About Me

I always believe dreams are driving forces of reality and everything happens for a reason, for the good and bad.

Tricia Ong. Email me at vaingloriousyou@gmail.com for enquiries and advertising

@VainGloriousYou

Shop VainGloriousYou

VGY Facebook

My Facebook

Previous Posts

~ Why You Should Sterilize Your Pet
~ NIVEA Skin Delight Oil In Body Milk
~ Gaining those extra hours
~ Wedfolks is here!
~ Ready For A Summer Vacation In All Things Aimer
~ Is Thermage really effective?
~ Review on Revitalift Filler from L'Oreal Paris
~ Deep Care Proionic Facial at J's Medi-Spa
~ The Best of Lancôme
~ BRAND’S® Christmas Guide 2015

Archives

September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
July 2011
August 2011
September 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011
January 2012
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
July 2012
August 2012
September 2012
October 2012
November 2012
December 2012
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
May 2013
June 2013
July 2013
August 2013
September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013
January 2014
February 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August 2014
September 2014
October 2014
November 2014
December 2014
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015
April 2015
June 2015
July 2015
August 2015
September 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
January 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
November 2016
February 2017

Popular Reads

Graceous For Lashes
My Proposal In Japan

Labels: ESSENCE, maxi dress, swan by vgy, vaingloriousyou, vgy

Post a Comment

Finally getting down to blogging about some of the before-the-scenes work and prep that happened before the VGY's Pre-Fall 2015 media event, especially an experience I had with a company who was responsible in outfitting and the overhaul of a section of the boutique for this important milestone.

As the event is held in the boutique, preparations to improve the Swan By VGY's section began approximately 3 months back where we conceptualised on improving the visual space and outlook at this premium space all the way at the back of the boutique. Many associate SWAN with elegance, and a line that is shrouded in mystery partly because of how we build this area in the boutique. It is dark, black, and consumers are basked in a low-light setting so has to enhance the shopping experience via heightened senses. Trust me, we even had customers asking if we sell wedding gowns under SWAN. Is it because SWAN is not brightly lit nor does she have walls washed in white like conventional retail shops? I do not know but one thing I have learnt from being an owner to a brick-and-motar retail store for the past 5 years is effective retail design helps to boost customers' understanding and enjoyment of the brand and products.

During the process of searching for a reliable and knowledgeable supplier in retail fittings to the fashion industry in Singapore and Asia (due to the many challenges faced), I had the opportunity to work with Retailers Market. One of the challenges I have resonates with that of many boutique owners being the expensive and limited retail spaces in Singapore. Therefore, we must always seek to maximize vertical space usage with a smart designed system for the purpose of creating a good flow via visual sensory pleasure. Additionally, a good retail design will also help to narrate the brand's story and products so this was the reason why I set my mind on doing an overhaul at SWAN's section with the launch of my first ever designer collective series :)

The 2 photos below show how the SWAN BY VGY's section at the boutique was PREVIOUSLY. It was cluttered, messy, and obviously display a very bad use of space, concept including a bad flow in the retail design :(

Being a local business myself, I was drawn to the fact that the Retailers Market is also a home-grown business owned and managed by sisters, Nikki & Alison since 2009. I always believe that local businesses should always support one another! It also helped that they are also Spring Singapore's accredited vendor for Product Display and Store Layout (PDSL). So off I went to visit the company at their showroom and was pleasantly surprised by their expertise in supplying retail fittings, mannequins & value management services to the fashion industry. The rest is history when I was introduced to their home walk-in closets with Maxe System. It was then and there I wanted the Maxe System to be fitted out for my boutique.

Maxe System is an Australian designed system that is widely used by retailers in Australia and Singapore. It is available in wall mount and free standing version - both of which have now formed an integral part of the Swan By VGY retail space design.

Of the both versions, I truly appreciate the modular fixtures that allow the pianogram of the store to be changed frequently and with ease. VGY, being better known for our maxi dress designs where we launch them at specific seasons in the year - The modular fixtures is definitely a godsend for us to change up fixtures position depending on the type of clothes that we will launch during the season.

