Where do outlet stores come from?

07.05.2022 | Просмотров: 364


How did outlet stores come to be and how have they changed? And why do you care about the environment when you shop at outlet stores? Tatiana Reshetnik, a correspondent of The Blueprint, tells about the history and structure of outlet stores, and Svetlana Tanakina, director of fashion, gives a brief instruction on how to buy in them.

Pants by Givenchy (TSUM Discount), 19,950 rub
PULOVER by Givenchy (TSUM Discount), 24,950 rub

LEVI'S hat, 1,400 rub

Marc Jacobs blouse (TSUM Discount), 15,600 rubles.

First outlet stores - stores where you could buy the collections of different brands at significant discounts outside the official sale period - appeared in the U.S. back in the 30s. At first regular sales were held only for company employees - those who worked in the offices of the brands or were involved in production. And the events themselves were held directly in factories and manufactories.

HUGO BOSS suit (TSUM Discount), 34,250 rub

Soon the audience of customers expanded, and now everyone could get the desirable thing with an attractive price tag. The first outlet of the modern type opened in 1936 - it belonged to the American menswear brand Anderson Little and was located near the town of Fall River. In 1974 the VF Corporation opened the first multi-brand outlet in Reading, Pennsylvania. In it you could find men's and women's clothing, shoes and accessories of many brands. The outlet, by the way, is still open today.

After that America was swept by a wave of outlet mania: from 1980s to 1990s all over the country opened dozens of shopping centers, where you could update your closet, find things for the house and cosmetics, baby products and even furniture. Discounts varied from brand to brand and depended on the novelty of the collection, but were rarely below 30% (and usually did not exceed 70%). Outlets started to appear in Canada at the end of the 1980s, and in Europe in the middle of the noughties. And in Russia, the first outlet appeared in 2012. It was the Outlet Village Belaya Dacha.

CITIES OF DISCOUNTS: HOW OUTLET STORES ARE ORGANIZED

Sleeveless blouse Marni (TSUM Discount), 14,800 rub
Theory skirt (TSUM Discount), 13,500 rub

Pants by Givenchy (TSUM Discount), 19,950 rub
Sleeveless blouse Marni (TSUM discount), 14,800 rub

As a rule, outlets are located outside the city, because in the center of the area of such size simply can not be found, and resemble cozy towns with one-storey houses-shops. The standard area of an outlet is a couple of hundred thousand square meters, on which you will find entertainment for the whole day. Besides the bargain shopping, which is the main reason why people come here, the Fashion Towns usually have restaurants, cafes and coffee houses, so that the visitors can relax after the shopping marathon and think about their purchases over a coffee. There are playgrounds and centers for children, where babysitters and animators take care of the kids. Often in outlet stores you can get a manicure, haircut, hair styling or massage (which is very helpful after the walk with the bags full of purchases). And on weekends, there are concerts, lectures and even exhibitions.

LEVI'S hat, 1,400 rub

Bag by Cerruti (TSUM Discount), 7,525 rub

In Moscow, Outlet Village Belaya Dacha (and in St. Petersburg, Outlet Village Pulkovo) has been operating according to this principle since 2012. It is more than a dozen bright houses hiding about 180 mono- and multi-brand stores. Brands range from adidas, United Colors of Benetton and Camper to Calvin Klein, Lacoste, Maje, Michael Kors and Pinko. In addition to clothing, shoes and accessories the outlet has a cosmetics store "L'Etoile", a selection of sports brands (Quicksilver, Puma, Ecco and so on) and nice little things for the home from Villeroy & Boch and Williams & Oliver. Next door to the stores are outlets with the food that's most enjoyable to eat outdoors - doughnuts and churros, hot dogs and Belgian waffles. Sometimes on weekends there are concerts and master classes on the territory of the outlet.

SMART SHOPPING


Вам может быть интересно