CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC

Does your heart quicken when you see new merchandise in neatly stacked piles? That’s one of the questions the heroine in ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ (one of my favourite films) has to answer when admitting she has a problem.

The reason I love that film so much is that I can relate to the main character – for example buying something and then instantly feeling better, the hoarding and hiding of new purchases, and finally, the solemn belief that underwear IS a basic human right.

So for lent (you can see where this is going) I gave up shopping. Something more precious to me than chocolate, alcohol and smoking or any other vice you could think of. And I gave it up – total cold turkey – which means no buying clothes, shoes, bags, underwear, and make-up, ANYTHING until April 5^th.

So far I am doing well and I haven’t bought a single thing. I am not saying that if someone waved ‘the perfect piece’ under my nose that I wouldn’t cave in and splash the cash but so far I love my new found willpower.

The reason I wanted to share this with you is that I have learnt some valuable lessons:

Firstly when ‘forced’ to walk into a shop (ok, ok I walked in of my own free will) the thing most likely to tempt me (other than a bargain) is brilliant visual merchandising. This season Jack Wills with their floral window displays have really tempted me - which is amazing considering I have never shopped there before. Zara have also managed to get it bang on this season in terms of the way their mannequins are dressed in store and nothing has impressed me more than the effortlessly cool way they have presented their spring ranges.

Secondly I have learnt that signing up to email alerts is really the cleverest marketing tool a store can use to tempt me. A store I can avoid somewhat easily but that message in my inbox every morning offering me 10%, 15% even 50% off new spring fashion is hard to resist. I have been opening the emails, agonizing over them and then deleting with a heavy heart. Because when Urban Outfitters say they miss me, it’s sad, but I kind of believe them.

However this hasn’t broken me, predominately because I am not looking for a cheap bargain that I will probably end up sending back but rather key investment pieces for summer that I can wear again and again to the office, at a weekend and on a night out.

Basically what I am trying to say is that when I am unleashed on the 5^th April I will be looking for more ‘bang for my buck’ – so watch out retailers of the UK.

Have you got an inspirational spring window? Are you having themed events or sales to mark the Queens’ Jubilee or Olympics? If so WWB wants to hear about it. Please share your pictures with us on twitter at @wwbmagazine

Natalie Dawson, fashion writer, WWB magazine x

THE INTEREST IN PINTEREST

Red Ruby Rouge Pinterest

It officially feels like spring and I for one am delighted – the thought of strolling around sans multi layers, legitimately wearing my favourite aviators and generally having less horrific hair makes me incredibly happy. All that, plus the feeling of having made it through January and February, two of arguably the toughest months in retail, not to mention the ‘blue-est’ months amongst friends and family, mean it’s nice to emerge on the other side unscathed.

When any new season rolls around, the sight of the rails of new designers, colours and trends is such a positive catalyst to change gear and feel re-inspired. This season I have however embraced an additional motivator that  is set to be my true love for some time– Pinterest. Here at Red Ruby Rouge HQ, we are avid Facebook and Twitter-ers (of course), but this new social medium of ‘pinning’ has managed to find and fill a gap in our inspiration and is proving to be even more distracting.

With a basic premise:  create a subject based ‘board’ of your choice (in my case, I’m thinking of adding boards for ‘the perfect cheese and pickle cracker’ and ‘knee high boots for pregnant people)’) and ‘pinning’ images to that board to create a mood or inspiration wall. It’s simple yet addictive and browsing through other pinners boards leads only to more inspiring images and thought provoking ideas.

It’s shocking in a way that this hasn’t been done before, but now that it’s here, we have it set to play a big role in how we communicate with our customers and those fellow pinners who share our loves and wants – not to mention using it to extend our wish lists and my plans for home cooking domination.

We have loved having the chance for an insight into what inspires those who inspire us, or to see how peoples pinnings change as the day or week moves on. It is an endless coffee table book that seems to have far wider audience potential than the original social networking sites and for that and so much more, we love it. Let the pinning continue!

Fiona Kennedy, owner, Red Ruby Rouge, Belfast x

DONNA LOVES SKINNY JEANS

Paige Premium Verdugo Skinny Jean in Florence - James Jeans Twiggy Skinny Jean in Slate - J Brand Major Skinny Jean in Black

It’s no secret that I love my skinny jeans.  Because a) any – ANY – shoe looks good with them (ok not a wedge) b) you can wear them year-round – as with most jeans they’re delightfully season-less and c) they’re good on the vertically challenged.  

I have three that I wear all the time and they’re my fail-safe options.  If I haven’t worn one of them in a week I’ll suddenly spy a pair and think ‘ah! you! you’re coming with me today’.  I pretty much wear the same thing all the time and just mix and match the bags and shoes.  

So here they are – my three secret skinny weapons!  And before you ask – they’re ALL super comfortable. They wouldn’t get a look-in otherwise. Wear with heels, flats, sandals or tuck into boots.

Donna Ida, founder of Donna Ida  x

SHAPING THE WAY CONSUMERS SHOP

Retail has seen its worst economic climate in our life-times and as a buyer this gives the role a new dimension in terms of product selection, but as an ecommerce business, we are in a privileged position to be able to shape the way consumers shop.  

We have all seen the high street sales figures and reports of hundreds of stores closing, with some retailers moving their focus to their ecommerce sites.   This isn't just about the shift in consumer behaviour towards online shopping, it's about the heightened expectation for a better experience, better product and service. 

Digital has changed  consumers’ expectations across the board and particularly when it comes to the product itself.  Now shoppers can watch live streams of the catwalk shows, see each look hit the catwalk on Twitter, pre-order the collections and in fact click to buy their favourite pieces straight off the catwalk.  Pre collections and Cruise collections have become a core part of a designer’s business and that of the retailers as consumers want the next new items.

