Aphrodite recently had a day out of the office with a trip down to the Four Marketing HQ in ‘that London’. The sun was shining, the coffee was flowing and we caught the train (thank goodness) so the day was off to a good start.

Four marketing is a London-based PR Division of sales agency, who represent a number of brands that Aphrodite stock, including Stone Island, CP Company and Paul and Shark. The aim of the training day was to give us as much info on the brands as possible, so we can do the ‘big sell’ to you lovely lot.

Based in Garrett Street in the heart of London, the Headquarters has a minimalist exterior, with hardly any branding, which didn’t help 2 Northerners find it. After our introduction and meet and greets etc we were split into groups and made our way around different brands, which started with CP Company.

CP Company & Ten C

Headed by Graham, the CP Company and Ten C was an in depth look at the brands history, the stand out pieces that have changed the shape of modern design and the new seasons collections (which we are very excited to be receiving soon!) Aphrodite have stocked CP Company for many years and it has established itself as a firm favourite with our customer. Ten C, which many of you might not have heard of is a fairly new brand which will be welcomed to the Aphrodite collection in AW15.

Over the years CP have built up their reputation worldwide to become one of fashions most famous brands, not just in the fashion scene but in fabric technology. Osti’s exploration into the relationship between functional and stylish design have created some of the most sought after pieces to date. The brands use of sourcing materials from every corner of the world and continuously experimenting with new manufacturing techniques has given them the opportunity to produce over 40,000 garments in the brands 40 year history, each reflecting CP Company’s core  philosophy – Function and Use. Experimentation and fabric technology is at the forefront of every design to enhance the functionality. To find out more about CP Company read our brand guide.

Ten C, (The Emperors New Clothes) has been designed to be a forever collection. Taking inspiration from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, the brand wants the customer to look beyond what you are told to see and to value what is truly there. The ability too see past the fashion media barrage is a new interpretation of the original fairy tale. Founded by Paul Harvey, who designed alongside Massimo Osti for CP.Company for 25 seasons, uses all he has learned to create technical, timeless garments. The items themselves have no branding on the exterior whatsoever, Harvey asks for the items to be loved for what they are, not what brand or who they are associated with. More information will be available about the new collection and the brand in the coming months including a brand guide which will give you all the information you will need to know about Ten C.

Paul & Shark

Paul & Shark has been with us for a few seasons now and is growing in popularity every season. Born in 1921 in the sleepy village of Masnago, in the countryside just outside of Milan, Paul and Shark was forged from a mill which was already producing knitting textiles. It was this firm grounding in the understanding of what using quality materials meant to its customers that gave Paul and Shark the impetuous to give their designs a strong yachting design led look, to prove their materials in one of the most rigorous situations they knew. With their innovative fabrics paving the way for their expansion into other markets, from skiing, to golf and casual wear, Paul and Shark now provide an entire branded look which carries all the design idealisms of Italian craftsmanship.

Stone Island

Our last stop was the Stone Island table with the ever enthusiastic Carl. Stone Island is one of the best known brands in mens designer sports and technical wear. Their history of garment dyeing and fabric research is one of the most in depth you will encounter and it is that which defines the brand. 4 key elements that come up when talking about Stone Island and that make up the brand are: Rivetti, Garment Dye, Fabric Innovation and Military Inspiration. With a number of iconic pieces over the years, including  the ‘Tela Stella’ which was the brands first jacket released in 1982, they have created some of the most advanced pieces and continue to push the boundaries of experimentation. The ‘Tela Stella’ is the name of the the actual fabric used, and was released in seven styles and 6 different colours, catapulting Stone Island into the spotlight. The Ice Jacket is another iconic piece, which is created from a heat sensitive fabric, changing colour with temperature, another technical jacket that pushed the boundaries in fabric technology. A complete Stone Island brand guide can be read here

Along with the standard Stone Island, we will also be receiving a drop of the Shadow Project for AW15. So keep your eyes peeled!

We would like to give a massive thanks to all the reps and staff at Four Marketing for their knowledge and hospitality throughout the day.

Published by Sarah Kearney, Online Editor at Aphrodite Clothing

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