Retail News CRM

Tag: Fashion

  • Zappos founder dies

    Zappos founder dies

    Tony Hsieh, the former CEO of Zappos, died peacefully and surrounded by family on Friday, according to a statement emailed to CNN by Megan Fazio, a spokesperson for DTP Companies, a Las Vegas-based enterprise for which Hsieh served as the visionary.

    Hsieh, 46, died from injuries sustained in a house fire that occurred in Connecticut while he was visiting family, according to Fazio.

    “Tony’s kindness and generosity touched the lives of everyone around him, and forever brightened the world,” said a statement from his family that was shared with CNN by Fazio.

    His mantra: delivering happiness, his family says.

    “Instead of mourning his transition, we ask you to join us in celebrating his life,” their statement added.

    Hsieh was well known for his leadership of online shoe and clothing retailer Zappos. He had recently retired after spending 20 years with the company, Zappos CEO Kedar Deshpande wrote in a statement Friday.

    “The world has lost a tremendous visionary and an incredible human being,” Deshpande wrote. “We recognize that not only have we lost our inspiring former leader, but many of you have also lost a mentor and a friend.”

    Hsieh also played a “pivotal role in helping transform Downtown Las Vegas,” Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak wrote on Twitter.

    “Kathy and I send our love and condolences to Tony’s family and friends during this difficult time,” he wrote.

    Las Vegas Councilman Cedric Crear said he was “saddened” to hear the news.

    “Such a creative & innovative person who positively helped change the landscape of Downtown Las Vegas,” he said on Twitter. “We have been working on some cool projects for Downtown. God speed to his family, coworkers and our community.”

    More tributes for Hsieh poured in on social media early Saturday — many from other business leaders and entrepreneurs.

    “Tony Hsieh was always generous with me,” Dan Price, the head of Seattle-based Gravity Payments, said. “He would talk to me about anything and it was always a good time. RIP Tony.”

    He was a “truly original thinker, a brilliant entrepreneur, and a kind-hearted and generous friend to so many,” wrote Max Levchin, co-founder and former chief technology officer of PayPal.

    “He questioned every assumption and shared everything he learned along the way,” said Chris Sacca, a billionaire tech investor, on Twitter. “The earth has lost a beautifully weird and helpful person.”

    And in a tweet, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak sent condolences to Hsieh’s family and friends, and said, “Tony Hsieh played a pivotal role in helping transform Downtown Las Vegas.”

    Lees ook:

  • The History of Whoo to open luxury Korean beauty flagship store in Canada

    The History of Whoo to open luxury Korean beauty flagship store in Canada

    LG Household & Health Care proudly announces the opening of a first-of-its-kind, The history of Whoo luxury concept store in Canada. The history of Whoo is a best-selling, record-breaking, prestigious Korean skincare brand known worldwide and recognized for its impeccable quality, use of precious ingredients, and unique formulas once reserved for royalty and members of the Royal Court. Each precious formulation is preserved in distinctly luxurious packaging including flacons and vials inspired by the Korean cultural heritage.

    Customers at the new flagship Canadian store can expect the same level of luxury and attention to detail that The history of Whoo has become synonymous with. Upon entering the space, customers are welcomed as guests and invited to experience a truly immersive shopping experience; from elegant gold-plated fixtures to Gani marble floors, mirrored ceilings, and a dramatic custom-crafted chandelier, all culminating into an elegant showcase designed to envelop the senses in luxury and reflect the royal heritage of the brand.

    The new Canadian store will open its doors at 10:00 a.m. on November 20th at Cadillac Fairview Richmond Centre, British Columbia. The first 75 customers will receive a complimentary limited-edition cosmetic case filled with deluxe samples valued at over $100, with the purchase of $8 or more, while supplies last. To ensure a clean, safe, and comfortable environment, Cadillac Fairview Richmond Centre has put all necessary safety and social distancing measures into place.

