Image Consultant and Company Brand Image Specialist, Michelle T. Sterling, Founder and Training Director of Sterling Style Academy, discusses the importance of developing a strong company brand identity by using the power of the Tory Burch brand as an example.  In just 6 years, Tory Burch has developed a strong brand image and company brand identity which is the foundation to developing any successful business.  If you are thinking about becoming an image consultant, personal shopper, or personal stylist, developing a strong company brand image and identity will be the key to your success and the Sterling Style Academy is here to provide you with the tools to set you up for success with our Sales, Marketing, and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit.  For more information, please click here.

Tory Burch Fashioned a Business Model First

By TERI AGINS, February 5, 2008

When Tory Burch’s Reva shoe took off last year, it looked like the latest accessory fad to come out of the blue.

Sales of the distinctive $195 ballet slipper with a double-T logo on a brass-plated buckle exceeded retailers’ expectations, at more than 250,000 pairs in more than a dozen shades since it appeared on store shelves in 2006.

But the Reva’s success was no fluke. It was part of the 41-year-old Ms. Burch’s carefully choreographed brand-building effort. With a business plan more in line with strategy in the packaged-goods industry than the design world, Ms. Burch is redefining how to run a fashion business today. After four years in business, the company’s annual sales are estimated at about $115 million.

Ms. Burch, a New York socialite and a mother of three boys, had no design experience when she launched her company with her husband, venture-capitalist Christopher Burch, though she had worked in public relations and marketing for designers Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang and Narciso Rodriguez. Her own wardrobe was a mix of designer and vintage fashions and mall brands such as J.Crew, and she realized that there weren’t many choices when it came to casual, fun clothes that didn’t cost a lot.

Most fledgling designers try to make their names as creative innovators in the top-tier world of $2,500 ensembles, where competition is steep and overhead for design studios, fashion shows and advertising is high. But the Burches, who are divorcing but plan to remain co-chairmen of the company, set out to launch a full-blown retail concept in the more lucrative and accessible mid-price sector known as contemporary fashion. Tory Burch tunics and dresses sell for $250 to $400, shoes for $195 to $350 and handbags for $400 to $600.

Ms. Burch shows the line to retailers at informal presentations like the one Ms. Burch will stage for her fall collection today during New York’s fashion week. Though models show the clothes, this presentation costs $30,000 or so, compared with $250,000 or more for a runway show.

 

Tory Burch produced a hit with its $195 Reva flats in assorted colors.

Their approach to the Reva ballet slipper is an example of the broader strategy the Burches have used to build the brand. Ms. Burch didn’t invent the shoe. Instead, she took note of the popularity of $300 ballet flats introduced by designers such as Marc Jacobs. But rather than compete head-on with them, she and her husband set out to build a highly commercial shoe that would sell at a lower price.

They formed a joint venture with Vince Camuto, a co-founder of Nine West, who enlisted his Brazilian factories to make a high-quality, affordable shoe. His creative director helped design a shoe that was sleek and low-cut, but had a sturdy shank for support and a flexible rubber sole for comfort. Elastic in the heel area made the shoes fit snugly without gaping.

“We wanted a practical shoe, a sexy ballet shoe with our logo — which we knew would sell,” says Ms. Burch, who named the style after her mother Reva.

Unlike many other fashion houses, the Burches didn’t license out the business. “We don’t believe in licensing because we feel very strongly that we want to control the brand,” Mr. Burch said in his first interview about the company.

To start the business in 2004, the Burches invested $2 million of their own money. The initial capital bought a lease for a 1,900-square-foot boutique in lower Manhattan and a first shipment of products to fill it.

The first prototypes were cooked up in the living room of the Burches’ Manhattan apartment. Mr. Burch interviewed many of the initial employees and, through a referral, found designer Stephanie von Watzdorf, who became their vice president of design.

With the objective of controlling distribution with her own stores and on a Web site, Ms. Burch came out of the gate with 15 product categories — an unusually broad array for a new fashion brand. Offerings included shoes, umbrellas, swimwear, beach towels, handbags, tops, bottoms, skirts and dresses. The style was based on Ms. Burch’s vision of the casual elegance of the 1960s or 1970s, a time when her parents vacationed in Greece and Morocco. She hired a firm to create the T logo, which she put on as many products as possible.

Through business connections, the Burches found five Hong Kong factories to make the initial products — about 50 units of each. “Our first orders were so small, and we had to beg — and sometimes pay premiums to get factory space,” says Mr. Burch, who had learned about manufacturing by running a family-owned sweater business.

