On Thursday September 19th, 2024, members of the Vault were thrilled to hear from some of the most talented individuals at Shopbop, who visited for an exclusive speaker presentation. Shopbop is an online fashion apparel brand that has expanded rapidly since its inception in Madison, Wisconsin in 1999. Over the past twenty-five years, they have solidified themselves as a high-end retailer, while simultaneously catering to the average consumer. Shopbop offers a wide variety of clothing, accessories and most recently, beauty from over 1,000 brands worldwide. Their selection includes designers such as STAUD, Acne Studios, Zimmermann, Agolde and more. 

Two of Shopbop’s models, Emma Kozina and Emma Skinner, styled in their “Easy Weekend” and “Game Day” looks respectively. 

Lauren took members behind the scenes of her day to day activities at Shopbop’s office in Manhattan. This involved trend forecasting for upcoming seasons, styling looks for international photoshoots and deciding whether Shopbop would embrace new trends or stick to the classics. One of her favorite parts of the job is seeing her creative visions come to life. She credits a lot of her success to her team, as they work closely together in order to make sure everything runs smoothly. In a fast paced industry like fashion, it is vital to establish the creative vision early on. 

“My days look different and that’s one of the best parts about my job.” - Lauren Edelstein

Shopbop model Vivian Lo styled by Lauren Edelstein in a classic fall ‘Going Out’ look from the collection.

They ended their presentation with a short runway of six models dressed in their very own Shopbop clothing, styled by Lauren herself, to show off their fall look book. It was both an educational and interactive event to showcase how important authenticity and brand-consumer relationships are. Fashion is an ever evolving industry, and Shopbop is proof brands have the ability to navigate the fear of being temporary.

Shopbop’s Speakers (left to right): Social Media Manager Kelly Gallagher, Style Director Lauren Edelstein & Influencer Marketing Lead Serina Chugandi

Shopbop style director, Lauren Edelstein, spoke about the foundation of the fashion industry and how it aligned with the company’s decision to shift from a storefront to E-commerce full time during the early stages of the digital age. The company wanted to expand, especially after being bought by Amazon in 2006. Kelly Gallagher, the company’s social media manager, added that being an online retailer has helped them perfect both their social media presence and mobile app layout. These key strategies highlight why Shopbop has been an ongoing success for over two decades.

David Gandjui, one of the Shopbop models, sporting an ‘easy fun weekend’ themed attire styled by Lauren Edelstein” 

Influencer marketing lead, Serina Chugandi discussed the importance of how collaborating with content creators brings a new perspective to the Shopbop brand. She emphasized that mostly women resemble their target audience in terms of fashion and beauty preferences and how their feedback improves what the company decides to put out. Many times, they build personal relationships with influencers in order to help build brand authority and boost brand awareness online. For example, when news broke that TikTok influencer Halley Kate broke up with her boyfriend, Shopbop personally sent her flowers on behalf of their team. This dynamic showcases the importance of interpersonal relationships in the industry and how to present your personal brand.