    Inside the store, highly trained beauty consultants specialized in Korean skincare will offer shoppers personalized one-on-one consultations with customized recommendations from a selection of luxury brands, including:

    The history of Whoo – Launched in 2003, the most luxurious skincare brand from LG Household & Healthcare, Whoo harmoniously balances modern-day technology with Ancient Eastern medicinal principals to deliver the most prestigious traditions to the Empresses of today. The Chinese character “后” (Whoo) translates into Empress.

    For the first time, a brand has uncovered the beauty secrets of the Royal Court, incorporating their rare and delicate nutritious ingredients from Gongjindan – a traditional herbal recipe. Each ingredient originating from the finest sources around the world, carefully blended and perfectly balanced to achieve harmonious, healthy, and youthful-looking skin.

    Its flagship product – Bichup Self-Generating Anti-Aging Essence is an all-in-one secret recipe that increases skin moisturization and improves the appearance of wrinkles for smoother and more radiant skin. According to a Kantar Worldpanel Beauty Evaluation, this globally renowned product has been the best-selling anti-aging essence in South Korea for nine consecutive years1. Each year, the serum is released with intricately designed limited-edition packaging inspired by the Royal cultural heritage, making it one of the most highly anticipated and most valued qualities about Whoo.

    Su:m37 – a traditional Korean luxury brand that utilizes cutting edge fermentation technology to achieve highly functional skincare products. Known for its best-selling “Secret Essence,” created using Cyto-FermTM technology, a three-stage fermentation process, to create a natural and fermented water achieved by aging and fermenting a variety of 80 plants for an entire year. The antioxidant-rich, renewed Secret Essence improves skin elasticity and barrier function to enhance the skin’s own natural strength and resistance.

    O HUI – a luxury cosmetic brand based on the concept of skin science to harmonize the skin and address its condition through the use of cutting-edge biotechnology and natural botanicals. Its iconic Prime Advancer Ampoule Serum contains the brand’s proprietary Skin Core Enhancing technology to help protect the skin’s barrier and improve its resilience to environmental stressors such as pollution and seasonal changes.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Bossini tells landlords it close stores if rents not reduced

    Bossini tells landlords it close stores if rents not reduced

    Local clothing chain Bossini said it has suffered a loss of more than HK$367 million in its last financial year and warned that it may have to close some of its stores in the city unless landlords agree to provide more “reasonable” rent relief and reduction.

    The clothing chain’s reported loss is almost three times more than the loss it incurred in the previous fiscal year.

    It said the economy of its core markets, such as Hong Kong, had been hampered by the Sino-US trade tensions, social unrest last year, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which affected local and tourist consumption in the SAR.

    It also laid the blame on the fact that several landlords have been unwilling to reduce rents despite the harsh business environment.

    “Social distancing, lockdowns, curfews and changing quarantine requirements have created immense challenges for our retail operations,” the company said on its outlook.

    “As the overall shop rental expenses remain at a very unreasonable level, we are renegotiating with landlords across all our core markets, particularly in Hong Kong and Macau, to seek rent relief and reduction.”

    “Where landlords are reluctant to respond reasonably to our requests, we will go ahead and close those shops.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Printemps to close seven luxury stores in aftermatch of virus

    Printemps to close seven luxury stores in aftermatch of virus

    French division retailer chain Printemps, a magnet for overseas consumers looking for high-end items in Paris, will close some of its operations in France because it struggles to address the coronavirus pandemic, the CGT union stated.

    Retailers have been hit laborious by government-enforced lockdowns to curb the virus and people who rely upon vacationer flows have struggled to get well as a result of worldwide journey stays restricted.

    Printemps, which sells make-up and garments for high-end manufacturers like Burberry and Gucci, and is owned by Qatari buyers, is especially uncovered to vacationer flows, particularly at its Paris Haussmann flagship retailer.

    Four of the group’s 19 division stores underneath the “Printemps” banner will probably be shut down, together with one in the northern metropolis of Le Havre and in Strasbourg in the east of the nation, in accordance to the corporate’s discussions with unions, the CGT stated.

    One of the Printemps’ offshoots in a Paris mall has additionally been earmarked for closure, and three of the broader group’s sportswear Citadium stores will close.