Ms. Burch invited fashion editors, retailers and socialite friends to her store opening in February 2004. The place was filled with clothes featuring bold prints, embroidered details and buttons, and shoes and handbags. Almost everything sold the first day.

Tory Burch tunics caught on, partly because they flatter women of many ages and body types. Ms. Burch used a printed polyester tunic she had bought in a Paris flea market as the template for a line she made in silk prints decorated with embroidery and crystals. Oprah Winfrey featured the tunic on the “Favorite Things” segment of her talkshow in 2005, triggering thousands of orders on the Ms. Burch’s Web site.

“Tory saw that there was a niche in the market for great fashion that is practical and easy to wear at respectable prices,” says Ron Frasch, vice chairman and chief merchant at Saks Fifth Avenue.

However, like others in the fickle fashion business, Ms. Burch faces challenges. “She has to stay on top of the game season after season, and that’s the most difficult part,” Mr. Frasch says. Keeping the company’s successful team together and dealing with the prospect of new competition are other key factors, he says.

Among Tory Burch’s competitors now are contemporary brands such as Nanette Lepore, Diane von Furstenberg and Theory.

With wide exposure, including 12 boutiques of their own in the U.S., the Burches don’t think they need to advertise. Ms. Burch has become a powerful billboard for the brand, appearing on the Martha Stewart TV show and on the cover of Town & Country magazine last year.

The company has grown to 150 employees, including those who work in the stores. Despite the slowdown in consumer spending, the company is sticking with expansion plans that call for opening six more boutiques in the U.S. this year and a sales office in Milan to service its growing roster of international wholesale customers. Up next is a fragrance, which Ms. Burch says the company will probably produce as its first license, making an exception for a product that is difficult to make in-house.

The Burches say their business isn’t for sale, though they talk informally with investors from time to time. As the company grows, it faces new issues. “We want to take care not to over-distribute because our customer doesn’t want to see herself coming and going,” says Ms. Burch.

Write to Teri Agins at teri.agins@wsj.com

Our academy is committed to providing the most comprehensive image consultant training programs worldwide. We have invested years in developing the highest caliber of universally accepted, contemporary quality curriculum – aligning the technical and practical aspects of style with your unique creative abilities. With 10 annual training programs held on-location in Miami, New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Sydney, London, Hong Kong, and Dubai, as well as Online, you will be sure to find the image consultant training course that suits your needs.

Join the elite group of Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultants from more than 15 different countries. If you are passionate about pursuing your dreams of becoming an image consultant, personal stylist or personal shopper, we encourage you to review our website, blog, informational videos, and photo gallery and take your next step toward achieving your goals.

We know you have your choice in image consultant training and we want to make sure you select a training program that resonates with you and your needs, or meets your business growth needs.

If you are:

1. New to the image consulting industry
2. Have already been certified through an image consultant training program other than the Sterling Style Academy
3. Or are AICI FLC certified yet you are still trying to launch or struggling to grow your business

We invite you to learn more about our Image Consultant Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit.

Attendees of the AICI May 2010 Conference in Vancouver will have the opportunity to purchase the Sterling Style Academy Image Consultant Sales, Marketing, and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit at the introductory price of US$597, saving over US$900 off the retail price for non-Sterling Style Academy graduates when purchased by Wednesday, May 19, 2010.  Our Image Consultant Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit retails for US$1497 to non-Sterling Style Academy graduates, however is available for US$597 for AICI May 2010 Conference attendees if purchased before May 19, 2010. It will be sold at AICI Conference for US$997 to non-Sterling Style Academy graduates.  The Launch Kit will be available for purchase after the AICI conference for US$797 to the Sterling Style Academy incoming students and alumni and for US$1497 to non-Sterling Style Academy graduates. Postage and handling for national or international delivery will be billed in addition to your investment outlined above.

The Sterling Style Academy Image Consultant Sales, Marketing, and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit provides you with all of the tips and tricks you need to know to survive and thrive in this competitive economy.

Our Image Consultant Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit includes the following:

• A video tutorial on how to use the Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit
• Multiple image consultant press releases templates
• Simply input your company information to make it your own
• Sample image consultant sales pitches
• This will help you determine the best way to approach your target customer
• An image consultant business plan outline and worksheet with an earnings income projection model
• An image consultant marketing plan outline and worksheet– tailored for the image consultant industry and includes today’s top marketing strategies
• Sample business card, post card and brochure templates
• Customize each template by inserting your information and organization’s colors and logo
• Sample text to sell your image consultant business and services
• Use in your sales collateral, website and direct-to-consumer materials
• A 40-minute coaching session to discuss your current business growth needs and how to incorporate these materials to build your business (Please email us to schedule this appointment upon receipt of your launch kit.)

