NKD Clothing

It's a dog's life...

2011-09-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

Well the week has started with lots of excitement within the walls of NKD Towers! Our newest member of the team is coming to join us on Friday...

But who is this new member of the team you ask? Well he's a cute little shiz tzu puppy who will be 9 weeks on Thursday! But we need your help...we just can't agree on what to call him!!!

We like good old fashioned boys names - Rodney, Sherlock, Elvis, Dudley, George, Stanley and Bailey have all been mentioned but we just can't decide - please help us!!!

One thing we can be sure of - our little doggy will be the best dressed pup in town!

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Festival Frenzy at NKD Towers

2011-08-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

Well our favourite month is almost at a close here at NKD Towers...and with that I suspect some earlier nights and fuller wallets! All the team here have had a great month during the world famous Edinburgh Festival - Zander has been writing reviews for a local magazine, Sarah rocked with the Blues Brothers, Fiona missed a show due to the 24hr clock causing confusion (yes we believe you when you blamed your boyfriend made the mistake), Ciaran should have had a show herself due to her outstanding singing voice and I've been to too many shows my bank manager is happy with!!

But it was our Ray who hit the big time, playing a prime part in the Patrick Monahan show last Saturday night! We've been fans of Pat for the past few years and always go to see his show. But it was Ray's dapper dress sense that caught Pat's eye - not surprising as Ray is King of the NKD Warehouse and knows a good shirt when he sees one. Pat called it Ray's 'pulling shirt' - a phrase that confused the hell out of our lovely friend Lori who was over visiting Edinburgh from my favourite US city Chicago!

Big congrats also go out to Pat for winning the recent ITV show 'Show Me the Funny' - mark my words this time next year he will be a household name! Not only do NKD spot forward fashion trends we also spot forward funny men!

It's not been all play and no work in August I might add! We've been busy designing for lots of new lovely clients and rolled out new staff outfits for Norwich & Peterborough Building Society!

Bank Holiday Monday means our last show with the pun man Tim Vine - Ray will be stealing some of his one liners no doubt. Thank you Edinburgh for being such an amazing city - NKD Towers is proud to have it's HQ in this most vibrant of cities!

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that friday feeling

2011-06-10T07:28:00.000-07:00

It's a sunny friday afternoon and the 2nd day of the boss's holiday.

Time to break out the denim dungarees and host a Prisoner Cell Block H Party!

The question is - who's Top Dog til Gill gets back?

While the cat’s away....

2011-06-09T05:02:00.000-07:00

Here at NKD towers Boss Lady Gill and Ray have just left for much warmer climates, but we have continued working just as hard as we normally would.....

...problem solving...

...communicating...

........and brainstorming.

Ok, ok, ok- obviously these are not real pictures.

For a start, the staff here are far better dressed!

We have been busy though. The team has been working extremely hard on the launch of the newly refurbished Vista, central London’s largest rooftop bar. NKD designed a brand new pink flash asymmetric apron for the staff, combining it with black braces and a trilby hat, giving a functional, yet city chic outfit.

Vista’s grand opening is tomorrow night and we wish them the best of luck from all at NKD!

http://www.thetrafalgar.com/vista-homepage/

Happy New Uniform Day!

2011-05-19T07:46:00.001-07:00

A very Happy New Uniform Day to William and the team at The White Hart Hotel in Dartmoor, who will receive their new Front of House and F&B outfits today.

With complimentary tones of Port, Chocolate and Olive, their new look is good enough to eat!

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The High Tech of the Rag Trade...

2011-05-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

Today is a momentous day in the history of NKD Clothing. One of our suppliers has just got a new fax machine!!! And not just a fax machine, it is indeed a phone fax! ???

Whatever next, a betamax video??

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One month in....

2011-05-11T08:20:00.007-07:00

This Monday ( although I was actually on some decking on the bonny sunny banks of Loch Lomond ) I celebrated my one month anniversary at NKD. My profile picture on the Facebook “Admins” section was taken on said decking, at my good friends Scottish/Norwegian wedding, although I must mention that the “cuddle suit” ( Norwegian translation ) I am modelling will not become part of NKD’s range any time soon!

Some highlights so far in my one month here:

Held a meeting in a bedroom with about 13 other people.
Held a meeting on a building site.
Had a huge Mr.Bean moment en route to aforementioned building site meeting when I placed something invaluable on top of the car and then forgot about it, letting Gill drive off at speed.

· Consumed my body weight in Zander’s home baking.·
And finally, learnt EVERYTHING there is to know about the “rag trade”.......well, maybe not quite EVERYTHING!

I am sure I am making more mistakes than I’m being told about, but luckily everyone in NKD Towers is very forgiving, so aside from the old “I’m sure I did that” moment (which I blame my mother for; serving me lots of cheap William Low burgers as a child therefore inviting bovine dementia into my life) everything is going swimmingly!

I will be blogging and commenting here and there from now on, as no day is ever the same here I’m pretty sure that there will always be something for me to divulge!!

A Right Royal Do!

2011-04-28T01:00:00.000-07:00

Here at NKD Towers we are just getting a teeny bit excited for tomorrow! We are all wondering just what will Kate's dress look like??? Wishing all our clients and friends a fun filled Bank Holiday weekend! Hope the sun stays out!

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Blowing the Budget?

2011-03-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Well uncannily enough it wasn't only George Osborne who revealed his budget today. Yes indeed today budgets were also on the agenda at NKD Towers!

Setting a budget is an important part of running your own business, and one which should not be overlooked. It helps you understand the direction that your business is heading and can help you make improvements and corrections before any big mistakes are made.

Setting a budget is not as hard as it seems, though I was aided greatly by my financial wizard and NKD Non Exec Director Rav Singh! Rav and I plotted the various figures into our budget spreadsheet and began forecasting our sales for the year ahead - this I found the most tricky part, I wish I had a crystal ball!

The good thing about setting a budget at the beginning of the year is that once you get the hang of it you will realise that it's a very effective tool in monitoring your finances and improving your business all year long. Here's to a good year for everyone!

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NKD Man of the Week

2011-03-22T09:04:00.001-07:00

Yes I know it's only Tuesday at NKD Towers but after watching Sunday night's Duran Duran One Night Only I just can't get the gorgeous Simon Le Bon out of my head!

Yes I know I'm showing my age here when I marvel on about the delights of SLB but he's certainly aged well in my view!

A Summer Flavour with a Scottish Twist

2011-03-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Pictured from left to right; Simon O'Leary - Sales Manager St James Smokehouse, Lena Wilson, Brendan James Maher - Owner & President St James Smokehouse, Guy Crawford - CEO Jumeirah Group, Andrew Potts - Global Operations Manager St James Smokehouse

We thought we'd try to cheer up your (and our) gloomy Tuesday (it's very grey in Edinburgh) and you don't get much sunnier than tales from the golden beaches of Dubai.