To add on to my excitement, Nikki and Alison surprised me by making marble panels a REALITY when I was just casually mentioning to them about the beauty of marble panels during the conceptualisation process and just how lovely it will be if the panels are anything but black. Then came a fine day when I received a call from Nikki which went....

Nikki: Tricia, remember how you spoke about marble as a backdrop? We think that is a beautiful idea and I think we may just be able to make that come true for you because we found an amazing marble laminate!
Tricia: *hyperventilating* Omg you guys have not done this before right? Do they look like the real deal?? 
Nikki: Yes it is gona be the first with you. We found a way to do it with changeable panels for your different fashion seasons in a year! I do think it looks like the real deal and the marbling is absolutely beautiful *(I can almost see her smile behind the phone)  

Nicki hard at work!

This, IS the power of working with companies who understands your needs and especially your inspirations and wish list. It is also essential to work with people who will listen and it applies to all just like your interior designer (to name one). Back to Retailers Market, it was open communication with the sisters who were so easy to work with and knowing the importance of the outfitting before the ESSENCE's media launch, they had all aspects covered even though some things like hangers slipped my mind. It came as a surprise to me that they even remembered the current hangers in my boutique may not be suitable for the new racks in place and even suggested to provide customized logo printing on all the new hangers even though the quality I settled for is low at 150pcs.

Thanks to their recommendation, I settled for hangers which are made of quality Schima timber that is smoothened and lacquered to protect the apparels. Imagine having to choose from 4 different colors and seven off-the-shelf styles! Put me in a situation where I have to CHOOSE, is like an impossible mission for me. Okay I concur choosing colors is not as hard as choosing the styles!

I love the curvature of the hangers which I realized actually make the structure of the clothes look even better than a flat 2D sort of hanger. They say you judge the clothes on its hanger even before you touch it and I can tell you, IT IS TRUE. I would reach out and go for a nicely hung up piece of apparel at home over another just because. Yes, just because.

So this is the AFTER. Hauntingly beautiful and a far cry from the old design, isn't it?

And this was how it went down on VGY's first ever designer collection media launch :*) I am absolutely thankful to Nikki and Alison for having created a space where my esteemed media guests and more importantly customers, can completely immerse in the brand and relate to VGY's diffusion line - Swan By VGY. 

(Photo Credits to: Mojo Ideas) 

(Photo Credits to: Mojo Ideas) 

(Photo Credits to: Mojo Ideas) 

(Photo Credits to: Mojo Ideas) 

With that, VGY will unveil a newly designed website and launch our first designer collective titled ESSENCE this week! The designer collective pieces will also be stocked in to the boutique by this week so stay tuned to our Instagram (@vgystore) for more details.


PROMOTION DETAILS & ADDRESS

Lastly, Nikki & Alison from the Retailers Market are very kind to extend a 15% RRP discount for my readers when you quote "Tricia15"! This will include their FULL RANGE of hangers, closet system, jewellery, bag displays etc and will run from now till the end of September 2015. If you are considering a walk-in wardrobe or even revamping your wardrobe, I would highly recommend Retailers Market because the sisters are the most dedicated duo and definitely because it was such a pleasant experience with them.

Feel free to enquire more at 6841 2232 or visit them at their showroom (like I did) at the address below:

Retailers Market
76 Playfair Road
Singapore 367996
Tel: 6841 2232
Website: http://www.retailersmarket.com.sg/
15% off when you quote "Tricia15" from now till Sept 2015! 

Labels: ESSENCE, Maxe System, Retailers Market, swan by vgy, vaingloriousyou

Post a Comment

Few entries back, I wrote about the new milestones of VGY which I am trying to achieve and fast forward to this date, I can very proudly say I have done it; VGY has done it.

Amidst many uncertainties and unexpected delays, I am very excited to announce that the new VGYSTORE at Haji Lane will officially open her doors for a media & VIP mailing list preview on 31st Oct and 1st Nov respectively. 

Also, get to preview the new VGY e-commerce site first hand in the Store between 1-3pm! 

