Filed under: Art/Design | Tags: Andy Gilmore, Berlin, Black Math, Gallery, Pool Gallery
The Pool Gallery, one of my favorites in Berlin has a new exhibit opening tonight running through Aug 22. The work of Andy Gilmore is being featured and the show is called “Black Math” although the posters advertising it are anything but black.
If you are in Berlin, definitely stop by and check out this great-looking show.
Tucholskystrasse 117
Filed under: Market Info | Tags: Ace Hotels, Arkitip, Drinking Games, Palm Beach, Snoopy
I love Ace Hotels, even though I have never stayed in one- they are effortlessly cool, innovative, fun, personal, and the holy grail of branding attributes these days… “authentic.” Meanwhile, they have the business saavy to enter the perfect segment of the market and flourish even in a recession and have diversified with intersting merchandising (Pendleton, Arkitip Mag, Generic Shoes), events (Coachella, etc), and partners.
To give you an idea of their style of communication, I am including a post from the Arkitip blog that references the hotel (via the notepad). While this is not official communication from the brand, it is nonetheless a example of how it is integrated into the lives of the “cool” kids.
“At least four people, each with a pad and pen.
Take turns calling out a cartoon character.
Everyone has to draw the character from memory.
It’s pretty frustrating to have a very clear picture of
Fred Flintstone in your head and not be able to draw it.
Note: You must already be drunk for this to be fun.”
Filed under: Art/Design, Market Info | Tags: Baccarat, Chrome Hearts, Collaboration
Baccarat and Chrome Hearts (the cheesy Las Vegas-style sword and heart adorned jewelry) have announced a collaboration on some crystal pieces sure to spice up any “luxury rockers´” homes. While we respect Baccarat for their tradition and 250 year heritage, we are not sure if Chrome Hearts is the right vehicle to break into new markets.
Filed under: Fashion | Tags: Beams, cheap, Monocle, Toy Watch, Tyler Bruhle, Wallpaper
Intellectuals and wannabe-intellectuals love Monocle for its “biting” political commentary juxtaposed with stylish product recommendations. It makes sense that Monocle would choose one of the more mainstream “urban” brands for their next collaboration as they like to dip just a toe into the cold waters of experimentation. That being said, their joint wristwatch project with Beams Limited just does not seem to fit with anything either brand stands for. Monocle attempts to be luxurious, stylish, smart, “authentic” among other things, and creating a plastic Rolex knock-off is none of these.
Personal opinions aside, I am sure the magazine will have no trouble selling these badboys that come in black and olive green. Email shop@monocle.com to pre-order the 95GBP watches.
Filed under: Fashion | Tags: Adidas, Busenitz, Pro Model, Retail, Skateboard
Adidas has conquered (or at least heavily dented) the the streetwear, running, soccer, rugby markets. They have now released a collection of signature pro-model skate shoes that are quickly becoming the hit of the internet. With inspiration coming from many of their classic shoes, Adidas enhanced the shoes with the features that skaters need in terms of functionality, comfort, and durability. I like to see companies really get into diverse market with as much talent and cool legitimate products like this.
(Pics from hypebeast)
Filed under: Market Info | Tags: Adrian Zecha, Aman Resorts, Amangiri, Brand loyalty, Lake Powell, Utah
While Aman Resorts is not a retail outlet, per se, it is fascinating the level of brand loyalty that we have seen the brand develop over the years. There are actual legion of self-proclaimed “Aman-junkies” who reside exclusively at Aman Resorts around the world and could never think of anything else. I encourage all of you to read about the company´s founder, Adrian Zecha, to hear his incredible story about dedication and not sacrificing one ounce of his vision in creating the brand.
Aman will open their latest property, the Amangiri, at Lake Powell in Utah this year. Though Aman does not come cheap, Aman-junkies are more than happy to shell out the big bucks for serenity, top design, high quality materials, and the special attention that guests receive. Hotel Chatter reports, “Due to open on September 15 this year, the opening rates start at $600 for a desert view suite and go as high as $3,000 a night for the Amangiri suite; there are no opening specials advertised as such, but all the rates will rise in mid-December. You get to Amangiri via a half-hour drive from Page Airport in Arizona, but don’t worry about that too much; all the rates include free transfers.”
