CHC Studio Lab

Here's a sneak peak of the CHC Studio Lab website launching soon!

The Business Show in Olympia

Command House was at The Great British Business Show on Thursday and what a awesome show it was. From renowned guest speakers such James Caan of Dragons Den to Rachelle Headland of Saatchi & Saatchi, anyone who was anyone in the business world was present.

For Command House, The Business Show is one of the most important events of the year, not just for its speakers but that it brings like minded individuals together to connect and find ways to grow your business. You can make a business connection that maybe you've never considered or learn something in a seminar that you never thought before would help your business. Its about expanding your horizons and building your business networks, everything any successful business should do.

It was great to see Michal Cooper of The Colour Factor at the show. Judging by the impressive display at The Colour Factor stand you would never have guessed it was their first time at the show. Out of her busy schedule Michal took the time to tell us her thoughts about the show;

The Colour Factor CEO Michal Cooper

''For a relatively new business like ourselves this is a good opportunity to connect with other businesses and promote the benefits of our Clothing Colour Guide to them. Already there's been a few interesting discussions about potential collaborations with a few companies involved in fashion. Colour is part of our lives, everyone uses colour but whats important is choosing the right colours to wear that compliment you and put you ahead. Its a very competitive world, and i have been explaining this especially to people from business start ups and to other entrepreneurs; first impressions count, looking good helps you to feel good and this confidence shows''.

SEO Seminar

Aside from the interesting people at the show what was interesting for us at Command House was the business seminars regarding the latest developments in SEO. Being ahead of the development curve is something for Command House that has proven essential in our business operations. Considering that 93% of all future ecommerce sales would be done using mobile devices gave us food for thought about the trend the retail market would follow.

All in all it was a great show, if your an expanding business, thinking of moving your business operations overseas or a business start up looking to make connections The Business Show is the place to be and we look forward to meeting  you there next year!

Interview with Interior Renovator Edgar Bartos

Edgar Bartos

Edgar Bartos is a successful interior renovator whose creative yet retrained work is a sophisticated template of modern living. Known for his practicality, Edgar Bartos has carved out a long standing career as more than a designer but someone who can provide innovative solutions to virtually any task earning him the moniker of the 'Ultimate Handyman'

How did you discover interior design?

I started working in construction from the age of 15. At first I was doing small jobs on construction sites, helping craftsman to do all sorts of things. I was learning by doing, anything i saw i put into practice. I started from the basics helping to cut wood and put insulation, over this period I was gaining a lot of experience. The difference in that time when compared to now is that everything was made by hand, there wasn't the machines that we use today. After 3 years I used what I learned in construction and I decided to form my own company where I could develop a brand that is known for quality, its welcoming staff and our specialist skills. This was possible as I  had built a good reputation which helped me grow the business until where it is today. I used the name Handyman for the company to set us apart from others for our experience and the personal service we provide, the Handyman name signifies these traits exactly. 

Where do you find your inspiration?

Magazines, stores, applications, other designers work...it can be from any place. I am always looking for new things I can use. Even on TV shows or YouTube can be a great source of inspiration for me.

Where do you like to hang out in your spare time when your switching off and relaxing?

I like going to clubs, the park, to visit the mountains, these things help me to relax. Also visiting 
historical places for me is a great way to switch off.

Is there a place which you find yourself contentiously drawn to because of the beautiful interior?

Salina Turda

There are many places but one of my favourites is Salina Turda, it combines contemporary design with the natural salt of the mine. For me this is a special place which i hold in high regard. Another is the historic fortification in Alba Iulia, the designs here are very beautiful.

Can you recommend a place you were where the interior design really impressed and inspired you?

I cant think of one specific place but what impressed me recently was a project for one of my clients in Cluj. The project was to make an intelligent house, everything was controlled by computer's from the showers to the external lighting system. I was very happy to be involved in this project. 

Who are your favourite designers currently working in the industry?

I don't want to say one name because there are many good designers but I really like the work of 
Candice Olsen for the way she is able to conceptualise original designs and implement them into 
reality. 

You have been very successful the industry, completing many great projects. What advice would you give to a new designer just starting out their practice?

To work hard and have sustainability in your work. Professionalism is very important, make sure you plan ahead in order to keep to deadlines set out to your clients. Always check the small details of 
your work as the quality final finishing makes all the difference in your work.

What exciting projects do you have on the horizon?

I am focusing now on a special project for affordable housing in large cities. From what is available now I know I can make something better in this industry. Also I am planning to do a blog where people can follow my work, how i am working, and demonstrate the do's and dont's of interior design. For people wanting to get into the industry this will be very useful. In the future if someone was to tell me I helped or inspired them to get into design this would be the biggest honour for me. 

