#FindOutFriday with LEXIE SPORT FOUNDER & DESIGNER, LILY RICE!

Last November's StartUp Fashion event introduced Yours Truly to some seriously amazing new talents and contacts that I'm still enjoying getting to know. One in particular stood out for many a reason and I could barely wait for her to finish speaking publicly before I pounced, business card in hand.

Miss Lily Rice is the Head Designer and CEO of Lexie Sport - a Womenswear Design company with a real difference - not just the tagline kind. Creating functional, yet flattering gym clothes that obliterate the lines between practical and Sexy; this is a woman who literally took fashion off the bench for comfortable exercise attire and made it the star player of the team. I really couldn't control that themed pun. It took on a life of it's own.

Methinks that's my cue to introduce you to Lily...

Welcome Lily, to the #FindOutFriday hotseat! I've been looking forward to talking to you since we met in November!

1. To kick things off, I’d love you to introduce yourself and the 'Lexie' Sport brand to my readers:

Lexie Sport CEO, Lily Rice and
BBC3's 'Be Your Own Boss' Host, Richard Reed

Thanks! I'm Lily Rice, I'm 25 and the founder and designer of 'Lexie', a trend led women's sportswear brand. 'Lexie' was born in the summer of sport 2012 and focuses on bringing fashion to the sports arena.

2. Now with every start up label I've ever come across (including Yours Truly), the need for the product stemmed from one specific moment or event. Can you take us back to the turning point when you came up with the ‘Lexie Sport’ brand – what inspired the idea?

The Lauren Tee, Veronica Short
and Gloria Hoodie

I think 'Lexie' has really evolved as an idea from never being able to find the kind of sportwear I wanted to wear; moments of being really frustrated or disappointed that the kit on offer is boring, unflattering and defiantly not fashionable.

'Lexie' as a brand was something I started working on lightly just after I graduated; building a business plan and then of course it really accelerated with 'Be Your Own Boss'!

3. What about the inspiration for the name – where did ‘Lexie’ come from?

I've always loved strong female names, 'Lexie' is the shortened version of Alexandria, which in turn is the female of Alexander. If you Google the meaning it comes up as ‘Defender of Mankind’ which is pretty cool!

4. I'm honoured to have a Central Saint Martins Alum grace the blog this week. Your designs are far from typical; what did you study there and combined with your former role at Umbro, how have you applied your training and practical experience to the ‘Lexie’ brand?

Thanks! I studied for my foundation there, which gave me a great base (no pun intended) for my education and really opened my eyes in terms of creativity. I received a distinction from CSM and then went on to Falmouth University to study Performance Sportswear Design, which is the only course of its kind in the UK.

Umbro gave me a much better knowledge of the market and how a business and brand really works, a lot goes on behind the scenes!

You presented to representatives from some of the UK's biggest High Street chains, during the 'Meet The Buyers' panel at November's event. One of the things that struck me most, was how meticulously prepared you were! I got the same e-invitation only a few days prior, so know exactly how little lead time you had! I'm going to guess that either some of your presentation materials are pre-prepared or, you've got a great team in place at 'Lexie' HQ, who club together when the pressure's on?

5. How many people are involved in your set-up and how did you go about assembling your support base?

Ha! Erm, well there’s me and erm….Me? I'm pretty much the team, but I have a really supportive group of friends and family who have helped out in different ways; for example I have a great graphic designer (Aron Jones), who designed the logo and helps out with lookbooks and my friend Francesca Milano shot the photos. Special mention also has to go to my fiancé who really digs in (despite being a paramedic student, not a designer!) and listens to my pitches etc. He knows more about a fashion brand than any future husband should!

I know during the show, Richard was fairly worried that I was a 'one-woman-band' but I think it has it’s upsides; I'm able to go with what I believe and make decisions quickly. It also means I can execute an idea how I envisioned it. That said, if it’s the route you're going down, make sure you surround yourself with epically, brilliant people!

6. Your first collection was featured on BBC3’s 'Be Your Own Boss'; how has the experience affected the ‘Lexie’ brand?

'Be Your Own Boss' was pretty crazy, a TV show was never something I was aiming for! It was a great experience though and gave the brand some credibility. Obviously I also got investment and Richard from it, which has been amazing!

