Is The Historical Model of a Concept Store Still Relevant in the future, Despite the Rise of Technol

Is The Historical Model of a Concept Store Still Relevant in the future, Despite the Rise of Technology in Fashion Today?

IT’S A CONCEPT

Erin Louise Gribbon Fashion Futures

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Is The Historical Model of a Concept Store Still Relevant in the future, Despite the Rise of Technology in Fashion Today?

An Investigation into ‘High Street vs. Metaverse: are Generation Z and Alpha controlling the future of fashion on our high streets?’

The purpose of this essay is to research in depth, the author's future practice as a creative storyteller within the modern fashion landscape. Investigating the influence of Gen Z and A on the high street. The author chose to specialise within this aspect of the industry, due to the downfall of high street stores and the rise of technology influenced by younger generations, especially with the unambiguous contrast of the metaverse and the historical model of a concept store.

REPORT TOPICS COVERED in THIS

Abstract

Introduction

Who are Gen Z and A

Gen Z and A spending habbits

Similarities and differences

Emerging Concept stores

Is this solving ths issue?

The emergence of the metaverse Physical vs. Online

A sustainable model for the highstreet Moving forward to an Alpha future

Conclusion References

‘Concept is described as an abstract idea or a general notation that occurs in the mind, in speech, or in thought. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of thoughts and beliefs. They play an important role in all aspects of cognition.’ Goguen, Joseph (2005)

The concept store sells the idea of a lifestyle to a specific target audience, which varies from store to store depending on the story or lifestyle the designers want to portray. The concept consumer is a modern shopper; a crossbreed of the online shopper, a modern technological consumer, and a department store consumer, who still enjoys going to the high street and into the physical shop to immerse themselves in a clothing culture. With many high streets stores closing, it is allowing many brands (old brands to reinvent themselves and new emerging brands a chance to show something innovative) to recalculate their target market and recentre around younger generations and begin to aim marketing at them. Concept stores may be a new way forward for the new consumer emerging and may soon be the only way to survive in the modern fashion market.

This essay will investigate how influential gen z is to the modern fashion high street landscape and how communicators can begin to market them towards the emergence of the metaverse. From Mary Quant’s Bazaar on King’s Road, being one of the first concept stores to open in 1955 to concept pop-up stores popping up around the globe, this essay will briefly explore how well this model worked, why it worked and help underpin if the concept store method is still sustainable for the high street and if so, how will it keep up with the technological demands of the current generation and the emergence of the metaverse. The metaverse shows an important evolution of fashion communication and the progression of the concept store. This development will need to be carried forward as new consumers emerge such as Alpha Gen, into the market, making it ever more important that concept stores find new ways to tell their story.

Gen Z has led the way in creating and interpreting contemporary trends because of being exposed to the internet and social media from an early age. This has led to a hypercognitive generation, who are confident with collecting and cross-referencing multiple sources of information at once and with integrating virtual and offline experiences. Coming through a pandemic that saw global connectivity soar, it caused the fashion industry to accelerate forward in terms of how we combine technology with clothing, putting Gen Z in a greater position of power when it comes to creating and interpreting trends within the industry. Through surveys taken it has been revealed that the main characteristic of Gen z is the generation's search for the truth. They value individuality and self-expression. Gen Z commented that

I need to be free; I need to be myself, increasingly be myself, every day. With the internet, I feel much more free.

—Female respondent, 22, City of São Paulo. Francis, T and Hoefel, F. (2018)

I really like things that are unisex! I think it's absurd that stores and brands split everything into "male" and "female." After all, fabric is genderless.

—Female respondent, 22, Goiânia. Francis, T and Hoefel, F. (2018)

These comments support the fact that Gen z values self-identification: combined with their ability to create and interpret contemporary trends means that brands will have to adapt rapidly to compete with the new values or face becoming viewed as outdated by their new consumer or even worse 'cancelled' in today's current culture, with 23% of Gen Z admitting that they have boycotted a brand.

