Your favorite shops at Rockefeller Center have a lot to say. Beyond the products on the shelves or the services offered, brands love to connect with their customers and communicate the interesting stories behind that stylish dress or handcrafted shoe. Many companies maintain blogs and Tumblrs that are as well-designed and edited as any big-media magazine, creating original content and photography, interviews with up-and-coming artists, travel tips and recipes, videos and much more. We've clicked around so you can see some of our favorite pages from shops and services at Rockefeller Center.
Aritzia - The cool Canadians come through the Internet with a series of themed "issues" just like a regular magazine; there are the expected fashion features, style recommendations and trend roundups, but you'll also find extensive interviews with young women in all kinds of creative fields, written in a bloggy, accessible tone. As we learned in our interview with Aritzia's in-house DJ mastermind Sarah Lewitinn, Aritzia works diligently to uncover breaking trends in fashion, music and culture.
Equinox - In Equinox's own words, "Q is Equinox’s editorial site that was created to change the conversation on fitness and wellness by presenting it in an elevated way." The masthead of exercise experts covers all the important topics, with helpful articles on nutrition, beauty and making the most of your workouts. The "What We Read This Week" links list turned us on to tons of online goodies: a guy who built a floating skate ramp, stunning photos of hot surfers' bodies.
J. Crew - J. Crew's editorial online home showcases high-caliber writers and fine photography on its Tumblr—click through for everything from profiles of talented illustrators and travel tips to emotional essays on fatherhood (and the perils of creating a hashtag for your baby). A street-style series catches handsome lads and ladies in J. Crew finery (how do you feel about suits with shorts?), while an inside-the-factory photo story on how a sneaker gets made illuminates the processes behind the stuff that lands in the stores.
Anthropologie - Anthropologie's image-heavy Tumblr showcases travel videos, gift guides, DIY handcrafts and lots of cocktail recipes (drinks articles are titled, appropriately, "It's 5-o'clock Somewhere" and summer suggestions include a ginger-blackberry smash and strawberry margaritas). It's a place for Anthro to capture its audience of upscale bohemians; uptempo playlists, videos of in-store concerts and posts that feature the adorable #DogsOfAnthro hashtag surely appeal to the target demographic.
Cole Haan - "Not your ordinary blog," claims Cole Haan's contribution to original content on the web, and the voice here is friendly and fashionable, with an emphasis on telling the story behind the collections. The blog gives the shoewear company the chance to dig though its archives, highlighting top-notch photography and interviews with interesting designers in partnership with the brand. Cole Haan also maintains a Tumblr that is regularly updated as new collections come to market.