Seriously, who needs a TV or computer when you have this view…
Filed under: Advertising | Tags: Islay, Laphoraig, Scotland, Whisky
I love whisky… not the lightly colored mild and smooth kinds that are popular with some people- no, I prefer the harsh smokey flavors most associated withthe island of Islay. Among the whisky from Islay the legendary Laphroaig brand is my favorite, so when I read on Luxist this morning that it is possible to claim a one square foot plot of land on the Islay with each bottle purchase I became an even bigger fan of the brand!
Apparently if you purchase a bottle of whisky, you can go to www.laphroaig.com/plot and register with your purchase number to claim your plot! With this you are a registered “friend” of the company and are then encouraged to visit the distillery where you will receive your “rent” which is a dram of whisky!
Luxist explains, “There are more than 364,000 Friends of Laphroaig spread across more than 150 countries registered online. Among the site’s many features is Laphroaig TV, offering a look inside the distillery as well as exclusive previews of limited-edition bottlings, live online tastings and educational seminars.”
Filed under: Art/Design, Fashion, Stores | Tags: Black Bird, e-commerce, New York, Pendleton, Sweater
Loving all things Pendleton, we were psyched to see the brand embracing their new poorgeoisie following with this slick wool cardigan. The woven cardigan has a full-zippered front with hidden pockets and a cool bear design and is made from 100% Lambswool. Those interested can buy the sweater from one of our favorite shops, Black Bird.
After reporting in March that Jil Sander would be helming a new line for Uniqlo, we can finally see a glimpse of the new designs. The line, which will be called +J, is not dissimilar from the signature style that made her a star. The line will debut in stores around the world and online this fall.
Filed under: Art/Design, Market Info | Tags: e-commerce, Fast Company, Frog Design, iPhone, iTunes, Ross Lovegrove
For skeptics, iTunes is a fantastic place to shop for music and entertainment because it is so trustworthy. Frog Design, which is responsible for some of the most memorable offline product designs in history from the Sony Walkman to the original Apple iMac as well as having nurtured designers like Ross Lovegrove and Yves Behar, has released their newest product design- online.
Postcard Express, the iPhone app, lets you take geo-tagged snapshots and send them along to friends in cool postcard templates. Fast Company elaborates, “
This is Frog Design’s first iPhone app, and presumable it won’t be the last: Given all the in-house know-how among its 400 employees, apps could provide a pretty clever way of pulling in a bit of extra money. Hopefully, its competitors such as IDEO and Smart Design will also get on the game.
Meanwhile, on the travel front, the iPhone has already become almost an essential gadget for travelers, thanks to the magic of geolocation–there are literally hundreds of useful apps, but a few to check out in particular include Roadtrippr, the local guides by Pocket Places, Local Eats, and Lonely Planet City Guides.”
Filed under: Market Info, Stores | Tags: Construction, Las Vegas, MGM Mirage, Recession, Shopping Mall, Tom Ford
MGM Mirage has released the list of retailers who are planning to move into the mega construction mixed-use project, City Center. According to Luxist, “The Crystals facility is set to open on December 3 and will include most of the major luxury brands which already have at least one outlet on the Las Vegas Strip like Prada, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Carolina Herrera, Hermes, Roberto Cavalli, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Ermengildo Zegna and Versace. The center will also mark the debut of other stores in Las Vegas such as Tom Ford, Assouline, Kiton, Miu Miu, Paul Smith and Porsche Design. Other previously announced retailers are H. Stern, de Grisogono, Marni, Boutique Tourbillon and Mikimoto. Wolfgang Puck and Todd English will also have restaurants at the complex. This line-up puts CityCenter in direct competition with other shopping areas on the Strip including the Wynn and the Forum Shop.”
Steve Marcus
As Creative Director for both his eponymous line as well as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs has been responsible for a number of fantastic products, advertisements, and collaborations. In this “behind-the-scene” video we see the process in creating the ad campaign for the Fall/Winter 09 seasons of LV.
