Issue 2: Color, Styling, Innovation and What is Upcoming
Lots to talk about - From life events, shares from my creative network, brand emails and business journals of note.
COLOR and a NEW PERSPECTIVE
The National Parks Service is rocking it with their Instagram! Their call to action is “National parks are sporting hues of the season. What are some of your favorite park palettes?” I love how the Instagram feed makes me think differently about the NPS. In one focusing moment I saw them as a modern organization able to connect with new audiences. I had a surge of excitement when I saw the palettes because they are so relevant to what’s going on in fashion today. The color groupings move between retro fabulous to new age soothing relaxation to contemporary pops of optimistic happiness. If anyone is looking for a new perspective on how to approach a color offering or a marketing campaign – let the NPS be your sherpa to seeing the world with new eyes.
I had a surge of excitement when I saw the palettes because they are so relevant to what’s going on in fashion today. The color groupings move between retro fabulous to new age soothing relaxation to contemporary pops of optimistic happiness. If anyone is looking for a new perspective on how to approach a color offering or a marketing campaign – let the NPS be your sherpa to seeing the world with new eyes.
COLOR and REAL APPLICATIONS
Seeing colors in action that match up to some of those gorgeous pallets from NPS Color Forecasting…& Other Stories, a boutique brand that is part of H&M…”Loungewear we love”. Look at the soothing palette, the minimalist silhouettes, lack of extra trims – relaxing in their simplicity.
Check out this brand if you don’t know it. The way they tell their collection stories is so engaging. They present their images as though you are getting in on their working moodboards, making you feel like an industry insider. And the simple, clear “why” statements they share throughout each campaign are notable for the language used. Steal their key words and make them your own. Scroll down to “Latest Stories” to see what I mean.
Also check out “You & Other Stories” to see images customers send in of themselves wearing the latest collections – they are engaging real life examples of how the product is worn, who the customer is and what their worlds look like.
STYLING and KEY ITEMS
This post caught my eye with the tagline “A Layered Approach” which opens to this image of Tory, on an ivory couch with a large floral pattern, wearing a chunky ivory crew neck sweater with a large floral pattern embroidered onto it in thick, textural swaths of color. Sitting beside her are two ivory throw pillows with a repeating geometric pattern so faded as to almost be indistinguishable.
The other post from Tory-land that is also showing how to take “A Layered Approach” but in the new way that altheisure looks today, is from Tory Sport. This post was called “Chic Comfort, Cozy layers, perfect for fall”. It shows a patterned skirt worn with leggings layered underneath that are of the same pattern, just in a smaller scale. Peeking out on one leg you can see a sporty diagonal stripe, telling you that these are very much “take me to yoga” leggings too. And on top is another chunky pull over. This one is a 5GG shaker stitch (remember these from the 80’s?!) mock neck in yet a third graphic pattern. All patterns are in the same color palette, making it all work even though there’s a lot going on.
My takeaway from both of these outfits is how much Tory gets the trends going on today. There are nods to retro nostalgia, particularly the 80’s, referencing large cabbage florals and chunky crew necks, yet it’s all put together in such a sophisticated way that it is 100% today. The word “Cozy” is in there, even though the items shown are very active, proving that you can have an outfit that is everyday appropriate, even for a career look, ready to peel down to attend yoga and then layer back up to cozy status.
Tory Burch was interviewed for a feature on CBS Sunday Morning on the 20th and she reiterated what she had told Vanessa Friedman of the NYT recently, that her customers are still buying clothes you wouldn’t think you’d need when you’re still mostly at home (“investment pieces”), like party dresses. She said that while traffic in her physical stores was down considerably, her conversion rates were up. That means that the people who are coming in to shop are determined to go home with treasures. Customers aren’t coming in just to look but to buy.
https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a34029996/cargo-shorts-trend-men/
CARGO SHORTS ARE BACK…kind of
Best line of the past week that I read…
“Don those Old Navy shin-grazers and step out into the world with 500 percent more pocket space, because it’s exhausting just to be alive and this might offer some weird, nostalgia-tinged comfort to guys who used to dress like Fred Durst without a hint of irony.”
I find that Esquire newsletter calls out user friendly and on point trends. Here is one on the very EVERYWHERE trend of minimal and wearable ELEVATED WARDROBE ESSENTIALS (as in proportions to flatter but be comfortable too) that Highsnobiety Staples, H&M Blank Staples, Pangaia and the adidas x Pharell Williams Originals are showing.
Note that in this collection from Uniqlo, they have a chunky shaker knit crew neck sweater and mock neck, as did Tory Burch. They also have a padded 2-way tote bag – padded or puffy styles and the versatility that the 2-way option allows are both trends you will see on repeat from me in reports coming soon.
ACCESSORIES: INNOVATION and BEAUTIFUL PRACTICALITY
From Dezeen – “A viable solution to a real problem” Ingenious earrings made to cradle your Apple Air Pods so that they don’t fall out and become a very expensive and wasteful “oops”.
From WGSN Fashion platform, in a new report on Core Item Updates for bags for S/S 22, they called out “Focus on considered, subtle updates that either enhance practicality or bring a premium feel to refresh core profiles”. This goes to the trend towards consumers putting more scrutiny on each purchase as 1) money is in short supply for many, and 2) product should be practical, considered, versatile and also beautiful. If only a few items will be purchased, an element of luxury will sweeten the purchase.
In looking at this item in the email blast, it is from a brand called Plumo, which I was not familiar with. Do check it out – They say they are “Luxury Women’s Clothes – Luxury House & Home” and also “Contemporary, responsibly crafted clothing for modern women”. Both of those concepts will increasingly be the secret sauce for success with consumers – a little bit of luxury created in a sustainable, responsible way. One without the other will be half as successful.
Totes “How to update” from WGSN Core Item Updates for bags for S/S 22
“Take an investment approach…render it in premium responsibly sourced leather.” or alternatively “combine compact canvas, bast fibers (flax, jute, hemp, ramie) or natural linen with leather details to the straps or pockets to offer a lower entry price point.”
BONUS BAG FIND from Plumo – is the Puffer Quilt bag. This padded, pillow-y bag shape is showing up in increasing frequency. I will delve into this more in a separate post – but it’s worth noting here.
Other things that I will comment on in separate posts but that also were MAJOR this week –
As we all know, the sad passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, affectionately known as The Notorious RBG who has given us all a true vision of what leading by example looks like.
Ummmm….FASHION WEEK – ya, that happened – so much to talk about there – more soon.
THE EMMYS 2020 – again, another historic moment in the world, as another awards show iterates on how to make this world work using human creativity and technology together in amazing ways that bring us all FORWARD and forever changed in good ways.