Welcome to Wednesday, futurists. 

This week we officially announced our next VISIONS Summit will take place in Los Angeles on October 10. 

Tickets will launch to Future Commerce Plus members with a 20% discount in an early access launch. Our newest revamp to FC Plus combined our streaming education series “Set the Table” into our already value-packed $20/month membership. 

With a membership you get: 

🛍️ 20% off events, print editions, and merch from the Future Commerce Shop

🔮 Access to Alani™, the private GPT for FC Plus subscribers

🍝 Exclusive Salon dinner invites like our recent Boston executive event at Asta

🔕 Ad-free episodes of the podcast and exclusive content

Get ahead of the ticket launch by joining Future Commerce Plus today. And Save the Date for VISIONS Los Angeles on October 10!

The London Brief: Framing the World Through Local Lenses

Stroll down Golborne Road, and you might stumble upon the Taylor Morris boutique, nestled between a pie and mash shop, antique dealers, and artisanal cafes. Step inside, and you're not just browsing spectacles; you're embarking on a tour of West London's most iconic locales.

If you do, you’ll meet Gavin, and he’ll let you in on a little secret: the brand isn’t just part of the social fabric of Notting Hill. It’s bringing Notting Hill to the rest of the world.

Local Lore: The Shortcut to Worldbuilding

“Worldbuilding” or “brands-as-a-universe” is often a set of discussions held aside for the global or cultural brands who have larger challenges to solve: acquiring customers across income brackets, psychographics, and stages of life.

But worldbuilding as a framework is something that is as natural to human beings as breathing. Why? Because it’s a shortcut. You needn’t look any further than through the shop window to see a world teeming with appellation.

Merchandising a Mental Map of the Real World

As iconic as the London Underground’s tube map is you shouldn’t use it for real geographic navigation. This isn’t unique to London; transport maps aren't literal representations of the city's geography; they're interpretive guides designed to help you navigate from point A to point B. The distances are distorted, the routes simplified into clean lines and bold colors.

Yet, despite their abstraction—or perhaps because of it—these maps give us a powerful sense of place. They become our mental model of the city, shaping how we understand and interact with the urban landscape.

In much the same way, the names within a brand's product line serve as a kind of map—not of physical space, but of cultural and emotional terrain. The tube map imprints a particular vision of London in our minds, and a brand like Taylor Morris' naming convention imprints a slice of Notting Hill onto its product assortment. Each name—be it "Golborne" or "Westbourne"—acts as a station on this conceptual map, a point of reference in the brand's world.

Like a transit map, it's not about literal representation but about creating a navigable framework that resonates with those who use it. This naming strategy turns the brand's assortment into a curated journey through a neighborhood, each product a stop along the way in an imagined but emotionally real landscape.

The brand does this in so many other ways. Vintage cameras sit next to well-worn travel guides in the shop. Glasses are merchandised into cusped arches, the type you might see in Islamic or Indian architecture; particularly in the Mughal style.

Even inside the world of Taylor Morris, you’re transported elsewhere. In doing so, it transforms the act of browsing or buying into an exploration of place, imbuing the mundane task of choosing eyewear with the romance of urban discovery.

A Lexicon of London: Taylor Morris' Naming Cartography

To truly appreciate the depth of Taylor Morris' local worldbuilding, let's take a closer look at their style names and the stories they tell:

1. Roads and Streets:some text
   • Golborne: Named after the vibrant Golborne Road, known for its market and diverse community.
   • Ladbroke: Inspired by Ladbroke Grove, famous for the Notting Hill Carnival.
   • Westbourne: Referencing Westbourne Grove, a trendy shopping street.
   • Motcomb: Nodding to Motcomb Street in Westminster, known for luxury boutiques.
   • Draycott: Named after Draycott Avenue in prestigious Belgravia.
2. Neighborhoods:some text
   • Pimlico: Honoring the Pimlico area, known for its garden squares and Regency architecture.
3. Pubs:some text
   • Pelican, Champion, Eagle, Castle: All named after well-known pubs in Notting Hill.
   • Hillgate: Referencing the Hillgate Pub in Notting Hill Gate.
   • Duke: Named after the Duke of Wellington pub on Portobello Road.

This naming convention does more than just solve the naming conundrum; it serves as “iykyk” for customers in the know. Wearing a pair of Portobello frames becomes a subtle nod to Saturday mornings spent haggling over vintage finds. It's a secret handshake or a turn of phrase that a select few will know and appreciate.

Reframing Reality: Localized Worldbuilding

Taylor Morris isn't alone in this geographic genuflection. Fellow British brand Finlay & Co. takes a similar tack, with styles like the "Bowery" and "Beaufort" evoking a sense of place that transcends mere product descriptions. Even global giant Warby Parker has dabbled in this approach, with frames named after literary figures and streets in New York City.

The art of naming extends far beyond the realm of eyewear. Catbird, the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand, famously named an entire line after characters from Swan Lake, infusing each piece with the grace and drama of Tchaikovsky's ballet. Other brands opt for more personal touchstones. Many leverage the names of founders, family members, or influential figures in their history. This practice not only solves the naming dilemma but also imbues products with a sense of heritage and personal connection.

As brands mature, they become nostalgic and perpetuate their own oral history. This self-referentiality can create nostalgia and continuity that resonates with long-time customers and intrigues new ones.

A clear example of this is Walmart's brand font, named "Bogle" after Bob Bogle, the former store manager of Walton Five and Dime—the very employee who suggested the name Wal-Mart in 1962. This nod to its own history demonstrates how deeply a brand's naming conventions can become intertwined with its identity over time.

Local worldbuilding extends beyond product names, it can connect synapses in every decision in the business. It can inform brand storytelling, social media strategy, and even their collaborations. Looking for a partnership or social media activation? Look no further than the Pelican or Champion pub for a limited-edition style isn't just a marketing ploy; it's a reinforcement of the brand's rootedness in its community.

Rather than create a fictional universe, many brands choose instead to reframe the existing world in a way that adds depth and meaning to the act of consumption.

Worldbuilding isn't some mystical art reserved for fantasy authors or luxury maisons. It's a practical tool, available to any brand willing to look closely at the world around them and frame it in a way that resonates with their audience.

In the end, Taylor Morris hasn't just created a line of eyewear; they've crafted a portal to a particular slice of London life. And in doing so, they've shown us that sometimes, the most compelling worlds are the ones right outside our door—we just need the right frames to see them.