spelling errors.

DESIGN: DRIVING FASHION AND VALUE IN A DIGITAL WORLD

You are the Design director for a fashion brand or retailer that is adjusting the approach to their product mix to
reflect the needs and buying habits of the consumer in this pandemic environment. Your objective is to design an
effective and exciting collection that will appeal to the consumer who is budget conscious but still wants to be
stylish. Online appeal, comfort and easy care are important, but so is versatility, allowing consumers to easily
transition from home lifestyle activities to work from home.

SLIDE 1: Include one title sentence to summarize the case and discipline of your case study. Outline how your
deck is broken out (suggested slide assignment below is optional).

SLIDE 2: Write an executive summary, covering all components of your case study. People reading your executive
summary should get the essence of your case study without fine detail. The executive summary should be in
paragraph format, no longer than 300 words. Be sure to briefly summarize why your chosen collection will
resonate with post COVID-19 consumers and benefit the retailer(s) and/or e-commerce platforms you choose to
sell your collection

SLIDES 3-6: Illustrate your research into what is motivating the consumer and what types of collections and items
appeal to them during the changing environment of the global pandemic. Be sure to address the purchase drivers
you feel are most important to the success of your brand. Explain how your collection will utilize these drivers in
order to be successful.

SLIDE 7-8: Create an inspiration board for your collection and show your design process. Be sure to show your
color story and direction. Include preliminary sketches and imagery from your research, sketchbook etc.

SLIDE 9-10: Create a Material/Color/Print/Pattern Fashion Board (or, for beauty products, create
packaging/properties of ingredients/signage/etc.) Include a photo with name and a content/quality description of
each fabric or material chosen. Create a master color palette for your entire collection, as well as three original
prints/patterns that match into the color palette. Briefly explain how your materials and color story ties into the
inspiration for the collection.

SLIDE 11-14: Design 10-15 products for your chosen category. If you have chosen apparel as your focus you can do
head to toe looks or individual pieces- head to toe looks would be counted as each item not the look itself. Create
technical front and back flat sketches for three of these products including design callouts to show construction
details and specs. Illustrations may be done by hand or by CAD.

SLIDE 15-16: Describe how you would communicate the story via a marketing strategy behind your collection to
the customer, inclusive of collection name and related collateral. Explain how it will be sold.

APPENDIX SLIDES 17-21: Use up to five slides to summarize any research you have done on what factors
contribute to the success of fashion collections --apparel (men’s, women’s, kids, or gender neutral), accessories,
footwear, home or beauty line-- based on targeted demographic/psychographic population cohorts. Use one
additional slide for footnotes and a bibliography.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

Your case will be reviewed by industry professionals including the FSF Board of Governors, FSF Mentors, and FSF
Alumni. Judges will use the following criteria to score your case:

CREATIVITY & FEASIBILITY (60%)

▪ Did the applicant present designs that are creative and address the objective of the case?
▪ Did the applicant present concepts that are well-thought-out, executable and commercially viable?
RESEARCH (20%)
• Did the applicant demonstrate that they conducted thorough research regarding the global pandemic
consumer and the relevant purchase drivers of this consumer?
• Does the applicant’s choice of retailer or e-commerce platform demonstrate that they conducted
thorough research on their choice such that it supports their brand concept and findings regarding the
COVID-19 consumer?

CLARITY (15%)
▪ Did the applicant clearly complete each portion of their prompt?
▪ Does the applicant’s case follow logical development and a clear structure; is it easy to follow and
summarize?
FORMAT (5%)
▪ Did the applicant use correct grammar and spelling?
▪ Did the applicant include a title page with one sentence to summarize the case?
▪ Was the applicant's name and school kept anonymous?

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR SUBMISSION:

1) Completed FSF Case Study
2) Cover Letter: Please prepare a 250-300 word maximum cover letter containing your response to the
following questions:
○ Why are you interested in the fashion industry?
○ What are your current career aspirations?
○ Why have you decided to select your case study discipline?
3) Current Resume
4) Current Unofficial Transcription
DEADLINES AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF COMPETITION RESULTS:
April 1, 2021 – Wizehive, the digital platform used for FSF case study submissions will open. Your FSF faculty
member will provide you with the Wizehive link.
May 1, 2021 - Complete the Applicant Profile and take the Eligibility Quiz on Wizehive.
October 18, 2021- Submit all four of your required documents mentioned above on Wizehive BEFORE 12:00 PM
Eastern Standard Time. Please be advised, the Wizehive portal will automatically close PROMPTLY at 12:00 PM.
Be sure to allow sufficient time to upload all four required documents as the Wizehive submission portal will close
at the scheduled time even if an upload is still in progress. If all four of your documents are not fully uploaded by
11:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, your submission will be disqualified. You will receive a Confirmation of
Submission to your Wizehive Homepage that your submission process was completed.
Announcement of Scholarship Results - The Scholarship competition results will be sent to the FSF faculty
member at your school by the first week of December. Your FSF faculty member will share the results with you.