This article is part of our new editorial package, The Future of Shopping, in which we predict how the retail landscape will be shaped over the next decade. Click here to read more.
Community, curation, bricks and clicks — these are the dominant retail trends of our post-pandemic world. But which retailers around the globe put these themes into practice with the most sass and flair? We asked Vogue’s international editors for their personal takes on the most innovative retailers in their markets.
India: One Zero Eight
One Zero Eight is a conscious multi-designer store in Kochi in the state of Kerala that houses collections from around 40 Indian designers. Initially conceived as a pop-up in 2018 by Ramesh Menon, founder of NGO SaveTheLoom, the store was opened to raise funds for 700 or so handweavers whose looms were destroyed that year during a massive flood.
It became an attractive shopping destination for tourists on holiday and when a massive art crowd visited the city during the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the giant art biennial. The temporary concept developed into a permanent store in 2023. For India, it represents a perfect crossover, bringing together tourism and fashion into the same picture. The focus of the store is on designs created using heritage textiles from the best designers. It’s such a clever way to foster the fashion economy of the area and support India’s textile legacy.
Shriya Zamindar, fashion features editor, Vogue India
Japan: Hender Scheme
- SustainabilityFashion’s textile recycling problem? It doesn’t exist
‘Sukima’ is the Japanese word for gap or crevice, but it’s also a philosophy that Japanese brand Hender Scheme has brought to its retail. Under the vision of Ryo Kashiwazaki, the stores bring to light the power of gaps, which aims to redefine shopping. Diverse spaces from large warehouses to industrial car part factories are creatively repurposed in its four flagship stores, each embodying sukima by not just occupying, but by enhancing and adding depth to these locations.
Kashiwazaki’s approach goes beyond physical renovation; it’s about curating spaces that resonate with the gaps of existence, blurring the lines between traditional and contemporary, utilitarian and aesthetic. His choice of unconventional settings, such as Kappabashi Street, which is very different and far from the usual fashion districts, aims to transform the stores into destination spots that offer unique experiences rooted in the philosophy of observing and valuing the overlooked ‘gaps’ in life and design.
This concept extends to the newly launched Circulation store in Tokyo, unveiled in February, which serves as a place for repair, resale, customisation and workshops, strengthening the label’s offering of product sustainability. Kashiwazaki’s approach to sukima illustrates a deeper connection with the aspect of shopping, blending innovation with tradition to occupy spaces where every gap is an opportunity for discovery.
Emi Kameoka, fashion director, Vogue Japan
United States: McMullen
- SustainabilityFashion’s textile recycling problem? It doesn’t exist
One of the boutiques that I feel is ever-evolving and consistently pushing the boundaries of retail is McMullen in Oakland, California. Founded in 2007 by Sherri McMullen, it stocks high-end designers from Dries Van Noten and The Row to Christopher John Rogers as well as emerging and cult-favourite brands like Zankov and Diotima. Sherri is no stranger to the retail game and has continued to successfully build her business and presence in the industry.
What I love about McMullen is how it easily keeps up with (if not surpasses) some retailers in major fashion hubs like Los Angeles or New York City because of how personable the service is. Sherri has a very clear presence as the owner and founder, which she maintains through her interaction with clients on social media. On Instagram, she runs a ‘Dressing Room’ video series, in which she tries on various styles available for purchase in her store. She also does special capsule collections with designers, her most recent with Rachel Scott of Diotima. That collaboration gave her clients the opportunity to meet Rachel in real life and get styled by her in her own pieces. I’m excited to see what’s next for Sherri and hoping she will open another pop-up, hopefully in New York City.
In the last five years, I have seen a shift in my buying habits towards wanting to shop small and at places that feel more connected to my style. The personable approach to retail is not a new concept but something the general public is craving in my opinion. Instead of hunting through racks, I think shoppers are looking for curated selections that aren’t overwhelming.
Naomi Elizée, market editor, Vogue US
Hong Kong: Kapok
- SustainabilityFashion’s textile recycling problem? It doesn’t exist
Founded by Frenchman Arnault Castel in 2006 with a goal to discover and bring ‘future classics’ to the Asian market, Kapok is one of the most innovative retailers in Hong Kong. Over the years, it has introduced more than 100 brands to Hong Kong’s shoppers, who in turn acknowledge that our tastes and lifestyles are reflected in its offerings. Kapok actively promotes the work of local fashion designers and stages lectures on art and lifestyle.
Kapok originally opened in Tin Hau before moving to St Francis Yard and later Sun Street in Wan Chai. A new flagship has opened in K11 Musea in Kowloon. There are 11 physical stores in Hong Kong, while online shopping is available in China, Taiwan, Singapore and other Asian markets.
Kapok clearly understands the lifestyle and tastes of Hong Kong consumers and keeps up with the times, introducing international niche brands and encouraging sustainable development. It’s renowned for its very close relationship with its customers.
Online shopping platforms have become better developed in the past few years, but after the pandemic, consumers seem to be more eager to return to the physical shopping experience. In Hong Kong, fashion brands like to explore the potential of pop-up stores and activities, hoping to stimulate shoppers. I appreciate the potential of both physical and online shopping. For many brands, online has marketing potential too, leading consumers to make physical purchases.
