Mono-brand vs Multi-brand

I love multi-brand stores. Sadly, they are becoming rare, except online. It is obviously easier to manage one single brand than 20 or more. But it is so less attractive from a consumer’s perspective. Something that the US based brand JCrew understood well. When they display K-way rain stoppers and Aigle boots in their Crew-Cuts store, it feels they are not imposing a single minded vision and pretending they can do everything better than everyone including technical products. Doesn’t it values their brand to be associated with other great labels ?

Earlier this week, the multi-brand lover in me was very happy to find the Alex and Alexa catalog with the food delivery, instead of the usual mono-brand (that systematically feeds the bin). The little book displays  essential and fashion pieces, organised by gender and categories, with a few pages dedicated to designers : Paul Smith Junior, Marni, Stella Mc Cartney Kids (directly in my kitchen side to side with the cheese, how cool). I particularly liked the selection of wooden toys at all prices which saved me from having to browse the internet for a birthday present. And last but not least, I highly appreciated the Ballet&Dance page : ooh, those ballet flats I had promised my daughter to buy in weeks, to replace hers, now too small. Magically under my eyes. That really made my day

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