Originals Production Process

Hey Everyone,

Last week I provided an insight into the Originals creative design process; the next phase is production which is a much trickier beast.

Figure 1: Production can be tricksy

Like many things in life (e.g. delays on public transportation, queuing at the Post Office etc) we become frustrated when we are no longer in control of a situation and through production we relinquish much of the control.

The first step of production is liaison with the factory. It normally helps if you have existing experience with the factory especially if you are using one from another country, in our case the factory is based in China. Research in to the factory is essential to ensure that the processes that are used and the conditions of the workers is in line with your own corporate and social responsibilities. After receiving the drawings there may be some deliberation, if there is a tricky element to the design. A round of negotiations is normally undertaken to ensure that the cost is suitable for all parties, timescales are agreed and any late fees and terms and conditions are also stated. It is then a case of sorting invoices, purchase orders and payments are made.

Then the waiting game begins.

It is always important to receive regular updates during production, ensuring that pre-production samples are received on time prior to the large order being delivered. There are still a number of elements that can go wrong, the freight forwarder can be troublesome, the factory may be late or samples are incorrect. There are many things out of control and planning will only go so far. Business relationships and your ability to handle these ‘curve balls’ is the key to minimising any impact, especially if you have a customer waiting for goods.

There is always a sense of relief when the items are correct, on time and all funds are cleared and at that point you can have a therapeutic cup of tea and start the process again!!

Here’s a viral to cheer you up on a wet Tuesday afternoon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjckqAU8IkM

O

x

Originals Design Process

Hi Everyone,

In the midst of some new artwork going up in the office (I did insist on a dog poster and some Justice League of America) it has been a busy old time.

We are currently working on some new concepts and as ever, creative meetings are an excellent opportunity to debate. We do not believe in violence and if tensions rise too much then action is taken.

Figure 1: Dispute settling, Gladiators style

The design process in Originals HQ is a pretty enjoyable experience. We clear some wall and table space, get some food in and start working through what worked previously, lessons learned and successes. We then get together a trend and mood area to determine the direction which we want to take. This may involve tearing out articles from magazines, pinning up sketches/doodles that have accumulated on our desks and stills from recent fashion shows and music events. Any textures, colour samples or items we just bloody well like, will also be added into the mix.

At this point there will be very few (if any) limitations placed on the concept design. The team then starts to put concepts together. With music on in the background and healthy snacks we will create a range of concepts. The saturation point comes when we look at the work and originality is no longer seen.

The most important step occurs next when we stick the ideas up take a step back. There will be all manner of designs on the wall. They will range from serious tat to potentially great.

Figure 2: The dog glasses concept was vetoed.

These ideas will get chance to ‘breath’ and we will not make any decisions until we have had time to assess over the following days. The questionable concepts may be tweaked and become contenders and strong concepts may be problematic from a manufacturing process perspective and will lose Brownie points.

Figure 3: Brownie points are key to progressing a concept.

We will then have a powow and finalise which designs we will be developed as technical drawings. The decision may be based on materials, production processes, lead times, potential job profitability and belief in the design.

Figure 4: Final design selection process.

Depending on the intended user there may be some tweaking and engineering required to ensure that the designs are not only comfortable but fit accordingly!

The next bit tends to be the tricky bit… production!!

Insert your own dramatic cliff-hanger music and I will be back tomorrow to finish the tale!

O

x

Tinie Tempah First UK Tour

In October: He will be performing at 14 different places!

Guys, the grime/rap sensation has brought us great news! Originals are so excited about Tinie's show with Chiddy Bang at London Koko, we have our tickets already!! Originals really liked Tinie's performance with Snoop Dogg at Glastonbury!

Tinie's passion for geek eyewear is amazing, Originals is a fan!! He often performs at music festivals wearing trendy sunglasses so we would like to see him in one of our vintage inspired frames at his gig. We believe Tinie's show is going to be great as he is named one of the greatest rappers in London. We can hardly wait! If you are London based and want to see Tinie's performance: Get your tickets and turn up wearing an elegant geek vintage frame. Check out our eyewear http://www.ilovemyframes.com/