We're very proud to unveil our latest creative addition to the international hospitality arena - the kilt apron!

The story begins with an email from Fiona MacLachlan of Scottish Development International's textile division (Scottish Enterprise). Fiona wanted to pull on our expertise to design a Scottish over-garment to be included in the Jumeriah Beach staff uniform when SDI hosted a Global Scots event at the end of February 2011. The team at NKD Towers were quick to come up with suggestions and finally agreed to focus on the development of a garment that would best represent Scotland's traditional dress as well as celebrate our nations innovative approach to garment design.

John Culbert of Glenisla Kilts worked with our designer Sarah to produce a unique kilt inspired apron using the Camel Stewart tartan (as pictured). The design combines a lightweight (poly/viscose) machine washable tartan with mock side buckle feature, knife pleat and fringe detail. There's also a hidden universal fastening which ensures the apron is fitted, comfortable for all and importantly - very practical.

Feedback from the event was extremely positive, Fiona said "The kilts were fab, the staff really enjoyed wearing them and they really set the scene".

What can I say...another triumph for the uber talented team at NKD Clothing - even if I do say so myself.

Who burnt the toast?

2011-03-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well it was business as normal this morning at NKD Towers until lunchtime when business was interrupted by the wailing of the fire alarm going off. Typical, great timing we all said - Steph looked particularly annoyed as she'd just heated her soup up!

Thankfully the hailstones had stopped but without our coats it was absolutely freezing! The girls in the office soon warmed up when the local fire brigade pulled up and went in to investigate the source of the problem. Me being me, I never go anywhere without my trusty i-phone so managed to catch a quick snap of one of the lovely firemen!

About 15 minutes later we were all allowed back in the building and Steph faced a lovely bowl of cold soup. The cause of the alarm? Yes someone did burn their toast but thankfully it was not one of the NKD Team!

Tape measure for the Toon Army?

2011-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I'm off to Newcastle to see a potential new client who is opening a brand new hotel in the party capital of the UK! The brand is already established in Canada and this is their first development within the UK. Exciting stuff!

There's been lots of chat surrounding the Newcastle football team in the media today with the news of Andy Carroll's departure to Liverpool. Being married to a 'Geordie' means this news for me isn't going to be over soon!

Anyway enough of this football chat and back to NKD! Here's hoping I don't have to get my tape measure out to measure the gentleman in the picture above!

Paris in the Morning!!!

2011-01-19T11:42:00.000-08:00

Well not quite Paris in the Springtime, but nearly....! Yes tomorrow I am catching the red eye flight out to Paris to carry out a sizing exercise with our French chums at Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs Elysees .

With my trusty tape measure in hand I am going to measure all the staff for their new NKD Staff Uniform , meet the management team and train the Head Housekeeper in the art of measuring people! It also means I have the opportunity of what I love doing best - meeting the people who will wear our clothing and seeing the garments being worn in situ!

Rav has also lined me up with another meeting later in the day so looking forward to getting the opportunity to spread the word across Paris about the NKD way of life!

Back to Edinburgh on Friday, with lots to catch up on before one of my favourite times of the week, 5 o'clock wine time! I'm off to bed within the hour....

Business Mentor to Build on NKD Success

2011-01-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

NKD Clothing are pleased to announce the appointment of Rav Singh as Non Executive Director. Managing Director of Bonhard Consulting Ltd. Singh has a broad base of experience especially in the financial arena and joins the NKD team to support their growth strategy.

With more than 21 years of commercial experience, Rav believes NKD has significant potential which he aims to help the business realise. With a new year comes a new approach and Rav is able to offer the dedicated team an objective view of the business as well as using his connections to open doors to valueable opportunities.

Rav, who is now based in Perth following several years in Europe said of the appointment, "I'm confident NKD can expand in to new markets and products without diluting its brand values. I'm both delighted and priviledged to be able to play a part in helping NKD Clothing to deliver its objectives and rise to the challenges that lie ahead."

NKD Clothing Owner Gill Eastgate added: "Rav is passionate about NKD; he's keen to support the development of our business. I'm excited about the effective contribution I know he'll make to NKD. Rav is here to challenge both myself as Director and our management team.

Has Vogue gone Gaga?

2010-12-30T05:32:00.000-08:00

Her show stopping outfits are enough to make even the most liberal of us blush or indeed 'gag' so why oh why does this diva rank in Vogue's Best Dressed 2010?

She has undoubtedly added to this years biggest fashion moments but surely for all the WRONG reasons. As a performance dresser we salute her but as a style icon worthy of a place among the fashion glitterati.....the NKD jury is out!

Check out Lady Gaga's top looks of 2010 and tell us what YOU think?

Black Friday 2010

2010-12-20T02:28:00.000-08:00

Well I think it's fair to say Black Friday 2010 was certainly a day to remember for not just the NKD Team! It all started pretty calm, quite peaceful to say the least. Deliveries appeared to be getting back to normal, Zander and Ray ploughed their way through the outstanding customer orders up in the NKD Warehouse, Sarah completed some design work for a client and I spent the morning working on the figures. Lisa and Steph were heading down to Peterborough on the train to see a client. Generally speaking it was business as normal...

At 12.15pm Steph texted me to tell me that they hadn't managed to get off the train at Peterborough - the train doors had failed to open and no passengers had been able to get on or off the train! With the girls heading to the next stop, which in this instance was London, we were all beginning to wonder if this was turning out to be a wasted journey! Thankfully our client managed to push the meeting back a couple of hours, Steph and Lisa arrived in London, the train doors opened and they ran to catch the next train heading north which was leaving in 6 minutes! They eventually arrived back to Peterborough and had by all accounts what was a very successful meeting.

Back in Edinburgh the remainder of the team heading up to The Living Room for our Christmas Lunch. We were joined on this occasion by our 2 friends - Belinda Roberts of Winning Entrepreneurs and Susie Lacroix of No. 1 Currency. Lunch was great and we bumped into a few of our clients including Richard Oliver of Harrison Field and the lovely Sandy and Sarah from Citidogs.

We moved onto one of our favourite bars, the gorgeous Tigerlily, where lots of NKD friends were out in full force, including my bestest chum Lady Laura! It seemed the whole of Edinburgh was out on Friday night. I can't quite remember what time we decided all to head home but I certainly made it home safely. The same can't quite be said for Belinda....at 04.57am I woke up needing a drink of water to quench my hangover induced thirst. For some reason I plugged my mobile in and went on Facebook when I was in the kitchen to see a posting from Belinda who had just checked out of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary! Poor Belinda had taken her dog out for a walk after we had all gone home and split her head open! 5 big staples in her head she was admitted home. Not nice.

