Having published my post on Sunday afternoon,  I received another e-mail from Burberry on Monday morning. They’d picked up on my blog post (wow, they’re fast) and got in touch to try to “restore my faith”.  I was intrigued and agreed to have a chat.

I have to say I was very impressed with how they dealt with me on the call. It wasn’t just that the lady I spoke to was incredibly friendly and apologetic  (as you’d expect), but it was also that she was open and honest about their internal processes and how she wanted to make sure they did better next time. She took the time to address some of the specific concerns I mentioned in my post, for example explaining to me how the social media team connects with the customer service team and so on.

I was left convinced that Burberry really is heading towards being a seamless back-end operation when it comes to joining the dots between customer service and marketing. This is the key first step for a brand to get right, to then deliver an equally seamless experience externally to customers. It’s all the more important when, like Burberry, you offer the option of customers being able to get in touch with your company via (very public) social media channels.

Even though, in my case, Burberry admitted they hadn’t followed the right course of action first time round (apparently, they shouldn’t have charged me for the button without a proper enquiry into any quality issues), the way they subsequently dealt with the problem struck a a good balance between attentiveness and humility.

In my day job as a brand strategist, we talk a lot about how ‘responsiveness’ is a defining quality of the most successful brands today and Burberry’s reaction to my expressed disappointment was a great example of this in action.

On my call with customer services, Burberry also talked to me about their ambition for customers to “have the same feeling in every channel” and this is a spot on strategy. It’s often the little things, the minute interactions – like replacing a missing button free of charge – that make the difference when it comes to how you feel about a brand, particularly one that promises luxury.

Best of all, my shiny new buttons arrived in the post this morning, in a lovely Burberry package and with a personal letter. Nice.

Well done Burberry. You have now given me a new story to tell. And a lesson in how you can change consumer perception  of  brand with a little bit of love.

So I tweeted @burberryservice and they impressively replied (within an hour) to say they were ‘sorry to hear’ about my missing button, along with some suggestions for how I could get it fixed. So far, so good…

Being a dutiful and trusting customer, I took @burberryservice’s advice and sent in a picture of my sad little buttonless trench to the twitter@burberry.com team. Again, not as quickly as the Twitter team, but still more swiftly than you could ever get through to your bank, Wendy from customer service e-mailed me with the following message…

Now, on reading the first line, I was just as ‘delighted’ as Wendy to find out they had managed to track down a matching button to replace mine. It was only when I read the next paragraph stating the cost of said button that my delight turned into disbelief. £25 for a button plus £10 shipping??! Are they serious? That’s £35 in total – I could get a brand new trench from M&S for that price. And I’ve actually seen some nice ones this season. Via a very nicely shot Vogue promotion. Not that that’s the point. But still.

In a matter of minutes, I’d gone from feeling like a valued customer and, I’ll admit, part of an exclusive club of trench owners, to feeling like I was being ripped off and taken for a ride. Or worse still, that perhaps I didn’t deserve to be part of the  luxury world of Burberry because if I did, I should be the sort of person that doesn’t question spending £35 on a replacement button and probably hasn’t ever needed to sew on a button themselves in their entire life. There’s staff for that.

Maybe I was being naive but I sort of expected, that having spent so much on their trench coat, Burberry might have been generous enough to provide a replacement button free of charge, or at least for a nominal fee. After all, they themselves are the ones that sell these things on the basis of them being a ‘lifetime investment’, something to cherish forever etc.

Anyway, it so happens that ebay has a great selection of genuine Burberry buttons for sale at a more palatable price of £6.50 so that’s where I’ll be going.

But I can’t help feeling let down by this brand which is so applauded for it’s innovation and responsiveness online, yet simply didn’t deliver when it came down to making me feel special. I don’t want to be cynical but I wonder if the swift response on the (very public) customer service Twitter feed was purely another part of the slick Burberry PR machine. But when it came down to the private interaction with a customer, their ruthless, profit-driven side came out. It’s as if the responsibility for the customer experience moved away from being controlled by marketing (the Twitter bit) to the finance department (the £35 bit).

