First impressions of The Iconic

The Iconic is probably the first serious mass market fashion-oriented etailer in Australia. They have gone all out with advertising - I was surprised to see an ad on TV!

More importantly, they are delivering the type of online shopping experience that our US and UK counterparts have enjoyed for years.

• free delivery regardless of order size
• overnight delivery
• free return (100 days!)

And 3-hour delivery for $4.95 in Sydney is very impressive.

How do they achieve overnight delivery for free? Apparently they persuaded Australia Post to run a sorting shift between 2am and 4am at no extra cost to them (and us) so that products bought at night are ready to be dispatched by 6am the next day and delivered at 9am.

The number of products on The Iconic is overwhelming, and the styles are a bit all over the place so it take a long time to sort through. ASOS probably has more products but somehow they appear to be more unified, whereas with The Iconic I see a bunch of teenage-oriented clothes immediately followed by matronly designs, which was very strange indeed.

I've been itching to give them a try, partly to see if they can deliver on their promises, and partly so I can blog about it! On Tuesday night I went on the website to check out its final sales and liked the look of a pair of flats. I placed the order around 9:30pm and at 10:54pm I received an e-mail from Australia Post notifying me that the parcel has been despatched! The next morning I received another e-mail stating that the parcel was with the driver, and it was delivered to my workplace at 10:50am. That was some service!

The flats I ordered are Sia from Siren Shoes. They're down to $74.95 from $109.95 and I found a coupon code (RUSSH) which meant another $25 off. $49.95 for a pair of leather shoes - bargain!

And they are very cute indeed.

Unfortunately they don't offer enough support for my super flat feet.

Not a good look!

So I have to return them. The return process sounds easy - log on to the website, print a return label and stick it on the box that the item was delivered, and drop it off the post office. I'll report back on how quickly the money was refunded.

I don't usually buy shoes online because fit is tricky, but with free delivery and free return it's OK to order just to try and return if they don't fit. I remember one of my colleagues in London said she could order items online in 2 sizes and return the one that doesn't fit. Now we can do the same!

Other thoughts on The Iconic:

• Website functionality gets a tick from me - filters, sort by, wishlist, product information, ease of use are all good. They've learnt from the best in the business.
• I'm not really "feeling" the model shots. I can't put my finger on it but they're not as good as ASOS, Shopbop etc.
• There are so many brands offered it is difficult to navigate the brands page. Maybe they can sort the brands by categories, so for instance the fragrance brands don't clutter the fashion/clothing brands?

I don't know how often I'll buy from The Iconic but it is definitely a welcome addition to the etailing scene in Australia.

What are your thoughts on The Iconic?

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Myer is (not) my store

The Duke and I looking to buy a new mattress with a pillowtop layer. If we buy one we'll need some extra-deep sheets as the mattress is very thick. So I went up to Myer at lunchtime yesterday to see what is available.

The first two sales assistants on the floor did not know about the extra-deep sheets. The second one directed me to the Sheridan specialist. I went up to her and politely explained what I was looking for. The answer I received? "You go and get the measurement of the mattress then come back to me".

I couldn't believe my ears.

It wasn't just what she said but the way she said it. She was talking down to me, like I was wasting he time.

I left Myer quickly and proceeded to David Jones where the sale assistant was actually assisting. Guess which store will get my custom?

With online stores threatening department stores' livelihood you'd have think that they'll work harder on differentiating themselves on things like customer service, but it looks like Myer didn't get the memo.

I'd happily do my own research and buy online when it's convenient to me without the attitude. I'll  probably have more choice, and save a bundle in the process. Myer, if you don't up your game you're going to lose sales from people just like me. In fact, judging from your declining revenue, it has probably started already.

Does bad customer service drive you to shop online?

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Jigsaw's return to form

In my 20's I was a big fan of Jigsaw, both for their elegant style and sharp tailoring. A few years ago they moved in a direction which I wasn't fond of, and the brand fell out of my "regular rotation". So I was pleasantly surprised by their A/W 2012 collection - the look and style that I love are back!

A few weeks ago I bought the Campbell jacket and I'm getting so much wear out of it. It's a classic style that will serve me for many winters to come.

I browsed through their sale online and discovered quite a few gems.

Jacquard is great for winter and I like the look of this dress (on sale, $149).

And this jacquard skirt (on sale, $101) is a lot of fun.

If I'm in the market for a classic knit this one is a shoo-in (on sale, $129).

And I think I'm a little bit in love with the Macarthur coat (on sale, $299). The rich purple colour and the miltrary-inspired tailoring work really well together. This is another investment piece.

Ummm I may have to visit a store over the weekend to check it out in person ...

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Winter warmers

I've been on the hunt for knitswear in the last few weeks. I've searched online and offline to no avail. It has taken so long because I'm a bit fussy. I want something that looks a bit different (I have enough striped knits already), I prefer natural fabrics, and I don't want to spend more than $150 each.

I decided to hit the shops at lunchtime today, I was determined to fulfil the gap in my wardrobe.

