New Retail Concept The Yellow World Banks on Scarcity, Collaboration
LONDON — Evie Henderson is part of the new generation of Gen Z shoppers who don’t want to look like everyone else around them, but neither do they want their shopping habits to harm the planet.
She founded The Yellow World based on those instincts: A new retail concept — its name is a nod to her love of playful pastel colors — drops one limited-edition collaboration each month, spotlighting artisans or designers picked for their feel-good aesthetics, sustainability credentials, or quality products.
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“I find online shopping quite overwhelming sometimes as there is so much to scroll through, so I wanted to create a space where you could find limited-edition collaborations highlighting one designer or artisan per month and learn about the piece and story you’re investing in,” said Henderson, who is based in London but is aiming to work with brands across the globe.
This means that one month customers could be offered a pair of handmade Susan Alexandra earrings featuring fruit charms; the next month a lace lingerie set by independent London label Fruity Booty, or bright pink limited-edition bikinis by swim wear label-of-the-moment Hunza G or pink salt-and-pepper sets shaped as women’s body parts by Anissa Kermiche.
“It’s important to me that everything I work on evokes happiness in the customer, whether that be my crazy wave glasses or brightly colored knitwear,” said Henderson, adding that launching in lockdown meant she could quickly build a captive audience of women looking for “bright, colorful and happy things to brighten up quite a bleak time.”
Courtesy of The Yellow World
The Hunza G drop was among the fastest-selling collections, and a new one is in the works, while for fall Henderson is readying the launch of two drops with Alfie, the French label that works with upcycled materials, and the up-and-coming label TL180.
This month’s drop with Alfie features a trendy backless top and trousers in the brand’s signature buttery yellow color, while the TL180 drop will tap into the ’90s craze with a a backless halter top, trousers and a micro mini skirt.
Prices are in the contemporary bracket, with the new Alfie pieces ranging between 240 and 290 pounds.
“People love storytelling. Especially when pieces are slightly more expensive, they want to understand what they are paying for. For example, the TL180 collection is all made by hand in Rome and takes up to three days to make each piece. I like to tell this story because I think it adds value and sentiment to the piece and makes customers respect and cherish their purchases more which equals conscious shopping. I think as consumers if we feel more included in the making of our products we will value things more,” added Henderson, who plans to adds more trunk shows and events to her calendar now that the world is opening up.
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