    Some 450 jobs, or roughly 15 percent of all Printemps staff, at the moment are in danger, the CGT stated, together with store assistants and workers on the firm’s headquarters.

    Printemps couldn’t instantly be reached for remark. Le Monde newspaper quoted a spokeswoman who stated the measures have been geared toward stemming operational losses.

    Many French retailers have been already struggling earlier than the pandemic hit, due to transport strikes earlier this 12 months that hit footfall in stores, and a wave of anti-government protests final 12 months that compelled them to close on some weekends.

    They are additionally dealing with elevated competitors from on-line rivals.

    Luxury manufacturers have managed to offset some of the aches by means of their retailer networks abroad, together with within China, the place demand for high-end items stays robust.

    Printemps, based in 1865, is one of the oldest division stores in France together

  • VF Corp adds Supreme to its stable in US$2.1 billion deal

    VF Corp adds Supreme to its stable in US$2.1 billion deal

    VF Corp pays US$2.1 billion to purchase streetwear attire firm Supreme, including one other standard model to the Vans shoe maker’s portfolio. VF Corp, which additionally homes manufacturers reminiscent of The North Face and Timberland, mentioned it might make a further fee of up to $300 million, topic to satisfaction of sure post-deal closing milestones.

    Shares of VF Corp surged about 13 percent to $78.94 in afternoon buying and selling.

    The firm mentioned present buyers Carlyle Group and New York-based personal fairness agency Goode Partners had been promoting their stakes in Supreme, based by American-British businessman James Jebbia in 1994.

    Known for its pink field emblem with “Supreme” written in white, the model has gained a following amongst “hypebeasts,” or followers of the streetwear model, with product launches of the whole lot from hoodies to burner telephones promoting out in minutes and folks lining up outdoors its 12 shops worldwide for hours.

    The perceived shortage has helped Supreme to purchase a cachet amongst younger folks and allowed it to cost far increased costs than different streetwear manufacturers like VF’s Vans and Nike.

    “This scarcity, novelty and strong social influence model supports meaningful pricing power resulting best in class profitability,” VF Corp CEO Steve Rendle mentioned.

    VF Corp estimated the broader streetwear market to be a roughly $50 billion world alternative and that Supreme was on the epicenter of this market, he mentioned.

    The firm mentioned the Supreme deal will assist bolster its e-commerce enterprise, which has change into extra pressing for attire and footwear makers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Supreme, which has collaborated with many outstanding style names together with Louis Vuitton in addition to Nike, Levi and Vans, will get over 60 percent of its income from the net enterprise.

    The deal, which is predicted to be accomplished late this 12 months, is anticipated to contribute a minimum of $500 million of income and adjusted earnings per share of 20 cents in fiscal 2022.

    Supreme doesn’t present group gross sales or revenue figures however its UK-based European arm is obliged to publish annual accounts and these have confirmed speedy development and industry-leading margins in current years.

    In the 12 months to the top of January 2019, Supreme’s European enterprise racked up the income of 100 million kilos ($130 million) regardless of having simply two shops and a revenue margin, earlier than curiosity bills, of 44 percent – a number of of the margins earned by different streetwear manufacturers like Vans, Abercrombie & Fitch and even luxurious manufacturers like Gucci, firm filings present.

    Analysts have questioned whether or not Supreme will probably be in a position to preserve its premium pricing as its merchandise change into extra ubiquitous, however, had been extra sanguine after Monday’s announcement.

    “Supreme is a strong streetwear brand …. and while the brand has built its appeal on scarcity, we believe the market will be excited at the margin and growth profile and its contribution to VFC,” Bernstein analyst Jaime Merriman mentioned.

    Lees ook:

  • Hugo Boss on the look for China growth as it returns to profit

    Hugo Boss on the look for China growth as it returns to profit

    German fashion giant Hugo Boss returned to profitability in Q3, after having reported losses in Q2, and also said that it was focused on business recovery via digital channels and in China as pandemic-linked uncertainty continues.

