THE SHOPPING BLOCK

BREA MALL PRESENTS THE SHOPPING BLOCK, A SIMON AND REFINERY29 COLLABORATION, ON OCT. 18

The Shopping Block, an Experiential Style Marketplace, Will Modernize Millennials’ Shopping Experience

Experience The Shopping Block at Brea Mall, the first-ever collaboration between Refinery29 and Simon on Saturday, October 18 from noon to 5 p.m., on the lower level, in Center Court. Inspired by the millennial approach to shopping, the fashion and retail powerhouses have joined forces bringing Refinery29 into the physical world of retail to create custom fashion activations available at Brea Mall.

Free and open to the public, The Shopping Block will offer consumer touch-points around fashion, discovery, and community. The event design, inspired by modernist artists such as Donald Judd and Dan Flavin, as well as the art and architecture of Marfa, Texas, will provide a variety of features that appeal to the millennial audience, including:

• Indie Boutiques + National Brands: Refinery29 and Simon will invite indie boutiques with local reach and relevance to participate in The Shopping Block. This will create an interplay between the native, in-market shopping experiences and the very best national retail brands, all within the mall landscape.
• Stylist Concierge: The Shopping Block attendees will receive curated style guides that highlight fall’s biggest trends, and where to shop them at Simon retailers.
• Guest Hosts: At each event, city insiders—chosen from local tastemakers in style, fashion and lifestyle industries—will act as hosts.
• Sweepstakes: Shoppers can enter to win a Simon shopping spree in the form of Simon Giftcards valued at $1,500. A “virtual closet” made up of the hottest items from Simon retailers and curated by Refinery29 editors will be on display during The Shopping Block event to serve as inspiration for what the winner could buy.
• Beauty Bars: Makeup artists will be on-hand at pop-up beauty bars to give shoppers mini makeovers, and share the latest beauty tips from the experts at Refinery29.
• DIY Station: The Shopping Block guests will have an opportunity to personalize tote bags, taking inspiration from two fall 2014 runway trends – Sporty and Embellished. Each trend will have its own moodboard of inspiration pictures posted with a brief description and example of that tote. Guests will be given materials to create their own version of the tote. Brand Ambassadors will be on hand to help guests and explain the activation.

In a recent study by Refinery29, millennial women of all ages and income groups expressed how online, mobile, and social elements all play a critical role in how they shop, often merging their online and in-person experiences. As a reflection of those shopping preferences, Refinery29 and Simon created custom activations that marry the digital and physical experiences together and maximize the social aspects of both.

“The Shopping Block at Brea Mall is a totally new experience targeted specifically to millennials,” said Anna Cotter, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Brea Mall. “The event mixes local, independent boutiques and brands with established fashion purveyors, creating a new fashion hybrid that celebrates the power of personal style.”

“Refinery29 has always been rooted in shopping and discovery, and is a champion of independent thinking and true personal style,” said Piera Gelardi, Creative Director, Refinery29. “Refinery29’s audience of millennial women turns to us as a trusted digital source of inspiration and they visit Simon shopping centers for a tangible, tactile experience. The Shopping Block is a perfect marriage of both worlds.”

The Shopping Block experience will be enhanced by editorial posts on Refinery29, including a “Found at the Mall” photo series showcasing the street style sensibility of shoppers who visit The Shopping Block. The events will be supported through co-branded banners on Refinery29 and promotions on Refinery29 and Simon social channels, Simon’s style blog at stylesetter.simon.comand at simon.com/shoppingblock.

Additionally, attendees are encouraged to share their Shopping Block experiences and discoveries using the hashtags #TheShoppingBlock and #FoundAtSimon. Anyone who posts their style on Instagram or Twitter using #FoundAtSimon #Contest will be entered to win a $500 gift card from Simon. Refinery29 editors will select the best Shopping Block inspired entry in October.

Visit simon.com/shoppingblock or Brea Mall’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages athttps://www.facebook.com/BreaMall, https://twitter.com/ShopBreaMall or http://www.instagram.com/shopbreamall for the latest event updates.