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GlobalShop 2008
March 18, 2008 - March 20, 2008
McCormick Place West Hall Chicago, IL
URL: www.globalshop.org
Back in the olden days (you know, around 2000), it simply wasn't kosher
for a man to openly buy grooming products, such as hair gel and moisturizer,
much less receive facials, wear concealer and highlight his hair. But, eight
years later, it's a whole new world. Male-centric products are steadily
becoming a huge segment of the market.
Leave your comments here.
Move over Maury Povich, because here comes Rite Aid! That's right, I said Maury Povich, as in "The Maury Show"--a daytime talkshow infamous for its paternity test results shows (don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about, especially if you've recently been home sick "watching" afternoon TV as you drift in and out of a cold medicine haze). Well Maury is about to lose a boatload of guests--who are all going to be headed to an aisle in their local Rite Aid drugstore instead of on stage and on camera. According to a press release from DNA-tester Identigene, Rite Aid started carrying its paternity test kits on March 25. Oh, and apparently Meijer will offer them, too.
Whatever will Maury do? (Other than quickly search for a new schtick to add to his smorgasbord of rotating segments, some of which include freakish diseases, out-of-control teens and, of course, people with bizarre phobias, such as a deathly fear of peaches or cotton balls. Oh, and don't forget my personal favorite, the Man or Woman? episodes, where the audience guesses if the guests are, in Maury's words, "Hot Spring Bunnies or Men Dressed as Honeys." The best part is when they show reaction shots of audience members who guessed wrong, like the guy in the front row who vehemently declared, "Now Maury, that's a woman." Only it wasn't.)
But I disgress...
Identigene, a self-described "leader in DNA identification testing," says its DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit was the first DNA test ever sold in retail stores when it was offered on a trial basis beginning November 2007 in California, Washington and Oregon. I'm guessing tests (pun intended) went well, because now the DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit is available for over-the-counter
purchase at all Rite Aid drugstores throughout the United States, with
the exception of stores in New York state (so there are some sane ones
left, huh?).
Here's how it works, according to the press release: "With an Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit, participants of the test collect a DNA sample by rubbing a swab inside their mouth. The samples, along with consent forms and a lab fee are sent in an enclosed postage-paid return envelope to Identigene for processing. Results are available from Identigene within three to five business days of receipt. Customers can choose to receive results by mail, email, or online through a secured Web service. All information remains strictly confidential."
Suggested retail price for an Identigene DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit--$29.99. Laboratory processing fee--$119. Knowing who the baby daddy is--priceless.
--Jessie Bove
Photo: Click the photo to see this guest's victory dance once he discovers that he is NOT the father! I guess the 11th time isn't the charm after all.
In the 1300's Aztec kings dined on 90 cups of chocolate a day. Today, chocolate is no longer reserved for the elite, and is instead consumed by millions every day. Denny Gerdemen with Chute Gerdeman and Ken Nisch of JGA spoke today about the reemergence of chocolate as a cultural phenomena.
In fact, Gerdemen and Nisch are calling chocolate the new wine. Instead of swirling and sniffing, consumers today are going crazy for 80 percent, bittersweet, milk chocolate or super dark. Forget Cabernet or the latest pinot noir. That's soooo 2002. We're on to chocolate now.
Today, retailers like Godiva, Hershey's and M&M's are intent on making chocolate more than simply a luxurious treat, but rather a chocolate experience.
I'm game, how about you?
It's not just happening here either. Gerdemen and Nisch report that the chocolate craze is in full swing worldwide. Tokyo boasts the 100 percent chocolate cafe chock full of chocolate drinks, pastries, ice cream and even sandwiches. Yep, that's right, I said sandwiches. Seem they've gotten a little creative mixing chocolate with cheese and bread as a new delicacy.
Awfully Chocolate in Asia is another big hit featuring chocolate cakes and ice cream. Even the United Kingdom has its own ode to chocolate with Hotel Chocolat, where chocolate is treated like precious jewelry. In Switzerland, at the After the Rain Spa you can be dipped in chocolate (finally!) or choose from a host of chocolate spa treatments. Even Project Runway designed fashion outfits made from goodies at the Hershey's store.
One this is for sure -- chocolate is everywhere!
So, go eat some chocolate, slather yourself in it or just enjoy the sophisticate that it now is.
What's your favorite way to enjoy chocolate?
I love the smell and frequently go into Godiva simply to take it all in. And then, I indulge in some super dark, dipped in crunchy peanut butter. Yum!
Leave a comment with your chocolate guilty pleasure here.
And stay tuned for more from GlobalShop 2008...
-Heather Strang
It's 36 degrees out. And it's mid-day, so this is as warm as
it's going to get. I'm spending my days sipping tea and soup, and dreaming of
Arizona or the Bahamas. I really don't care at this point. On top of that, I'm
wearing layers and layers of clothes. How about you? From the East Coast to the
West--it is far too cold outside. So, imagine my disappointment when I went to
the Gap, Ann Taylor, Target, Ross, and Nordstrom in search of winter wear, but
instead only found spring and summer clothing.
--Heather Strang
Proving that wherever there's a market, there's a retailer
willing to cater to it, I present you with maternity bridal gowns. Yep, you
read me right, we're talking about bridal gowns for pregnant women. Retailers A Pea in the
Pod and Mimi Maternity recently announced their line of wedding dresses for
expectant mothers. Apparently, it's quite the trend and in order to serve this
growing demographic, the two retailers have decided to cash in. Not that I can
blame them.
But, really, women want to get married while pregnant? That just
seems uncomfortable and frankly, not very much fun. A pregnant wedding means
you don't get to enjoy any of the good parts of the wedding, well except for
cake, in which case, I would be all over that "I'm eating for two"
thing. But, there would be no champagne toasts or staying up all night dancing.
I have to wonder, is this actually true? Or have us normal women been getting married with child for a long time now and celebs doing it has simply made it socially acceptable, and therefore marketable? In any event, there's no point in questioning it. If celebrities are doing it, then by all means, let's find a way to make some money off of it. In our celeb-obsessed culture--trust me, I know what I'm talking about, I watch E! in absolutely disgusting quantities--following what the cool kids are doing is practically a national past time. Retailers are merely giving people what they want. And no one can hate on that.
Diva was not one of those sweaty people standing in long lines, waiting to buy an iPhone some time back [Diva wrote a blog about the iPhone earlier, when it first hit the market], and now she is doubly glad she wasn’t. The new version of the iPhone, introduced only a short time after the first one, is greatly improved and--way cheaper [by about $200]. So now Diva doesn’t have to join the ranks of all those previous buyers who are e-mailing Steve Jobs and ranting about their displeasure. R-I-P off: that’s what most early buyers think, and the $100 credit toward more Apple merchandise, now being offered as a peace offering to those who bought early, is unlikely to smooth all the ruffled feathers [but hey, it's a start].
Perhaps lagging iPhone purchases prompted the company to drastically lower the price, hoping to jump-start pre-season holiday shopping. But what Apple forgot was that what they are really selling is a brand promise--to bestow ultimate technological one-ups-man-ship and a huge dose of personal cool--on those who buy its products. Apple’s customers are buying cool, and this cool communicates that they are hip and smart and technology aware. By its recent actions, Apple is sending the message that its customers are not cool; they are stupid [they were duped into paying way more than they had to, weren’t they? And being a test market for technology that obviously didn't yet have all the kinks worked out]. And if something is really cool and hip and desirable, there should be no need to mark it down [well maybe closer to Christmas, that would be nice]. If you have to do a markdown to get people to buy it, then the item wasn’t really cool to begin with. There are no halfway measures in regards to cool [it either is cool or it isn’t]. Cool is not a commodity.
In this case, Apple failed to deliver on its brand promise, and this was a big mistake--one that disappointed thousands of hard-core, dedicated fans. Maybe some Apple merchant decided that dropping the price was needed to create a sales boost before year-end to help the balance sheet [or maybe Apple just priced the item too high to begin with]. But now, all that brand loyalty has to be rebuilt--one customer at a time.
--Diva
Have I entered some kind of time warp, or is it really
August 2007? Because if it is in fact, August, then can someone please tell me
why wool pea coats and Halloween decorations are haunting the aisles of my
favorite retailers? This weekend, I was in search of a cute summer dress at
Nordstrom and then at Ross (Talk about two ends of the shopping spectrum, but I
can't resist Ross's prices!). Instead of oodles of summer lovin' gear, I found
sweaters, wool coats, opaque tights and knee-high boots. Sure, there was a
smattering of skirts and capris, but mostly just the leftovers that no one
else wanted. You know what I'm talking about--it's the clothes that look like
the sales clerk nonchalantly tossed them onto the rack and then stuck a large,
red Clearance sign on top. Now, all of the attention goes to the beautifully
decorated and elegantly positioned racks of coats and other fall and winter
goodies.
Corporate bean counters have a right to save money, but rationing toilet paper goes too far. Diva is all for resource conservation and supporting the planet. She does not drive an SUV, and she rarely drinks bottled water [so she is not contributing to those billions of empty plastic water bottles unnecessarily filling up landfills]. But to ration bathroom visits to five little squares of toilet paper [usually so thin you can see right through them] is idiotic.
Have the product development guys at Kimberly Clark--they just announced this wonderful, new automatic toilet paper dispenser that only dispenses five squares of tissue at a time--ever tried to swab down a toddler with diarrhea? [I thought not] And talk about the spread of disease--Guys: part of the point of toilet paper is to protect the hand from contact with substances that may contain germs, in some cases highly communicable germs. Those germs can easily spread to the stall door handle and faucet--before people get to the soap and water. Diva says, let them have toilet paper and clean up right.
Diva does not want to rain on Kimberly Clark’s parade--they say they expect to capture more than $1 billion in revenue from this new product, and they predict 20 percent less use of paper--but this is a terrible idea. People need to match their toilet paper consumption to their individual needs [if you don’t get the picture, I am not going to go into detail here]. Obviously, this product was designed by males who just “shake and zip,” and have no real idea of what goes on in bathrooms [a little research might have been in order--especially in the ladies’ room.]
And about those all fully automatic bathrooms. Recently in the restroom at the local AMC movie theater, six out of seven faucets would not render a single drop of water. Customers were desperately waving their hands under faucets, like bats flapping their wings, and nary a drop of water would emerge. Everyone had to line up and wait at the one faucet that was working. And don’t even get Diva started about automatic toilets that don’t flush--or worse yet, flush at the wrong time [exactly when you don’t want them to---unexpectedly spraying your entire backside with water.] Not exactly a pleasant experience.
--Diva
Well, I guess you know Diva was not one of those desperate technoids standing in long lines, waiting to buy the new iPhone last week. Not that she didn’t want one--they are way cool! Just the idea of all those sweaty bodies crushed together in anticipation was too much. And what a waste of time. Diva could buy a dozen outfits at Saks in that amount of time--or even way less time. Diva won’t stand in line for Gucci, much less a phone-photo-video-music-YouTube savvy gizmo, no matter how cool. And did you hear, iPhones, which cost around $500, are now going for up to $3,000 on eBay? [Now, that’s what Diva calls a good investment, even if standing in line is required.] No phones got the $3,000 asked, but some sold for close to $1,000, and most have sold for a couple hundred above retail price--demand has fallen off now.
The positive buzz for iPhones, however, has been dulled by all the ill will targeted at AT&T, the carrier, for its slow response time. Virtually everyone is disappointed that iPhone ties to a less than stellar communications provider [Steve Jobs may have to rethink that in the future]. But don’t worry, if you bought an iPhone and were disappointed, just dump it on eBay, take the money and book a lovely vacation somewhere. Maybe somewhere far off the grid, where phone calls and e-mails can’t intrude. And far from the iPhone media frenzy.
--Diva
Photo: People waiting in line for the iPhone in New York. By Padraic (license terms)
On a recent shopping venture for a sassy new dress, I hit a brick wall. Rack after rack featured the same three sizes: 0, 2, 4. What??!! Frustrated and a bit depressed, I gave up. Surely, I'm not the only regular sized woman looking for a hottie dress (it's a class reunion, people!). Then, I got good news. Effective June 11, maurices will offer a new plus-size clothing line for women, sizes 16-24. Wait, did you hear that? Listen closely. It's a collective, "It's about time!" from women around the world. Stylish clothes in regular women's sizes can be tough to find. Maybe our country is ready to fully let go of the, "thin is in" mentality and start catering to real women. Hey, I'm an eternal optimist--what can I say? maurices plans to introduce the new plus-size line in more than 400 stores across the country. And, forget about traditional muumuu's and spandex, the collection includes casual, career and dressy styles that incorporate a fresh take on plus-size clothing. Cheers to maurices! I love a progressive clothing retailer who "gets" what women really want.
--Heather Strang
America's favorite jailbird Martha Stewart debuted her new line of Martha Stewart Crafts at Michaels stores this week, rolling out to more than 1,070 units in the United States and Canada. The cutesy-crafty line features more than 650 SKUs, including an array of Martha-esque materials for paper crafting and scrapbooking, with cool and funky paper designs, ornate embellishments, crafting tools and organizing binders and storage systems. The arts and crafts industry--a $30 billion marketplace--seems a fitting marriage for the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia company, which raked in a whopping $288 million in sales last year.
I'm not really the target shopper for the line's shaped rubber stamps, 56 colors of markers and pens, 30 colors of glitter, and 17 varieties of adhesives and tapes (excessive, much?!)...but the wrapping and tissue paper assortment is fabulous. You go Martha.
--Alison Embrey Medina
Jumping on Target's "Design For All" bandwagon, Home Depot is launching a new line of design-friendly versions of standard household products. The home improvement retailer has partnered with Peter Arnell, founder of New York-based marketing firm Arnell Group, to develop the "Home Hero," a sleek-yet-functional fire extinguisher for the home. The brushed-nickel extinguisher is said to look like a "space-age coffee grinder," and will be just a stylish on the countertop as the wine rack.
The success of Michael Graves' line of home goods for Target made consumers giddy (I now attempt to cook like a high-class pastry chef, thanks to my super spiffy Graves measuring spoons). The instant buzz rang loud in the ears of designers as well, as many were soon to follow. Philippe Starck's Alessi "Dr. Skud" fly swatter and Karim Rashid's Dirt Devil Kone are both on my Christmas list. These products literally make me want to hunt flies and demolish crumbs. Why wouldn't Home Depot want to get in on the action?
Referencing today's typical fire extinguisher, Arnell has been reported as saying, "It's so ugly, nobody wants to leave it on a counter. We need a product like what Braun did with coffee makers." Hence the new-and-improved Home Hero. You can bet it will be in my house within a week of its debut. I will be armed and ready to put out any fire, and look stylish while I do it! Ingenious!
Now if only someone would design a pen that would make me want to balance my checkbook--my quest for one of those is yet to be resolved.
--Alison Embrey Medina
The long-awaited release of Sony's PlayStation 3 game console finally hit U.S. store shelves Friday, and not without a bang. Literally. Shots were fired. Wallets were stolen. Cars were broken into. All over this illustrious new game console, which is marketing around $500-$600 in stores...and up to $5,000 on eBay.
After a mad-dash release in Japan the week before, retailers were expecting only 400,000 units to be delivered to U.S. stores, which successfully created the "I have to get one" hype that Sony was looking for. (My husband is a prime example--he's been salivating over the system since last Christmas, reading the almost daily reports and spouting off all the new technologies every morning as I work diligently on my latest Sudoku and sip on my coffee. That being said, I have no idea what the new PlayStation has to offer.) So what makes this gaming console any different than its many predessesors? Got me. Apparently the unit (which is double the size of its PS2 counterpart), features a Blu-ray enabled DVD player and enough memory to allow you to store pictures, play music and watch streaming video on your TV with ease, in addition to the games of course. We already have a DVD player, laptop and PS2, so I'm a little lost as to why we need this gigantic console in my house. As a sidenote, I have no idea what Blu-ray means, except that apparently it's "really, really cool," quoth my techie husband.
According to new reports, Sony may have fell short of its 400,000 delivery target last week, heightening demand even further. New shipments are due in weekly up through the holidays, but some retailers have said they haven't even received enough units to cover the pre-orders. After hearing a couple electronics retailers near our house "may be" receiving "an undetermined amount" of units this morning, my husband was out the door at 6:30 a.m. to make the rounds on his PlayStation 3 quest. It's like a game in itself. Find the console, slay the dragon, and let the princess go back to her coffee and Sudoku. Please!
--Alison Embrey Medina
Ever think about adding a dash of color to your white Mac or black/silver PC? Although Apple has done a great job of creating design-oriented products--leading the pack in its category--there's room for innovation in consumer electronics, more specifically in the domain of color. Although the new Nano is offered in various bright colors (a limited variety I might add), and iMacs were once offered in teal and orange shades, there aren't any computer manufacturers I can think of that offer computers in something other than black, white or silver.
However, there is a company out there that caters to this untapped market, and reaping the profits. Colorware, a Winona, Minn.-based company, established in 2000, offers custom coloring for various products including computers (Dell and Mac) and iPods. Colorware can also adhere a company's logo to employee laptops. Customers can either order select Apple and Dell products straight from Colorware's Web site, with their custom color specification, or send in their own iPod or computer to have it custom colored.
I learned about the company while attending DDI's Color & Materials Specifiers Conference in New York last week. Karim Rashid--a renowned designer who promotes the use of color--mentioned the company in his keynote speech. And now that I know about it, a whole new colorful world has opened up for me. Thanks Karim!
--Rachel Brown
Anyone who has ever spent an hour and a half straightening her wavy/curly/frizzy hair with an arsenal of heat styling tools, only to have her hard work ruined by unexpected rain showers or the humidity of a packed nightclub, is going to want to here about this: the Straight Up vending machine. Entrepreneurs Richard Starrett and Neil Macka patented this hair straightening vending machine and have already installed 500 units in
bathrooms of clubs and gyms throughout the United Kingdom. The Beautiful Vending Company installs the coin-operated units, which provide hair straightening flatirons for a quick heat styling touch-up for your carefully coiffed 'do. For about $1.85 you can use the The Straight Up machine's award-winning GHD irons, a popular U.K. brand used in salons, for 90 seconds. Pretty cool. It would be nice to be able to fix a frizz flare up after a tough workout at the gym, or to be able to look a little less insane after shaking your thing on the dance floor for five straight songs. The creators of the Straight Up vending machine have hinted at possible expansion overseas, which means this hair savior could be heading our way soon.
The only thing that might not be so cool about having access to these ultra-hip vending machines in our bar bathrooms is that already overcrowded women's bathrooms will get a lot worse: wait in line for the bathroom, then for the straightener. Oh, and I'm not so sure how well three Red Bull and vokas will mix with a scorching hot flatiron and my head. (I can smell the burnt hair/skin already.) I'm going to need a DHS--designated hair straightener. And imagine how annoying it will be if bathroom attendants start trying to offer you hair straightening in addition to the usual junk that you feel obligated to accept, therefore forking over even more cash. (Why can't they just leave us alone--I can pump my own soap, thanks.) At least we'll all look fabulous...for about 15 seconds, then poof!
--Jessie Bove
Starbucks announced they were upping their prices on coffee drinks a few weeks back. Now, another announcement might whet the Starbucks addict's palette a bit. Why not give customers another reason to make sure they get their Starbucks fix every morning with not only coffee, but warm, hearty fixin's? More than 200 New York metro area stores will now offer four new warm breakfast sandwiches, in addition to adding the option of heating up any of the brand's current pastry, toast or bagel selections. And if you didn't get your fill for breakfast, Starbucks is also launching two new lunch sandwiches--think Tomato Mozzarella Basil and Chicken Cheddar Club--that can be served hot or cold. Top it all off with the new warm toffee almond bar or heated chocolate chip cookies.
The company says it plans to have the majority of its New York metro stores offering up the hot food options by Summer 2007--stay tuned to see if they're landing at a Starbucks near you.
--Alison Embrey Medina
Photo: The new peppered bacon breakfast sandwich with egg and natural aged cheddar cheese on a toasted English muffin from Starbucks' new warm food line.
I'm all for self-expression and the use of custom design elements to enhance environment. The design-it-yourself philosophy continues to proliferate the home improvement market thanks to a plethora of popular television shows and consumer magazines. And manufacturers and retailers have responded enthusiastically, to say the least. But when does it go too far?
York has introduced a new line of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that give homeowners a new tool to further define their tastes and to some extent, their identities. The new Affinity Series, which York says is the only system on the market of its kind, gives the option of seven exterior colors--from Chocolate to Bermuda--for the outdoor system coverings. Seems fine. But it doesn't stop there. Consumers can also pay their college allegiance by choosing their alma maters' custom logo and color. Why not have outdoor speaker systems bellowing the school song as well? Although it's a marketing opportunity for York, I can tell you now that homeowners and various homeowner associations, particularly in suburban areas, will put the brakes on. While a healthy dose of school pride--and rivalry--appeals to some, those loud logos (even University of Tennessee's) can be an eyesore in the neighborhood.
--Rachel Brown
Jogging on sidewalks could be better for your health--and that of Planet Earth. In a recent article from the Associated Press, cities, such as Washington, D.C., are paving sidewalks with rubber. The material not only absorbs shock while walking or jogging, but because the rubber comes from recycled tires and saves trees (click the link for an explanation), it is eco-friendly as well. Furthermore, rubber can be designed to take on the visual aesthetics of concrete, so people can't detect a difference until they feel a bounce in their step.
Rubber is known for its versatility and durability, in that it is long wearing, heat and water resistant, elastic and air tight. One might ask why more cities and communities don't use it for sidewalks. The initial cost, totaling one-third more than concrete, stifles more widespread usage, but since rubber sidewalks are easier to maintain and in the long run, saves trees, the pay off is evident in the long term.
The use of rubber on sidewalks appears to have evolved from a Gardena, Calif.-based company, suitably named Rubbersidewalks Inc. I wonder if any retailers or mixed-use developers have investigated the benefits of this application, especially those interested in achieving LEED-certification.
--Rachel Brown
Photo: GE's GELcore Tetra Contour Lighting System is a durable, formable LED lighting system in seven bright colors, which replaces exposed neon.
Last week at LightFair International I was amazed at the presence of LED products. It's almost like we've just woken up to an explosion of this technology that continues to reach far and wide (and most of us don't even realize it). Found in numerous devices, LEDs have been known to aid in everything from forming numerical shapes on digital clocks to sending information from remote controls.
The hot (well, not technically speaking), new LED application, however, is in retail lighting design, and this was very evident at LightFair this year. Someone even told me that five years ago, only 10 percent of exhibitors at the show had LED products, but today, he guessed around 60 percent did. Starting out as a viable substitute for neon, LEDs became the attractive alternative because they cut down on energy usage and costly maintenance. More and more, designers are looking to this lighting source for other applications, such as cove lighting, wall washing, lighting for refrigerated cases and optimal lighting for jewelry display cases.
The next big step for LED technology, I hear, is an increase in lumens per watt. Standing at around 50 lumens per watt currently, LEDs can deliver only a certain amount of illumination. However, some experts say that in the next three to five years, LEDs will be capable of reaching 70 to 80 lumens per watt as a result of research and development. And to this point, watch out incandescents...Color Kinetics Inc., a leading innovator of LED lighting systems and technologies, announced this week that it has been awarded approximately $1.7 million by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop an LED-based alternative to incandescent lamps for general illumination.
--Rachel Brown
So, I was shopping at Harrods while in London last week and I picked up a catalog for Red Letter Days, a company that provides experience gift certificates. I mean, this was some cool stuff! How's this for some examples:
There wasn't a single thing in this catalog that I didn't want myself or want to give to friends and family. You can drive a tank for heaven's sake! And what a great gift idea for our over stimulated world. The idea of giving people experiences rather then gifts is clearly very powerful today. Most people have all the stuff they need, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience is a gift that keeps on giving. So, with Christmas almost a year away, you can start your planning now. And, in case you're wondering, I'd be very excited if someone wanted to give me the Military Activities Experience!
--David Polinchock
As Valentine's Day fast approaches, Diva has a new love interest—Jonathan Adler, the pasha of pots. Yes, Simon, maybe you should be a bit jealous! (Adler is Simon Doonan's life partner and creative buddy. Simon Doonan is the creative force behind Barney's New York and all those over the top, award-winning, Madison Ave. display windows.)
Have you seen Adler's new book, "My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living"? If not, go buy a copy right now. It is just the thing to chase away January's blah, gray days. Adler has a crush on color—lots of it—in yellows, oranges and lively chartreuse greens. And he piles on the patterns and '70s punches of style, from funky to flea market, then layers on a dose of David Hick's influences. (Hicks was the quintessential, upscale interior designer in London in the '60s.)
Adler's is a potter by trade—and very fine pots these are. They are lavishly pictured throughout the book. If you toured visual merchandising showrooms in New York during the December market, Goldsmith decorated its abode with Adler's creations. And a few retail stores have also opened to sell Adler's creations as well. There's a new one at 1097 Madison Ave. in New York and another at 47 Greene St.
What a delight to discover the zany, happy Jonathan Adler collections. Diva is smitten for sure.
Look to hear a lot more about this rising star! So, Jonathan—Here's Diva's valentine to you. Pucker up and take a smooch from Diva, along with a great big thank you for all those wonderful, zany designs.
--RoxAnna Sway
While shopping this past holiday season, I discover a whole new category of merchandise—personal, luxury storage items. No, this is not about the Container Store or wall-units at IKEA. What’s new is a jewelry armoire for your vast and impressive jewelry collection. These are not jewelry boxes to sit on dressers; these are 4-ft.-high, freestanding furniture pieces. Displays of these were presented mid-aisle in the jewelry departments at Sears, JC Penney and other stores during the holiday season. While I admit, I was somewhat intrigued by the idea—all those swirling and tangled necklaces in my jewelry drawer at home are exasperating—I was amazed at the ghastly styles that were offered. Bombe´ fronts with hand-painted, ornate decoration and combinations of Asian and French furniture styles, which, from an interior design point of view, bordered on the absurd.
If jewelry armoires don’t appeal to you, then you can select from Butler’s chests: a reinvention of the French, seven-drawer men’s shirt chest, called a semaniere, or lingerie chest, for all those bras and panties—not that thongs take up so much storage space. A lingerie chest from Bombay Co. costs around $500, with selections for other sources running into the thousands of dollars. I’m not sure where people will be putting all these new storage pieces. I guess the lingerie chest can go next to the jewelry armoire, which is next to the shirt chest, which is next to the dresser, which already has its drawers crammed with stuff. Or, if you take half the clothes out of the closet—maybe they will fit in there.
When did we become such an affluent society that a drawer for shirts and another for socks, doesn’t work any more? And what about shoes? After all, it’s really those shoes are the biggest problem.
--RoxAnna Sway
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