It's a matter of... time

It’s a matter of… time

by Peter Hamer

november, 2022

A reflection in pink

It was March 8, 2022, and I was biking on my way to school. On my way, I encountered three different people dressed in total pink from head to toe. Coincidence? Impossible! As a matter of fact, it was the day after the Valentino PP Pink FW22 show. My first thought was: look at that! They saw the Valentino show, liked it, and influenced their interest in fashion immediately. My second thought was: I hope the brand is leveraging this in retail (both on- and offline)!

So, did they?

Fast forward. After hundreds of fashion editorials and celebrity endorsements, we finally saw the pink products arrive in-store on September 18, 2022. Six months after they debuted on the runway! This timing is normal for the fashion industry as products presented during fashion weeks are typically ready for B2C sale six months later. But in today’s fashion-hungry climate, six months is an eternity. So, even without the collection in-store, can the hype around a new presentation be leveraged at retail? To answer this question, I’ve reviewed different retail cases of how the six-month gap from collection presentation to retail was managed only to discover there’s one element that’s crucial for success: time.

A new creative director

One of the season’s most expected debuts was Marco De Vincenzo for Etro. The PR team had planted the seed that De Vincenzo wanted to move away from the familiar boho look of the brand by introducing a new silhouette while staying true to the heritage of the brand. While the collection didn’t veer far from the Etro we know, I was curious to see if any references of the presentation were going to be leveraged at retail. Unfortunately, there were none. After a quick research online, I discovered that there was a limited release of the Love Trotter bag right after the show. De Vincenzo is after all primarily known for his leather goods talents. So why not mention this product at retail? I could agree with the fact a new collection should not “compete” with the previous one, but since the commitment to a new creative director has been made, it could have been used as an opportunity to receive immediate feedback from the customer, both new and existing.

Are you creating retail dialogue or a monologue?

A rebranding, New CEO and Creative Director

Another anticipated debut was that of Maximilian Davis for Salvatore Ferragamo. The brand had been reserved about Davis’ vision of the brand and waited until a couple of days before the show to present it: a re-branding from Salvatore Ferragamo to Ferragamo. A smart move, as a matter of fact, one that could have been taken a couple of years ago. Accompanying the new name was also the color red. Considering the tribute to Hollywood Culture, I can only conclude it’s because of Dorothy’s (from the Wizard of Oz) ruby red slippers. These slippers are not referenced as often as the Rainbow sandal, created in 1938 for Judy Garland, or the white sandals Marilyn Monroe wore in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch, but they are still a fundamental part of the brand as a shoemaker.Back to the display: Ferragamo is not new to highlighting the upcoming season at retail, so I was looking forward to see which elements they had unveiled. Two windows showcased an edit of the show on-loop, yet it was not explicit that it was the new show. And if things are not explicit, how does the viewer know what they’re looking at? The second window featured a bag and the third a pair of shoes, but once again, it wasn’t clear whether these products were for sale. Once again, there was no mention of the new creative vision.

A surprise creative collaboration

Exactly across the street from Ferragamo, Dolce & Gabbana set up a concept worth writing a dedicated case study: Ciao, Kim. How do you immediately leverage such a big marketing investment? By doing what you’re supposed to do: be explicit about it. Window-sized light boxes with the same image of Kim Kardashian were set up to remind us of the show that had taken place hours before, and when you have Kardashian you immediately create a very strong association. I’ve written articles on the dangers of using high-profile celebrities and influencers but this wasn’t the case. Kardashian was involved in the creative process by selecting looks from the Dolce & Gabbana archives. While there was no product at physical retail, three limited edition t-shirts were available online and sold out in a couple of hours. There was no mention of the website on the physical windows, but it created an interesting synergy between on-and off-line in ways we usually read about, but hardly see in real life.

An expected display

There’s no denying that the Valentino team did a great job associating pink with the brand, kudos! The whole PP Pink operation was so coherent and coordinated, it was no surprise to discover the entire store being decked out in pink. However, I’d like to believe that a different type of concept would have given a new dimension to the collection other than its color, but alas. In my display reviews, I often talk about the emotions that are associated with specific colors, and in the case of pink, they’re not always positive. As a matter of fact, in my review of this concept, I question whether the staff was considered when designing this total pink in-store display. Why am I so hung up on the color aspect? Because such a strong association is an invitation to be consumed at the same speed at which it was created. After all, they should be capitalizing the emotional success of the collection. And while they surely did, I wonder whether did they waited too long. The SS23 show did not feature any pink products, which confirms my thoughts related to the immediate consumption of products. On the other hand, one pink look would have added longevity to the PP Pink collection.

When you launch a new vision / collection / product, you always have the opportunity to leverage it if it is done in a clear way. We’re filled with examples that demonstrate doing something partial creates confusion for all stakeholders and ends up being forgotten or abandoned. Why? Because we just didn’t think it all the way through. But thinking takes time and that’s something we don’t always get right: time. The more we spent thinking about it, the more likely we forget about the (potential) customer. And if we forget who we’re doing it for, we might not reach the customer at the right time.

Now, with this in mind, I present the final case: Trussardi.

Sooner or later?

The new creative team was announced back on May 25, 2021. The first step was a new corporate identity announced in February 2022 together with the first show by the team. The show was held at the flagship store in Piazza della Scala which had been under renovation for some months. As a matter of fact, the space was still “under construction” during the show. This space is, as of today, still under construction and features a mirror film on all 10+ windows with the new logo. And if retail is crucial to create a dialogue, what is the conversation Trussardi wants to have? Online retail is sending a message related to the product, but in 2022 we need more than a product to avoid having a monologue. And while we wait for the new store to reopen, I wonder if we will we have forgotten the old without understanding the new. Only time will tell.

…Time

I’m not writing this article to compare, I’m writing it to underline one crucial element that connects all displays, and that element is time. Too early means the customer might not know, too late means the customer might have forgotten and in an era of getting closer to the customer, the only time that actually matters is the right time. And how do you know when the time is right? When you know what the consequences of your actions are. In the game of retail not making certain considerations have expensive consequences in terms of missed sales.

When you know why you’re talking, you know who’s listening.

Time demonstrates respect and interest, and is crucial for creating a dialogue between brand and consumer. When you know why you’re talking, you who’s listening. If you know who’s listening, you know when the time is right. Think about it, if a product property is what’s being leveraged, did we have to wait six months? Or could the customer have been satisfied the day after the show? Well, the customer didn’t wait and made their own runway inspired look.

In the game of choosing which elements to leverage at retail, timing is crucial in helping you understand which ones. We can plan (or at least foresee) everything, but if we’re living by a last-minute approach led by emotions and forget we need to create a relevant dialogue, we can’t tell when things should happen. I know we’re in the business of making a profit – why would I share my ideas if we weren’t – but like I teach and preach: in today’s climate, money should be a consequence, it shouldn’t be the main driver of conversation. So, next time you think about retail, keep the following in mind: is this the right time?

Keep learning

Click here to see the individual displays mentioned in this article: Dolce & Gabbana, Etro, Ferragamo, Trussardi, and Valentino.

the retail paradigm shift