Four years ago Vasquiat broke into the world of fashion in Spain. The luxury fashion online platform devised by Blanca Miró and Rafa Blanc in 2018, which contributed to a more varied landscape in our wardrobes, Now he moves his universe from the digital world… to the physical one.
Vasquiat Room is the name of its first store –more than a store, a concept store and a vast itinerant catalog of emerging designers–, which opened its doors on December 3 in Barcelona, specifically in the street Provenza number 243, between Rambla Catalunya and Paseo de Gracia.
The store is designed to amplify the online experience of its customers and transfer it to the offline world, becoming a meeting point for designers, fashion personalities and customers. Miró and Blanc's strategy continues to be the commitment to the virtual channel, but with this new step they aspire to greater entity to the brand, create content and experience for the consumer.
Emerging firms, unique garments… Shall we go shopping?
“The customer will be able to see, touch and try on the garments before you buy them. In addition, as in our marketplace, collections will be offered with advance sale and discount…”, explains Rafa Blanc, CEO and founding partner of Vasquiat Room, to Condé Nast Traveler.
Why have they launched to create this first physical store? “We wanted to touch the product”, answers a forceful Rafa. “Being a marketplace, most shipments are made directly from the brand's warehouse. Having a physical space allows us to better understand what we sell, create experiences for our local community of clients, ambassadors, press… In addition, it is an additional service that our brands value a lot”.
Blanca Miró and Rafa Blanc.
So far, the response from the public has been very positive, as Rafa explains: “We have started strong. There is a lot of enthusiasm among those who knew us. And those who discover us now always repeat the same phrase: 'A store like this was needed in Barcelona'. Many clients come back every few days to see what's new. On the other hand, we have sold a lot to tourists during Christmas, so we hope to boost sales when tourism recovers."
For them, both clienteles they target – the local public and the tourist They are different but just as important. At the moment we are focused on women. The largest group is 25 to 45 years old, those who spend the most are over 50 and those under 25 usually come with their parents”, highlights Rafa.
THE FASHION CIRCUIT
The store, a space of 60 square meters, It has a bar that runs around the entire perimeter, acting as a rail. A) Yes, the garments enter, go through the bar for a few days and physically leave at the end of the tour. It has been estimated that, during the first eight weeks, 50 of the more than 200 brands that they have in their catalog.
Facade of Vasquiat Room.
The idea is to transfer the discovery experience, one of the strengths of the brand in the online channel, to the physical store, each week offering a rotation of new garments, accessories and decoration products.
“The pandemic accelerated the main trends of our industry. Of course, he fired online shopping. But it also made people, to stop suddenly and before the abyss of a crisis of such magnitude, was more aware than ever and I would like to consume more responsibly”, says Rafa.
“Pre-order has also been consolidated as a more sustainable alternative, a sales method in which we have been pioneers. And the market will continue to transform, there is still a lot left,” she adds.
The catalog of firms is changing and renewing itself.
Any favorite part of the space? Blanca is clear: “The fitting room is great. It is a large wooden box, covered with red cloth inside, planted in the middle of the store. Initially it went where the bathroom is now, but it was too small and we wanted it to be the bomb. We have had a very young team to decorate the store".
For conceptualization and design, They have worked together with Cris Moya from the This is Odd studio, Andrea Navarro (from CGA) and Christian Herrera. Güell Lamadrid, Jòdul, and Cotlin have been local providers, making the local and sustainable aspect an essential part of the project.
"Cris Moya, partner of our communication agency This is Odd, was just launching Odd Spaces and We proposed him to lead the project together with Andrea Navarro, from GCA. Christian Herrera has designed the elements of the space and the fabrics are by Güell Lamadrid”.
Vasquiat Room, Barcelona.
SUSTAINABILITY AND CREATIVITY
One of Vasquiat's strengths is that it allows its clients order future collections of luxury fashion designers at discounted prices. It is about reversing the price cycle of the fashion industry by offering discounted products before they are available in season (up to 40%).
As the collections get closer to official launch time, the discount decreases until it returns to the full retail price. Thus, excess stock is reduced, boosting production on demand and, at the same time, exclusive access to the latest trends is offered.
What criteria do you follow to make the selection of garments? "We send a balanced mix of novelty and best-selling collections on-line, trying to ensure that the main product families are represented: clothing (the largest), bags, footwear, jewelry and home)".
"Later, what works is replenished once or twice and what doesn't is removed from the store every week. Every week there are new collections and the idea is that the space changes completely every two months”, answers Blanca, who explains that for the new space they were not inspired by another store in the world, but quite the opposite. "During the creative process, which was very fast, we try to discard the elements that could remind other stores”.
Interior of the Vasquiat Room.
“We try to generate unique opportunities for see, touch, try on and buy very special designer collections. That's why in the time that Vasquiat Room has been open, fashion lovers from all over have come to see us: many designers, stylists, photographers, models, influencer, musicians, journalists... and clients of all kinds (and their partners when they want to give them gifts) ”, she concludes.
We want to know if they plan some kind of event or programming and who they would like to talk to: "At the moment we are organizing as we go along," admits Blanca and explains that they are preparing a month-long pop-up with the best brands of Copenhagen Fashion Week, which they hope open in mid-February.
A dream trip for 2022? "Everything and nothing at the same time - answers this pro traveler with no concrete plans in sight - because, as things stand, it is better not to plan long-term, but to improvise at the last moment. It is always a dream to travel, wherever it is”. Amen.