I raised my child in a shopping mall. Not the kind of my youth: An enclosed, 1980’s dark-floored cave with a Spencer’s and The Limited, Orange Julius, and Chick-Fil-A; a constant fountain whooooooshing in the background. No, this shopping mall is a modern, outdoor arrangement with a small fountain in which people throw pennies along with doomed and prophetic wishes. It has every conceivable type of food, a bookstore, Best Buy, Chuck E. Cheese, and more boutiques and large brand names than anyone could ever shop in a day. This all occurs to me as my now-19-year-old daughter, Isabel, gets ready to graduate from college. She was raised in a shopping…
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Surprising discovery after shopping in Paris
In the grand tradition of not knowing what to pack for a holiday in Paris, I decided not to overthink it, and just threw some basics into my suitcase. I checked the weather outlook, which naturally enough said it was going to be hot and sunny and rainy and cold on the same day. So, I packed jeans, T-shirts, a cotton sweater and sneakers. Also, a pair of flat velvet sandals I can walk kilometres in comfortably – but can pass muster in a fancy boutique or restaurant. What else? A light trench coat, a couple of silk blouses and some designer track pants. Hoop earrings. A classic black cross-body…
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Building trust with the power of PR
A long cycle of doubt, dishonesty and pessimism has culminated in 2022 being a watershed year for business where the issue of trust can no longer be ignored. On the back of Covid-19 employees, consumers and businesses all struggled to create stability in a world where ‘anything can happen’ took on a new, very real meaning. We just don’t know what tomorrow will bring, between the pandemic, local government instability and now the war between Russia and Ukraine. Prices are soaring, unemployment has sky-rocketed, violence is an everyday occurrence, and health and relationships can no longer be taken for granted. People have been demanding more from brands and businesses which…
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Amazon’s luxury fashion site goes online in Europe | Amazon
Amazon shoppers in Britain can now add high-fashion purchases, such as a four-figure Peter Dundas evening gown or a Christopher Kane slingback heel, to their digital shopping baskets. The world’s largest online retailer has launched its Luxury Stores at Amazon division in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, having opened a US version in 2020. In an effort to elevate Amazon’s virtual shop window, the Luxury Stores microsite shows videos of models including Kristen McMenamy and Precious Lee posing in a European villa. It features nine designers including Elie Saab, Altuzarra and Jonathan Cohen. Kristen McMenamy in a gown by Peter Dundas. Photograph: Icon/Amazon The Norwegian designer Dundas, who…
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Opinion: College students need more sustainable clothing options | Opinions
Avoiding fast fashion can be difficult for college students who have limited income and time, and there is a need for a middle ground. Fast fashion is a phrase used to describe trendy, inexpensive clothing found online or in popular stores. While many are lured in by the stylish items, unbelievably low price points and massive sales, they are repulsed to learn many of the unethical business practices that the fast fashion industry participates in, such as textile waste, child labor and underpaying its workers. Though 80% of university students did not have a clear understanding of the harms of fast fashions in a January 2017 study, growing climate concerns amongst Generation…
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Amazon opens its first fashion store in L.A.: Here’s a peek inside
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Amazon opened its first “retail experience” in Los Angeles this week, introducing a high-tech brick-and-mortar store that is pioneering some sophisticated shopping practices. Located at The Americana at Brand, a shopping complex in Glendale, Calif., the new physical shop is described as a mix of Amazon Style app-based interactions, in-store styling-and-fitting services, online-to-IRL try-ons, and Amazon One palm-recognition-based checkouts. According to fastcompany.com, it is a blend of data-driven technology that makes the customer journey unique in the fashion space. Customers can browse through the Amazon Style app and try selections on in one of many fitting rooms — each equipped with touchscreens to instantly summon more…
