TREND : Free information & Stylist magazine

It’s new, it’s free, and it’s really really good.  Stylist is a quality women’s weekly which comes out every Wednesday and can be found at tube stations around London as well as in other locations around the country.  It’s not about the daily news, more about everything else us women might be interested in – put across with upbeat and interesting editorial, stylish art direction and great fashion and beauty content.  There’s no obvious celeb factor but even so, publications like Grazia must be shaking in their knee-high boots. 

It’s interesting to see how much free stuff there is now for consumers.  Even the Evening Standard announced it would become free –  and that carries a glossy magazine on a friday too.  

PRODUCT WATCH : LA : Beverages

What’s happening in LA? : Beverages @ Wholefoods / grocery stores

1. Ayala’s Herbal Water The herbs in this beverage serve as flavouring rather than a health benefit which is a shame.  

2. Quinoa Gold Quinoa is only just starting to be recognized as a healthy food in the UK – although I’m not sure if many Brits could tell you exactly what it is and how you cook with it.  I’m only familiar with this grain as a baking / salad ingredient so I was interested to see it being used in a beverage (the new rice milk?). Claims to be the only beverage made with Quinoa.  The grain is high protein, antioxidant and contains “all 9 essential amino acids for life”.

3. Grainiassance Amazake Rice Shake Rice drinks go more decadent and almost meal replacements with tempting flavours such as Cool Cocunut with Almonds, Vanilla Gorilla and Tiger Chai. Made from organic whole grain brown rice. 

4. GT Kombucha & Synergy Teas made from a superfood kind of fungus.  Contain probiotics (as well as a host of other healthful ingredients).  Liked the packaging.

5. FloraVita 2000 An infusion of fruits and berries with flower of the black elder tree.  Claims to have anti-viral properties. 

6. Goodbelly Probiotic Fruit Drinks Dairy-free probiotic drinks with added multivitamin – carton sized as well as grab and go-s.  Nice identity. 

7. So Delicious Coconut Milk Move over soy – there’s a new product in the milk aisle! Loving the idea of coconut milk as a milk substitute…I wonder if it’s too sickly to make a latte out of? I also saw ice cream and yoghurt made out of coconut milk (Turtle Mountain range and Larry and Luna’s Organic Coconut Bliss)

8. Neuro Drinks A range of functional drinks with an eye catching if not slightly showergel kind of bottle design.  There are 7 different variants each with their own benefit – these range from weightloss and hydration to mental alertness and improved libido.  The Neuro Bliss variant which “promotes relaxation and improves mood” contains one of my all time favourite and under used supplements, Rhodiola Rosea.

Trends for the UK?

Of the trends and concepts above I think probiotic drinks and functional drinks (especially for cognitive enhancement) will go mainstream here.  I’m also thinking that the terms ‘anti-viral’ / anti-bacterial’ may become more commonly used (desired) when describing health benefits.

Ayala's Herbal Water, Quinoa Gold, Amazake Rice Shake, GT Kombucha

GT Synergy, Floravita2000, Goodbelly Probiotic Fruit Drink, So Delicious Coconut Milk, Neuro Sport

PRODUCT WATCH : LA : Crisps /snacking

What’s happening in LA? : Crisps/ snacks @ Wholefoods

1. Falafel chips – made with chickpeas, an apparently healthy crisp which is high in protein and Middle Eastern flavour. 

2. Hippie Chips with hemp (seed)- another healthy crisp option which claims to have 50% less fat than regular crisps.  I love the fun hippy name – very en vogue – but it’s a shame that they don’t offer some kind of omega benefit which hemp is known for. 

3. Glenny’s Soy Crisps – think these have been around for a while…low fat (s0me as low as 1g of fat per bag) and healthier than ‘regular’ crisps.

4. Dried Mulberries- look a bit like anaemic raspberries, apparently high in antioxidants including the resveratrol.

5. Terramazon Sachi Inchi - seeds from the fruit of a herbaceous vine native to the Amazon rainforest.  Rich in omega 3,6 and 9. 

6. Terramazon Yacon slices - melon tasting semi dried slices taken from the root of the Yacon plant.  Amongst other benefits these are prebiotic.

Falafel Chips, Hippie Chips with hemp, Glenny’s Soy Crisps, Terramazon Yacon slices

Fro-yo

Frozen yoghurt is big business in the US – particularly in SoCal where a mild weather lifestyle meets a health conscious consumer.  Despite issues with market saturation and the economic downturn, fro-yo still remains popular and it is slowly growing a fanbase in the UK with a number of joints popping up over London and the South East.  Frozen yoghurt is the ultimate healthy snack being (generally) fat-free, delicious and tastes kind of like ice cream.  Due to its frozen nature, it also takes a while to eat – so you get to indulge for longer and eat less calories than you would with a stack of biscuits or a chocolate bar.

