retail focus july 2014
DESCRIPTION
Inspirational retail design magazineTRANSCRIPT
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Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
WE ARE IPOS. WE SPECIALISE IN RETAIL.
IPOS, Unit 2d, Heapriding Mill, Ford Street, Stockport SK3 0BT [email protected] | 0161 477 8501 | ipos-design.co.uk
iposdesign
We design, produce and install all aspects of POS/POP. From in-store graphics, window vinyls and bespoke 3D retail displays to full multi-location campaign roll outs.Because of our range of skills we are flexible, responsive, effective and always focused on service.
National campaign for Vans x Star Wars collaboration at schuh
Storm Troopers Team at Schuh, Liverpool
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Store point of sale pack
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Acrylic retail display cube
Large format window posters
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
3D retail display with AV content and plinths
Lightsaber display at
schuh, Oxford Stree
t London
National campaign for Vans x Star Wars collaboration at schuh
Storm Troopers Team at Schuh, Liverpool
Store point of sale pack
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Large format window posters
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
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Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
WE ARE IPOS. WE SPECIALISE IN RETAIL.
IPOS, Unit 2d, Heapriding Mill, Ford Street, Stockport SK3 0BT [email protected] | 0161 477 8501 | ipos-design.co.uk
iposdesign
We design, produce and install all aspects of POS/POP. From in-store graphics, window vinyls and bespoke 3D retail displays to full multi-location campaign roll outs.Because of our range of skills we are flexible, responsive, effective and always focused on service.
National campaign for Vans x Star Wars collaboration at schuh
Storm Troopers Team at Schuh, Liverpool
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Store point of sale pack
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
Acrylic retail display cube
Large format window posters
Storm Troopers at Schuh, Oxford Street London
3D retail display with AV content and plinths
Lightsaber display at
schuh, Oxford Stree
t London
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signature.armourcoat.com
I founded Armourcoat 30 years ago to pioneer ideas in stunning polished plaster decorative wall finishes. In that time weve become an integral part of the worlds most prestigious architectural interiors.
The Signature Collection is my celebration to all weve achieved. It reflects our unmatched quality, innovation and commitment to our craft.
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Regulars31 Travel retail: Up & away
7 Leader
8 Diary
11-14 News
16-17 Window shopping Inspiring window displays from around the globe.
18 Top of the POPS
21 Karl McKeever This month, our columnist discusses how and why British retailer M&S can beat its high street rivals.
www.retail-focus.co.uk
.22-29 Project Focus GINA: Foyles: Finch
Avenue Optometry
59 Opinion The confectionery sector is booming thanks to a recessionary appetite for small indulgences and brands taking inspiration from the luxury fashion sector, claims Katie Baron of Stylus.com.
62-64 Products Products and services for the retail industry.
56 Regent Street: A mile of style
74 Q&A British designer, Lee Broom talks about his new product collection, working out of his comfort zone and focusing on global projects.
66
61
35VM Focus supplement Focus on: Lighting
Design & deliver
Ima
ge
: Hu
fto
n+C
row
FeaturesBright, witty and serendipitous. These are the three words that architect, Alex
Lifschutz of Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands uses to describe the new Foyles bookshop on Londons Charing Cross Road, which opened in June.
By the book 25-26
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T: 01945 420 068 | E: [email protected] | WWW.VMANDDISPLAY.COM
FRIDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2014 AT GRAND CONNAUGHT ROOMS LONDON
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7leader
EditorGemma Balmford
t. +33 (0)7 61 03 21 33
Production & WebTerry Clark
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
Display SalesLee Cullumbine
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
f. +44 (0)871 528 8000
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Retail Focus is published 12 times a year by
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As we go to press with this issue of Retail Focus, M&S has announced its 12th consecutive fall in quarterly general merchandise sales. In its trading statement for the 13 weeks to 28 June 2014, the British retailer said that sales were impacted by the settling in of the new .com site, which launched in February. The womenswear business was in growth as a result of stronger full price sales and uplift from seasonal and fashionable products, although like-for-like clothing sales overall were down by 0.6 per cent.
One of the issues, says Karl McKeever, is that M&S doesnt seem to be able to harness its collective company focus, considerable energy and resources to consistently deliver better product presentation and higher store standards for clothing and general merchandise. However, it is, and can be, much better than its recent UK performance would suggest, argues our columnist this month, and now is the time to put effective processes, activities and tools in place (page 21).
As Londons Heathrow Airport reveals its new 2.5 billion Terminal 2 building and National Rail shows healthy growth in retail sales, this month we look at the latest developments in travel retail and the opportunities on offer to brands (pages 31-33).
Elsewhere in this issue, we look at how the 1 billion Regent Street Vision investment programme is transforming the thoroughfare in the West End of London into a world-class shopping destination fit for the 21st century (pages 56-57). We also bring you the summer edition of our VM Focus supplement, with articles on the beauty and simplicity of paper, and the importance of collaborative working.
Until next month!
Gemma BalmfordEditor
July 14
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8diary
London Design FestivalLondon, Citywide13-21 September 2014
The London Design Festival has
established a reputation as one of the
largest and most dynamic design events in
the world. Now celebrating its twelfth year,
the Festival aims to celebrate and promote
London as the design capital of the world,
and as the gateway to the international
creative community. More than 300 events
and installations will be on offer across the
capital, from a stimulating programme at
the V&A to a major installation in Trafalgar
Square, called A Place Called Home, in
collaboration with Airbnb. A number of
large group-shows will also take place
across the city.
L_D_Fwww.londondesignfestival.com
100% DesignEarls Court, London17-20 September 2014
This year 100% Design celebrates
its 20th edition with an opening by
French designer, Philippe Starck. The
event takes place during the London
Design Festival at Earls Court and is
characterised by a solid framework of
five distinctive zones, each featuring
a prominent, specially commissioned
installation.
designlondonwww.100percentdesign.co.uk
Autumn FairNEC, Birmingham7-10 September 2014
Autumn Fair International 2014 offers
product sourcing opportunities for
Christmas and for early previews of Spring
2015 ranges. This year the Trend Bar
Theatre will include a visual merchandising
inspiration wall. Seminars will include Top
Tips for Creative Visual Merchandising,
and Four Consumer Trends Disrupting
ecommerce and their impact on retailers.
SAF_Intwww.autumnfair.com
Digital RevolutionBarbican, London3 July - 14 September 2014
The Digital Revolution exhibition brings
together a range of artists, filmmakers,
architects, designers, musicians and game
developers, all pushing the boundaries
of their fields using digital media. The
exhibition also looks at exciting creative
possibilities offered by augmented reality,
artificial intelligence, wearable technology
and 3D printing.
BarbicanCentrewww.barbican.org.uk
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Ask for your free visitor badge onwww.retail360show.com
Invitation code: PUB
Stay connected to your event!
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11
Transport for London (TfL) has partnered
with online retailer, Amazon to install
lockers at London Underground station
car parks. Launched at the end of June,
customers are now able to have orders
delivered to Amazon Lockers at Finchley
Central and Newbury Park.
During the past seven months, TfL has
worked with local and national retailers to
introduce a number of click-and-collect
services as well as pop-up shops, bringing
new and innovative retailers to customers
using the transport network.
With the rise in smartphone devices
and the availability of Wi-Fi at 137
news
London Underground stations, customers
can also make their purchases as they
travel around the network and collect their
items at a time and location that is suitable
for them.
Some of our first lockers in the world
were launched in London and they have
become the preferred delivery option for
many in the capital, says Christopher
North, managing director of Amazon.co.uk.
We are delighted to have teamed up with
Lumsden Design has created a new bookshop at The British
Museum. The store is the next step in a series of designs that
began with the Family and Collectibles shops in the museums
Great Court.
The retail scheme is stylish and sophisticated, incorporating
a material palette of natural oak, black lacquered MDF and grey
Corian, highlighted by brass detailing. Tabletops wrapped in
black leather echo the original Reading Room writing desks.
