Fashion Collaborations: Creating a Successful Product, Together | Frank the Butcher and Rick Williams | Skillshare
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Fashion Collaborations: Creating a Successful Product, Together

teacher avatar Frank the Butcher and Rick Williams, Creative Directors, Novem

Watch this class and thousands more

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Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Lessons in This Class

    • 1.

      Trailer

      1:19

    • 2.

      Identifying Brand Value

      4:56

    • 3.

      Creative Storytelling Through Product

      5:50

    • 4.

      Building Your Pitch Deck

      9:16

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1,039

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3

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About This Class

Collaborative projects have allowed us to take our personal brands to the next level. From major sneaker companies to car manufacturers, we have been able to spread our creative visions to a multitude of mediums. None of these projects would come to fruition, however, without the proper initial planning and communication.

What You'll Learn

Through exclusive video content and professional tips, this class will go through:

  • Indentifying your value as a creative partner
  • Storytelling through product
  • Creating marketing materials for your project
  • Tying it all together with a presentation

This class is for anyone with an entity of their own looking to increase it's value and awareness by working with another brand, regardless of the product, or simply those looking to gain insight into an essential facet of the fashion industry.  Building a collaboration pitch deck can be a great exercise to prepare yourself for major opportunities while at the same time teaching you more about your own brand. Ready? Let's get it!!

We have put together this class on Skillshare to give YOU the tools necessary to build your own successful, meaningful, and creative fashion collaborations.  

Meet Your Teacher

Teacher Profile Image

Frank the Butcher and Rick Williams

Creative Directors, Novem

Teacher

Frank the Butcher has been a representative of Boston's creative movement for years. First appearing as a co-host of the popular street culture podcast The Weekly Drop, and a writer for popular magazines, Frank bridged the gap between fans of street culture and its creatives long before it was the norm. As the brand manager / designer for Concepts, Frank partnered with several key brands to produce some of the most popular collaborative shoe and apparel projects in the industry. With his Butcher's Block company producing video and music content, and now being appointed Creative Director for the Boston-based Boylston Trading Company, Frank the Butcher is continuing his path of delivering quality product, no matter the medium.