Learn how to promote and market yourself to become a successful image consultant using the Sterling Style Academy methodology which has produced top-notch image consultants like Yuuri Takano, Japan’s leading image consultant of choice. Within the first three years of being in business for herself, Ms. Takano is among the top two percentile of highly paid image consultant  and personal shopper salaries worldwide – earning more than US$250,000 per year.

Pre-Order Your Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit (USA)

Pre-Order Your Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit (International)

Postage and handling for US or international delivery will be billed in addition to your investment outlined above. All Sterling Style Academy training programs and consultant resources are non-refundable and are billed through Global Image Group.  The templates from the Sterling Style Academy Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit can be translated into your primary language to suit your needs; however the Sales, Marketing and Business Brand Identity Launch Kit workbook can not be translated for reproduction without prior consent of the Sterling Style Academy.

About the Sterling Style Academy

The Sterling Style Academy is a training program that prepares top-notch Image Consultants, Personal Shoppers, and Personal Stylists for success in this growing industry.  To learn more about our image consultant certification training programs and student resources, please visit our website at www.sterlingstyleacademy.com or contact us via email.

This theory holds true across all professions, including image consulting and personal styling. Many people possess the natural talent for fashion and style and dress themselves well, but dressing others and running a successful business doing so is another story. Image consultants are highly paid because they understand how to sort through the hectic maze of fashions, trends, brands and stores with a clear understanding of the client’s needs, where they come from, and their values. Professionals who excel in the image and style industries train constantly and work with a diversified clientele with varied budgets and different lifestyles.

Studies have shown that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert according to neurologist Daniel Levitin. This is even true of people we consider to be prodigies. “Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” Practice makes you better and gives you confidence.

If you were to hire an image consultant, rather than look at the number of years they have been in business, ask the consultant how many clients they’ve worked with and what demographic they target. An image consultant with three years of professional experience who works with three clients per week has just as much experience as a five year professional who works with one client per week. This is because both consultants have virtually the same client/consultant practical experience.

Those who succeed often work much harder than their competition. Therefore the likelihood of succeeding in the image consulting industry is as much a function of your mental agility and work ethic as it is your styling ability. If you believe in your ability to succeed and have a can-do attitude, you will be successful. As a freelancer, you are not obligated to work everyday, however if you wish to be a successful personal shopper, you will practice your craft and work on a daily basis either with a client or on your own.

Listen to Michelle T. Sterling, AICI, Founder and Training Director for the Sterling Style Academy as she speaks candidly about her image consultant career and client success stories as an internationally recognized Image Consultant and Personal Shopper.  Ms. Sterling is interviewed by Karri Ann Frerichs, Admissions Director for the Sterling Style Academy.

The Sterling Style Academy is proud to present its 5 Day Corporate Image Consultant Training Certification Program in Las Vegas.

As Las Vegas is the place where business meets pleasure, it serves as the perfect backdrop to train for a career in image, fashion and style. The Sterling Style Academy’s Corporate Image Certification Program will train you to develop a profitable career as a corporate image consultant in this multi-million dollar industry. Las Vegas is not only the home for midnight shopping, over-the-top shows and 24 hour glamour; it is also the global meeting place for corporate conferences and multi-media conventions. High-level executives, corporate sales trainers, and venture capitalists representing all industries flock to Las Vegas throughout the year to network with international peers, facilitate team-building, and establish profitable business relationships.

Train in the center of Las Vegas fashion and business at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, featuring world-class shopping and entertainment. Students enroll in the Sterling Style Academy Corporate Image Certification Program from all levels of professional Image Consulting to enhance their Executive Presence, Business and Social Etiquette, and Corporate Communication services. Las Vegas offers the perfect backdrop for corporate classroom training followed by practical application, and graduates of the Sterling Style Academy – Las Vegas Corporate Image Certification Program are positioned for success when working with the world’s major companies.

