THE DRG STYLE INDEX: EBAY, THE ROW, OLYMPIA LE-TAN, CLUB MONACO
Here’s the latest weekly DRG STYLE INDEX ranking, a round-up of the brands currently buzzing on my radar…
1. EBAY VALET IS HERE
It seems everyone’s trying to crack the luxury fashion resale nut. In the same week that UK-based Covetique closed, eBay extended its eBay Valet service to include high end fashion (helped by Garance Dore, above). eBay Valet is the service that allows you to box up your fashion rejects and let someone else take care of the listing. The interesting bit is that eBay has to approve the designer and has published an extensive list of accepted fashion brands and their estimated values. I see Chanel, Hermes, Tom Ford and Louis Vuitton on that list… (Alas, the service isn’t avilable in the UK yet.)
2.THE ROW WINS AGAIN
Congratulations to The Row for winning the CFDA womenswear designer of the year award for the second time. Pretty impressive considering their low key approach, especially compared to fellow nominees Marc Jacobs and Micharl Kors. It’s proof that if you’re good, people will know it, even without the shouty social media profile and celebrity interviews.
3. WHAT NEXT FOR OLYMPIA LE-TAN?
I love Olympia Le-Tan, it’s one of the most original brands out there, with Le-Tan’s nostalgic and upbeat handwriting shaping everything from the products, to the collaborations, to her store interior. After seven years, it still feels unique and surprising. This week, Olympia Le-Tan received €1 million investment from French private investment firm Audacia, so expect to see bigger and better things coming through. Beauty next…?
4. CLUB MONACO’S GENTLEMAN’S ABODE
Could Chiltern Street get any more swish? It just did, with the arrival of a Club Monaco store, perfectly styled like a gentleman’s abode. The menswear store taps into the current ‘hometail’ retail trend (read about hometail here); think Persian rugs, a drinks trolley and a secret kitchen where you can quaff a coffee and a snack. And the buy reflects the gentlemanly mood, with a focus on tailoring and upscale accessories with a hetitage-y appeal.
WORDS: Navaz Batliwalla/Disneyrollergirl