    Overall, it’s quarterly revenue fell 24% on a currency-adjusted basis to €533 million, which was lower than analysts had expected. But its operating profit was €15 million and that managed to beat analyst predictions. However, it was still down from €83 million a year ago.

    The company’s digital and Chinese focus is perfectly understandable given that sales in mainland China rose 27% during the quarter and online sales saw a massive leap of 66% as the company opened 24 more markets to e-tail sales between June and August.

    “Supported by the accelerated consumer demand shift towards digital, sales on hugoboss.com and the group’s self-managed offerings on key partner websites recorded strong improvements in both traffic and conversion rates,” it said. The period from July to September marks the 12th consecutive quarter with “significant double-digit online sales growth” for the firm.

    And while physical stores remained challenged, the company was upbeat. With the vast majority of its own stores back in operation, the group’s own retail business recorded a “considerably more robust performance” compared to the first half of the year, with its own retail revenues down by ‘only’ 20%, currency-adjusted.

    But the quarter clearly wasn’t all about good news. While local demand in key markets picked up noticeably as compared to the previous quarter, sales to tourists continued to suffer from international travel restrictions.

    Sales dropped 21% in Europe despite encouraging signs of demand bouncing back in key markets such as the UK and France. The tourism downturn that has had such a big impact on many luxury companies obviously weighed heavily on Hugo Boss.

    And like other companies at all price levels, the group has been adjusting its offer to meet the new normal with a bigger focus on casual clothing that had already started before the pandemic hit. The company said that its more youth-focused Hugo label saw casualwear sales down only in mid-single-digits during the quarter.

    Lees ook:

  • Asia underpins stable and strong Estee Lauder result

    Asia underpins stable and strong Estee Lauder result

    Estee Lauder Cos reported better-than-expected quarterly results on Monday, as people confined to their homes bought more of its skincare products online and sales improved in its Asian markets. The M.A.C brand owner has ramped up investments in its online business and seen growth in demand for its skincare products as customers opted for serums and moisturizers instead of make-up items during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Before, online was mainly the destination of younger people. Now it’s for everyone. Everyone is online,” CEO Fabrizio Freda told analysts on a call.

    The company’s shares rose as much as 8.3 percent to a record high on Monday as online sales soared 40 percent in the first quarter.

    Its sales in the Asia-Pacific market rose 9 percent on the back of strong growth in South Korea, with demand at the company’s duty-free shops in China getting a boost from the government’s move to raise the annual tax-free shopping limit for tourists in the southern province of Hainan.

    Total sales at the company’s duty-free shops were flat year over year, after dropping roughly 30 percent in the previous quarter due to widespread restrictions on air travel.

    Total net sales fell 9 percent to $3.56 billion but exceeded analysts’ expectations of $3.46 billion, Refinitiv data showed.

    Estee forecast net sales to decline between 3 and 5 percent in the second quarter, compared with estimates of a near 5 percent decline.

  • LG Electronics starts eco-friendly clothing line with Net-A-Porter

    LG Electronics starts eco-friendly clothing line with Net-A-Porter

    LG Electronics has unveiled an eco-friendly clothing line in collaboration with British online fashion retailer Net-A-Porter as the South Korean tech giant pushes marketing for its clothing-care appliances.

    The appliance maker said it joined with the premium online fashion marketplace to launch a limited-edition range named LG X Net-A-Porter Sustainable Collection.

    The two partners cooperated with global fashion brands, including Le Kasha of France, Mara Hoffman of the US, and Bondi Born of Australia, to release 13 types of environmentally friendly apparel.

    LG Electronics said the launch of the new clothing line is part of its “Care for What You Wear” global campaign that aims to protect the environment by reducing fabric waste.

    It added that the clothes from the new brand can be easily managed through its clothing care appliances, including the Styler, LG’s steam closet that keeps clothes fresh and deodorized without dry cleaning.

    Lees ook:

  • China sales rebounds for Ralph Lauren, after Covid-19

    China sales rebounds for Ralph Lauren, after Covid-19

    Luxury retailer Ralph Lauren says sales growth on the Chinese mainland returned to pre-Covid-19 rates in the second quarter, increasing by more than 30 percent year on year.

