As department stores continue to crumble, grasping for a bankruptcy bail out, a smaller brand continues to rise. With 36 stores across North America, Intermix is able to maintain the intimate boutique feeling with the idea a department store aims to uphold. Unlike a department store, with too much selection and multiple levels to shop from; Intermix is a carefully curated collection. Walking into an Intermix makes the cardio exercise (shopping) simpler, but just as fun. In a time when retail seems to be splitting at the seams, how is this smaller, but mightier, brand able to stay afloat?
A specialty boutique known for having “the most sought-after styles from compelling and edited mix of both established and emerging designers”. This brand is able to mix old with new in a refreshing twist. Their edit is simple when broken down, take what is familiar but push the envelope a little further into what is next. Viola. Furthermore, their focus on customer service and creating a one-on-one shopping experience cannot be found in neither department stores nor any other retail store. Shopping with this brand is, essentially, shopping with a friend. Intermix was founded in 1993 and acquired by Gap Inc. in 2012. Each boutique is created as a source for the clients lifestyle. Offering pieces that suit the location, Intermix focuses on “…each boutique’s assortment of merchandise…hand-selected to reflect the nuances of its neighborhood”.
In addition to the selection offered in stores, there is another huge strategy setting Intermix apart from their competitors. Throughout the years, the brand has been aligning with campaigns and celebrities to bring social issues to light. WWD wrote on March 5, 2020 how Intermix is teaming up with Rock the Vote, Sophia Bush and others to encourage voter registrations. Creating partnerships about issues that matter is one of the smartest ways a brand can be relevant in todays world. With so much noise, misinformation and regurgitated marketing ploys, the choice of what your brand stands for means everything to the consumer. That is, if the consumer cares. Which we know the younger generations definitely care about issues happening around the world. Having a stance and making a decision based upon that point of view shows balls, and when you’re able to prove that you put your money where you mouth is, its respectable.
When you walk into an Intermix the pieces are chic, edgy and fun. Walking through, you gain a sense, a gentle reminder, that you can be anyone you want to be. And Intermix will help you find the clothes to be that person. A mixture of brands from MOTHER, Balmain, Zimmermann to Nanushka, the selection is vast but structured. Everyone can be included in this curation, this store is not a one size fits all. There is no singular vision, the clothes allow you to dress however you feel – in all ways that you feel. Instead of pushing a certain silhouette or pattern that’s popular for the moment, Intermix has pieces that will remain in your closet for your life.
Its an interesting juxtaposition, to see the demise of department stores compared to speciality boutiques. Is the secret magic in the square footage? The selection? How does a bigger, and presumably, better brand fall to its knees while a smaller brand remain, if not, prevail? With a smaller company you are able to focus on whats important – the customer, the selection you offer, the way in which you choose to make an offer. With a smaller company, you are able to focus your efforts where they matter – social issues, your customers, your employees. In a time where retail is unstable, Intermix is able to uphold their truth and stick to what they know. They’ve successfully created a reputation that does not waiver with the rest of the industry, Intermix has impeccable taste in fashion and style.
Alyson Jill 