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Ted Baker Founder Ray Kelvin: Affordable Luxury

2014/1/2 14:34:00 94

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There is an interesting story behind the origin of Ted Baker.

In 1988, Ray Kelvin founded the brand.

"At that time, I was sitting at the table and I wanted to name the brand.

I think about it for a long time and decide to name it with a virtual name, Ted Beck (Ted Baker).

He recalled, "because if one day I screwed up and went bankrupt, I wouldn't want my name to be written on it. It's like saying" Ray Kelvin is broke. "

, so when you enter Ted Baker in the search bar, you will think that the mysterious man Ted Beck is the designer of the brand.

Even the official website describes this: TAD is a bit eccentric, a fashionable avatar who likes fishing, traveling, walking dogs and having parties.

Everyone saw Kelvin's mother, also called her "Ted's mother".

Kelvin became the most intimate person of Ted Beck.

today, Kelvin seems worried.

Since its establishment 25 years ago, Ted Baker has grown from a small store to a world-famous a href= "http://www.91se91.com/pioneer/" fashion brand "/a", which includes men's wear, women's wear and accessories, and shops in 35 countries around the world.

Even in the economic downturn, the brand's sales performance has increased every year, and last year's sales reached 245 million.

Below P, Kelvin is optimistic about the Chinese market, and has increased six branches in China.

Since last September, when China opened its first store in Beijing, Ted Baker has opened two stores in Shanghai.

"Everything here is growing and becoming more mature, whether shopping centers or boutiques."

"I know there are many different brands in China, but they are not Ted Baker," he said.

We are the luxury brands that the masses can afford, which is new for China, double quality and half price.

and for Ted Baker, the biggest challenge now is to find the ideal place to open shop and let Chinese consumers understand and contact the brand products.

"Chinese customers don't know much about the luxury brands that we have for the people and people like us, and it takes time to make them come into contact with their products."

"After they know our ideas and products," Kelvin said, "I believe they would like Ted Baker very much."

at present, Ted Baker has six branches in China: three stores, two shops and a Oteri J.

< slow > philosophy > /strong > /p >

Ray Kelvin is a native born Londoner, but he did not open the first store of Ted Baker in his hometown, but chose in Glasgow, Scotland.

This is probably because of his unique personality and perhaps a unique British humor.

initially, Ted Baker started with men's shirts.

Kelvin likes to combine traditional fabrics with functional materials and produce decorative designs with rich details.

Cotton, linen, leather, canvas, tweed and other fabrics are widely used, adding grid, stripes and printing elements, which are loved by fashionable men.

10 years ago, the brand joined the women's clothing section, "because Ted Beck's life appeared in a woman, she could not find fashionable and beautiful clothes, I was designed for her."

Kelvin said.

< < a href= > http://www.91se91.com/pioneer/ > > British humor > /a > the detail design has won many fans' hearts for Ted Baker.

For example, a man's suit is only a well tailored suit, with an ink painting pattern with a great sense of design. It's like a purse with the words "the more you spend, the more you earn".

The brand also provides free dry cleaning services to customers. Such services are rare today.

talking about the fans of Ted Baker, Kate Middleton is one of them.

She was reported to have visited the Ted Baker store in England during her honeymoon.

Kelvin did not think so.

"I really don't know what she has bought."

He said, "I am very happy that she can come shopping here, but she is just a customer. I don't want to make a big fuss about it."

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Kelvin is not pretending not to care.

It is the belief that Ted Baker always sticks to because it does not rely on celebrities to advertise.

"As time goes on, people will get tired of celebrity endorsements. What they want to buy is not the clothes that stars wear, but the real fashions worn on ordinary people."

Kelvin pointed out.

In the process of chat, he repeatedly stressed a "slow" word, not slower than others, but not fast, only to make classic design, good texture and affordable clothing; not to earn popularity by celebrities, but by word of mouth word of mouth marketing.

"We have been watching the market and everything is going slowly."

He said, "step by step, look at it step by step, instead of expanding rapidly, then close down, so that the most important thing for the brand will be lost."

in the 2013 autumn winter women's clothing series, Ted Baker takes the steam train as the shooting scene and uses the contemporary technique to recreate the luxurious atmosphere of 1940s.

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like young people /p >

Ray Kelvin said that he was engaged in the "a href=" http://www.91se91.com/pioneer/ "Fashion Design > /a", which is a kind of destiny.

He has a lot to do with the fashion industry: his father has a factory in England, specially designed casual style ladies shirt, and his mother is engaged in sales work, dealing with all kinds of customers everyday.

