London – Highsnobiety, the Zalando-owned media brand at the intersection of streetwear and luxury, is expanding its “Not In” city series to London for the first time from February 16th to 19th.
Running alongside London Fashion Week, this multidisciplinary program aims to showcase the best of the British capital through the lens of the streetwear authority founded by David Fisher in 2005.
The ‘Not in London’ experience, a series of pop-ups inside Selfridges’ flagship store on Oxford Street, will feature the latest collection from Highsnobiety’s in-house brand HS05, outerwear brand Barbour, Bagel and more from London. A product collaboration with the stable will be introduced. Bake on Brick Lane, trendy hangout spot Chiltern Firehouse, music platform and radio station NTS, bookstore and bar Reference Point, and items featuring Princess Diana’s iconic revenge dress moment. Knitworth, a knitwear label.
“Generally speaking, I think we’ve developed our own formula over the years in terms of who we partner with on these types of initiatives. Our audience frequents Beigel Bake. At the same time, They enjoy Chiltern Fire Station, choosing partners from different categories and combining up-and-coming partners with very established partners, all of which are important to our community,” said Fisher. said in an interview with WWD.
On the experiential side, Highsnobiety also has a series of programs for the London community that go beyond fashion.
Selfridges will host a panel discussion on creative businesses in partnership with website building provider Squarespace. A bird watching session organized by Flock Together will also be held on the roof of the department store.
“Selfridges is a long-standing partner of ours. We will be working with them in 2021, taking over their corner shop in January and announcing collaborations with Maison Margiela, Colette, Mon Amour and Sotheby’s. It felt very natural for us to work with Selfridges again on the retail part of our experience.
“It’s a bit of a takeover of a space in the store that is important to our audience. On the ground floor, we’re showcasing some of our ‘Not In London’ collections and some of our collaborations. We will also have several other spaces to showcase different parts of the project, including premium streetwear and high-end men’s areas on the first floor,” Fisher said.
Listening sessions will also be held at East London cafe BeauBeaus, founded by artist Oraol Sloane and his partner Talulah Christie, and will use a DIY sound system provided by Friendly Pressure. A rave party with sportswear brand Champion is being held at Shoreditch’s Village Underground.
Highsnobiety has partnered with Athens Club, a community that provides safe and welcoming opportunities for women to hike and explore trails in and around London, an all-female run around the capital. You can also.
“It is important to align these multifaceted activities with cultural moments.” [like London Fashion Week] “All over the world,” Fisher said, adding that London is one of Highsnobiety’s two largest viewership hubs after New York, and that the platform launched a similar experiential called “Noi York” last September. hosted the activation.
“Another thing that connects us so well with London is that we support up-and-coming talent, which is also one of the key pillars of highsnobiety. There are always new people coming into the role, and it feels very natural for them to come to London,” Fisher added.
The “Not In” series was launched in Paris as a virtual showcase of fashion, art and music content after physical shows were canceled and Paris Men’s Fashion Week became a digital event amid the 2020 global pandemic. was first introduced in. Subsequent editions of “Not In Paris” included physical activations and product collaborations with brands such as Thom Browne, APC, Kenneth Ize, and Rtfkt Studios.
“Our brand has always embodied the idea of breaking down barriers between different parts of the world and fusing street culture with luxury fashion. From birdwatching experiences to runs, raves and dinners at the Chiltern Fire Station. “I’m excited about everything we’re doing in London,” he added.
According to Zalando’s annual report, Zalando will acquire a majority stake of 86.83% in Highsnobiety in 2022 for 123.6 million euros, with an option to buy out the remaining shares over the next three years. Highsnobiety contributed €37.8 million to Zalando’s revenue, resulting in a net loss of €0.5 million in 2022.
Since then, as part of the deal, Highsnobiety has acted as a strategic and creative consultant to the German e-commerce giant, while also retaining its editorial independence, creative agency and e-commerce operations.
Fisher said the two have learned a lot from each other since then. A case in point is Zalando’s recently unveiled luxury boutique-style space for designer brands, where brand partners can “tell their story” and present collections, campaigns and collaborations in a “sophisticated and curated” space. I can make a presentation.
“They learned how to truly communicate with different types of audiences and how to build engaging content. Of course, we learn how to become better e-commerce retailers. is always happening in the background,” he added.
When asked if there was a possibility of a spin-off IPO like Neiman Marcus’ Mytheresa, given that building a standalone e-commerce business is a top priority for Highsnobiety, Fischer said Highsnobiety’s is happily owned by a publicly traded company, which gives us a sense of independence and allows us to make the right choices for our brand and business. It’s not about what you’re doing.”