Photo by Anna Morago
As the winter months slowly crept by and spring began to make an appearance, it was time to start tackling the work to be done for Ainhoa Herrera’s Spring / Summer Collection 2016. Comprising four leather bags, this small selection, entirely handmade in Barcelona, is filled with colour and texture.
As Creative Project Manager, it is my job to first brainstorm with the client to establish brand goals for the season, tweak target audience mission and create a list of tasks to carry out with my team. Subsequent meetings to establish deadlines and organisation are necessary before getting down to the work itself.
Photo by Anna Morago
Photo by Anna Morago
Aside from coordinating the team, managing deadlines and organising in general, as Creative Project Manager, I cover numerous other aspects throughout the process. One of the first items was to decide on models for the photo shoot and a studio location, in other words, photo shoot production and logistics.
The chosen location was Golden Studio in Barcelona, where we had a great time on the day of the shoot. To differentiate between the winter and summer collections, I decided on a light peach background that worked even better than I could possibly have imagined. The colours and textures were popping!
Photo by Anna Morago
Anna Morago was our photographer once again. Her sensitivity, good humour, and professionalism are outstanding. She seems to know exactly what needs to be captured and brings out the best in the models. She has an inherent intuition in making everyone feel at ease and greatly contributes to a fantastic work environment.
I take care of styling and logistics throughout the shoot, making sure every detail is perfect and everyone has what they need. My role is to act as a bridge between the client and the photographer while also ensuring the overall tone and style fall within the desired brand message.
Photo by Anna Morago
Photo by Anna Morago
Another key aspect is the communication for Ainhoa Herrera. The goal was to highlight the texture and colours of the new collection using a specific location in Barcelona that wouldn’t fall within summer clichés. I proposed the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera, a park perched on the side of Montjuic, filled with stunning cactus and views over the Barcelona harbour.
Ainhoa, Anna Morago and I spent a long afternoon towards the end of March snapping textures, panoramic views, still-lifes and Ainhoa herself with her leather bags. Many of these photos have now been used on the Ainhoa Herrera Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Photo by Anna Morago
Photo by Anna Morago
While part of the team was concentrating on the communication side of the project, Tián of Coco&Co was busy uploading the new collection to the Ainhoa Herrera online store. Incredibly knowledgeable and patient, Tián is a fantastic programmer, another key member of the team.
From there it was necessary for me to concentrate on several tasks such as copywriting to create the new product descriptions, uploading the new collection to Ainhoa’s Etsy store, creating the new season presentation dossier to be sent to press and the subsequent mailing. A new addition to the work was the creation of a database of physical stores in Barcelona and Madrid to place Ainhoa’s products.
Photo by Anna Morago
The results have been incredible. Ainhoa Herrera launched her brand less than a year ago and is managing to break even. The process is slow but as a Creative Project Manager and Communication Consultant, I strongly believe in organic growth. Creating true connections with a target audience through great narrative and experiences. Like I’ve said before, Ainhoa is a dream client, willing to take risks and do her homework. Faithful to her vision of handmade, high-quality accessories, she focuses on employing artisanal techniques, and works closely with suppliers and workshops in Barcelona.
The next step will be Ainhoa Herrera’s SEO, implicating changes and improvements. As more and more clients ask for help with SEO, it is another skill that I am working on in order to offer more services. It doesn’t hurt that I find SEO to be absolutely fascinating!
Don’t hesitate to drop me a line if you feel that I could help you with your projects: vera(at)veraciria.com
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