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

Fashionable Vending Machine

I did a double-take when walk by this vending machine mama in the metro station of Barcelona. How cool is this?

There is everything from a carton of juice to dental gum and the entire junk-food section at a mini-supermarket.

Speaking of junk-food, how can you resist a hotdog, or better yet, a hamburger inside a warming slot which the window opens when you put in the right amount of coins. This dutch bizarre chain, Febo (prounced FAY-bo) is a fast-food joint has 22 locations in Amsterdam alone. Their bright yellow signs is hard to miss next time you visit the city. Other most more unusual food items include kroket (is actually a thick gravy or ragout, that is covered in breakcrumbs and then deep-friend), and it comes in Rundvleeskroket (beef), Bami (chicken), Kalfskleedroket (veal), Kaassouffle (cheese). Especially late at night, the place is jam packed with drunken Dutch guys, and a few girls too.

I found this on some concept car design site. Smartcar vending machine?

Luxury vending machine? Guess what they are selling here?

Bentley cars!

Amsterdam has a lot of interesting fashion concept stores. Like this technologically forward eyewear shop, Sinner, with a vending machine selling sunglasses even during afterhours. Europeans stores should all adopt this idea since most shops close after 5 or 6pm and some don’t even open Sunday.

Now, this is creative. What a cool idea! Ben Sherman….GOOD, Royal Milk Tea….GOOD, Ben Sherman design on a royal milk tea can….GOOD!!! (line inspired from Joey in Friends from the Thanksgiving Dinner episode)

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”.

Hairy Crab

This is one of those hit or miss no-name shop in Shanghai. And the chances of finding something cute is probably the same as winning 100RMB from receipt scratcher.  However, out of maybe 7-8 times that I’ve been to this shop I did manage to scoop up this really unique dress with hand stitch straw details for 220RMB after the “let me call the owner” bargain routine. It was a dress I really adore and someone is always there to compliment the detail.

Yes, this is the correct picture, not an episode of the extreme food on the travel channel. This magnificent picture was taken when I was there a few weeks ago, just in time to witness the sales lady cracking her hairy crab legs and chewing her sticky rice cake. I’ve seen the typical beef/chicken over rice, spicy noodle soup, or if I’m lucky, stinky tofu and lamb sticks but the hairy crab legs top them all. I ask the sales lady what she was eating(I wasn’t thick-skined enough to take a photo of her eating) and she was proud to tell me that she made it herself and even offer me a leg. I kindly refuse and try to avoid the seafood smell from catching up to me. At least if someone ever ask me where I brought my dress I can now answer “hairy crab”.

Stop Tee-ing Me

Not all Tees are created equal. Remix is not your average Chinese T-shirt shop, flooded with Pandas, the great wall, I heart SH, or whatever they can print to milk the tourists for what they got. Tadi, a Shanghaiese guy who speaks perfect English, is the owner and designer of the store, not to mention also a music producer on the side.

Most of the graphic prints are designed by Tadi and its easy to see his sense of humor and creativity in each master-tees. You can also find interesting accessories that utilize recycle materials such as computer flash card (which I thought was extincts for ages) to make notepads and used plastic posters for bags.

For more info http://www.remixship.net 187 Jin xian lu near maoming lu