Interview with The Colour Factor founder Michal Cooper

CEO & Founder

Michal (Michelle) Cooper is the CEO and Founder of The Colour Factor. Since its formation in 2013 the company has offered specialist colour consultations that are available via her unique Clothing Colour Guide that is available for iTunes download as well as its physical guide form. At a fraction of what it would cost to seek one to one consultation, the Clothing Colour Guide has revolutionised the way we perceive colour and how we wear it. 

Can you tell us a little about your background before  getting involved in the colour factor?

I have always been passionate about fashion, after spending many  years working in the Travel Industry as a consultant and then a  trainer I decided to make a change into Fashion consultancy. I first  had the idea to set up The Colour Factor after giving my fashion  colour advice/tips to my Friends and Family whilst shopping with them.  One of my biggest joys is seeing people being confident and excited  rather then scared about shopping. I know everyone can wear colour!  However, knowing which colours to wear that best suits you is when you  look great, you save money, time and you shop with confidence.

 What would you say is your strongest skill?

My strongest skill is knowing what colours suit people based on  their Hair+Eye colouring and also how to create colour combinations.  People who understand what colours suit them will then be able to  enjoy having a wardrobe full of clothes that they will wear frequently  rather than store.

Using the colour guide what colours would you say work best for your own facial complexsion?

My Season colour group is Autumn. Having my Clothing Colour Guide  with me is perfect when I go out shopping as it’s very useful in  reminding me what my best colours are, such as Olive Green, Sage,  Orange-Red, Yellow and Gold.

And do you avoid any colours?

Yes definitely, I also know from my Guide what colours I must not  wear such as Pink, Blue-Red and Black..

Finally can you tell us the key features/benefits The Colour Factor  will bring to its users?

The benefits when buying The Clothing Colour Guide is that everyone will discover their colour season group and learn which colours make  them look at balance and fabulous. They will also know which colours  they must avoid near their face. They will have more colours in the  wardrobe rather then the usual safe colours. No more trying on  sweaters, dresses or make up which make them look drained and tired.  When you look good you feel good.

 For Any Enquiries About The Colour Factor, Please Contact:  info@thecolourfactor.com

 Find The Colour Factor: 

 thecolourfactor.com
 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/colour-factor-clothing-colour/id743821899?mt=8

Interview with Brandentity CEO Rajeev: Leading Communications Specialists

Rajeev of Brandentity

Rajeev is the CEO and founder of wearebrandentity.com a leading brand communications consultancy offering strategic consultancy to clients to effectively engage marketing communications in a creative way. Rajeev's long standing history as an influential marketer and his repertoire of work make him the ideal choice for businesses who want to turn communication into a powerful asset for their brand. 

Whats one of the first things that go overlooked in communication and how do you improve them?

Most people do not take the time to invest in research, they want to blast out messages across all their communications channels with out trying to establish who are the influencers they should communicate with and how do these influencers consume content, what type of content and how often - taking time to understand the market, the influencers - who they are, where they are and investing in that up front as well as baselines measures for the brand and the brand's reputation will do any company a lot of good in the long run. Stepping back, thinking, planning then executing. Most of the time it's the other way round with many companies.

There are so many choices when it comes to Fashion. How would you advise labels better communicate with consumers?

There is a movement of consciousness now when it comes to clothing, the stigma attached to fast fashion has people questioning the whole clothing and fashion model and supporting local manufacturers - sourcing local supplies - not only does this help the local economy but it reduces carbon emissions from long distance transportation for such materials and goods. Be authentic and use real life models like Dove do and not these photo-shopped perfectly looking beings that really do not exist. It's important for any label to understand their audience, I don't mean doing a market research report, I mean going to the shops on the shop floor talking to customers, question what they buy and why, what makes them tick - what do they look for in a clothing item - knowing that solves time and money in how to communicate to people.

What messages would you explore to reach these consumers?

A lot of what I said above really speaks to this, but developing a message has to resonate from inside a company as much as it does outside, your workforce needs to believe in the product, the brand and not only what you do but why you do it, your consumers have to understand why you get out of bed and do what you do, what problem are you trying to solve for your consumers.

There is so much noise out there, people are very good in today's digital age in tuning out brand centric advertising and messaging, what they want is content that solves their problems, answers their questions, insights, they want content that educates, entertains but above all they won't care what a label tells them, they care about what their friends are wearing, where their friends are shopping - not what a label tells them about how good a label's products are.

Assuming that you’re figuring out what your message is, and the words in which to express it, 

how do you decide what medium to use to deliver that message?