Another impact Gen Z has had to cope with is that they have grown up and live in a world that does not feel safe to them. Overexposed to the world on social media, they are not sheltered from the truth of the harsh realities of the world that they are having to face as they not only grow up but discover themselves. From international Terrorism to the fiscal crisis, living this way has become a norm for most of Gen Z. This factor has undauntedly influenced the way Gen Z used technology to provide them with a safe space in which they could live.

Alpha Generation is the next generation after Gen Z, and brands and companies should start to accommodate this generation in their forecasts for their future branding strategies. Despite being born in the early 2010s, has been immersed in technology since birth, even more than Gen Z. By 2025 Alpha will be the largest generation to have been born in the world's history, meaning that if brands are not starting to forward forecast them into their demographic, we could see some of the most successful brands today disappear, for example, brands such as M&S and TK Max. Since Alpha are still in its early years, communicators have had to trend forecast key characteristics with the main three beings, inclusivity, climate change, and technology. With all three characteristics, alpha gen will be looking at their favorite brands to help them make a change in the world and connect with them on a technological level. All alpha characteristics can be seen in Gen Z today, with Generation Z in the form of protests and activists, however, with the rise of technology and the metaverse, the Alpha generation is forecast to be the generation that starts a revolution and finds sustainable solutions to solve world problems. Having already blurred the boundaries between physical and digital, the historic idea of a concept store will still appeal to this generation greatly. With most stores offering solutions to customers in terms of ordering online and allowing the customer to virtually try items on, stores are already advancing towards their next Alpha Gen target market and as more stores and brands emerge in to the Metaverse and gaming platforms, they are already influencing what the Alpha Generation want to buy.

Opinion regarding retail vs online shopping ... For it to feel worthwhile going into a physical shop there has to be an additional benefit to it rather than ordering online. For example, buying makeup it could be getting skin matched or personal shopping (having the luxury of someone selecting clothes for you.)

Trudging round the shops doesnt really appeal. Unless it’s unique shops that i dont really go in such as a day in a city shopping - visiting luxury designer stores ect ... - Ella Batey, Gen Z

Any other opinions about the future of retail/ metaverse ?

Gen Z will dominate the retail market by 2026 meaning retailers and brands will need to begin to start establishing relationships with Gen Z now. As they begin to enter the world of work their purchasing power will grow stronger and with a bigger demand for better quality items and consciousness about how they spend the money brands will need to try even harder to gain Gen Z's loyalty. Having grown up in a digital era, the tech-savvy Gen Z have ambitious standards for how they spend their time online. Retailers, after ignoring the digital revolution, have spent the last decade trying to catch up and many retailers suffered at the beginning of the pandemic with big brands like Topshop and Debenhams closing, due to failure of keeping up with the new target markets (Gen Z's) needs. So, it is critical for them to get ahead of Gen Z's tendency to be always online, and make sure to meet this generation's digital expectations. They believe that the generations before them represented overconsumption, capitalism, and materialism, which is why it is even more important for brands to be transparent with their consumers about sustainability and their ethics. Social media provides Generation Z with inspiration, products to research, and a way to connect with brands. Influencers account for a large part of the purchasing decision, make sure that your e-commerce is going from traditional digital marketing to influencer marketing. Taking on the purchasing power from Gen Z, Alpha Gen will continue to maintain the desire to buy high-quality and sustainable items but will also want to buy digital clothing. With the current rise of the metaverse, Alpha gen will be investing in not only how they physically look but how they look online as well.

