Local boutique's online store featured in People magazine
Natalie Johnson
Issue date: 2/18/09 Section: Lifestyles
Masons of Fayetteville recently launched its Web site with a team of nine UA graduates and was featured in the fashion pages of People in January.
Masons has proved to be a successful local leader of fashion and is proudly extending its services to a new audience on the Web at shopmasons.com. People magazine used a tote from the site as a more affordable option to a Chanel handbag that costs about $3000. A Mason's foldover tote will also be published in this Friday's People publication.
"People magazine has opened the door to allow 'would be' customers to view our site and, with their circulation of more than 3.75 million people it gave us fantastic exposure," said Anna Cottrell, Web director of shopmasons.com.
Cottrell, who was an apparel studies major at the UA, is working alongside a local photographer, graphic designer, Web coordinator, technical support and models to take their flavor to the national stage.
"My goal is to ensure cohesion between the stores and shopmasons.com, from the styling of the models, to the color of the windows," Cottrell said.
The aesthetic of the store matches the Web site. The color palette of the site, for example, echoes the fashion forward acid green of the store window displays.
Mason Hiba, CEO of Masons, Inc., wanted to create "an online relationship that is as genuine and personal as a trip to one of our stores," he said, according to a press release.
Masons has two locations in Fayetteville, one on East Joyce Boulevard and one in the Northwest Arkansas Mall. All of the stores, including shopmasons.com, offer fashionable brands of jeans, tops, dresses, shoes and accessories. Shopmasons.com strives to offer what the 12,500 square feet of retail space in the store does, including customer service.
"My favorite feature on the site is the 'May We Suggest' function," Cottrell said. "It is a way for the customer to easily see how we would style a particular piece - from shoes, to jewelry, to the handbag, etc. So, they can snag the entire ensemble with a touch of a button!"
Masons has proved to be a successful local leader of fashion and is proudly extending its services to a new audience on the Web at shopmasons.com. People magazine used a tote from the site as a more affordable option to a Chanel handbag that costs about $3000. A Mason's foldover tote will also be published in this Friday's People publication.
"People magazine has opened the door to allow 'would be' customers to view our site and, with their circulation of more than 3.75 million people it gave us fantastic exposure," said Anna Cottrell, Web director of shopmasons.com.
Cottrell, who was an apparel studies major at the UA, is working alongside a local photographer, graphic designer, Web coordinator, technical support and models to take their flavor to the national stage.
"My goal is to ensure cohesion between the stores and shopmasons.com, from the styling of the models, to the color of the windows," Cottrell said.
The aesthetic of the store matches the Web site. The color palette of the site, for example, echoes the fashion forward acid green of the store window displays.
Mason Hiba, CEO of Masons, Inc., wanted to create "an online relationship that is as genuine and personal as a trip to one of our stores," he said, according to a press release.
Masons has two locations in Fayetteville, one on East Joyce Boulevard and one in the Northwest Arkansas Mall. All of the stores, including shopmasons.com, offer fashionable brands of jeans, tops, dresses, shoes and accessories. Shopmasons.com strives to offer what the 12,500 square feet of retail space in the store does, including customer service.
"My favorite feature on the site is the 'May We Suggest' function," Cottrell said. "It is a way for the customer to easily see how we would style a particular piece - from shoes, to jewelry, to the handbag, etc. So, they can snag the entire ensemble with a touch of a button!"
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