The long, narrow space is sensitive to Fosters iconic
architecture with areas of the Great Courts Portland stone visible
between the retail display furniture and fixtures.
Designed by Lumsden, the retail furniture is manufactured by
Benbow and features dovetail joints to reflect the subtleties and
craft of bookmaking. The shelving on the walls appears to float
in the space, supported by slim uprights that reveal much of the
stone floor to enhance the feeling of space. Integral storage is
incorporated throughout the design but hidden from the eye of
the shopper.
The window display currently features a two metre-diameter
wheel made of 300 books and the entrance to the shop has a
bespoke oversized book and feature display. PLANarama worked
with Lumsden and The British Museum to develop and produce
the book wheel, along with the window graphics.
Callum Lumsden, creative director and founder of Lumsden
Amazon launches collection lockers at London Underground
TfL to bring the convenience of Amazon
lockers to an even greater number of
London commuters.
Amazon customers select a locker
location when they get to the checkout
and are then given a unique pick-up code
in order to retrieve their items from that
Amazon locker.
The number of Amazon locker
locations across the UK is now
approaching 300.
Design, comments: The British Museum is a global destination for
scholars, academics and visitors alike, and the Bookshop has to
cater for a prolific array of titles and categories. We have strived
to create a compelling retail environment which complements
the majesty of the Reading Room, as well as enhancing the
architecture of Lord Foster in the Great Court itself.
Lumsden Design has developed six shop interiors for the
British Museum, including the Grenville Room shop and the
Exhibitions Shop, which opened in the new Sainsbury Exhibition
Gallery earlier this year.
Lumsden produces latest retail chapter at British Museum
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news
12
In brief...N Brown Group has appointed Barber
Design to create a flagship store for
its brands, Simply Be and Jacamo on
Londons Oxford Street. The store will trade
from three floors and is expected to open
in September 2014.
Innovare Design has created the
brand identity and store design for the
Wonderful World of Golf, which opened in
Sunningdale in June. The concept is built
around the sporting heritage epitomised
by American golfer, Ben Hogan.
Global retail and brand consultancy, FITCH
has opened an office in Paris as part of
a joint venture with its integrated digital
partner, Ampersand. It is the first French
office for FITCH in its 42-year history.
Retail design consultancy Sheridan&Co
has completed a full store redesign for
beauty and cosmetics retailer, Feelunique
in St Helier, Jersey. The company
worked alongside local suppliers on the
multibrand environment.
Central London retail space is forecast
to increase by eight per cent by 2020,
according to a new report by Knight Frank.
The findings show that the arrival of seven
new Crossrail stations will substantially
change the capitals retail landscape. The
current retail development pipeline around
new Central London Crossrail stations
totals c.213,677 sq m.
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Commercial property company, Land
Securities has acquired a 30 per cent
stake in Bluewater shopping centre, Kent
for a cash consideration of 656 million from Lend Lease. It has also acquired the
full asset management rights for the centre
and 110 acres of surrounding land for
40 million. Lend Lease Retail Partnership owns
25 per cent of the asset, M&G Real Estate
and GIC own 35 per cent and Hermes
and Aberdeen Asset Management control
10 per cent.
Bluewater shopping centre is home to
more than 330 retailers, cafes, bars and
restaurants, including Marks and Spencer,
House of Fraser, John Lewis, American
Eagle, Victorias Secret, Tommy Hilfiger,
Jack Wills, H&M and Zara.
Scott Parsons, managing director,
retail portfolio at Land Securities,
comments: The acquisition of this interest
in Bluewater is part of the continued
strategic shift of our retail portfolio towards
dominance, experience and convenience.
This acquisition, which increases our
exposure to the South East, follows the
recent disposals of Overgate, Dundee and
Land Securities acquires stake in Bluewater shopping centre
The Bridges, Sunderland, and
demonstrates the pace at which we are
delivering on our strategy.
We see opportunity to improve returns
at Bluewater by reducing the void rate of
5.3 per cent in line with our retail portfolio
average of 2.6 per cent, combining units
to provide fewer, bigger units which are
more attractive to retailers, and improving
the leisure and catering offer. We are
confident that our fresh approach to asset
management together with the South
Easts strong economy will deliver rental
growth as market confidence returns.
British betting and gaming company
Ladbrokes has unveiled a new store
format on The Strand, London that
will be used to trial and evaluate
new initiatives in a live environment.
Designed in collaboration with FITCH,
the new format will help inform the
longer term development approach for
existing shops and future locations.
The new shop is designed to
recreate the thrilling atmosphere and
environment of a live sports venue that
appeals to both men and women.
Replacing static poster content at
the front, moving content in the window
displays, including twitter feeds, live
updates and broadcasts, now welcomes
customers into the shop.
There is also a cinematic event
space where customers are invited to
follow the live action of major sporting
events. Reactive lighting and audio are
used to create a sense of anticipation
and excitement around the broadcast,
while scents are also being trialled with
Ladbrokes places bet on new store formatthe aroma of turf sprayed in the shop to
reinforce the immersive sports atmosphere.
An open counter area in the centre of
the shop allows customers to watch the
game together, providing an informal,
social hub while using digital tablet
computers to support the bet. Some
traditional barriers around the counter
have been removed to create a welcoming
and friendly environment, and shop
teams are encouraged to mingle with the
customers. Wi-Fi, phone charging plates
and coffee are available for visitors.
FITCH design director, Nathan Watts
comments: Weve shifted Ladbrokes
shop proposition from transactional to
experiential. The shop takes reference
from sport stadia - materials such as turf
and exposed brick along with localised
sport action imagery and reactive
audio-visuals all help to make the
customer feel closer to the action. New
technologies have also been deployed
throughout the shop to fit behaviours of the
multichannel bettor.
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13
news
Italian restaurant chains, Ham Holy
Burger and Rossopomodoro will open
a new social space in the John Lewis
Oxford Street store, offering customers
a more diverse range of dining options.
The move builds on John Lewis recent
opening of two branded catering outlets,
Scandinavian juice bar Joe & the Juice
in its Solihull shop and Hotel Chocolats
cocoa bar cafe in Edinburgh and York.
The John Lewis opening will be Ham
Holy Burgers first UK site. Rossopomodoro
opened its first restaurant in Naples, Italy in
1999 and now has eight sites in the UK, in
London and Birmingham.
Andrew Murphy, retail director at
John Lewis, comments: Ham Holy Burger
and Rossopomodoro will give John Lewis
13
John Lewis to open Italian restaurants at Oxford Street flagship In brief...
Consultancy firm Elix-IRR has written and
edited a new book called Re-Thinking
Retail in the Digital Era that provides
expert analysis on the evolving retail
landscape. Based on the authors work
with some of the worlds leading retail
companies, each expert in the book
examines the fundamental changes
brought about by the digital consumer
and the related shifts in the retail sector.
The 152-page book is published by
LID Publishing.
POPAI UK & Ireland has announced
the nominations for the POPAI Awards
2014. Categories include travel, leisure
and automotive, consumer electronics
and shop-in-shop. The winners will be
announced at an evening ceremony in
London on Thursday 9 October.
Fashion retailer Michael Kors will open
its first UK flagship store on Londons
Regent Street in autumn 2015. The store
will measure nearly 1,400 sq m over three
floors, making it the brands largest store
in Europe.
US fashion brand American Eagle Outfitters
has announced its entry into the UK, as
the company further expands its global
presence with the opening of three new
stores. The stores are expected to open at
Bluewater, Westfield London and Westfield
Stratford City in autumn 2014.
customers a fantastic range of fresh
food alternatives to help make their
visits to our shops even more enjoyable
and memorable. With their focus on
quality and fresh ingredients, we think
people are going to love the offer from
these two brands at our flagship shop.
