15/09/11
By Karen Moss
This week’s opening of Westfield Stratford City shopping centre marked a digital revolution in retail. The east London development, which opened on September 13, boasts cutting-edge technological advances in stores, many of which have never been seen in the UK before.
River Island and Republic are among those poised to debut ‘smart’ dressing room technology. The stores will have mirrors in their fitting rooms which enable customers to upload images of the outfits they are trying on straight to social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
Republic will also promote their click and collect service through in-store iPads.
The Hugo Boss store hosts the largest Sharp-manufactured single video wall in Europe. It uses augmented reality, which means customers can interact with it via their smartphones, and take part in games or even dress on-screen mannequins in outfits of their choice.
The £35 million John Lewis store is the first new London department store from the chain in 20 years and the only department store at Westfield Stratford. More than 70 per cent of the branch features new in-store concepts for the business including a new-look menswear department and a new shopfront.
And Fat Face opened its biggest-ever store at Stratford with a fresh look comprising authentic rope and wood detailing. Customers in the store are able to watch films from recent campaign shoots or Fat Face events.
