Ok, so the previous post was a bit disheartening so I thought I would you give you a couple of hints as to what you can expect to see in the Autumn release!





Believe the hype.

Ben

2 months have passed since my last post. Actually, it’s almost 3 months! Time has really flown by but when you’ve got a lot to deal with that usually tends to happen.

Now, as I’ve previously mentioned I am getting some custom items produced which means the items are not made from existing moulds/sizes etc. It’s all done from scratch.

The problem with this is that so many things can go wrong and when the suppliers make those errors it has a knock on effect which delay my time schedules. A couple of instances were not even from production errors but the ignoring of my emails/calls for weeks at a time – in each instance it transpires that the person/s who were dealing with my account are not around because they are out of the office. Now it should be common practice that when a member of staff goes on holiday or leaves a company their accounts are transferred to another member of staff to continue service. People just don’t seem to care anymore.

But I do care and will only accept the highest of quality which is why I had to reject my first delivery of custom items because they were full of marks and scratches and the logotype was distorted among other defects. Apparently the company claims that due to the nature of the manufacture process those defects cannot be avoided but I have since found another company that is considerably better in quality and have more attention to detail.

When I submit a specification, go through the relevant stages, provide payment etc. I don’t then expect to receive something different to that specification unless I had been made aware of the changes before or during production. And you guessed it; no one said a word to me and they just made them to what the limits of their factory would allow.

I’m extremely disappointed about the delay as I was hoping for a Summer release but will most likely be an Autumn release now. I’m still very positive about the release and what I will have to offer.

Thanks for your patience!

Ben

Things have been a little on the quiet side. Products are going through bulk production at the moment though so I’m busy working on marketing and advertising material. I’m also looking into getting a last minute product sourced but if it doesn’t make the deadline it will just push back to the next release.

A new product teaser for the launch will be dropping sometime in April so keep an eye out for that! May time is when I’ll be releasing web teasers and in June is when I’ll start local advertising with card leave-behinds, flyers and posters. And hopefully, June will also be the month of the launch!

Over the next few months I’ll also be testing out the store, working out the kinks and finishing off the last few bits for promo packs.

So until the next product teaser, I’ll leave you to enjoy this short edit I found on vimeo.



Ben

A lot of time has passed since I announced VIHMIRU so I thought I would give you a bit of an update.

Over the last few months I have devoted vast amounts of time to sourcing various materials and suppliers for packaging and promo items. I want the best quality for an affordable price and you would not believe how difficult this was to find!



That being said, I am in the final stages of negotiations for packaging and stickers. I’ve had a bit of trouble acquiring stickers. I’ve been waiting a month for an (apparently) already printed sample to turn up so I can sign it off for bulk production and although each week the supplier promises it’ll turn up it never does. I managed to locate another supplier though and now await samples from them.

I’ve also had a bit of time to think about what I want the brand to be and the direction I want it to go in; I don’t want to be just ‘another t-shirt business’ as the market is saturated enough already.

I want VIHMIRU to mean something and reflect the premium nature of the brand so I’ll be custom manufacturing from scratch so each product is unique! I won’t tell you what I’m making just yet but know that it is not t-shirts! Essentially I’ll be taking bigger risks but starting small and building an inventory of products over time.

Here is a little teaser…



More teasers will be dropped here and there so keep an eye out for them!

At some point in the future, I will be delving into cut and sew to make custom hoodies, button ups and denim. Maybe I will introduce a t-shirt range or perhaps just limited edition one-offs.

The launch products are being put into production and all being well the launch release of VIHMIRU will be this summer! I was hoping for a spring launch but due to the Chinese New Year there will be delays before some products can be manufactured and shipped in time.

Also, I’ve recently noticed the rise of fans on facebook and twitter which is great so keep spreading the word and send invites to your friends!

Well, that’s all for now!

Ben

Well, we have reached the end of another decade and what a 10 years it’s been!
Lets see what the next 10 bring us!

I hope all my fellow night owls had a great Christmas. I was pleasantly surprised when opening one of my presents from my sister Trisha this year… she’d got me an iBend! What’s that I hear you ask? Let me show you.

Read the rest of this entry »

I have been waiting just over a week for these to turn up and damn!…
…they were worth the wait.



They are basically die-cut business cards on 400gsm with a matt laminate finish.

The only details on cards is the brand name and website address. This is because I wanted to use them as a promotional tool without giving away all my direct contact information.



Can’t wait to start handing them out to people and see their reactions. There are very few business cards with such a dynamic shape so hopefully they’ll impress.



I think the appearance of the cards is intriguing enough for people to want to pick them up so not only can I hand them out to people I meet, but I can also leave a few behind after I’ve left a restaurant or bar.



They are also ideal for leaving in cafeterias of the local colleges, universities and even the cinema.



When will you get your hands on one?…

Ben