The
Challenge
Oleada came to us with a vision for a Mediterranean-inspired resortwear collection.
Founded by Ruby Holley, a blogger known for outfits, interiors and travel, the brand needed to capture that relaxed, warm-weather, holiday wardrobe feeling, while still being properly developed for production.
The original collection included 15 styles, with 12 eventually taken into production.
The range included dresses, shirts, shorts, skirts, tops, trousers and accessories, all with a soft, feminine, Mediterranean feel.
Ruby brought reference samples to the development meeting for inspiration, fit and styling direction. These were fitted on the client so we could understand what she liked, what needed changing and how each style should be translated into the Oleada collection.
The challenge was turning a broad creative vision into a cohesive, production-ready range, with the right fabrics, colours, fit, costings, trims and technical detail behind it.
Because resortwear may look effortless.
Unfortunately, the development process is rarely wearing a linen shirt and sipping an Aperol Spritz.
The
Solution
We began with a full development meeting, reviewing Ruby’s reference samples, collection ideas, preferred fit, styling details and fabric direction.
Chloe then worked on the range plan and colour direction, helping shape the collection into a more cohesive launch range.
Fabrics for each style were reviewed, with cuttings taken so Ruby could decide on the final qualities. Initial costings were then prepared based on the first sketches and style direction.
Once the range was agreed, we created tech packs and base size charts for the prototype samples, using Ruby’s measurements and the fit requests taken during the development meeting.
The tech packs were sent to Ruby for sign-off, then issued to the Portugal factory to create the first patterns and prototype samples.
Fabrics and trims were ordered and delivered to the factory, and once the first samples were made, the styles were re-costed to reflect the developed product more accurately.
When samples arrived, we checked them against the spec, recorded both the factory measurements and our own measurements, and prepared for the fit meeting.
Fit meetings took place at our office, with each sample fitted, photographed from the front, back and side, and reviewed in detail. All amendments to styling, fit and measurements were recorded, with tech packs updated to include clear photos and factory notes.
This made it much easier for the factory to understand exactly what needed changing on the next round.
Where needed, we also arranged video calls with the factory to go through amendments and make sure the comments were clear before new samples were made.
Ruby was asked to wearer trial and wash test samples once they were in the correct quality and trims, with a document provided so feedback could be recorded properly.
We also had to guide the client through the natural characteristics of linen, including slubs and irregularities, after some samples were queried for flaws that were actually part of the fabric’s natural make-up.
A small but important lesson: linen is meant to look like linen. It is not polyester in witness protection.
We arranged photoshoot samples for Ruby’s overseas shoot, making sure they were produced in the correct colours with the correct trims.
Ruby also visited the factory in Portugal with Fazane, where they carried out a fit meeting, took photographs and signed off styles to move into production. The visit also gave Ruby behind-the-scenes content for Oleada’s social media and website launch.
Some original styles were later bought again in new colours, including the Nova dress in khaki and the Willa dress in black.
Thank g*d for Fazane Fox
Because building a resortwear brand takes more than pretty holiday references and a mood board full of sunshine.
This project needed range planning, fabric sourcing, costings, tech packs, size charts, fit meetings, factory communication, wearer trials, wash testing, photoshoot samples and Portugal production management.
We helped Oleada turn a Mediterranean-inspired collection idea into a developed, production-ready resortwear range with the structure, detail and support needed behind the scenes.
Effortless-looking linen? Yes.
Effortless development? Absolutely not.
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