Simon Au, editorial director, Vogue Hong Kong
United Kingdom: UppFirst
- SustainabilityFashion’s textile recycling problem? It doesn’t exist
The innovations in shopping that I find particularly interesting right now are community commerce and peer-to-peer selling as well as ways to tackle fashion’s huge issue with overproduction. UppFirst is a really exciting sales-engine platform that has both of these in mind, launched in 2022 by a team of three (and backed by former Net-a-Porter investor Carmen Busquets). It enables creatives as well as brands to sell to their super-engaged audiences and also offers pre-order functionality. It first caught my attention when they collaborated with Heat to sell a drop of deadstock Vetements (separately, I love Heat for their limited-edition luxury merch box drops), an innovative approach to giving longevity to unsold designer and streetwear product in a super-curated and fun way (and they end up selling out within hours).
UppFirst facilitates sales across the entire product lifecycle. Factors that I think are particularly interesting for brands include the pre-order function to help gauge order numbers, exclusive access and rewards areas, as well as its very easy selling process, with competitive commission rates for sellers. People want to be able to sell to their audience quickly and fast, something as easy as posting a product to Instagram stories or sending a friend a Whatsapp of a piece from your wardrobe with a checkout functionality. It makes for a very democratic platform, whether for an emerging brand or an established player.
I think we’re going to see a stream of brands and individuals, especially influencers, jump on platforms with a more personalised and simplified user shopping journey. We can already see that through the rise of influencers launching Substack shopping newsletters to connect directly with their followers.
Naomi Smart, commerce director, British Vogue
Korea: Musinsa
- SustainabilityFashion’s textile recycling problem? It doesn’t exist
The most innovative retailer in Korea is Musinsa, founded by Cho Man-Ho in 2001. It started off as an online fashion community and slowly expanded with its own website and a web magazine before diving into e-commerce in 2009. Musinsa is now the biggest online fashion retailer in Korea, with sales of $540 million in 2022.
Musinsa is innovative in its refusal to see itself just as a ‘retailer’. In 2017, an own label named Musinsa Standard was launched, aiming to supply quality clothing with very basic designs. It’s very modestly priced and had sales of $130 million in 2022. Musinsa Standard, which is designing the Korean national team uniforms for the Paris Olympics, has six flagship stores. There’s also a physical shop named Empty [in Seoul], with a very diverse portfolio. Designers stocked have included Charles Jeffrey, Coperni, Craig Green and also experimental designers such as Airei, Ottolinger and LGN. Also supported are young Korean designers garnering attention globally, such as Juntae Kim, Kusikohc and Andersson Bell. The brand also has a resale platform named Soldout.
When it comes to e-commerce, I’m a bit of a sceptic. A few years ago, everyone was talking about how it will change the way we shop forever with the introduction of different AI technologies. But recently, we’ve been bombarded with news about how online fashion retail giants like Matches and Farfetch have been struggling. I believe luxury brands and retailers have already found the right recipe to revive flagship stores and offline shopping. There are still plenty of people who enjoy visiting a store, talking to a staff member about what they are looking for, and heading back home with their hands heavy. Will there be another groundbreaking technology introduced to the e-commerce landscape anytime soon? I doubt it.
In Korea, luxury flagship stores are not so favoured — most luxury consumers tend to prefer department stores. Shinsegae Gangnam, one of the biggest department stores in Korea, recorded sales of more than $2.3 billion in 2023. As long as there are department stores in Korea, offline shopping will always be a thing.
Geunho Ahn, fashion editor, Vogue Korea
Italy: Macondo, Slam Jam
- SustainabilityFashion’s textile recycling problem? It doesn’t exist
One of the most innovative stores in Italy is Macondo in Verona, which offers a selection of the coolest international brands. Macondo is constantly searching for emerging brands, both Italian and international, selecting cutting-edge garments and accessories even from the youngest of brands, helping them a lot in this process. There’s also a space for books, magazines and home accessories.
The store was founded in 2019 by Milan-based creative agency 247. Besides the physical shop in the heart of Verona, there’s also a recently launched online store. In the future, they are planning partnerships with fashion schools in order to launch projects by the students as well as evolving an increasingly fluid shopping experience (both in terms of gender and phygital). They do implement this very well, with an excellent social presence that also translates into real life through partnerships with prizes attached.
Slam Jam is another innovative store focused on creating a community. Luca Benini founded it in 1989 to serve the underground scene in Italy and was Italy’s first importer of Stüssy. Over the years, Slam Jam has reinvented itself, broadening from its role as a leader of street culture and a distribution company to become a true cultural point of reference. There is one store in Milan and a headquarters in Ferrara. The Milan flagship presents a unique intersection of fashion, music and art, nurturing a loyal community and connecting with tribes of like-minded people across the world.
In September last year, Slam Jam introduced a women’s selection for the first time, creating a dynamic cultural space for a new generation of enterprising, creative and independent young women to express themselves. During Milan Fashion Week this year, the store presented Wide Archive, a travelling showcase of over 25,000 archive items made accessible to the public by appointment. There’s also a vintage selection co-curated with [secondhand brand] Pezze with pieces that have shaped the DNA of Slam Jam.
Francesca Ragazzi, head of editorial content, and Giorgia Feroldi, fashion writer and editor, Vogue Italia
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
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