Thank you for having me

I love how retail just finds me sometimes. Last night wandering back to my hotel after a day of shows and showrooms in Paris, I stumbled across the launch party for exciting new lifestyle store Merci. And after writing about it for a piece on Philanthropic Retail for the LS:Nglobal trends website just last week I knew it was going to be good. But in reality it blew me away.

This vast cavernous home of lifestyle retailing is a lesson in exemplary merchandising techniques, curated by the founders of childrenswear brand Bonpoint, it caters to all your lifestyle whims - with a "thank-you" tone to the contributors who have taken part. From designers such as Stella McCartney, YSL, Paul Smith or Isabel Marant, Prairies de Paris and Barbara Bui to a well curated vintage offer, beautiful childrenswear section and "brocante" style furniture display units, this is truly a visionary store. The furniture alone is over a whole floor with layed out "living areas" - a mix of contemporary classics and vintage pieces, from Eindoven graduates to established craftsmen and well known designers. For example, 1950s school desks, designed by Arne Jacobsen and sourced in Finland, sit alongside an exquisite armchair designed by Paola Navone.

Throughout the three floors covering 1500 sq m, exclusive and ‘one-off’ products are juxtaposed with more mainstream lines, while in the main courtyard visitors can find both a florist and a cafe, and next door is the Used Book Cafe and library - where customers can buy second hand books donated by leading writers, literary critics and celebrities.

This carefully curated collection of interiors, childrenswear, haberdashery and fashion, florist and even a literary cafe is also an exercise in giving something back to society; the owners intend to donate all the profits from the store to charity. Merci to everyone involved is the mantra throughout the store.

And with a packed out opening launch night when the catering was in plentiful supply (just like the chic Parisians in attendance) this old wallpaper factory should be a new regular must-visit on the Paris retail scene.

Obviously I took lots of photos so take a look at one of the best new lifestyle stores around here:

Merci lifestyle store

Selfridges: Cubed Futurism

Trust Selfridges to be fastest off the blocks - literally.  To welcome the new season with open arms at the same time as kissing goodbye a record summer sale the UK department store launched its new autumn/winter designer collections earlier than ever last week with a brand new Cubism Futurism window and in-store VM display. 

One of their best yet this creative smacks with visual impressiveness at the same time as inspiring a colourful and graphic new season wardrobe wishlist among us all (think Balenciaga, Jil Sander, Prada, Matthew Williamson, Louise Goldin) . The theme is steeped in flourescence and stark contrasts between black and alternate primary colours with the design celebrating the futuristic looks seen across many of the designer collection in-store a spokesperson says. 

In their seasonal statement the retailer said the launch was two weeks ahead of schedule due to the "fastest selling season on record" - with some items already having to be re-ordered. 

Check out these windows for high visual impact and how they make the cubic trend work across graphic, VM and retro-futurism design appeal.

Such drama in the name of fashion: "Cubic Futurism is also an apology to the comeback theme of the Super Heroes (think Dr Who on acid, Heroes, Tron, Speed Racer, etc." And all this while the Rubik's Cube races get faster and faster on  You Tube. How fast can you go?

Topshop drip feeds Manhattan fans

Topshop's New York plans were unveiled earlier this summer with a Manhattan press launch to preview the range that will hit the brand new SoHo flagship on Broadway in October (check the Kate Moss hoarding for now). 

The four floor 40,000 sq ft store will be light and airy and full of all the UK collections to please the crowds who've been waiting for their favourite UK high street brand to open there for over a year.  Check out the futuristic coloured strip lights and neon mannequins in stylised groups for a shot of inspired VM - see store rendering image. 

New Yorkers will be able to choose from mainline Topshop and Topman collections such as Bandstand, Darkside, Sedition and Wonderland for girls and Block Head, Fall Out or Shambles for guys; as well as designer collaboratons (eg Preen, Christopher Kane) - watch out for New York Fashion Week link ups in the same way Topshop sponsors London Fashion Week hotties with the New Gen area. And don't forget the high-end in-house Unique line shown during LFW. 

Get ordering this must have from Wonderland girls! Kori Richardson hat £25, "Play Your Cards Right" dress £65, cardigan £35, belt £30, gloves £18, tights £6 (US$ still to be confirmed).

So with Topshop's US marketing activities kicking in over the summer at hip Brooklyn hotspot Williamsburg's McCarren Park pool events, and a slow drip feed of key pieces previewed in glossy mags and gossipy blogs - it won't be long before Topshop hits the Big Apple big time.

But we just have to ask will the coveted M250 VIP membership card be distributed among the NYFEDs - at 40% discount, and the US dollar prices that's practically giving it away! 

Fit for a Queen

Pre-pop-up retail is the latest trend in Tokyo, where Franqueensense launched last month with a live in-store preview to pique local media interest ahead of the new womenswear brand from United Arrows' August launch.

The new range is the first launch by new brand development subsidiary Perennial United Arrows, and by way of a two-week (end April) pop-up store on Keyaki-zaka Dori in Roppongi Hills previewing the range to Tokyo fashionistas, they were the first to see the collection on the runway. It was all antique and vintage looks with a contemporary handwriting at the hand of a former Burberry Blue Label creative director Yoshimi Yokomakura. The first real store opens in Aoyama for fall.

Focusing on the latest catwalk trends, Franqueensense offers an array of ‘precious but easy’ fashion apparel and accessories that should satisfy the needs of fashion-savvy, mature women so they say. “The name Franqueensense substitutes ‘queen’ for the ‘king’ lurking in frankincense, and the refined and sublime aromatic substance whose mysterious woody fragrance soothes the emotions and brings a sense of happiness to women,” says the Franqueensense PR spokesperson. “Franqueensense’s highly attractive line-up makes it so ‘easy’ to work ‘precious’ and 'high fashion fun' into your wardrobe.”

What's that? A sense of happiness about shopping? How Japanese. Surely this pre-pop-up activity is just a savvy way of giving fashion-hungry Japanese women a taste of something new and something happening soon. Pre-pop-up action is the new retail buzz just make sure it's live and catch it while you can.