Interactive mirror connecting people

As a person stood in front of the mirror, a camera relayed live video images of her to an Internet site where online participants could view her outfit. When Web viewers responded by sending her comments, their instant messages popped up on the left side of the mirror for her to read. They also selected items for her to try on, causing virtual images of the clothing to appear before her in the middle of the mirror, like life-size holograms. “I think it’s very cool that you could be in a department store and have your friends online at the same time helping you shop. It’s fun,” a customer said as a virtual navy blouse and white pants appeared in the mirror. She took a few steps back to line up her frame with the clothes on the screen.

But pointing to a friend accompanying her, she said the interactive mirror would not inspire her to trade team shopping for Web critics. “You get more personal attention when you shop with a friend live,” she said. For many women, shopping is a task best achieved in the company of other women. And when friends or mothers are not around, shoppers have become accustomed to snapping and sending photos of Coach handbags and Juicy Couture hoodies with their camera phones and soliciting opinions before they buy. But the new mirror, introduced to Nanette Lepore by IconNicholson, an interactive design firm in Manhattan, takes the concept of shopping in tandem one step further by streaming real-time video to the Internet and inviting shoppers to actively involve off-site friends to join the process. It brings fashion into the realm of social networking where people already freely share their opinions and lives via MySpace, Friendster, Facebook, YouTube, blogs and Web cams.

But it raises the question of whether the immediacy and tactile experience of shopping together in person can translate to a virtual audience. “The idea of being able to take your whole social network with you when you shop is a concept that any kid who leaves their house every day with their social network in their phone will understand,” said Tom Nicholson, the chief executive of IconNicholson. “They are already sharing everything with 500 contacts on Friendster, so if five of them happen to be online, why not ask them whether you look good in green?” “We’re all asking each other: `Do I look fat? How does it look from the back? Can I wear this with jeans?’ ” Ms. Lepore said. “If you want the truth, you need to shop with a critic whose opinion you trust.”

Moncler shops: from the cities to the mountains.

After the recent openings in Paris and Milan, Moncler has opened its boutiques even in Honk-Kong, Aspen and Gtsaad. This is a step forward for the brand that has increased its presence both in cities both in skii resorts.

Common element among the stores is Gilles&Boissier architecture studio. Particularly, they paid attention to the context of the shops. "The launch of Moncler in Honk Kong represents the starting point towards the development of the firm in Asia", explains Remo Ruffini, president and art director of the brand. That's why, it has been choosen the floral matter in a contemporary enviroment like Ifc Mall that recalls the french and also the asiatic tradition. While, other stores have been put in a montain situations, according to the technical garnment proposed by the firm. Here, down jacktes find their own habitat in aristocratic places, like Gtsaad and Aspen, where the wooden floor and the blue ceiling of the shops remind of the deep of the sky and the rocky mountains.

60% of italian is going to buy on sales

Italians gave up to buy during Xmas time waiting for the sales. This is what Codici states with a survey over 2250 families across the country where the 60% of the interviewees is going to purchase branded items during winter sales. Particularly, italian families with sons from 10 to 16 y.o. declared that they had renounced to Xmas presents and procrastinated them to this magic, low prices period and they are going to spend 450 euros on average on shoes, jeans and suits.
If we add to this the expense of the parents, it is evident that 600 euros can be easily reached.

Codici invites consumers to pay attention during sales to their purchases, specially to branded clothes that might be ever expensive despite of sales. Moreover, it reminds that on sales items must be separated from full priced ones, old and discounted prices have to be indicated and clints have the right to try on garnment. Finally, wrong bargains can be exchanged but only if you have the receipt!

Spring/Summer 09 spectacular fashion shows

Fashion sometimes offers unique and spectacular shows. For spring/summer 2009, designers and fashion houses have come up with fantastic and magical fashion shows, pushing their imagination to the wildest limits.

Humble luxury and ecology for 2009

A slow fashion without seasons, an humble, not showing off luxury, minimal combined with eco-friendly emotions. This is the style of 2009, acoording a research by Worth Global Style Network.

If up to now fashion world decided with lines and collections the seasons, now this plan is alterated. The cause can be founded both in the fast fashion like Zara and H&M, both in the climate changes and now the major part of the products are trans-seasonal. On the one hand, there are who prefers to propose 6-8 collections, on the other hand someone elese choose the tailored clothes.

But qhat about the customers? They face the changes imposed by the crisis looking for the quality and the saving, an huge trend in Japan. The client discovers his attentionto the environment and finds answer in the gree campaign of brands and designers and in activity like guerilla gardening.

Bozzetti: Malpensa is the essential Fashion Hub

"Malpensa is the essential hub for northern italian fashion firms. To expropriate Milan and Lombardia of a such important international airport might create a damage to all the Fashion system in the region and in Italy. Like this, the risk is to favour other competitors-cities like Paris, London, NY where journalists and buyers may find easier to land." This is what has been said by Giovanni Bozzetti, president Lombardia for fashion commitee.

He continues: '''The reduction of the number of flights on Malpensa and the choice of Air France as partner instead of Lufthansa might represent the end of the economy in the region and in the northern area. This is due to the fact that traders want to reach Milan nonstop, while tourists don't mind this. That's why Rome can sustain it because its an historical city and Milan needs an international airport as it is a financial one.

Holiday shoppers say bye to lines & buy online

Freezing temperatures led to a sharp rise in online shopping last weekend as shoppers browsed for bargains in the comfort of their own homes.

About $677 million was spent over the Internet on Saturday and Sunday, nearly double the amount spent the weekend before Christmas last year, according to comScore, a company that tracks Web traffic. "Online spending over the most recent weekend was clearly substantially heavier than the corresponding weekend nearest Christmas last year, which suggests that many consumers opted for the cozier confines of online shopping rather than having to brave the severe cold and snowstorms," comScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni said.
The amount spent online overall this holiday season is down 1% from last year.
And with five fewer shopping days between the end of November and Christmas Day this year, the news was not all positive for retailers.

"[It's] a positive late-season boost for online retail perhaps," Fulgoni said. "But it's ultimately not going to do much to make up for the significantly shorter shopping season this year."