Lily with BBC3's 'Be Your Own Boss' Host and 'Lexie' Sport Investor, Richard Reed

The downside to TV, or any exposure, is that you’re basically inviting people in to comment, both on your brand and yourself, which can be tough. The beginning of a brand or business is when you really want to take on advice and suggestions and it can be hard to filter through and stay true to what you want and where you want to take the brand.

7. In terms of colour range, the aesthetics of your collection is actually quite simplistic, but you managed to find a way to make your designs visually appealing and sexy. Can you talk about your Art Deco influences, as well as any others that inspire you?

The 'Audrey' Crew and 'Grace' Leggings

The birth of Women’s sportswear was really around the art deco period and a lot was starting to change for women in that era. I'm a big Downton Abbey fan and a huge part of that show is how the female characters change from the 1900s through to the 20s and how their wardrobes change with that. It’s a great illustration of how women were progressing.

I try to interpret that style through shape and colour, reworking it for performance. The female shape is very inspirational and I work very hard on fit and comfort. There’s no need to make things baby pink for women!

8. Judging by your response from the panel, the celebrity following and media coverage you've received so far; your idea seems to be a hit with whoever it comes into contact with! Can you talk about some of the projects you've worked on so far and what’s going on at the moment?

'Lexie' Sport kicked off 2013 with a mention in the highest
echelon of the fashion hierarchy...

I think 'Lexie' is so popular because there is a huge gap in the market and it’s a rapidly growing market. Obviously we were featured on 'Be Your Own Boss', but we are also going to be on Cherry Healey's new BBC3 show - she’s a big fan. Jacqueline Gold (of Ann Summers) also awarded us her WOW award in December and we were in the Vogue January issue!

The 'Mae' Vest

We have a few trendsetting celebs who will be wearing ('Lexie') in the coming months (we never pay celebrities) so that’s really exciting to see!

9. Your audience are buying into more than the look though - what’s the core message behind the brand that you’re building and how have you gone about it?

'Lexie' is a strong, female brand. No 'shrink it, pink it' (Bleurgh!). It’s important that we have strong female role models wearing the clothes and we’re not into slimming vids and fad diets! We're building this message through our designs, imagery and language. We will also be carefully selecting retailers to make sure the end-wearer gets the gear in the way we want!

10. You've put a heck of a lot of work in and it seems like it’s paying off. What can we expect from ‘The Icon Collection’, when will it be released and what does 2013 have in store for 'Lexie' and Lily?

'Lexie' is really going to grow in 2013, in fact we're calling it the 'Year of Lexie'!

We're looking forward to a new range, more stockists and some brilliant designs.

We've had lots of great suggestions from our fans so we will be implementing some of those and just generally moving forward.

Look out for 'Lexie'!

______________________________________

Thank you Lily! 'Look out' we will! I don't know about you Dear Readers (I would really like to though - share in the box below), but I loved learning more about the 'Lexie' brand and Lily's personality, especially! Did you relate to her as much as I did? Tell us both about it!

I've connected with Lily and the Lexie Sport Social Media catalogue, now it's your turn:

Lexie Sport Online:

Twitter / Facebook / Website

As an extra special thank you for reading, I'm sharing a little something special from my new gig as MyFlashTrash Brand Ambassador...

Click to bag yourself 15% OFF some MFT Goodies!

Happy 'Lover's Day' shopping and I'll see you soon!

ES ;)

Back At One...

It's a Wednesday that feels like a Monday. The smoke from the fireworks have cleared, the hangovers have died down (for most of you); you're back at work today and the nagging voice of overindulgence is torturing a sea of lost souls just like yours. It can only mean one thing: the calendar has been reset - we're back to zero on the dial.

In typical routine, there have been an abundance of New Year resolutions (some already broken) and '2013 is MY year' status updates - but what does it really mean? As someone who's been through the annual 'This year I'm going to...' rigmarole, I decided to take a fresh approach to wiping the slate clean. I'm treating the new start like that Brian McKnight lyric: "If ever I believe my work is done, then I'll start Back At One..."