    However sales across greater Asia decreased 7 percent to US$237 million on a reported basis, with same-store sales down by 11 percent, and a 12-per-cent decline in brick-and-mortar store sales partly offset by a 32-per-cent increase in digital commerce.

    Globally, net revenue fell by 30 percent to $1.2 billion, with declines in all regions due to the impact of Covid-19 on consumer shopping behavior.

    But the company achieved a net income of $107 million, down from $182 million in the same period last year.

    Ralph Lauren, executive chairman, and chief creative officer said despite the tough time the world is experiencing he is optimistic the company can “take the great learnings and creativity that have emerged from this time to become even stronger”.

    He said the results reflected the strength of Ralph Lauren’s timeless brand “and the values that have always been our touchstone” are continuing to anchor the business through a time of change and uncertainty”.

    “Looking across the first half of the fiscal year, we continued our elevation journey while fast-tracking connected retail and our company-wide digital transformation,” said president and CEO Patrice Louvet. “We also began the hard but necessary work of simplifying our organizational and cost structures to position the company for future growth.

    “Looking ahead, we will continue to work proactively to deliver an elevated experience that inspires consumers around the world and creates value for all of our stakeholders,” concluded Louvet.

  • Guardian unveils revamped Singapore store

    Guardian unveils revamped Singapore store

    Beauty Flash: Grooming giant Guardian’s latest and largest store, christened Guardian Plus, had officially opened at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, and boasts a number of firsts sure to make any beauty buff excited.

    For starters, the store at 6,000 square feet is an expansive wonderland of products and cool features, most notable of which is an interactive section outfitted with tablets and touchscreens. With a few swipes of their fingers, shoppers can pinpoint the location of a particular brand or product they’re looking for, as well as research on brands, compare prices and print out their own shopping lists.

    Another nifty touch is a Play, Trial & Test area. Here, you’ll get to test-drive products before you commit, get your skin analyzed by high-tech gadgets, and consult a power team of nutritionists, health, and beauty advisers.

    Choose from over 150 skincare brands and 85 haircare labels, some of which include insider favorites like No7, Mark Hill, Skincode, and Rodial. Guardian says that a mind-boggling 20,000 health and beauty products will be lining the aisles at Guardian Plus, so grab a girlfriend or two and have fun browsing over the weekend!

    Lees ook:

  • Adidas in talks to lay off Reebok

    Adidas in talks to lay off Reebok

    For some sneakerheads who may be unaware, Reebok is owned by Adidas. Back in 2005, the brand was bought by the Three Stripes for a large sum of $3.8 billion and they have been sharing warehouses and website assets, ever since. Now, however, this business relationship could very well be coming to an end, based on a brand new report from Manager Magazin.

    This publication is based out of Germany and typically has the inside track when it comes to what’s happening over at Adidas Headquarters. Based on the report, it noted that the brand is putting together a team that will try to have Adidas sell-off Reebok by early 2021. This news comes in the midst of a disappointing Q2 sales report that showed Reebok’s revenues dip by 42 percent as a result of COVID-19.

    As for potential buyers, Manager Magazin claims Anta Sports in China or the VF Corporation are suitors. The VF Corporation is certainly an interesting candidate as it boasts properties such as Timberland, Vans, and The North Face.

    So far, Adidas nor Reebok has commented on this story. Keep it locked to HNHH as we will be sure to keep you updated on this story. Also, stay tuned as plenty of other sneaker content is coming down the pipeline.

  • Tiffany sees earnings bump during legal case

    Tiffany sees earnings bump during legal case

    In the midst of a legal stoush with one-time suitor LVMH, luxurious chain Tiffany has seen constructive gross sales momentum carry it by means of the final two months.

    Though worldwide web gross sales fell barely, working earnings grew 25 percent during August and September in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months. And e-commerce gross sales continued to point out resilience, making up virtually 13 percent of complete gross sales for the interval – virtually double the August – September interval final 12 months.

