The Wearable Internet on TED
The Avant-Garde’s Sartorialist - Jak and Jil Blog
Scott Schuman’s photos tend to go towards the classically elegant, well-put together person, interspersed with some kooky and fun outfits. But at Jak and Jil, Toronto photographer Tommy Ton will aim for the “so unusual that it’s cool” photos - in high definition - of perhaps the most amazing shoes and accessories collection I have ever seen.
The photos focus mostly on the details, or taken in a way that your eyes are zooming on the glaring obvious item that’s making the entire outfit pop out. You might be familiar with the photo of the fake Chanel paper bag, or a photo of another fashion photographer strolling the street, that’s Tommy Ton, and I believe he’s a rising star.
Reading up on Tommy Ton, it’s to my own surprise that yet another Canadian fashion star is born. Having started his blog only last year in Sept 2008, after being online for only 3 months, China’s luxury retail giant Lane Crawford had contacted him to shoot their 2009 campaign, according to the Toronto Star. I mean, the guy is still living with his parents and busing his way like any normal Canadian citizen to New York for street photos.
It’s also great to know that just a couple of days ago, another fellow Canadian, Rad Hourani had shown his new bridge collection called Rad by Rad Hourani in New York’s Soho Grand Hotel. You can find the photos of his collection shot by Tommy on JakandJil.com. He’s now on the run making shoots for another Montreal-based company, Complexe Geometries (who by the way are gaining quite a lot of exposure, seen them in Clear Magazine as well), and recently gushed about seeing Balenciaga’s Nicholas Ghesquiere in his hotel lobby on Twitter.
I must admit that it’s been difficult to blog about Canadians in the fashion industry, but it’s so refreshing to see new talent gaining the attention they deserve. Not only are they discovered, but discovered ONLINE. I mean Lane Crawford is huge in China, how did they get the memo about Tommy Ton? I’m totally perplexed. By the way, Lane Crawford’s current success is owed to former CEO, Bonnie Brooks who is now CEO of The Bay, so expect The Bay to change in the near future.
The fashion industry definitely has its eyes set to conquer the online world.
Image credits to Tommy Ton
Gucci.com Gives Canada Their Own Online Blip
Let’s face it Canada. We’re not exactly country numero uno when luxury brands think about the list of countries that deserve their own slash subfolders in their URLs. It’s actually more of a question for demand, but still. Canadians usually have to click over to the US site to view stuff, but can never order since they don’t ship over to Canada. It’s fine if third party sites like ShopBop and Net-a-porter are able to ship over to you from that “Choose your country” drop down list, but many labels will usually only have a US, UK, or European only shop sites.
Thus, it comes to as a surprise that Gucci has come up with Canada’s own slash subfolder URL, and had initially reached out to Canadian fashion bloggers first to tell you about it. It’s ground breaking in the sense that such a huge company like Gucci not only gives a new blip for Canada as a country deemed worthy of their own site, but also that Gucci is following through with their “fashion blogger outreach program” as I’d like to call it.
If you recall, last year, Gucci had launched their flagship store in New York and had invited 5 fashion bloggers (including Susie Bubble, now a staple fashion blogger icon) to blog about their experience. This was a new venture and I think every fashion blog in the loop were talking about it and dying of envy. Also through Business of Fashion, I had learned that Gucci also had their online banners splashed across Hint Magazine’s front page (which is now boasting ads of the likes of Seven New York and Swarovski).
It’s a healthy sign that luxury brands are turning towards online sites to promote as well as earn extra revenue through their shop sites, as more and more people are purchasing online instead of visiting stores. What with the iPhone allowing users to purchase on the spot, it seems that shoppers don’t even have time to stay on a computer to shop. I mean, just look at what Business of Fashion has said on WWD yesterday, that the future is online for luxury brands.
The site itself is pretty much a replica of the US site, with horizontal browsing, several angle views of the products, etc. Overall a pretty seamless shop site and offers you practically the entire collection at a click of a mouse. For Montreal especially, we’re not graced with a Gucci stand alone store, let alone Gucci clothes, so it’s a nice added bonus that it is possible to break the bank without breaking a sweat. It’s obvious, things don’t come cheap.
But it just goes to show that even a huge company like Gucci can recognize the value of the online experience and it’s users. So who will be next to step it up for fashion bloggers (and Canada)?
Images courtesy of Gucci
Diesel Berlin Launches Interactive Campaign
Diesel and LIGANOVA launch Germany’s first interactive window campaign. from Frame Magazine on Vimeo.
Influence The Weather at Diesel Berlin
Just before Berlin Fashion Week earlier this month, Diesel and Visual Design firm Liganova, had launched Germany’s first interactive window campaign. It’s a dazzling piece of window display of a strewn room covered in clothes, a fake window and picture frame. Diesel’s campaign of “Destroyed Denim,” passerbys can virtually control the weather by waving their hands against the glass wall.
It’s always interesting to see fashion brands pushing the envelope by doing something original. Perhaps it may not help boost sales when they do campaigns like this, but at least we know that they’re trying.
Video and image source from Frame Magazine
