A Shoe Lover's Dream

Customization has become the norm for everything from laptops and cellphones to bespoke clothing, to the point which all of these services are readily available online, but there is one area which so far has remained untouched: the made-to-order shoe. Even though the cult of the "it bag" has given way to the "it shoe", somehow neither Manolo or Christian have taken custom shoes to the next level by offering an online custom shoe service. After all, custom suits can be ordered online from Hong Kong, so why not a pair of fashionable heels? Now the website Shoes of Prey has made this quick and easy, offering a service that allows you to design your own pair of custom shoes and have them shipped to your door.

The interface for building your shoe is easy to use and fun. You can select the style of shoe first, such as ballet flat, bootie, gladiator or peeptoe pump then select materials and colors. As you go through the process, you can choose from approximately 75 different kinds of leather ranging from snakeskin to patent leather, in a variety of different colors. In fact, there are so many choices, it's difficult to decide on just one style or color.

A finished pair of customized shoes

  If you're curious as to how close the actual shoe will look to your design and more information on how the design process works, check out this first-hand account from Beverly. 

Wunderbloc: The Ultimate Online Guide to NYC boutiques

New York City is definitely a shopper's delight, but it can be a real challenge trying to keep up with latest and greatest shopping destinations. Enter Wunderbloc, an online directory of boutiques in and around NYC. Even if you're not in New York, the Wunderbloc site has great features like virtual tours and a marketplace, to provide you with the experience of shopping in New York from anywhere in the world.

One of the coolest things on the site is the 360 degree virtual tour, which includes high-quality 360 degree videos of the store interior. It also inadvertently provides a sneak-peek at the store offering.

The site also has an e-commerce section that allows you to shop products from many of the boutiques featured. There are varying amounts of pieces from select stores like Kaight, 20 Peacocks and United Nude. In addition to shopping by boutique, the navigation allows for shopping by neighborhood, which can be helpful if you would like to products from a variety of similar stores at once.

The Wunderbloc community is a place to connect with the city's fashion-obsessed and get personal recommendations on where to shop. You can also browse the gallery of photos for style inspiration.

Just like anything, Wunderbloc also has its drawbacks. Some parts of the site, like the reviews  and WunderblocTV, have not been updated some time, but for the most part it acts as a good introduction to the plethora of small boutiques in the city, and allows anyone to shop like a New Yorker, even if you're miles away.

A Step Closer to Virtual Shopping

One of the reasons that luxury brands  have been slow to embrace the internet is the difficultly of conveying the quality of a product on an e-commerce site. This is a challenge not limited to websites selling luxury goods, but for e-tailers in general. Although zooms and multiple views have been able to provide a better sense of what a product actually looks like, there is still a kind of virtual glass window between shoppers and online merchandise.

Video has been the next step in creating a richer e-commerce shopping experience and the full-screen videos on Dolce & Gabbana's Fall 2010 handbags microsite with extreme close-ups of each bag in 360 degrees, are the best I have seen so far. The videos are not just visually mesmerizing, but somehow also provide the experience of having gone into a store and picking up one of these handbags (with the exception of not feeling the material). An example is above, but I recommend going to the Dolce & Gabbana website if you would like to see what's next in online shopping. 3D and sensory technology for e-commerce seem a distant future, but these videos definitely bring online shopping one step closer.

The Virtual Dressing Room by Zugara

Fashionista is a new application developed by interactive marketing and advertising agency Zugara that hopes to give online shoppers the ability to virtually try on clothing using a laptop and a webcam. The video above explains how it works.

This is definitely the most realistic way to see how clothing will look on your body on any website, and the initial set up with a marker ensures a more accurate placement of the garment. A big part of the appeal of Fashionista is the hands-free navigation, which allows the user to feel as though they are actually shopping and not just scrolling through images on a site. The Virtual Dressing room is definitely innovative, but it will be for e-commerce sites to determine whether or not it actually contributes to any increase in sales: will it this application really make a big difference in terms of convincing shoppers to buy things that they wouldn't otherwise?

Go to tobi.com to try it for yourself

Digitized Luxury

Scott Galloway presents during the

Innovation Forum on Friday, November 6th.

From fashionweekdaily.com

Scott Galloway of LuxuryLab weighs in on the e-commerce in the luxury marketplace

Thursday, November 12, 2009

(NEW YORK) In an industry where so much seems tenuous, e-commerce in the luxury fashion world has gained tremendous momentum. New York University marketing professor and Red Envelope founder Scott Galloway recognizes this reality, and along with other members of the NYU think tank LuxuryLab, has ranked 109 luxury companies according to their "Digital IQ Index." Within the ranking system, companies can fall anywhere from "Genius," to "Average," or the unfortunate "Feeble" category. Taking the title as most digitally competent is Apple, followed by BMW. However, fashion labels Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren are in the top 8 overall. So what does this all really mean, and what can we expect to see in the future? Last week, LuxuryLab held an Innovation Forum to address issues affecting the luxury marketplace, and we caught up with Galloway who weighed in and demystified the numbers.

