Retail Focus July 2014

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


Store point of sale pack



Acrylic retail display cube

Large format window posters


3D retail display with AV content and plinths

Lightsaber display at

schuh, Oxford Stree

t London











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.






Acrylic retail display cube



3D retail display with AV content and plinths

Lightsaber display at

schuh, Oxford Stree

t London

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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FRIDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2014 AT GRAND CONNAUGHT ROOMS LONDON

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EditorGemma Balmford

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Production & WebTerry Clark


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Display SalesLee Cullumbine


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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

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

Ask for your free visitor badge onwww.retail360show.com

Invitation code: PUB

Stay connected to your event!

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

12

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.

12

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.

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

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.

TEL +44 (0)1273 582241FAX +44 (0)1273 580644

[email protected]

SHOPFITTING SYSTEMS

ALU

MIN

IUM

EX

TRU

SIO

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and mild steel accessories

From concept to finished product.

16

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

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.

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

18

of the



iposdesign

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

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

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

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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

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

29

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

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.

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.

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.


34

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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

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

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.

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

43

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


44

Innovative creative team, 3D visualisers & artworkersMass-production in the Far East - Unbeatable unit costsHand crafting in-house Installation, packing and dispatch of schemes worldwide

VISUAL MERCHANDISING

RETAIL WINDOW DISPLAY

SARAH FEATHER DESIGN LIMITED1 DOVEDALE STUDIOS, 465 BATTERSEA PARK ROAD, LONDON SW11 4LR

020 7585 1444 - [email protected] - SARAHFEATHERDESIGN.COM

PRODUCTION & CREATIONDESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

45

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

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

47

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.

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

Retail Focus July 2014

Documents

Transcript of Retail Focus July 2014