In 60s of last century, he started working in his uncle's menswear store and contacted fashion trade.

He was only 11 years old.

"look, this is my mother. She is a charming woman."

Pointing to the woman in the photo, Kelvin said to me, "she takes me as her treasure and tells me that everything she wants to get must be put to all efforts."

Under the mother's education, Kelvin secretly vowed not to be a mediocre and ineffective person from childhood.

He doesn't want to be the shadow of anyone, he just wants to be the most unique.

this is also reflected in his works and style of work. He is not willing to be mediocre or even independent.

"He will make people who are late for the meeting do push ups. He himself is a push up expert, even if the famous Andy Murray (Andy Murray) is Scotland's tennis player."

"Sometimes he has a sense of working madness."

Ted Baker employees complained.

Nevertheless, Ray Kelvin is still a good boss in the eyes of his employees. He knows how to be considerate and concerned about his subordinates, and his humorous and interesting character also adds a lot to him.

although it is a work maniac, as long as it is idle, Kelvin will meet 35 male friends and go fishing along the river side.

"Since I was 20 years old, I began to play fly fishing.

I can sit by the river for a whole day.

Sometimes I stay there from 7 in the morning until 4 p.m., it's getting late, and I realize that the day is gone.

He laughed. "I really hope that time will be slower."

time may be really valuable to Kelvin today.

Now he already owns a huge design team. He is more like a creative and executive director of the brand, and manages all things together.

The 57 year old founder still does everything in his own right.

"I will check every product design to the final sample."

He said, "all the single products printed with the name of Ted Baker are made by Seiko.

It all comes down to a belief that fashion and life are full of fun. "

When I asked him if he would retire because he was too tired, he paused. Like a young man, his eyes twinkled with vision of the future. He looked up and said firmly, "never!" /p.

reporter: why do you always do not want to show your face in front of the camera? /p >

Lei Kelvin: because I am too ugly.

Do you think my old man is handsome? Pull it down!

reporter: is it because of shyness? /p >

Lei Kelvin: I am not shy at all, but I am shy when I face the camera and the public.

I have lens phobia, and I don't want to be a celebrity.

I like to hide behind the a href= "http://www.91se91.com/pioneer/", behind the scenes < /a >, and work with the staff.

I like mysticism. I don't want to be seen by others.

reporter: many people dream of becoming famous. What dreams do you have? /p >

Lei Kelvin: when I was little, I wanted to be a football player, or playing tennis.

Later, I found that I was not good at playing football and tennis, but I was very good at making clothes, so I changed my mind and became a designer.

reporter: Ted Baker hardly advertises in the fashion industry. Is this related to your character? /p >

Lei Kelvin: we don't need to advertise. We have word of mouth.

As time goes on, people will be tired of celebrity endorsements. What they want to buy is not the clothes that stars wear, but the real fashions worn on ordinary people.

strong > reporter: are you not afraid to lose some customers? /p >

Lei Kelvin: we do not care about logo, nor do we care about stars.

I want my customers to wear my clothes and become the shining stars in the crowd.

And his friends will love Ted Baker.

People say word of mouth, this is our philosophy of success.

reporter: have you heard about the decoration design of every shop?

Lei Kelvin: Yes.

I will check everything carefully, including products.

Each shop has different decoration styles.

In this store (referring to Kerry Center), you will see many pictures of trains. The theme of the shops is steam trains, because the first steam train across Shanghai was designed by British designers.

I like trains very much, especially the time of whistling.

It represents my passion.

strong > reporter: do you have any designer or brand you particularly admire? /p >

Lei Kelvin: I do not know any designer or brand except Ted Baker (laughs).

strong > reporter: simply describe your personal dressing style.

.

Lei Kelvin: I like color and Mashup, with British style and detail oriented design.

Look at my socks, they are coloured, my underwear is also, but I will not show you (laughs).

strong > reporter: you are too humorous.

.

Lei Kelvin: I would rather you said I was sexy.

Wearing a Ted Baker shirt or suit looks very gentlemanly.

But if you look closely at our clothes, even a black casual suit, its lining also contains a design sense of ink painting and printing. This is our characteristic, paying attention to all the details and sending out the men's < a href= "http://www.91se91.com/pioneer/" > Sexy /a.

strong > reporter: will you dress your son and daughter too? /p >

Lei Kelvin: my two sons are 19 and 17 respectively.

They like fashion. They like to wear Ted Baker. They even dress more than I do.

My baby daughter is only seven months old. I don't know what kind of style she will like later.