Filed under: Stores | Tags: bicycle, East Hampton, fixie, Hamptons, NYC, Pop-up Shop, Steven Alan
Having kicked off this past Saturday in East Hampton, Steven Alan´s pop-up shit is a must-visit for any tri-state area residents or visitors. In addition to his upcomingbike-ready great, the shop features a fantastic bicycle from Los Angeles-based bike company, Linus Bikes. As biking becomes more and more trendy/popular, it is great to see an affordable entry into the “good looking” segment of this market.
52 Newtown Lane
East Hampton, N.Y.
(631) 604-1726
Filed under: Fashion, Market Info | Tags: Jay Z, Justin Timerlake, Kanye West, Levis, Rast, Skinny Jeans, Tru Religion
Are skinny jeans for girls? Personal opinion aside, the markets seem to be telling us… NO! Practically every major player in the men´s denim industry is getting in on the skinny action tightening thighs, lowering hips, and pegging legs more and more. While many have predicted this fad would subside due to the nature of the fashion industry and the genuine discomfort that comes from wearing the jeans, consumers persist with the encouragement of style scions such as Kanye West and Justin Timberlake. The Wall Street Journal explains, “True Religion says 15% of the top-selling men’s jeans in its own retail stores were “slim leg” jeans in the first quarter of 2009, up from 11% in the year-ago first quarter and a Levi spokeswoman says: “Over the past several months, our men’s skinny jeans styles have been among our most requested and top-selling jeans.”
In the big picture, the men´s premium denim market is a small piece of the fashion pie, but in the face of the recession, this segment has been surprisingly strong, “Men’s jeans sales totaled $5.31 billion in the U.S. for the 12 months ended April 30, according to market researcher NPD Group, down 2% from a year earlier. But sales of fashion jeans priced $50 and up rose 8%. NPD doesn’t track sales by style.”
Filed under: Fashion, Retail Events, Stores | Tags: Concept Store, department store, Japan, Opening Cere, pop-up store, Tokyo
One of the US´s coolest concept department stores (in both NYC and LA), Opening Ceremony, has announced that they will be spreading their flavor overseas. Freshness reports that OC will partnering with “Onward Kashiyama on a pop-up store. The store will be located in Tokyo’s Seibu Movida and will feature an international roster of brands such as ACNE, Alexander Wang, Band of Outsiders and their own in-house label. The store will open for business on August 30th.”
Opening Ceremony Shop-In-Shop @ Seibu Movida
Seibu Movida Building
21-1 Udagawa Cho
Tokyo, Japan
Filed under: Advertising, Art/Design, Fashion, Market Info, Stores | Tags: Berlin, Brooklyn, consumer tribes, Fashion, Hipster, Poorgeoisie, Retail, Trends
What the hell is “poorgeoisie”?… Poor + Bourgeoisie = Poorgeoisie. Much like Gypsetters and trustafarians, this new consumer tribe is at the top of the minds of marketing gurus around the world… even if they do not know it yet. Check out my brief presentation and introduction to the new conumers that mask their insatiable luxury consumption with unkempt beards and dirty clothes…
Download Poorgeoisie PDF here…
Filed under: Fashion, Stores | Tags: Ace Hotel, Arkitip, Generic Surplus, Palm Springs
The hipster and poorgeoisie darling hotel chain, Ace Hotels, has inaugurated their shoe release with Arkitip Magazine and Generic Surplus at their Palm Springs location. Check out the swimming pool… wish we were there…
Filed under: Market Info, Stores | Tags: Darden, Grill, Olive Garden, Restaurants
Darden Restaurants is the largest and most successful full-service restaurant company in the world. Headquartered in Orlando, FL with turnover in the billions, they have evolved, grown, and optimized operations to turn out one after the other winning concept. Fast Company recently devoted a slideshow and article to Darden with key information about the brand.
Filed under: Art/Design, Retail Events, Stores | Tags: Art, department store, London, Retail, saatchi, selfridges, tracey emin
With a great committment to art and developing talent, the murmurART platform works with emerging new artists. Through July 15, see the pop-up exhibit from this organization at the London luxury department store Selfridges in their creative section called The Wonder Room. The hosting panel features 10 prominent fitures like Selfridges´Creative Director, Tracey Emin, and Kay Saatchi. The show will include words priced from GBP1000 and all sales go directly to the artists.
Filed under: Stores | Tags: Berlin, Design Hotels, Magazines, Mykita, Raf Simons, Road trip
Design Hotels has put the finishing touches on their fantastic Summer Roadtrip campaign which includes everything you need to plan a pimpin´ roadtrip this summer. The resources includes maps, suggested itineraries with events and points of interest, and what we care about… THINGS TO BUY! In the past this cool company only had their book for sale in their shop, but now it includes some of the coolest products from Berlin (my home as well as Berlin´s HQ) and around the world.
Sunglasses
Any roadtripper knows that cut down on the glare from that windshield, a good pair of shades are in order! From Berlin´s own handmade sunglass brand, Mykita, we offer three of their top sellers including those from their new collaboration with Bernhard Willhelm as well as the personal choice of everybody´s favourite humanitarian/actor/heartthrob…
Backpack
Obviously you are going to need somewhere to carry all of your supplies! And for this, we offer the Spring/Summer 09 collaboration between Raf Simons and Eastpak. With both stylish form and function, use it for day trips while exploring cities or countrysides.
Magazine Bundles
For those long stretches of highway that seem to never end, we have something to keep your mind and inspiration going- a selection of limited edition collectible magazine packages from the expert magazine extraordinaires, Do You Read Me?!.
Filed under: Advertising
WTF… I just gave a brief presentation last night about how your location of origin can influence the context of your brand and one of the examples I used was Evian water… Known for its crisp Alpine spirit and personality, it is clear how the origin of the brand is utilized and leveraged to sell an image. Maybe I spoke too soon (watch the video below the image)…
Filed under: Advertising, Art/Design, Fashion | Tags: Campana brothers, Design, Lacoste, logos
I love the Campana Brothers as much as the next design fan- their stuffed animal chairs and bizarre rope constructed furniture is comfortable and inspiring. However, I am still trying to decide what I think about this limited edition shirt for Lacoste that they designed. Drawing inspiration from their own chair (it seems) the shirt is made exclusively of crocodile mascot logos.
No word about the availability of the shirt, but if anybody manages to see these crocs in the wild, please share!
Filed under: Art/Design | Tags: 4th of July, Alessi, Barbecue, BBQ, Berlin, Grill, Independence Day
As an expat living in Berlin, the 4th of July always brings a sense of nostalgia… not for celebrating the birth of my nation but more for the barbecue. Not to say there is no barbecue in Berlin or elsewhere in the world, it is just different. Rather than ballpark hotdogs and burgers, people grill “wurst” here. That being said, I am looking forward to hitting up some bbq´s around town this wkend and I will keep my eye out for some hottest (no pun intended) grills currently on the market.
“Barbicú” by Alessi (saw this gem at the Salone de Mobile this year in Milan)
“Element” by Fuego and Ammunition Design
“Notebook Grill” by Direct Design
Filed under: Fashion, Retail Events, Stores | Tags: Berlin, Nike, Pop-up Shop, Sportswear, Wood Wood
Walking home last night from speaking at the E Factor event, I noticed this new Nike pop up shop on Gipstrasse in Berlin. The space looks pretty cool (it was difficult to get a good shot of the interior) and seems to be dedicated to the new “I Am 1″ Nike Sportswear campaign which highlights individuals in a few cities around the world. Among the 4 profiles include Barbara Körmendi who is the MG at the Wood Wood shop. Check out the shop if you can before it is gone!
Filed under: Advertising, Art/Design, Market Info | Tags: Branding, Corporate Identity, Font, Logo, MTV, Universal Everything
Visual Branding is crucial as we all know. With recent failures from Tropicana Orange Juice, and Pepsi, major brands need to tread lightly when attempting to overhaul or even update their image. Naturally, when MTV decided to update their CI, they went with a top agency Universal EverythingAgency based in the UK. According to the MTV Creative Director, the new look is “pop x 1000%.”
Fast Company published a nice wrap-up of the process… “What does it mean? Well, for one thing, it signifies a much more polished, coherent look for MTV, whose various bits of branding have often been excellent, but at the same time scattershot. But what’s more interesting is that the look is decidedly 2-D, with a cut and paste feel that looks lifted from punk rock zine’s of the 1980s. That’s different from the swirly embellishments of recent MTV history. And it’s a welcome relief.
The basic principles at work in the design–from good information graphics, type that performs different functions–are basically ideas cribbed from interactive and graphic design. Which makes sense, given UE’s background.
The starting point was recognizing that the logo itself was sacred–there wasn’t much that could be done to improve it. So UE made it more distinguished, stripping it of the colors and animations of years past. Instead, they treat it on-screen as as anchor that stays fixed at all times, and which orients all of the on-air navigation graphics…”
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Concert, European Tour, Kanye West, Stage
While this hardly constitutes “retail,” if Kanye West is the epitome of a “personal brand” perhaps his concert stage is his store…? That being said, these preview pics of the stage for his upcoming European tour were too good not to post. What do you think?
Filed under: Fashion, Stores | Tags: Alice in Wonderland, Chicago, Fedora, Johnny Depp, Public Enemies, Tim Burton
The new movie “Public Enemies” by Miami Vice director, Michael Mann, opens today and stars not only Johnny Depp and John Dillinger, but the classic and iconic fedoras by Optimo Hats. 75 different movies were hand made the “old fashioned” way direct in the Chicago workshop. Those interested in traditional ways of doing things should pay a visit to the shop and get the first-hand experience.
Since he will soon be out in theaters playing the “Mad Hatter” for Tim Burton´s Alice in Wonderland, we wonder if maybe you will run into Depp while there…?
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Berlin, Fashion Week, Outdoor Eating, Restaurants
Local favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Chi Sing, created a stir this afternoon when putting together their pop-up outdoor eating. Complete with real grass, DJ, and tent to keep things cool, the restaurant was packed, and we predict will continue to be so until the weather no longer permits.
Please send any pictures of innovative outdoor eating spaces that you encounter around the world!
Filed under: Advertising, Art/Design, Fashion, Market Info | Tags: Design Hotels, Jeremy Silverman, Modern Affluence, Presentation
Retail Refugees is offering its first presentation free to download. It covers several poignant trends which luxury marketers should be aware like “Bite Sized Luxury,” “Sexy Social Responsibility,” and several others. I invite you all to take a look and please contact with any information. I put Modern Affluence together with the support of Design Hotels AG in Berlin.
Download Modern Affluence here!
Filed under: Art/Design, Stores | Tags: Amsterdam, Design Hotels, Future Blog, Mendo Shop, Travel
One of my favorite travel resources, Design Hotels, has a great new re-design with some added content for regular visitors to the. The Future Blog covers everything about the hospitality and related industries, “Product Spotlight” give introductions to some cool new travel or design-related goods, and Travel Diaries is their first actual travel blog. It follows a number of interesting contributors literally around the world with some cool tips and stories. Recently they started accepting submissions for people who come across the “Design Hotels Book” in bookstores throughout the world- this is a pretty interesting feature. For a relatively small brand (60 people) to be present in so many exotic locations (from Bali to Amsterdam to Berlin) they have a truly “cool” product.
Check out Travel Diaries and all the bookstores featuring the book- Our favorite is the Mendo Shop in Amsterdam (shown below)
Filed under: Stores | Tags: NYC, Queens, Rockaway, T Magazine, Tacos
Anne Christensen let T Magazine readers in on a little secret yesterday located a short 45 minute trainride from Manhattan… Rockaway Taco. Rockaway Beach is long known for drawing the more California-esque bankers and titans of industry for a little surfing action before the markets open every day. However, it is the taco stand, which serves as a welcome alternative to pizza and hot dogs, that keeps everybody else coming back.
Her experience included fish tacos, plantain chips with guacamole, a chorizo taco and lemonade, well done Anne.
