GFC, big traders say NO to Advertise!

As we are currently hit hard in the Global Financial Crisis, retail is struggling. The rag trade is not doing well and the stores have the competition of cheap online labels, with no gst and sales tax, not to mention overheads of staff, rent, shopfitting, electricity and more.

Recently I have been invited to the exclusive parade of Carla Zampatti in her home and then given invitation to Perri Cutten to peruse their Spring Carnival range and understand their interpretation of this season.

Racing Fashion Australia (website) was formed over 5 years ago with very loyal support from very few sponsors and any people have helped me of which I have given them free advertising.

The larger rag traders have now approached me for editorial advertising on my site and to use images of garments to entice the Racing Fashion public.

I am always happy to help, so I say sure send me through an email and I will look to see if the range is suitable and help with a story.

Over the past 5 years, free advertising has been given and now even my personal Facebook page has become prime advertising position.

When I talk about the labels, I will not mention the name, but I then asked if they would care as a gesture for a ridiculously cheap advert and their answer was, they don't advertise. This seems strange to me, that someone would want to use an area of space which has 8000-12,000 hits a week and during Spring Carnival last year exceeded 30,000 hits per week.

I run my business at a huge loss, but my mission is to gain awareness to fashion and what ALL women want to wear. Women are not one shape or size and we want choice. Just because we have children and we mature does not mean we don't still want to feel fabulous.

I am so happy to promote the people who help believe in my vision that the fashion at the track will never die, and this does not just mean 'Fashions on the Field'. My vision is to celebrate all people heading to the track, male and female, feeling wonderful in what they are doing and heading for a great day out.

This year is going to showcase the best of Racing Fashion on Racing Fashion TV and the next season is going to ruffle the feathers in the 'Birdcage' as Racing Fashion goes Haute. Special Guest Co-Host??????

I will always promote the products I love, fashion forecast, Australian Fashion, and what I think is fabulous. 

www.racingfashion.com.au

Before the Bubble Burst!

I was watching an amazing documentary the other day on how the Global Financial Crisis began and how there was such a big bubble that no one knew was going to burst.  Big banks, then little lenders coming into the picture and allowing people to mortgage to the hilt when they had no Capital.
When these smaller banks went broke because there was not enough for the smaller banks to gain back their investment.  Of course the big banks think they are doing so well because there are less and less smaller lenders.
I like to think of these photos of before the bubble burst.  All these people with their head in the sand having no idea that their investments are about to pop!
No one is doing it easy and no one can pay their bills, Why?
Because everyone was greedy and wanted to build things too quickly like a monopoly board, instead of being happy with what they had they wanted it to get bigger and bigger and kept getting loans.
Tip, pay off your first loan before you get another.

It is a while before this economy is going to get better so we have to ride the storm and spend where we can to keep  going.  If we all stop spending, major Recession, well really we are there, Depression!

It is not bad to mix op shop items to Haute Couture, keep it fresh and keep it real.  One woman's trash is another woman's treasure.

Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Chambers for Santa Barbara Magazine 2010.

www.racingfashion.com.au

Purchase in stores to keep the economy going, I think there are sales on.

The number of stocktake sales for the end of financial year.  Tomorrow things are going to be slashed in price even more so if you are looking for your consumer and capitalism fix.  Now is the time.

My plasma had the gong after about 7 years of use and tomorrow I can buy a  new 50 inch with 2 year warranty for $599.  Yes, that means Mickey Mouse club house will be even bigger.

Computer shopping has never been so cheap and tomorrow if you want a car, or to stock up on children's clothes for Winter as I have been doing.  It is now!!!

With all the doom and gloom of the GFC, the only thing that is going to bring us out of financial ruin in the big picture is if we have consumer confidence and spend the $$$ that we can.  I know not every one has $$$ to spend, but if we can all keep the circle moving, purchasing etc, the money ring will keep on turning.

One thing is for sure that everyone is excited about sales, admittedly, I am not the shopperholic everyone may think I am, but I am a bargain shopper.  I have not spent anything on myself, just indulged my children in warm clothes.
Keep the country moving and get to a shop, the more we buy online junk, that will probably not fit us made in China and so mass produced, the worse our situation is going to be.  Go into a shop, they have to pay rent, they have to pay overheads and staff.  This is the reason the world is down the tube, because all the middle man is being cut out.  Go and see your favourite designer, and see what they can do for you.  Everyone wants to work!!!!

Purchasing online is a great pick me up when the closest shop is over an hour away, but keeping jobs and rent, the whole country going is allot more important.  Spend where you can and if you can.

www.racingfashion.com.au