Gen Z and Alpha share similar characteristics such as brand loyalty, brand transparency, and a greater appreciation for brands' online presence. Where Alpha gen differentiates from Gen Z is the importance of their online presence in the metaverse. Technology is seamlessly integrated into Alpha Gen's lives meaning that who they are online will become just as important as who they are in real life. With gaming

The Metaverse is much more than Just fashion. I believe that meta-physical fashion will just be a trend, however the metaverse will be the future in terms of communication and connectivity with others. - Eleanor O’Brian, Gen z

Any other opinions about the future of retail/ metaverse ?

platforms becoming social interactive spaces that allow users to be as creative and as individual as they like Alpha gen will be looking at their favorite brands to join them on these platforms. With the likes of Nike and Gucci already joining these platforms it sends the message to smaller brands that this is the way forward in today's modern fashion landscape. Gen Z now is looking for brands to help them support issues that matter to them such as BLM and the Climate crisis. Gen Z also gravitates toward brands that stand out from the crowd and embrace their uniqueness, this correlates with their need for individuality and acceptance. Both Generations find it integral that brands adapt to current issues the world is facing and keep up to date with the latest trends. As mentioned previously, Gen Z has led the way in creating and interpreting contemporary trends and from the findings Alpha Gen is expected to continue the trendsetting. This is a cultural shift from brands often setting the trends to the consumer. With social platforms like TikTok celebrating individuality and creativity, both generations now must accept to choose what they like and do not like: social media is where we often see trends emerging from and where we are likely to see them do so for a long time. This cultural shift from the physical catwalk to online leads the way for Alpha Gen to create their own lives in the metaverse and transfer trends into digital fashion.

With these contributing factors will this see the ultimate fall of the high street or are brands beginning to create new spaces to fill old-fashioned store spaces? How are brands going to combine the best of both worlds to accommodate changing demographics? With Boomers, Gen X, and millennials still to accommodate how are brands going to find a solution? Brands with high street stores will need to start strategising on how they can accommodate the needs of their current consumers as well as forecasting what future Gen Z and Alpha will be looking for in a brand and how they will incorporate that into their stores. Brands are already buying dilapidated old store spaces and transforming them in to an immersive interactive space, which all demographics of their consumers can enjoy and with the advancement of the metaverse brands pop up shops are already becoming a must-see place to especially with the likes of social media spreading awareness of the potential pop-up shops opening.

Brands such as Footlocker, Nike, eBay, and Dover Street Market are already ahead of the competition. Converting their stores into interactive spaces where customers immerse themselves in the brand. This is not a new idea though. The Concept store began in 1955 when Mary Quant's Bazaar opened on King's Road. She created an environment surrounded by fashion, music, and drinks, creating a safe space for the upcoming generation to express individuality.

Mary Quant described her shop as "a bohemian world of painters, photographers, architects, writers, social figures, actors, … ". (Gondoux, 2021)

Stores like this aided the rise of popular culture, where young people had a quiet revolution against older generational norms. In the 1960s Mary Quant and designers like Biba were major influences on youth culture, inventing the concept store of their time. Unlike department stores, the smaller concept store offered more individuality and freedom. It was only when Biba store grew into a department store did it failed and became bankrupt. Will this 1950s store model help transform the high street and help brands accommodate their new target consumer?

Concept stores are an improved version of a traditional local stores. Providing a unique experience based on your values, interests, and affinities, they help beautify the urban landscape through innovation and digitalization: with the closure of big names on the high street, concept stores are the ones that are surviving. Looking historically, the 1950s the concept store model was revolutionary for its time and proved a success in pioneering the London fashion landscape in terms of allowing younger generations a haven, in which they can express themselves and explore the ever-changing landscape of fashion. Reflecting this concept on Gen Z, who have grown up and lived in a world that does not feel safe to them often overexposed to the world on social media, the concept store could provide an escape from the real world, much as it did for the baby boomers in the 1950s. This is the main reason concept stores are surviving. The model high street store held a rigid structure of maintaining fast fashion and creating the next best trend, whereas concept stores offer a slowed-down experience and allow consumers to experience a lifestyle and choose their own trends to follow. The concept store has allowed to customers over the years to enjoy the physical human connection of shopping and has avoided falling in to the traps that department stores and fast fashion have fallen into.

