Retail Design Blog untitled NEW YORK, United States — Buying some suits at Ralph Lauren might mean being offered a chauffeured ride home in a BMW. New clothes from Saks could lead to a Mercedes-Benz van carrying a customised wardrobe pulling up to a home, hotel or office. With designer goods available online anytime, luxury retailers are adding more amenities and personal touches for in-person shopping. Stores overall are facing slower sales amid more restrained luxury spending, and some brands' flagship locations in major cities have seen a drop in shopping by international tourists because of the stronger US dollar. That makes it even more important for retailers to keep the customers they have feeling valued and pampered. Robert Burke, president of his namesake New York-based luxury consulting business, said he was surprised when the Ralph Lauren sales staff sent him back to his office with a uniformed driver after he came in to buy two suits. Metrick says it is about building a better relationship.
CA Com | untitled TOKYO, Japan — Japanese pop girl group Pottya, who describe themselves as "chubby," performed their hits while eleven plus size amateur models strutted along the catwalk at a new men's fashion show in Tokyo aimed at breaking down obesity taboos. The Tokyo Pochari (plump) Collection, jointly organised by a plus-size clothing brand Sakazen Shoji Co and fashion magazine, Mr Babe, featured models weighing more than 100 kg (220 pounds) walking, twirling and posing on the catwalk. Thursday's event attracted more than 100 people, who were invited to disclose their weight for a discount on a new range of ready-to-wear plus size clothing items, but organisers said the event was not just about sales. They hoped to change attitudes towards plus-size people in Japan, where obesity levels are among the lowest in the developed world and large people — sumo wrestlers aside — are often depicted as figures of fun on television. "As a fatso or big woman, I want more of these kind of events.
La Minute Retail - Blog au sujet des innovations retail Captivating Customers Nike (Beaverton, Ore.) recently launched two major campaigns for its London flagship stores, transforming its Jordan brand and authentic basketball annex into visually alluring installations. Showcasing some current trends in visual merchandising, Nike called upon design firm Green Room (Birmingham, U.K.) to execute its vision. Green Room sought to climb above and beyond its aesthetic expectations and storytelling demands for the Kobe XI and CP3.XI product lines. The result: a visual recreation of speed and lightning, respectively. Showcasing Nike’s popular brand collections (i.e., the Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant lines of athletic apparel and footwear), the displays intended to both educate and grab the attention of passersby, fulfilling customers’ needs for immediate information about the products. CP3.XI’s “Striking Impact” flourishes in similar gusto and emulates the eponymous shoe’s lacing system and fearless yellow-gold color.
Next Store: Virtual Reality Has Arrived I was recently in downtown Los Angeles while the innovative Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was setting up shop at the convention center, and I became intrigued when I learned that more than 70,000 attendees were expected. E3 is produced annually by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and is the definitive global video game event, showcasing approximately 1600 various tech products. A trade show that garners that level of attendance must serve an active and dynamic marketplace. And, where there are gamers, there is bound to be digital innovation occurring that will, no doubt, drive discussions surrounding virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for the coming years. This ever-evolving market is one that those of us in the retail sphere should look to for inspiration, or at least keep our collective eye on. The applications of 3-D visualization technology extend far beyond the entertainment or gaming industries. This technology is of great value for the customer.
Mannequins: For Fun and Profit The Internet is constantly changing the way people shop. But it’s also turning mannequins into social media icons. “Blogs, images and comments about mannequins are all over social media,” says Faith Bartrug, owner and founder of Faith Bartrug Design (Columbus, Ohio). “They have become an essential part of popular culture. It’s all about personality.” She references the Instagram account @Insannequins – a clearinghouse for people’s favorite mannequin installations – as well as other Instagram accounts of people who post fun mannequin images. German fashion designer Michael Michalsky created Internet buzz this year with his “Reality” exhibit, featured at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin this past January, which included foot-high, 3-D printed mannequins wearing miniatures of his couture. “The lesson for retailers is that the whole entire mannequin is the focus, not just the clothes,” says Bartrug. “I like what Kate Spade and Zara do,” he says. “It’s options everywhere,” says Bartrug.