Achieving this milestone is definitely not easy when I made the decision to stay in Haji Lane and call this place home to VGY. The market conditions and the changing consumer perception made this decision a really hard one but the leap of faith and confidence in my own decisions have brought us here and it will continue to bring us to greater heights. Slow but surely and steadily ;) 

Now to quell many queries, VainGloriousYou (VGY)  was previously located at 42 Haji Lane, better known as The Vainpot Boutique. This shop was co-owned by 2 online shops namely VGY and Momoteapots (MMTP). The decision was made unanimously to close down The Vainpot Boutique as both myself and my good friend, Serene (the owner of MMTP) are working towards different goals for both our companies. MMTP will be soaring to greater heights by focusing greater efforts in the online business whereas it will be a dual-pronged approach for VGY via our e-commerce store (www.vgystore.com) and a brick and motar retail shop. 

Having been in Haji Lane for 4 years now, 42 Haji Lane holds very memorable times for VGY and this is actually why I have decided to stay here at the same address to open the brand new VGY shop front instead of looking for a brand new location :) And this decision is made knowing that consumers may be confused which is why I am investing so much efforts into renovating it with a brand new look to reflect the brand, VGY. 

The renovation period was made a hassle free one with the help of my very two young and aspiring interior designers, Hafi and Roxanne, from The Barnett Group, who worked hand in hand with me to create a store that is vastly different from before. Most importantly, they were responsible for overseeing the entire renovation and I could not have done it without them because of my busy schedule. To this, I have to say getting an interior designer really does take off a lot of stress and time on renovation works. Phew.

It was not easy sourcing for tiles and with the help of my IDs, they introduced me to one of the biggest tiles companies in Singapore - Soon Bee Huat. 

In the end, 2 different set of tiles were selected from SBH to reflect VainGloriousYou and our premium brand, Swan By VGY. I was so so so happy when I saw the tiles after they were installed because it is exactly what I had envisioned! The tiles are so beautiful with the intricate wood carvings and I did not see such tiles from the countless tile companies I visited! Could have save so much time if I came to know of SBH earlier! And I am definitely glad that I chose tiles over laminates because tiles will last even longer and look just like real wood than laminates would. The wood carvings and swirls in tiles will also look more natural! Haha I guess I have learnt so much about renovation, tiles, contractors, all the last minute additions from this experience. 

 

I have to mention that this is not an advertisement for them but I genuinely hope to share this information to potential young home owners as the selection of tiles at SBH are insane. Trust me, I have been to so many tiles companies sourcing for the right tiles for VGY and the service and selection at Soon Bee Huat is unrivalled. 

To ensure that I meet my own expectations for the official opening, the team and I have invested a lot of time and efforts into ensuring there is a reason why we do what we do. That includes the companies we have reached out to who will be supporting this event in the form of contribution to a luxurious goodie bag for our #VGYVIP attendees. Haha we at the office were all very excited to announce the sponsors coming onboard this official launch. Have you seen sneaks on our social media platforms? Every brand is carefully curated to ensure the brand's positioning is congruent with the direction that VGY is heading towards. Which is what I meant by, there is a reason why we do what we do ;) 

We sought for complimenting brands in specific categories namely Skincare, Makeup, Hair, Lifestyle and Health so be sure to see them around in the Store and your goodie bag! A press release kit will also be provided to let you know more about the Store here in Haji Lane, what is upcoming on VGY and the significance of each sponsor in your goodie bag ;)  

Do sign up for our mailing list (by emailing us at info@vgystore.com) if you have not because on the 1st of Nov, Saturday from 1PM to 3PM, it will be a by-invite only VIP preview for our mailing listees and we have a grand total of 300 luxurious goodie bags to be given away while stocks last! You are also able to purchase unlaunched pieces at online prices only from 1-3pm! ;) 

Labels: A Han Bakes, Elizabeth Arden, Fiorella, haji lane, hicjuice, Just Tangy, MAC, Salon Vim, swan by vgy, vaingloriousyou, vgy, vgystore, vgystore.com

Post a Comment

It has been months  since the Great Singapore Sale held on 14 and 15 June over at Vainpot Boutique ended with goals met and targets achieved. It is with immense sense of satisfaction and appreciation that I pen down this entry to thank the team at Vainpot Boutique, VGY and MMTP who have all came together to make this sale happen.

