brands

The Future of Retail

October 24, 2019 By Kat

The old retail world of big department stores and longstanding brands is being turned upside down on its head by new up-and-coming brands who are capturing the hearts (and wallets) of consumers, especially those of the Gen Z and millennial generations.

This is forcing many brands who have enjoyed decades of success to rethink their retail and marketing strategy. Stores are forced to innovate on what the consumer experience will be like and adapt to changing consumer tastes. Meanwhile, for successful online brands to further expand their footprint, they’re exploring new ways to engage with people in-person.

Enter Re:store.

The concept behind Re:store is to bring online brands that people love and give them an in-person physical presence so that their customers can interact with and feel the product in real life.

By housing all these brands under one roof, it makes it easier for shoppers to interact with many brands at once. And from the brand’s perspective, it’s more economical for them to experiment with a shared space instead of committing to a brick and mortar store or even a pop-up store.

I stumbled upon this store in Union Square in San Francisco and was intrigued by this concept. I took tons of photos of the whole space so you could see it. Enjoy!

re:store san francisco store — Storefront

When you walk in, to the right there is a nail bar! Wow. No one was there at the time, but I would have loved a retail experience where you can also get your nails done. With every brand that’s represented, there’s a little blurb that describes them.

Now here’s the rest of the store!

Each brand has a little section / some shelves.

On the descriptions, there’s also little stickers that denote different meanings like whether it’s sustainable fashion, supports a good cause, etc…

There’s jewelry too!

There’s an upstairs as well – 3 levels to be exact.

One of the stickers – IRL for the first time

On the third floor, they have a cool community space for events and such. They also said it was a free co-working space that was open to the public. Not sure if that’s changed since then, but if I lived closer, I would totally go work there!

For the calendar of future events, check out this link.

And last but not least, they also had a row of tablets for brands that have completely digital products. Each tablet was setup for a different brand, so you could sign up for a subscription for that brand – i.e. Masterclass, Calm meditation app, Imperfect Foods, and more.

Alright, that was my fun experience checking out Re:store for the first time! If you’re in the area, drop by and see it for yourself!

If you’re a brand looking to partner with them (maybe get a spot in their store!), check out these membership details on how to apply.

Even though the world is becoming increasingly digital, there’s nothing quite like an in-person shopping experience.

What do you think the future of retail will look like?

Recycle Old Jeans at Madewell

October 16, 2019 By Kat

We all have jeans that sit at bottom of our drawers or in the back of our closets that we never wear. Some are in great condition and can be donated for secondhand use. But for other denim that is too tattered to be worn, consider bringing them to Madewell to get recycled.

For example, Vince had a pair of really old jeans that had huge rips in them and weren’t usable anymore. To get rid of them in a sustainable way, I brought them to Madewell.

recycle jeans madewell — Bring old jeans

They accept any brand and any style of denim. It’s part of their partnership with Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program. They turn your old jeans into HOUSING INSULATION for organizations like Habitat for Humanity. How cool is that?!

madewell recycle jeans program — Recycle denim program at Madewell

And in return, you get a $20 off coupon for a new pair of jeans at Madewell. A nice bonus!

I think this is cool because fashion has a serious impact on the environment. If we can make use of clothing that is no longer wearable, and turn it into something useful, then I’m all for it!

To find a Madewell store to drop off at, see this store locator.

Shoes from Recycled Plastic Bottles: Rothy’s

December 10, 2018 By Kat

The shoes that I see women everywhere wearing are flats from a brand called Rothy’s. They’re very distinctive in how they look.

This brand is based in SF and has re-purposed over 20 million plastic bottles into shoes. It’s incredible! The shoes are created with a 3D knitting machine so they are seamless.

I can vouch that they are by far the most comfortable flats I’ve worn, and are my go-to flats these days.

They have round-toe and pointy-toe styles. They also have loafer and sneaker styles too. I would possibly consider a sneaker style, but I’m very happy with my black pointy-toe flat because it can be dressed up or down with a casual outfit or with a more business casual look. Sometimes I’ll throw this pair of flats in my car trunk if I need to change my shoes when I’m out and about.

If you have wider feet, you could order half a size up. But I find that it runs true to size – I have size 5.5. Some people order 2 different sizes and then just return the other pair. The insole is removable too, so you could replace it with a different shoe insert if you need to.

They have solid colors and also some more funky patterns if you want something more bold. For more ideas on how these shoes look, take a look at their Instagram for style inspiration.

Also, it’s machine washable! More detailed instructions on their FAQ page.

They are more pricey, but I think they’re worth the investment for how often I wear mine. Also, here’s a discount for $20 off your first order. (note this is not a sponsored post, this is just my friends and family referral code that they give all customers.)

There’s free shipping and free returns within 30 days. Or you can return the shoes in-person to your local Happy Returns location (i.e. Stanford mall or Valley Fair mall in the Bay Area). See my previous post on Happy Returns.

They look modern and stylish and they’re comfortable, so I highly recommend a pair for your wardrobe!

Browse Rothy’s Shoes