One clear aspect to point out is the difference between a department store and a concept store. Many Department stores over the recent years due to covid-19 have fallen into recession and suffered a great loss of customer footfall. England has lost 83 per cent of its main department stores over the past five years (Haine, 2021) including the likes of BHS, Bins, Debenhams, and Biba. Department stores are often big and intimidating and can take the customer a while to find what they are looking for. Since they do not offer an immersive experience like a concept store, the department store has easily been overtaken by online fashion retailers due to convenience and the speed at which the customer can receive their item without leaving their home.

Concept stores are also a past version of brands creating an immersive shopping experience for consumers and as high street stores begin to come outdated and less practical due to the rapid increase and the rise in online fast fashion platforms, such as Pretty Little Thing and Boohoo, the historical concept store is the perfect bridge from a high street store to the metaverse for all consumers. The physical demands from a high street store are still met while brands can also include the more technologically advanced generations such as Z and Alpha. The historical concept store model combined with technology also includes the key reason as to why online fast fashion platforms have soared over the past 5 years: Speed and convenience. With click-andcollect and home delivery in stores. The immersive culture of a modern technologically advanced concept store will see empty high streets full of consumers again.

"Dame Anna Wintour said the industry will need to "slow down" so that people can "enjoy it much more" without always looking for the next new thing. It is going to accelerate the fashion industry's engagement with digital technology. " ("Coronavirus: Why the fashion industry faces an 'existential crisis'") "

As previously mentioned, the concept store is designed to slow down the process of buying and immerse the consumer in an environment carefully curated with a unique selection of products and experiences that connect to an overarching theme. Selling a lifestyle to a consumer means that the brand will have to maintain and keep up to date with the current generation. Retail stores are now facing the circumstance of adapting their store environments to involve a blend of a physical and digital environment. The metaverse is going to change how we buy our retail products. Clothing brands such as Adidas and Gucci are already preparing their presence in the digital sphere. Metaverse technology could boost physical sales, rather than reduce them, but bridging the physical and digital worlds while creating seamless customer experiences will be crucial. For physical retailers to succeed, they must innovate and offer their customers the best of digital and physical, as well as the ability to move easily between the two. After the Covid-19 pandemic, the fashion industry accelerated towards a new reality of digital consumer consumption, however, it also enhanced the need for physical interaction and a sense of community, something which a concept store can provide consumers. During the upcoming years, it will be vital for stores to adapt to the concept store model and begin to integrate the metaverse into the consumers' shopping experience.

Increasingly, digitalisation is opening new revenue streams for brands. Rather than focusing on the ones that already exist, it is creating a myriad of new avenues to connect with customers and boost sales. Customers can enter the store, not only to explore physically but digitally. Combating both sustainability Physical retailers

can tailor recommendations to individuals or display product information on-screen after customers show an interest, simply by picking something up from the shelf. Beauty products and clothes can be tried on virtually, or picked out in advance, like Chanel's collaboration with FarFetch, where shoppers use an app to select items and schedule an appointment to try them on. Experiences in stores like this only encourage Gen Z and Alpha to keep coming in, along with their need for transparency and authenticity, Gen z and Alpha still desire the physicality of the concept store on the high street. With the expansion of the metaverse, stores no longer rely solely on physical footfall to determine their success. Putting the customer at the centre of sensory and emotional experiences that deliver what they want is the future of retail: physical and digital zones working together.

