Retail concepts

House of Fraser’s digital half way house




I’ve been trying to get my head around House of Fraser‘s new Houseoffraser.com concept store in Aberdeen’s Union Square. Equipped with iPads, computers and a complimentary coffee bar, this ‘buy and collect’ store seems to be a half way house between conventional ‘bricks and mortar’ shopping and online shopping. (more…)



Spooky! Quentin Jones’ window installation at Darkroom Store



Happy Halloween! Last week after a loooong day spent installing a giant-size scrapbook onto the walls of Blitz vintage department store in Hanbury Street, I headed to Lambs Conduit Street to check out another installation. Quentin Jones has turned the windows of the wonderful Darkroom concept store into ‘HAUNTED’, a witty, witchy 3-D assemblage featuring her signature photo-montage and moving image. (more…)



My-Wardrobe meets Max Factor



Here’s a clever fashion-meets-beauty promotion to take advantage of. My-Wardrobe has hooked up with make-up artist Caroline Barnes and Max Factor to give away a handpicked Colour Elixir Lipstick with selected AW dresses sold between 25th October and 1st November. The special lipsticks (which were previewed by Pat McGrath at the Gucci AW11 show – remember that delicious Mulberry lip?) have been specially colour-matched by Barnes within seven season-appropriate shades.

I was sent a few samples and have been wearing Ruby Tuesday for the last week, brushing on two coats, blotting to a stain, then diluting the effect further with Blistex lip balm. You know how hard it is to get that ‘perfect red’ but this one has come pretty close so I’ll keep on using it.

What I really like though is the  co-branding of this exercise. My-Wardrobe doesn’t sell make-up but this is a simple strategy to engage with beauty-lovers in a useful and novel way (plus the lipsticks are free! Who wouldn’t love that?). Earlier this year, My-Wardrobe did a similar hook-up with OPI, showing off the new summer wedges with OPI’s nail colours in an attention-grabbing editorial.

Anyway, there’s only two days left to take advantage of the offer so if you want in,  pick a dress and expect a free lipstick in your package…