Monday, March 19, 2012

Fuel for Shopping

Nike has unveiled their slickest concept store to date.. the Fuel Station at Boxpark, London.

According to Creative Director, Andy Walker it’s the “best consumer experience Nike has to offer for runners, which allows physical and digital experiences to really merge.” They’ve packed every new marketing technology we’ve been tanatalised with of late into this small container at Boxpark. When a customer walks in the store they’re greeted by a kinetic wall that reacts to their body using motion sensing technology – red representing minimum activity, green maximum. In the next space they are presented with feedback about the motion in the form of a multi pixel avatar. They can record this footage and share with friends on Facebook. As they approach the mirrors, the digital mannequins come to life so products can be viewed on the body without physically undressing. All staff are armed with iPads on which they can explain the latest products in the Nike range. The products are bought to life using augmented reality.

The store was developed in-house by the Nike Brand Design team who took strong references from the original 1970s Nike store in Oregon. There’s heavy use of warm timbers and concrete giving a sports stadium like feeling alongside huge glossy screens and LEDs.

The concept is based around the Fuel Band – the next generation in monitoring sports performance for athletes. It measures the wearer’s daily activity including steps, calories and time and allows you to set goals all whilst linking into your smart phone. Check out the video here.

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Photos thanks to Dezeen.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Colette Carnaval

You know a store’s reached cult status when they take over a city to celebrate their birthday. Paris’ Colette celebrated 15 last weekend and hosted a huge carnival in the city’s Tuileries Gardens to blow out the candles.

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A 4,000sqm tent was erected and packed with stands from over 100 different brands, friends and partners of Colette, representing a mix of fashion, cosmetics, street culture, music and food.

It was a showcase of the collaborations that are a trademark of the store -  a basketball court by Nike, cooking lessons with La Mere de Famille making blueberry marshmellows, and toy duck shooting with Carhartt. Everything from screen printed tees to tattoos and piercings were available for purchase. There was even a kissing booth. A family affair, there was just as much to entertain the munchkins – ballet classes run by Repetto, arm wrestling, sack races, video games, bowling and a photo session with Barbie. Brands like Melissa, Carven, Eastpak, Comme Des Garcons and Ed Banger Records entertained the crowds. A huge 20,000 people packed the park over the two days to join in the festivities.






At it’s core Colette is a concept store. In the words of fashion maestro JC De Castelbajac, when it set up shop in the late ‘90s  it was a visionary spirit – open minded at a time when France was not (under Chirac’s rule unpopular neo-liberal economic austerity measures were introduced, workers strikes were rampant and there was a push for resumption of nuclear testing at Mururoa Atoll). Colette evoked “a curiosity and acuteness to discover new talents and reveal them.” Their story and this event demonstrates a keenness to get people actively participating with their brand, and creates much more loyalty than simply celebrating with yet another sale.

Bon anniversaire Colette!!

Photos from WWD / Courtesy Photos / PSFK / Another Mag