Trends in the UK?

Whether we see soy or hemp crisps on our shelves or not, it’s certain that more innovative, healthier snack options will be available to the consumer soon. For example, take Pret founder Julian Metcalfe’s Skinny popcorn – at approx 3g of fat a bag, it’s a far better choice nutritionally than a packet of crisps – it tastes yummy too.  And with fro-yo – cute, small independent operations are opening up all over London – but might this extend to the big boys too? Sushi chain Itsu (another Julian Metcalfe venture) offers this healthy treat so could we see coffee chains or even McDonalds following suit?

STRATEGY : My Comments to Starbucks Customer Service

A little while ago I spoke to a charming and very efficient customer services representative at Starbucks about an issue I had with their loyalty card.

Although that issue was resolved seamlessly, I also felt the need to suggest the following :

1 : Offer auto top-up on company loyalty card : it’s a faff topping up a loyalty card as the process involves 2 card transactions – particularly off-putting at peak times (when you are most likely to be in there). Plus, why add something else to do to someone’s ever increasing list of things to do? I generally don’t bother to top up and instead pay with money or a debit card (1 transaction).  Also, when it comes to my caffeine habit I like to follow an ignorance is bliss strategy - I’d rather not know how much I’m spending on external coffees when I should be making them all at home.  By having to constantly top up myself I am only too aware of this expense. 

2 : Offer organic milk : Starbucks is really behind its competitors with this one.  The company focus on Fair Trade which is great, but I’m equally concerned with organic when it comes to milk – I want milk from cows who have a better diet and have grazed on grass. I’m sure I’m not alone on this one.

VISUAL MERCHANDISING : Aesthetically Pleasing Food Offer @ Starbucks

I admit to being quite partial to my daily latte from Starbucks, but never have I been tempted by their food offer – cheap and nasty looking pastries in a soulless and uninspiring counter display.  How many people have I seen grab their morning coffee from Starbucks only to choose their breakfast treat from the Paul’s nearby (where the displays are beautiful and product authentic). 

But now Starbucks have done a re-haul with their food.  The Live Well range is a healthier and more wholesome affair with new products and better ingredients…but what’s interesting is how appealing and stylish it looks thanks to a chic but really simple black design theme – which includes the pack, marketing material and cleverly, the black ‘boards’ which the products sit on.  It’s so effective that I catch myself staring at the food and contemplating a purchase.  On the occasions that I’ve visited, the counters have been pretty empty so I’m wondering if I’m not alone with these thoughts!

EYE : Best of Top Drawer

I had a whizz around Top Drawer at the weekend and these suppliers caught my eye :

Cable and Cotton lights.  Eye-catching, colourful, well-priced and appeals to a broad range of customers – grown-ups and kids.  Very commercial. 

Lulu and Nat home and lifestyle range.  I love the pattern and colours of everything in this collection which is handcrafted and made in India.  I can see this brand becoming quite cultish.

Curious Chocolate.  The original styling of this stand caught my eye as did the lovely packaging. 

Somerville Scarves.  Love the cool and funky designs.  Wear them or frame them. 

 

TREND : Londoners and Ice Cream

Ice cream bars are popping up all over London.   Much like the gourmet chocolate and cupcake stores/cafes trend of the last few years * ice cream dine n’ retail seems to be where it’s at now. 

Some examples west-side include upscale gelataria Gelato Mio on Holland Park Road which has opened another branch at Notting Hill Gate, the recently opened (and very nice) Ca’puccino cafe at Westfields which offers a big range of delicious home made ice creams, and pop up shop Icecreamists opens today in Selfridges offering a wild and fabulous range of flavours. 

*  …btw – new cupcake store opening on Kensington Park Road soon….

PRODUCT WATCH : MILK : Italy

Trends in milk:

1 – Functional milk – milk with clear health benefits seem to be popular in Italy.

INSIGHT : 4 Random questions for my 26 year old intern

My name is Gail, I’m 26 and I live in West London. This week I am doing work experience for Jess at FashionBarn, and she has asked me to write a bit about my life.  She gave me a list of random lifestyle questions to choose from, and here are the four which I chose to answer.

What do I do in my spare time?

I work fulltime in a fairly stressful media environment so my spare time is very precious to me.  In my spare time in the evenings through the week, I like to come home to the house I share with my boyfriend and I like to cook a nice healthy dinner.  I find cooking extremely relaxing and rewarding and I like to treat my boyfriend to having dinner ready every evening when he comes home.  He works very hard also and he is a very grateful recipient!  This sounds old fashioned of me, but it’s not that I see it as ‘my role’ at all, it’s just that I love everything to do with cooking; the food shopping (I love supermarkets and food markets!), the recipe research and preparation and the cooking and sharing of the meal itself.

