6/28 - Coal Drops Yard

*Note: This begins a series of reflections for Term 3. Term 2 reflections ended with the previous post, and all future reflections will be used to encapsulate my journey and thoughts during Term 3 at Conde Nast College of Fashion & Design.

6/28 - Coal Drops Yard

Driscoff's What Model:

1)What: outlining the experience and what you are reflecting on.

2) So what: reflecting on the experience, and what you have learned as a result.

3) Now what: how you will use what you have learned in the future, and future practices.

1)What?

This week we visited Coal Drops Yard with our lecturer Ruth Marshall-Johnson.

Coal Drops Yard is a fairly new shopping complex in the King's Cross development scheme in London. It was designed by Thomas Heatherwick, and openened in 2018. It is featured as a shopping and foodie location with several restaurants, bars, and cafes open to the public. Retailers featured at the yards include: A.P.C., Aseop, American Vintage, COS, Folk, FaceGym, Hato, and more.

When we arrived at Coal Drops Yard, it was a fairly empty morning with several shops open with not many visitors. I was wondering if perhaps it was because it's a fairly new space with different niche boutiques, and social distancing going on.

Along with my classmate, I visited Tom Dixon's designer studio and was given a short tour of his wonderful works such as the chairs he created for the Royal College of London, or his eco-friendly table made entirely out of cork screws. Each piece was modern, tasteful, and spoke of his touch through the usage of color and visual elements.

Along with the design studio, roaming around we found several boutiques that held several colorful clothing all reasonably priced and of obvious higher quality than fast fashion brands. Each piece was individual, and not repeatable throughout the store. This made shopping feel much more tailored to the individual, as each store we visited held clothing that seemed to be focused on individual likeness to the wearer.

Upstairs, there was a space that featured Central Saint Martins' students designs of scrubs that they created for NHS during the pandemic. It was really inspiring and heart warming to see fashion that had been used not just for conversation or aesthetics, but for a very practical reason.

Finally, we ended our visit by looking through a thrift shop that had used a retail space in an innovative yet clean and aesthetic way. Several digital screens in the shop explained the usage of the revenue that would go into helping the homeless in central London.

2) So What?

I was honestly very pleasantly pleased by the overall spaces and shops in this location. I thought that it was very forward thinking where it started conversations about design and clothing ahead of fast fashion or current shops. It felt like the shop had thought in advance of the leading trends in fashion, as well as the need for authenticity and intention behind wearing and consuming products.

I felt that because of its' modern take on fashion and thinking ahead, it would be a bit more difficult for people not as integrated into fashion to truly appreciate the stores in this location. It didn't feel as familiar, and that

balance of the innovative along with the

familiar that leads the shopper to feel welcome and able to spend, may have been a bit more compromised into the creative space in this location. However, I felt that throughout this space the purpose was not to encourage consumers to shop, and overconsume (as many shopping spaces tend to market) but for shoppers to appreciate individual artists and their work. It also felt like a space for shoppers to take in different art and appreciate authentic forms of expression in different unique products such as furniture or apparel.

As a fashion student, I learned about design space, about the intention of independent shops, and the unique experience in which a space like Coal Drops Yard would make me as a consumer feel amongst different types of retailers.

3) Now what?

To sum up my learnings during my visit, and reflections afterwards, here are my conclusions:

1. Forward thinking can lead to innovative concepts, solutions, and conversations. However, it may be slower uptake on different target groups risking low revenue and exposure. Intention may be clear, but if it is not understandable by consumers, it may be harder to implement long term.

2. Different target audiences appreciate different things, but bringing ideas can lead to inspire groups that have otherwise not been exposed to the niche. This means that while targeting a specific niche group, you may be able to reach a different group unintentionally and should be mindful of how that group may also interpret your work.

3. Appreciation of authenticity. Fast-fashion is frowned upon, and individual work and low consumption is rising. Different modern spaces are growing to fit this narrative, and Coal Drops Yard reminds us of the production of taking on this authentic approach in fashion and retail spaces.

4. To be innovative, is to take risks.

Moving forward in my research for my master's project, I will be thinking mostly about my second realisation/point. While intending to hit a target audience, I may be presented or interpreted by a different niche group in a different way. It is important to look at my project from different perspectives, not just my own, and be sure that even if interpreted differently, that it is able to reach a conversation space that I desire.