Alison Bishop

Guest post: Jigsaw’s Duke Street Emporium is a 3D shopping experience



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Jigsaw has opened a mini department store dedicated to what it calls ‘social shopping’, putting the 3D back into retail. DRG contributor ALISON BISHOP takes a tour with CEO Peter Ruis

“Retail brands have the authenticity to create something unexpected, at Jigsaw we like shops to be slightly off-pitch,” CEO Peter Ruis told me at the launch for Jigsaw’s Duke Street Emporium in Mayfair.

The Emporium name comes from the idea that Jigsaw’s new multi-label, multi-concept two-floor store is like a journey of discovery. “It’s a bit of fun, it’s a bit of curating, the rooms are like catacombs of discovery,” says Ruis. “You can travel through the store finding new products and displays, it’s intended to be very fluid and you can spend as much time as you like going from room to room. They are quite small and merchandise is not overloaded so you can always find things to be inspired,” he says. (more…)



Ask Alison: The Shazamification of fashion



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This month’s column from regular DRG contributor, fashion & retail insights expert Alison Bishop explores the latest moves in how taste-making got shoppable…

Since fashion is now shared instantly across social media, it’s no wonder how we shop for it has become more instant too. From Instagram to Pinterest and Tumblr, these platforms have become a visual marketplace for fashionistas, brands and retailers. Most important are the style leaders or ‘taste-makers’ that other users follow – and they’re the ones responsible for a new Shazam-style of shopping.

Snap it, search it, buy it
Just as another season’s month-long fashion week circus kicks off, there is a raft of new apps that target the street-style set with instant-hit fashion, at the click of a photo search. I’m calling this the ‘Shazamification of shopping’, since the practice of snapping what someone is wearing, then searching, then buying it, mimics the music identifying app Shazam. Last year Shazam announced it would broaden its service by recognising content from TV shows, so that when people ‘Shazam’ a show, they can link through to buy items worn by presenters or actors. (more…)



Guest report: Techno Sports-luxe – a triangulated trend where streetstyle and high fashion dovetail with a sports vibe



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A NEW COLUMN: ‘ASK ALISON’ BY DRG CONTRIBUTOR, ALISON BISHOP

Sports-luxe is back into the fashionista psyche, judging by the recent round of SS14 catwalks, but this time around it’s infused with a tech-enhanced performance.

In London, Stella McCartney showcased her new performance-fabrics focused range for Adidas ‘to inspire women to get their sweat on’. From spinning to aerial yoga, the collection integrated sustainable textiles and lightweight breathable outerwear into a more dynamic offer. (more…)



Guest post: Levi’s says ‘Good Things Take Time’



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Branded content is all the rage now, from etail sites with blogs and themed edits, to fully-formed in-house magazines from brands like Topshop, Acne and Cos. Levi’s Made & Crafted has gone about things in a different way, as guest contributor, LSN Global retail editor ALISON BISHOP reports… (more…)