Fashion Research

What is fashion doing that interiors aren’t? Include information about textures (needs to be tactile) and how it sells via landmarks.

1. Reacting to environmental issues: 'Climate Change Couture'

Designer Catherine Sarah Young has taken things a step further with her faux clothing line Climate Change Couture: Haute Fashion for a Hotter Planet. At first glance Young’s ideas could seem a little facetious, but by fusing art and science through design, she has used research collected by the Singapore-ETH Future Cities Laboratory to create pieces focused on a future affected by climate change. Her collection includes The Thermoreflector, a silver dress that reflects heat to avoid a roasting in soaring temperatures. The Aquatutu that can be inflated repeatedly to use as floatation device. And then there is The Bubble, an oxygen pumped personal chamber that comes equipped with its very own WIFI. It's interesting to see environmental concerns making their way into an (admittedly tongue-in-cheek) fashion collection.

https://www.prote.in/en/feed/2014/02/climate-change-couture

2. Reacting to latest technology - Scannable Images

Louis Vuitton Pass - In its latest print campaign, luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton has eschewed largely unpopular QR codes for an interactive technology that is more becoming of the brand’s elegant nature; scannable images. Utilising familiar scanning technology, Louis Vuitton Pass scans complete images rather than codes, creating a more aesthetically pleasing experience for the brand’s discerning customer base. Scannable images in the campaign are indicated by a subtle icon, alongside a prompt to download the app, which then connects the user with behind-the-scenes access to further content, including information about the image, product depicted and a store locator.

https://www.prote.in/en/feed/2013/11/louis-vuitton-pass

3. Ebay invests in 3D virtual changing room technology

Ebay has acquired PhiSix Fashion Labs, a computer graphics startup that makes 3D models of clothing, in a bid to offer customers a virtual fitting room...

PhiSix’s technology can be used both online and offline to allow consumers to see how clothes fit, look and move in different environments without actually having to try them on, the e-commerce company said in a blog post.

Virtual fitting rooms in some forms have been tried before and did not meet the preference of many users to physically try the clothes.

The 3D models will offer shoppers a virtual fitting room where they can view the clothes in a variety of scenarios ranging from walking down the street to hitting a golf club, eBay said Wednesday.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2099600/ebay-buys-phisix-to-offer-clothes-buyers-a-virtual-fitting-room.html#tk.rss_all

4. Mallzee - 

Mallzee is a new personalised shopping app that won’t let you buy an item unless your Facebook friends approve it first. If they agree, a user can move ahead and complete the purchase (and Mallzee receives a commission). If the answer is no, the app blocks the sale, but learns about a user’s taste through the opinions of their social graph and recommends products that may be a better fit from a library of over 750,000 clothing and accessories items. Thus far, over 200 brands have signed up to the network, including Asos, Reiss and Urban Outfitters.

http://www.businessoffashion.com/2014/01/bits-bytes-euclid-express-pradux-mallzee.html
http://mallzee.com/#/

5. Choo 24:7 Stylemakers
Jimmy Choo previewed its own community-oriented street-style site, Choo 24:7 Stylemakers, at a breakfast at London’s chi-chi Arts Club. Taking its cues from Art of the Trench, which engaged Scott “The Sartorialist” Schuman to shoot many of the images that populate the site, Jimmy Choo hired street-style photographer Eddie Newton, as well as street-style darling Caroline Issa, who is acting as London brand ambassador.

BoF: What is Choo 24:7 Stylemakers?

Choo 24:7 Stylemakers is an interactive microsite that brings to life the personality of Choo 24:7 which launched in 2010. Mirroring the creative concept for the brand’s advertising campaign, the site celebrates street-style photographic reportage with an image gallery showcasing fans wearing Jimmy Choo across time zones, day to evening, 24:7.

The site invites fans and photographers to participate by submitting their own street-style images illustrating their personal style. A selection of the best images are uploaded onto the site and shared with fans internationally, reflecting the global personality of Jimmy Choo.

Fans can upload their own street-style photos to our online gallery from either their personal digital photo albums or from Facebook. Photos tagged on Instagram with #choo247 will also feed to the site, as will comments from Twitter with the same hashtag. It is that simple.

http://www.businessoffashion.com/2012/05/digital-scorecard-jimmy-choo-247-stylemakers.html

http://www.choo247.com/

6. Style Puzzle App helps anyone get dressed with outfit recommendations from their own wardrobe

The app first requires users to create an inventory of the items in their wardrobe, either by snapping a picture or looking the product up online. They can then group those items into typical outfits they might wear, detailing whether they’re casual or formal attire, and what day of the week they might wear it. When users are stuck for something to wear, they can use the app to discover the clothes they’ve forgotten about. After selecting the type of outfit they’re looking for, the app then pulls together items into suggested outfits based on their previous preferences. Additionally, the app takes into account the weather and the events in users’ calendars to further tailor its recommendations.

http://www.springwise.com/app-helps-dressed-outfit-recommendations-wardrobe/

7. Stylepassport-boutique that offers travel wardrobe solutions

Style-passport.com aims to fill a niche in online retail by providing pre-edited collections for the holiday-destination shopper. The buy is based around contemporary to luxury labels.

Founder Sarah Walter told WGSN: "The brand mix is built around the shopping reality of today's women. They are savvy shoppers who shop across the brand spectrum. They are looking for great quality fashion classics as well as up-to-the-minute trends and they will not just buy into a brand because it is of the moment -they want to see the value in the garment.

"I think that the site very much reflects the British high-low style aesthetic where a woman will mix a pair of Havaianas with a Missoni dress. Our buying strategy was very much based around what will she need for her trip and who does that best, rather than going out to market with a rigid brand wish list."

Walter says the business is about a simple edited approach to buying for travelling and holiday destinations. Travel as a theme is integrated into the site's design,with the shopping bag/basket called My Suitcase and graphic icons representing different types of holiday destination, such as the city break or the staycation with friends, used as navigation tools. Customers can navigate either by using these icons or via the more traditional routes of brand name, or item. There is also a separate area on what to buy to wear and use during your journey in beauty and apparel as well as advice on how to pack....

http://www.wgsn.com/content/report/Retail_and_VM/Online/2011/February/stylepassport_onlinelaunch.html

8. Imagine Fashion

Imagine Fashion is a digital style magazine, which uses e-commerce technology to enable shoppers to buy straight from its film-based content.

The Imagine Fashion site has set itself up as an online creative marketplace producing bespoke fashion films, by established and up and coming video directors, which are shoppable.

http://www.wgsn.com/content/report/Retail_and_VM/Online/2011/March/imagine_fashion.html

9.Annual shoe subscription service- Shoescribe

• Each month on Shoescribe, a guest editor will select their favourite shoes. Oscar-nominated costume designer Arianne Phillips is the first to be featured

The site is divided into four main sections - Collections, Stars, Spotlight and Newsreel. In Collections, footwear is listed by type, designer, occasion and heel height, with the occasion section including categories such as bridal & special occasion, easy & cosy and formal & office. Each day a different shoe is showcased in Stars, while Spotlight concentrates on the latest footwear trends. The Newsreel category includes interviews, shoes featured in films, behind the scenes on film sets, street style shots of footwear from around the world, shoe maintenance tips, cobblers listings and advice on shoe-related dilemmas from Ms Suzie Scribe, the site's resident footwear guru.

http://www.wgsn.com/content/report/Retail_and_VM/Online/2012/March/shoescribe_onlinelaunch.html

Victoria Beckham and Skype collaboration