24 | SCHOOL UNIFORMS | COVER FEATURE
W:
www.ie-today.co.uk
uniforms if the child falls outside the size range we normally sell.” There is interesting
news, meanwhile, from Leicestershire’s Oakham School, which has teamed up with shoe manufacturers Its Got Soul to design supportive school shoes, informed by the University of Northampton’s Division of Podiatry, for teenage girls. Sample shoes, which can be seen at the school’s shop, have been tested to ensure that they meet durability, performance and legislative requirements. Its Got Soul was established by a mother
whose daughter was studying at Oakham. The former pupil (who left in 2012 and is now at university) had numerous back problems through constantly wearing ill-fiting and unsupportive ballet shoes. With the help of the university, the key design points to ensure comfort and support in footwear were identified. As a result, all of the company’s shoes have leather uppers and cushioned leather insoles. Non-slip shoes have a rubber shock-absorbing sole to take pressure off the knees, ballet shoes have a strap holding the foot in place to stop the toes from clawing, while the Eleanor style also has a hidden strap under the suede fringe. Shoes are designed in Northampton, sized on a British last (making them generous in size) and manufactured by a family-owned business in Spain. Elsewhere Robin Horsell, Schoolblazer
co-founder, identifies one of the uniform sector’s hotest trends. “Suddenly the buzz word in independent schooling is branding. Design agencies are being appointed to dispense with the age- old crest complete with fleur-de-lys and heraldic imagery, and replace it with something more modern. “The reasons are clear: schools are
in a market-driven business and want to present their view of the world in a consistent style. At Schoolblazer we’ve been at the forefront of the branding revolution, working closely with some of the sector’s leading agencies, creating looks and styles that fit as a coherent whole within the design philosophy.” This process has given rise to some
clear guidelines. “Uniform says a lot about the school: a ‘smart, urban, business-focused school’ may consider a
have with the school. Finally, don’t be afraid to change suppliers. We can help to manage the process, and have moved over 100 schools to our system in the past few years.” “The relationship
"OAKHAM SCHOOL HAS TEAMED UP WITH ITS GOT SOUL TO DESIGN SUPPORTIVE SHOES FOR TEENAGE GIRLS"
suit, possibly with coloured pin-stripes and a very tailored look. Alternatively, a school may wish to play on a more rural or ‘county’ heritage, even going so far as a tweed jacket. Subtlety is important – branding is as much about detail as it is about logos. Many of our more recent school designs have not used a logo in the garments, preferring more subtle approaches such as a unique suit lining, colours or even a simple crest-embossed buton. Sportswear is a crucial part of the ensemble, Robin underlines. “Sports clothes are the garments most often worn outside school – but too often their design decisions are left to Heads of Sport. Sports clothing should be at least as important to a school as its uniform, and should not be dominated by sports companies’ logos.” Robin identifies some dos and don’ts
for a successful uniform redesign. “Run focus groups with the pupils and parents, but ensure they are well-moderated with a strong vision of what is and is not open for discussion. Ensure that the board of governors shares this vision, and sees the uniform decision as integral to the rebranding. Most importantly, remember that the uniform and sportswear supplier will be the first contact that new parents
Contacts Stevensons
www.stevensons.co.uk
John Lewis
www.johnlewis.com/baby- child/school-uniform/c6000034 Its Got Soul
www.itsgotsoul.co.uk
Schoolblazer
www.schoolblazer.com Tel: 01832 280011
Newplan Solutions
www.schoolwearsolutions.com
Bredon School
www.bredonschool.org
Oakham School
www.oakham.org.uk
between school and school uniform provider is not straightforward,” says Martin Heatlie, managing director of newly-founded Newplan Solutions. “Ultimately, though, the end customer is a family and a child
who is going to school and will be keen to fit in. For most, that will mean looking like everyone else. Identifying the right uniform is key. Long lead times arising from complex, unique and branded uniforms creates problems where there are ‘unexpected sizes’. Measuring pupils in May/June to manufacture uniform in June/ July and supply in July/August fails pupils who do not experience ‘average growth’ in the intervening months. And smaller schools with non-stock uniform face higher manufacturers’ minimum orders, meaning that the ‘one-off’ garment for a ‘one-off’ pupil is often not an option.” Newplan Solutions was created
after the John Cheatle group entered administration. “We were able to retain some of the best staff and outlets in the country,” Martin explains. “Retaining these staff means that Newplan benefits from thousands of years of collective industry experience. We know that it is essential for the pupil, their parents and the school to recommend the right uniform – having first considered the school’s size, its aspirations and its pupils’ needs. 2014/15 will be a fantastic opportunity for Newplan Solutions to ensure that the uniforms we provide meet our customers’ every need.” iE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58