Month: June 2022

Now that the independent study period has started, I am left wondering what my next intervention could be and where it could take place.

Also, who I am going to collaborate with?

I think, at this point, this is a very crucial question, that will define the next few months. I have a short list of names of people (retailers and an emerging brand) who I’d be interested in getting in touch and possibly working with.

Do I want to help retailers or designers? This is also a question I need to think about. Potentially, both. I could help designers by helping retailers and viceversa.

I read an article published in 2019 (https://www.lightspeedhq.co.uk/blog/best-retail-store-events/) about in-store events, which ones work and why. Apparently, “According to the Event Marketing Institute, 87% of consumers claim to purchase a brand’s products after having attended one of their in-store events.” This is great news for me, but also it means that I need to find a way to offer something different. What would make my events special?

My ambition is to bring communities together, by organising different types of events in retail stores (fashion). Therefore, making the shopping experience more fun and joyful. Since the movie Barbie is coming in 2023, for instance, I have been thinking about whether the next intervention should be a Barbie-themed party, with dolls and clothes that people can style (could be BYOB – bring your own Barbie).

Another idea: upcycling session in a charity shop. They can offer the materials and second-hand clothes to upcycle, the event will raise money to support their cause.

Or, also a brand launch. There are many options, it’s finding what works for me, and who I can support/create a safe space for by doing so.

Could be worth it to reach out to Poetry Mondays society and ask if they’re interested in collaborating. I would love to do a poetry event in a retail shop, having books and poems next to clothes.

If I can’t do any of the above, at least in the imminent future, I can always explore the shopping/community aspect more. For instance, a shopping outing with a stylist.

Tomorrow I plan to go to some shops and talk with the owners, hopefully to get some feedback and see how they react to the idea of having someone else helping them host events in their spaces.

• 10 participants (all UAL students)
• C&E room
• From 6pm to 7.30pm

Choosing upcycling for my first intervention had pros and cons. On the one hand, it allowed all the participants to share their opinions in a fun setting, playing with and bedazzling clothes. On the other hand, some people were more focused on the bedazzling itself to pay attention to what I was asking, and also a participant mentioned how hard it is for them to talk whilst doing something else, which is a fair point.

Overall, I am happy with how this first intervention went. It was a safe space, where people felt comfortable enough to share opinions, interact with each other, give each other styling advice and have fun doing so.

I have sent out a feedback/survey form, which will help me plan my next intervention. I already have a few ideas, but for now I’m going to focus on contacting external stakeholders and establishing those relationships.

Someone asked me why this matters to me. If I said that I was always passionate about this topic, it would be a lie. I have always been passionate about writing, and clothes, but I never thought my research project would end up being this: investigating the future of retail and creating a fashion club. I feel passionate about it now, and it matters to me because I think it is important to curate safe and inspiring spaces for people to interact, have fun, and create together – I see fashion as the ‘glue’. It is a way to express yourself, and show other what’s on your mind. Also, I want to help small shops and independent brands navigate this post-pandemic era.

What I would like Controra to be: an inclusive fashion community, in which people can share styling tips, shop together, and go to events – events like this, that in the future I would like to organise in collaboration with retailers and non.

Things to keep in mind for the next one: do a round of introductions at the very beginning of the session (forgot to do it this time), send out a pre-session form in a different format (I did a word doc, next time I will do a survey), have a clearer set of questions prepared before the session.

How can I help retailers reimagine their spaces and improve them through event activation and community-building events?

“It is no longer enough for retailers
to provide efficient service and a
wide variety of products, they must
now also create an experience that
customers cannot buy.” – PATRICK
MÜLLER-SARMIENTO Senior Partner at Roland Berger

As I was researching, I came across an article written by Patrick Muller Sarmiento and Faris Momani, both partners at Roland Berger. The article looks at the new shopping habits that have emerged in our post-pandemic present, and how these will and are affecting the future of retail, particularly focusing on the retail space. It seems that less space is needed now, and most retailers are choosing smaller shops over bigger ones – the latter used to be a sign of a brand ‘doing well’. This tendency will therefore result in empty retail spaces scattered around Europe, as prophesised by the experts.

The main question now is: what to do with these empty spaces? The author suggests enriching already existing retail experiences, for instance by combining them with non-retail elements. Part of this strategy includes, what mostly interests me, the so-called “retailtainment“:

Despite the rise of digital shopping, physical stores remain a key pillar in the customer journey. Younger consumers – Gen Z and Millennials, in particular – greatly value physical retail and use it as a forum for both socializing and product discovery. However, as consumers become more demanding in their shopping habits, businesses need to reinvent their in-store concepts and floor division.

https://www.rolandberger.com/en/Insights/Publications/Reimagining-retail-space.html

I think that, for my project, I will look at combining that enternaiment+retail element with the idea of utilising these soon-to-be (half) empty spaces to create a community. Therefore, making shopping a more joyful experience, and helping retailers optimise these spaces and improve them through event activation.

The flyer has been sent to the community – asking people to RSVP, as I am only allowed to have a max of 10 people in the space. Already have 6/7 people confirmed!

I’m looking into upcycling techniques at the moment. Although the session will be more about the pros and cons of hosting events like this in different spaces that are technically not meant for events – namely retail spaces.

By masterfully choreographing how to come together in both space and time to share common lifestyles and identities, a new form of social interaction forges customer relationships and a sense of community through brand recognition and a shared retail enviroment.

from Brand Spaces: Branded Architecture and the Future of Retail Design

So, I’ve been pondering on this (this, my baby project) and, as much as I would love to own my own space and run all the events and socials I can think of, as of now that remains unattainable.

One, I cannot afford to rent (let alone buy) a retail space. Not now, not after university. Unless I win the lottery, who knows. Or move somewhere else, a place where they don’t charge for the air you breathe.

Two, I should start looking at what I can actually do right now. Instagram, for instance. What can I do with it?

I feel like right now my project is divided into two:

the social aspect; the club; a community for people to share styling advice, post pics, comment; can be done digitally – an app, ideally, starting as a website initially.

the retail aspect; organise events for club members (and non?) in retail spaces; maybe this could be part of my project? A platform for brands and retailers to offer their space for events?

This is something I also can discuss with people (and potential stakeholders) during the upcycling sesh: first of all, would they be interested in joining the CFC (Controra Fashion Club?) What would they expect? What do they want? More upcycling events? Poetry readings? And also, where?

I like the idea of having access to different spaces around London – need to think about it further.

A shop, social club and a cafe.

“The store is oriented especially towards young people who may discover Puma street wear products in a more amusing way and Puma also wished to make students of architecture to participate on the interior design. Our role was therefore to organize a workshop with pre-selected students, to choose the most intriguing concept and, together with the winning student, to develop the concept to a realization.” (https://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/25/puma-social-club-by-edit-and-tereza-komarkova/)

Can’t find much info online.

Materials Purchased:

• fabric glue;
• rhinestones.

Needed:

• sewing kit
• paint?
• textile markers

Clothes to upcycle (look at what I don’t wear anymore, what I’m thinking of throwing away)

Possibly starting at 6pm. Potential schedule:

• 6-6.30: wait for people to show up, explain project
• 6.30-7.30: play with clothes and start a discussion around shopping experiences, what people desire, what people do not want, online shopping or in store?
• 7.30-8/8.30: take photos, wrap up

I’ll stay behind to clean for as long as needed.

Spaces: options in C&E, canteen, square?