Weve had a great response to the
coffee and juice outlets weve already
opened in Edinburgh, York and Solihull,
so it made sense to add restaurants
and involve our London shops in this
initiative.
Westfield and Arcus Real Estate, controlled by Stilo Immobiliare Fananziara, joint
developers of Westfield Milan, have reached agreement with French department
store, Galeries Lafayette to open a flagship in the shopping centre, which is set
be Italys biggest mall. Trading from four floors, the 18,000 sq m Galeries Lafayette
flagship store will affirm Westfield Milans position as a new shopping destination for
Milanese, Italian and European shoppers, as well as international tourists, and will
complement the citys traditional shopping areas.
The Galeries Lafayette Italian store will be its second European store outside of
France and it follows recent openings in Beijing and Jakarta.
At 175,000 sq m, the 1.3 billion Westfield Milan development will feature more than 300 stores as well as a luxury village, cinemas, 50 restaurants, and the latest in digital
technology, and signature shopping and tourism services. It will incorporate the
best of Italian heritage and design with Westfield and Stilo Immobiliare Finanziarias
global experience in creating innovative retail and leisure destinations.
Michael Gutman, managing director Europe Westfield, comments: Westfields
global strategy is to develop iconic centres in key world cities and the inclusion of
Italys first full line Galeries Lafayette department store in this location will be a key
attraction for consumers seeking a real point of difference.
For our first mall on mainland Europe, we will bring all our experience from
London and other international centres as we believe the Milan region is dramatically
underserved by a quality retail and leisure attraction.
The development is expected to open 2017/2018.
Galeries Lafayette to open at Westfield Milan
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14
news
Visual merchandising company
PLANarama has worked with the
Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to
transform a vacant space on Londons
Carnaby Street into a vibrant pop-up
shop. Created as part of ZSLs Lions400
campaign a public fundraising
project designed to raise 5.7m for the endangered Asian lion the ZSL Living
Conservation shop is used to host events
as well as sell new product ranges created
especially for the store.
Revamping the space from top to
bottom, PLANarama painted the floor,
installed paw print floor vinyls, hand
painted a bright feature wall with stripes
and created a hero wall to showcase ZSLs
conservation heroes. The company also
designed and produced a chandelier of
animal models, which hangs at the front of
the store.
PLANarama designs ZSL pop-up shop
The INSIDE World Festival of Interiors
has announced the nominees for
World Interior of the Year 2014. The
awards comprise 60 nominations
from 21 countries across nine diverse
categories, including retail.
The shortlist includes MAKE
Architects, who are nominated in
the retail category for their art deco
redesign of the Harrods escalator hall
and their delicate restoration of its
1920s staircase. In the same category,
OpenAir Studio are nominated for their
Just Cavalli concept store, which sees
Dutch department store chain, V&D
has worked with London-based design
consultancy, 20.20 to create a new
shopping experience on the ground
floor of its Leiden store in South Holland
that highlights the brand values and
personality while attracting a more
affluent customer segment.
Each department is differentiated to
evoke the feeling of intimacy within the
large store format, with a clean material
palette selected to appeal to the
Dutch love of simplicity. The Dutch are
renowned for acquiring experiences,
not things, and therefore the shopping
journey showcases ideas, facilitates
human interactions, and makes the
store the meeting place, explains
a spokesperson for 20.20. Each
British beauty and health retailer,
Superdrug has unveiled a new store
concept in St Davids Centre, Cardiff
that offers a seamless combination of
beauty services and products. Named
Beauty Studio by Superdrug, the new
store provides a range of beauty services,
including blow-dries, manicures, ear
piercing and nail printing, as well as new
designer brands.
In addition to beauty, the store features
Superdrugs first in-store hair salon,
comprising five work stations manned by a
team of experienced stylists.
As part of the project, Superdrug
20.20 develops Dutch House of Ideas for V&D
department celebrates the service at its
heart; from the Lounge anchored with the
central, vibrant seating and shoes try-on
area, via the watch service in the Treasure
Room, to make-up workshop tables adding
retail theatre to the Beauty Studio.
The newly renovated store is designed
to celebrate product and encourage
curiosity, and if successful key elements
could be rolled out across the estate.
Best interiors shortlist announced for World Interior of the Year award 2014
walls, shelving and installations crafted
from rusted metal, inspired by the brand
identity. Other entries include the
Cultura Bookstore in Sao Paulo and a
pink neon Willy Wonka-style patisserie
designed by junior architects from
Elenberg Frasers trainee programme for
chef Adriano Zumbo.
All nominees will compete in the form
of live presentations and debates during
the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors from
1-3 October 2014 at the Marina Bay Sands
in Singapore.
Superdrug unveils new Beauty Studio
worked with APS Group to implement
digital displays throughout the store that
inform customers about new products
and promotions, as well as available
beauty treatments.
A catwalk also enables customers to
show off their beauty treatments on a big
screen before taking pictures and footage
via a video wall and HD camera, which
they can then share on social media.
The store opened on Friday 4 July.
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and mild steel accessories
From concept to finished product.
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Windowshopping
Inspiring window displays from around the globe
TopshopTopshop collaborated with Chameleon Visual for its Summer Swing
Campaign, featuring the new Aloof mannequin collection by
Bonaveri. Topshop designed and produced all of the watercolour
prints based on its spring/summer collections.
Photography: Melvyn Vincent
Bergdorf GoodmanNew York department store, Bergdorf Goodman
celebrates the 40th anniversary of Diane von
Furstenbergs classic wrap dress. Feel like a woman,
wear a dress! declare the windows.
Photography: Ricky Zehavi
Galeries Lafayette
Galeries Lafayettes latest
window scheme on Boulevard
Haussmann in Paris is inspired
by summer music festivals,
celebrating music in a gypsy
chic atmosphere. The displays
incorporate contemporary
urban and alternative universe
with arid deserts. Neon lights
and light haze enhance the
special atmosphere.
visual merchandising
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17
visual merchandising
Window
Ted BakerWhite fluffy clouds move in on the Ted Baker summer
windows. The Cloud Pleasers scheme was designed
in-house, and produced and installed by PLANarama for all
UK Ted Baker stores.
See more window installations from London and Paris
on the blog: www.retail-focus.co.uk/blog
Hackett LondonHackett London
recently partnered
with the Queens
Tennis Club
and the Ageon
Championships
to create window
displays for its stores
on Sloane Street
and Regent Street in
London. The focus
was to take the view
of the spectator from
the side of the court.
Umpire stands were
also present to finish
the edge of the court
theme.
BentallsKingston department store, Bentalls adapted a generic
window pack from Sony to tie in with its store theme for the
World Cup using footballers quotes.
Fred PerryFred Perrys World Cup windows featured a rotating grabber,
holding shirts and a stack of World Cup footballs made from
Fred Perry shirt material. The footballs were later replaced
with sale props. The display was designed in-house and
produced by PLANarama.
LomographyIllustrators and set designers, Stefano & Alejandra created
this window display for Jameson Whiskey in the Lomography
Embassy store in Madrid, Spain. Life is a constant cycle of
moments, people and emotions, say the duo. We are part
of a continuous change in which everything flows, like the
water of a fountain. Under this idea we created our unique
tribute to this carnival of colour, energy and life, with a
colourful mural and a fountain made with the whiskey bottles
surrounded with the Lomographic cameras.
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POP
POPStop
Company:IPOS
Client:VF Northern
Display Title:Vans x Star Wars (Disney)
Sector:Fashion
Locations:schuh stores, nationwide
The Brief: For the Vans x Star Wars collaboration,
IPOS was tasked with creating a number
of 3D retail displays, printed door vinyls
and point-of-sale items to promote a new
footwear, apparel and accessories range
throughout schuh stores. The company
drew inspiration from the 1977 poster artwork
from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.
The Result: Working closely with Vans, Disney and
schuh, the IPOS team produced a number
of creative concepts, including a vibrant
lightsaber 3D window, a Stormtrooper
guarding the Vans x Star Wars footwear,
and freestanding retail display units
using tiered characters from the films.