Rick Williams is the founder and creative dire... See full profile

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Transcripts

1. Trailer: - My name is Rick Williams. - I'm the owner and creative. - The record of a distinct light also owned a retail space, - and I love Michigan car Burn rubber, - Moscow apartment and nobody here I am Frank Butcher, - owner and creative director of the AU, - most known for speaking collaborations, - music projects and so on. - And I'm also a partner and noble. - Creative collaboration is something that can mutually benefit both brands or two parties. - It's almost like one of things. - That street, - where that's that's laughed at now, - is like another ex. - It is not. - Value was not a really organic, - authentic partnership. - That X means nothing, - but we're going to share with the community the best way to properly execute collaborates - with me collaborations. - It's not only footwear focused. - It's more the concept in the theory of two separate partnerships, - both creative all right, - both having brand messages and identities that their their own, - working together to create some new 2. Identifying Brand Value: - So the first lesson that we're going to talk to you guys about his identifying value and I - think a great way for me. - Teoh kind articulate that Teoh is kind of give you one of my experiences. - My first project ever was with my retest face, - burn, - rubber and the collaboration was with new balance. - New Balance is a brand that I've always been a fan of, - probably my whole life, - and they actually make one of my favorite shoes, - which is empty 58 So I said to myself, - even before I got the opportunity that when I, - if I ever got the opportunity to design a shoe with new about, - I want the 1st 1 to be into five so that right there is an identification of about I'm a - fan of the brain. - They have one of my favorite shoes, - and it's a shoe that I feel globally was sought. - So what? - I did Waas. - I went and I discussed. - I talked to new Balance at different trade shows, - you know, - we didn't talk about a project, - but we just talked about the brain, - talked about products that they had now, - and products that that they were coming out with your building over poor building report. - Exactly. - We were, - you know, - and a lot of times the brands can benefit from that. - You know, - they like to see what what the consumer might be. - In that instance, - I was the consumer. - My next job was to help New Balance recognized the value of working with burn rubber, - and what we did was way showed them. - Basically, - we had we had record of what selling. - They know what's been selling in the Detroit area. - We really wanted to build some energy. - We talked to them, - showed them the things that we have been doing showedem different marketing that we've done - in the area. - You know different things with different releases, - and we kind of made our case now to interject. - It's to that point where you have to translate when new balance is about to the people that - shop in your city and in your shop. - So yes, - new balance cells in Detroit. - But he could sell more if people understood what the culture is about. - And that's what Rick's job is toe to pull it together. - So from that point, - after we established the value we went. - We took what we what we know about our city, - what we know about our brand and married it with the new balance. - The story for that shoe was basically about burn rubber. - It was our first shoe the first time we designed a project. - So we just took the inspiration of the shop and the colors that you would see in the shop. - And then we brought that and translated that to a silhouette which was 5 80 and then so so - far. - So what took the opportunity to talk to new balance to say, - Listen, - I love the product. - Let me show my city how to love this product. - So that was the value in that Rick seeking company. - He has a passion for convincing that company that there's value in working with him to get - a better stronghold on the region of the country that he represents. - If you got a company you love Brandon, - you have a passion for a branded develops product that you love and you using every day now - on your side of things. - Think to yourself what you can add, - Teoh, - a specific product that this company, - you know, - develops and sells that can make it better that can. - That can make it broader. - That could make it more interesting. - Do you ask yourself, - Do you know, - do the people that you deal with Are they into that same product the way that you are? - If not, - that's a That's a level of opportunity. - That's a potential value, - because if you can show this company, - you have this amazing product. - If we work on this together, - we can possibly take this product and get into the hands of these people. - That's really what it is, - not just footwear. - You love organic iced tea. - It's select your local grocery store is your favorite drink. - You see that your buddies in your neighborhood and the people you hang with really know - about this. - I see because it's not marketed to them specifically, - how would I be able to introduce this product that I love to a different set of people? - That's what we do. - I see a sneakers. - It's delicious, - delicious 3. Creative Storytelling Through Product: - Now that you have identified your value, - we're gonna take you into the next step, - which is storytelling private. - There's two ways that you can tell a story. - You can either take a literal story, - maybe like a statue or or landmark and designer shoe based off of that. - Or you can take an inspiration from something and tell the story through materials. - I got a good example to when I was a kid. - 1988 1989. - A lot of the older kids that wanted him back. - A lot of hospitals, - a lot of guys getting money, - war specific shoe. - It was a D this form, - and it was high form and had a little crest on it, - right? - It was a luxe version, - you know? - So it was all total sway does. - And but it's on. - These guys look bucks. - So me as a kid 1989 I'm, - like, - fifth grade. - You know what I mean? - I'm watching this. - I can't afford it, - But I'm watching, - and I always remembered like, - yo, - the top dogs in my neighborhood were wearing this shooting us. - It was like