All that really matters is what you've achieved in 2013 and nothing says 'resolve' more than devising a plan, organising your methods and putting them all into action. 

The biggest challenge is always figuring out where to start though - right? The first step to getting your show on the road is always the most overlooked and that's where you may be damaging your own future success. I've been doing a fair bit of DIY lately and the more I got stuck in, the more it dawned on me: why am I not treating my projects the way I treat a flatpack assembly? Go with me on this one, there's method in the madness...

If you're anything like me, then you're not picking up that screwdriver without laying out all your tools and components first, triple-checking your manual and making sure that you have everything you need. Why would you treat your precious projects any differently? Before you attempt to make things happen, make sure you've covered ALL your bases, especially the areas that present the greatest challenge. If things don't go according to plan, re-evaluate. And if your project is suffering because there was no concrete plan to begin with, put one in place before you abandon your New Year resolve!

There's not a smart phone in existence that doesn't have notepad and calendar applications. Calenders equal schedules, schedules equal organisation. Even the smallest of projects require effective management. As Fashion Angel Business Mentor, Alison Lewy consistently taught during her seminar at last November's 'StartUp Fashion' event:

"Failing to Plan, is Planning to Fail"

If you're at a loss as to how to set your goals in motion and finding difficulty in getting your ideas to work, then remember that there is no shame in starting Back at One; it's a New Year - we're all doing it! Just remember that you don't need to struggle alone, help is always available and that's why I'm offering...

20% off of all project management services in the ESP Ltd. January sales!

Whether you have a general release coming out, need your promotional base set up and pulled into order, a photo or video shoot arranged, filmed or edited, an event managed, promoted or more; from today until January 13th, benefit from savings across the ESP board to help you reach your goal.  

Happy Planning!

ES ;) 

PS. Fancy a little "Awww!" moment to perk up your 'back to work' woes? Well here you go for the nostalgia - don't say I never give you anything!

Terms and Conditions:

*Provided confirmed orders are placed, actual work dates are at client's discretion (subject to availability).
*Prices in accordance with 2013 price structure. Please contact for free consultation and quote.
*50% deposit payable at time of booking.

#ESPspotlight REVIEW: StartUp Fashion Event

It's a wonderful tool, that EventBrite website. I'll confess that I often forget to read the monthly 'Picks for You' newsletter (you know we all do when the day-to-day tasks overtake us) but for some reason this month, I took a look at what was on as soon as it arrived.

When I came across the StartUp Fashion listing, I got that familiar gut instinct that stops you in your tracks. Whilst EricaSharlette Promotions Ltd. is not a Fashion Brand, I'm a firm believer in always finding the lesson in everything. I've found that some of the biggest come from going back to your roots and reminding yourself why you do whatever it is that you do. The bare bones of operations management is one of those things, so already my interest was piqued.

Looking at the amazing line up of speakers though, I felt sure that such a day had to come with some extortionate price tag, so had already half left the page mentally, before I saw the fee of £0.00. That's right. ASOS, Harvey Nick's, House of Fraser Head Honcho's to name but a few and the bill for the day came to precisely ZERO. There was no question of where you were going to find me come November 28th...

Alison Lewy, Founder of Fashion Angel

After my usual 'Little Lamb Lost' routine - this time with the backing of three others, all as Google Mapped-out and completely clueless as I as to our whereabouts; we eventually found the Iris London venue, nestled in the Southwark's Olympic-refurbished back-streets.

Name-badged up and seated, Fashion Angel Founder Alison Lewy, had just begun giving invaluable guidance on the importance of creating the most important foundation for any company - the dreaded and scary business plan in her seminar, Planning for Success.

The company head, who provides 'Mentoring, Networking and Business Funding for Fashion Industry Start Ups', gave hope and encouragement to those in attendance, by announcing they were joining the Government's funding and training scheme for start ups at the event. Kicking off a day of standout quotes, her borrowed quip of "Failing to plan, is planning to fail" was a day-long hit with attendees and speakers alike.

Nick Wheeler's bitter pill came with a hopeful coating...