It’s a real case of showing the importance of the entire experience of the brand and customer journey. To me, it proves that those responsible for the ‘brand’ and customer experience need to be involved at all stages of customer interaction, not just the big, flashy ad campaigns.

It wouldn’t have costed Burberry much to send me that button, but you can’t put a price on how I’d have felt about the company if they’d done it differently. It would definitely have left me even more positively disposed towards a brand I already admire and have already bought into. And it would have given me a different story to tell.

Chinese New Year is an amazing time to experience Asia. It’s like a concentrated version of its already vibrant self, with brightly coloured decorations filling every street and an even more enthusiastic than usual focus on feasting.

I didn’t realise how much the Chinese influence would also be felt in Hoi An, the town where we stayed in Vietnam. There is a large ethnically Chinese population and so they fully embrace Chinese New Year too, adorning the whole town with paper lanterns for the entire Lunar New Year period. Even the tailors, where my mum and I got some dresses made, spoke my dad’s family dialect – very useful for bargaining power.

From a style perspective, I discovered a new bond with my grandmother over our appreciation of printed trousers. We can’t really communicate as she doesn’t speak English but we can point and smile at each other. There was a lot of pointing and gesturing over the fact that my Topshop printed trousers were almost identical to her traditional Chinese silk pyjamas.

My grandmother has her ‘look ‘down to a tee. She wears the same style of outfit (see below) every day, simply changing the fabric and pattern to suit the occasion. She carries it off with a grace and elegance that belies her 95 years of age. I’ve got a lot to learn from her. It’s the ultimate capsule wardrobe.

My Chinese grandmother with her on-trend printed trousers

She doesn’t know it but my grandmother is so on-trend right now. It makes sense –  as the shift in world economic and cultural power heads East – that Asian style should be influencing the catwalks of the world’s fashion hubs. It doesn’t take a trained eye to see that the shows from the recent London, Paris and Milan fashion weeks were filled with Asian-inspired silhouettes, fabrics and prints.

Even the most French of the fashion houses, such as Balenciaga, are explicitly looking East. Their recent appointment of the Chinese American Alexander Wang is no coincidence. As the Guardian recently pointed out, “ Wang, who speaks Mandarin, has a high profile in China where his own-label already has a Beijing flagship. There seems little doubt this is part of his appeal to PPR.”

And indeed, Wang’s debut show for the label, had a much more structured, Asian feeling to the silhouette – a significant departure from the slouchy, New York style of his own label.

Balenciaga, A/W 2013 (image from Vogue.co.uk)

Other labels such as Kenzo also have designers of Asian descent at the helm (the amazing Carol Lim and Humberto Leon) and although they don’t take it too literally, there is no denying the influence of Asia on their collections. Their Paris show earlier this week had some pieces that wouldn’t go amiss in my grandmother’s wardrobe.  I love the polka dot blouse and skirt combination below that feels ever so subtly oriental but also very modern and fresh.

Kenzo A/W 2013 Paris fashion week (image from vogue.co.uk)

In addition to European labels experimenting with Asian influences, there’s also the home-grown Asian brands gaining global recognition. Singapore label Raoul got a hit of publicity when the Duchess of Cambridge chose one of their dresses for her Asia trip, but it’s been gathering a legitimate fashion fan base for a few years now.

I made a lunchtime dash to one of their stores in Singapore and picked up a lovely silk blouse. If I’d had more time, I would have tried on practically everything in store. The silk printed trousers below are so muted and lovely.

Raoul silk trousers and top

Being back in frosty London, it feels like there aren’t many opportunities to embrace all these lovely, light printed silks and bright colours. But Spring is just around the corner and I’m determined to get out of navy and black as soon as possible. Watch this space.

1. Statement outerwear

Whether you’re more partial to an out-sized check or a bold flower print, the message across multiple collections was clear:  it is time to let your coat do the talking. It does make sense when you come to think of it, given that a coat is the first thing people see when they meet you and in these winter months, you probably wear it more often than any other item.

