What is fashion without point of view? What is style without personality? Business without innovation? In an industry as creative as fashion, the presence and balance of each of these plays an integral role in establishing meaning, evoking inspiration, and driving success.
In a recent article, we mentioned how it’s the “tribes of style bloggers, technologists, experimental marketers and unconventional designers that pave the way for creativity and are bringing forth a new reality.” Today, we highlight the innovative and refreshing approach of one brand, Luisa Via Roma, executed to perfection in the recent Firenze4Ever event.
The event: For three days, independent Italian retailer, Luisa Via Roma, closes its doors to the public and stocks its floors with the just-arrived Fall/Winter 2011 collections. Designers and fashion houses including Raoul and Lanvin send over their pieces early, hand-picked especially for the event. A select group of style bloggers are invited to Florence to meet one another, share stories and participate in the Style Lab, where they style a professional shoot consisting of three different looks.
The bloggers: Wooed by the temptation to experience F/W collections first hand, capture the creative musings sparked in their mind’s eye, pass time in a city as enchanting as Florence and interact with fellow colleagues in an intimate setting, 30 of the top bloggers accept the invitation. Included are Disney roller girl, Liberty London Girl, Facehunter, Fashionata, Bryanboy, Hypebeast, Nitroliscious, Style Cartel, Sandra’s Closet and many others.
Arrival Night: Aperitvo on the 3rd floor terrace of the store. Prosecco and antipasti are served. Bloggers meet, talk of travel dilemmas (it was virtually impossible for planes to land in Florence due to wind, so many people’s flights were redirected to Bologna or Pisa), and get to know one another. Details are discussed, plans made and Andrea Panconesi, the head of Luisa Via Roma, gives a welcome speech, talking about how the inspiration for the event for “virtual to become reality”. Excitement buzzes throughout.
Day #1 of the Style Lab:
Walking into the store on the first day of the Style Lab is like entering a dream world, alive with an enthusiasm that can only be generated by access to the world’s best fashion and those who appreciate it most. Bloggers become stylists and they flutter around the store, selectively choosing the pieces to complete their looks, amassing racks upon racks of picks. Models, in frenzy, try on merchandise and edits are made until three final looks are chosen by each blogger. Bloggers provide direction to makeup artists and hair stylists (Aveda was on site) and Google maps are pulled up to choose shoot locations. It’s Italy, so permits aren’t exactly necessary and Florence serves as the backdrop for the shoots. Bloggers descend upon this amazing city to actualize their visions with their photographers, models, and crew in tow. Tourists at the Duomo get to see shoots in action; guards at the Boboli Gardens swoon over the beautiful models. Much fun is had.
Styled: Navaz, Disneyrollergirl
Model: Seo
Photographer: Gianluca
Styled: Yvan, Facehunter
Model: Letizia Pemoni
Photographer: Yvan Rodic, Facehunter
Styled: Chiara Ferragni, The Blonde Salad
Model: Chiara Ferragni
Photographer: Sara Mautone
A Very Fashionable Technology is Debuted
Also that day, Luisa Via Roma debuts a new technology that helps those bloggers who may choose to participate in their affiliate program (a mutually beneficial project). The innovative technology allows for shoppable video that bloggers can embed to their sites, creating rich content for bloggers and potential revenue streams for both Luisa Via Roma and the bloggers themselves. Brilliant! (In a past article, Fashion’s Collective has covered some of the innovative ways Luisa Via Roma has used video to drive branding and commerce.) If you have Microsoft Silverlight, you can see a sample of this technology by clicking here. (If not it’s a 30 second download).
Panel Discussion on Blogging and Social Media
Fashion’s Collective Founder, Elizabeth Schofield, had the opportunity to sit on a panel with four others to discuss the intricacies, challenges and opportunities in social media and blogging at the aptly named, Casa della Creativita. Questions included, “How do bloggers make money?”, “How do you balance the need to get content up when you might not have content you feel the most confident about to post?” and “What is the future of blogging?”
On the panel were Navaz from Disneyrollergirl, Yvan from Facehunter, Sandra from Sandra’s Closet and Hilary from Lyst.
Dinner at La Specola
Bloggers settled into an intimate yet grand dinner at the museum. Seated at a sprawling table underneath soaring dinosaur skeletons, we were served amazing food as we listened to live opera performers between courses. It was magical.
Day #2 of the Style Lab
Once again, bloggers pick from the racks and style looks to be shot throughout Florence. RED Valentino offered their beautiful garden-themed pop-up store in Florence as an option to style bloggers before it was open to the public.
Photo credits: Sandra’s Closet, (one of our favorite style blogs!)
Mulberry Tea Party
Afternoon arrived and it was tea-time. Mulberry hosted a tea party where instead of tea, prosecco and cakes were served (the best kind of tea party!). Creative Director Emma Hill was in attendance commemorating the brand’s 40 year anniversary and book launch. Gigantic balloons floated around of the brand’s iconic bag and many a toast was made. Salute!
Closing Dinner Party
The last hurrah of Firenze4Ever closed with a dinner party that attracted a massive audience and was open to bloggers from around the world, not just those who participated in Firenze4Ever. Cocktails and dinner were served in the courtyard and we made our way upstairs into the gardens for a dance performance by Maggiodanza Dance Company. (Luisa Via Roma is known to support the arts, in fact they showcase some of their product through choreographed videos that live on the ecommerce website.)
As the event ends, Pitti Immagine begins just three days later and the city of Florence is transformed from a world of style bloggers with the city virtually to themselves into a world filled with global fashion brands and buyers, all vying for a restaurant reservation. Firenze4Ever is not just a great event to attend and participate in; it is a great example of one retailer’s innovative approach to marketing and supporting the industry. Bravo Luisa Via Roma, and thank you!
Photo Credits: Top image, Liberty London Girl, all others are courtesy of Luisa Via Roma
Copy Editor: Gina Conforti