Why was luxury world initially so reluctant to go digital?
Necessity is the mother of innovation, and the luxury sector's staggering growth up until September of last year led to a general lack of urgency and skepticism around a new medium that posed risks. Understandable. Why take these risks when what you are doing is working so well?

How will smaller to mid-size brands have an advantage over the larger labels when it comes to new media? Which brands, specifically, are examples of this?

You could call the 1990s the decade of the "flagship" store. Brands built temples on Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive, et cetera and consumers responded and embraced the channel. No matter how creative or innovative, a brand simply needs millions in capital to build these stores. On the web, it's now become less capital intensive and more innovation intensive. So a brand like Tory Burch that has embraced social media and has a great site can begin to get traction faster as the barriers to competing with her bigger competitors have come down. However, to be clear, great brands with a lot of resources and a willingness to embrace risk and the Internet is the ultimate cocktail (e.g., LVMH and Ralph Lauren).

"The Art of the Trench" social microsite by Burberry allows
users to upload photos of themselves and comment on and share images of others

How much influence do social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook really have?
A lot.Gen Y is starting to use Facebook and Twitter as their starting page for the Internet. So having a broad, well-managed presence on these platforms is better than renting an audience in magazines or television, as you own them--they are your evangelists and want more info. The top referral (upstream sites) for most luxury brands is search (Google, Yahoo!), however social media sites are now in the top 10 of referral for over 50% of luxury brands. It's likely that in say three years the most heavily-trafficked sites will be the sites with the greatest following on social media sites.

Can you explain the success of companies like Gilt Groupe?
Whenever companies try to avoid or refuse consumer needs, other companies fill the void. Luxury brands were left with huge inventories due to the recession, but did not have the technology or the will to create flash sales competencies in house. Gilt, Hautelook and RueLaLa have seized the opportunity and are now worth more than 80% of the companies whose brands they carry.

In terms of the importance of e-commerce in the luxury world, where do you see this heading in the future?
Up, up, and away. Within five years I believe the category leaders will be doing 20-30% of their sales online and it will be their most profitable channel. We've reached a tipping point. Consumers want the access, and luxury brands have, finally, embraced the medium and are innovating.

More Than Just News

Maybe in response to mounting economic pressures or perhaps to delay the looming threat of paid content, some online publications have created partnerships with retailers and set up shop. Whatever the reason, this allows readers to shop instantly while browsing blog posts and editorial spreads. Hopefully, it will allow content to remain free, as well as provide a much-needed source of revenue for sites trying to make up for steep cuts in paid advertising. Here's a taste of where you can find your news and shopping in the same place.

Telegraph Online

There's a new FASHION SHOP in the fashion section of the Telegraph Online site which offers visitors a chance to shop as they browse through fashion news and events. The Fashion Shop includes products from sites like Net-a-Porter and farfetch and does not directly sell any of the merchandise. The best feature is the celebrity look, which are products suggested based on a photograph of a well-dressed celeb. These images are very current, updated often and feature relevant fashion trends. There are also scrolling products at the bottom of the page for the indecisive. Overall, this a good destination for the casual online shopper that enjoys product suggestions and celebrity fashion. Not recommended however, for the more savvy online shopper as the search feature leaves much to be desired.

STYLE.COM

Like the Telegraph Fashion Shop, the shopping section of Style.com is full of stylish apparel, accessories and beauty products from a variety of online retailers. What sets the style.com shopping section apart is the unbeatable editorial content. Whether browsing "Shop the Look," blog posts or shop by trend, that style.com magazine feel is never lost: the benefit is that the content is now more valuable, because one can take advantage of the style advice buy purchasing products instantly. Also, the search feature is amazing, with every imaginable way to search through the sizable inventory of must-have items.

AnOther Magazine

The AnOther Mag online store features chic design products, especially the limited edition pieces done by Gareth Pugh and Raf Simmons. The site has large detailed images of each product, as well as a zoom feature, but the offering is extremely limited. Hopefully they will expand in the future,as the clean design makes it easy to use and the site has the potential to become more of an online store instead of a design bodega.

