Here’s the latest ‘Ask Alison’ post from DRG retail editor, ALISON BISHOP, on how the fashion industry is acclimatising itself to a Fashion Month season where insta-shows, influencer-clicks and on-demand eyeballs are the new goals.
LIVESTREAM OR BE DAMNED
Now that livestreaming has become commonplace and you may as well watch your favourite show at home out of the rain (in London), the focus has shifted to livestreaming with the added bonus of tracking followers. Since Periscope burst onto the scene in March this year, with Burberry, then Dunhill, Belstaff and Marc Jacobs all using the Twitter-owned platform to beam shows, backstage tidbits or Q&As to live global audiences, the industry is changing its mind about the question of exclusivity. (more…)
Here’s the latest ‘Ask Alison’ post from retail expert and DRG contributor, ALISON BISHOP who unpacks her physical-meets-digital findings so far from the SS15 fashion show season…
The fashion show is dead. Long live the interactive, digital brand experience now taking place during New York and London fashion weeks, where consumers, influencers and their collective social media clout are the preferred global audience. (more…)
Here’s the latest weekly DRG STYLE INDEX ranking, a round-up of the brands currently buzzing on my radar…
1. RALPH LAUREN’S POLO PUSH
I had no idea that there wasn’t already a Polo for women. Well, Ralph Lauren is addressing that this month with a mega launch for the brand. It’s weird, Abercrombie and the like have totally hijacked the young women’s Ralph market, but as their fortunes take a dive, this could be a good time for the Ralph Lauren reclaim. Go team Ralph!
2. UGG’S INFLUENCERS
Credit where it’s due, Ugg’s ad campaigns are pretty stunning. Its latest ‘This is UGG’ campaign, featuring off-duty influencers-of-the-moment Langley Fox Hemingway and Hanneli Mustaparta, would definitely convince me to buy if I aspired to their lifestyles. Campaigns today are no longer about selling product, but forging an emotional connection to a brand. Love or hate it, Ugg does this really well.
3 BURBERRY BANKS ON FRAGRANCE AND BEAUTY
Lots of hullabaloo this week with the launch of Burberry’s new fragrance, My Burberry. Burberry likes a multi-pronged story (and a digital one) with its launches so this one included several threads. It had supermodels (Kate ‘n’ Cara), customizable bottles (you can add your initials to the ribbon bow) and the obligatory obsession with British weather (perfumer Francis Kurkdjian’s scent evokes an English garden after autumnal rain showers). The scent itself is a very pleasant floral concoction with mainstream appeal to delight Burberry’s many fans. Which is good news because the bigger story here is Burberry’s beauty ambitions. “Our vision is to be a top ten player in luxury fragrance,” says Chief Operating Officer, John Smith.
4. RAHUL MISHRA’S SLOW FASHION MISSION
Good to see an Indian designer winning the coveted International Woolmark Prize. Having collected his prize in February, Rahul Mishra’s capsule collection of merino wool dresses is now on sale in the UK exclusively at Harvey Nichols. His handworked pieces are a testament to his slow fashion principles. “I want to slow down the process of making a garment so we can employ more and more people,” he says. “In a country of one billion people, I think of the millions of people who require jobs, they are really talented and how we can bring them to the forefront.”
5. THE CAMBRIDGE SATCHEL COMPANY GOES PUNK
It’s been interesting to watch the trajectory of The Cambridge Satchel Company. Everyone’s favourite kitchen table success story, it has chosen its collaborators well in an attempt to widen appeal beyond students and suburban mums. This week sees its latest capsule collection, created by artist-designers John Dove and Molly White whose legacies include designs for Mr Freedom, Fiorucci and all manner of 1970s pop culture icons. Known for their signature 70s animal-print (originally a protest against fur), their graphic Cambridge satchels will go on sale from Friday at retailers worldwide and at Cambridgesatchel.com.
6. CH-CH-CHANGES AT STYLE.COM
Following last week’s Vogue.com revamp, it turns out Style.com has also just had a facelift. In the fight for online eyeballs, it promises increased news coverage and opinion – a recognition that fashion is now as important a global entertainment phenomenon as music and film. And yay, Tommy Ton will be taking his zoom lens beyond Fashion Week to ‘unearth and spotlight new scenes and subcultures around the world’.
8. SAMSUNG’S GALAXY NOTE 4 CAN’T COME SOON ENOUGH
While everyone’s buttocks are clenched for Apple’s iWatch announcement next week, I care more about Samsung. Word is that the Galaxy Note 4 super-phone is due some time in October (all the deets HERE). For bloggers, the Galaxy Note 3 has everything – huge screen, long-lasting battery, plus the most excellent stylus pen (aka my favourite toy). If that can be bettered then I’m sold. Sorry Apple, it’s all about phablets from now on…
[Image credits: Style.com/Tommy Ton; Marc Newson and Jony Ive/Vanity Fair]
Beauty gifts are my go-to solution when I’m stuck for ideas. They’re usually affordable, hopefully useful and I only go for things that I think are beautifully presented. So obviously anything Chanel is number one choice, even if it’s something mundane like these eyelash curlers… (more…)