We usually work up to our necks 2 nights before to shift cartons of clothes into Vainpot Boutique. This year was no exception. We actually only managed to leave the boutique at 7AM in the morning where we quickly freshened up at home with a bath and had to make it down at 9AM. 

 

Li Young from Hilly Events hard at work

The night before is the usual scene of chaos and just….clothes and hangers strewn everywhere. This year was slightly different because we had the folks from Hilly Events over with us to do decorations in the boutique. You may consider looking for them to do up your place for a birthday celebration, a bachelorette’s night (yes I am considering!!), or even any large scale event you may be holding! The prices are pretty affordable I would say ;)

A big part of the success of this sale event can be attributed to Vainpot's intern, Yvonne Koh (Von for short as we have another Yvonne Koh in the office! What are the odds!) who had just joined us in May for a 3 months long stint. Many times, it was hair-pulling, fist clenching, table banging sorta' passionate emotions I experienced when Von was under my training haha. It was also my first time training an intern but this experience made me realize I actually like coaching and sharing my knowledge. Hm okay maybe not so much of the coaching (remember my passionate emotions) but more on sharing and making sure the people under my wing are able to learn and grow in the company. 

This year's mega sale saw the participation of many brands who have given their support earnestly which I cannot be more thankful for. Refer to my previous post here for more details. Thank you so much for coming on board and you have all played a role in contributing to the success of this inaugural sale event! THANK YOU! :*)

Moving forward, VGY is moving towards a huge change coming this October. Would like to think that VGY is taking baby steps to achieve her milestones because she is learning as she goes along, and when you do that, you commit mistakes and you learn from them. There are companies who scale heights really fast but VGY is not one of them. This company is born out of my passion and passion is the driving force behind achieving milestones - not so much about the money, although I have been very blessed to be able to make a career out of it, but more about the love behind this brand. Which is why I am taking time to enjoy the journey. 

Come October, there will be many changes to VGY which all goes towards building brand presence, brand image improvement, better corporate structure and working environment. Amongst them to name a few, major renovation underway for VGY’s very own brick and motar store, a brand new website and a fully equipped office. And I have to say, I am extremely blessed to be able to work with so many supporting companies who are coming together to make this happen for VGY. 

For one, Success Legacy, founded by my lovely friends, Eve Pek and Moses, have been working hand in hand with me and The Story Behind to produce a not-your-ordinary fashion video for VGY AW2014 teaser. More on this when the video comes out later this month :*) 

Onto Success Legacy, I will be coming onto this company’s platform to talk about how I turned my passion for fashion into a viable business. More about what I will be covering in the video below :) 

It will be a first time for me coming out to share about my experiences and trade secrets in my line of work. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can (once and for all haha) answer all the questions that I have been receiving in my email for the past 3 years on how I run my business. Just kidding. I am very supportive of start-ups and enterprising individuals as I have been one myself. I know how valuable it will be to be able to hear experiences shared by someone who has been there, done that. I may not be a good speaker but I will try my best to share everything that is important to know in this industry, the ups and downs I have experienced and how I achieve milestones. 

The RSVP is now open for this LIVE workshop proudly sponsored by Elizabeth Arden, Hic Juice and SongFa. HOWEVER the seats are extremely limited as I wish for it to be a cosy session. To stand a higher chance to receive an invite for this LIVE session happening on 27 Sept from 10am to 3pm, here’s how you can up your chances after you RSVP at their website: 

** 

VIA INSTAGRAM

1. Upload a photo (can be anything!) with caption telling Success Legacy why you wish to attend!

2. Tag @success_legacy

3. Hashtag #SLVGY 

Psst, you get even higher chances if you upload a simple video of yourself explaining why you wish to attend! ;) 

VIA FACEBOOK

1. Post a status on Facebook telling Success Legacy why you wish to attend!

2. Tag Success Legacy (https://www.facebook.com/successlegacy) in your status 

Thank you for lending me your support for this workshop and I hope through this sharing experience, VGY will be able to add value into your business! Attendees will all get a luxurious goodie bag courtesy of Elizabeth Arden so good luck and RSVP away!

Labels: Success Legacy, swan by vgy, The Story Behind, vaingloriousyou, vgy

Post a Comment