Stormtroopers also patrolled the streets
around schuh flagship stores on Londons
Oxford Street and Liverpool ONE to further
promote the Vans x Star Wars collaboration.
The reaction exceeded expectations, with
celebrities posing for photo opportunities
with the Stormtroopers.
www.ipos-design.co.uk
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of the
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WE ARE IPOS. WE SPECIALISE IN RETAIL.
IPOS, Unit 2d, Heapriding Mill, Ford Street, Stockport SK3 0BT [email protected] | 0161 477 8501 | ipos-design.co.uk
iposdesign
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The Retail Shopfitting & Display Summit will provide you with a platform to enhance your company and share the long-term vision of the retail shopfitting business by setting tomorrows standards today, and to prepare for future developments, innovations and technology.
Network with fellow experts within this industry, listen tocase studies, meet and discuss ideas with retail shopfitting service providers, hear personal experiences and find solutions to issues facing this ever changing industry.
For further information or to book your place contact:Delegate: Paige AitkenSupplier: Courtney Brown
01992 [email protected] www.forumevents.co.uk Media Partner
9th - 10th February 2015Radisson Blu HotelLondon Stansted
@Retail_Summit
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Q & A
21
Why and how M&S can beat its high street rivals
Well have all seen that M&Ss recent figures confirmed a drop in
profit but a modest increase in sales for its clothing division. Marc
Bolland has interpreted this as a sign that the brands performance
in general merchandise and clothing is turning the corner and on
track to deliver better performance. He suggested that the brand
was to overhaul various elements of the business, including new
IT and warehousing, relaunching its website and revitalising its
clothing range. Its the latter that interests me most though.
M&S has invested significantly in its clothing operation but,
for me, this investment has not been spent in the right places or
perhaps with the wrong emphasis. Let me explain why.
At the same time as M&S was dealing with the slightly negative
AGM, its high street fashion rival, Next (which has now overtaken
M&S in terms of profitability) was brazenly placing full page
advertising for its summer collections on the front covers of leading
daily newspapers. Basically, administering a very public corporate
kick up the backside to M&S when they were down!
As this latest brand spat plays out, its worth remembering that
the upstart Next is a much younger brand with a smaller and newer
store estate.
So where is Nexts strength? While working with one of our
clients this year, weve been reviewing womens fashion stores and
comparing our clients brand like-for-like against other clothing
retailers, including M&S.
From this, M&Ss clothing offer stood out for lots of positive
reasons. We saw that M&S has invested significantly in refurbishing
many store interiors and purchasing a considerable amount of
new VM equipment. Overall, I believe that M&S is well equipped
with the assorted VM armoury thats required to beat Next and its
high street competitors.
If we were to look starkly at the clothing offer of both M&S
and Next, the latter could sometimes be criticised for having its
own fair share of poor stores across its estate and a customer
experience that isnt always looking its best either. The big
difference, though, is that Next has a terrific brand and product
range, which the public like.
For many years, this has stood Next in good stead. However,
Karlwith product director Christos Angelides soon to leave the company
after 28 years, the continued ascendency of Next should not be
taken for granted.
People like the Next brand and it has momentum on its side.
Think about high street success and Next comes to mind. Can the
same still be said of M&S? Perceptions matter in how consumers
think and where they shop.
But with this in mind, I have a rallying call for M&S. Why should
it play second fiddle to Next and the like, when it has such great
resources to hand, and the ability to win out on scale? For me, its
the expert delivery of its brands and product collections in store
that are missing.
Many of M&Ss stores can have a ramshackle, work in progress,
disheveled feel about them. The considerable investment in new
interiors and VM equipment is sadly, and all too often, badly
utilised. Illogical layouts, poorly positioned POS and sloppy store
standards are still disappointingly commonplace in store.
As a brand, M&S doesnt seem to be able to harness its
collective company focus, considerable energy and resources to
consistently deliver better product presentation and higher store
standards for clothing and general merchandise. However, it
knows how to do this successfully in its food division, so wheres
the problem?
M&S has many talented people in its head office, but unless
store managers and staff at ground level execute the strategy and
vision effectively, performance will continue to struggle.
If you study a Next, Topshop or John Lewis store, you will see
the management team routinely reviewing and actively improving
many aspects of product presentation throughout the day.
Communications between management and staff are productive,
and store teams are well trained and managed to get the details
right. These brands are clearly focused and organised to ensure
their VM strategy is successfully, tirelessly delivered, to keep them
on top of their game.
This happens at M&S too, but seemingly not with the level of
consistently applied expertise, passion and pace to make the
difference in sales performance companywide.
For me, I believe M&S must redouble its efforts to create the
culture for expert brand delivery in store. Now is the time to put
effective processes, activities and tools in place. It also, dare I
say it, could be more demanding of itself for higher standards
and improved VM policy delivery through better staff training and
people management activities.
M&S is, and can be, much better than its recent UK performance
would suggest. It has many people with the potential to shine, great
resources, a fantastic brand heritage and an affection from the
public that can help make it the giant that it once was. The only
thing seemingly standing in the way of it beating other high street
clothing competitors is M&Ss own ability to make it happen.
M&S must roll its sleeves up and make its shops great again. It
wont be easy, but I really do believe that M&S can do it. Like many
people, I sincerely hope they succeed.
column
Karl McKeever is creative director of visual merchandising and brand delivery consultancy Visual Thinking.
Email Karl at [email protected]
McKeever
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22
Design: Caulder MooreOpening date: May 2014Store size: 84 sq m
GINAMount Street, London
project focus
Luxury British footwear retailer, GINA has opened a new boutique
on Mount Street in Mayfair, London as part of its programme of
international expansion. Designed in collaboration with
Caulder Moore, the 84 sq m interior features beautiful
contemporary furnishings set in soft grey panelled rooms with
fine period detailing.
Located in a Grade II listed building, between Carolina Herrera
and Allens of Mayfair, the store interior is the first phase in a new
retail development for GINA, which was established 60 years ago in
London by master shoemaker Mehmet Kurdash.
We currently have a very strong concept which works
internationally, so the brief was to reflect the boutique nature of
Mount Street, which is fast becoming the place for high-end luxury
specialist brands, says Caulder Moores creative director, Ian
Caulder. We also wanted to reflect the architectural attributes of
the site and location.
The striking black exterior of the store, with its large period
windows, gives way to an interior palette of delicate greys; from
dove to stone and granite, to metallic pewter painted wood. The
overall feeling is one of refreshing modernity with the intimacy of
a private residence, referencing the refined simplicity of classical
Georgian interiors.
From the gentle grey plastered walls, subtle plasterwork inlays
create characteristic period frame detailing, which is the resonating
motif for display units, freestanding mirrors and recessed shelves.
In the main retail area at the front of the store, a grey calfskin
chaise-longue takes centre stage on the two-tone pewter shimmer
flecked plush carpet. This symphony of grey is completed by the
suspended two metre-wide Swarovski hoop drop chandelier.
Towards the back of the store, through the glittering fashion
corridor, is a VIP couture lounge, where customers can try
on their bespoke shoe orders. Here, individual shoe podiums
act as miniature stages to herald the cut, finish and dynamic
embellishments of the footwear. Free-standing floor lamps create
a soft light, illuminating the collections while remaining easy on
the eye.
Commenting on the new design, Aydin Kurdash, director at
GINA, says: As part of our international expansion we identified
Mount Street as our venue of choice to invite the style cognoscenti
to discover our latest evolution in luxury fashion retail. Caulder
Moore have passionately realised the allure and elegance of
fashionable high-society consumerism for a modern age.
