U*tique shop - the world's first automated luxury shop?

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Innovative automated retail start-up U*tique and beauty retailer STUDIO BEAUTYMIX at Fred Segal, are 'bringing the future of luxury retail' to Los Angeles with the 'U*tique Shop'.

It's the world’s first interactive, automated luxury store for “life’s little emergencies and indulgences” offering a selection of 50 iconic ‘must haves’ from today’s luxury and personal-care segments.

“U*tique Shop is a luxury lifestyle brand, positioned to meet the needs of the on-the-go consumer who appreciates premium, well-crafted products,” says CEO and creator, Mara Segal.

U*tique Shop features an original touch-screen interface, interactive LED lighting design, and a behind-the scenes robot who delivers fragile products from secure storage and direct into the hands of customers. U*tique collaborated with up-and-coming design talent Russell Greenberg, Director of RUX, a New York City based design studio, for the overall design of the machine. “The words upscale, automated and retail are not typically found in the same sentence,” said Greenberg. “ We needed to invent an image and experience for U*tique that was so seductive, elegant, and streamlined that it would instantly transform people’s preconceived notions about what shopping could be. The magic and allure of U*tique is that it combines the shockingly new and the reassuringly ordinary.”

Surely the whole point of the shopping experience, is in fact 'the experience'? Something to savour, to explore and interact with items, to spend time in the choosing and enjoying the buzz and the reward? Do we now live in such a hectic, time-dependent society that we can't possible shop as we use to? The concept is great. In practical terms I'm not sure who will use a luxury goods vending machine, other than for the one-off novelty value. It's a great PR exercise but as a long term prospect I doubt it will connect with the target audience.

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