The Sterling Style Academy Corporate Image Certification Program prepares graduates to work with top level executives, human resource directors, corporate trainers and various levels of corporate management to provide expertise and services in Executive Presence development, Business Etiquette and Corporate Communication skills. Our graduates are educated to position themselves as industry experts. Graduates not only learn the theories behind image management for the corporate environment, but they also acquire invaluable business and marketing skills to strategically position themselves within their chosen markets. Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultants are licensed to utilize our industry-proven, copyrighted style evaluation tools, training manuals, and the Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultant Logo. Students of our online course who also complete the Corporate Image Certification Program may be eligible to enroll in the invitation-only Apprentice Program to become a member of the elite team of Global Image Group Consultants.

The 5 Day Corporate Image Certification Program is a fully comprehensive program designed to meet the learning needs of working professionals in a rigorous training environment. This program is offered once a year each September in Las Vegas only. In this program, you will learn the following:

• Professional Levels of Dress for Men and Women. Learn to identify the difference between corporate and business casual attire and how to appropriately dress your clients according to their career and environment.
  • Color. Learn the theories behind color and how to apply these theories to enhance your clients’ personal colorings.
  • Body Analysis for Men and Women. Learn to identify various body types and facial features to determine the ideal wardrobe application to highlight or conceal those features.
  • Fashion Styles for Men and Women. Learn to identify the various fashion styles and how to incorporate these principles to your clients’ wardrobe.
  • Cluster and Capsule Concept. Learn the art of clothing selection and coordination and how to apply it to your clients’ roles, lifestyle and goals.
  • Individual Personal Style Evaluations and Corporate Image Seminars. Learn how to apply the theories discovered in class to effectively conduct an individual corporate consultation or seminar to develop your clients’ image and improve their overall executive presence.
  • Corporate Communication Style Development. Perfect your verbal and non-verbal communication skills and learn how to apply these techniques toward training your clients. Learn how to devise and deliver the appropriate message through audience analysis.
  • Business Building. Learn to develop industry-proven tools and techniques to build your image consulting business.
  • Workplace Etiquette. Learn the 26 Standards of Workplace Excellence.

The Benefits of the Sterling Style Academy are the following:

1.  Commitment to Excellence. We consistently update our course curriculum so that our students receive the most current and timely style industry information.  Wardrobe case studies are shaped by the hippest celebrities and designer style, and our coaching of corporate communication and appropriate wardrobe is geared toward persevering through economic downturns.
2. Faculty Reputation. Your instructors have 50 years of combined industry experience and the Sterling Style Academy’s Founder is a Wellesley Alumnae, member of the National Organization of Professional Women, AICI, ASTD and other professional organizations committed to excellence.  You will train from experts who are recognized as being in the top 2 percentile in the image consulting industry.
3. Global Diversified Student Body and Internationally Recognized Student Alumni. Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultants span the globe from over 20 different countries from every continent.  The leading image consultant in Japan, Yuuri Takano, residing in Tokyo, graduated from the Sterling Style Academy New York in 2005 and re-enrolled with her assistant in 2008.  She has since pioneered the image consultant industry in her country, becoming a media darling, style author and premier image consultant in her market.
4. Every dollar of your Sterling Style Academy training investment is tax deductible. As a business owner, your industry education becomes a valuable tax deduction and may be written off as a business expense.

Las Vegas: September 10– 14, 2010
Registration Deadline: August 6, 2010
Tuition Fee for First Time Sterling Style Academy Students: USD $5947
Tuition Fee for Returning Sterling Style Academy Students: USD $5247
Corporate Image Certification granted upon completion of entire program.
Program Schedule: Friday – Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For more information, please email us to receive a course prospectus.

To make your investment today, please visit the following link: http://www.sterlingstyleacademy.com/corporate_program.html

Upon receipt of your registration form, we will send you a Welcome Package outlining the logistics of the training program, suggestions on where to stay, a detailed agenda, and much more. Your investment does not include air fare, lodging, transportation, personal expenses, training supplies or meals. Students should budget an additional USD $250 per week.

View this informational video on how to become an image consultant or personal shopper featuring the industry expertise of Michelle T. Sterling, AICI, Founder and Training Director of the Sterling Style Academy. Ms. Sterling is interviewed by Karri Ann Frerichs, Admissions Director for new and prospective students of the Sterling Style Academy.

Learn how to become an Image Consultant and Personal Shopper:
- How do I start an Image Consultant Career?
- What salary do Certified Image Consultants earn?
- What does the Image Consulting industry look like?
- What are the benefits of Sterling Style Academy?

A:  Thank you for your interest in Sterling Style Academy.

Based on your experience, we believe you would be a successful professional working in the fields on Image Consulting, Personal Styling, Personal Shopping, and Executive Presence. Approximately 15% of our IN-CLASS graduates are offered the invitation-only opportunity to enroll in the Apprentice Program which specifically trains consultants to become apart of the Global Image Group team.