Filed under: Fashion, Stores | Tags: Berlin, Interview, Mitte, Wood Wood
From down the road in Mitte, Berlin, Jon at the Wood Wood shop recently granted an interview to Rockers NYC. Wood Wood is a design firm-come-retailers with shops in Copenhagen, Berlin, and recently opened pop up shop in Vienna and carries everything from Nike Sportswear, to CDG, to their own private label. A definite visit if you are in Berlin.
R: How would you describe the Wood Wood Berlin work force?
J: I’ve been more than extremely lucky with my staff here. We are a nice little family with very little hierarchy. There is a big level of trust and sharing of responsibility between us, and I really believe that pays off internally and also for the customer, because they feel that they come into a room with good vibes.
R: How do you decide what brands to carry in your shop?
J: The hardest is to decide which brands and products not to carry. There is plenty of good stuff out there, but we don’t have space or finances to carry it all. But we are a little like a tree with roots and stems and bark and branches, and leaves and flowers. It’s one big puzzle consisting of many small parts that all have to match.
R: From your mind’s eye, where do you see men’s fashion going?
J: Still don’t know, sorry. Feeling old.
THE.WOOD-WOOD.SKY…
THE.WOOD-WOOD.SOCK.INVASION…
Filed under: Art/Design, Fashion, Stores | Tags: Bergdorf Goodman, Window Display
Through July 20, the legendary NYC department Store, Bergdorf Goodman, will be hosting 11 windows exclusively with the “out of place” exhibit co-hosted by the American Visionary Art Museum. The exhibit showcases the artistry and craftwork of “real people” including doctors, engineers, and businesspeople juxtaposed with luxury apparel.
Well, it seems that there is a new internete meme on the block with the ambition to take over both the Snuggie and Slanket. It is called… the Wearable Towel. See video below, and keep your eyes and ears open for WT sightings around the internet, TV, and discount stores.
Filed under: Uncategorized
The cooler-than-thau Standard Hotel in NYC has been open for a little while now and the buzz just does not stop- from the voyeur sex guestrooms visisble from the High Line to the new just-opened Standard Grill.
The Standard Grill is “officially” open now and word on the street is that it definitely lives up to the hype. Hotel Chatter is on the scene and reports, “As of right now, the restaurant is open to the public but only for “preview dinner and late night.” To start the salivating, Yelp already has some very detailed reviews from diners, including price and entree tidbits. Elusive reservations can be had by calling 212-645-4100, just remember to stay flexible and drop in even if they deny you over the phone; walk-ins are always welcome.”
Rumor in the hotel world has it that Ian Schrager will purchase Chicago´s Ambassador Hotel after having made an accepted $25million offer to the current owners.
“Mr. Schrager hasn’t decided on the hotel’s new name, or whether he’d rename the Pump Room, where celebrities from Bette Davis to Frank Sinatra to Natalie Wood once held court. During the heyday of cross-country train travel, the late Sun-Times newspaper columnist Irv Kupcinet was a fixture in the restaurant’s Booth One, where he interviewed movie stars passing through Chicago on trips between the coasts.” (Crains)
Filed under: Advertising, Art/Design, Fashion, Retail Events | Tags: Dunhill, Fashion Week, Hypebeast, Lanvin, Martin Margiela
Fashion shows are one of the ways that brands can extend their personality and culture outside of the commercial setting. The entire experience can be tailored around drawing guests into the world of the brand and giving them a holistic experience. The first step and point of contact for these shows is the invitation and Hypebeast recently shared some of the invites that they received for this year. My favorite is Lanvin, Martin Margiela, and Dunhill- for each of the truly express the mood and character of the brand.
Maison Martin Margiela
Dunhill
Lanvin
The Marc Jacobs creative department has put the finishing touches on their sketch “Miss Marc,” the mascot for the new mobile MJ site. We have discussed QR codes and their potential in the past- let´s hope that MJ can do something useful with this technology.
Hipster commercial photographer Ryan McGinley was tapped by Levi´s for their new campaign dubbed, “go forth.” We like Ryan´s style 
Filed under: Market Info, Stores | Tags: Amazon, e-commerce, Kindle, Wal-Mart
There has been plenty of coverage of Amazon.com´s electronic reader named Kindle (already in its second incarnation) but is this product simply a sign of bigget things to come for the e-tailer? With the launch of a private label range of non-media products, Amazon has positioned itself to take on the biggest of the big box chain stores (Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc) through the low pricing model structure.