Other injuries sustained on Black Friday in Edinburgh include our very own Ray who slipped and fell - his glasses jarred into the side of his head and he now has a lovely black eye which he can barely see out of! My solicitor Susanne was also a victim of the snow and ice (or was it the alcohol) - She woke up with a very sore leg from falling flat on her face and a cancelled bank card!

I can only say the streets of Edinburgh must have been very quiet on the Saturday - thank goodness Christmas comes just once a year!!! Have a good one everybody and stay safe!!!

Christmas Opening Hours 2010

2010-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Carry on Matron

2010-12-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Well it's just not getting any better is it? After what has got to be the worst day of snow yesterday, today turned into a bit of a carry on film.

Feeling distinctly poorly I managed to get a doctors appointment for this morning but sadly couldn't get my car out the drive, nor could I get a taxi. To cut a long story short I ended up at the A&E department of the local hospital as my breathing had reached rock bottom and I decided I've still got too much to do before I leave this mortal earth! 3.5 hours later after blood tests, chest x rays and being hooked up to a nebuliser for half an hour I was allowed to come home!

My breathing wasn't helped by the hideous outfits that the nurses seem to wear nowadays! Dreadfully ill fitting, see through and damn uncomfortable looking if you ask me. Not sure exactly if the colours they were all sporting actually meant something but I'm all for bringing back proper nurses uniforms. Going up a dress size may help too girls...

Don't get me started on the doctors - long gone it appears are the famous white coats, now sadly replaced with a rolled up shirt sleeve and cardigan!!! The only way one could identify a doctor appeared to be if a stethoscope was slung around the neck. I was glad to get home and read this weeks copy of Grazia!

Anyway tomorrow is a new day, despite temperatures due to dip to -11 let's hope it brings some normality back to NKD Towers! If Stewart Stevenson wants to redeem himself can you come down to the office any time after 9am tomorrow, we've plenty boxes that need packing!?

It's snow joke!

2010-12-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

While it may be pretty and may also be spreading some early festive cheer for children up and down the country, for those trying to work through the wintery weather this week's been a real slog.

We'd love to say it's business as normal at NKD but even our dedicated team has been halved thanks to the snow and while we're doing all we can to keep productivity and morale high, we're really up against the elements here in Edinburgh.

With blocked roads, trains suspended, airports and factories closed and our dispatches on hold at depots we're finding it difficult to fulfil orders much to our frustration! With winter comes snow, but it's arrival is always met with surprise. Worse than that, it's almost as though there's nothing else to talk about, certainly not much in the way of business. But while this usually only lasts for the first few days, it doesn't seem as though the end is in sight this December with more snow and freezing temperatures forecast for the next couple of weeks.

As the government orders an urgent audit of the countries snow-readiness in the face of severe disruption we'd love to know how (if at all) the snow is effecting your business?

Hotel Uniforms Through The Years

2010-12-01T02:11:00.000-08:00

NKD were delighted to feature in Company Clothing Magazine's October Showcase. The piece documents the changes in hotel uniforms over the last two decades.

We chose to show Fraser Suites Edinburgh as the front of house uniforms demonstrate just the right mix of bespoke design and stock supported corporatewear, thus offering our client a premium uniform range that is both stylish and affordable.

The classic black suiting is given a modern twist with warm grey shirts and blouses. And through the clever use of accent coloured ties and scarves the look offers not only effortless sophistication but the power to enhance the Frasers brand.

Our collaboration with Fraser Suites proved to be a winning combination with both parties being recognised by an industry accolade in the corporatewear category of the Business Manager Awards in April 2010.

We'd love to know what you think about the evolution of hotel uniforms over the years - check out the NKD news pages or to see the showcase in full click here.

Snow hits the City....

2010-11-29T04:38:00.000-08:00

So the snow has hit Edinburgh this weekend causing chaos for the morning commute! Thankfully all my dedicated team have made it in to the office so it's business as normal at NKD Towers. Sadly the couriers are having a bit of difficulty navigating the roads so it's likely that no client despatches will be made today. Hopefully we can get the boxes out the door tomorrow!

Video Killed the Radio Star?

2010-11-26T03:39:00.000-08:00

This morning my day started off with a wee radio interview at BBC Radio Scotland in Edinburgh. Something I've never done before but I must say great fun but those headphones are kind of heavy! I was talking about NKD, who we are, what we do (guess there will be a bit of editing to be done given I am renowned for being 'chatty'). The main focus was on the state of the economy and my hopes (not fears) for the future. Programme will be broadcast on Sunday 28th Nov at 10am!

Prince William in Terrible Tailoring Scandal

2010-11-22T06:46:00.000-08:00

As much as we NKD ladies confess it would be rather lovely marrying a bona fide Prince, we don't envy Kate the inevitable comparisons to Diana, Princess of Wales and THAT wedding dress.

But while stylists around the world aspire to kit out Kate for the 2011 Royal Wedding, our focus is firmly on Middleton's man. Prince William's more conservative approach to clothes might leave us a tad cold but he does look rather dashing in his RAF uniform. However, here's a faux pas his fashion conscious fiance may not forgive - an ill fitting, doubled breasted polyester suit on the second to the throne, surely not?

Fear not, this is of course the Wills & Harry waxwork from Madame Tussauds in London. Friend of NKD and sales specialist Wendy Nisbet of Kernis Communications thought of us when she clapped eyes on this terrible tailoring.

Perhaps the Princes would benefit from a NKD makeover, we'd certainly welcome a call from the Tussauds' team to support their suiting needs.