Nau Apparel’s Selling Strategy: ‘Pay Half Now, Pay The Rest Later’

By Elva Ramirez

Eco-friendly outdoorsy clothing company Nau has quietly rolled out Changing Room, an online-only payment option in which customers pay half of the full price upfront, then have 30 days to pay off the rest. You could call it a test drive, or, as the company prefers to call it, “premium layaway.”

Either way, it’s a way to get $350 jackets into customers’ hands.

The idea was first formed at the Portland-based company when executives tried to come up with a way to lure online customers into buying a new winter jacket. “It seemed like a great opportunity to convert customers that are looking at us or have heard about the brand but don’t have the ability to touch and feel [the products],” Nau CEO Gordon Seabury says. “There’s an extremely high level of confidence that they will be satisfied and never want to give the product back.”

At check out, customers are billed for half the price of selected Changing Room styles. After 30 days, if the customer has not returned the clothes, the rest is charged to their credit card. Returns within 30 days are credited for all costs incurred. The inaugural program, which is scheduled to end Oct. 31, includes four women’s and four men’s looks which range from $265 - $450. If customers respond well to the program, the company plans on turning it into a permanent feature, with a rotating set of styles available. The 50% offer doesn’t apply to in-store purchases; this is an outreach specifically to the online customer, who may be hesitating over buying a jacket they’ve haven’t tried on.

There are risks of fraud if someone decides to cancel their credit card before paying in full, but Seabury says that the company has several checks to monitor those who won’t pay. He also says the company’s sustainability and recycled material branding attract a socially-responsible customer base. “We’re hoping most people will be good and [fraud] won’t be a problem,” Seabury say.

But what about the idea of layaway tarnishing the brand’s high-end image (prices range from $100 cotton tops to $350 trench coats)? Nau’s CEO notes that before credit cards became ubiquitous, layaway programs were prestigious. “Whether it was a diamond ring or some other really special purchase that you truly wanted but couldn’t afford, you made a commitment to it,” Seabury says. ” The concept of this luxury layaway program was the foundation of our thinking.”

Readers, will “luxury layaway” entice you to buy high-end clothes online?

When the Recession Walks the Runway

By Seth Fiegerman

Miguel Wright, 30, quit his job just before the economy took a nosedive. He had worked as a sales rep at Bloomingdales, but decided to go it alone and create his own menswear company called Miguel Antoinne.
Starting a business is hard enough. Less than half of all start-ups survive two years, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. But starting a successful fashion business during a recession is nearly impossible because department stores are less likely to splurge on new designers. “The stars have to be aligned,” Wright said. “It must be good timing.”
In Wright’s case, the timing was clearly unfortunate as the bad economy rapidly chipped away at the high-end fashion industry. Every piece of good news Wright heard was accompanied by something bad. He pitched his product line to major department stores and was repeatedly turned down. “These stores were unable to take on the risk of investing in new brands at the time,” he said. “But the feedback was very good.”
So Wright made a key strategy change: rather than go after big companies, he targeted customers. “Distribution is paramount in this business. We needed a way to take our product directly to the customer,” he said.” To do so, he turned to the Internet, creating a carefully designed Web site and starting an e-commerce site. This allows him to reach and ship to an international audience.
Wright is one of several people to quit their job and start a fashion business in this tough economy. Rachel Dooley left her position as an attorney on the cusp of the recession to pursue her hobby making necklaces. But she had one special card up her sleeve: a connection to Gossip Girl star Blake Lively. Lively wore some of Dooley’s pieces on set and her jewelry line, Gemma Redux, has since attracted more celebrities and is selling well.
“In the past, a fashion designer would first need to get featured in Women’s Wear Daily or some other big glossy magazine, and then they’d get a ton of orders,” said Beth Schoenfeldt, a small business expert. “But that’s not happening now.”
Read the rest of the article at mainstreet.com

Talking Fashion and Technology with Agnieszka Kij: Links a la Mode

Portrait of Agnieszka Kij by Ray Chang

Agnieszka Kij of Net-a-Porter spoke to Style Gourmand about Net-a-Porter's new iPhone app, and about where fashion and technology meet.


A couple weeks ago Natalie Massenet, NAP founder, and designer Roland Mouret appeared at the Apple store in London to discuss fashion and technology. Although fashion and technology seem like two disparate areas, they both attract creative passionate people, just with very different ways of expressing their ideas: how much do you think fashion is influencing technology and vice versa?

The brilliant thing is that no matter where you live, technology enables you to see, interact and get inspired by fashion. More and more designers are realising this and are looking to see how they can harness technology to deliver something new. I love designers who constantly push boundaries (Hussein Chalayan is a great example), but it’s no longer just about creating a beautiful product, it’s also about how creative you can be in getting it to your customer. I think the dialogue between fashion and technology is only just beginning and that we will continue to be surprised by the results.

