The Soul of Retail

I've just returned from my annual trek to ICFF, (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) my overriding thought about it all is: despite the niche, niche world we live in, building brand is essential. As usual, ambling the streets of New York is so much more instructive of the trends - trends definitely come from the streets, retail is the latest instructor these days.

From the windows at Barney's and Bergdorf's that entice us to go to the Metropolitan Museum and see the Alexander McQueen show to Ralph Lauren's flagship stores on Madison Avenue, we see what is happening in the world. It is the trade shows that are fantasies today, and retail the reality. Most recently, trends came from the streets, before that from the luxury markets, today the trends are firmly in the hands of the trend-forward retailers, they have the megaphones and are using them well - they have it all - storefronts, catalogs and online presence. The biggest coupe of all, came to someone who hardly needed it, a full hour on the last week of Oprah went to Ralph Lauren. If you have anything to do with retail furnishings and didn't see this show, beg, borrow or steal a copy of this show. It is a textbook on what makes for success in this business!

In this recent trip to New York, and the aisle after aisle of soullessness that is the contemporary design world, I fully understand the success of the Ralph Lauren brand and even the dark underworld appeal of Alexander McQueen. The recent royal wedding garb aside, these two represent the flip sides of the human soul - McQueen is all uncomfortable darkness, while Lauren with this season's laces and sheer fabrics in natural materials is about the light. In our hyper-competitive world, it is possible for everyone to get the shape, line, color and texture of products relatively right. What these two gentlemen have done is superimpose their products with stories that resonate. Lauren entices us with the beauty of the familiar and comfortable, while McQueen shows us things that we think we have never even imagined as something that we would wear near our bodies - hair, feathers, horns, branches of trees; yet we do wear furs, wool, leather and sleep with feathers in our down comforters.

These men tell mythic stories that make us pay attention and that is ultimately their appeal. My bet is that the story of the comfortably familiar lightness will win, but the dark side, as always, is tempting and is influential.

The familiar: Natural fibers, leather, nostalgia and escaping to a world we create at home is the story that Ralph Lauren tells in his current home fashions.
Alexander McQueen in tartan plaid looks down on the netherworld he created in the windows of Bergdorf-Goodman.
High-end retail connects to the cultural landscape by promoting the Metropolitan's McQueen show.
Although lighter and brighter, McQueen's influence can be seen in the spring fashions in the windows of Ralph Lauren's flagship store with the Rhinelander mansion's reflection.
The streets of New York were jam-packed and as many people as were fascinated by these windows, and for those who think the middle has disappeared, ultimately the biggest crowds at retail were lined up outside the Aberchrombie and Fitch store waiting patiently for the privilege of going inside. The appeal of a beautiful human body in both image and reality trumps all. Creating a brand is all but essential in today's marketplace, and these are just a few of the success stories - examples of the soul that today is the essential component of brand and that many of the start-ups in both fashion and home furnishings would be smart to use as a how-to lesson.

Chanel - Gentle Tattoos??

And you thought I was kidding about tattoos becoming a fashion item...well here it is! Forget skulls and crossbones, Elle UK introduces us to the Chanel version of transfer tattoos - elegant even - logo included!

The New Luxury Consumer

High income luxury consumers appear to be returning to the marketplace, but they are decidedly different than BC. (before the crash) From an e-letter from Kitchen and Bath Pro comes this assessment: "When the recession is over, the luxury market that emerges from the downturn is going to be very different from the way it was before the current crisis, according to marketing consulting firm Unity Marketing . The new luxury consumers are thinking about the future and learning that conspicuous consumption is not the way to grow wealth, to achieve happiness or to make their lives more meaningful.

Affluent consumers are giving back and taking concrete steps to make the world a better place, rather than simply buying more stuff. The American culture overall is in transition from a consuming, more-for-me culture to one guided by principles that are giving, sharing and linked to more for everyone.

Luxury doesn't mean the same thing it once did. People with money will always want the best quality, best workmanship, best style and design, but they want the emphasis on concrete attributes and values that are measurable - the facts and figures that translate into value - not image or status. In the new normal world after the recession, luxury is turning inward. It no longer is about an outward show of status or wealth, but an inner state of being linked with personal happiness and an outstanding quality of life."

For example, you can still travel to Paris, still buy Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Stella McCartney and feel principled doing so. Merci, the brainchild of the childrenswear designers Bonpoint, is not your local Goodwill, but they are donating 100% of their profits to a children's charity. This suits the new luxury consumer to a tee. See some great pictures of the store on the Scout-Holiday blog