Textile Insight

IN THE MARKET | RETAIL A Trend Spotting Tour 14 • Textile Insight ~ May/June 2019 textileinsight.com A European Reporter's Romp through New York City's Robust Retail Scene. By Louisa Smith ew York can make you feel like a million dollars, energized, creative and a little bit crazy, and that is what I was looking for on my recent visit to the city. Retailers in NYC are making the most of windows, for innovative merchandising displays, but also for messaging, especially sharing information with the consumer about sustainability and strong CSR efforts. Retailer Lou & Grey highlights fair working ethics for women, while Athleta con- firms its commitment to protecting our planet. Lululemon's window display on 5th Ave had live yoga displays. Yoga is Lululemon's foundation, why not promote it and draw consumers in? It worked for me — I came trotting out of the shop with one of the brand's large ubiquitous bags. Perhaps the most profound window message was found at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), with a 'There is no Planet B…' pop-up shop featuring sustainable goods. An eye-catching item was an ethically manufactured and sustainably sourced tote with the slogan "it's just one bottle…said 7 billion people." Digitalization was visible throughout the city, as it takes hold in all aspects of our lives, and not just in the widely gesticulating hands of Bluetooth talking New Yorkers! Down Broadway past the Flatiron building one of the biggest billboards was for the Mirror, the invisible home gym that live streams a class or personal trainer, fully connected to your performance. The beauty of it is you can workout from your own place via the Mirror, confirming that the home is becoming the hub of 21st Century life. Whatever your fitness fix, streaming through digitalization in your own space or sweating it out in a Soul Cycle class with a group of people, we all need kit. A favorite find on the trip was independent retailer Bandier, perfectly fitted for that luxe-level of activewear that is filtering through. We love our Sweaty Betty and Lululemon, but for the next level up Bandier is the go-to-store, giving access to edgier brands including Koral and P. E. Nation. As expected it is Times Square that pushes digitalization to its limits. The H&M flagship store offers customers the option of strutting the catwalk located on the mezzanine that is super appealing for teens and millennials to strike a pose, with the visuals that can be immediately shared on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If lucky with the right pose, and selected by staff, the image is shown on the giant billboard outside. Andy Warhol was right about 15 minutes of fame! Body positivity was evident among intimate apparel brands. In SoHo brands such as Everlane, the darling of transparency, as well as Lively with its message "Do what you love, love what you do it in…," were among the intimate apparel retailers throughout New York taking on a sense of empowerment, as women regain what they want to wear. Aerie followed suit with its body positive direction, essential in today's market. Heading back to 5th Ave, you can't miss Bergdorf Goodman's windows — so vibrant with color from the designer brands. Take note, inspiration for Spring/Summer 2020 and certainly for 2021, as color is crucial in encouraging positivity amongst consumers. My retail tour of New York sparked a buzz I don't get anywhere else. You can feel the curiosity and creativity in London and Paris, but in relative silence compared to New York, the city that doesn't sleep or even stay quiet for a second. Animated and energized, inspired and maxed-out on the cards, I was ready to head back to base with my notebook and photos. Thank you New York. l N Ad by Bureau of Foreign Trade Implemented by TTF. The 23th Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show (TITAS 2019) will be held from October 7-9 at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. There will be nearly 400 exhibitors with more than 900 booths from all over the world. TITAS is the only professional textile trade show in Taiwan, as well as the most important innovative textile exhibition in Asia. TITAS 2019 is all about function, sustainability, smart textiles and smart manufacturing. For more information, please visit www.titas.tw You can feel the curiosity and creativity in London and Paris, but in relative silence compared to New York, the city that doesn't sleep or even stay quiet for a second.

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