GINA also has a store on Sloane Street in Chelsea, London with
plans to open further stores in the near future. Ph
oto
gra
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y: A
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Ch
ap
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r G
etty
Ima
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project focus
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project focus
Design: Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands Opening date: June 2014Store size: 3,437 sq m
Bright, witty and serendipitous. These are the three words that
Alex Lifschutz, director of architectural practice, Lifschutz Davidson
Sandilands uses to describe the new Foyles flagship store on
Londons Charing Cross Road, which opened in June. The
bookshop has moved two doors up the road to the former Central
Saint Martins College of Art and Design building, marking a new
chapter for the family-owned business, which was founded more
than 100 years ago.
The 3,437 sq m flexible retail space is spread across eight
alternating foot-plates over four floors and houses more than
200,000 different titles on an amazing four miles of shelves. It is also
home to a 200-seater auditorium, a purpose-built gallery and a
cafe run by Leafi, which already operates in a number of arts and
heritage sites in London.
Foyles is more than just a bookshop; it is a much-loved British
institution and we are seeking to emphasise its importance as a
Ph
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FoylesCharing Cross Road, London
destination, says Lifschutz, who worked on the project. Foyles
has given us the opportunity to look at the nature of book selling.
In contrast to web-based sales, we want to celebrate books in an
attractive, sensual environment.
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands has designed an open, light and
flexible environment that can be adapted and subdivided by the
bookshelves to create spaces of different character. The key factor,
notes Lifschutz, is that Foyles has the flexibility to tune the space to
what they see working on the shop floor.
The design team has stripped away the central well into an
atrium to flood daylight into the centre of the building. The floors
are set out at half landings on either side of the atrium, making
it easy for customers to move from one level to another. The
challenge of circulating around the store is solved by this buildings
very unusual cross section, explains Lifschutz. We are keen that
customers will be relaxed enough to wander a little to make their
own discoveries rather than heading directly for the book they
might have intended to buy.
For those customers who are in a hurry, however, Foyles
has developed an in-store smartphone search tool, nicknamed
Ariadne after the mythological figure who guided Theseus through
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26
project focus
the Labyrinth. When a customer logs into the Wi-Fi, a search bar
appears that enables them to see if a book is in stock and then
locate it in store.
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands worked closely with Foyles on
the interior materials and colour palette to make the most of the
natural light in the space. The first thing you notice when you
look at a shelf of books is that, on the whole, the jackets are dark
in colour, so we used a very light timber for the shelving to lift the
light levels and create a light, open, welcoming space, explains
Lifschutz. The ground floor is oak throughout, except in the
former assembly hall, where we retained and restored the original
rosewood sprung dance floor.
The other floors, meanwhile, feature a mixture of oak flooring
and carpets. We envision that Foyles will come alive with events,
discussions and talks, and we need to be able to have those
events going on at the same time as people browse the shelves,
continues Lifschutz. Carpets are very good at absorbing sound that
may come up through the atrium, ensuring that as it becomes more
lively, Foyles doesnt lose the characteristic calm of a bookshop.
The exterior of the building has also been cleaned and
restored, and extended to enlarge the ground, first and
second floors.
The opening of Foyles 107 Charing Cross Road is a hugely
significant moment for us all, says Foyles CEO, Sam Husain. It is a
sign of confidence in the future of the printed word and has given
us the opportunity to think long and hard about what a bookshop
in the 21st century should offer. Its about discoverability, a chance
to interact with authors and artists, to listen to great music in one
of our many performance spaces and forging partnerships right
across the cultural sector.
Foyles currently has seven stores in its portfolio, including
107 Charing Cross Road.
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Design: BortolottoOpening date: July 2013Store size: 210 sq m
Finch Avenue OptometryNorth Toronto, Canada
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project focus
Taking cues from the buildings black brick exterior and its
rotund west corner, the retail showroom concept for Finch Avenue
Optometry in North Toronto, Canada plays on themes of contrast,
perception, light and the rounded shape of the eye. Created in
collaboration with Canadian architecture and interior design firm,
Bortolotto, the double-height, museum-like space is defined by an
understated luxury.
Entering the showroom, the customers attention is immediately
drawn to a prominent ocular ceiling that has the glamour of a
chandelier and gives the space a sense of grandeur. Inspired by
the mechanics of the eye and depth of field, eight concentric rings
cascade downwards, each defined by recessed white RGB LED
lights, culminating in a mirrored centre (like the pupil of an eye!)
The interior is perfectly white and luminous, with sparkling black
accents. Custom-crafted white lacquer shelving, with recessed
LEDs, transmit a clean and pure light while polished white Cambria
stone tile flooring unifies with a feeling of purity.
A curvilinear wall encircles the interior with a band of windows
towards the top that draw daylight into the heart of the showroom.
Throughout the space, display fixtures maintain a clean and
cohesive appearance, despite the frequent rearrangement of
product or change of merchandise. The shelves are designed
to unify their contents so that the shapes, sizes and colours of
the glasses never overwhelm clients, explains a spokesperson
for Bortolotto.
Comfortable, rotund leather chairs in neutral colours blend
with the overall concept while black granite tables accent the
space. Instead of cluttering the waiting area with a clutch of
chairs and tables scattered with magazines, we left the centre of
the room open to create a relaxing, contemplative environment,
says the spokesperson.
Flat screen monitors are incorporated into the wall to add
further luminosity and dynamism to the store.
Patients come in and are pleasantly surprised at the openness,
the brightness and the clean look and feel of the space, says a
representative for Finch Avenue Optometry. The design has helped
our business as it has made the flow of traffic a lot better and more
efficient.
Finch Avenue Optometry
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31
travel retail
Travel retail:
Up and awayNew state-of-the-art shopping environments at train stations and airport terminals are enabling retailers to expand their presence and grow sales.The global airport retail market is forecast to reach $59.2 billion
in 2019, a rise of 72.9 per cent on 2013, according to research
published by Verdict earlier this year. This surge is likely to be
driven by stronger passenger growth as well as growing affluence
in emerging markets.
In Britain, railway stations are also experiencing a rise in retail
sales, with the latest quarterly figures from Network Rail showing
a healthy 5.6 per cent growth in like-for-like sales from January
to March 2014. Londons Kings Cross was found to be the top
performing station in Network Rails portfolio, followed by Cannon
Street and Manchester Piccadilly. The findings come as new sensor
technology reveals that tens of millions of people a year are visiting
the stations to shop, eat and drink as well as those traveling by rail.
Partly due to the extremely challenging economy over the
past seven years, retailers have had to adapt significantly to
changing consumer shopping habits, and become more adept at
integrating the ability to shop into a customers everyday routine,
says Gregor Jackson of design consultancy, gpstudio. Travel hubs
present a huge opportunity for retailers in this respect, as train
stations and airport terminals both benefit from high, predictable
footfalls and long dwell times.
Airport retail soarsIncreasingly, retailers are likely to treat their travel hub stores
as a capsule collection, says Jackson, with the aim of inspiring
customers to explore further at a later date. This could be either
stimulate a visit to another physical store or, particularly in airports
where customers may live further afield, to drive website traffic,
he notes. A good example of this is the new John Lewis store
at Heathrow Airport Terminal 2, in which gpstudio acted as a
consultant in the early stages.
The 335 sq m store, which opened in June, is the retailers
first ever airport outlet and curates the best of John Lewis home,
fashion, gifting and seasonal ranges. This opening is a significant
step forward in developing our international strategy, says Paula
Nickolds, buying and brand director at John Lewis. Terminal 2 will
serve 20 million passengers each year and will offer John Lewis
access to one of the most concentrated, valuable and influential
markets in the world. We hope to bring the John Lewis brand to a
wider set of international customers, showcasing our offer within a
dynamic environment, building brand awareness and credibility as
a worldwide brand.
The new 2.5 billion Terminal 2: The Queens Terminal is a destination unto itself, attracting passengers to the terminal
earlier than their departure time in order to spend time and have
experiences with the wide range of amenities, services and retail
the airport has to offer, says Luis Vidal, the architect behind
Left:
John Lewis opened
its first ever airport
store at Heathrows
Terminal 2 in June.
