High End Focus = High End Website

Susan Fredman, Julia Buckingham Edelmann and Tom Stringer

Another fun experience at the Merchandise Mart – this time during NEOCON.  Three of the industries top design professionals served as panelists at the Lapchi showroom.  They talked about how to use the media to leverage your brand with co-host Interiors magazine.

My favorite insights or sharings are:

-Julia Edelmans’ idea that you need to display the aesthetic that makes you unique and bring that style home – which to me means live it, breathe it, utilize its’ characteristics consistently in all you do.

-That there’s no such thing as “your personal self”.  This comment was in reference to Facebook and other very public social media.  Susan Fredman feels that every editor is always looking – so you never know what can come from what you post (or what is posted about you) on line.  I believe the level of transparency will just continue to grow and lines will continue to blur.

And, to be honest, even though Tom Stringer shared some great insights, the most inspiring thing he shared was how he took a great trip to Italy for a special birthday.  The trip ended up involving some media that accompanied them so it was a melding of work and play – and resulted in some great press coverage.  I can’t tell you how fun that sounds to me – so I’m working on planning for a future special birthday myself.  Somebody’s dream closets and my champagne are destined to celebrate together.

And to bring it back to the title of this post – was a comment made by the Creative Director of Interiors magazine, Patrick O’Bryan.  His feeling is that the higher end of the market that you focus on, the more important your website is.  As time passes, the search method of choice is internet.

And that ties back to both Edelman and Fredman utilizing digital options to reach people.  Julia and her partner do an excellent blog called “Material Girls” and the Susan Fredman Design Group keep us informed with “Designer Diaries” – check them both out.  And Tom, if you’re reading, the Chartwells concept along with the work your firm is doing would provide plenty to write about that people would find interesting (and please include any future celebrations or safaris so we can live vicariously!)

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