"It's a key move to solidify and sustain [Selfridges'] credibility as a fashion authority and it doesn't hurt that its backed by major names in hip hop," Ms. Cotterman said.
Pop-up culture
Kenzo has previously partnered with other retailers to reach consumers in a particular market.
The Parisian fashion label created an interactive experience for its pop-up at French department store Printemps’ Haussmann flagship.
Kenzo Loves Printemps, the brand’s first mobile app, let consumers browse through the collection of exclusives created for the pop-up, as well as enter a contest through an interactive game. Providing a digital tie-in to the physical retail environment helped get consumers actively engaging with the brand on mobile (
see story).
With the expansion of ecommerce granting access to brands regardless of physical location, the role of a store has grown, making them arbiters of art and culture as well as fashion.
Luxury fashion retailers should consider the areas in which they can credibly be seen as an authority and create quality content that allows them to strike a balance of commercial integration to gain trust from their target audience, according to a speaker at the National Retail Federation’s Retail’s Big Show in 2013.
During the “The Changing Rules of Fashion in the Digital Age” session, the founder of creative agency Wednesday discussed the three truths that today’s high-end fashion retailer must consider to reach its target audience on the branding, social and operational levels. In addition to meaningful content, retailers should consider two addition truths: brands are part of a broader cultural context and there is a single brand experience between online and offline (
see story).
"The strategy behind pop-up shops is truly a brilliant one as each party involved gets a low overhead, high demand-generating and social buzz-driving opportunity," Ms. Cotterman said. "It's not surprisingly a trend in retail today as consumers' attention needs constant refreshing with the latest and greatest in today's culture of connectivity."
Final Take
Sarah Jones, staff reporter on Luxury Daily, New York