First stop was Marcs - this colour block jumper looked promising online and it's on sale for $89.

I tried it on and it looks nice, but on second thoughts it looked a bit "mumsy".

Gorman was my next stop, out of all the shops I browsed online they had the most interesting patterned knits. And eureka!

The inka jumper (on sale, $120) has a fun print, it was made with 100% merino wool and it has a nice fit. I can't wait to wear it with jeans in the weekend.

Then I went to an old favourite, Alannah Hill. I wasn't particularly hopeful because they're more well known for their cardigans and I was looking for pullovers, but I was in luck and found TWO 100% wool knit tops!

The You Like The Dark top (on sale, $112) is going to be a versatile addition to my wardrobe - I can dress it up with a pretty skirt or dress it down with black slacks.

And the She Kissed Everyone jumper (on sale, $89) is a signature AH design which I'll pair with black skinny jeans.

Feeling the high of instant gratification, I hopped into Seed and bought this cute knit for TLP (on sale, $40).

So bring it on, winter! I'm now ready to face the cold ;-)

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Japan snapshots part 4 - the shopping

It was a bit difficult for me to start this post because I don't want to disappoint my readers, but the truth needs to come out at some point.

My shopping tally in Japan = 2 t-shirts + 3 lipsticks + 1 eyeliner.

I didn't expect to buy much in terms of clothing and shoes, as my size 12 figure and size 39 feet ruled me out of many stores. And the fashion over there is either too girly or too minimalist for my liking.

The two t-shirts I bought were from the Peanuts collection at Uniqlo. At ¥990 (around $A12.50) they are great bargains.

They also have a Hello Kitty/Kitson collection. I offered to buy a t-shirt for Jen/Mallhaciel but she said she has too many already ;-)

 
Uniqlo is Japan's answer to GAP with great quality basics that are reasonably priced. I bought a fleece jacket on my first visit 10 years ago and I'm still wearing it. They have stores around Asia as well as the US, UK and France; maybe one day it'll arrive on our shores.

It was raining when I bought the t-shirts so the SA put a transparent cover over the shopping bag to protect it from the rain. A nice touch, but part of me think it's a waste of plastic...

A case in point on the uniqueness in Japanese fashion. There is a chain store called East Boy  specialising in "school girl" fashion. That's all they sell at the store!

I was a bit more hopeful on my visit to Burberry Blue, a Japan-only Burberry diffusion line. I bought a few handbags from them in the past, but I wasn't feeling the S/S 12 collection.

Burberry Blue bag,  ¥37,800 (~$A475)

I was close to buying this Longchamp bag (love the colour!), but somehow I managed to talk myself out of it. Silly me!

Longchamp Le Pilage Cuir ($US255)

Muji is one of my favourite chain stores in Japan. They sell a mix of fashion, homeware, stationery and food in classic, minimalist style.

There was a massive Forever 21 in Shinjuku, I had a quick look inside, felt too old and quickly left...

Two of the lipsticks and the eyeliner I bought were from Kate, a pharmacy line by Japanese cosmetics company Kanebo. The Rogue HG lipsticks (¥1,024, ~$A13) are lovely and very moisturising.

Photo: Beauty Gang Shop

TLP bought me a Shiseido lipstick at the airport as a Mother's Day gift. The Perfect Rogue lipstick was a bit of a splurge at ¥3500 (~$A44) but I thought I couldn't go wrong with buying Japanese brand in Japan. It was a shock to discover that Shiseido puts a big markup on its prices in Japan! The lipstick is only $US25 in the US and $A29 on StrawberryNet! It was a lesson learnt.

Talking about make-up, what a neat idea to sell them at convenient stores (a Shiseido diffusion line no less!). You never know when you need an emergency eyeliner or lipstick.

I think online shopping plays a small part to my small shopping haul. I no longer rely on overseas trip to access international brands, and the vast range of products available online has made me more finicky. The Duke was probably secretly relieved!

Here's a wrap on my posts on the trip. Thanks for reading and commenting. Now I need to book another holiday so I have something to look forward to...

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Crafty online purchase

The internet is not just good for fashion purchases, it's also great for niche products.

With the weather getting cold I'm keen for a craft project to do at night. Since my artistic skills are severely limited, cross stitch kits are as adventurous as I go.

I want to make something that I can hang up in The Royal Bedroom when finished, so I consulted The Duke before making this purchase - a cross stitch kit of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night, which is one of my favourite paintings.

It looks like a challenge! I wonder how long it'll take to do?

I gave Aussie etailers a chance by searching for it on Google's Australian site, but like most things on internet it is so much more expensive in Australia - $A79 vs £25 from UK etailer Quality Needlecraft. I guess with niche goods it is even more difficult for Australian-based shops to be competitive, the market is just not big enough here, and wholesale prices set by distributors are likely to be prohibitively high.

If any reader is interested I'll post some progress photos of the project on the blog from time to time, it'll give me some motivation to soldier on when it gets tough!