Through the week I also enjoy meeting my friends in town to go and see new bands (I have a lot of friends who do A&R for record labels which is fab!), or I will meet one of my girlfriends for a alcohol-free dinner in Itsu or somewhere similar to catch up after work.  I rarely drink through the week unless it’s a special occasion.

At the weekend I like having groups of friends around for lunch or dinner which I will cook and really enjoy preparing and researching interesting menus to try out on them.  On a Saturday my boyfriend and I have a routine where one of us will go to Starbucks to grab some coffees to bring back to the other in bed in the morning to kick start the day.  If we don’t have friends over to our house for dinner we will tend to meet friends in a restaurant and eat out in a group.  I used to go to lots more bars and nightclubs when I was younger but now I much prefer going out for a nice long dinner with friends and having a few cocktails somewhere locally after.  Alternatively we’ll go to our local cinema.

I really like escaping London and going for walks outdoors so on a Sunday I enjoy finding new countryside areas to explore (sometimes just nice London parks or if the weather is good we head as far out to countryside as we can commute to from London!)  We have a car so we plan a route to drive to places like Oxford or Kent and stop for lunch somewhere pretty on the way.  It’s nice to get out the city and breathe in fresh air and have some peace and quiet just the two of us.

I also like shopping and can spend a lot of time on weekends or days off on main shopping streets like Oxford Street browsing my favourite stores.  It’s also fun to go to large malls like the newly opened Westfield where you can lunch, see a film and shop all under one roof. I also enjoy visiting some of London’s oldest and finest luxury department stores like Harrods or Selfridges.  I find I go there more for the experiential enjoyment or browsing the food halls and enjoying the dramatic, lavish window displays and make-up counters – to browse and people watch rather than to buy.   My boyfriend is also quite up for shopping and interested in fashion which is great as we can browse around together and help pick out things for one-another.

I read a lot also, novels and fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle and Grazia.

Who do I admire and not admire?

I don’t feel that I have that many ‘hero’ icons anymore that I look up to like I did when I was younger with movie stars, etc.  I admire people’s style – ie Kate Moss as she is my style icon, but I do not necessarily admire the way she conducts her lifestyle (her childcare/love-life, etc).  I think I probably admire successful young fashion designers like Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney for what they have achieved for themselves and for the beautiful products and brands that they create.

I do think however, that there is a difference between admiration and respect.  I admire stylish models and designers around the world and could list endless glamorous men and women whose style I wish I could emulate but I don’t necessarily respect them and I feel that’s much more important.

I respect musicians like Annie Lennox and Bob Geldof who are genuine, not manufactured artists, who have risen to fame through true hard work and real musical talent and now give back financially and personally, protesting and heightening public awareness around the world for hugely important causes and issues that a lot of us choose to ignore.  They can handle their fame in the public eye without disrespecting themselves or their family’s reputations. I think they are the kind of role models young people should look up to.

What brands do you like and desire?

A lot of the brands I like and desire are fashion brands.  I love Stella McCartney, Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Matthew Williamson, Miu Miu and Burberry.

I think these brands have incredibly beautiful products as well as gorgeous branding and advertising.  I also think the designers behind them have great reputations and all seem to be very intriguing and interesting people.

I like other design brands as well like Emeco (chairs by Philippe Starck) and Simple Human kitchen/household-wares.

If I gave you £100 to deck out your fridge, what would you fill it with?

Firstly I would head straight to Whole Foods on High Street Kensington (with a big grin on my face)!

I would buy some beautiful fresh fish and shellfish, mussels and langoustines and nice fish like monkfish or bream perhaps so I could make a yummy seafood feast.. these are pretty expensive products and not what I would normally afford myself to buy!

I would buy some of the nicest cheeses I could find, some strong Roquefort, Manchego, Camembert, Brie and Apple Smoked cheddars to create a cheeseboard to quaff with good red wine.

I would buy some lovely Italian Prosseco and some delicious cuts of meat cold cuts to create a Spanish charcuterie board from… some Parma ham, chorizo slices, morcilla and Serrano ham slithers which I would accompany with spicy chutneys and relishes … mmmmm!!!

I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth but if I had some money left over I would buy a big punnet of fresh organic strawberries and raspberries and some Cornish clotted cream… heaven!

This wouldn’t all be for one meal of course, but what a decadent fridge-full of food.

Oh, and I think I may also need to add one or two bottles of Pepto-Bismol too, for our tummies following our consumption of all of the above!

BEAUTY : Happy Campers