Happy Thursday…
It’s edgy, sexual, macabre, artistic, some will say creepy.
If you don’t like things like that, don’t click on it. I like it because it’s creative, inspiring, and at times my eyes do pop.
Picture of the week
I’ve written before about how rapidly retail is changing, this picture illustrates a new and interesting trend. Contemporary brands are moving into funky old buildings and saving their storefronts and signage, sometimes even special pieces of their decor.
I had passed by this dry cleaners when it was still in business and then when it was empty, and I admired the old Jetsons like signage. I like the fact that the Aesop brand appreciates it too. They seem to respect the fact that this neighborhood has a particular history and flavor, and I love that.
Fashion find follow-up
So, I talked about M.Gemi in my last post. I told you I wasn’t sure I trusted them due to the fact that they seem to “drop” new shoe styles very often. Well, I visited their Soho store, their only store, this week. Before seeing them, I had the feeling I would like the shoes. They’re made in Italy by some 15 small makers, and Italian shoes are some of the best, if not the best.
Once I tried the shoes on, I pretty much instantly became a fan.
They were remarkably comfortable! I tried a slide on, like the one in the picture. It was made of buttery soft suede and felt like heaven, really, heaven. The shoes are very well made, the styles are “classic” but not boring. The store’s ambience is great. They have espresso and proseco, what could be bad?
The word, store, is a misnomer.
You can’t walk out of M.Gemi with a pair of shoes. What you can do is try them on to your heart’s content. Then, when you’ve figured out what you want, with the staff’s assistance, you order the shoes knowing what you’re going to get.
This is another new trend in retail: visit, touch, try-on, order, leave. No immediate gratification, but satisfaction is more likely than the gamble that shopping online can be.
There are other advantages to this shopping model. I’ve found that the whole process is much more peaceful and pleasant. It’s actually slow; both the customers and staff seem to be much more relaxed.
Ultimately, the best thing about brands like M.Gemi and Everlane is, they can afford to pass the savings intrinsic to the model on to their customers.
For us city dwellers, who do not drive, an added perk is not having to cart our purchases home. That makes the whole shopping experience less of a hassle, more civilized.
If you’re visiting New York, I suggest you see M.Gemi. I don’t think this style of shopping is going away, you might want to get acquainted with it.
t-shirts
T-shirts, can’t live with them, can’t live without them. This t-shirt is from Kindred Black, another brand I’m following. These people too, are curators. In one word, I find their stuff to be just yummy. They sell home-goods, jewelry, books, clothing, and more.
They’re slow and ethical and suggest you resist on their website.
Although this organic cotton t-shirt costs $90, most of their prices do not make my eyes pop. I love the color and sleeve length, and I swear I can feel the organic cotton just looking at it. Growing organic cotton calls for much less water than cotton grown conventionally and the end product is superior in every way.
Random quote
“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”
Anita
