Behind the collection – Outdoor Luxe
Spotting the trends shaping customer tastes is key for our product experts at Bookspeed. Lisa talks us through the inspiration behind our new Outdoor Luxe collection and how retailers can bring a little winter escapism to the shop floor.
What was the inspiration behind Outdoor Luxe?
“The focus of the collection is getting out into nature, then getting cosy inside after a day in the cold winter air. It’s diving into that sort of lifestyle and finding the little indulgences in the season.
“Après ski is very on trend right now. We were seeing it last winter, but I think it is even bigger this year. It’s that idea of skiing as an aspirational lifestyle. People are interested in the culture around it; the food, drink and fashion. The aesthetic has a quite retro feel, with the big colourful 70s style ski suits, but it’s also very glamorous. That look and way of living was a big influence behind Outdoor Luxe.
“We’ve also been inspired by all the saunas popping up all over the UK. It feels like interest in things like saunas, skiing and outdoor swimming are a progression from Scandi wellness. That sort of thing has been trending for years, but it’s continuing to grow in popularity.”
How did you decide what to include?
“We wanted the collection to feel stylish and chic. It’s about quiet luxury, which I think you can see in some of the bigger coffee table books. There’s also a calmness to it as well, and I think the cool blue tones of a lot of the books bring that feel.
“It's like a complete winter experience. There’s a book to see you through the whole day. Get up, go for a wintery, cold-water swim and sauna, have a bougie cocktail, get out in nature, then go home for a hearty meal. We’ve included lots of outdoorsy titles, but it’s also about the cosy, post-outdoors activities too, so we’ve got lots of seasonal cookbooks and wintery cocktail recipes in there. There’s a little bit of something for everyone.”
Why do you think Outdoor Luxe is resonating with customers?
“People are trying to find little luxurious moments to enjoy themselves, especially at this time of year. Things like skiing are associated with wealthy lifestyles, so a lot of the books are quite aspirational; it’s more about the vibe, the culture, and providing access to that fantasy. People want to disconnect from their phones and get out into nature, but it’s also about a bit of indulgence. I’m more willing to get into the cold water when I’ve got a sauna to go to afterwards! Saunas seem to make outdoor swimming a bit more accessible to more people; it feels like more of a spa-like experience. Plus, people are really interested in the wellness benefits and wanting to look after their physical and mental health.
“Bothies and cabins are such popular weekend getaway destinations right now, too. All the influencers on Instagram are posting their recommendations for those sorts of staycation holidays. People are seeking simple comforts and time outdoors but having a bougie, cosy place to retreat to.”
What kind of retailers should look at this collection?
“Most retailers can tap into at least one aspect of this collection. It can appeal to customers with quite different interests, from cocktail lovers to outdoorsy folk, so you’ll be able to slot in a couple of titles with whatever your current offering is.
“You could lean into the whole vibe and create an Outdoor Luxe display or just include a little nod to the trend with something like The Little Book of Skiing or one of the wellness titles like Cold therapy Made Simple.
“I’m picturing the Après ski titles and coffee table books sitting with retro looking cocktail glasses and stylish festive homewares. The more wellness- themed books could tie in with candles, nice tea, mugs. If you’re selling blankets, The Winter Cabin Cookbook would be perfect.
“The titles in Outdoor Luxe have great longevity, too. Adding in a few books from the collection is an understated way to signal the season, but they aren’t Christmas titles, so you can keep them on the shelves into springtime.”
