aggy_.

categories_.

After revisiting several of the shops listed and websites that belong to them, categories are beginning to emerge in terms of similar customers and perhaps even ethics.
In this post I am going to compare Acne and Dover Street Market. In terms of similarities, they have both embraced the visual merchandising technique of involving art heavily into their aesthetics. Dover Street Market is renown for it's heavy use of artwork as a part of their visual merchandising e.g. the birdcage changing room on the third floor. I feel this "quirky" technique has been adopted by stores such as Acne as an attempt to keep up with their unique shopping experience. On the second floor in Acne, in display by the main window is a carved wooden animal, thus drawing attention from outside passers by.
The difference between the two shops I feel is their layout. Acne is very simply laid out with a lot of space between rails allowing easy browsing. On the other hand, Dover Street Market has quite an eclectic feel to it considering just how expensive some of the garments they are selling are.

winter_wonders.

winter_wonders. by kerrydf featuring a unisex tee

heavy leathers and sheer delights.

real world_vs_the virtual.

In todays seminar we discussed the difference between the marketing style of a shops display and the style of their website. A store that particularly stood out was Urban Outfitters. Their store has been       
described as "eclectic, creative and busy". This shows a vast difference to the style of their website which is simple and sleek. I feel this may be because of the different audience's they are trying to capture. Inside their store,           especially the Oxford Street branch, the shops have become almost a cult tourist spot as they are few and far between throughout the rest of the UK. This results in packed and stuffy shopping experiences, often due to excitable youngsters around the ages of 15-16. 

The website however, comes across a lot more professional and simple. The clean layout allows for simple and fast browsing, which is the type of experience many online shoppers desire. The basic listed items on the left are a far cry form the "jumble-sale" feel that can often be found whilst shopping in store. 

The same can also be said for Acne. I find the display inside their shop classic and smart. They have a few pieces of art on each floor but overall the interior of the shop is structural and dynamic. This, once again, is very different to the home page of their global website. Pastel colour schemes and soft designs on the homepage to me are very different from the typical Acne branch.
This begins to make us question whether the customers in-store are the same as those who shop online? With such different consumer experiences between virtual and in-store shopping, the marketing department of these two sources must be catering for a different audience. Who those audiences are I am yet to find out.. 

screen_printing.

snapping part_2.

Topshop Oxford Street. Chaotic, vibrant, renown.

15.11.2010

fashion shop map.

snapping.

First stop: Dover Street.

My research began in Dover Street after a visiting lecture from DSM's Alex Hidalgo, who coincidentally was inside when we visited and recognised Lucia and I from the talk. I decided the best way to keep track of my first tho

ughts of a place was using a simple form to fill out.

I used the same technique for Acne, which is also situated on Dover Street.

The sale assistant in Acne gave us some info on their bestsellers and newest produce. You can tell by the interior design of the shop that they've really taken on board the DSM s

tyle in terms of displaying art and sculpture.

(Below right, Acne bestseller "Rider Low Cowboy Ankle Boot" £335.)

08/11/2010.

generic fashion_part_1

"Look at the fashion shops listed. Consider target audience, price range, quality of garments and overall experience....."

• selfridges. oxford st w1.
• urban outfitters. 38 kensington high street w8
• liberty. regent st w1
• browns. 39 south molton street w1
• dover street market. 17-18 dover street w1
• hoxton boutique. 2 hoxton street
• b store. 24 a saville row
• oxfam boutique. 245 westbourne grove w11
• matches. ledbury rd w11
• topshop. oxfrod st wc1.
• bluebird. 350 kings road sw3
• the convenience store. 1a hazelwood tower w10
• start. rivington street/charlotte road e1
• acne. dover st w1
• east/north: beyond retro, absolute vintage, present, diverse, labour of love.
• online: www.farfetch.com, oki-ni.com, in-nc.com, net-a-porter.com, NJAL.

When visiting these shops, I aim to use a scoring system/questionnaire for myself to evaluate and establish the shops aesthetics and marketing plans. Their websites will also tell me about the type of shop they aim to be and the market they are competing in. Comparing their websites and stores may be a useful technique to use.