Our courses equip students with the knowledge and hands-on training not only to ensure their clients are wardrobed for success, but to also educate their clients on why these styles do or do not serve their best interests, thus making the Image Consultant an invaluable asset to their lives.

Graduates of our courses become Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultants and are licensed to keep and use our course training materials, wardrobe guides, work books, and even the Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultant logo to benefit each consultant’s business marketing efforts. Upon enrollment into one of our courses, each student is provided with a course syllabus including a very detailed glossary of terms and suggested books for further success in the industry.

Three of these books are considered required reading and are necessary for completion of certain training modules. The costs for these books are not included in the course tuition and will cost approximately $200. Other required items are typically those that each student already possesses, including a laptop and basic school supplies such as notebooks, pens, etc. Furthermore, if you choose to enroll in one of our IN-CLASS training courses, such as our 2.5 Week Course in San Francisco, October 5 – 21, 2009, each student is responsible for securing his/her individual room and board accommodations. The Sterling Style Academy is happy to offer preferred suggestions.

Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultants become members of our vast network of international image consultants and are encouraged to network through the Annual Alumni Open Forum and our Alumni Online Network. Best business practices including marketing and public relations are also taught as a part of each training course.

We hope this information answers your questions. Upon reviewing our Course Prospectus, please do not hesitate to email with further questions. We look forward to setting you up for success when launching your career as an Image Consultant, Personal Stylist, Personal Shopper, and Executive Presence Expert.

Best regards,
Karri Ann Frerichs
Admissions Director

There are certain non-verbal clues that others pick up about you through your dress and behavior that cause them to make snap judgments. The “rules” about professional behavior and dress are not as clear cut as they used to be and are changing rapidly. This is where the help of an Image Consultant becomes invaluable.

Image Consultants have specialized knowledge and training in matters of dress, etiquette and professional presentation. Starting with your current wardrobe, an Image Consultant will make suggestions on color, fit and additional investment pieces that will help you present yourself in a more confident and successful manner.

Working with an Image Consultant is investing in you. A great personal stylist will take your current challenges and turn them into opportunities with confidence. The return is noticeable, as you will feel more confident and able to present the proper image for any occasion and will save valuable time coordinating and purchasing your wardrobe.

Most of our prospective, current and graduated students expressed their personal desire to “Help People” and to parlay their “Natural Talent and Eye for Style and Fashion” into a career.  Training sessions are geared to ensure Image Consultants are able to tailor their knowledge and services to fit each client’s specific lifestyle and needs. For further details, please contact the Sterling Style Academy.

What if you could earn an additional $48,000 in your first year of image consulting just by working with 3 clients per month?  Your online tuition investment of $3247 would be paid for in your first month!  Investing in your education and becoming a Certified Image Consultant will undeniably add tremendous value to your bottom line.  If you are currently earning $50,000 per year and choose to pursue this career part time, imagine nearly reaching the six figure mark just by working with one client per weekend!

The Sterling Style Academy’s online image consultant certification program not only equips you with the skills to become a top-notch image consultant, but we also teach the sales and marketing tips required to launch a successful business even in this economy.

If your schedule doesn’t permit, there is no need to travel to learn the skills to become an image consultant.  Save money, study at your own pace, and save your hard-earned vacation time.

Our online training program provides you with the following learning tools:
a) focused and thorough training modules
b) audio and video instruction
c) expert instruction and feedback to ensure understanding
d) become a Sterling Style Academy Certified Image Consultant licensed to utilize our industry leading materials!

Pursue your dreams by investing $197 in our pay-as-you-go online image consultant certification program and get started toward feeling better and more in control of your future.

“Dear Sterling Style Academy,
Thank you so much for the tickets to Confessions of a Shopaholic! The movie was pure eye-candy and really made me think about my wardrobe. I could relate to Rebecca in feeling flustered and overwhelmed with her wardrobe. I laughed to myself because I’ve TOTALLY been there. What I need is to hire a personal stylist to help me get my closet organized and my wardrobe more together. I tend to buy what I like and what is in-trend at the moment. I am left with are pieces that don’t match.  I hate to say it, but I have tops in my closet with tags still attached to them because I don’t know what to wear them with.  I also, would love to learn what looks best on my body. I want to look like I’ve lost ten pounds without having to jump on the treadmill : ) .

Thanks again for the tickets.  Loved it even more second time around.

Sharon Hope”