NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rebecca Minkoff unveils the brand’s first Flagship location, debuting an immersive shopping experience and Connected Store developed in partnership with eBay Inc. Located in SoHo, New York City (96 Greene Street) the store is the vision of Co-founder and CEO Uri Minkoff, whose goal was to showcase never-before-seen retail technology that merges the online and physical shopping experience through the lens of Rebecca Minkoff, to specifically cater to Next-Generation shoppers.
Designed by local firm Rawlins Calderone, the New York City Flagship merges the warmth of Minkoff’s Southern California youth with the modern, architectural atmosphere of her day-to-day NYC life. Bleached wood and a light interior reflect the soft elements of Minkoff’s SoCal roots, while concrete accents and a pyramid wall call to mind the setting of downtown Manhattan. The palette of soft beiges and clean whites create a neutral canvas so that the colorful hues for which Minkoff is known can shine through. The pyramid wall is a modern rendering of Minkoff’s signature studding, an iconic symbol of the brand’s edgy yet romantic persona.
“As a brand that’s always been considered on the forefront of the convergence between fashion and technology, we knew we needed to capture that same groundbreaking innovation when it came to building our retail stores. In that vein, the goal for us was to pave the way for a new kind of retail experience that seamlessly merges the online and offline experiences. To begin, as the shopper starts to browse the store, she’ll immediately be immersed in a totally interactive experience that’s never been seen before in the traditional retail environment. With the touch of a screen, she’ll be able to shop looks from our 'connected wall' from where her desired color and size will be sent to a fitting room that’s equipped with RFID technology and custom lighting options… without (figuratively) lifting a finger.” – Uri Minkoff, CEO
The New York store marks the opening of Rebecca Minkoff’s first flagship location; a retail hub where customers can experience the most advanced and cutting edge technology at the forefront of retail innovation -- all in a space that brings the designer’s aesthetic to life.
“As a woman, I felt there was a lot missing from retail stores that I wanted to offer my customer. There are pain points in the shopping experience in traditional retail that I wanted to address. I wanted to have our store stylists be my voice and continue the conversation with our shoppers in the same direct line of communication I have with them online. More than anything, though, I wanted the experience to be easy… like being able to ask an associate for another size by simply touching the screen on our dressing room’s 'magic mirror.' – Rebecca Minkoff, Creative Director
Highlights of the store include a “connected wall” where users can view and select their preferred looks, personalized fitting rooms, a mobile app and a new responsive design m-commerce site (built with Blue Acorn). Together, these aspects allow the shopper to enjoy a uniquely hands-free experience in three steps:
1. Check-in upon arrival: Through the Rebecca Minkoff mobile app, a shopper can check-in to the store upon arrival which prompts the shopper’s personal profile to be carried across Rebecca Minkoff store channels – helping store associates provide a more personal, customized experience.
2. Browse the Connected Glass shopping wall: A mirrored, physical manifestation of the Rebecca Minkoff online experience. A shopper can select “send to my room” to initiate a 1:1 styling session. A shopper can also order her own beverage directly from the wall, to help her enjoy the space as she begins her shopping experience.
3. Interactive fitting rooms: A touch screen mirror automatically recognizes items in the room, through RFID tagged products and unique RFID fitting room technology, identifying other sizes and colors that are available in the store. If the shopper needs a different size, a simple touch of the mirror submits the request to a store associate. This unique utilization of RFID technology, gives the store a 100% accurate inventory count and location, easing both stylist and consumer discovery awareness. Being able to add in e-commerce and UGC photography, recommendations, product details and soon ratings and reviews, give the best of the online world into the offline shopping experience. Best of all, a shopper can save her fitting room session for later review in an online Rebecca Minkoff experience.
“The SoHo store represents the millennial woman and was designed through the lens of Rebecca Minkoff, who personally identifies with this customer. We see a woman who either wants to shop as efficient as possible on the one-hand, or wants to truly have VIP experience on the other. This store has been built with technological efficiencies to help her achieve either of those goals. We wanted to create the ideal shopping experience for this generation of women, and to connect with the customer in a way that fits in to her busy lifestyle, while also maintaining the hands-on gratification that only brick and mortar stores can offer.” – Uri Minkoff
Following New York, Rebecca Minkoff is slated to open two additional stores using this retail model in San Francisco (also opening in late November 2014) and Los Angeles (opening in early 2015).
For additional information, please visit www.rebeccaminkoff.com
To download high-res images of the store, please visit http://we.tl/EEN9Wkajsf
To download high-res images of celebrities at the store, please visit http://we.tl/s8OqdK3ccH
About Rebecca Minkoff
With a vision of building a lifestyle brand for the downtown romantic, San Diego-born designer Rebecca Minkoff founded her company in 2001 after she developed a small apparel line. She spent the next few years working on the small collection until 2005 when Rebecca developed the “Morning After Bag”. The bag became an overnight sensation and Rebecca began solely concentrating on developing additional styles to build out her romantically themed day-to-night handbag collection. After four years of consistent growth in accessories under her belt, Rebecca returned to her original love of apparel design and introduced a ready-to-wear collection in 2009. Rebecca Minkoff’s designs are a favorite for modern, trend-setting everyday women and celebrities alike.