The IFM management and design students came together for a joint ten-day workshop. The aim: to develop a designer brand.

17 groups were put together made up each time of a designer and a few managers, in order to establish a strategic plan that covered all of the aspects of a brand’s life (concept, organization, sourcing, financing, retail/distribution, communications...).

Each presentation began with the presentation of the designer’s creative universe on video.

The projects were expected to cover all of the aspects of the brand:

Designer identity
Brand concept
Financial plan
Profit margins (wholesale and retail)
Calculating buying and sale pricing
Forecasting turnover
Launch strategy
Retail strategy (location, merchandising, etc.)
Communication strategy
Sales results, cash flow, calculating break-even point...
Structure of shareholding
etc.

This workshop is aimed at helping students « project themselves into the future and define a coherent project. A life project, its is extraordinary, magic and sometimes overwhelming " (Francine Pairon),

"We ask students to put together a puzzle using a creative project as a basis, to transform it into something rational that can be projected in the long-term " (Jérôme Helffer).

"Whatever the quality of the project, if you are incapable of presenting it to those who are going to provide financial support, then you’ll never bring it to fruition" (Jean-Marc Lucchese, Oseo).

The projects were presented over two days to a jury made up of Patrick Bègue, Jérôme Helffer, Jean-Marc Lucchese (Oseo), Franc'Pairon (IFM), Hans de Foer (IFM), David Zajtmann (IFM).