However, there are risks when digitalising stores and bringing the high street in to the metaverse. The greatest risk is the speed at which we introduce the metaverse to high street and concept stores. The faster brands introduce technology they increase the risk of losing out on an older generation of consumers, such as the Boomers. Having not grown up with technology they are going to be more averse to the rise of technology in stores and are more likely to turn towards brands that hold a more ridged historical structure of high street department store

The most interested age groups in metaverse activities were Generation Z (and millennials) according to a global survey conducted in 2022. Socializing with friends and playing games were identified as the most popular experiences, while 40% of Gen Z participants indicated that they would be interested in attending a virtual concert of one of their favorite musicians. While Gen Z still likes to shop in-store as well, a Squarespace survey revealed that most 60% believe that how you present yourself online carries more weight than how you present yourself in person. In fact, 60% of Gen Z believe that it is easier for them to remember the colour of a website than it is to recall the colour of a person's eyes. This means that it is key that stores ensure they have a welldesigned brand and a sustainable transparent online presence. Over three-quarters of global consumers rely on technology throughout their daily lives and with the emergence of the metaverse, Generation Z and Alpha are gaining hyper-personalised experiences whilst online since they are constantly exposed to technology every day, the effect of brands beginning to advertise through the metaverse will become detrimental to their overall business sales and how their consumers begin to relate to the brand. As a communicator, it is vital that brands maintain transparency whilst in the metaverse and because of this, will attract Generation Z and Alpha towards the brand this then builds trust and allows the brand to have a greater influence over what Generation z and Alpha want to buy.

For Brands to survive on the modern high street it is clear that they will have to keep up with the technological demands of the next generation. However, to reach a wider target market, they will have to do it at a speed, in which older generations can keep up with until they are phased out and we will begin to see high street stores transformed into technologically immersive environments more in line with the metaverse. During this change, it is important to reflect on the historical model of the concept store and learn that for a brand to survive on the high street it must think outside of the 'norms' that were once expected from retail. Consumers from all generations want an experience when they now go shopping on the high street: this is something they cannot get online currently and is why retail will always have an edge over online fashion brands. They cannot offer them that physical experience. Eventually, with technological advancements in to the metaverse, you will soon be able to be transported to your brand's store and be able to shop virtually in their store, however, due to the nature of Alpha Gen and Generation Z, there will always be the need for a human connection, concluding that the historical model of a concept store still is and will be relevant in the future, despite the rise of technology in fashion today.

Please find in the following pages a survey, which I conducted to support my research in to Gen Z and Alphas feelings and knowledge surrounding the metaverse and their own personal shopping experiences.

Refrences

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By Cate Trotter. (2016, July 28). What is a concept store? - Insider Trends. Insider Trends. https://www. insider-trends.com/what-is-a-concept-store/ Clark, T. (2022, November 25). Is the retail sector struggling or thriving in 2022? Retail Focus - Retail Design. https://retail-focus.co.uk/is-the-retail-sector-struggling-or-thriving-in-2022/

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Gen Z and Gen Alpha Infographic Update - McCrindle. (2015, February 2). Mccrindle.com.au. https:// mccrindle.com.au/article/topic/generation-z/gen-z-and-gen-alpha-infographic-update/

Goguen, Joseph (2005). "What is a Concept?". Conceptual Structures: Common Semantics for Sharing Knowledge. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Vol. 3596. pp. 52–77.

Chapter 1 of Laurence and Margolis' book called Concepts: Core Readings.

Gondoux. (2021, January 21). What is a concept store? Karmadiva. https://www.karmadiva.co.uk/blogs/ news/what-is-a-concept-store

Haine, A. (2021, August 27). British high streets lose 83% of department stores in five years. The National. https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2021/08/27/british-high-streets-lose-83-ofdepartment-stores-in-five-years/

Iberdrola. (n.d.). Generation Alpha will lead a 100% digital world. Iberdrola. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www.iberdrola.com/talent/alpha-generation

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Image Reference

Dazed. (2022). THE FUTURE OF: OUR WORLD INSIGHTS FROM 2031; A FUTURE WORLD REPORT. In Dazed (pp. 2–128). Dazed. https://dazed.studio/media/kysdzf3w/dazedmedia_2031afutureworld_thereport.pdf Figures: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9

All other images I own the rights to