Social Retailing, Nanette Lepore, 2007
Right: Text from friends Middle: Selecting one of the suggestions Left: Virtually try on
Social Retailing explored how shopping could become more connected, interactive, and culturally in step with a new generation of consumers. Created by my team at LBi for designer Nanette Lepore, the concept combined social networking with the in-store experience, allowing shoppers to seek advice, share looks, and involve friends in real time while they browsed. The centerpiece was a “magic mirror” that brought digital content into the physical retail environment and helped the project earn Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2007 in the fashion category.
The idea grew out of a broader question: how could Nanette Lepore attract younger shoppers who were already living in a highly social, digitally connected world? Our research revealed that the youth tended to shop together. If not in person, they texted, called, and consulted one another in real time, making peer input part of their buying journey. That insight became the starting point for a new kind of retail experience, one that merged the social dynamics and digital habits of an emerging generation.
Nanette’s boutique itself provided the design clue. Its oversized mirrors suggested a way to layer digital interaction directly into the physical environment. By combining treated mirror glass with a display behind it, we created the illusion that images and content appeared within the mirror. From there, the concept evolved into a “magic mirror” that could do more than reflect: it could advise, connect, and invite participation.
The result the ‘dressing room of the future” a fitting-room-adjacent experience, shoppers could step in front of the mirror, share what they were trying on, and tap into their social network for live feedback from their friends. Friends at a distance could see the look, send comments and suggestions to the mirror, and even shop along in real time from the website.
The idea was piloted in Bloomingdales flagship in New York. The result was participation from people from over 40 countries and a four-fold increase in sales over same time prior year. Social Retailing was covered in 82 trade magazines, got 12 million social media mentions, and put us on Time Magazine’s “Top 100 Inventions” that year.
Nanette’s boutique, initial drawing, initial rendering (by See-Ming Lee) and prototype of UI for remote participant
Launch at Bloomingdales flagship store in Manhattan.
Related Implementations
This concept led to the StyleMe mirrors developed by Cisco.
John Lewis, UK based high-end department store, executed a pilot to encourage cross-channel shopping by creating bridge between on-line and in-store.
StyleMe deployed at NBA All Star weekend. StyleMe rendered images of fans wearing official All-Star apparel and shared them on social media. A 20-percent merchandise discount was automatically sent to fans phones, driving higher merchandise sales.
Related Information
Time Magazine’s Best Inventions 2007
Blog post: Cisco helps make Brand Loyalty a Slam Dunk for the NBA