Vogue Festival 2013

This year's festival was almost like an upgrade of its successful first version, set in a premium location with a much larger audience and a wide range of key speakers from the fashion industry. This is a great opportunity to judge for ourselves people whom we can only perceive through the eyes of the media.

Natalie Massenet, Vogue Festival 2013 (photo: vogue.co.uk)

From the impact of street style blogs on the fashion industry to the secrets behind the success of a magazine cover shoot, many aspects were discussed and thought of by those who made it to the top. How to get there continues to be the main question in most people's minds. 

One of the most influential speakers was definitely Natalie Massenet, founder of Net-a-porter.com and chairman of the British Fashion Council. She anticipated the evolution of e-commerce into retail in 1999 and after eleven years sold her business to the luxury-brand Richemont group for £350 million, while remaining its executive chairman. 

Festival Highlights: Day One, British Vogue on YouTube

Her meteoric rise enables her to speak with authority about success but Massenet says there is no fixed recipe apart from being unique and to follow our instincts. In fact, each person has their own path and some manage to get there others don't, but what is the definition of success? 

Let's look at two examples of the British fashion industry, Alexander McQueen and John Galliano. Both made it to the top, their talent was revered and their bank accounts had robust figures. But can fortune and glory define success? McQueen ended up killing himself and if you watch Galliano speaking after his amazing first show and watch him years later at the end of a catwalk, the difference is obvious.

Festival Highlights: Day Two, British Vogue on YouTube

Without wanting to get into the scandal that propelled his exit from Christian Dior, even though his talent is undeniable in both periods, the joyful young man of the beginning of his career was no longer there. Fortune and glory are not necessarily bad, Massenet looks ravishing and professionally fulfilled, but they are not reliable sources of happiness and do not define success. 

It's important to strive to do what we love but how we affect other people's lives can also be incredibly rewarding. An enthusiastic debate with Vivienne Westwood, Livia Firth, Katharine Hamnett and photographer Tom Craig left no doubts about how fashion can actually change the world. 

photo: vogue.co.uk

This is the way forward, a conscientious approach to both production and consumption. If success continues to be measured in figures, it's impossible to let light into the dark corners of the fashion industry and 'accidents' such as the one in Bangladesh this weekend can become inevitable.  

Vogue's Festival was also brighter with other stars of the fashion industry such as Donatella Versace, Victoria Beckham, Mario Testino and the fabulous Alber Elbaz, Lanvin's creative director. Looking forward to next year's edition!

For more information visit British Vogue.



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New Interactive Magazine

Digital media communication is already upon us, most published magazines have interactive websites and special editions for iPads and mobile phones. But this is the first time the publishing industry combines all these platforms on paper with a Direct Response Publishing title: iLove magazine.

iLove magazine

We jumped at the technology enabling an iPad or iPhone to scan a code and start playing a video. This magazine takes this technology into a whole new level with each page being filled with interactive content. Readers can watch videos, buy items off the page, access a picture gallery, get body specific styling advice, share content with their friends...

iLove magazine

The magazine works in partnership with the Royal Mail to deliver a free magazine to an audience profiled by Market Reach. Much has been recently published about how magazine editors are changing their career to senior positions in retail, this is undoubtedly a natural step considering the connection between brands, media and consumers is getting closer and closer.

iLove magazine

Peer pressure is taking centre stage and social media is now the driving force of brand awareness and consumer engagement. This magazine encourages social network coverage and integration previously reserved to online publications. 

Can this be the future of publishing? Is Net-a-Porter adopting this model for its upcoming print title expected to be launched in the Autumn? It's certainly clever to combine our need to feel the glossy pages with our passion for hi-tech! 



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'No Noise' Shopping Experience

More and more people are shopping online in the comfort of their home so retailers have to rethink their conventional way of engaging with us. It's all about getting to know our habits and lifestyle in order to attain an ageless goal: making us spend our money. So is the No Noise initiative, promoted by London's department store Selfridges, just a cynical approach to our well-being?  

500-strong mass meditation in the middle of Selfridges' beauty hall for the launching
of 'No Noise'. De-branded items. (Photos by Stuart Wilson/ Getty Images)

Luxury retail emphasises a personal relationship with customers, encouraging sales consultants to develop faithful clients and provide the ultimate shopping experience. But high street retailers, some making as much money as the luxury sector, have gone in the opposite direction promoting a "do it yourself" attitude, with hardly anyone in sight to assist you in huge spaces overloaded with merchandise. 

But they do have something in common: bright lights and highly repetitive loud music. They help creating an exciting atmosphere where customers enjoy themselves and get carried away by spending more than they would otherwise. Luckily, we are much less responsive to these stimuli and most of us will agree that the whole experience has become not only overwhelming but also unpleasant.

The 'Quiet Shop' offers a capsule collection of unique de-branded items
(photo by Stuart Wilson/ Getty Images)

In an era when materialism is revealing itself as an ingenious deceiver, people are more and more concerned about their well-being. So retailers have no other choice but to catch up with us. In the dialogue between brands and consumers, we have the last word even if we don't realise it yet. So it is highly refreshing to see Selfridges acknowledging our needs by promoting moments of peace and tranquillity in store.

'No Noise' is a multi-layered initiative centring around the re-launch of the legendary Silence Room, first created by the store's visionary founder Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909. The purpose of this room remains the same: to provide an oasis of quiet for those eager to take a moment to pause and switch off. According to Tatler magazine, it's not totally sound-proof but it fulfils its relaxing function and even discourages spending!   

Silence Room designed by architect Alex Cochrane
(photo by Stuart Wilson/ Getty Images)

Shoes, mobile phones and 21st century distractions need to be left behind, a recognition of how our lives are being disrupted by the intensive use of technology. This initiative, running until the end of February, includes a curated 'Quiet Shop', celebrating the beauty of a minimalist aesthetic and focusing on a product's quality and function rather than packaging or advertised image.

Headspace pods spread throughout the store deliver mindful messages and induce meditation practice. I wonder if staff can also enjoy this initiative as they are probably the ones who need it most... But even If you see behind the curtain, this is definitely a victory for consumers and an example to follow by other retailers. Whenever we spend our money we should be more demanding and make sure retailers give something back.

'No Noise' window display at Selfridges
(photo by Stuart Wilson /Getty Images)

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New DKNY Store Design

To celebrate the new 'face' of the DKNY store in Old Bond Street, model teams are out in the busy retail areas of central London* offering postcards which you can exchange for a DKNY London tote bag, great to take on holiday.

This will happen over the next two Saturdays from 1-5pm. You can expect the VIP treatment given in high profile retail events: live DJs and a glass of bubbly to welcome you into the new space.

Without wanting to state the obvious, DKNY is all about New York so how to translate the vibe of the big apple in the heart of London? The vast open white space has the feel of a refurbished warehouse and images of New York are the backdrop of the main wall. 

The Voguettes (music)

Big screens positioned on strategic points throughout the store also help to create the cosmopolitan atmosphere, with catwalk images and videos of models walking down New York streets.

Fashion magazines, comfortable chairs and beautiful flowers make you feel at home. This is a great space to uplift your spirit particularly on a rainy day and if you want to indulge in some retail therapy, you have a lot to choose from this is brand for independent women who gravitated towards sophisticated urban landscapes.

Cheers!

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*London Eye/ Oxford Circus/ Carnaby St/ Regent St/ Oxford St (Selfridges)