Tag: online shopping

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Fashion

Fashion’s TOPSY TURVY

As the fashion world moves along its topsy turvy twists and turns, the latest news makes a person’s head shake.

MET GALA

The MET Gala is coming up.  The New York City Soiree is the Red-Carpet event for the rich and famous.  Anne Wintour’s grand showcase is where fashion labels pay a celebrity to show up looking gorgeous.  The proceeds from this “charity” go to the Metropolitan Museum.  The irony, Vogue, along with parent company Conde Nast is planning to lay-off 100 workers. As the magazine struggles for footing, the fashion powerbrokers are having a ball while saying” No money to pay the workers”.   The term “Out of Touch” comes to mind. 

Conde Nast staff is taking this laying down.  The soon to be ex-employees are planning an action.  Workers are planning an action to circulate flyers near the venue with the slogan “Anna wears Prada/Workers get nada.”  NewsGuild of New York announced the intention is to bring attention to the ongoing negotiations.  While the Queen of Fashion is toasting many of her subject writers may need to open GoFundMe accounts to pay rent.

Reality

In the “Was it ever real” category, luxury online shopping has imploded. Until recently, once the darling of investors, the so called “savior the fashion world” is going out of style faster than bell bottoms.  E-commerce sites hit valuations of $25 billions and higher, those days are gone.  Matchesfashion went belly up with a heavy debt load owing 200 vendors, including luxe labels Victoria Beckham, Gucci, Max Mara and YSL.  Administrators are selling office furniture.  Customers will not get refunds or have orders finished.

Farfetch, the Paris base digital shopping giant has fallen on hard times as consumers cut back on high-end spending. 

While attending fashion events in January and February buyers from these platforms were going around trying to convince brands all was good, no need to worry.  Please keep doing business with us.  How did they do this with a straight face? 

It is only April. 

Categories
Fashion

My Online Shopping Experience

In the New Normal I started a new behavior pattern. I finally caught up with a trend that exploded years ago. I have been shopping online. Buying clothing via screen. I resisted this because physical store shopping is more fun. Going to a location, trying on clothes, talking to sales people then getting tips were all part of the experience. 

Screen time bargaining hunting is a full time chore. Continually checking websites before Christmas, stores mark down items all the time. But, this year because of Covid, lockdowns and customers cutting back, the discounts are fast and furious.

The same question rolling around in my mind looking at pieces, “Will it fit?” Seeing a coat on a 13 inch screen is very different from wearing it the first time. It’s the same as watching adult films, a sort of visual deception. Using certain camera angles to entice viewers, objects appear bigger than they are in reality.

My first try at buying online was ok. I got a nice sweater and pants from a Milan based brand I know. I decided to roll the dice a second time by ordering a coat and jacket from two high labels. This did not work out so well. The coat fit in the shoulders and arms, but the body hung in an awkward way. What happened? The coat looked great on the model. The puffer jacket was too small. I thought medium, it should have been a large.

Hassle Free?

Now let’s make it a bit more complicated, the “hassle free” return. Checking retail stats, 40% of online purchases are returned compared to 10% for in-store purchases. I reboxed the coat, filled out the form. I walked to not one, not two, but three carrier drop offs. The first could not take it because the destination was out of the country. The second was the same. The third drop off point, well the return account is free, however, via express. The Spatkauf could not take the package cause of the account category. I would have to walk 2 blocks to the official post office. Lesson learned. Returning boxes requires planning.

Will I shop online again? The jury is out.