my dream shoe might as well have been Gucci and Louis Vuitton and I'm seeing it - fell so so out of reach for me. - Fast forward. - 20 Some odd years, - you know, - may have, - ah, - an opportunity work with Adidas Exactly what we're talking about. - What is the value we get over that? - What is the story? - I'm like, - You know what it was assumed? - That means a lot to me in my youth that told the story this version of an Adidas form that - was super luxe at a Creston beside. - Nobody knew what I was talking about. - That then things weren't created in limited runs as a marketing strategy as a leverage to - build energy. - It was really because no one's buying the shoot. - So if they made 1000 pair of this forum, - it was because that 1000 satisfied the East Coast satisfied the Philadelphia customer in - your customer, - the Boston custom of the multiple customer that made enough to satisfy who didn't either to - satisfy. - So there was no real archive system to go. - Let's look up this shoe 1989. - Hold on. - Let me put it in the flux capacitor and go figure it out. - You know what I mean? - So I had to find a shoe. - D. - J M's, - which is, - Ah, - famous DJ Adamia, - who has an extreme passion for leaders in a Rev. - Adam Levinson, - who works in a sneak in the street but was amazing, - you know, - big time so he could collect the they had the shoes in their closet. - I'm talking about 20 some years old because their collection ran out, - so I lived with them. - They sent me a pair each. - I packed a bag and went to Portland, - pulled out the shoe, - and it was like show and tell. - Nobody's seen this you before and my story was like, - Listen, - this shoe was the epitome of fly, - the epitome of top of the world to me as a child in 1989 I want to bring this shoe back. - I want to bring the shoe back. - I want to recreate the shoe in its luxe version. - I want to get that crest back on, - and I want to tell the story about this. - You meaning so much to me in my neighborhood when I was a kid. - Today, - I want to tell that story today, - and that's what we did brought to shoot back you tuned it in because obviously, - you know, - 1989 factories were a little different. - That's part of the development of Shoot me to To them. - We made it right, - you know, - brought shoe back. - We presented a crash story. - We dubbed it The Hustler's Crest because of the people who want a time. - And that was the story for that project. - So it wasn't me going in the office and seeing the shoe on the show. - It was me recalling something that meant something to me taking the steps to secure the - sample, - secure physical shoes and then moving forward and trying to recreate this project and - reintroduce it with this story that meant so much to me in that something to them, - you know, - saying after we figured out what it waas. - But the story meant so much to me. - I wanted to be with it, - be the person that retailed us to bring that back, - and I think I did it the job. - You know what I mean? - I think that's a perfect transition to third to the third point, - which is marketing. - Yes. - In a lot of times, - you can tell you can only tell so much through the shoe. - The story gets finished and completed when it gets to this last section, - which is marketing. - So at the end of the day, - when you're telling a story, - it could be a simple as saying your name, - putting your brand identity. - Or we could be taking on a bigger, - a bigger project and you're telling a story of a city in a landmark or or something that's - important. - Tell the story of something that's valuable in your childhood. - So we kind of covered the rate every day we've done products have represent the cities that - we that we come from. - We've done product that represents our Brandon from our brands. - We've told stories about memories and our child with things that way out wearing point. - So we found stories. - We found inspirations in all types of things, - and the best thing we can tell you to do is just have that open mind and look for - inspiration. - Inspiration is everywhere. - Look for that inspiration and follow their, - you know, - pay attention to listen. - Listen for the ideas to come, - and that's how you're gonna you're gonna end up telling this story that that that's put on - your heart 4. Building Your Pitch Deck: - so the final step in executing a quality collaboration is going to be to me is probably one - of the most important is gonna be the marketing. - So you've already already established the value you establishes story, - the shoes are made, - and now it's time to figure out how you're going to communicate with the consumer. - To me, - this is the multiple step, - So me is the equivalent of you being the best chef in the world. - But nobody knows about your restaurant. - So we put together a shoe. - We put together a story that led us to design a tissue. - Now we need to communicate all those details out to the consumer and give us your contacts - . - This is the step, - right Before you deliver on all your promises, - everything that you said, - the value that you're bringing to this company, - all of that. - This step right here is what's gonna get you. - So I guess one of the first things that that you're gonna do is you're gonna have to take - quality photos, - photos that show the detail of of the shoot shows the detail or whatever the product is. - Now you need to put yourself in a place where you are speaking to someone that has no idea - . - No, - prior sometimes is a little hard because you kind of brush over things because you already - known it's not even sticking out of it, - you know, - made this. - These are things that are not popping up flat is not happening. - You is your story. - You know what I mean? - But your consumer starting at zero now you need to figure out the bar that you want to set - in the bar That we said is very high. - You know what I mean? - Like the story with the Forum crest, - the photography wasn't just digital photography. - Let's hit the partners, - do this really quick. - There was we were proactive and making sure that the style of photography fit the story. - And what that comes figuring out what type of film Figure out location, - figure out everything that fits. - Figuring out the proper development of these photos. - A proper scanning of these photos, - you know? - I