The innovation in mobile commerce presents both high street and online retailers with a huge opportunity to further integrate their off-line and online channels and bring a new dimension to viewing product.   A number of leading retailers are now using QR codes to give customers the chance to view products and editorial content straight from a page and provide an opportunity to purchase the product online from a mobile device.

The next twelve months is going to present an even more challenging economic environment, which is going to lead to a survival of the fittest.   I believe it going to be the savvier retailers that survive.  The ones that put the customer first, creating an improved customer experience, with the best product merchandised and presented in the right way, while looking at their shopping habits and creating a seamless, integrated multi-channel experience, are going to drive the retail market forward.   As retailers, whether that is online or bricks or mortar, we have the opportunity to shape and change the way consumer shop and that makes it a very exciting place to be.

Luisa De Paula, buying director at my-wardrobe.com

A MORNING IN THE LIFE OF DONNA IDA

My twitter friend @junosayshello asked me last week how I get up so early each day and suggested I write a blog outlining my morning routine.  It reminded me of when I was growing up and I could never eat my dinner, but my sister always did.  I tried so hard to match her mouthful for mouthful and try to keep up.  God how I WISH that was the case now.  So if you need some morning inspiration, read on!

A morning in the life of Donna Ida:

4.45am

I wake up.  I’m always ahead of the alarm.  I think my body instinctively doesn’t like a fright so wakes up before it can go off.

4.50am

I turn off my first alarm just before it goes off, and spend the next ten minutes checking emails/twitter/instagram.

5.00am     

I turn my second backup alarm off about a second before it sounds.  Get up – I don’t hesitate or ‘lie there’ just in case I suddenly nod off again.

5.05am 

Turn on BBC World News, put on Mou boots and dressing gown (sexy) and let my two Chihuahuas Romeo and Julio out of the kitchen.  By this time they’re literally throwing themselves against the door desperate to be released.  I walk them around for about 5 minutes – just long enough for them to perform their morning ablutions and have a sniff about before going back upstairs for breakfast.

5.15am     

Feed Romeo and Julio and then myself.  I either have porridge (which I soak the night before – delicious!) or scrambled eggs with rye toast.  I eat while I’m watching the news and pacing between the bathroom and my dressing room.

5.25am    

The next ten minutes is spent finishing breakfast, having an espresso or two, showering, and doing 100 squats in front of the TV.  That’s my 2012 thing – 100 squats every morning.

5.35am 

Pull on the outfit I decided on the night before.  If I haven’t picked a whole outfit I’ll at least know in my head half of what I plan to wear.  I hate standing there not having a clue – it wastes so much time and always makes for a bad outfit.  Even if you just decide on one item to wear the night before it makes dressing so much easier.

5.45am       

Brush teeth, check hair and kiss Bobby Dazzler goodbye (what’s the point of leaving the house that early if you’re not going to disturb the person you live with?!)

5.50am           

Pull out of driveway.  If I’m not in the car and driving by this point I’m going to hit traffic and be late.

6.40am – 7am 

Arrive at Starbucks on Sloane Avenue, pick up a black Grande Americano and drive on to the office in Belgravia.  And the day begins!

Donna Ida, founder of Donna Ida 

GROWN UP, POLISHED AND SEXY?

This seasons London Fashion Week has already been hailed as the busiest, the most successful and critically the most commercially viable in known memory with Anna Wintour going so far as to say  London had shed its quirky, eccentric image to finally become a “grown up, polished and sexy” affair.

And whilst grown up, polished and sexy doesn’t necessarily equal boring it does however seem a bit, well, ‘American’ for my liking. I fear that even with a team of stylists working around the clock I am never going to be able to pull off looking grown up, polished or sexy for that matter.  Alas I am not a member of Gossip Girl. I do not live on the Upper East Side. I live in Leeds.

So in typical style I’d like to ignore all that the wise Wintour has said and look at something completely bonkers now please!

Here is a run down of my favourite looks from the A/W 12 Catwalks (polish and sex not included) You can see our London Fashion Week review in full in our March issue.

Bora Aksu: Greys and blacks gave Bora Aksu’s collection a classic wintery tone, softened by dusty pinks and creams and shot through with an explosion of fuchsia, burnt orange and ruby reds. The optimistic colours give rise to playful tops and dresses in the shape of pleats, drapes and pussy bows. All in all this season marks a refreshing change of pace for the designer into something a bit more childish and innocent - Hurrah!

Bora Aksu

PPQ: Fantastically gothic, PPQ’s collection featured full length chiffon gowns with fabrics falling heavy at the hems and draped layers of melton wools, mohair and velvet. Animal prints and wet look fabrics on shorter lengths kept the look sexy whilst slashed backs and asymmetrical details showed just enough flesh to seduce without being overtly ‘sex on legs’.

PPQ

House of Holland: The House of Holland girl rides the Tour De France was the collection description with inspirations including 70’s Sci-Fi, the Tour de France and Futuristic Sportswear. With the focus on the Olympics this season the collection should go down well with buyers, especially the patriotic tones of pillar box red, navy and sky blue on offer.

House of Holland

Peter Jensen: Jensen’s collection included dresses in brown velvet, brightly coloured separates with collars added to everything and a gold tassel skirts reminiscent of a hula dancer. Models strutted down the catwalk wearing cropped grey wigs bunny ears. As per usual Jensen demonstrated a master class in taking something sensible and making it fantastic.

Peter Jensen

Leutton Postle: The AW12 collection from cult design duo Leutton Postle is both playful and intensely detailed. Patterns come in the form of facial features, both illustrative in knitwear and abstract in textiles; a motif which is echoed throughout the collection. A knitted face is enlivened with a three dimensional weft of hair that becomes a ponytail. How not grown up is that?

Leutton Postle