retail profile: refinery 29

For many, independent retail is a vacuous hole, right? Wrong. Kirsten Fleming has found a solution – Refinery 29.

Holding a gun to stylist Rachel Zoe’s head wouldn’t yield such superb shopping secrets as a quick visit to Refinery 29 – a virtual guide to the best independent shops in New York.

One part guide, two part fashion editorial with an indie twist, this cocktail of a website has created a tangible confederation of retail luminaries that bring something unique to the fickle New York consumer. Boutiques like Elizabeth Charles who introduced Australian designers to Gotham and downtown darling Mayle are featured prominently in their mock mall directory. Never before has a mall had this much cred.

“We noticed a real gap in the market. There was an overload of information, but none of them with any quality. The idea was to put together a consolidated resource of the best of the best stores,” says creative director, Philippe von Borries. “It’s like citysearch with a point of view,” he adds.

happy birthday refinery29
Approaching its year anniversary in June, the site, sired by veterans of mixed media genres, has brought a spotlight to those whispered boutiques, like Opening Ceremony and Butter in Brooklyn. In a town that has an overwhelming amount of publications for every demographic and penchant, the irony is that this resource is not only ‘not’ redundant but completely relevant and distinctive.

But it offers more than the best place to pick up a great pair of vintage boots. Daily features about trends in men’s and women’s fashion, attention given to must have items, and profiles on designers or shopkeepers – all offer a fresh and new movement in fashion. “One thing we do particularly well is tapping into emerging trends. We are ahead of the curve, but not too far.” says editorial director, Christene Barberich.

Their charmingly hokey Neighborhood Watch section has nominated shopkeepers giving the inside track on their hood – further perpetuating refinery’s virtual credo – fashion is a portal to all other recreational pursuits. “The independent lifestyle has gained momentum with the 21-45 year old savvy style consumer that translates in various areas of interests from fashion, art, and food.” says von Borries. “Fashion is at the center of it,” he adds.

promoting artisian fashion
Perhaps Refinery’s biggest and most discerning contribution is its ability to return sanity and sacredness back to the style scene of manic New York City. It has cultivated a grassroots-centric enclave of stylish denizens from every aspect of the industry who endlessly promote the artisan side of fashion. “Our Vision is about having a network of likeminded independent stores, stylists, and shoppers. At its heart, it’s a community,” says Barberich.

This approach has resonated with readers, and the folks at Refinery 29 are hoping to introduce an LA counterpart in July, which von Borries concedes was a great challenge to lay the groundwork. More ‘suburb on steroids’ than concrete jungle, LA’s lack of cohesiveness makes it an ideal audience for a Refinery 29.

Even more innovative, the site will push the idea of a virtual mall to new heights this summer. Readers can become shoppers with the ecommerce capability that is currently in development. They have commitments from five unnamed top retailers in LA and New York that will be a part of this unique feature. Within the blueprint, the site will offer exclusives merchandise created specifically for their e-store.

la forward
Von Borries believes the LA development is just part of the natural evolution of the site. “One of the ideas that we toyed with in the beginning was e-commerce. We went with editorial, but the tide kept pushing us in the original direction. Readers kept inquiring how to purchase the things we covered.”

With editorial content making up the bulk of the site, segueing into a merchant business with the subjects of their reporting might seem an attempt at shilling for their bedmates. In reality, Refinery29 is an elaborate tease for those who aren’t a short subway ride from Nolita or the West Village. Actually, their readership is heavy outside of New York. “We are intentionally keeping the commerce side separate from the editorial to maintain our integrity,” says von Borries.

They promote subtly cool and edgy designers and retailers who generally operate under the mainstream radar; many of whom don’t even have a website or ecommerce capability. “We are creating exclusive real estate in which these unique retailers will be represented in customized shops reflective of each store’s personalized aesthetic,” he adds.

Still there is talk of further expansion to more urban markets and expanding the coverage to a broader lifestyle focus. Momentum doesn’t show signs of slowing. While sniffing out an underserved niche, the sartorial sages from Refinery are riding this wave into uncharted territory with their unique prism as their compass.

Refinery29.com

Words Kirsten Fleming