2010-11-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Yikes, it’s been ages since my last blog; so much has happened at NKD Towers of recent it’s difficult to know where to begin. The team had been stuck down by a mystery illness which floored me for about 5 days solid. Most unlike me I must admit but thankfully we are all feeling a lot healthier now!
In between feeling ill I’ve had a couple of fabulous days talking! Yes that’s right talking! It’s one of my favourite things to do. Zander commonly refers to me as Gill Eastgate ‘chatty b**ch’ and how true that is!
My ‘Chatty Tour’ began at the beginning of October at the wonderful Gleneagles Hotel. I had been invited to talk at the Inspire Change Enterprise Day which was an event run by the Junior Chamber International. As the proud winner of the Creative Young Entrepreneur 2009 I was delighted to talk about how winning awards has helped to transform our business and the added value award winning brings to me, my team, my clients and my business as a whole.
Later that same month I spoke at the Edinburgh Businesswomen’s Club (ESBC) where I gave a very honest and candid account highlighting the mistakes I’ve made in business! Whilst it’s great to hear the success stories of various business people I really enjoy hearing about mistakes people made and the lessons they learnt from them so decided that was the angle I would take for this particular talk! It was a really great night with a fantastic group of local ladies. I also want to thank the ESBC for their very kind donation which I have put towards a charity which means so much to me – the British Heart Foundation. Those of you who know me well know that I lost my beloved dad to a heart attack only 7 months after setting up NKD Clothing, so again a massive thank you to ESBC for your kindness.
My ‘Chatty Tour’ culminated today with my participation at the RBS Women in Business event at Gogarburn which was held today to support Women’s Enterprise Day. I was asked to join their ‘Expert Panel’ and enjoyed a very heated debate! Great to see so many familiar faces and meet some new really inspiring entrepreneurs!
Tomorrow brings the end to a very busy and stress fuelled week at NKD, my head is full of things which need to get done and a quick glance at my inbox shows 81 unread messages in my inbox! Ah well at least it’s Friday!

Happy New Uniform Day

2010-11-11T01:17:00.000-08:00

The Casa team are today donning their NKD uniforms with pride ahead of the hotel's November launch. It's the first of it's kind in Chesterfield, offering 4 star luxury accommodation with a difference! The mix use development will house a premium hotel as well as the headquarters for Global Brands owner Steve Perez's successful drinks company.

A subtle spanish theme runs throughout and staying true to it's name, the hotel aims to create a welcoming atmosphere. The uniforms also effectively communicate this sense of warmth & luxury with an exotic twist. Even Casa's Cocina restaurant screams decadence with Gordon Ramsay trained chef Martin Rushton at the helm.

We wish the team all the very best with the upcoming launch & look forward to the continued success of our partnership!

The nights are fair drawing in

2010-11-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Winter may be approaching but we have something to brighten up your November! With FREE DELIVERY on orders received before 22.11.10, it's even easier to make sure your staff sparkle this Christmas (and beyond!).

Top of the NKD Lust List - Dresses!

2010-10-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

What we love - dresses!

They're back in a big way and we were only too happy to embrace the trend, spending the summer months working rather excitedly on our very own collection.

Whether your priority is comfort and ease in a crease free jersey dress or you prefer the slimming effect of a simple shift style, dresses make the perfect addition to your corporate wear wardrobe. You can choose to accessorise with a belt or scarf or for a truly bespoke look, work with our design team to incorporate a contrast colour to promote personality and support your brand identity.

Pictured is our 50’s inspired box pleat dress. The fusion of modern fabrics and contrast colours with a classic cut represents NKD’s take on the little black dress that will make an impression in any business situation.

For more covetable corporate dresses from our collection check out our gallery and keep your eye on the NKD blog for the coolest ones-to-watch for your winter wardrobe.

Cheap but not so cheerful

2010-09-20T07:38:00.001-07:00

Could cheap clothes be given the cold shoulder this winter? Devastating floods in Pakistan - one of the world's largest cotton producers - and fears over this year's crop in China have sent cotton prices surging to 15-year highs in recent weeks and warmer fabrics such as wool and cashmere are also increasingly blended with cotton.

At NKD, we're already feeling the pinch, with many of our garment suppliers driving up prices in line with higher cotton costs. To further complicate matters, the cotton shortage comes at time when production possibilities are also in decline. Many factories in the Middle East have closed their doors driving demand to China, but demand is overtaking supply, creating a bottle neck, causing headaches for garment makers like ourselves and our suppliers.

We have always endeavoured to support the textile industry in the UK, with two of our major manufacturers only a short car journey away, our clients benefit from shorter lead times and premium garments. Our participation at Premiere Vision earlier this month established fantastic fabric and production possibilities in Europe and our mission to increase this portfolio and create a comprehensive library of NKD fabrics and patterns continues with a trip to Portugal next week.

Retail experts forecast clothing inflation in the UK will hit a new 24 year high in 2010, meaning retailers take a hit on profits, or more likely put up their prices. While we admire catwalks brimming with couture at London Fashion Week, could we actually be about to witness the end of fast fashion? Let us know what you think about changes in the clothing market?

Edinburgh gets Poped

2010-09-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

While many of us in Edinburgh remain unashamedly inconvenienced by this morning's road closures and diversions I couldn't help being impressed by the shiny new barricades diverting the traffic and preparing to pen the papal pilgrims. But what really caught my eye and I must confess made me giggle, was the street sellers brandishing a prolific array of Pope merchandise. This got Sarah and I talking on the drive back from the New Media Breakfast, because while I would have expected plenty of unofficial merchandise to appear in line with the Papal tour - I've just found a pretty smart metal-style Pope t-shirt for instance! - I was surprised by the volume of official merchandise on sale. A phenomena that has been well noted by commentators on the Internet.

It would appear that 'Brand Pope' is proving popular and gatherers at this afternoon's mass in Bellahouston Park could be mistaken for revellers at a rock concert as they raise aloft their official papal visit electronic candle! And while the demand for keepsakes and memorabilia doesn't come as a massive surprise, especially given the historic nature of this state visit, we're not talking about rosaries and candles here - the official store is basically selling branded souvenirs. I wonder if it demonstrates a shift in attitude towards capitalism and consumerism, which would be interesting given that the Pope is best known for his conservatism or perhaps 'Brand Pope' is just good PR!

I'd love to hear about, or better still see any Pope promotional goodies you've purchased. Maybe you're planning on using your Benedicataphone for a Pope podcast or you have a pocket pontiff on your keyring... I challenge anyone to do better than a Pope thong?!!

Monday Monday...

2010-09-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

Alister papped with the stunning Nicola Mimnagh as she leaves the NKD photoshoot

..and a rainy one at that, but it's not dampened our spirits in fact the week is looking bright despite the gloomy weather forecast.

While a rather manic Monday has ensued (4 new enquiries, 3 of which were pre 10am), I find myself feeling a tad distracted as I eagerly anticipate the arrival of the proofs from last week's photoshoot. Anna will be popping in with them this week and once we've done the very hard job of whittling them down to our favourite few I'll be straight down our local print shop so we can adorn the walls of NKD Towers with some fab new pics, as well as the pages of our portfolio and of course watch out for the updates to our website gallery. Having already had a sneaky peak at the shots I'm very excited to see the product of what was an absolutely fantastic day at Dakota Forthbridge. We were truly blown away by the staff at Dakota, nothing was too much trouble - between offering us access to our room a day early so we could set up several rails of clothes in advance of the shoot, concierge Alister (as pictured) chauffeuring our models around and Laura looking after our every need throughout the day - the whole team went the extra mile, so thanks again guys!