I’m not denying a patterned coat is a style leap. My current coat is so minimal and plain, it doesn’t even have visible buttons. And it also throws the whole scarf thing into disarray, as a statement scarf with a statement coat is probably a step too far. Even if you decide not to embrace the trend, you can still admire these outerwear beauties from afar.

E Tautz coat A/W 13-14 (image from vogue.co.uk)

Katie Eary flower prints A/W 13-14 (image from vogue.co.uk)

2. Loungewear as outerwear

Blurring the boundary between ‘private’ and ‘public’ clothes isn’t a new trend. Pyjama style blouses and trousers were all over the high street this winter and more disturbingly, the Onesie isn’t yet showing signs of dying out.

However, we’re talking another level when it comes to the loungewear on show last week. The Richard James shearling dressing gown/coat is  almost ridiculous in its extravagance but it is a beautiful thing and begs to be cuddled.  Any man wearing it instantly becomes more desirable or at least in danger of being accosted by girls wanting to snuggle up into it. Either way, both parties win.

Richard James shearling coat A/W 13-14 (image from richardjames.co.uk)

A less Polar Bear-esque but equally luxurious version of this trend was seen at Alexander McQueen where the look was more of the “I’ve just nonchantly thrown this perfectly cut jacket over my exquisite silk dressing gown and I know I’m fabulous” vein.  A perfect balance of eccentricity and style.

Alexander McQueen LCM A/W 13-14 (image from vogue.co.uk)

3. Green

Not much to say other than green was everywhere, in all sort of shades, so you won’t be able to avoid it come next winter. It all looked lovely though, particularly at Rake and Richard James. On a side note, Rake wins the prize for the most handsome line up of models (see below for exhibit one). I admit this may have slightly influenced how much I liked the collection.

Rake A/W 13-14 (image from vogue.co.uk)

Richard James A/W 13-14 (image from richardjames.co.uk)

Maiyet happens to have all the qualities I’d look for in a modern luxury label: gorgeous, stand-out clothes but also a philosophy and purpose that goes beyond luxury.  Maiyet outlines their mission as “celebrating rare artisanal skills from unexpected places around the world” and introducing them to the fashion world, via their beautiful designs.  As far as I can tell, this isn’t a token effort to tick the ethical box – Maiyet has entered into a strategic partnership with Nest, a nonprofit dedicated to training and developing artisan businesses in the places that need it the most.

This label also does a good line in atmospheric campaign images, craftsmanship videos and a perfect selection of ethereally beautiful models. They know their brand and they know who their audience is (that would be me, but richer).

Maiyet Autumn 2012

Anyway, once you see the clothes you’ll probably forget about the worthy back-story for a moment and instead focus your energies on how on earth you get your hands on one of these beauties. Right now, they aren’t widely available in the UK (only net-a-porter and Selfridges from what I can see) but this is set to change next year. Ultimately, it is this desirability that signals real success for Maiyet.

Maiyet Spring collection

As someone who has on more than one occasion been referred to as Cashmere Tan, it doesn’t take much to persuade me that my favourite fibre could have another role to play in our lives.

I attended the launch of Dhu’s first collection of cashmere performance wear, aptly held at the Royal Geographic Society.  It was here, inspired by photographs of intrepid explorers, that I learnt about the qualities that make this lovely fibre the perfect insulating material for outdoor activities like mountaineering, climbing and walking.

Ian Moore, the founder of Dhu, can explain the technical bit much better than me, so here is what he told me about how he came to start Dhu and what he learnt about cashmere in the process:

The other admirable thing about Dhu is that they manufacture all the products in Scotland and source the fibre from sustainable farming communities in Mongolia. This feels right for a brand that is very much about doing things the proper way. It’s a natural, sustainable option for those who like being in nature. Simple. Even the one syllable name feels straight forward and honest.

