The CC Effect: How you can support a fashion startup for £1

I just wanted to give my readers a heads up on a fabulous Kickstarter project from Charli Cohen, the sportswear design who I interviewed back in August. Charli has launched a Kickstarter project, The CC Effect, to raise 30k to launch a pop-up shop to take her debut collection to market. Charli is so close to reaching her funding target, but still needs to raise £3,160 in the next 5 days to reach her goal. So if you love fabulous sportswear or know someone who does; or maybe you just want to support a fashion startup, get yourself over to Charli's Kickstarter page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/charlicohen/the-cc-effect-technical-sportswear-gets-luxe 

If you haven't already clicked through and are still reading my blog, then here is some more information on the project which might persuade you that supporting Charli would be a great idea:

THE WHO

A new, luxe, fashion-forward sportswear label from young British designer Charli Cohen.

THE WHAT
Premium, UK-made, technical sportswear that bridges the gap between high-performance function and high-end fashion.

THE GOAL
To launch a pop-up shop in Central London to take the Charli Cohen debut collection to market. Charli wants to offer customers a fun and personal shopping experience and to have the valuable physical platform to showcase her collection to press, buyers and investors. Charli has been educating on health and wellness since 2005 - the pop-up shop would give her a fantastic new platform to make a difference!

HOW IT WORKS
The CC Effect Kickstarter has been running for 25 days, with only 5 days left to go. By selecting a pledge level to suit you, you can shop the full limited edition Charli Cohen range, special Kickstarter exclusives, VIP event tickets and creative Christmas gifts. Every single purchase goes towards raising the 30k target for The CC Effect Pop-up to go ahead (what you pledge is what you get - FREE international shipping and no sneaky extra charges).

ABOUT CHARLI COHEN

Charli trained as both a fashion designer and a personal trainer. She launched her fashion business at the age of 15 and a personal training consultancy five years ago at the age of 18.

If Charli doesn't raise the full 30k then all pledges will be obsolete and the project will be unable to go ahead. However, if the project DOES reach 30K, all backers will receive their fabulous chosen rewards and The CC Effect project will go ahead, helping Charli to achieve her dream!

Lou Lou Chats with Charli Cohen, sportswear designer

 Since I started training for the Cardiff 10k I have not surprisingly become a lot more interested in fitness wear. I have previously posted about some of my fitness fashion buys, so was really pleased to discover a new brand on the sportswear style scene: Charli Cohen. Charli kindly agreed to answer questions about her eponymous label and her top fitness tips.

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Describe the brand in three words.

Contemporary. Sophisticated. Functional.

Please tell us more about yourself.

Fitness and fashion are my two biggest passions and I realised early on I didn’t want to choose between them. I qualified as a personal trainer during the first year of my fashion degree, and had my epiphany that sportswear was the perfect consolidation of the two and the rest is history!

Does your brand have a signature style?

I aim to balance statement with sophistication - classic, flattering shapes are given a twist with bold colour blocking, anatomical panelling and tough hardware. The idea behind each design is that it should function as a high performance garment in the gym but also as sport-luxe fashion wear. Fabric is really important to me too - not only are all the fabrics I use high tech but also super-soft and tactile. I want to step away from the traditional shiny or scratchy sportswear fabrics and provide a luxurious alternative.

What is your favourite piece from the collection?

The Voltage Sweatshirt – it’s such an easy throw-on piece to transition from gym to street.

Where can we find your collection?

The collection is currently available for pre-order at charli-cohen.com and will be available both online and in selected retailers from next January. Updates are coming soon on stockists and two special trunk shows next month!

What has been the highlight for you since starting up your brand?

The launch in July: it was the first time showing my collection to press, buyers and the public and the feedback was incredible. I also worked with an amazing team to put it together - it was rewarding to see the collection showcased in exactly the way I wanted to portray it.

Looking back is there anything that you would have done differently?

Not yet! All the mistakes I’ve made have provided valuable experience to move forward with.

What advice would you give to people who are looking to start their own fashion business?

It’s important to be super-organised. When you’re running a business (especially in fashion) if something can go wrong, it probably will. You need to stay on top of everything all the time and leave nothing to chance.Know your numbers too – being talented and creative is one thing but funding yourself beyond the first season takes careful planning!

And don’t give up: if you’re passionate and 100% committed to making it work, you can move mountains!

What next for the company?

Right now, it’s all about breaking into the UK market, doing the very best I can with my debut SS14 collection and working on my AW14/15 collection. Moving forward,I aim to be stocked internationally – a global reach would be amazing. In a few seasons’ time, I’d like to branch out into accessories, menswear and perhaps a collaboration or two!

What motivates you?

I’m pursuing my passion and doing what I’ve always wanted to do: if I’m going to make anything work, this is it! It’s completely worth all the hours, blood, sweat and tears.

Who are your inspirations, and why?

My personal training clients and those I work out with! Movement and physiology influence much of what I do. From a creative perspective, they inform the silhouettes and style lines of my designs. In terms of function, my work as a PT enables me to understand the practical needs of performance wear, how to make the garments ergonomic, supportive and flattering.

Top Fitness Tip?

Make it fun! Experiment with recipes, vary your workouts – there are so many different ways to get fit and healthy, so find the methods that YOU enjoy. It’s much easier to turn these into permanent lifestyle changes.

What is your motto?

I’m a problem solver. If I can’t figure out a way to do it, it can’t be done!