Above:
Shopfitting & interior display firm, Alan
Nuttall completed several projects at
Heathrow Terminal 2, including the main
World Duty Free area in Departures.
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32
travel retail
the project.
With retail spend in airports on the rise, demand for space is
high, with four or five retailers reportedly applying for each unit at
Heathrow Terminal 2. Among the 33 retailers at the new terminal
are British brands Cath Kidston, Ted Baker, Mulberry and Burberry.
In addition, Harrods has opened a 160 sq m Fine Watch Room
that takes inspiration from the Knightsbridge store, and celebrity
chef, Heston Blumenthal has opened a new restaurant called
The Perfectionists Cafe, designed by AfroditiKrassa.
The functional airport processes, such as check-in and
even security in some cases, have dramatically streamlined over
the last couple of years, taking a huge amount of stress away
from passengers at their first touchpoint at the airport, and more
importantly giving back their precious time, claims Paul West,
creative strategy director at Household Design. In parallel, food,
drink and shopping has had a facelift beyond recognition in many
airports, making for some of the most interesting retail experiences
around for travellers.
While click and collect has become a well-established offer
at most retailers, retail travel spaces can make shopping even more
accessible for customers, argues Jackson. Weve already seen
trials of click and commute, but airport retailers should be
thinking about how to tailor click and fly packages to their
customers needs.
West agrees that those brands offering connected services,
such as shop now and collect, and buy now deliver home, will
inspire travellers to consider airport shopping more seriously with
pre-planned shopping missions. Services that enable travellers to
enjoy more of their time with ease will win, he says. Zurich airport
offers a service where, for a fee, bags can be picked up anywhere
at the airport and delivered to a customers final stop/destination.
In an apparent first, Heathrow has opened a Personal
Shopping lounge at Terminal 2 that provides customers with a
comfortable and private space with an accredited stylist to deliver
tailored sessions free of charge and regardless of ticket type.
Terminal 2 marks the next step in our quest to provide
passengers with the best possible experience when they choose
to travel through Heathrow, says Heathrows retail director, Max
Vialou-Clark. Heathrow is now the only airport in the world to offer a
free Personal Shopping lounge together with a selection of over 140
brands that have been selected especially for our customers.
Train stations on the right trackTrain stations are also becoming destinations in their own right,
with retail spend at some of Britains biggest and busiest terminals
rising above high street growth. Whereas airports represent a
saturated market in many ways (you only sell more by adding
another terminal or substantially refurbishing existing ones), railway
stations are by comparison an exciting blank canvas, claims Nigel
Collett, CEO of rpa:group. Network Rail owns a lot of desirable
real estate and whilst mainline stations already have wine bars,
restaurants and exotic fast food, our prediction is that within the
next five years or so they will become more like shopping centres,
offering multilevel activity, extensive car parking, cineplexes, leisure
facilities and all major supermarkets plus specialist retailers. In the
meantime, there is more diversification in the pipeline, which will
deliver even greater contributions and innovation from retailers, not
only in product mix but also in store design.
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33
travel retail
An example is the new Doddle parcel service which is being
rolled out to railway stations and major hubs across the UK over the
next three years. The online shopping collection and returns points
will open seven days a week and provide easy-to-use website
and notifications service through SMS and email. The open
access approach will enable retailers and carriers, such as ASOS,
New Look and T.M.Lewin to enhance and complement their existing
delivery offering, as well as allow consumers to combine
collections and returns from multiple retailers into one trip at a time
that suits them.
More people are traveling by rail than ever before and stations
have become more than just a place to wait for, or get off a
train, says Network Rails managing director, network operations,
Robin Gisby. Weve adapted to passengers changing needs and
now offer quality retail, food and drink at our biggest stations.
Introducing Doddle to stations will enable us to reinvest our profits
back into the railway and is a natural next step to help passengers
and people who work and live near stations, whose lives are
increasingly busy and on the move.
Online retailer Amazon has also recently announced that it is to
install lockers at London Underground station car parks to make it
easier for consumers to collect deliveries at a time and location that
is convenient for them. John Lewis will also open its first click and
commute shop in Londons St Pancras station this autumn, which
if successful, could be rolled out to other transport hubs and high
street locations in the future.
In Central London, retail space is predicted to increase by
eight per cent in the next six years, largely on the back of Crossrail,
according to a new report from Knight Frank. In particular, the new
station at Tottenham Court Road is expected to transform the east
end of Oxford Street by attracting a growing number of international
brands to the area. Canary Wharf is also set to entrench its position
as a burgeoning shopping destination with the retail offer of the
Jubilee Place extension and Crossrail station expected to grow by
nearly 14,864 sq m.
The current retail development pipeline around the seven new
Central London Crossrail stations stands at around 213,677 sq m -
the equivalent of 1,000 standard retail units or four Selfridges stores.
Whatever the territory covered by a business, a coveted airport
or railway store will mean increased turnover and enhanced brand
recognition, concludes Collett. Already airports like Heathrow have
five applicants for every retail space, making them the most sought-
after retail locations in the world and now train stations are finding
that they can be just as choosy.
Left:
The new
160 sq m
Harrods Fine
Watch Room
at Heathrow
Terminal 2 takes
inspiration
from the
Knightsbridge
Store.
Below:
London Kings Cross
has been voted the
best railway station
in the world for food
and drink at an
awards ceremony
celebrating the best
airports and railway
stations have to
offer.
Right:
Online shopping
collection and
returns service
provider, Doddle
is to open 300
shops in railway
stations and
major hubs
across the UK in
next three years.
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Call: 0845 680 7405 to advertise
34
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Advert 86mm wide x 127mm deep
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-
July 2014
News
Opinion
Collaborate to innovate
Paperwork3D paper sculptures
-
rarebasic.com
introducing
-
Cover image:
Life-sized paper birds
in the Mappin & Webb
Christmas 2013 window
display, created by
The Makerie Studio.
Photography: Melvyn Vincent
47
Paper. Its where ideas begin and, in the dynamic world of art and design, where they come to life. The flexibility and simplicity of the material make it the ideal medium for transforming two-dimensional designs into
exquisite sculptural displays and is why it is often used in retail to add colour, shape and interest to a window
scheme. In this special VM & Display supplement, we take a closer look at the versatile material and how it is
being used to create dramatic backdrops to window and in-store displays (pages 42-43).
The displays we feature in the Paperwork article this month are the result of collaborations between brands and
talented paper artists, Collaborative working is nothing new but it is becoming increasingly common in retail as
brands look to create innovative products and engaging shopping experiences that appeal to a changing and
increasingly savvy consumer market. In this supplement, we look at the benefits of collaborating on projects and
sharing ideas (pages 47-48).
In addition, Sue Fabian of umbrellabrand shares her insights and experience on what it takes to deliver a
successful retail experience (page 59).
Gemma Balmford
www.retail-focus.co.uk
EditorGemma Balmford
t. +33 (0)7 61 03 21 33
Production & WebTerry Clark
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
Display SalesLee Cullumbine
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
41News 45 Opinion
42-43 Paperwork
41 News The latest from the visual merchandising and display
industry.
42-43 Paperwork Retail displays that celebrate the beauty and diversity
of paper.
45 Opinion: Psychology, stats and setting up shop
Understanding shopper psychology is vital for
planning store space and product placement. Sue
Fabian of umbrellabrand shares her insights and
experience on what it takes to deliver a successful
retail experience.
47-48 Collaboration at work Collaboration is nothing new but it is becoming
increasingly common in retail as brands look to create
original and immersive shopping experiences.