    “While we still expect full-year results to be substantially impacted by Covid-19, we are very pleased with the way the business has rebounded following the first quarter and continues to rebound in the third quarter, especially in Mainland China, and to recover in the United States,” stated Tiffany chief government Alessandro Bogliolo

    The enterprise does, nonetheless, anticipate fourth-quarter gross sales to be below these seen final 12 months, however expects greater earnings to proceed.

    The earnings announcement got here because the enterprise continues its legal battle with LVMH, which dedicated to buying Tiffany & Co. however pulled out on the grounds the enterprise had been mismanaged during the pandemic and that the French authorities had requested it to delay the acquisition – one thing Tiffany claims by no means amounted to a legal restraint.

    “LVMH’s specious arguments are yet another blatant attempt to evade its contractual obligation to pay the agreed-upon price for Tiffany,” Tiffany’s chairman Roger Farah stated in a press release final month.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Fast Retailing bullish about recovery as Asian expansion pays off

    Fast Retailing bullish about recovery as Asian expansion pays off

    Uniqlo father or mother Fast Retailing might have reported a 12-per-cent drop in gross sales in its full-year outcomes, however, that decline was far lower than predicted as not too long ago as July as a result of the Greater China and Japanese markets recovered at a sooner rate than anticipated.

    The firm reported full-year revenue of US$1.426 billion, down 42 percent, on gross sales of $19.185 billion worldwide.

    Same-store annual gross sales throughout Uniqlo shops declined by 6.8 percent in Japan, whereas fourth-quarter gross sales in Greater China have been up 20 percent yr on yr.

    In South Korea, the place the corporate has been impacted by a broad boycott of Japanese manufacturers by native customers for the final yr or so, gross sales fell sharply and Fast Retailing recorded a loss, regardless of closing its poorest-performing shops.

    Elsewhere, gross sales and revenue have been down throughout most of Southeast Asia and in Australia and India, however, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia recovered favorably within the fourth quarter. Losses have been reported in each North America and Europe.

    Sales by the GU model rose 3 percent for the yr, however working revenue was down by 22.5 percent.

    Looking ahead

    Given the quick recovery to this point for the reason that peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific, Fast Retailing is now projecting a 9.5-per-cent enhance in total income for the 2021 fiscal yr and revenue attributable to shareholders of $1.58 billion, which might characterize a rise of 82.6 percent on the yr simply ended.

    Revenue is predicted to say no within the first half as a result of persevering with the effect of Covid-19, “but we forecast large revenue and profit gains in the second half assuming the virus is brought under control,” the corporate stated in its outcomes announcement. “All business segments are forecast to generate full-year revenue and profit gains.”

    Quick revenue

    During the final monetary yr, Fast Retailing has continued its expansion into new markets, opening the primary Uniqlo in Milan in September final yr, the primary in New Delhi a month later, and making its Vietnam debut in Ho Chi Minh City in December.

    “While all those markets were impacted by Covid-19, Uniqlo Italy managed to post a full-year profit, and the Vietnam operation, which was only launched in December, turned a profit in the second half.”

  • Strong third quarter arrests LVMH’s sales decline for the year

    Strong third quarter arrests LVMH’s sales decline for the year

    Luxury items and liquor-retail group LVMH recorded a 21-per-cent decline in income throughout the first 9 months of this year in what it describes as a “very turbulent environment” in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The decline in sales – 30.3 billion euros – largely occurred throughout the first two quarters of the three, with the decline recovering to an extra modest 7 percent in the third quarter, largely pushed by rebounding sales of cognac, vogue, and leather-based items. This was particularly sturdy in the US and Asia.

    Liquor sales fell 15 percent over the 9 months and three percent over the third quarter, whereas sales of vogue and leather-based items, led by Louis Vuitton and Dior, have been down by 11 percent for the full 9 months however surged at a double-digit rate in the third quarter. 

    Covid-19 noticed the suspension of the worldwide journeys and the closure of the group’s shops and manufacturing websites in most nations over an interval of a number of months.