While Nicola has firmly become the face of NKD and ultimately a friend to the business, Fred Szkoda donned our designs for the first time last week. He, like Nicola was a joy to work with - the pair of them made it look very easy but then I guess that's when you know you're working with true professionals. I think it's safe to say Freddie was pretty impressed with our innovative approach to corporatewear. He seemed relieved to realise that this particular gig involved him wearing some pretty trendy threads opposed to the shiny polyester suiting he had envisaged. We do very much enjoy dispelling the myth that corporate clothing can't also be desirable - in fact I'm expecting a call from Freddie any day now as he greatly admired one of our blazers!

Our photoshoot ran AHEAD of schedule last week (anyone whose been on a shoot will know just how unheard of that is) allowing us to capture some fun and may I say sexy shots which we'll be keeping under wraps for the moment - watch this space, I can assure you it will be worth the wait!

Last but by no means least, I want to thank 'wee Sarah' from our design department for all her hard work cataloguing the garments for the shoot. While it was of course a massive team effort, Sarah in particular worked extremely hard to ensure we maximised our time on the day - Sarah you're a star!

Paris Trip

2010-09-13T01:56:00.000-07:00

Lisa and I are heading out to Paris this afternoon to attend Premier Vision, the worlds premier fabric show. We are on the hunt for new fabric suppliers who can help us in our quest to transform the uniform market.

We are currently big into prints - I think it's time for prints to come back to corporate wear, but in a nice way, not like those hideous prints from the '80's. There seems to be a shift away from black for staff uniforms, last year charcoal suiting was one of our best sellers. Will 2011 be the year of colour? Let's hope so!

I will keep you updated from Paris, have a good week - we certainly seem to be, what with 3 new enquiries coming in before 10am this morning.

It's nearly photo shoot time!

2010-09-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

Just one more day in the office until one of my favourite times of the NKD Calendar year - photo shoot time!!!

I love seeing all the fantastic outfit solutions we've created for our clients over the past 6 months or so and I'm looking forward to sharing these with you via our NKD website.

The planning that has gone into this shoot has been phenomenal so many thanks to all of my team who have helped along the way!

Giving It Away

2010-09-07T02:48:00.000-07:00

Speaking to various people recently, there seems to be a perception that when investing in staff outfits, companies are giving them away to staff for free.

When you have invested in launching or refurbishing a bar, spending many thousands of pounds in fixtures, fittings and finishing touches, why scrimp on the appearance of your own best ambassadors?

Staff outfits are worn every day by your team to help promote your brand and enhance your customers' experience. You are reaping the benefits, so spend wisely, not miserly.

It doesn't have to cost the earth, just be open to spending a little bit more and getting it right, rather than the false economy of poorer quality unflattering clothing.

Dog-minding duo brave the den

2010-08-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

Some may say they're barking mad but we think Sandy and Sarah from Citidogs Creche are an inspiration and we're delighted they're hitting the headlines today for all the right reasons. While their appearance on Dragon's Den last night saw them leave empty handed the dog-minding duo have since been approached by another investor and are enjoying extremely positive national press coverage in the wake of their TV debut. So as our client and friend we'd like to say well done! We predict exciting times ahead for the Citidogs team, who we know left the den 'all fired up' and we wish them well! Ofcourse with plans to grow the business comes a requirement for more fabulous NKD corporatewear....you know where we are ladies! ;)

Record Breaking Week

2010-08-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

We've come racing to the conclusion of another whizzy week at NKD and a special week it has been...9 new client enquiries in just 5 days - a new NKD record!

A presentation in London offered Miss Boubert her first Big Ben 'bong' and the lovely ladies in design unveiled a fabulous new collection of dresses which will be pictured on the stunning Nicola Mimnagh at our shoot in September at Dakota Forthbridge.

But more exciting than that - boss lady Gill plans to celebrate with a couple of days off next week to enjoy the final flurry of the fringe.

While we down tools and hang up our capes after another week solving your corporatewear crises, fear not, we will return stronger than ever on Monday morning, charming and innovative as ever!

Where has the last fortnight gone...?

2010-08-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

Well there's not been much time to take a break in the last fortnight or so at NKD Clothing! Seems like ages since I've been on here so tonight I thought I would bring you up to date with all the latest goings on in the action packed world of corporate clothing!

August kicked off with a meeting at Dakota who are interested in some new designs for their reception and food areas so the design team have been heads down creating some exciting new looks which will be unveiled to our client tomorrow.

Steph and I took part in some filming with our lovely friends at Fatbuzz (watch this space for the end results!). Lisa and I had a fantastic day down in London on 5th Aug - with meeting after meeting including a holiday company who want us to design their new staff uniforms, upmarket shirt company Hawes & Curtis, retail giants Marks & Spencer (who were SO lovely), a factory who want to produce OUR designs and a great meeting to end the day with Learn Purple, a great business who think like we do!

That week finished off with a lunch date with an old client of mine who I'd not seen for about 12 years! We certainly had lots to talk about!

To add to my already action packed week the Edinburgh Fringe was now in full swing so I managed to fit in 2 shows over the weekend (one of which was giving me great inspiration for 1930's style uniforms!) Do I ever stop thinking about work? No, not really!

Last week was a repetition of the previous week in terms of the speed it whizzed by! Planning for our presentation with Malmaison & Hotel du Vin was a priority for me (we are presenting some new design ideas down in London this week) Our very lovely Claire is going to be modelling and the garments are looking fabulous even if I do say so myself!

New Media Breakfast at the Tower on Thursday - very interesting talk on social media and hosted by Belinda Roberts who was looking stunning in her new bespoke NKD Suit

Lisa headed down to see a new client in the financial services world on Thursday and spent Friday visiting some new fabric suppliers to source exciting new fabrics (we're currently getting very excited about PRINTS).

Thursday night I was very lucky to get tickets to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo which Ray and I went to (highly recommended) and 2 more shows over the weekend! I even managed to squeeze a drink in at Edinburgh Hotel du Vin (and yes I do go to check the uniforms are looking lovely but they do have a very nice courtyard and very nice wine!) I love Edinburgh but love it even more in August where the fast paced feel of the city really strikes a chord!

Phew, it's Monday night already, my 'to do' list is over 2 pages - would I swap my life for peace, tranquility and no deadlines? Like hell I would!

Fabulous Fatbuzz Flower

2010-08-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Behold the fatbuzz flower, this was a very lovely surprise on a very hectic NKD day and makes a lovely addition to our office. Oh and the choccies were delicious too...you're spoiling us!

