Melissa Gonzalez, CEO of The Lion’esque Group and Jill Manoff, Editor-in-Chief of Glossy discuss the latest trends in direct to consumer brands as it relates to retail and brick-and-mortar activations.

A Few Show Highlights:

Jill Manoff,  Editor in Chief at Glossy Media joined our Tuesday Talks segment with our CEO & Founder Melissa Gonzalez to discuss the top trends in direct-to-consumer brands in brick and mortar and physical spaces.

We asked Jill to share with us what the most innovative brick and mortar experiences she has covered have been. She says her favorite experiences have been the ones that incorporated technology and a seamless omnichannel experience, as well as being very instagrammable. For example, the Life Coach pop-up in Soho was an immersive experience inspired by Coney Island. The pop-up featured tarot card readings, carnival games, and a mock NYC subway station. Another brand excelling in retail is Off White. Their store’s beautiful design leaves a lasting impression with its industrial but elevated feel. And lastly, she loves that Eileen Fisher is opening a location in Brooklyn where they will host artists in residence changing every 2 weeks and have an environment that will allow customers to hang out.  “A big part of Eileen’s Fisher store is promoting the life of clothes they sell because sustainability is really in right now. The store will also host workshops and other events for the community.”

Brands that succeed are the ones that connect and listen to their customers. Melissa says that “consumers want to know that brands hear them.” Doing special things that the customers want is key to keep customers coming back.

We wanted to get Jill’s perspective on which DTC retailers are “doing it right”. On top of Jill’s list is Kinfolk, a street wear brand. In their store they have a restaurant and nightclub. Their purpose is to connect with the neighborhood and ensure the brand feels as part of the community. “It’s really a lifestyle message” added Melissa.

Finally, we discussed some ways in which technology is being integrated in long-term stores by DTC brands where Jill highlighted The RealReal’s online offline inventory management. Another brand excelling with this is a Canadian brand that allows for seamless online offline shopping cart interaction. Whatever is in the online shopping cart cart, you can try it on in-store. Moreover, the brand looks at what the online customer were adding to their carts and ensures similar pieces are available in-store.

When it comes to pop ups, experience museums, and mobile units Melissa and Jill agree that as long there’s an instagram component to it, customers will want to to experience them.

As always, we love to end the segment with our guest’s favorite dining destination. Jill’s must-eat place for breakfast in New York City? Jack’s Wife Freda!

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