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Giving Parcel Lockers a try

Back in April I wrote about Australia Post's Parcel Lockers. Finally I found the opportunity to try it out.

I used the Parcel Locker address provided as the shipping address for my latest ASOS order. Last Wednesday morning I received an SMS notifying me that the parcel was ready for collection (I also received an e-mail). I had 48 hours to collect the parcel.

The weather was too rainy on Wednesday night, so I waited till Thursday morning to swing by the lockers at St Leonards.

The collection process was very simple. I used the touch screen to enter the locker number and access code.

Once the codes were entered the locker lighted up for me to open.

And there was my parcel!

Soon after collection I received another SMS confirming that the parcel had been collected.

So what did I buy?

A Cath Kidston shoulder bag in blue Windsor Rose print. I discovered the brand when I was in Japan and I liked what I saw. The whimsical prints and easy to clean surface make her bags perfect for "mummy duties". When ASOS had its Jubilee sale with 20% off British brands I decided to get one.

So I can highly recommend the Parcel Locker service. I wish it is rolled out extensively after the trial finished at the end of the year!

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Japan snapshots part 3 - the meals

Enough about snacks, it's time to talk about the main event :-D

One of my favourite Japanese dishes is ramen. The combination of delicious broth, noodles, chatsu (pork slices) and soft boiled egg is irresistible. Of course we sampled a few ramen joints during our trip.

Ippudo in Osaka - the super rich tonkotsu soup base was awesome. I ordered the "red" ramen which came with chilli paste, I like a bit of spice :-D

Most ramen noodles in Australia are the same - thick and chewy. In Japan there are many other varieties. The noodles at Ippudo were much finer and closer to Chinese noodles.

We also went to a small ramen shop in Namba, Osaka which had an amazing ramen featuring a tonkotsu soup base that takes 8 hours to make, and melt-in-your-mouth pork with cartilage. There was a cute little sign at the counter. I wish I know what it's saying!

And here's the bowl. The meat was SO GOOD.

In Tokyo we visited Kyushu Jangara. It featured soup based made with pork, chicken and vegetables, and chunky and super-juicy pieces of pork. Yum.

Photo: Kyushu Jangara

Ramen is not the only type of noodles I had in Japan.

In Hakone I had a bowl of "snow" soba noodles. For those who haven't tried soba before, it is a made with buckwhea an has a firm texture.

I also had udon in a hotpot. The udon was so soft and chewy.

One of the must-visit places in Osaka is Kani Douraku, The Fabulous Crab. You can't miss the store with the giant crab outside.

The restaurant menu consists of crab, crab and more crab. The Duke is not as obsessed about seafood as I am so we didn't eat at the restaurant. Instead I bought some crab claws/legs and crab sushi from their takeaway counter and had a feast in the hotel room instead.

The crab claws/legs came with a sweet tasting dipping sauce that really enhanced the flavour of the crab. It was messy to eat but so worth it!

Tempura is a staple of Japanese cuisine and we went to a tempura specialty restaurant in Tokyo called Tsunahashi

The set course was good (light batter, fresh ingredients) but it wasn't enough for us. The rest of their menu were in Japanese only so we couldn't order anything else. It was a bit of a bummer.

On some days we ended up buying a bento box from the food store at the basement of department stores and eating at the hotel. This was a typical offering.

We had dinner at Negishi, a restaurant that specialises in beef tongue. Now I know it sounds a bit bizarre to eat a tongue but I can assure you that it was very tasty. The Duke has the grilled beef tongue set.

And I had the beef tongue stew set. I don't think I've ever eaten meat that was that tender and juicy!

Photo: Negishi

No trip to Japan is complete without sushi!

Tuna toro was da bomb! I have a soft spot for prawn sashimi too :-D

The highlight of our foodie experience in Japan was no doubt the kaiseki cuisine at Kichisen in Kyoto. Kaiseki is a Kyoto specialty, a degustation menu with emphasis on seasonal produce and artful presentation. The owner and chef of the restaurant has been a contestant on Iron Chef and was actually victorious! You can check out the episode here.

Here are some of the courses.

Chilled onion soup - complete opposite of French onion soup, with very delicate flavours.

The sashimi box. The chef was standing behind the counter with a pair of long chopsticks guiding us on how to eat - which piece to eat first, what sauce to use etc. I had one of the pieces wrapped in a leaf which was surprisinglyy nice! It was quite an experience.



When this dish was presented to us we didn't know what was in store - it was actually two grilled fishes on sticks. It freaked The Duke out a bit (he was not a big fan of cooked fish to start off with), so I ate both of them. His loss!

The freshness of the simmered bamboo shoots signified springtime to me.

The eel rice with shredded egg and fish roe was awesome. I'd have easily eaten another bowl (or two)!

We had 3 desserts! A perfectly skinned tomato that was unbelievably sweet, an orange jelly served inside an orange, and this lovely piece of yam cake.

I hope you're enjoying my Japan snapshots post. The next one will finally be on topic - shopping!

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