Thanks fatbuzz - we think you're bloomin marvellous!

Happy Uniform Day

2010-08-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

NKD would like to wish Sebastiano and the team at Divino Enoteca all the best for their opening night this evening.

Create your own perfect suit

2010-07-30T05:12:00.001-07:00

We are pleased to announce our new bespoke suit offering for the individual who is looking for something that little bit different!

We have a range of male and female jackets, trousers, waistcoats and skirts on offer. Here's how it works!

1 A representative from NKD Clothing will meet with you at your preferred location (currently we can only offer this service within the Edinburgh area). Using the supplied sizing garments we select a garment size closest to you as a base to start off.

2 NKD Clothing in conjunction with you agrees any adjustments to improve the fit.

3 You now selects fabric & lining from the fabric swatches available.

4 We now start to design your own garment using the order form for styling options availability!

5 Decide the garment style i.e. single breasted with 2 buttons.

6 Select garment outer and interior features such as lapel widths, hole cuffs, coloured lapel & cuff buttonholes etc.

7 To finish off creating a unique and personal garment select the trims required i.e. lining colours, contrast sleeve linings, matching or contrasting Melton under collar, choice of button colour & quality. You can even have your name embroidered inside the garment.

8 When you are happy with your choices NKD Clothing submits the order direct to the factory by email.

9 All garments are tailored in a specialised production unit where we retain full control of garment quality and delivery. Our highly skilled team guarantees that all garments are manufactured to the highest level of quality using today’s most modern equipment.

10. Delivery is 5 weeks.

11. Prices start from £445.00 for a 3 piece suit

12. Please contact Gill Eastgate on 0131 558 7777 if you are interested in finding out more

NKD Photoshoot coming soon!

2010-07-19T05:58:00.001-07:00

This morning I spent an hour or so at Dakota Forthbridge with our favourite photographer Anna Crolla as we plan for our forthcoming photoshoot which will take place on 9th September 2010. Doing a photoshoot is bit like doing some decorating - the key is in the planning and preparation beforehand!

An 8 hour photoshoot may sound like loads of time, but without careful planning the time just evaporates. We've got 39 different looks to get through on the day, using just 2 models, covering 6 locations throughout the hotel. Today Anna and I went round the hotel with Dakota's lovely Laura Davy (Laura is Dakota's Public Relations Executive) where we sussed out the best places for the different images, whilst of course not interrupting the general day to day goings on at the hotel.

Back to the office where a plethora of spreadsheets are being worked on to ensure slick timings and smooth changes of outfits! Looking forward to refreshing our NKD Clothing website with some new images which will help transform the face of staff uniforms!

The NKD Nibble has landed

2010-07-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

We have just received delivery of the new NKD Nibble, a handy-size introductory guide to who we are and how we work.

It's almost the same size as the new iPhone, shiny with clean design-devout lines but thinner and you don't have to be double-jointed to hold it so it works!

With designer stitching and embossed metallic logo it's so exclusive you could have your own suite at the Burj Al Arab, sip Cliquot from a 200-year-old wreck, have an international selection of adopted babies and you still wouldn't qualify for one.

Fear not though, mere mortals, you can download the NKD Nibble here. It won't make you a better person but at least you'll be better informed.

A new brand for a new era

2010-07-06T04:07:00.000-07:00

Last night I was very honoured to be invited to the re-branding launch of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at the Edinburgh City Chambers. Myself and the lovely Belinda Roberts mingled with the Lord and Lady Provost of Edinburgh amongst others!

I was so proud of my very good friend Susanna Freedman, MD of brand agency Tsuko who unveiled the new brand her team had created. The new brand looks fantastic and brings with it a renewed elegance, vibrancy and drama.

Walking back to the car, along the Royal Mile, it hit me just how fabulous Edinburgh is! After spending the past 2 weeks or so in the United States I fear I sometimes take it for granted just how fabulous our city is! I can't wait for August to start and all the fun the Festival brings to my gorgeous city!

NKD Nibble

2010-07-05T03:32:00.001-07:00

The NKD Nibble
Just enough to get your teeth into
Just enough to give you a taste
Just enough to make you want your own

Another NKD Model in the making....?

2010-07-01T05:19:00.000-07:00

We've already reported on the news of the lovely Nicola Mimnagh who graces many pages of our website winning Miss Scotland last month but do we have another future contender?

Our very own Claire has submitted her application for the Specsavers 'Specwearer of the Year' and isn't she absolutely gorgeous! Mind you if she does win I'll be a bit gutted because we need her here in the office!!!

We'll keep you posted on any progress for our delightful 'Boobie' as she is affectionately known here in the office!

Mega Month at NKD

2010-06-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

So the countdown to two weeks of sun cream, sand between my toes and yes the inevitable mozzie bite or two is truly on and while I contemplate tomorrow’s day of ‘holiday handovers’ I’m also choosing to reflect rather proudly on the last month before throwing myself into a new one.

With the absence of boss lady Gill for the majority of this month, the whole team have embraced a deeper sense of self and collective responsibility, embarking on new business activity and product development - truly living our vision to transform the business and be proud of everything we do.

We were delighted to support the launch of FatBuzz on the 17^th of June. The team, previously known as Podcastmatters were introduced to us by Belinda at Winning Entrepreneurs. They’ve been a great help to us as we’ve developed our online presence and an absolute pleasure to work with, so it was great to see them on the night donning our creations and looking fabulous! I was fortunate to attend the glamorous event which offered an opportunity to meet some lovely, like-minded people and have a wee boogie while enjoying a bubbly beverage.

Just days later we were celebrating again, this time at the news NKD model and friend of the team, Nicola Mimnagh was crowned Miss Scotland 2010. We wish Nicola all the very best and look forward to working with her again soon. By Sunday (20^th June) NKD was receiving its own coverage in the nationals. After being approached to feature in Michelle Rodger’s Scotland on Sunday business column, I was only too happy to contribute to the article and I’m now looking forward very much to meeting Lorna Hudson of Individual Impact.

Client activity was as high as ever this month and it was all go in the warehouse with two new uniform roll outs for the Coniston Hote l and Royal Terrace Hotel who are thrilled with their new look, as well as our design team working flat out to produce artwork for several new leads. We’re also currently engaged with a collection of luxury Scottish hotels, who we hope to deliver a stunning new corporate wear range to shortly, so you’ll have to forgive my discretion at this stage but watch this space...exciting times ahead!

And to finish an already eventful month, I received a copy of the published article I wrote for director-e magazine today and thanks to the editor, Catherine Christie I look forward to future contributions, again... watch this space.

