Colette-what concept?

You know you’ve been there…dress up to go shopping. Maybe you’re heading to Kitson in LA, Plaza 66 in Shanghai, Barney’s New York, Liberty in London, and you’ve put on that little something to impress. But the ultimate snob shopping has to be Colette, but they have a good reason to be.

Although some people hate to admit it, but Colette is the ultimate trendsetting concept store in the world. This is where fashion industry people get the latest info on what’s hot.

Everything in the store has a concept to brag about. It would be impossible to find a Parisian who has never heard of Colette. With three floors of clothing, music, jewelery, accessories, cosmetics, books, and even high-tech gadgets from around the world. A cafe with water from around the world and music bar you can download CDs onto your ipod.

But I was a little confused walking into this supposed “coolest” store looking for signs to tell me a theme or a concept. The store has no visible identification besides cards with two blue dots at the cashier. It was only after reading about it and hearing people talk about Colette, did I really get the “real” concept. A concept of no standard concept. It is this anonymity that allows Colette to remain in a category of its own. By not giving the store an assigned face, it lets people decipher the store for themselves and allows them to make their own assumptions and discoveries about what Colette is really all about.

It reminds me of MTV, which no longer stand for  “music television” but “pop-culture”, so why choose one standard logo and not let their fans the creative control over their branding. Its no longer “products” but a “lifestyle” that companies are selling. Red Bull is about “energy” not “energy drinks”. So why create just a “store” not “trends”.

Since its opening in 1997, Colette has revolutionized the Parisian streets with their new approach towards consumer culture. Located on Rue Saint Honoré, Colette is more than just a retail outlet, serving an international hub of pop culture, rare, specialized fashion, design and exhibitions. Colette has since become a brand in itself. Those two blue dots means something different to everyone and thats the most beautiful concept of all.

Colette Music

Colette Hello Kitty

Colette Timberland

SSFW Concept Store

Gosh I feel dumb. I just realized while writing this post what “SSFW” stands for, “Spring Summer Fall Winter”. Duh!
Regardless of the name its another cool store in one of the many alleys in Myeong-dong, Seoul.

I have to say the store is stocked with key fashion items of the season. As you can see a blinged-out pair of metallic leggings and a feathery ballerina skirt. I was tempted, but I resisted the costume pieces and brought myself a normal acid washed cotton blazar for 35,000 won.

Their window display was so very chic, simple yet stylish, with the season’s hottest outfit put together to perfection. The leather jacket with semi-shine leggings is hot. I also brought myself a pair for 12,000 won, way cheaper than American Apparel. But if you can see through the window at the old man selling socks in the middle of the street. I saw a similar legging for 4,000 won. That’s less than $5/30RMB.

Here you can take a peak at their visual merchandising, which is a little quirky due to the awkward naked babies standing on the wall shelf. Maybe the fashion buzzword for Fall ’09 is “quirky”.

ALAND

My first impression was “ah! its Timeless!”. Timeless is a concept boutique that we created in our business plan class; think Anthropologie meet green and sustainability with a coffee shop inside. But Aland seems to take a more practical turn and took out the eco part but used the idea into the store design and merchandising. Located in Meyung-dong, Seoul; a hip area packed with young trendy people squeezing their way through small streets full of small boutiques in between global chain stores like Zara and even Forever 21!

The overall store design is pretty random and wacky. A little bit of vintage, a little bit of punk, a little bit of the 80’s, a little bit of everything. But it works…there’s always something to please someone. Not to mention the 80 something designer brands that they carry, including A.P.C. (same as Timelesss), Fred Perry, circle, and a bunch of Korean brands.

Aland has 4 floors: 1F Women/Men collection with accessories and stationaries. 2F High-end Men’s wear with really expensive jeans from Japan and Living Space. 3F Flea Market with vintage items and a big wooden basket full of t-shirts thrown in there like local market.

This is the “Flea Market” floor. Its really random, but I did find a cool black frame glasses made of out wood. But I stop myself from turning into a real fob.

This is the B1F with a local designer concept area that sells some pretty neat designs. The clothes are very korean style; padded shoulder blazer, MC hammer pants, and a little bit of soft leopard print here and there. I probably spent about almost 2 hours in the store “cooling” to this and that. But the best part about this store is that its still affordable. This is definitely a concept store to look out for. They just opened their 2nd store in Apgujeong, a very chic and quite expensive area of Seoul.
There’s more pictures here. http://www.a-land.co.kr/store/mds/m1-1.htm