You have to tailor your message based on the channels you decide to use, you can only know that from researching and finding out how your target prospects consume their content. You can't take the same message and ad from a billboard and stick it on a broadcast commercial or a tweet, the message needs to be tailored accordingly.

Your owned media channels (your website, your corporate brochure) these are platforms your brand has to be at its best, your social media channels or mass advertising campaigns need to bring and direct people to your owned media channels where people can not only see your brand at it's best but they need to experience your brand at its best - but remember you message needs to be the same and unified but tailored to different channels - too many different messages confuses the audience and dilutes your brand and what you stand for!

Usually its common for a fashion label to have its own specific 'language' to bring across their message. How important is this?

Every label needs to forge it's own identity, with it's own tone of voice - your organisational identity, brand and reputation are all linked - language is all fine, but remember it's about adding value to your consumers, companies that thrive are ones that understand that value is created at the interface between the customer and the organisation - the manner, tone of voice and efficiency in responding to a customer's e-mail or tweet, or do you put your customer on hold to a foreign call centre and make them waste their time and make it worse by bombarding them with an automated message on how much you care about them - they want you to show that you care about them not tell them you care about them. Did you send them their merchandise in a hassle free manner in a package that inspires or educates them or makes them smile and does the method of them receiving your package make life easier or difficult to them? Was there a personalised note for them inside the package to thank them for shopping with you? Labels do not focus on this - they focus on defining a message - define a service and your brand defines itself! Differentiate yourself from your competitors by doing the basics right!

Marketing has been used for removing perceived barriers to wanting or doing something, be it mental or cultural barriers. How much has this been relevant in your work?

Most of my work involves in helping companies understand why they do what they do, what problem are they solving for their customer and how they want to be identified as would they like to be a Dr. Watson and support their prospect, do they want to be Superman and fight for the everyday person and give them value - what personality and tone of voice do they want - I then help them develop their core messages and develop their copy for their brochures, websites etc.

What key area do you view as important to promote a fresh, forward thinking fashion label?

Focus at the interface of where value is created, all the touch points with your customer or prospects, make it easy for them, save time for them and help them make their decisions - do not force them to decide - provide information, advice and insights. Do the simple things well and do it with passion. If you did not exist today will anyone care. If Amazon or Google did not exists today - will that make things easy for people today or not and will they care. You betcha they will - find a reason that people will value you - that is your brand promise and never ever ever break that brand promise - your credibility and your reputation depend on it, it takes a long time to get your credibility back once you break your brand promise.

For Any Enquiries About Brandentity, Please Contact:  whatif@wearebrandentity.com

Interview with Command House Creations I.T Wizard Seng

The explosive Mr Seng

The technical side of running a business can often go forgotten. Behind every store is vital people who help maintain that operations run as smoothly as possible. 
Command House is no different. Whenever, wherever we require need of a skilled set of hands the one man we know we can count on is Mr Seng. 

Can you tell us a little about your background and the work you've done at Command House?

I've always enjoyed all aspects of IT. Even at a young age I would play around with coding on various platforms. I've been involved with this industry 10 years now and built a very good reputation and clientele. I get a lot of satisfaction from my work and take a lot of pride from positive feedback regarding it. Through my IT work I was recommended to Command House to optimise and perform maintenance on their systems and update their servers.

How does working on a fashion site differ to other projects you've worked on?

Well every customer has their own expectations and requirements, this is no different in the fashion industry. It’s my job to cater for what the customer wants and if it’s feasible to implement this within the boundaries of any technical restrictions there may be. Websites for example, the trend in the Fashion industry when compared to other sectors is to over-complicate the usability of websites with the overuse of plug ins such as Flash.  It’s very nice having the use of flash on an intro or having very extravagant backgrounds but how practical is this? Not much! Having a flash intro can over time become tedious for customers using your site and push back the presence of your site on the various internet search engines. Can you imagine having to make 7 or 8 clicks to navigate to the web page you want every time you visit your favourite site, its something I wouldn't want to do on a regular basis. What’s important is customer return rates to your site and this notion can sometimes be lost, it’s my job to often remind my clients that often practicality over extravagance is the best way to increase revenue when it comes to eCommerce.

What’s been your biggest challenge here at Command House?

When people look at Command House it’s easy to see that the quality of the work produced is very important for us. I know first hand being here that if a piece of work isn't up to standard then it will be redone from scratch until it reaches the level that we can be proud to have our name on. Achieving this level of work is a very rewarding challenge for me personally, there’s a great team spirit here and seeing us progressing forward is great.

Can you tell us about any future projects you will be working on?