The research company Cowen and Company has predicted Wal-Mart like success in the near future for Amazon: “In our view, Amazon is a next-generation Wal-Mart, and we believe the company’s focus on lower prices and a superior shopping experience versus online and offline competitors will result in substantial share gains over time.”
Fast Company explains, “The reasons for Cowen’s vote of confidence are numerous, citing greater penetration in non-media categories, more orders per customer resulting from Amazon Prime (a discount shopping program) and the ability to reinvest profits (a la Wal-Mart) from higher margin revenue sources into lower prices across the board. The report notes that Wal-Mart has 7.7% of U.S. retail share, while Amazon owns only 0.3%. That’s a lot of room to grow.”
Cowen estimates Amazon will sell 900,000 this year and 1.4 million next year. By 2013, Kindle penetration could reach 10% of Amazon’s customer base, or 2% of the U.S. population, the report says.
Filed under: Retail Events | Tags: Berlin, Bread & Butter, Streetwear, Trade Show
After several years of relocation in Barcelona, Bread & Butter, the “tradeshow for selected brands” has returned to Berlin. Even more exciting is that B&B will be taking place at the historic Tempelhof Airport.
“With its “tradeshow for selected brands”, BREAD & BUTTER provides the concept of an innovative trade fair event for the progressive, contemporary clothing culture.
As an international specialist trade fair for Street and Urban Wear, BREAD & BUTTER represents a marketing and communication platform for brands, labels and designers from the areas of Denim, Sportswear, Street Fashion, Function Wear and Casual Dressed Up, as well as for suppliers from the preliminary stage of the textile industry.
With a unique brand portfolio, BREAD & BUTTER confirms its position as the leading international trade fair and trademark – it is the meeting point for buyers, traders and representatives from the textile industry press.”
Japanese cheap-chic darlings, Uniqlo, have recently (March 16) announced a new addition to their team… the minimalistic-styled German giant of fashion, Jil Sander.
WWD reports, the German designer has just signed a “design consulting agreement” to oversee the men’s and women’s apparel at Japanese retail giant Uniqlo. Sander and executives from Uniqlo’s parent company Fast Retailing Co. Ltd., held a press conference here Tuesday to outline the terms of the deal.
“Some of you [have known] me since I have been engaged in fashion but I’m not interested in the past. Let us talk today about the future” the designer, clad in a black knee-length coat, told journalists assembled at the Four Seasons Hotel. “I’m here in Tokyo for something completely different. The challenge for me is to establish a premium quality in a democratically-priced range.”
Although Sander will not receive an official title at the company, the designer will take over the creative reins for all the retailer’s products excluding accessories and children’s wear. The Japanese brand and Sander are also working to develop a special Uniqlo collection, bearing the designer’s minimalist look, set to bow for the fall season. Details regarding the collection have not yet been disclosed.
Filed under: Market Info
Among the highest echelons of luxury is Hermés, and in these difficult times, venerable brands like this must make a decision to either discount and drive volume, or stick to their guns and tradition. In the case of Hermés, their steadfast marketing, branding, and retail strategy has paid off as they have not deviated from any of their original values. The brand´s net income for 2008 rose less to 290.2 million euros beating an estimate of 287.5 million euros which was the estimate by 12 analysts compiled by Bloomberg News. It will pay a dividend of 1.03 euros a share versus last year’s 1 euro.
Though the brand is expanding more slowly than anticipated, they still remain a leader in the luxury market, while LVMH and Gucci brands have seen a dramatic decline in some areas.
In Milan, sales typically happen twice a year to create space and welcome merchandise for the new year. That being said, last year retailers had begun to start discounts a full month prior to the officially sanctioned period (December, rather than January). This year, however, the Camera della Moda, the Italian governing body of fashion has issued a statement saying that discounts on the Spring merchandise would NOT take place early (they begin in July).
