A Physical Space For Instagram Brands: Is This The Future Of Retail?

Barneys New York may have bought itself more time after its recent bankruptcy filing, but that doesn’t change the fact that, over the years, the luxury retailer has lost some of its relevance as one of New York’s most revered, influential sources of newness in fashion. Even as the Madison Avenue flagship still stands, its popularity and cult status have been casualties of a rapidly changing landscape, which has left many other legacy retailers in the dust. For all the talk of a “retail apocalypse,” it’s become clear that brick-and-mortar retail isn’t dead — most sales still happen in stores — it just takes an innovative approach to survive. So in an era when the coolest brands are starting online and discovery happens on Instagram, what does the future of multi-brand, IRL retail look like? Entrepreneur Selene Cruz, and the Silicon Valley venture capitalists who provided her with over $1 million, have one idea. Read more at Fashionista.