From a female perspective, the combination of rugged outdoorsy-ness and cuddly cashmere is pretty much irresistible. On the launch evening, myself and my friend Alexis, could be found buried within the rails of the super-soft items, ‘testing’ them for stroke-ability. They all scored highly. Winner.

This super cheesy, brightly coloured K-pop extravaganza has been viewed 800 milllion times and counting. Meaning that suddenly, ‘gangnam style’- the overly showy style of a certain Korean elite – is now recognised the world over.

However, there is another, side to South Korean style that is quietly gathering international recognition. It’s what you might call ‘anti-gangnam’ style since it is largely minimalist, understated and focussed on finding beauty in the detail.

Here’s two shining examples of this subtle style movement…

Just this week, I was introduced to the Korean label, Low Classic, by my ever-ahead-of-the-curve friend Nomfundo. It’s basically her style and my style summed up in one collection. Very minimalist, a little bit tomboyish, body skimming (never body clinging please), not too much colour.

My two favourite looks from the collection would do just the job for a weekend outfit and a work outfit. How neat and tidy. Very Asian in fact.

Low Classic’s perfect work outfit (different shoes)

Low Classic’s weekend look (maybe the shoes this time)

Annoyingly, you can’t currently buy Low Classic in the UK but it’s been getting enough press of late that hopefully it won’t be long. I really do need an alternative to Cos sometime soon. Can you hear me out there fashion buyers??

Slightly more grown up but still on this minimalist theme is the label, Leyii. Designed by Central St.Martins grad, Sunghee Lee, Leyii is all about creating beautiful silhouettes with minimal fuss. For a better explanation of the label, hear from the lady herself in this interview with Crane.tv.

Leyii (image from Vogue.it)

My strategy for the morning commute to yoga class was to throw my trench coat over the top of this mismatched get up and hope not to be seen by anyone I knew. This strategy has served me well as there are not many critical hipster eyes on the East London line before 7am.

Still, I was beginning to regret my lazy approach since other girls at yoga seem to be able to get up early AND throw on a pair of snazzy printed leggings and somehow make their messy bun look artfully stylish rather simply unbrushed and unwashed (like mine).

Thank goodness then, that earlier this week I was invited to a yoga class run by the new label Work Out Life. And in return for getting up early and attending the class, the lovely ladies at Work Out Life have kitted me out with a gorgeous yoga kit. With matching pieces and everything.

Hurray! My road to early morning style recovery has now begun.

Work Out Life is all about fusing performance wear with fashion and mixing work out pieces with more casual fashion pieces, so you can move seamlessly from one activity to another and still look presentable.

Sounds ideal to me! Perhaps a little too ideal as I don’t quite have the lifestyle that involves gliding from yoga to coffee and back to yoga again. But still, beyond the PR speak, the pieces are really lovely.

Work Out Life ‘Perky’ top and printed trousers

The ‘super chic long sleeve top’ and ’super fly’ leggings I was given not only look great and have some really nice detail on them, but they were super comfy to do yoga in. In particular, the top was long enough not to ride up when being all bendy and upside down and stuff. You can tell the pieces have been designed by someone who actually does yoga and knows an exposed stomach isn’t something most girls want to have to grapple with first thing in the morning.

Work Out Life ‘Activate Life’ racer back top & ‘No 1 Ass Pant’

It won’t be a surprise that these pieces don’t come cheap, but they are comparable in price to labels like Sweaty Betty and in my opinion, much more unique and better quality. I’ll have to see how they wash but so far so good. Also, 40% of the range is made using organic cotton and the production methods are all socially and environmentally responsible where possible. So big tick there.

I’ll be keeping an eye of this label and seeing how it develops. And in the meantime, I’ll be enjoying the fact I don’t need to look quite so shame faced if someone sees me on route to morning yoga.

A lovely, roomy, Scandinavian backpack has been found, bought and used for all manner of activities and outings. It has also had the seal of approval from the boys at work (not an easy crowd).