Welcome
47-48Collaboration at work
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e: [email protected] t: 01438 318634 - 724065
BarthelmessUKBBBarthelmessUK established na
me.
fresh ideas.
be inspired. be surprised.visit our new website @ www.barthelmessuk.comcomplete visual merchandising solutions design with european and far east manufacture bespoke mannequins and forms project management decorado off the shelf display props trend spotting and inspirations christmas & seasonal schemes and decorations worldwide logistics management strict sustainability and environmental policies
Retail_Focus_Final_08.07.14.indd 2-3 08/07/2014 14:08
-
e: [email protected] t: 01438 318634 - 724065
BarthelmessUKBBBarthelmessUK established na
me.
fresh ideas.
be inspired. be surprised.visit our new website @ www.barthelmessuk.comcomplete visual merchandising solutions design with european and far east manufacture bespoke mannequins and forms project management decorado off the shelf display props trend spotting and inspirations christmas & seasonal schemes and decorations worldwide logistics management strict sustainability and environmental policies
Retail_Focus_Final_08.07.14.indd 2-3 08/07/2014 14:08
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41
news
Event Prop Hire has opened a new Central London office
and showroom. Designed as a walk-through experience,
the showroom features themed areas, such as an American
Diner, the seaside and Alice in Wonderland. The prop hire
and theming company also has a warehouse and offices in
Yorkshire.
Event Prop Hire opens in London
All eyes on LancmeElemental Design has built an interactive
add-on to Lancmes permanent beauty
counter at Selfridges in honour of the
10-year anniversary of the Hypnose
mascara and the launch of a new eye
palette collection. The site features a
stunning three-dimensional eyelash
structure inspired by colourful parabolic
threading techniques; bronze,
champagne, black and gold satin thread
are weaved into the lashes to match the
signature colours of Hypnose mascara.
The site, which has the theme All Eyes
On You, also incorporates a digital,
globe-shaped pufferfish which allows for
touchscreen spherical projecting.
The VM & Display Awards 2014 are open for
entries. Now in their tenth year, the awards
celebrate the best of visual merchandising
and display excellence.
Entry is free and there is no restriction
on the number of entries companies can
submit. Categories this year include Best
Window Graphic, Best Use of Mannequins
and Best Christmas Window. Projects must
have been completed between 1 August
2013 and 1 August 2014, and the deadline
for submissions is 15 August 2014.
The winners will be announced
on Friday 3 October 2014 at the Grand
Connaught Rooms in London. For more
information, visit www.vmanddisplay.com
VM industry awards open for entries
Luxury fashion brand, Kenzo will take
over the windows at Printemps this August
as part of a collaboration with the Paris
department store. The fashion display
windows will feature pieces from an
KENZO loves Printemps
exclusive, limited edition collection while
the store atrium will be transformed
into a playful and experimental pop-up
shop. The windows will be unveiled on
Thursday 28 August.
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42
paper sculpture
Paper work
The flexibility and simplicity of paper make it the
ideal medium for transforming two-dimensional
designs into exquisite sculptural displays. The
versatile material is often used in retail to create
dramatic installations that bring the brand and
product to life in a compelling way. Here is a
showcase of some intricate designs that are the
result of innovative partnerships between brands
and talented paper artists.
Retail displays that celebrate the beauty and diversity of paper.
Mappin & WebbIn collaboration with The Makerie Studio
The Makerie Studio produces unique three-dimensional paper
sculptures for both commercial and artistic purposes, using specialised
papers and intricate detailing. For Christmas 2013, the designers worked
with fine jewellery and silverware retailer, Mappin & Webb to create
life-sized birds in single colours that would tie in with the rest of the
window scheme, inspired by a 1960s Christmas catalogue. The studio
produced around 60 birds, including herons, peacocks and falcons in
either completely 3D or layered 2D versions for stores across the UK.
Working with paper is good because it can virtually become
anything, enthuse Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft of The Makerie
Studio. Its versatility means it can be used to express so many ideas,
and so to us feels like a natural medium for bringing individuality and
artistry to a window or in-store piece. Knowing how far you can push the
paper is the fun part.
The duo were also involved in the window displays for A Faberg
Easter at Harrods earlier this year. As part of the display, they created
a giant, fully functioning music box, featuring one of Russias most
famous ballerinas, Mathilde Kschessinska. The ballerina was made to
rotate on an intricately decorated pedestal, surrounded by beautiful
ornate mirrors.
www.mappinandwebb.comwww.faberge.comwww.harrods.com
www.themakeriestudio.com
Lancaster ParisIn collaboration with Things by Laura
To celebrate its latest line of handbags, called Adle, Lancaster Paris created a colourful
window display at its Rue Saint Honor store using tear drop furniture covered in delicate
paper flowers.
The first idea was to envelop each bag as a piece of jewellery in a magnificent
cocoon, surrounded by luxuriant vegetal elements, explains Magali Doizelet, visual
merchandiser at Lancaster. I also wanted to work on colours, which are very strong and
part of the handbags identity. Each tear drop is covered with very delicate paper flowers
and it seems like they are blooming all over the bags. I wanted the window display to be
very feminine, precious and ethereal to reflect the simplicity and beauty of the bags.
For the flowers, Lancaster collaborated with British freelance artist, crafter and prop
stylist Laura Reed of Things by Laura, who spent more than 200 hours meticulously
creating the pieces in various shapes and sizes. I like the fact that I can create
something from nothing, says Reed, who has worked with a variety of brands, including
Accessorize, Jaeger and Penhaligons. The lightweight nature of paper makes it ideal for
use en-mass in windows and there are so many different colours and finishes to choose
from, each project looks different from the one before.
The tear drop-shaped furniture was created by French artist, Christophe Bigot, who
specialises in resin and glass fibre.
www.lancaster.frwww.thingsbylaura.co.uk
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paper sculpture
RadleyIn collaboration with Sarah Feather Design
London-based Sarah Feather Design specialises in creating
retail displays from paper. For the Radley Press Day SS14, the
studio produced three metre-tall wild flowers using paper colour
matched to the SS14 collection. The show pieces, which included
poppies, dandelions, magnolias and foxgloves, were sculpted
using a combination of crepe paper, papier mache, card, ink
and emulsion.
Using an everyday material and transforming it into
something unexpected and hopefully impressive is always fun,
says Victoria Burnett, creative manager at Sarah Feather Design.
In terms of large scale, it works really well because it is lightweight
and affordable.
Sarah Feather Design is often involved in retail projects that
centre around paper sculpture, as well as schemes that have
paper sculpture as the value engineered option. If wood or metal
is being used in flagships, the scheme can be translated into
paper sculpture and is a fantastic option for affordable and easily
transportable roll-outs to all stores, says Burnett.
www.radley.co.ukwww.sarahfeatherdesign.com
Bonpoint Paris In collaboration with Fanciful Designs
It took US-based Fanciful Designs three months to produce
more than 1,000 paper garlands for childrens clothing brand,
Bonpoint Paris. The studio worked closely with the creative
department at Bonpoint to achieve a window display that was
young, whimsical, innocent and that danced as you entered the
doors behind a dreamland.
I love paper, says Noel Solomon, owner of Fanciful Designs.
Finding exact freedom in this material through sculpting allows
me to create with an unrestrained imagination. Its soft entwined
fibres and beautiful textures combined with a fanciful inner
laced imagination turns paper into a piece of art. My over-sized
creations are especially a favourite as they add a sense of
wonder to the world.
The whimsical garlands were installed in 143 Bonpoint Paris
shops, worldwide at the beginning of 2014.
www.bonpoint.comwww.fancifulshop.com
Liberty London In collaboration with Studio Boo
To celebrate the Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs exhibition at Tate Modern,
which runs until 7 September 2014, Liberty London decorated its shopfront
windows for a time with installations referencing the French artists
recognisable coloured paper cut-out technique. The department store
collaborated with Ana and Amy of Studio Boo to develop a concept that
reflects Matisses cut-outs using their signature style of layering and texture
building with paper.
With the famous cut-outs in mind, we designed a concept based on
Matisse works about the sea, says Studio Boo. Using similar expressive
shapes to suggest the organic matter of the ocean, the team created
windows that have movement and 3D elements, bringing to life the colours
and shapes, and combining with select products from around the store.
