The Natural Shoe Store and I go back a long way. To the eighties to be precise, when its Bass Weejun loafers were the height of cool, albeit far out of reach of my meager pocket money budget. Founded in 1976 by Robert Lusk as a destination for all things earthy and comfort-soled, it was always a bit of a stealth influencer. (more…)
Here’s the latest weekly DRG STYLE INDEX ranking, a round-up of the brands currently buzzing on my radar…
1. H&M’S BIG BEAUTY PUSH
There’s something interesting kicking off in the high street beauty space. I think it’s similar to what happened with jeans and shoes a while ago, when the UK chain stores invested heavily in fashion-forward designs, outdoing the specialists at their own game. Topshop’s make-up is five years old this month and the product quality, design and branding are as good as many of the more premium brands. & Other Stories shook things up with its experiential retail approach, while Urban Outfitters is also jumping into the beauty space in a bigger way, stocking Tonymoly from Korea among others. Next: H&M is launching a 700 piece beauty line in September. Yes, H&M has dabbled in beauty before but not in any serious way. (more…)
Here’s the latest weekly DRG STYLE INDEX ranking, a round-up of the brands currently buzzing on my radar…
1) CHRISTOPHER KANE HAS A PROPER WEBSITE!
This really is shaping up to be a big year for fashion and tech. From Chanel’s move into ecommerce, to Apple’s positioning of Apple Watch as a luxury fashion item, tech has never been more fashionable. And to top it off, here’s Christopher Kane’s new website – very cool and a little bit futuristic. No e-com yet, but it’s a start… (more…)
Four years in, the Vogue Festival is firmly established, mixing A-list talks with smaller panel discussions, styling workshops, the obligatory makeover stations and opportunities for one-on-one careers advice with Vogue staffers. It’s a pretty good example of a brand extending its reach well beyond the printed (or digital) page, to touch the lives of its next generation reader. (more…)