It is by the Swedish brand Sandqvist, who by the way, have all sorts of lovely Scando-style accessories on offer. Check them out.

Here I am on backpack’s first outing a few weeks back when I was feeling pretty summery and carefree.  Let’s see how it fares with the more challenging climes of the rainy British autumn.

Sandqvist backpack

On the one hand, this is exciting and something to applaud – I’ve been banging on about fashion and digital technology being natural bedfellows for some time. They’re both highly creative, fast-moving and innovative and although many fashionistas would be horrified at the thought, their love of all things glossy and new isn’t too dissimilar to the technology geeks’ love of shiny metal objects.

This season, even the fashion editors from the most traditional of papers have felt compelled to write about the use of digital by fashion labels, indicating how mainstream the idea of adding an interactive element to a show has become. It seems every label – from the youthful Topshop Unique to the classic Diane Von Furstenberg – is trying to ‘do a Burberry.’ And for the time being, this is still enough to grab the attention of the media.

But what happens next season when simply trying out some cool digital stuff isn’t PR-worthy anymore?

And herein lies the problem.

Burberry aside, I would question what are the business and brand objectives behind many of these digital activities? Burberry – as the innovator in this space – was smart enough to make its investment in digital part of its brand DNA way ahead of its competitors. So much so that even if not all of Burberry’s digital ideas are good ones (and I’m not convinced they are), it doesn’t matter as they have positioned themselves as experimenters and pioneers.

Digital is now so integrated into the Burberry business, they make everyone else look like they’re playing catch up. And since few can match Burberry in terms of investment in this area, it’s never going to be a very fair or interesting race.

From what I’ve seen at fashion week, many of the labels that are using new technology seem to be taking a scattergun approach, trying out whatever technology they can get their hands on or whatever technology company approaches them first.

It feels a bit like the fashion world is going into “sample sale” mode, grabbing any and every piece of new technology just because it is there for the taking (I’m hoping this analogy may be enough to horrify some labels into thinking about their digital strategy!).

Now, this is all very disappointing as I strongly believe that integrating more digital technology into the fashion industry has the potential to grow the kind of businesses that are set to thrive in the future.

But this can only happen if fashion labels take it as seriously as they would their new collection.  Imagine for a minute if fashion labels asked the same questions about their digital technology as they do about their collections?

• What do these clothes communicate about the brand?
• Which of these clothes will my customers really want to wear?
• How do my clothes answer a customer need or desire?
• Which piece of clothing is going to be the stand out piece that will make the label famous?

Just replace the word ‘clothes’ with technology and you have the starting point of a more business-centred, rather than column inches driven, digital strategy.

It would be wonderful to see more fashion labels using digital technology to service and communicate with their customers better; being more thoughtful about what they share rather simply setting up a live stream of their show, as seems to be the default digital activity du jour.

Indeed, who really has time to watch these live streams other than those that work in fashion for a living? Wouldn’t it be better if designers created online content that felt a bit more personal and a bit easier to digest for their fans? Simple stuff that is thoughtful and centred on what it is about the brand that makes it so special.

I, for one, would trade a grainy live stream any day for some ‘making of’ content from designers like the Mary Katrantzou and Erdem. Revealing the amount of work that goes into creating those prints and that embellishment would surely be more brand-building that simply live-streaming a show just like everyone else?

Injecting some personality into digital activities is equally vital for these brands. I’ve bemoaned the lack of personality in the Stella McCartney twitter feed before but it really bothers me. It’s a missed opportunity for a brand whose designer is such a strong personality to use twitter merely as a bland PR stream. They could learn a lot from Victoria Beckham who uses Twitter to show her sense of humour, her unquestionable love of fashion, and her own fabulous lifestyle. Yes it is vain and self-indulgent but that’s what brand Beckham is about.  So it works.

Anyway, this post is fast becoming an essay but I’ll be looking more into this area. So watch this space and I’d love to hear your thoughts too!

A slightly reworked version of this post also featured on The Guardian media network hub here.