India discovers a new TREASURE at Treasure Island

Two weeks after the pilot-launch (March 26, 2010), Treasure Showcase at Treasure Island mall, Indore was opened to the public on Sunday, April 11, 2010. The launch was a grand event.

Treasure Showcase is a new and unique concept in modern retail and introduces about 60 brands into mall retail across apparel, accessories, footwear, cosmetics and home, creating an inclusive modern retail environment and a platform for local/regional manufacturers to take their products, brands and ambitions national. Based on a unique partnership model and a NO RENT initiative, Treasure Showcase aims to create the next generation of brands for a whole new generation of consumers. Idiom had earlier conceptualized and designed the NO RENT initiative in July 2009 and a series of road show events that followed, to launch the idea of Treasure Showcase and invite prospective brand partners.

The prototype store was launched by Mrs. Malaika Arora Khan, the face and brand ambassador of Treasure Showcase in a grand premier launch called FIRST DAY FIRST SHOW. The launch included a high decibel media campaign in all mainline English and Hindi dailies of Indore and supported a very unique and innovative on-ground activation promotion where walk-ins are induced to not only shop then and there but schemes that promote repeat visits and repeat purchases were created. The grand bumper prize will see one lucky shopper walk away with home appliances worth 2 lakhs on June 30, 2010, while other lucky winners will receive gifts ranging from cash vouchers worth Rs. 50,000 to gift coupons and more.

Treasure Showcase Indore is the prototype for what creates ‘RETAILOCRACY’ - an inclusive modern retail environment and a level playing field between what is considered traditional retail and what is construed as modern retail. Expand the market for modern retail, by promoting consumption and innovating retail thus enabling emerging and aspiring manufacturers and brands to enter malls.

Indore will soon be followed by Nanded, Ujjain, Lucknow, Agra, Amaravati, Bangalore, Bareilly, Bhilai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Mohali, Pune, Raipur, Thiruvanathapuram, Udaipur and Vadodara in the months that follow to set up 20 Treasure Showcases by 2011, across the emerging towns and cities of India – the REAL INDIA.

The initial response to Treasure Showcase has been encouraging and positive. Change is here to stay. Indore can now look forward to a whole new shopping experience at Treasure Showcase and exciting promotions over the coming weeks.

Posted By Sumeet

Folding plug wins Design award

An innovative folding electric plug has beaten a final collection by late fashion guru Alexander McQueen to land a top design award

The folding plug is less than a centimetre thick when folded

McQueen, who committed suicide last month, had his latest spring/summer catwalk range placed on the shortlist for the title of Brit Insurance Design of the Year just days after his death.

It lost out to London student Min-Kyu Choi's reinterpretation of the plug, which folds flat for storage.

His design beat more than 90 international nominees who were shortlisted in seven categories.

The winners of the categories went forward to the final judging stage and Choi was presented with his title by judging panel chairman Antony Gormley at a gala dinner held at the Design Museum in London.

Panellists included designer Tom Dixon, editor of Wired magazine David Rowan and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.

Gormley said: "Thought-through, responsive and modest, the folding plug shows how intelligent, elegant and inventive design can make a difference to everyone's life."

The winning design was inspired by having to carry around a hefty plug to power the world's thinnest laptop, a MacBook Air.

Choi drew praise when he showcased the plug at the Royal College of Art's graduate show in 2009.

Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum, said: "It's great to see such a practical but elegant demonstration of what design can do to make everyday life so much better. Min-Kyu Choi is a designer just setting out on his career and he clearly has a great future ahead of him."

Posted by Elizabeth