The talk by Nick Wheeler, Founder of Charles Tyrwhitt was next and it has to be said, was my favourite segment of the day. 

Hilarious yet inspirational, Wheeler did not shy away from talking about his failures, or personal mistakes. Brutally (and refreshingly) honest, one of his most interesting anecdotes was that he reads every piece of bad company feedback personally - everyday. With 21 stores worldwide and married to Chrissie Rucker, Founder and Owner of The White Company, I couldn't fathom where on Earth he must find the time...?

It made perfect sense that Wheeler's talk was entitled an 'Inspirational Snapshot' on the programme, being that its only downside was that it was entirely too short! The kind of speaker you would pay a full day's fee to hear; many a great motivational quote came out of his 20 minute session, with my personal favourite being:

"You can either take a beating and go and do something else, or it just gives you that little push to try harder...Sometimes you'll get bored, but you just have to

Re-find that passion,

Revisit that Vision

and FOCUS!"

Emma Brown, Mark Hammersley and Joseph Wan's
varied opinions made for a great debate

The first panel of the day - 'Promoting & Pitching Your Products' was a wealth of information, with recipes for success based on a combined experience range of 4 months to 20 years.

Milliner and Company Founder Emma Brown, Zoggs CEO Mark Hammersley and Harvey Nichols CEO Joseph Wan, all talked of the approaches that worked for them and how they went about achieving their success. What was most interesting to hear, was the variation in the preference of each. A strong social media presence versus good old tried and trusted paper print, versus a middle ground for both.

Key quote came from Mr Wan. Serving out his fourth 5-year contract with London's most high-fashion department store, he provided serious food for thought when answering an audience question on the best use of Social Media:

"Ensure you know exactly which angle you're targeting social media (marketing) from - for communications or customer service? Know what aspect of your business you want to assist before you attempt to send a message."

Fraser Smeaton's main message was to always
"Reinforce your positioning" brand-wise

Morphsuits CEO's Fraser Smeaton gave my second favourite seminar of the day: 'Standing Out From The Crowd'.

Billed as guidance around 'developing your own USP and the art of good presentation / branding and packaging'; again  it was the candid willingness to not only hold his hands up and admit fault, but talk about how his company managed turning the failures into successes that provided the most benefit. 

His take away quote:

"When people are confused, they don't support a product."

Claire Watt-Smith (left) borrowed a great Olympic quote
for inspiration: "You can't give up if you go wrong...
doors and opportunities will close if you do"

The Making It In Fashion Panel offered firsthand experience into the hardships of starting with just an idea and no clue where to go, from self-starters Daniel Morris (Brand Clout Ltd.), Amber Atherton (My Flash Trash) and Claire Watt-Smith (BoBelle London).

Starting out on market stalls and in bedrooms, the trio gave helpful insight into how they turned pipe dreams into profit and used social media to drive their online sales. I must admit that I never thought the day would come when I learned something important from a Made In Chelsea star, but Amber Atherton's advice on really knowing and understanding the equity versus the valuation of your product was key; along with the seemingly easy exercise of trying to pick 5 images that best describe your brand (try it, it's not as easy as you would think..).

Morris' 'K.I.S.S. Concept' (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) drew a lot of laughs with its obvious, yet overlooked basis in common sense. It was his response to the audience question asking for advice in driving online sales though, that drew the seminar's top quote:

"(If) you're treating online businesses differently, DON'T! Opening a business online is NO different to (opening) a bricks and mortar; you're all in business, your goal is to TRADE!"

Investment vs. Crowd Funding vs. StartUp Loans -
all three pitched good cases for their options...

The scary money talks followed, in the shape of the Finance in Fashion - How to source money panel with Richard Alvin, of Capital Business Media (and occasional 'Dragon's Den' venture capitalist), Danae Ringlemann, Founder of Indiegogo and Crowd Funding Specialist and Remy Jansons from StartUp Britain's own Loans Division.

What struck me most about Richard Alvin's introduction and advice, is that you don't really tend to associate venture capitalists with heart and emotion, which surprisingly, was what he was full of when talking about the people behind some of his investments. Learning that moneybags have hearts too went a very long way to making that part of the programme much less daunting for any non-finance naturals.

