Entries Tagged as 'Shopping'

Fashion Fix: Zoe Karssen

04.04.13

A girl can never have too many high quality tees, or tongue in cheek sweaters, and right now I can’t get enough of Zoe Karssen and her playful, rock’n’roll take on varsity.  Launched by Amsterdam based design duo Zoe and Quince Karssen in 2010, the label’s been gaining a cult following over the past couple of years. Mixing pop culture slang and famous fashion quotes with high school finish that screams teen crush, Karssen’s witty label is a perfect spring time wardrobe pick me up!

CLICK TO SHOP ZOE KARSSEN 

Zoe Karssen D’Accord Sweatshirt £82.50

Zoe Karssen Live Fast Tee £49.50 

Psssst. Have you heard of Pop Bands? Huge state side, and on every model’s wrist at fashion week, these rad little hair bands will change your pony tail/ top knot hair life forever! Now available in UK from £5. Shop Here 

Pop Popband 5 PackPop Popband 5 PackInky Popband 5 Pack

Startup Spotlight: Quarterly

01.04.13

‘We spend so much of our lives connecting with people online that we forget the value of tangible interactions that happen in the real world.’

 Quarterly, an L.A. startup aims to bridge that gap by allowing anyone to subscribe to influential contributors and receive physical items in the mail from them. Set up by Zach Frechette the editor of GOOD magazine he said recently ‘I want to recapture the romance and impact of a well crafted package, but tie it into existing online communities in an organic way. We think there’s a hunger for analog experiences that complement digital ones, and Quarterly is poised to capitalize on that trend.’  

So what do you get if you sign up to recieve a package from say the founders of Cool Hunting or Pharell Williams? Well it could be a bag or in the words of Pharell ‘Whether it’s a book or something I just think is cool, every item I send has inspired me to feed my curiosity.’   

Subscription based models such as Glossy Box  and influencer led commerce sites such as Shoedazzle or the reward driven Prizeo are gaining huge traction, and I love Quarterly’s ability to add a physical element of surprise. We recently partnered with SheSaidBeauty on a 6 month #FreebieFriday promotion that enabled our customers to get a free beauty sample with their order. Customer’s loved the added extra and we loved facilitating an unexpected discovery.

The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.- O. Winfrey #amberattitudes

Retail Opportunities in Hong Kong

30.03.13

Hong Kong is home to the largest number of billionaires in the world with over 8.8% of it’s 7.2 million populationmillionaire households according to Boston Consulting group. Combined with it’s popularity as an off shore centre of wealth and popularity with tourists, ( over 40 million high spending visitors per annum) it’s easy to see why the retail landscape is dominated by luxury brands.   

The current Nick Knight campaign for Lane Crawford aligned perfectly in store

 From Hermes to Isabel Marant to luxury department stores Lane Crawford and Harvey Nichols, you would be hard pressed to find a western premium brand that does not have a presence in this former British colony. Whilst this breeds a positive consumer culture of aspiration, in reality there is little shopping choice for the millions of average pay office workers and expats whose spending power, makes up on mass, a considerable opportunity for western mid-tier retailers.   

This gap that was identified by Zara back in 2005 and has steadily been filled by H&M, Forever 21, Abercrombie & Fitch (see me looking awkward above)  and soon Topshop yet there is a growing demand for affordable fashion and a real opportunity for hip, alternative stores such as Urban Outfitters and dare I say it independents to thrive in this market.  Indie surf and skate brands enjoy a strong sales presence whilst outlet malls are springing up all over the outskirts of the city and over 4 vintage shops ( see Select 18 below) have opened in the past 2 years- its an exciting time for smaller brands to enter the market.   

My opinion on this open door was bolstered further after a visit to Hong Kong local shopping haven Causeway Bay where I spent much of my teenage years seeking out the secret mini shopping malls. Entered through non-descript doors with staircases leading up to 5 stories packed full of  local designers and Korean brands occupying no more than 3 square meters each. Bursting with fashion under £10, when I returned to Hong Kong last week I was impressed by the growth of these malls. Not only are there now more of them, but the little shops have upped their game with sleek visual merchandising and branding that have transformed them from a small space full of clothes to uber-mini uber cool boutiques. Whilst these malls remain largely undiscovered by the expat community and tourists, the local 16-24 year olds acceptance of lesser known and local brands is an incredibly compelling and encouraging sign for indie boutique owners and up coming British brands.  

Im eyeing up a popup space in Hong Kong now, as well as speaking to the country’s first fashion e-commerce site ( another huge opportunity) all with a quote from Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu in my mind-  ‘opportunites multiply as they are seized.’ 

Gizzi Erskine’s ‘Skinny Weeks and Weekend Feasts’

27.03.13


Im a big Rag & Bone fan- I love their urban New York meets Brit cool aesthetic and when I saw this acid green jersey dress it was an instant sartorial romance. Textured jersey fabric in a beautiful skater cut, I teamed it with a Lulu Guinness Clutch and some Flash Trash Girl Jewellery to go and celebrate my wonderful friend Gizzi Erskine’s new book launch down at London’s W Hotel ( where you’ll also find our FLASH TRASH jewellery concession!)  Go check it out sometime and try Gizzi’s limited edition afternoon tea! xx

1. Rag & Bone Fluro Skater Skirt £256 2. Gizzi’s new book £10.99  3. Lulu Guinness Lips Clutch £261  4. FLASH TRASH GIRL Hoops £15

Im Listening to: Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines ft. T.I., Pharrell

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