Its still in the early stages so how much I can say is limited but for sure we will be looking to expand and branch out our expertise in the creative field further in the near future. My role in this is again on the technical side of things so you can expect any developments in this area to have the same focus on the simplicity of use and quality Command House users have come to expect.

A Guide to Clothing Maintenance!

At Command House we maintain the most stringent methods of manufacturer to ensure 

our customers get the best product possible. As part of our apparel quality control procedures 

all our clothing is vigorously tested by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural 

Affairs) certified Dry Cleaning specialists to provide the utmost assurance to our customers 

of the durability of our garments. The results of these extensive tests have provided us with key 

recommendations for our customers to take into consideration when washing Command 

House Clothing;

Clothing to be cleaned in a cold wash at no more than 30 degrees temperature and for 

garments to be hung to dry. We don’t recommend you place garments in hot water or a 

hot dryer as this can lead to potential shrinkage.

For ironing we recommend garments be pressed inside out to protect the print label. It is possible 

to iron garments in a regular fashion if steam pressed only.

Command House garments are wash only. Don’t Dry Clean as the solvents used can damage/remove 

the print label on garments.

Interview with Command House Sales Director Geoffrey Orchard

Every successful company requires strong leadership, a common vision and a compass to keep it on course to achieve its goals. A man that we often refer to as a one of the pillars of Command House and whom encompasses many of these traits is our own Sales Director. Taking time out of his busy schedule we bring the first of a two part interview with one of the founders of command house; Geoffrey Ofosu Orchard.

Can you tell us about your background?

I've been in the service industry a long time. Once I realised I had a passion for communication I felt that it was a perfect fit for the retail environment. I brought many aspects of my personality into my work. After a certain stage my ambition reached a point where I felt I was ready to start my own brand.

What would you say is your strongest skill?

I bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to any environment I enter. If you have an open character you can energise an otherwise very generic and static atmosphere that sometimes the retail industry encompasses. The shopping experience should be fun and customers enticed ideally by the experience. From big to small companies a customers specifically wants you to be a personal shopper. They want the friendly energetic character with a split personality. On one hand your professional and you have a great product knowledge, a sense of what colours and styles go together. On the other hand customers want you to be their best friend walking around with them. Customers want the comfort of their best friend as well as the professionalism and product knowledge of someone to find unique outfits and flatter them.

How do you stay ahead?

To be frank the only way I see staying ahead of the competition is constant innovation of style. The second point and the most crucial point is adapting to change and staying ahead of the fashion curve. So in other words if there’s a trend on the streets of London, Tokyo, or Paris our brand would need to be the trend setter rather than one of our rivals. For example last summer a clothing retailer stocked brightly coloured and styled leggings which became extremely popular with women on the high street. In London’s footfall this particular style was popular. And at this point in time it was only stocked by one retailer, the exclusivity was one of the factors what made it highly desirable

What goals do you want to achieve with your future projects?

Needless to say all the projects we undertake we work hard to make successful. Based on my knowledge of the industry and future trends I feel that one of our future projects will be to expand the brand more into sports accessories. Smart and sporty is where were looking to go , I don’t want to give too much away but elements of technology will be added to our clothing.   

What advise would you give people wanting to get into the industry?

I would say specifically because we've covered a lot of areas in fashion becoming a clothing retailer is a very rewarding challenge. Having an energetic, forward thinking, stylistic view can aid you in this industry immensely. So if you want to get in the industry have a strong sense of style and visualise your idea in a retail format.  

Interview with social media guru Hus!

Hus at the Command House Creations studio

Behind every one of our posts or tweets lies a man who we fondly know as Hus. As Command House’s social media marketing manager, Hus’s attention to detail, quick wit and ability to adapt to any given situation makes him a well-liked and valuable member of the Command House team. Taking a seat now in the Command House studios let’s hear from our multitasking man of many talents;

You have been at Command House for some time now and you have recently started administrating our social media activities. How has the transition been from your past job roles to your current management position?

The transition is a work in progress! In the past, I've had the opportunity to work in many different jobs roles. I've worked as a chef, a tradesman, in finance and in the music industry but nothing prepared me for the creative activities I've experienced here. It’s definitely a welcome change and I’m having a great time working with the team. We’re always churning out new ideas and finding ways to implement them.

That’s great to hear. What will you be focusing on in your new role?

As you can imagine, we receive a lot of emails from our fans and not all are related to clothing. We really do get a mixed bag of questions to answer! It’s important to us to keep up the interaction with our fan base and be more social on the blog and on twitter as well as Facebook. Things are always happening and it’s my job to let our fans know the latest news and developments on all things Command.

What skills do you think are important in social media?

