A Brief Encounter

A creative partnership has existed between Photolink Creative Group and the University of Salford since 2011. Our links to the institution however go back even further. Photolink founder David Walter completed a fine art degree at the university and we have employed some of its most promising graduates over the years. These graduates now fill a variety of roles across the company from account management and fashion production to graphic design and creative research. So it would be fair to say that we have vested interest in their preparedness. The idea behind the project was to give Fashion Design and Fashion Styling & Image Making students completing the BA (Hons) Fashion degree a brief that was as close to a working brief as possible. As a creative agency can never rest on its laurels and must constantly find ways to boost its profile within the industry it operates, we asked the students to help us communicate our three brands – Photolink Creative Group, Little Black Dress and HT&E – to potential and existing to clients within the retail sector through their medium: fashion and fashionable accessories. In the end we set three briefs between three sets of groups. Over the next few pages we include the original briefs and show how each group answered their chosen brief.

Brief One Photolink Creative Group

Photolink Creative Group is a multi-disciplined agency that creates ideas and produces content for multi-channel retailers. The company was recently described as a creative ecosystem, which is effectively what it is. Photographers, producers, designers, writers, artworkers, stylists, all working together in one integrated group. On any working day or project, the peoples of the Creative Republic of Photolink will often be joined by freelancers, clients, models and various other creative migrants. “Your challenge is to create a piece of fashion that encapsulates the vibrant characteristics of the Group that visitors can take away with them, spreading the word about Photolink far afield and afterhours.”

Team One

Team Two

Team Three

Team Four

Team One Canvas tote and drawstring bags featuring reworked print of the Photolink flourish logo.

Photolink Creative Group

Team Two Classic white Tee with ironed-on print of vintage camera and the year Photolink was established.

Brief One

Team Three Quilted laptop clutch bag with chunky zip.

Photolink Creative Group

Team Four The Photolink flourish logo reworked on a casual white Tee with flouro fascinator accessory.

Brief One

Brief Two Here There & Everywhere

As much a description as a name, HT&E is a boutique team of specialists that sits within Photolink Creative Group, providing creative and intuitive strategy for our roster of retail clients. Understanding the consumer and maximising the potential of the brand experience allows brands to reach their target audiences through print, online, on screen, on tablets, in advertising, on smart phones – here, there and everywhere, in fact. And that’s where HT&E can help. “Your challenge is to translate this multi-platform creative thinking onto a shirt that can be given to clients to reinforce the diversity and scope of our work within HT&E.”

Brief Two Here There & Everywhere

Team Nine

Team Eleven

Team Ten

Team One Team Two

Team Three Team Four

Team Five Team Six

Team Seven Team Eight

Team One Continuous screen print pattern with stiching detail on unisex sweatshirt.

Here, There & Everywhere

Team Two Cowel neck shirt with chunky zip and HT&E logo framing the vibrancy of a modern cityscape.

Brief Two

Team Three Abstracted HT&E logo print referencing Manchester & Mumbai with additional accessories.

Here, There & Everywhere

Brief Two

Here, There & Everywhere

Team Four Splashproof shoulder bag with bold HT&E logo.

Brief Two

Team Five Conveying the creative strength of HT&E with logo-framed bodybuilders.

Team Six Systematic repetition of HT&E logo creates a new tribal print.

Here, There & Everywhere

Team Seven Dual action courier bag/back pack in striking flouro colours with HT&E logo on underside.

Brief Two

Team Eight Geometric interpretation of the HT&E business methodology.

Here, There & Everywhere

Brief Two

Team Nine Casual white Tee with HT&E logo framing the open road.

Team Ten Hand sewn pixels complete 3D rendering of HT&E logo on grey sweatshirt.

Here, There & Everywhere

Team Eleven Globally positioning HT&E logo on world map and vintage grey v-neck.

Brief Two

Brief Three Little Black Dress

®

Little Black Dress – or LBD as it’s known to its friends – is an online portal for all things concerning little black dresses. It’s both an ecommerce store and fashion magazine dedicated to classic and contemporary women’s party fashion and is a bona fide business operating within Photolink Creative Group. Don’t worry, we are not asking you to create an iconic piece of haute couture, just something LBD devotees would throw on the morning after the big night before. “Your challenge is to extend the Little Black Dress brand experience into the next morning making stylish ladies look as good putting the coffee on, as they did treading the red carpet the night before.”

Team One Team Two

Team Three Team Four

Team Five Team Six

Team Seven Team Eight

Team Nine

Team One Diva-inspired vintage underwear and black nightshirt.

Little Black Dress

Team Two Flapper girl inspired hair towel with diamanté detail.

Brief Three

Team Three Slashed back American-style sweatshirt with chain detail and sheer sleeves.

Little Black Dress

Team Four Classic cocktail dress inspired printed white Tee with images of the night before.

Brief Three

Team Five Punk inspired nightshirt with feather and chain detail.

Little Black Dress

Team Six White night/day dress with printed peter pan collar featuring LBD logotype.

Brief Three

Team Seven Oversized cotton night vest with vintage corset print detail and overnight bag.

Team Eight Morning after shirt with LBD url and logo print with matching tote.

Little Black Dress

Brief Three

Team Nine Baby doll nightdress with faux leather and diamanté collar.

Alexandra KeelingAshlea WilliamsBethanie Elsa JacobBridi FodenCamilla R HolmesCharlotte BatemanCharlotte JonesDavean KaurDeshna AkramDhaval JoshiEllen WoolfEllie BrooksEmma SankeyFaye OliverGeorgia Beth KennedyJade A DixonJames Greig

Jamie Erin T MorrisonJessica WoodJordan Leah ShackladyKaren Patricia CoyleKate MarslandKelsey Howard-SmithLaura DickinsonLaura Gonzalez MurphyLaura Kathryn GrealyLaura SimmsLauren McCaffertyLauren MorrisLauren WalkerLouise DwyerLucy KnappMakeda TafariMegan Daisy Bergin

Michael MayrenNatalie O’HareNatashia E MaclachlanRachael Chan Rachel HannawayRachel StewartRuth ArmittSadie Marie PantelidesSamantha HunterSamuel GallagherSophie HealdSophie SmithVictoria FarnworthVictoria Kate WheeldonYingxin Jiang

Photolink Creative Group would like to say a Big Thank you and well done to every student involved on the day. We’d also like to extend our special gratitude to BA (Hons) Fashion Programme Leader Bashir Aswat for organising the project and introducing us to the next generation of creative talent. We always value the opportunity to meet and work with enthusiastic and applied creatives of all levels and disciplines, and the Fashion Design and Fashion Styling & Image Making students were just that. They impressed us greatly with the execution and professional presentation of their ideas and we very much look forward to working with them again in the future. Until then, thanks again.

A Big Thank you

Photolink Creative Group The Old School House, Thirsk Street, Manchester, United Kingdom, M12 6PN

+44 (0)161 273 7551 info@photolink.co.uk www.photolink.co.uk

www.photolink.co.uk