Tag Archives: Christine Centenera

NYC Stores: From Reality to Virtual and Back Again

Shopping for clothing has never been easier or more choice-oriented.  Do you want to actually go into a real store, or would you like to browse various outfits from the comfort of your couch?  In other words, if you’re in New York (or other fashion capitals around the world) what is your preference:  online or inhouse?

While online American clothing purchases are on the increase (27% in 2018 compared to 20.7% in 2015), these figures still suggest people are choosing to go into a store and try on the clothing.  It seems that figures are increasing but that people still want to actually put on a piece of clothing to see how it looks and feels.

So where is New York in all of this? Well, Black Friday figures for 2018 instore sales dropped by 7 percent with online sales increasing by 24 percent.  Still, evidence is showing that both options are attractive to shoppers and for different reasons. Therefore, the ultimate answer might be  just that; to keep both online and instore clothing stores stocked.  In New York some stores are getting their heads around that concept.

One example of this is direct-to-consumer brand Wardrobe NYC. Originally launched in 2017 exclusively as an online store, the luxury clothing store founded by Christine Centenera and Josh Goot just opened a pop-up in Soho. Its plan is to remain open temporarily – just until March 24 – and will offer customers all three of the brand’s existing collections: Tailored, Sport and Street.  The concept behind the firm’s anti-fast fashion  brand is the production, manufacture and sale of apparel in a streamlined way to simplify choosing everyday clothing.

It seems that according to a recent Forbes article:

“The current consensus in the retail industry is that, despite falling instore sales, 2019 will not mark the death of the physical store. Instead, it will coexist happily with a digital ecosystem.”

It’s time for clothing stores in the world’s fashion capitals to keep abreast of changes and adapt accordingly.