Ever wonder what your social media's suspiciously on-target shopping ads would look like if they were all curated into one IRL store? You'll soon find out at Forum, a new community-driven boutique that's bringing a high-tech shopping experience to Melrose Avenue starting this Friday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m.
Locate between Mejuri and Indochino (in the former Naked Wardrobe pop-up space), Forum is a new fashion-focused retail concept by pioneering experimental retailer B8ta, which allows brands to sign up to get their products placed on shelves and provides online tools to help them track in-store engagement. The Melrose space will offer a rotating lineup of over 25 unique brands focused on sustainability, design, and affordable luxury, including local labels, just-launched direct-to-consumer companies, and cult-favorite lines. (There are 21 other B8ta stores, including in Santa Monica, San Francisco, New York, Portland and overseas in Dubai, to name a few.)
Stylish athleisure brand Alala will help kick off the new space as the anchor partner, and shoppers can also expect to find women's and men's apparel from Culk and Unemployed Denim, footwear from They NY and Moral Code, bags and accessories from Behno and Breadband, skincare from Caldera + Lab, and candles from Fvith. Over in the store's conscious corner, find eco-friendly and ethically-made clothing from new L.A.-based labels like Poplinen, Neococo, and Tact and Stone; eyewear from Just Human, inclusive underpinnings from Proclaim, upcycled denim jackets and more from Remu Apparel, minimalist-cool carryalls by H-ology, and silk pillows by Silked, to name just a few.
The marketplace-like boutique's technology-powered touches include RFID-enabled dressing rooms that will allow shoppers to request more product colors and sizes, read the story behind each item, and even easily share their retail therapy experience on social media. That's not all: Brands will be able to design their space, including the backdrops inside the changing rooms.
In addition, the shop will host a slew of community happenings, including product launch parties, VIP events, and more.
In a statement, B8ta president and co-founder Phillip Raub explains that the company is ready to "translate four years of learning into the fashion and lifestyle space. Shopping for clothes, accessories and other day-to-day items has traditionally been very social; a way to spend time with friends, or have help picking out a new outfit. Today, social experiences look very different, which is why we wanted to create a new experience tailored to today's consumer who seeks real-life connections and social engagement with brands that share similar values."
Forum partnerships manager Joshua Adam Brueckner adds: "Today's consumer is oversaturated with shopping options. We're working with like-minded brands to help them stand out in the crowd by bringing them together, and providing them with tools to tell their story in a whole new way… Forum is the new wave of retail."
Stay tuned for more, and scroll through Forum's IG to get a taste of its aesthetic here.
Forum, 8406 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 90069