So Natalie and Roland were also discussing the new Net-a-Porter shopping app that launched this week. Can you tell us a little bit about it? What kinds of features does it have and how is it different from other fashion apps?

It’s the first app where you can actually purchase the latest fashion via a streamlined purchase path. Most apps take you out of the APP and into a separate browser to make a payment. With the NET-APP, you stay within the application throughout the entire payment process. I also am particularly proud of the level of product details we provide for all the ‘what’s new products.’ There are 5 images per product all taken from different angles and zoom functionality so that our customers can see everything from the fabric texture to the smallest stitch! This means you can really shop and access luxury fashion wherever you are – last week I was sitting on the beach in California browsing NET-A-PORTER’s ‘what’s new’ section and magazine - what else does a girl need?

Since your work requires you to be both a techie and a fashionista at the same time, who in the worlds of fashion and technology do you find most inspiring?

There are many people I find inspiring in technology such as Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Steve Jobs but I find I am mostly inspired by the people I work with at NET-A-PORTER. There is nothing more exciting than coming up with an idea, then speaking about it with my colleagues, fine-tuning it and then working on delivering it. Fashion inspirations are harder to pinpoint. Living in London and working in fashion company I constantly see brilliant things. I can be inspired by anything from a teenager crossing the street in east London to a model coming into our offices for a casting.

How did you get into the fashion industry?

It was actually quite by accident. I came to London from Poland about 5 years ago and applied for a job at NET-A-PORTER…and instantly fell in love!

Have you always had an interest in fashion or is it just an occupational hazard?

I have always had interest in design and aesthetics and fashion definitely falls within these categories.

Your hands-down favorite items in your closet:

I have 3 - a stripy white and navy blue top which goes with everything, some Eley Kishimoto ballerinas and I always have a pair of classic white Converse in my closet.

The coolest thing you've seen lately:

I went on a road trip across the US recently and fell in love with old American cars all over again…but then I saw the old cruise bikes in New Orleans and think they are even cooler!

Complete the sentence: You're always naked without comfortable shoes

What one gadget can you not live without?

iPhone, iPhone, iPhone

What new gadget have we never heard of, but in the future won't be able to live without?

3D technology – imagine 3D touch screens computer where you can design a chair for example and then instantly print it on your 3D printer.

Boutiques take to the Web

By Elisa Anniss

LONDON: For a growing band of Europe's top fashion boutiques like Maria Luisa and Biondini in Paris, Feathers in London and Paleari in Milan, e-commerce is no longer a great logistical nightmare thanks to farfetch.com, a portal and Internet service company in London.

"We wouldn't have been able to do e-tailing on our own," said Robin Schulié, a buyer for Maria Luisa, one of the first shops to join the site when it debuted in October. "It would have meant at least a couple more people to work on it, a very strong organization, and it is an investment that at the moment would have been impossible. José came at the right moment when we needed to change and open ourselves to the Web."

Created by José Neves, 34, a fashion entrepreneur who also founded the b store in London, the site touts "10 cities, 20 fashion boutiques, 200 designers, 1 Web site."

Farfetch.com, which boasts 400,000 visitors a month, divides designers into three categories: Luxe (including the likes of Christopher Kane and Maison Martin Margiela); Lab (Ann-Sofie Back, Peter Jensen); and Cult (April 77, Cheap Monday).

Neves said he planned to limit the number of boutique members, although the list soon will add Milletre in London and Dolci Trame in Siena.

And he now is in talks with the U.S.-based site revolveclothing.com about creating a version of farfetch for about 20 U.S independent retailers.

Farfetch.com takes a percentage of sales from its boutique members, negotiating fees with each one. Neves said the company hasn't been operating long enough to disclose its revenues, but he noted it now has 35 employees.

In addition to the farfetch site, the company also operates members' stand-alone Web sites, including photography and content, and arranges group discounts on shipping costs.

"Our unique advantage is that from payment handling to stock management, we have proprietary software applications and logistics solutions, which cover all areas of e-commerce, leaving the retailer free to concentrate on their own business but still compete in the online arena," Neves said.

"At first we were just a business card, a face and an idea. So people were naturally suspicious," he added. "Eventually we managed to gather the support of a fantastic group of retailers, which made it all happen."

Neves noted that not only are e-sales expensive for a company acting alone, there are certain things that can only be done if there is a certain critical mass - all factors that make such a cooperative type of operation appealing to independent retailers.

"I think it's a great concept that is genuinely different," said Guy Salter, deputy chairman of the nonprofit luxury organization Walpole, in London. Salter said he would describe the farfetch.com concept as that of an "amalgamator."