Editing - Art or Crime Scene

Editing

I think editing is an art!
At least I hope it ends up being art as apposed to a 'crime scene' ... as I reflect on my decision to Launch '5 Minutes to Gorgeous'
the new cosmetics for the Urban Cowgirl Line... I think about all of the sifting through ideas I needed to do in order to Hone In.

I need to put my ideas through various filters... I needed to Edit!
So in that sense editing is an art.

Editing film, editing writing, editing what comes pouring out of one's mouth and editing what goes into a brand--it is all potentially a moment of art or a foul mess in need of cleaning up.

I made a mistake when I opened my store. I got overly excited and filled the store with products I thought would sell instead of focusing on the Brand, the brand message and the brand presentation. Consequently the brand got lost in the chaos. 

I knew that I had crossed the line when the remarks of people coming into the store went from, " Wow, is this a Franchise? "  to, " Hmmm, what kinda store is this?"

I had to ask myself; " Did I add things to the store because the brand wasn't holding up on it's own? Because I confused the store with my own closet? Because I just got caught up in the wave of other designers? I think the answer was yes on all of the above. I needed to clear the boards and start all over. What is the brand, the brand message and what products serve that message? 

I am continually editing the line and a tactic that I've added to assist in that endeavor was to create an additional line. When a product is too High end or Special occasion or Girly Girly I have a line to put those products, ideas and designs into and it doesn't feel like I am completely abandoning the idea, product or concept. I don't have the finances to launch both today but, the ideas are there. It makes me feel sane to have a bucket to place these ideas for the future. I also have begun an Idea book where all my wild ideas and designs can live and breath.

Another tool for editing is test marketing. Testing an idea out on your friends and colleagues is a great way to get some feed back, but if you have the time or money, you can test it out in the market place or hire a test marketer. Even then, I have found, your best test market is yourself.

 " Would I wear this? Where would I wear this? When would I ever wear this?"

 In so many ways a brand or any creative product is  autobiographical and as it goes out into the world, picking up new people to help in the creative process,  it begins to take on the flavors of other people's experience, however it is likely that the people drawn to the brand will be of the same ilk as the creator and the flavor will be a great blend. I like to think of it like cooking, there is the original recipe and then there are herbs and flavors you may never have thought to introduce. 

Don't be afraid to change or edit--it truly can be the spice of life.