We have heard through the grapevine that some, even prestigious, brands would plan to do some hush hush discounting early (in time for April´s Salone di Mobile crowd).
Filed under: Stores | Tags: Bape, Japan, Nigo, Retail Interior, Wonderwall
The streetwear god Nigo, and his Bape brand recently opened a new retail front with the help of Masamichi Katayama and Wonderwall. This is just the latest in a long history between the iconoclasts of modern Japanese design and culture.
Originally famous for his messenger bags and other “man accessories,” Jack Spade has recently opened his newest temporary shop in the form of Jack & Jimbo´s. The store stocks bikes from East Village vintage store Landmark, custom models from uptown’s Signature, sweet cycling clothing from England’s Rapha, and obvoiusly Jack Spade products.
I could not help but include this profile of Ruth, the Marc Jabobs Bleeker St. mascot, Jack Russel Terrier/Australian Cattle Dog mix. However, after considering the impact that she has had on the store’s success and morale (apparently a very positive one), perhaps it is valuable to consider the effect that in-store pets can have on a retail shops performance… I will be profiling a different pet in retail for the next couple of weeks.
Submissions accepted: Jeremy@retailrefugees.com
RUTH/ Jack Russel Terrier & Australian Cattle Dog Mix/ Marc Jacobs Bleeker Street
As fashion develops globally, the IHT has pointed out how Berlin is carving out a niche as a jump-off point for many Eastern European designers.
“Milan does not have an avant-garde scene, Paris is very expensive, and New York and London are so much further away,” explains Ulrike Möslinger, who directs marketing for the French department store Galleries Lafayette in Berlin and is on the board of Create Berlin, an advocacy group for local design. “Düsseldorf has more industry, but the infrastructure for young designers is better here in Berlin. The rents are not expensive, and it’s very easy to open a store.”
Retail rents in central Berlin are around €2,600 per square meter a year, or $310 a square foot, while similar space in Paris could be as much as €8,000 per square meter – and it is likely that startup stores or young designers would seek even less expensive property, further out from the center into what was formerly East Berlin.
“Berlin sees itself as the middle-European capital, a bridge between East and West and, although I don’t know if all Eastern European designers see it that way yet, I think it has that potential for them,” said Silvia Kadolsky, director and owner of the Berlin branch of Esmod, the private international fashion school founded in Paris in 1841.
Filed under: Market Info, Stores | Tags: Dior, Luxury, Recession, Retail
A longtime favorite for the big spenders who love labels, Dior is definitely not immune to the recession. That being said, their method for dealing with it is to drive their brand experience further upscale, rather than downmarket.
Christian Dior started to further ramp up its luxury quotient, from installing thicker carpets in its boutiques and displaying more crocodile handbags on the shelves to dispatching direct-mail catalogues too sumptuous to consider discarding.
According to Dior president and chief executive officer Sidney Toledano, the crisis will only speed up a trend the French firm already spied: a widening gulf between ultraluxury players and also-rans.
“What we have done the last two years is consolidate our position at the summit of the luxury pyramid,” Toledano said. “It was the right choice. You either choose to be at the top, or down.”
he asserted. “People are ready to pay for a more expensive product. They consider it an investment. They want to be able to use the bag several times a week, so it has to be of high quality, functional, and also a perennial.”
Toledano stressed people are “very selective” today when they make an investment, whether it’s in a house, stocks, or a product. “It’s not that investment has stopped. People will continue buying, but in a different way,” he said.
For example, in the United States, where the downturn has hit hard, flaunting wealth is not apropos. “People want to be more low-profile,” he said. “But you know, these people are not looking for cheap products. You can be low-key but still buy high-quality.”
(via WWD)
Filed under: Art/Design, Stores | Tags: Artemide, Interior, Lighting, milan, Retail, Taiwan
The Italian lighting experts, Artemide, represent one of the global leaders of the residential lighting industry and high end professionals. Based in Pregnana Milanese, the Group has made a name for itself with its impressive “shop in shop” concepts in the most prestigious and high-profile lighting and furniture shops. Artemide has recently opened this flagship store in Taipei Taiwan designed by Crox architects.
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