Tokyo – Zack Chia

Library fashion shop

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Zack Chia

When it comes right down to retail shopping, the very essence of exceptional marketing depends on remarkable services as well as engaging experiences. Themed shopping experiences is one way to leave a strong impression for your clientele. The fact that a lot of designer and luxury boutiques splurge on creative retail displays and pop-up shop marketing campaigns, is a clear sign that this is an opportunity that should not be missed. Sonia Rykiel’s recent opening of their store in Aoyama, Tokyo, epitomises the significance of such classic retail experiences. Their library-themed store packs a really eye catching interior, splash with red and generous shelves of books from the floor right up to the ceiling. And mind you, these are not just wallpaper printed art executions, but real use of props to simulate the theme desired. It all started from Paris where the retail experience centred around the origins of the Left Bank and the concept was later brought globally across the different Rykiel stores. For the A/W 2015 collection, the stores will now feature works from André Saraïva and Daniela Andrier, whom the latter curated an exclusive fragrance for the brand.

Line up for Cabs!

Posted on January 9, 2015January 9, 2015 by Zack Chia

In their effort to combat Uber in Japan, the dominating messaging platform Line is coming out with a new service. Their launch of a taxi service within their primary app is evidence that the company is seeking to beef up offerings. The service starts in Tokyo, collaborating with Nihon Kotsu to provide the supply of taxis while Line continues to focus their part on handling the payment platform. Facing direct competition from Uber, it becomes imperative that such initiatives be proposed early to secure market shares. Afterall, Japan needed an app that not only offers better network coverage, but also quicker cabs.

Travel made easy

Posted on July 16, 2013July 16, 2013 by Zack Chia

Blue areas indicated places that are covered by Google Street View

With the help of technology, man has achieved greater heights in their discovery of the world. So many things that were deem impossible is made palatable through technology. Now, we can even travel across Japan from North Hokkaido to Southern Kyushu. The entire journey is about 1500 miles long and if you were to travel by car, that would be at least 30 hours of non-stop driving. No one would possibly want to do that even if you had a choice. Design engineering firm takram have invented a way to allow us to travel across the island by sitting at our desk. And the best thing is, they could do it in less than an hour. The total time require would be about 15mins.

You see, with Google Street View, it is now possible to see or view most of Japan. They realized that most of Japan had now been photographed by Google’s Street View. With the use of Hyperlapse, an open source coding program, they manage to create short animations using frames from Street View. Thus, the team managed to create a program that captures all the frames and piece it up together by animating the entire route from the Northern to the Southern part of Japan. I reckon this is yet another new way of travel. Check out these cool videos.

From Northern to Southern Hokkaido (10 min)

From Northern Honshu to Tokyo (10 min)

From Tokyo to Osaka (15 min)

From Osaka to the Southern tip of Honshu (10 min)

From Northern to Southern Kyushu (9 min)