Definitely to have a great sense of humour. In social media words are important and a catchy line or saying can get peoples attention. So creativity also is a great skill to have, alot of times i draw on my experience when i composed music which i enjoy and has helped me a lot in my new role here.

Having a good sense of humour seems to be a running theme for you. Who were your inspirations when growing up?

Growing up I was a fan of the great Richard Prior, very inspirational Love Eddie Murphy’s early stuff as well as Dave Chappelle, Russell Peters and Russell Howard.

Can you tell us any unique stories from your time here at Command House?

I remember way back when command house first started i went to the bank wearing Command and had the cashier give me a strange look and asked me about the t-shirt I was wearing and where she could get one! We've come a long way since and are now known, these days i'm getting friends and family asking me to get them our clothing all the time. Its thanks a lot to the originality of our designers. The designers have come up with some eye catching and unique designs that draw a lot of attention, but aren't loud or brash. Knowing what these guys do i'm always proud to put my Command on.

Speaking of clothing, What's your favourite Command House item of clothing?

The Women’s Ella7 Polo shirt. I wear it everywhere! (laughs) Just joking, I love my Blue House Hoody. It’s really comfortable and a great original design.

Getting back to your role in social media can you tell us any immediate or future plans?

Were becoming more active on our social media pages to keep our followers informed on what is going on here. We may have a few competitions coming up later on in the year so keep an eye on our Twitter and Facebook for news on that.

Finally what advise would you give to someone starting out in social media?

Know when to post! Don’t be random with your timing, if your audience are working professionals then post at times when there most likely to see. Grammar also, its amazing how a simple thing like proof reading and spell checking get overlooked, don't rush to avoid any embarrassment!

Exclusive Interview with Silvija Sheilaite

Striking a pose Silvija Sheilaite

Well it’s been a long wait but were back with an exclusive interview with the amazingly beautiful Silvija Sheilaite. Known for her piercing good looks and super toned physique Silvija has graced podiums and featured in catalogues the world over. Now here in the Command House studios we finally get a chance to sit down and talk about all things Sheilaite.

Silvija you’ve modelled now a few years, how would you describe your experiences?

Every minute can be a new experience when there is a camera on you. I try to be myself and bring my own energy into the photos. I hope that people can see this. I’ve met many interesting people and I’ve learned much in this time that I’m sure will be a benefit for me in the future.

How did you start modelling?

I was spotted by a model scout at the time that approached me for this work. I wanted to try modelling, for me fashion is very interesting and I have a passion to learn how things work, so it was a great opportunity to learn something I love.

How would you describe your style?

I dress how I’m feeling so I don’t have a specific style. I can dress smart, simple or sporty, every style has its own interesting detail.

From the photo shoots you have modelled so far do you have a personal favourite you feel brought out the best in you?

All the shoots I have been on have their own unique feel but if I was to pick a favourite it would be my first photo shoot with Command House where I had the opportunity to work with the photographer Simon Howard of SNH FOTO (snhfoto.com). He knows the industry well and he really made me feel at ease the whole time.

What do enjoy the most about modelling?

The fun part for me is everything you do before the shoot happens, the preparation, the make up, these things I really enjoy. It’s funny for me sometimes how much clothes you have to change also, sometimes we are wearing more clothes in one event than usually you wear in normal week.

How would you describe your ideal atmosphere when you’re on assignments?

Of course it should be a relaxing atmosphere, we joke, we have fun, we try to make things as calm as possible otherwise it can be difficult.

Do you have any turn offs about modelling?

I wouldn’t say turn offs, I really enjoy modelling. In fact if you can say something I don’t like it’s when the photo shoot ends. Even if I am tired every shoot for me is a big experience and I’m happy to be a part of it.

What would you say that you look for in your ideal photographer?

Obviously I like to work with someone who really knows their work and what they want, someone who explains how to be better in the moment with the vision that they have. It can sometimes be strange for me when a photographer just asks that I stand and pose with no instruction. I like to have a connection with what they expect and what I can give them. For example when I work with yourselves (Command House) I like how things are made, everything is explained to me what is needed from me and how correctly I can do that. I like to know the vision, and when I know what is expected I can give my best.

Has modelling changed the way you look at life?

I wouldn’t call it change but it has given me focus, I’ve seen different styles, the attitude and presence of people in this work. If I see someone has something useful that I need to improve then always I try to learn this.

Where do you see yourself in a year’s time and what are your future plans?

Well this year has been very important for me with work and my personal life. For sure I plan to compete, modelling has given me a great confidence to participate in my events and to be successful. What I learn in fashion I try to bring into my fitness and bodybuilding and vice versa, so it will continue to be this way in the future.