29 July, 2013

What I learnt at the Selfridges Disneyrollergirl denim workshop

Selfridges is the undisputed leader of innovation when it comes to London’s department stores. While Liberty may be the go-to for a great edit and unexpected finds, Harrods for ultimate luxury and Harvey Nichols for the newest labels, Selfridges is the retail risk-taker and rule-breaker.

This summer’s big takeover has been all about denim, from the newly-opened £6 million Denim Studios on the third floor, to the fantastic windows depicting the nuances of every denim tribe you can think of. Here’s what I learnt from the personal shoppers and alterations team at my recent Disneyrollergirl Denim Workshop. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 3 Comments Brands, Business of fashion, Events, Retail concepts, Technology, Trends denim, experiential retail, J Brand, jeans, Maison Martin Margiela, retail, Selfridges, shopping, technology, trends, unisex

17 July, 2013

iPad mini cases – an update

Mobile gadgets are booming and so is the trade in fancy cases to carry them. Obviously the buzz is building around the iWatch and its ilk, but as they still haven’t quite hit the market yet, it’s still all about the tablet. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 1 Comment Design, Shopping, Technology, Trends Burberry, Coach, ipad, Jimmy Choo, Knomo, Pappcase, shopping, Smythson, tech-cessories, technology

15 July, 2013

Savelli’s women-only £76,000 luxury smartphone

Savelli-black-insane-smartphone1

One for the maximalists, this OTT £76,500 smartphone has just gone on sale in the jewellery rooms at Printemps and Harrods. Aimed at wealthy women, the Savelli ‘Black Insane’ white gold phone boasts white pave diamond buttons and a black alligator case with ringtones developed by French DJ Stéphane Pompougnac. I think I’ll stick with my Blackberry thanks… (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 6 Comments Design, News, Technology design, luxury, Savelli, smartphones, technology

12 July, 2013

Guest post: Is your product eco enough? Nike’s free ‘Making’ app will tell you

Guest contributor LSN Global retail editor ALISON BISHOP reports on how Nike’s ‘Making’ app puts sustainable design front of mind for fashion and sportswear creatives…

Ever the innovator, Nike is building on its sustainable product design credentials by sharing its in-house Materials Sustainability Index for anyone to learn from and use – in the form of its new Making app. After collaborating with students at London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion, the new app helps designers and product creators make more informed decisions about the environmental impacts of the materials they choose. It works by ranking textiles and other materials used for product design based on four environmental concern areas: water, chemistry, energy and waste. For example who knew that the manufacture of silk uses 50% less water than cotton?

Nike-Making-App 2 Nike-Making-App 3

“It’s the start of a conversation,” Lee Holman, Nike’s vice-president of global apparel design told me. “Innovation is in Nike’s DNA, and sustainability is an integral part of Nike’s design process. We’ve created the Making app to empower any designer around the world to make better materials choices in the early stages of the design process. Ultimately everyone wants to create products that are better for the planet, and we want to be able to facilitate that idea.”

It’s quite a statement from the sports giant, especially considering it’s not a selling tool and it’s not connected directly to any Nike product. It’s just for the good of the planet. We call it ‘Brandstanding’ at LS:N Global. Sustainability is the new battleground for brands that want to resonate with disillusioned Millennial consumers (25-35 years old) and brands with cast iron credentials will win the vote. Now I might even design myself a version of Nike’s Flyknit trainers…