All in all, a successful and extremely rewarding 30 days here at the home of stylish, bespoke corporate clothing and as well as having a wonderful holiday to look forward to, I feel extremely fortunate to be coming back to a festival frenzied city and what I know will be a fun-filled few months at NKD.

Mim's the word as NKD model clinches the crown

2010-06-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

She graces the pages of our portfolio and website and today Nicola Mimnagh sparkles on the front pages in her glittering Miss Scotland crown. The stunning model was awarded this year's coveted title by TV's Gok Wan at a star-studded bash in Glasgow while mum, dad and brother cheered her on.

We're fortunate to have known and worked with Nicola for several years and look forward to working with her on future NKD shoots. So from all the team at NKD, well done Nicola - we're delighted for you!

Fatbuzz brings us Buble (well almost)

2010-06-21T03:46:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed a night of great company, delicious nibbles, a few tipples.... and LOTS of dancing at the launch of www.fatbuzz.com - for anyone who couldn't make it, this guy is amazing! Enjoy...

Surfs Up Screen Saver Suggestion?

2010-06-16T02:36:00.000-07:00

We think we may have found the perfect remedy for that point in the day when you hit the 'Wednesday Wall'...a sizzling torso shot of the delightful and lets face it cheese-tastic Zac Efron. And while there may be a couple of genuine fans of the child-star in our office, most of us are only too happy to forgive his lack of acting ability in 'movie greats' such as High School Musical, in order to enjoy his hidden talents on our desktops...YUMMY!!

Holiday Prep

2010-06-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's now 10.30pm at night and I've just realised how badly I run my personal life compared to my NKD work life! In 12 hours time I shall be boarding my flight to the windy city of Chicago and I'm still packing and sorting and organsing things! Today has been a busy day. It began at 06.30 as I awoke and made my way to New Media Breakfast at The Tower, followed immediately after with a meeting with the lovely Gavin McLean of LearnPurple. A quick zip to my bank to collect some dollars and headed into the office around midday. 4 hours of slick, time managed work later, Claire and I made our way down to Malmaison to have a meeting with Sean Wheeler, who is leaving Mal/HDV after 5 years to join The Dorchester Collection. Sean we will miss you loads but loads of luck with the new job.

A quick jaunt into Tesco's to get some food supplies for my beloved bunnies, headed home, started packing, watched Junior Apprentice, social media time and more packing ahead I should get to bed for midnight! Oh I love my life!! Oh just realised Question Time is on, make that 1am bedtime!

It's all a bit hush hush...

2010-06-10T07:33:00.001-07:00

...at the home of stylish, bespoke corporate clothing and we're pretty darn good at keeping a secret as our friends at Podcastmatters know. We're proud to support the launch of their re-brand - it's a real privilege to be involved (in small part) with the transformation of their already very successful new media business. The grand unveiling takes place at a glamorous event in Glasgow on Thursday 17th June and as anticipation grows, I'm left pondering a very important question....just what am I going to wear?? It's sure to be a fantastic bash, marking a very exciting time for the team at Podcastmatters who we adore!

Fashion Guru in Hedge Dragging Shocker

2010-06-10T03:14:00.000-07:00

Saw this pic from last week's amFAR awards - Ricky Martin, looking relaxed but sophisticated with glamorous-as-ever Kylie and her "date" for the evening - Jean Paul Gaultier, who looks somewhat out of place.

Kylie is about to launch new album, single and tour, Ricky is to be on broadway in Evita, JPG - rifling through bins at back of Sainsbury's?

The word of the day is PROUD

2010-06-09T03:54:00.000-07:00

Paul Adams of Marlborough College has just called to congratulate the NKD team for our exceptional customer service levels. Apparently he hasn't experienced anything like it before...further evidence that working with NKD means staff uniforms with a DIFFERENCE.

HAPPY NEW UNIFORM DAY...

2010-06-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

TO THE CONISTON HOTEL & RESTAURANT !

As one of the newest additions to the NKD client list , the Coniston Hotel is THE place to visit in leafy Sittingbourne. The team has sympathetically transformed a 100 year old landmark into a luxurious boutique hotel. Working with us to create a stylish look for their staff was an obvious pairing and we're proud to service such a sophisticated new brand!

Thursday Night...

2010-06-04T12:23:00.001-07:00

Last night with my NKD Clothing hat on again I attended another fantastic event run by my favourite friend Belinda Roberts, Founder of Edinburgh based business networking group Winning Entrepreneurs http://winentrepreneurs.com/ Ricks Edinburgh was the venue (it’s rapidly becoming my favourite place in Edinburgh what with their Ambassador Card which I am very privileged to be a holder of). The guest speaker was Shaf Rasul who gave us an insight into his life, his failures and successes in business. Perhaps even more fascinating was the young Tom Mursell, a 20 year old entrepreneur who is now the youngest member of Winning Entrepreneurs. Tom is a very inspiring young man who set up notgoingtouni.com and is now working with Shaf at E-Net Distribution. I sat alongside Tom’s mum and dad for dinner - they had come up to Edinburgh from Southampton for the week and the sun was shining (doesn't it always?). Not being overly maternal myself I did feel myself wiping away a tear from my eye when Tom’s dad spoke so openly and warmly about their son’s achievements. Felt very honoured to be in the company of such a cool guy whom I imagine in years to come will be the Lord Sugar of the 2020’s but oh so much more successful!

Back to my table – who would imagine that you could have so much fun with both your dentist and lawyer at the same time??! Biju Krishnan and Alasdair Peacock. With the cocktails flowing in abundance the boys were in good form. Biju got a sale thanks to my new sparkling white teeth, Alan drank my cocktails I so wanted to drink but couldn't, whilst Alasdair got a bit jealous of my impending trip to Chicago and my Johnny Depp photographs! All in all a fab night – shame I had my sensible hat on and drove home before I turned into a pumpkin!

a cautionary tale...

2010-06-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

here's a good reason to plan ahead for your staff outifts, to allocate time and a budget to a wearer trial - so you don't find out your staff are allergic to it once they are all wearing it!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/02/2915709.htm

who. me?

2010-05-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

Accusations have been flying round the office today. Boss Lady apparently referred to me as a Drama Queen to a client.

Well, I stamped my foot, stormed off to the warehouse and haven't spoken to her since!

I hate it when she's right.

Happy New Uniform Day to Central Pharmacy!

2010-05-24T05:03:00.000-07:00

That Friday Feeling

2010-05-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

It's coming to the end of another busy week at NKD and as well as looking forward to what is supposed to be a bright and sunny weekend (and you really can't beat Edinburgh in the sunshine it's beautiful!!), we're gearing up for 2 uniform roll-outs!