Danae Ringlemann gave a warm and welcome introduction to the unfamiliar concept of crowd funding and made clear why her success has been built upon social forums. Her ability to draw and hold an audience, despite a PowerPoint mishap that really should have lost her all interest, was proof that you really can take the heart of a social network offline, put it in a person and have it still work equally well, if not better.

Remy Jansons rounded up the segment, talking through the Government's £82.5 million budget for StartUp loan schemes to help 18-30 year old's get off the ground.

Talking Cash Flow...

Like most creatives, when you start talking technicals and finance, my eyes tend to glaze over and even I'm not sure whether or not I'm awake, but I steeled myself to follow the Taking Care of Money panel with Johnny Martin of small business accounting software company Intuit; who kindly made simple enough sense of Equity, VAT and basic business practice for even Yours Truly to follow. Emily Coltman of FreeAgent politely put the fear in many an attendee by breaking down exactly what's required for tax returns and accounting to Companies House. My timbres are still shivering.

(l-r) John Lewis, Zalando UK and House of Fraser buyers
were impressed with the standard of pitches presented on the day...

The Meet The Buyers panel and Q&A was a brilliant opportunity for 3 very different, up and coming labels to pitch their collections to representatives from retailers that as small brands, they would likely never get anywhere near in everyday life.

Kim Humphries and Verity Parker from John Lewis, Kevin Rogers from House of Fraser and Lucy Dunn from Zalando UK, all listened and fed back with useful pointers that each design house in the room would successfully benefit from if used correctly.

ASOS Marketplace Editor Joanna Wiggins

Joanna Wiggins, Editor of ASOS Marketplace taught the best practice for using powerful platforms like her own to boost your Online Sales. Kindly saving the day after a last-minute cancellation; the key quote from her had to have been:

"Think about the story that you tell across a whole year - not just one season."

(l-r) Mike Salter, Zoe Boomer, Edoardo Cannarsa
and Becky Jones

Not to be overlooked, the High Street Sales panel talked through their self-made successes with pop-up shops. Becky Jones flew the flag for StartUp Britain, as did Edoardo Cannarsa, Founder of MyEdo and StartUp Britain alum. Brand namesake Zoe Boomer and Mike Salter, Co-founder of We Are Pop Up, the organisation that connects you with available space in 4 simple steps, rounded out the line up.

Boomer's comment about changing your personal mindset early in your company history got everyone thinking:

"Talk about WE instead of I - give the impression that you're bigger than you are..."

Paul Alger and the ladies of SPINNA

The final panel of the day, Support for fashion rounded up by focusing on resources. Fashion Angel's Alison Lewy returned, along with Elizia Volkmann from SPINNA (The Women's International Textile Alliance). Paul Alger flew the flag for UKFT (UK Fashion and Textiles Association).

With the emphasis on networking, membership bodies and ensuring no-one left the day without knowing that there is help, assistance and guidance out there; it was valuable to learn about some of the companies and facilities that exist, solely to help so many realise their dreams.

The post-event, the evening's drinks reception was a brilliant networking opportunity created by event co-hosts UKFT Rise. Not just for the chance to mingle with other attendees from the day, the extra time meant that I got to speak with host and organiser Richard Hurtley, Founder of Rampant Sporting about why he chose to create such a rare gateway for those trying to get a foot in the door:

"The purpose of the Startup Fashion event was to inspire and educate people about how to set up a business in the fashion industry. As the one of the first events of its kind we were hoping it would be a success, and we expected about 250 people throughout the day. We in fact got closer to 400!

The StartUp Fashion event was Richard Hurtley's brainchild

The overwhelming feedback was that people learnt a huge amount and that the calibre of speakers and diversity of topics left people feeling inspired, educated and enabled them to take their ideas further, not to mention meeting some great people. So I am really chuffed that it worked so well and will look to continue these events in the future."

Supply and demand at it's most fundamental; StartUp events are a resource that new UK businesses literally cannot afford to be without.

See you at the next one!

ES ;o)

Follow StartUp Britain on Facebook or visit the Website for more information on coming events.