    Sales in its watches & jewelry division led by Tag Heuer, Bulgari and Chaumet, declined by 30 percent in the first 9 months, however, a rebound in China throughout the third quarter was inadequate to arrest a general decline of 14 percent for the full interval.

    LVMH’s selective retailing division skilled a 31-per-cent drop in sales throughout the 9 months. The beauty-retail chain Sephora demonstrated “good resilience during the health crisis,” in keeping with the firm regardless of the closure of virtually all its shops globally for almost two months earlier than sales improved in the third quarter.

    Strong online sales noticed Sephora develop market share throughout its major markets. However, DFS predictably noticed a big decline in its exercise in most locations because of the suspension of a worldwide journey.

  • The Rise of Global Fashion Apps

    The Rise of Global Fashion Apps

    The past year has seen massive changes in the way that fashion retail stores operate and how customers approach retail shopping. The usual routine of visiting shops and trying on clothes is losing popularity and is slowly being replaced by a digital alternative.

    When Apple said, “There’s an app for that” nearly a decade ago, even they couldn’t have predicted just how influential mobile apps would become in our day to day lives.

    Mobile app development has exploded in the last ten years, meaning that your average smartphone user now has access to a massive range of apps from a multitude of sports and health trackers, to a games library that features everything from tiny indie games to rapidfire games of KO Poker, to the seemingly impossible Human to Cat Translator.

    With global e-commerce on the rise, one area of app development which is seeing significant growth is fashion apps that let customer digitally try on clothes before buying them, amongst other features.

    Fashion, as a whole, is increasingly turning to digital opportunities to offset a drop in retail sales. Dominican fashion designer Oscar de la Renta recently announced a partnership with Amazon to design for its Luxury Stores experience. Armani, on the other hand, have opened a traveling pop-up store on China’s Hainan Island that allows customers a “sensorial and playful immersion” and the opportunity to make their own film clips.

    What Are Fashion Apps?

    Broadly, fashion apps can be split into three categories of experience; discovery apps, personal shopping apps, and multiple-merchant apps.

    Discovery Apps

    Discovery apps allow customers to emulate the experiences of browsing through multiple stores looking for inspiration. These apps often don’t include a sales function; instead, they are a form of interactive advertising and social media.

    Some discovery apps also allow the user to virtually try on clothes, using their phone camera and technology similar to Snapchat’s filters to make it look like they are wearing a particular outfit.

    Examples of discovery apps include ShopStyle, which works a little like a Pinterest board for fashion, and The Hunt, which allows users to hunt out second-hand fashion clothing items.

    Personal Shopping Apps

    Personal shopping apps do pretty much what they say on the tin, giving the user the same personalized shopping experience that they might enjoy in high-end retail stores but from the comfort of their own home.

    An excellent example of this kind of app is Lookiero. Lookiero allows a user to upload a picture and some personal specifications. They will then be sent five clothing items, chosen specifically for them, which they can try on at home and return if they don’t like.

    Multiple-Merchant Apps

    Multiple-merchant, or universal shopping cart apps, mean users don’t have to hop between multiple shopping apps or websites in order to get their fashion fix. They can use the app to browse the inventory of merchants and then purchase and checkout from a single cart.

    The largest and most well known of these apps is Lyst, which gives its users access to thousands of different stores in one place.

    What Do Fashion Apps Offer?

    Obviously, different fashion apps offer different experiences, ranging from enjoying the services of a personal shopper to spending the day going from shop to shop looking for some inspiration.

    Some apps may be as simple as creating a wish-list of fashion products from multiple vendors. In contrast, others offer more complex services, such as digital try-ons, either by using cameras or sending products to your home, and multi-vendor shopping.

     

    However, taken as a collective, fashion apps replace an in-person experience that people are moving away from by offering new and exciting digital services that customers can access and use from their own homes.

     

    By adapting to changing circumstances in the global retail environment, fashion apps allow both retailers and customers to stay connected and, to an extent, replace some of the experience of in-person shopping.

     

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: