It’s the people, who make the fashion

Technology, mobility and social media, among other things, have dramatically changed the retail landscape. But the future of retail is bigger than flashy new technologies or the hyper-connected Internet of Things. Success lies in giving consumers more than what they’ve come to expect

from the shopping process.

The aim of the project is to search and test new concepts of how we would buy and sell tomorrow, connecting the virtual and physical possibilities. The expected outcome is a conceptual system presenting a new and enhanced customer experience and a scalable business opportunity.

A human-centered design approach is taken, which means we will look for trends and possibilities in people’s behaviour to find insights what is meaningful and what offers value to the consumer. The new concept should enable technology platforms which will change the way

we live and experience our everyday life.

I N T R O D U C T I O N

who make the

PEOPLE,

FASHION.

It’s the

T E A T Ü Ü RTechnical Design and Technology of Apparel

P R A N A Y K E N K R EProduction Engineering

A N E T T E S E P PProduct Design

T E A M

S U P E R V I S O R SM A R T I N P Ä R N

Head of D&E, Estonian Academy of Arts

R U T H - H E L E N E M E L I O R A N S K IResearcher, Tallinn University of Technology

J A N N O N Õ USupervisor, Tallinn University of Technology

C O N T E N T S

INTRODUCTION 5

RESEARCH 11Focus 12Shopping and socialising 14Social commerce 16Disconnecting advertisements 20Research findings 23Problem statement 27Existing solutions 28Framing 30Design brief 33

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT 35Concepts 36

PROTOTYPING AND TESTING 41Take it to the streets 42

PODIUM 47

CONCLUSION 57

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R E S E A R C H

F O C U S

Preliminary research lead us to the field of shopping as a social activity. The following subchapters will explain the reasoning behind the choice and what the term ‘social retail’ means. Once the topic of the future of retail was narrowed down to the social aspect of it, we conducted more thorough research, involving quantitative and qualitative methods such as online survey, interviews, observations and desk research. The research questions that we set were - with whom do people shop with; how do they shop together and why do they shop together? Our aim was to understand the consumer, to get an insight on what it is that would create value for the consumer in the future and to start designing according to this insight. The methodology

explained in detail on the right.

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We started out with desk research in order to get a broader overview of the vast topic of the future of retail. We gathered information from various online resources about the issues the retail industry is facing, the future trends, statistics on consumer behaviour and existing solutions and

concepts.

DESK RESEARCH

An online survey was composed to gather information about who people are shopping with, whose opinion do they value and how is the trust relationship between them and the retailer. Also, whether they prefer to shop in store or online and what are the

pros and cons of both of the options.

SURVEY

Interviews were conducted with men and women aged between 18-25 years in order to get more qualitative information about the customer’s shopping behaviour. We also interviewed two of the shopkeepers in the Baltika retail store Bastion to get a different angle of view on consumer needs.

INTERVIEWS

An observation day at Rocca al Mare was carried out in order to reveal different shopper types and how they behave in and outside the retail stores. We observed how people behave when they shop alone versus when they shop with friends, a partner or with family; and with or without

children.

OBSERVATIONS

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S H O P P I N G A N D

S O C I A L I S I N G

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What makes shopping a social

experience?

Shopping is about so much more than just the practical need to acquire new belongings. The motivation for almost everything we buy has something to do with connecting with other human beings. Even when it comes to practical purchases, the particular brand or product we choose relates to our connections with other human beings. Our use of technology has turned us into speed demons when it comes to processing information. We want it fast and therefore rely more on symbols and visual data to inform our perceptions. We also look for symbols to understand other people - what people are wearing, what they own, and what brands they attach to are shorthand ways of understanding and communicating with other people.1 Shopping can be therapeutic. When people are going through transformation, shopping may be used to feel less anxious. When people select products, they are mentally visualising their new future. It’s a way to prepare and to express creativity. When doing christmas shopping

with your family, it’s a part of your traditions and culture.

Socialising is a basic human need. The benefits of socialising include stress reduction; a feeling of importance; high self-esteem and reduction of the risk of mental diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.2 A famous study conducted by researcher William Fleeson3 and his colleagues who tracked a group of people, every three hours for two weeks, recording how they’d acted and felt during each chunk of time. They found that those who’d acted “talkative” and “assertive” - even if they were introverts - were more likely to report feeling positive emotions such as excitement and enthusiasm. Everyone feels happier when they socialise, concluded

the researchers - introverts included.

To visualize the relation between shopping and socialising, we did a mind mapping exercise. We mainly tried to ask ourselves why do we really shop and what are the reasons behind people socialising. After listing down the attributes, we could see a bigger picture of shopping as a social activity. We can clearly identify the social motivation for people to shop. The sheer motivation of developing an identity and to feel as a part of the community, made people shop for garment that could inspire others. The other aspect of shopping, was the need of the people to flaunt their style, their fashion sense. From existing social platforms we can note the people’s addiction

to socialise and check out their friends’ shopping trends.

1 http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/8146492 Alzheimer’s & Dementia. The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER): Study design and progress. (2013)3 An intraindividual process approach to the relationship between extraversion and positive affect: Is acting extra-verted as “good” as being extraverted? Fleeson, William; Malanos, Adriane B.; Achille, Noelle M. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 83(6), Dec 2002.

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S O C I A L C O M M E R C E

Defining the term

Shopping has been a social experience for ages. It was something families did together in order to spend more time together. It was a curious trip with a goal of not just buying something but to communicate with the people in the town or village, to see how they were doing, to hear

the latest gossip and to make new acquaintances.

The term ‘social commerce’ was introduced by Yahoo! in November 2005 which describes a set of online collaborative shopping tools such as shared pick lists, user ratings and other user-generated content-sharing of

online product information and advice.1

View the elements of social commerce on the page right. What social shopping really is doing is turning products

into conversations.

The term ‘social commerce’ shouldn’t exclude the physical element of socialising in a store, shopping mall or a marketplace though. In western society, communicating with strangers in a shopping centre is often seen as a taboo. However, shopping online allows for an easy access to the opinions and reviews of many people, whom you might not want to approach in real life for whatever reasons. If a retailer or a franchisor can understand the social aspect of shopping then there are high chances of

increased sales.

1 http://www.ysearchblog.com/2005/11/14/social-commerce-via-the-shoposphere-pick-lists/

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People trust based on the recommendations of others. If there are a lot of “likes” of a particular product, then the consumer will feel more confident and justified in making this

purchase.

LikingAs part of supply and demand, a greater value is assigned to products that are regarded as either being in high demand or are seen as being in a shortage. Therefore, if a person is convinced that they are purchasing something that is unique, special, or not easy to acquire, they will have more of a willingness to make a purchase.

ScarcityTo receive positive feedback, a company needs to be willing to accept social feedback and to show proof that other people are buying, and like, the same things that I like. It is beneficial to encourage open recommendation and feedback. This creates trust for you as a seller. 55% of buyers turn to social media when they’re

looking for information.

Social proof

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Just chillin’ with ma

girlzz

AuthorityMany people need proof that a product is of good quality. This proof can be based on the recommendations of others who have bought the same product. If there are many user reviews about a product, then a consumer will be more willing to trust their own

decision to buy this item.

When a company gives a person something for free, that person will feel the need to return the favour, whether by buying again or giving good recommendations

for the company.

ReciprocityWhen people find a group that shares the same values, likes and beliefs, they find community. People are more committed to a communityand when this commitment happens, they tend to follow the same trends as a group and when one member introduces a new idea or product, it is accepted more readily based on the previous trust that has been

established.

Community

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D I S C O N N E C T I N G A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The betrayal behind the fancy

Businesses need to market their brand in an already crowded fashion marketplace. Fashion brands convey many images to their customers, including quality, innovative design, status, utility and value. Thanks to ever-changing customer tastes, many fashion brands seem to come out of nowhere to capture major market share in certain niches. They want their consumers to create an identity of their brand in the minds of their buyers. Advertisements by retailers are luring. They are inspiring and fancy. The perfect model, the perfect location, in all ideal conditions, showing off the best apparel designs. They create high expectations among the consumers. But when real people try it on, users are faced with betrayal. The apparel does not fit most consumers as expected, creating a negative association with the Brand. Advertisements definitely do the job of flaunting the design, but it no longer resonates with the audience making the purchase, especially

when it comes to generation Z.

According to Nielsen’s Trust In Advertising report word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, often referred to as earned advertising, are still the most influential, as 84 percent of global respondents across 58 countries to the Nielsen online survey said this source was the most trustworthy. Trust in advertising on branded websites was 69 percent in 2013

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as the second most trusted format in 2013. Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents indicated that they trust consumer opinions posted online.1

So who do the modern buyers trust? Well, users. They are eager to know about the experiences of people already using the product they aspire. They follow blogs, read reviews and follow YouTube channels in order to make an informed decision. Moreover, they trust the people around them the most. But the same people who are so socially active digitally, chicken out when it comes to interacting with a stranger. Even when there is a need to approach the stranger, they are reluctant to strike a conversation. According to a publication by DKNewMedia with data culled from Forrester, 32% of online consumers trust a stranger’s opinion on public forums or blogs more than they trust branded advertisements and marketing collateral.

Today, consumers appear to be increasingly wary of big companies and the celebrities paid to endorse them. This shift appears to be spurred by the Internet, which has made it much easier to find authentic opinions about products in online reviews and on social media. Before buying a product for themselves or their families, women want to hear from everyday people with whom they can relate: 86% of the 1,470 women surveyed said they put the most trust in real peoples’ product and service recommendations.”In the past, women would predominantly turn to bloggers they trusted,” Samantha Skey, CMO of SheKnows Media, tells Fast Company. “But today they are turning to what we refer to as ‘everyday experts’ on YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.”For their part, these “everyday experts” say that followers trust them because they don’t appear to have ulterior motives when producing content about products (although in reality, plenty of well-known social-media stars shill for brands as well). These influencers recognize that being authentic, honest, and responsive to their readers is very important in order to build relationships with them. This means giving bad reviews, when they are warranted—although presumably, not for

products of companies they are paid by.2

1 http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports/2013/global-trust-in-advertising-and-brand-messages.html2 http://www.fastcompany.com/3051491/most-creative-people/female-shoppers-no-longer-trust-ads-or-celebrity-endorsements

of online consumers trust a stranger’s opinion on public

forums or blogs more than they trust branded advertisements

and marketing collateral.

32%

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R E S E A R C H F I N D I N G S

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On the survey, we were firstly interested in the sex and the age of the respondents. 74.1% of the respondents were the Y generation (age 21-35) and 22.2% Z generation (age up to 20 years). 72.2% of the respondents were female. The most responses were from Estonians but other nationalities such as French, Indian, Norwegian, Latvian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Pakistani and Russian were also represented. Most of the respondents usually shop for new clothes alone, but there were people that preferred to do it with friends (37%) or with a partner (27.8%). When asked whose opinion is the most important to them, most people answered ‘myself’ (49 replies), but friends’ and family’s opinion was also in high place (18 and 17 replies, respectively). Most people preferred to buy their clothes from a physical store rather than an online store because of the possibility to try on clothes, check for the product quality and because there is no waiting time involved in receiving the

products bought.

To the question “Do you ever take photos of your shopping experience?” 37% of people replied that they do take pictures in a fitting booth. When asked “Do you trust the recommendations made by shop assistants?” 25.9% replied ‘no’ and 68.5% ‘sometimes’. Only 5.6% said a concrete ‘yes’. 53.7% of the repliers said they do not give recommendations on clothes to their friends, but 29.6% said they do,

they shop together with their friends.

From our research we found out that for many people around the world, including Estonians, shopping is a form of entertainment. Our research also suggest that for many people, shopping as turned boring.

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“Shopping is a boring

entertainment”

There is a growing distrust in branded advertisements among the consumers. Although the advertisements are designed to catch the eye of the consumer and drag them into their world of inspiration, the reality of trying on the garment is often times different from the expectations. This trust issue has led consumers to search for information from other user who already have an experience with a similar product. There is an ever-growing need for communication in the world of

retail.

1 DECREASING TRUST IN ADVERTISING AND BRAND MESSAGES

While gathering inputs on the social behavior of people, when it comes to buying fashion, we asked consumers if they ever liked a garment a stranger around them was wearing, and felt the need to approach him/her to know more about the apparel. Nearly all the participants agreed to have come across a similar situation. On digging deeper, none of the participants gathered the courage to jump the hurdle of reluctance and approach the stranger to gather info about the inspiring garment. The survey concludes that the hinderance in striking a conversation with the stranger, is the lack of information about the unknown. There is no prior conversation starter or an ice-breaker. Although people are comfortable to start a

conversation online but chicken out when it comes to talking in real world.

2 DIDN’T YOUR MOM TELL YOU NOT TO TALK TO STRANGERS?

Secondhand clothing trend has started showing up in couture fashion, streetwear and even everyday office wear. Thrift shopping can be great for new shoppers and business. Besides the incentive of saving money, thrifting has also become trendy. Hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis won a 2013 Billboard Music Award for their hit song “Thrift shop,” which brags about “looking for a come up” in a thrift shop.1 Goodwill Industries, one of the most recognizable names in secondhand shopping, says it has experienced an 84% increase in revenue from the sale of

donated goods from 2007 to 2012, from $1.9 billion to $3.5 billion.

1 http://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/11/living/thrift-store-style/

3 SHIFT BETWEEN OWNERSHIP

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“Instantaneous info about the

inspiring garment is not available.”

P R O B L E M S T A T E M E N T

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“People are reluctant to

interact with strangers in

physical world.”

From our research, we can take away that people do not just shop in the stores. They shop on the go, 24/7. Fancy advertisements no longer do a convincing job of luring the consumers. People find inspirations in users more than the brand-endorsed advertisements. Our conducted research and survey helped us identify the issues consumers face while interacting

with the world of apparel around them.

E X I S T I N G S O L U T I O N S

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Once we had defined a problem, we started looking into what are the existing solutions that are trying to solve that problem. We found some interesting concepts from various online resources that were envisioning the future of retail. Very few of them were focusing on the social aspect of shopping, but there were some, though. For example - Apps like Netrobe, Cloth and FashionLike (right).

NetrobeNetrobe helps you get organized, clean out your closet and provided you with an easy way to assemble and test out new looks. It is great for planning outfits for a wide range of occasions, everything from what to wear to work to an upcoming wedding in May. There’s also a Friend’s Activity feed, where you can see what other people are wearing and draw inspiration from them.

ClothCloth on other hand tackles the problem is different way. Instead of logging every piece of clothing in your closet, the app is designed more for taking a photo of your outfit for the day or for a certain event. Social networking plays a big part in Cloth. Similar to the location-based service Foursquare, you can use this app to unlock achievements and earn badges for certain tasks, and many have to do with sharing photos on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and even Cloth’s blog.

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FashionLikeThe retailer C&A started a marketing push in Brazil that marries online groupthink with real-world decision-making. It’s called FashionLike. Whenever someone likes an item of clothing online at C&A Brazil’s site, that thumbs-up is tallied on a screen embedded in clothes hanger on the store. Shoppers can then consider that input as they browse the store aisles. Do you take the popular shirt with more than 1,000 likes, or go under-the-radar and pick the one with just a couple hundred. C&A is not the first to marry digital and real life in the world of fashion marketing. A Stussy campaign last month promised that a model dressed for winter warmth would shed clothing layers according to how many likes the campaign generated on Facebook. Others have sought to crowd-source design feedback from the masses online. And Maybelline recently hired the star of the popular “Sh*t Fashion Girls Say” parody video for a stint as the brand’s new spokesmodel. C&A’s effort is an interesting intertwining of Facebook and the real world — a trend that will likely become more and more common.

OtherWe also looked at examples of solutions for similar problem in various areas. Shazam is one such good example. It is a magical mobile app that recognises music, TV and media around you. It’s the best way to discover, explore and share the music and TV you love. Tinder is location-based mobile dating app that simplifies the process most dating websites require. The app shows you photos of singles based on your preferences. You swipe left if you don’t like them and swipe right if you do. If someone you like also swiped right on your photo, the app immediately informs you, “It’s a Match!” and urges you to begin chatting. It is a simple solution for strangers to strike a conversation with dating as the subject.

F R A M I N G

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“The products themselves are more important to Generation Z than the brands that produce them, and these consumers

will change brands easily in search of higher quality,”

- Martin-Wilbourne Partners

G E N Z

Loosely qualified as anyone born after 1990, most of the generation Z is still too young to have their own income. But they will have purchasing power in the near future. That might turn into a nightmare for the retailers, as unlike the generations that have preceded Gen Z, they lack brand loyalty. “The products themselves are more important to Generation Z than the brands that produce them, and these consumers will change brands easily in search of higher quality,” according to Arkansas-based marketing agency Martin-Wilbourne Partners. If the millennials were spending the majority of their budget on clothing, then Gen Z will prefer a cool experience over a cool product. They spend more money on food and drinks than anything else, and their favourite eatery is Starbucks. They want to be reached either by social media or by email, rather

than outdoor ads.

Furthermore, Gen Z wants to have an impact on the world. Roughly 1 in 4 Generation Z-ers are involved in volunteering. Advanced college degrees are less important to them compared to the millennials. They are more entrepreneurial - 72% of high school students want to start a business someday and 61% would rather be an entrepreneur than an employee when they graduate college. They are digitally over-connected. They multitask across five screens daily and spend 41% of their time outside school with computers or mobile devices, compared to 22% ten years ago, they fear missing out, more than millennials, so being culturally connected is critical. They communicate with speed and often use emoticons and emojis

instead of words.

T A R G E T G R O U P

Although we can get a pretty clear picture on what the average Gen Z citizen of the world is like from the previous text based on desk research, it does not mean that it applies to all the Gen Z-ers out there. As an article found on AdWeek on the millennials proved, the clichés may apply to certain members of the millennial set but what really defines the more than 74 million adults 18-34 in the U.S. is that they tend to reject such broad characterizations. The same may be transferred to the Gen Z. Although they belong to the same generation and have some big common characterizations, they are individuals that

have individual desires and needs.

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It must not be forgotten that the reason we are digging into the generation Z in the first place, is that they are the majority in the coming ten years and therefore they have the purchasing power. That does not mean we exclude Gen Y from our target group, as they will have more experience and better paying jobs. So what really defines our target customer is the way he/she behaves in a store and what his/her social shopping habits

are.

Our research led us to the realisation, that the ones that need the improved social shopping experience are mostly the companions, who are dragged along to the stores for various reasons, but who are not there for the buy. We see an opportunity to offer these people that little something extra that they would find valuable, but at the same find ways to turn them into prospective customers. That way we can design a shopping experience that is valuable both, for the customer

and for the retailer.

T H E E X P E R I E N C E

As we see understand from our research, people no longer shop just in the store. They find inspirations in the world around them. They browse on the move and shop on their mobile

phones.

We asked ourselves, what if you could get the information about your inspiring garment instantaneously. What brand is it from, how much does it cost, where can you buy it from or if you could even borrow it from the owner. What are the modern retail shops today like? Retailers want people to see their products so they push everything out there, creating an overflow of information for the consumer. The shops are completely product driven. So the main concern when it comes to our area of interest is that these are not the kind of places for socialising. Shops are perceived as a public area and not a

private comfortable place you chat with a friend.

So there is a conflict between the existing and what the future generation’s expectations are. We see a big problem in the surroundings. So we started looking into places outside the shopping mall. Places, which are great for socialising and for interaction. Places like bars, night clubs, sports clubs, recreation

centres, gardens and parks, concerts, shows so on.

We asked to ourselves - what if... you could shop for a dress while grabbing some drinks with your friends? What if you could choose an outfit for your child while walking her in the park? What if shopping was made a game you could play with

your friends?

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Often it happens, you are somewhere at a public place. You see a person wearing a garment that inspires you, that you fall in love with. You want to know more about that apparel but are reluctant to strike a

conversation.

We want to design a platform which gives you access to complete info of

your inspiring garment; the brand, price, availability and so on.

It should be a stage where you can connect to your inspiring stranger. Where advice seekers can meet their aspiring stylists.

It should also create value for the brands, helping them grow their revenues. Our

platform should explore future avenues for selling their products.

D E S I G N B R I E F

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C O N C E P T D E V E L O P M E N T

C O N C E P T S

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To start with the concept development process, we began by mapping the customer journey. The task was aimed at realising the area or the stage during the shopping experience that required attention. We tried to come up with as many ideas as possible and list the values for all the stakeholders. We drew sketches to illustrate our ideas and bring them to life. We also had a workshop studying Ten Types of Innovation framework by Doblin. They provide a way to identify new opportunities beyond products and develop viable innovations. Here we want to

introduce you to some of these concepts that we came up with.

We want to make the clothing store’s atmospheres feel more pleasant and calm. A place where you can enjoy browsing for clothes while sitting down and maybe enjoying a drink like in a bar or a restaurant. An area where you are separated from other customers and where you can try on clothes without being disturbed. Clothes are displayed on screens and are brought

to you to try on on request.

LIKE A BAR

Inspired by Microsoft Hololens we thought of making a clothing store that would have the environment, that the clothes should be in, visualised virtually. The clothes themselves are still physically in the store, so can can touch them, feel them and try them on, but the atmosphere around them is 3D imagery. So when you’re going to buy a skiing outfit, the environment around you can be a sunny hilltop with you deep in snow. You can imagine what you want to

look like in a place like that.

VIRTUAL REALITY STORES

In the middle of a clothing store would be a catwalk ramp that customers can walk on with the clothes they try on. It would show off these clothes to people who are walking past the store and invite them to the store. In the end of the ramp there would be a mirror so the customer walking on the ramp could see how they look like. This ramp would also feature different lighting conditions to show different environments

the clothes could be in.

CATWALK

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Tag is a system. Every piece of clothing has an electronic chip inside it. It holds the identity of the apparel. The brand, the price, the store it is available in etc. It also carries a digital wardrobe of the owner.It allows the strangers around you to gather info about the apparel you wearing and about your style statement. The concept incorporates a virtual wardrobe, a 3D scan of the owner and a social network that has the possibility to assists people in the decision-making process. So imagine you’re going to a store. You have all these options in front of you but what you’d really like to know, is how well these new pieces would match with your existing wardrobe. So now you have the option to pair up the new clothes in the store with the ones in your wardrobe. You can virtually try on the clothes at the store thanks to the 3D scan TAG has of you. For some people, it can make decision-making easier and allow for faster, less troublesome shopping experience. On the other hand, it creates a fun and creative activity or one might even say, a game that you could explore if you are a person who

loves shopping.

For the retailer, using TAG would have many benefits in the manufacturing processes, warehouse management, tracking and managing of shipping and distribution; and receiving information about the product’s

entire lifecycle.

TAG

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We soon realised that tagging of every garment is not a viable or a feasible idea. We noticed that current iPhones & iPads are iBeacon enabled. This technology could be exploited to communicate with strangers.

Podium is a platform where stylists can share their Outfit Of The Day. The admirers can connect to the stylists using iBeacon technology. Based on the appreciation they receive from our platform, Brands rewards them with financial benefits. At the same time it gives an opportunity for brands to

attract new customers.

For the validation of our concept, we introduced our concept to people on the streets and asked for feedback. Our target was specifically generation Z and Y representatives. We asked how open they are to using this kind of platform, if they would show the information about their clothes to other people, ‘strangers’, and also, if they would be willing to share their clothes or borrow someone else’s. We’d also received feedback from Baltika group’s representatives. From this information we

created a new concept - the final one.

PODIUM

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P R O T O T Y P I N G A N D

T E S T I N G

T A K E I T T O T H E

S T R E E T S

To validate our concepts we took to streets to interact with people, show them our initial wireframe prototypes to get some feedback. We asked the people, if they saw a person on the street wearing something they liked, would they be willing to compliment them physically or would they rather do it digitally. To our surprise none of the interviewees would want to bother a stranger physically, only if it was a friend. Doing it digitally was more acceptable. We inquired if they ever felt the need to see their clothes in the wardrobe while on the go. Also how they would imagine that

happening.

We got mixed response to our question. Most of the men said they didn’t have that much in their wardrobe so they wouldn’t have problems remembering what was in it. Women did wish they had some kind of a tool that helped them organise their wardrobe digitally. Few had already tried

some of the mobile apps.

We asked if they would like to share their digital wardrobe with strangers and also with people they knew. And if they would like to get compliments

on their wardrobes.To which they answered they would share it with people they know. They wouldn’t share it with people they don’t know, unless they would get something from it. They did want to get compliments from strangers on

an app.

We asked people if they would upload daily outfits and use the app every day if they would get discounts from using it. Most people said that they wouldn’t use it every day. They would like this kind of app to use on some days, when they are confident about their outfits and want to get complimented. Some people said that using this app is perfect, because they dress up every day anyway and if it was as easy as taking a selfie in the morning in the mirror, they would gladly use it every day. It would motivate

them dress better every day.

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To prototype we made hand-drawn views into mock-ups in Axure. We had a sort of radar map that would help you find the person you are interested in. And then we planned what views would come up, when you open that person’s profile. We showed it to people and asked how to improve it. We changed it

according to the feedback we got.

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P O D I U M

Podium is a unique social network with fashion at its

centre. It is a rendez-vous point for stylists and advice seekers

where both can mutually make better fashion decisions.

P O D I U M

It’s the people, who

make the fashion

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I am shy, and I don’t like to talk to strangers. But if

I wear something which can let you know what kind of a person I am, what I want in my life,

what I support and what I disagree, you may want

to know me better.- 49 -

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Podium gives you an opportunity to get instantaneous information about an inspiring garment. It uses iBeacon technology to connect to your inspiring stranger on the

go.

Users of Podium upload their Outfit Of The Day whenever they feel confident about their look and would like to get appreciation from others. If you like what the stranger next to you is wearing, go ahead and search for him on Podium. Locate him and dig deeper into the details of his apparels.Podium also acts as an ice-breaker helping you start a conversation, If both sides are open to it. By having an overview of the wearer’s’ wardrobe, you will have more knowledge of the person, helping you discover similar

tastes and style choices.

One of the great uses of Podium is the endless possibilities that it has as a social platform. Our research revealed that many people value the opinions of their loved ones. Podium could help you get ready for a party with your best friend. It could involve your friends in the decision-making process of choosing what to buy or what to wear for the event. Another opportunity would be the apparel exchange aspect, that we’ve explored, giving people the ability to share their garments, or borrow garments from

people nearby.

The possibilities Podium creates are vast - you could see your outfit history, you could post outfit of the day pictures, share them on other social networks, get likes/opinions. You could have games, contests and so on. We all know there are people who just love shopping. Even if they have no money to buy anything, they go through stores to see the latest trends, they create mood boards at home and roam through fashion magazines. Then there’s the people who’d surely like to look good, but are not sure how or maybe just don’t have the time to plan their outfits. Why not bring these people together for a win-win situation? Podium would create a totally new world of person-to-person marketing. Because people find inspiration in the world around them and from the people they are surrounded by. Podium allows retailers to market

their brand through their existing customers.

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DavidNikolaidis

Add friendFollow

23 followers 56 following 34 friends

message store (0) wardrobe

Hey!

I’m David, a 23-year-old software engineer. My reason for joining Podium is to find out more about fashion and how to dress to impress.

I’d like to find a stylist who could help me with some basic skills of what to wear to work, to parties or other occasions. I am not quite sure how to describe my style yet but I know I like rather specific colors and interesting cuts.

Still, for me, a garment always needs to be functional as well as stylish.

outfit historyOOTD

Add friends and follow the people who’s style you admire

Tell your story. Whether you’re a fashion-savvy design student or simply want to know a little more about how to dress, everyone finds their way with Podium.

C O N N E C T I O N

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Podium uses iBeacon technology to connect you to other Podium users in your area

It is your chance to be the walking advertisement for your favourite brands and to see what others are wearing

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Keep an overview of your daily outfits and analyse your style throughout seasons

View others outfits to get style inspiration, or connect with Podium stylists for personalised style advice.

Get instant information about what people around you are wearing, see each garment in detail or even purchase your favourites

Make people around you smile by showing appreciation

See your favourite apparel in detail

Get information on the brand, price, material, avaliability and much more

Discover how popular the garment is among other Podium users

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Shop for any item with ease. With lots of information available, you can make an informed decision

Get recommendations on how to pair the new purchases with the existing items on your wardrobe

Shop for your favourite items anytime, anywhere

Keep the clutter away from your closet by using Podium as a virtual marketplace. You can upload any item from your closet up for sale

Contact the stylists and seekers around you with ease using Podium’s message function

Combine outfits with ease or use messaging to set up an appointment in your favourite retail store

Soft Lara Embroidered Satin and Acrylic Box ClutchCrafted from lustrous black satin, Edie Parker's vintage-in-spired 'Soft Lara' clutch is intricately embroidered with a col-orful bird and flower motif. The petite box design has mar-bled acrylic ends - a brand signature - and a saffron satin lining with a handy designer-embossed mirror.

sel l add to outfit

PA I R I T W I T H :

Freedom For All cotton-piqué shirt

Lizard-effect loafers Cylinder silver-plated cuff

Cady straight-legpants

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The aim of the project was to identify future buying and selling trends in Fashion retail. We chose to find our way by looking at the social attribute of shopping. Consumer and market research was carried out in collaboration with our industry partner Baltika group. Analysis of our research, gave us interesting insight about the human behaviour in public surroundings. After thorough testing and developing our ideas, we deliver you, PODIUM. We believe Podium helps break the barrier of human awkwardness to interact with people around you, Creating an environment for new

connections and commerce.

C O N C L U S I O N

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