Preview: Sort by Serendipity

18 : 07 : 2016 Revelation Brands : Libreria : Discovery

Europe – Brands are creating new sorting systems that foster discovery over obvious organisation.

  • Old taxonomies are being replaced by more emotional methods of categorisation
  • Sort by Serendipity encourages mind-wandering over products on demand
Dessú, Paris/London Dessú, Paris/London
Dessú, Paris/London Dessú, Paris/London
Libreria by Second Home, London. Photography by Iwan Baan Libreria by Second Home, London. Photography by Iwan Baan
Black Rock, London

Retailers can often be set in their ways when it comes to how their products are merchandised. Booksellers organise books by genre and author; bars organise hard liquor by category and provenance.

But some are choosing to thwart consumer expectations by creating new ways of categorising products that encourage discovery and education. Bookstore Libreria in London, for instance, organises its books by themes such as the sky and the sea.

‘This is not about being an on-demand service, and not about serving an instrumental need,’ says Sally Davies, director of Libreria. ‘Instead, this is about providing a space that enables you to get an overview of the intellectual landscape and immerse yourself in the experience of being in the store.’

The Big Picture

For more examples of retailers and brands moving away from prescriptive taxonomy, read our latest microtrend, Sort by Serendipity.

Discover More Daily Signals
Rimowa turns luggage into a living archive

Daily Signals

Rimowa turns luggage into a living archive

Luxury luggage brand Rimowa has launched For a Lifetime of Lives, a new campaign developed with creative agency GUT that positions its aluminium su...
Travel : Fashion : Advertising
Ras Al Khaimah launches UAE’s first commercial astronaut training tourism experience

Daily Signals

Ras Al Khaimah launches UAE’s first commercial astronaut training tourism experience

Ras Al Khaimah is set to introduce the UAE’s first commercial astronaut training experience through a partnership between Action Flight Aviation an...
Travel : Space : Tourism
Stat: UK confidence gap emerges on personal finance and investment

Daily Signals

Stat: UK confidence gap emerges on personal finance and investment

Fewer than half of people in the UK describe themselves as confident investors, revealing a persistent confidence gap around personal finance and l...
Finance : Investment : Statistic
Café Bustelo turns coffee cans into game day tattoo kits

Daily Signals

Café Bustelo turns coffee cans into game day tattoo kits

Latin-inspired coffee brand Café Bustelo has launched Game Face, a limited-edition campaign celebrating sport, national pride and self-expression.
Fandom : Sport : Design
Miista and Lost Property highlight the rise of Modern Salons

Daily Signals

Miista and Lost Property highlight the rise of Modern Salons

In London, footwear brand Miista has partnered with lecture series Lost Property to host an evening of presentations exploring the theme of The Sil...
Fashion : Live Events : Society
Stat: Confidence in university degrees hits record low as value debate deepens

Daily Signals

Stat: Confidence in university degrees hits record low as value debate deepens

An inquiry into England’s student loan system begins on Tuesday (2 June) amid rising doubts over the value of university degrees, as a new British ...
Education : University : Value
Casetify and Tamagotchi bring the Kidult Craze to tech accessories

Daily Signals

Casetify and Tamagotchi bring the Kidult Craze to tech accessories

Casetify has partnered with Tamagotchi on a global accessories collection that repositions the nostalgic digital pet as both a collectible and a li...
Technology : Nostalgia : Kidult
Audible re-imagines retail as immersive audio discovery space

Daily Signals

Audible re-imagines retail as immersive audio discovery space

Audible has opened Audible Story House, a permanent public space in New York dedicated to audio storytelling.
Music : Sound : Audio Books
Stat: Americans report decline in everyday fun

Daily Signals

Stat: Americans report decline in everyday fun

Nearly half (48%) of Americans feel their lives lack fun, according to a new survey of 5,000 adults conducted by Talker Research and commissioned b...
Wellbeing : Fun : Statistic
Diesel and Tinder champion LGBTQIA+ visibility in Pride campaign

Daily Signals

Diesel and Tinder champion LGBTQIA+ visibility in Pride campaign

Fashion brand Diesel and dating app Tinder have partnered on For Successful Loving, a Pride 2026 campaign and capsule collection championing LGBTQI...
Fashion : Branding : Marketing
You have 2 free Daily Signals remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN