2015년 5월 20일 정기모임 토픽입니다.

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The evolution of shopping spaces

Fashion stores today do more than just sell clothing -- they represent lifestyles

Park Jae-hun, 25, heads over to(~에 가다) a casual menswear shop in Itaewon to buy some short-sleeve shirts for the upcoming summer season.

While browsing(browse:둘러보다), he notices a shelf full of bath soaps by the wall and a display of sunglasses and backpacks nearby. Even though they are not what he originally intended to buy, Park is intrigued(호기심을 불러일으키다) and looks through the items anyway. After shopping, he orders a drink and relaxes at the cafe inside the shop. 

The Series Corner flagship store(체인점의 본점) in Itaewon has been decorated like the inside of a “man’s room.” (Rumy Doo-The Korea Herald)

His three basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter have all come together in the one place.

For Park, shopping is more than an economic activity ― it is a leisurely(여유로운)experience.

“My girlfriend and I sometimes shop even when we have nothing to buy,” he said. “It’s a way of spending time together.”

Catching onto this type of consumer behavioral pattern, fashion retail stores today are doing more than just selling clothing ― they are selling a way of life. Inside stores, spaces are being artfully(교묘하게) designed to tell a story and reflect consumers’ lifestyles.

The concept behind the Series Corner store, for example, is “a man’s room.” Complete with a bedframe, record player and even a display case that resembles a bathroom sink, the space is designed to evoke(떠올려주다)“the intimacy(친밀감) and comfort of home” ― making shopping feel more personal, like rummaging(뒤적뒤적) through a friend’s closet. A cafe also greets both shoppers and passersby(오가는 사람들) at the front of the store.

“Series Corner aims to be more than just a fashion brand,” said Kim Hee-jin, assistant manager at Kolon, the mother company of the casual menswear brand. “We want to provide a cultural multiplex that incorporates(포함하다)the hobbies of our shoppers.” 

The decision is not only a creative one, but also a product of necessity in terms of sales and the industry environment.

“There are so many distribution channels today, from department stores, compilation(모음) shops and road shops to online markets,” Kim said. “Amid(~하는 가운데) the intensifying(심해지는)competition, having a unique theme has became an attraction point for consumers. It leads to better sales. Series Corner’s sales increased by 120 percent in 2014, compared to 2013.”

Stores are also being differentiated according to their location. The theme for the Series store at the Hyundai Department Store COEX branch is “a man’s table,” while the Lotte Avenuel World Tower store has been decorated like “a man’s house.”

Formal contemporary(동시대의, 현대의)menswear brand MVIO’s shop interior has been designed to resemble a boutique hotel. (Rumy Doo-The Korea Herald)

Themes also vary according to the style of clothing. MVIO, a retailer of formal contemporary menswear, has turned its COEX Center store into a hotel-themed lounge. A bed is situated at the back, with racks of jackets and linen bags on either side, while a concierge’s(호텔의 안내원) desk has replaced the cash register. The fitting room resembles a shower booth.

To create this space, the brand examined the interests of its main target consumer base ― 20-something male office workers who seek fashionable yet affordable suits. 

“We noticed that boutique hotels are becoming trendy meet-up places for the younger working generation,” said brand manager Lee Seung-je. “We plan to develop this theme further in the future. We’re thinking of hanging up artwork that matches the color scheme(운영 계획) and fabric of that season’s collection to make the shop more like a hotel lobby.”

In addition to its selection of suits, the store boasts a display of home accessories like bookends, bottle openers, clocks and candles. Electronic gadgets like solar-powered radios and portable cell phone chargers line the shelves.

“Many shoppers show an interest in our accessories, in addition to our clothes,” said Lee, as the boundaries between fashion and lifestyle become increasingly blurred(희미한).

“Clothing stores today are turning into interactive cultural hubs. We hope to lead that trend here at MVIO.”

By Rumy Doo (bigbird@heraldcorp.com)

<question>

1.Have you visited those kinds of stores? how was that?

   if you did't visit yet, do you think you can enjoy your time in these kinds of stores?

2.According to the article, fashion stores are changing their concepts.

  why do owners of the stores are making the changes in their stores?

3.Nowdays We call a person who can wear clothes well and enjoys wearing clothes a PP(fashion people)

   do you think you are a PP? let's talk about yourself which is related to fashion. 

4.What is your favorite Fashion Brand and why do you like that?

5.What kind of person are you When you go shopping, are you planned(계획적인) or spontaneous(충동적인)

  (ex: making a budget, thinking about the style before shopping or not?) 

6.What dose it mean to you a fashion

[GentleBJ]

챔석~

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