All of the patterned paper shapes are taken from the seasonal Liberty
Art Fabrics collections, with the final window showcasing the new Liberty
London Iphis accessories collection.
www.liberty.co.ukwww.studio-boo.co.uk
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Psychology, stats and setting up shopUnderstanding shopper psychology is vital for planning store space and product placement. Here, Sue Fabian of umbrellabrand shares her insights and experience on what it takes to deliver a successful retail experience.
Great environmental design is essential for success in todays
uber competitive retail market. However, while look and feel
are important, maximising the profit potential of your store
demands a strategic approach to both space planning and
range/product placement.
Im no psychologist but my time heading up Calvin Klein
and Shiseido, and running the shop floor for Harvey Nichols
and Jenners has taught me the importance of understanding
whats going on in the mind of the customer, when considering
the store layout.
While youll have a specific type of person who likes shopping
your store, psychologically speaking there are three customer
mindsets to consider:
1. Loyal fans who know you, like what you have to offer and have a habit of visiting your store.
2. Sniper shoppers who want nothing more than to come in, find what they want and get out.
3. Newbies who venture in because of something theyve seen or heard and want to check you out for themselves.
Each mindset has subtle differences but if youre clever, you can
appeal to each with a single store layout.
Space and Signage
Customers need to know immediately this is a place they can
shop and theres a lot for them to explore. When a customer
enters they should be able to quickly take the store in and decide
where they want to go.
Open environments with clear signage enable sniper
shoppers to easily see what they want and make a bee line for it.
Loyal fans can quickly scan and pick out their favourite areas to
shop, while identifying new things worthy of a browse. New recruits
can size up the store and decide whether coming was a good
idea or a waste of time.
Affordable Aspiration
On entry, you have a few precious moments to engage your
customer. People are bombarded on a daily basis with
information and have become adept at discerning the stuff worthy
of their attention.
Shoppers want to be inspired and that means engaging them
emotionally. Its why theatre works really well at the front of the
store. It quickly immerses the customer in the brands story.
It might be a beautifully curated product display like the fruit
stall in Whole Foods or something architectural like the staircase
and wow wall in Victorias Secret on Bond Street. Or, it might be
human like Gill Hicks male and female models.
Whatever it is, its got to feel both aspirational and attainable.
Your shopper wants to share in the brand experience and your
goal is to help them take a piece of it home.
Selfridges does attainable aspiration extremely well. As you
emerge at the top of an escalator, theres always something
interesting to your right that demands further investigation and
draws you to browse further into the department.
The fact that its to the right is important. The majority of
shoppers are right handed and naturally bear right when entering
a store. If you want them to go in another direction, youre going
to have to persuade them to do so.
Shopability
Typically, shoppers have an idea of what they want. Your job is
to make sure they get it, plus the stuff they never realised they
needed. Considering Paretos 80/20 rule is useful for achieving
this goal.
Its an almost universal truth that 80 per cent of your revenue
will come from just 20 per cent of your product. A popular
misconception is that these best sellers should be at the front of
the store.
Best sellers dont need to be sold, they sell themselves. While
you may want to have popular products in your shop window as a
reminder, once in-store they can be used to inspire investigation.
Better to make them visible but line the journey with beautifully
merchandised displays that stop shoppers in their tracks.
Shopability, however, is more than the merchandising. Its
the overall experience. Is it easy to find your changing rooms
or toilets? Do you have enough consultants to help shoppers
navigate your ranges or enough assistants to man the tills? No
one wants to get stuck in a queue.
Implement, Observe, Tweak
You can do all sorts of planning and strategising but the truth is,
you wont know how your store is shopped until people come in.
Find ways to monitor their behaviour. It will tell you everything
you need to know to tweak the environment so that it offers the
potential for achieving the greatest number of sales.
www.umbrellabrand.co.uk
opinion
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The Visual Merchandising and Display Show is 25 years young next April. Well be marking the event with the usual pizazz and a renewed vigour. Come and join the party.
T: 01945 420 068 | E: [email protected] | WWW.VMANDDISPLAY.COM
21ST TO 23RD APRIL 2015 AT BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE LONDON
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collaboration
Henry Ford once said, Coming together is
a beginning, staying together is progress,
and working together is success. Over the
years, forward-thinking brands and retailers
have collaborated with designers and
artists, as well as high-profile individuals to
create innovative products and engaging
shopping experiences that appeal to a
changing consumer market. And the results
have often benefited all parties involved.
Collaborations can inject a certain
freshness or abstract way of thinking, says
Jonathan Baker, course director at London
College of Fashion and VM consultant.
The benefits are not only in the favour
of the retailer, as these collaborations
also provide artists and designers with a
platform to showcase their work.
Earlier this year upmarket menswear
brand, Hackett London partnered with
the London College of Fashion to give
students on the BA (Hons) Fashion Visual
Merchandising and Branding course a
chance to design a new retail concept for
eight of its London stores. The students were
tasked with constructing a mood board of
who they saw the Hackett customer to be,
with an explanation of their concept and
any images to be used for the backdrop
to the windows. They then styled a number
of mannequins using the Art College
Spring/Summer 2014 Hackett collection,
adding props and accessories to make the
windows come alive. The collaboration
was part of Hacketts Rising Stars project,
which has since seen galleries and artists
local to Hackett stores worldwide being
given the opportunity to feature their
artwork prominently in Hackett store
window displays.
In 2013, Harvey Nichols displayed a
series of large-scale works by artist Andrew
Salgado in its London store windows and
Le Bon March department store in Paris
enlisted the help of American screenwriter,
director and actress, Sofia Coppola to
design the windows for the limited edition
Louis Vuitton SC bag. More recently, Liberty
London collaborated with Studio Boo on a
scheme that celebrates the Henri Matisse
Collaboration is nothing new but it is becoming increasingly common in retail as brands look to create original and immersive shopping experiences, finds Retail Focus.
Cut-Outs exhibition at Tate Modern while
in 2015, Selfridges will present the fourth
edition of its Bright Young Things project,
which provides a launch-pad for fledgling
designers to showcase their brand vision
and creations to the public. As part of
the initiative, the Bright Young Things are
invited to create their own display in one of
Selfridges Oxford Street windows.
One of the most rewarding aspects
of my work is to apply the considerable
might of our brand to seek, find and nurture
young talents whenever possible and
wherever they are, said Selfridges creative
director, Alannah Weston at the launch of
Bright Young Things 2013. There would be
no future for our retail industry and
Collaboration
at work
Below left:
Karen Millen partnered with architect
Mamou-Mani for the RIBA Regent
Street Windows Project 2013.
Below right:
Galleries and artists feature artwork
in Hackett store window displays.
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48
collaboration
many other creative industries if there was
not renewal of ideas, no fresh approach
and only place for the tried and tested.
Over in the US, luxury department store
Bergdorf Goodman hosted a series of
art-inspired windows, events and
collaborations between February and
May this year, called Art Matters! The
programme began with the debut of Ten
Artists for Ten Spaces, an installation of
work by 10 emerging contemporary artists in
10 locations, created in collaboration with
Grey Area. The work, including paintings,
sculptures, videos and site-specific
installations, was on display in the store
windows and on the main and third floors.
Commenting on the project, Linda
Fargo, Bergdorf Goodman SVP fashion
office and store presentation, said: Its
exciting to turn a new generation of artists
loose in our windows. We have a great
following of both New Yorkers and visitors
who might not get to see the work of these
incredible artists otherwise. We like the idea
of using our windows as an evolving gallery
to reflect the synergy of art and fashion.
As part of the Art Matters! initiative, the
store also sponsored the Frieze New York
art fair, collaborating with Salon 94
(a participating gallery at Frieze) to create
installations in three of the 58th Street
windows.
For the past five years, the Royal
Institute o