Tips for a gong-worthy lookbook

​This week marks the end of fashion week in Paris, a culmination of a month long global reveal of what we’ll be wearing next spring, or at least wishing we were. For those PR professionals representing fashion and luxury brands, as we do here at Hodges Partnership, the next few weeks will be spent pitching the newest collections to key editors, especially for long lead publications, as they plan their early 2014 books.

When it comes to pitching fashion or luxury goods, the most important press material a PR professional should have is a lookbook. I can recall busily stuffing and mailing out printed lookbooks for my very first job at the Italian luxury label Bottega Veneta, way back in the day before things turned digital.

What exactly is a lookbook? Well, it actually originates from exactly what it’s called. A lookbook is a collection of “looks,” primarily apparel, compiled together in the form of images showcasing the latest offerings from your client. A lookbook serves as a way for the brand to tell their story from a visual perspective. There isn’t an exact science to developing a typical lookbook, but from our experience there are a couple of vital components to creating a lookbook that gets the media’s attention.

Images, Images, Images

Having strong photography is a must. The editor wants to see the product. Our client at Collared Greens is never short of great images as their co-founder also happens to be an accomplished published photographer. For their Spring 2013 Lookbook, the brand showcased not only their American-made goods but beautiful outdoor photography to emphasize their support for environmental causes.

Be original

One of our all-time favorite lookbooks comes from our friends at Need Supply Co. Not only did they think out-of-the box with this Wes Anderson-esque lookbook but they creatively highlighted their collection.

Keep it simple

No need for superfluous graphics or add-ons when your client’s product can do all the singing like the collection from our women’s luxury knitwear client Lisa Todd.

Stay on Brand

Keep to your client’s brand standards. From logo and font style to overall color palette, the lookbook should be representative of the entire brand, just as our client at Stitch Golf did with their recent lookbook.

Include key information

Anticipate questions that the editor will have as they flip through your lookbook. The name of the specific product or style, retail price, where to purchase and press contact information.

We get asked quite often if lookbooks should be offered in print format. It’s not necessary as many editors today prefer you email it to them. Depending on the size of the file, I find sending along a dropbox link the most efficient method of delivery. By all means, do print out copies if you’re doing a deskside with an editor as a leave behind for them to review.

Finally, check out what other brands are doing with their lookbooks. It’s a great way to stay informed and get inspired. The men’s style blog Hypebeast curates some great lookbooks on their site and Refinery 29, a women’s lifestyle site, regularly features lookbooks that are attention worthy so start looking!