mean, - there was a whole process lined up in us trying to ensure that our story wasn't devalued by - assets that weren't upto park. - Look at the companies that you care most about. - You care most of them about their products. - Whether it's 90 or Pepsi, - he'll g shock or what have you, - And see that the way that they speak to you and how they get you intrigued and what they do - . - So those assets are gonna be the last thing to get your way. - You need to go. - So you cannot just bypassed that and glaze over that. - You need to make sure that all these assets off bump our quality. - Like I said, - images graphic story. - Get that together. - After you have that together, - figure out the way you gonna deliver your message leather with social media, - whether it's other block sites that located to the demographic, - trying to speak to whatever they print, - whatever that the resource, - whatever the partner, - whatever the lane that you need to get into the Libyan message means and do that research - and understand those also partnerships. - So understand what they need. - Understand what? - How they do their job so you can develop assets and present them in the proper way to these - places to get your message sent out to who needs to receive that much everything that - you've done the whole process. - This is the end, - and it's important that you don't lose your steam at this moment. - This is that moment that is gonna make a break your project. - So it's important that you really take the time and really brainstorm as many ideas as you - can so that you can have the highest quality marketing behind your project. - So as a way to bring everything together, - we're gonna have you combined everything that you've done throughout each one of these - lessons. - Teoh created delivery, - A project of your home. - So this is where we see it. - Find a partner. - Obviously you're in a student phase of your of your development in your life, - but it doesn't matter. - Final of brand as valuable to you, - find a branded. - You have a passion for find a partner that you feel you can lend perspective too, - and develop a product. - The world is yours. - Be as creative as possible. - Uses opportunity to do things in a way that you always thought that they should be done. - You can use it. - A shoe companies food product. - Use a sports team that can use a record label whatever you're in. - To find that company and figure out a way for you to work with that company that lends - value to them. - Answer yourself step to find inspiration. - If it is a food company you Della with and they make a specific your favorite food your - favorite snack, - find an inspiration to develop a partnership on that snack. - What's on the shoe on that hat on that T shirt? - What's your story? - What's your angle? - What do you want to tell through the development of a collaborative price? - Step three Put together Marketing plan. - Your marketing is not something that just comes easy. - I understand people dedicate their lives to developing marketing skills. - We understand that. - But what we do know is how companies intrigue us to buy into what they're doing. - So when you figure that out, - you can apply it to what you're doing. - So put a plan together, - figure out how you gonna do with that message in creative ways you might have Ah ah, - street focused campaign that uses flyers and hidden street art and things hiding in bushes - and churches like you can do whatever you need to doing whatever you It doesn't have to - always be Internet based, - but think of a creative way to deliver the message on you in your partnership with ex. - Keep in mind that that step is going to continue to tell your story. - Actually, - you're not telling your editorial. - I think that's very important. - I think that a lot of people in our world use less words. - Nation, - sometimes just photo driven. - That's all good. - But you know what? - Nothing can replace it. - This story nothing every place, - a set of words that really Conexant. - Somebody explains it in this beyond a shadow of a doubt. - I know what this Get your pen game going. - Jump on Microsoft Word and really tell this story is your story to tell one thing that I - learned and I remember telling you this before, - If you leave holes in your story, - somebody's gonna fill it in and they might get it wrong. - So if you send in our situation, - we send a set of pitches of a sneaker to, - ah, - prominent sneaker blob, - and we don't really outline the message the way that we want to write it the way that we - want to present it. - They might take liberties because they have to be. - After the added for something that's for something together, - and they might misunderstand where you stand. - And that message could be, - you know, - skewed. - You know what I mean? - So you need to make sure that you are very clear in your message to the consumer. - Make sure that nobody can screw without nobody can miss understand? - Nobody can, - you know, - take a piece and flip it and fill in the gaps. - Make sure that your story is fully told. - Put that together in the presentation and uploaded to our school shipping, - and we're gonna check it out. - And honestly, - if something is that amazing, - I'll take I'll take it upon myself. - Teoh, - reach out to you and reach out to that company and try and connect the dots. - That's what it's about. - So if you bring something that that's a is that amazing, - it's were blown away by, - I'm gonna take those extra steps to reach out to you and to reach out to the company and - try and connect that what that stress is. - Just be as creative as possible. - You gotta understand that there's a staff and all these companies that potentially do what - you are pitching it to go there is a whole floor of designers and every shoe company we've - ever worked with that in the sense are doing what we're pitching to do. - So what makes us different than that whole flow of people that went to college? - And they've been in the company for years and you know, - the product in and out. - The difference is our perspective. - That's something that they can't learn. - That's something that they just can't pick up. - So use your perspective. - I'm listening for. - Decides all the best. - X is lonely. - Absolutely, - it is. - That's it. - Good luck. - Good is Rick. - This is fine.