Roll-outs are an exciting time for us, it's the point where we see our designs come to life! We're really looking forward to kitting out the teams at Central Pharmacy and Witney Lakes Resort, Oxfordshire next week.

We love working with like-minded clients who care about their staff's appearance and want to invest in an image that aligns with their brand identity. Now more than ever it's important to stand out from the crowd so make sure your staff dress to impress!

new quote of the day

2010-05-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

from an e-mail...

"i'm on holiday from today. if you need anything call my manager - his e-mail is...."

priceless!

Rick's Ambassador Programme

2010-05-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

I attended a fantastic night last night at Rick's, Edinburgh. I was there along with many other talented business owners to attend the launch event of the Rick's Ambassador Programme. This loyalty programme has been developed in conjunction with Winning Entrepreneurs and the lovely Belinda Roberts!

It was great to meet up with old friends and meet new faces across all different sectors of business. As the prosseco and mojitos gathered pace the chat changed from business to pleasure. I did hold onto my sensible head and left before things got messy! Can’t drink too much on a school night not when we've got lots of new design work at NKD Clothing to conjur up!

Can a man ever have too many shirts?

2010-05-13T03:59:00.000-07:00

He says the ladies at NKD have far too many shoes and bags but apparently Ray can never have too many shirts - this is only a very small selection from his wardrobe! While he runs a tight ship in our warehouse, it would appear he is a closet hoarder at home. Ray...that's a collection Elvis would be proud of!

quote of the day

2010-05-12T05:07:00.000-07:00

when trying to reconcile purchase orders against purchases for someone, the numbers didn't match up, so i called...

"trying to get this to match but I think I'm missing a PO"

"which one?"

"erm, not sure, since i don't have it"

answers on a postcard, please!

Bespoke Made to Measure Suiting Range

2010-05-12T01:07:00.000-07:00

Oh exciting developments here at NKD Clothing. We’re just in the process of trialling a new concept we will be offering in the very near future. One of our suppliers has introduced a new made to measure suiting range, where the wearer gets to select their preferred fabrics, lining, trims, styling details even down to the thread colour on the button holes!
The fabrics are gorgeous wool mixes woven both here in the UK and in Italy. We’ve got various male and female jacket styles, trousers, waistcoats and skirts. Lead times are approximately 5 weeks from placing order. Pricing has yet to be finalised but watch this space…
These products I feel would be ideal for the consumer who is looking for something that little bit different and is prepared to spend a little bit more to get a quality bespoke product that is unique to them.
The lovely Belinda Roberts from Winning Entrepreneurs has agreed to be our guinea pig for the trial. Bel popped into the office on Monday and we worked on the fit and style of the products. An hour later with fabrics and trims selected it’s good to go. Belinda will be a perfect ambassador for the range (do you realise how many meetings Belinda attends in a week?).

Once we are happy with everything we will post further details on our blog and website about the range!

Friday Night Drinkies

2010-05-07T05:13:00.000-07:00

Well it's been another action packed week at NKD Clothing (albeit condensed into 4 days due to the bank holiday). All the team are a bit bleary eyed from staying up late on a school night watching the election results come in. Zander was particularly taken with Jeremy Vine and weren't the graphics just amazing fun to watch - we want one of those big i-phone things for our office! How the old swingometer has changed from the 1970's!
Team building exercise tonight as from 4pm which in our language is going for drinkies! It's good to go out with the team and reflect on the events of the past week and what next week is going to bring, before moving on to more frivolous matters.
Have a fun weekend guys it’ll be Monday before we know it!

If your business is doing something great, why not shout about it?

2010-05-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

As a nation we still seem overly reluctant to embrace recognition for our achievements and here at NKD Clothing we’ve experienced said phenomena first hand. After being nominated by a supplier (Happy Smile Promotional Products) and following a gentle nudge from the team at NKD, Gill entered and won the Junior Chamber International Creative Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in July 2009. Since then Gill has been approached to speak at high profile events such as the annual Everywoman Conference and Thrive for Business.

NKD’s award success has attracted fantastic media exposure, offered us an opportunity to extend our network (Gill rubbed shoulders with industry greats such as Jeff Banks at the 2010 Business Manager Awards) as well as simply demonstrating to clients just how good our business is! Website hits have increased month on month and the team are working hard to meet the demand of both new sales enquiries and servicing our existing client base. More importantly, pausing to acknowledge NKD’s successes has given the team an opportunity to reflect on their role within the business and the significant contribution they’ve made. The end result has been a dramatic boost to staff morale.

The entry form may seem like another laborious task you simply don’t have time for and yet we found that the process gave us a valuable insight into our practices and even uncovered new ways we can further excel the business.

Entering an award gives you the ideal platform to stand out from you competitors and given the current economic climate there has never been a more crucial time to separate yourself from the crowd and demonstrate your company’s drive and innovation.

So do you still have an excuse for not showing pride in your achievements???

NKD Clothing has been shortlisted for the 2010 European Business Awards...so watch this space.

Focus Dinner

2010-04-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Entrepreneurial Exchange Focus Dinner at the fabulous 21212 Restaurant in Edinburgh. The very entertaining Shaf Rasul from BBC Dragons Den was the speaker. Shaf gave us an insight to the world of Viral Marketing, which is basically the new phrase for ‘word of mouth’ marketing – something NKD Clothing seem to be pretty good at if I do say so myself. It was a great evening, great company and the food at 21212 is just delicious.
Back to my figures today, it’s our year end so head’s down for now.

Man of the Week

2010-04-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Our Man of the Week at NKD Clothing is the stunningly good looking George Lamb (dad Larry ain't half bad either!). George just oozes style and we would love to dress him.

New blog coming soon...

2010-04-29T03:08:00.000-07:00

The team at NKD Clothing are getting some instruction on how to operate their new blog. Podcastmatters (name changing soon)are demonstrating the blog to the team who will shortly be posting stories about the business, the clients, the staff *both in and out of the workplace(. So, please be sure to follow the blog to keep up to date with what we're up to.

Welcome to the NKD Clothing Blog

2010-04-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hi, and welcome to the NKD Clothing Blog.

There's lots going on at NKD Clothing with some great new designs for a range of new clients and we want to tell you all about them. We will be posting some of the latest designs here almost as they become available so that you can see the latest in great staff uniforms.

Image and branding has never been more important than it is in todays highly competitive marketplace, particularly in the service sector so, we also intend to post some valuable information about how and why you should project your brand through your staff uniforms. We will post regular articles, tips, advice and perhaps even some interviews from our clients.

Lastly, we will also keep you posted about what the NKD team are up to because it's not all about work, we want you to get to know the team and what we do to relax and unwind.