Retail Focus April 2018 by Retail Focus

retail focus

APRIL 2018 : Â£6.75 #98

April 2018/issue 98

retail focus WWW.RETAIL-FOCUS.CO.UK

Window Shopping : United Colors of Benetton : Filippa K : Naturally : The Retail Exchange Podcast : Shopping centres : Showrooms : Retail Design Expo : RBTE : Shoptalk : Focus on shopfittings : Q&A with Sam Cotton, Battersea Power Station

Scandinavian flair Filippa K unveils refreshed format

WINDOW SHOPPING : UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON : FILIPPA K : NATURALLY : THE RETAIL EXCHANGE PODCAST : SHOPPING CENTRES : SHOWROOMS : RDE : RBTE : FOCUS ON SHOPFITTINGS : Q&A WITH SAM COTTON, BATTERSEA POWER STATION

mannequins | creative | shop fit | hangers | retail

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H.O.L. are a London based leading provider of Retail Design, Shop Fitting and Retailer Supplies. We provide a creative and effective retail display environment to engage your customers and enhance your brand.

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contents

CONTENTS Scandinavian flair

29-30

Filippa K’s new store concept by White Arkitekter balances heavy and light materials with minimalism and warmth.

& Around: 46 InOxford Street

52 Retail Design Expo

Retail 44 The Exchange Podcast

50 Showrooms

on: 68 Focus Shopfittings

26-35 Project Focus

41 Shopping centres

Leader Diary

10-14 News Inspiring window displays from around the globe.

21-22 Centre stage Karl McKeever ’One wrong step and all your good work can be undone, in an instant,’ says Karl this month.

In & Around... Oxford Street, which is undergoing significant transformation with the arrival of Crossrail and plans for pedestrianisation.

17-18 Window shopping

65-67 Products

United Colors of Bennetton : Filippa K : Naturally

Opinion

Products and services for the retail industry.

Q&A Sam Cotton, leasing director – retail at Battersea Power Station Development Company , discusses the company’s plans for the iconic London building.

Ian Johnston, founder and creative director at Quinine, discusses the benefits of virtual reality — the latest weapon in the retail designer’s armoury.

The podcast for the retail industry Listen on www.theretailexchange.co.uk Download and listen later, wherever you are. Photography: Johnny Stephens Photography

STEP INSIDE THE SENSORY EXPERIENCE

London Office & Showroom 1st floor 99 Wallis Road London E9 5LN

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leader

welcome April ‘18

—

Battersea Power Station Development Company has revealed the retail and leisure plans for the iconic building. When completed, Battersea Power Station will be the third largest retail destination in Central London. The two turbine halls are now available to lease and will house a vast array of carefully curated brands from around the world in just over 100 units. The development will also boast a 3,251 sq m food hall called the ‘Theatre of Food’. You can hear more about the development from Sam Cotton, head of leasing – retail, in this month’s Q&A on P74. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since Westfield London first opened its doors. In that time, the shopping centre has generated more than £8.6 billion in sales and welcomed nearly 250 million customers. Gemma Balmford takes a look at the shopping centre sector on P41-42. She also discusses the shifting role of stores from being a physical space to stock goods, to a physical space to stage goods — showrooms article on P50-51. The retail calendar has been pretty full with events of late. Tom Philipson, managing director and co-founder of experience design agency YourStudio, headed to Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month and shares his highlights with us on P62-63. Retail Design Expo will once again return to London Olympia next month, co-located with Retail Business Technology Expo and Retail Digital Signage Expo. We will be bringing The Retail Exchange Podcast to the show with a podcast booth on our stand, inviting visitors to pop in and share their thoughts on the show and the industry. Read highlights from our latest podcast episode — Retail’s Real Stars — on P44-45, discussing the importance of human touch in retail. You can find out more about Retail Design Expo on P52-53. Don’t forget to enter your schemes into the Creative Retail Awards at www.creativeretailawards.com — deadline is 5 May. Winners will be announced on 5 June at Bunga Bunga in Covent Garden.

Lyndsey Dennis Editor

Editor

Publisher

Lyndsey Dennis e. lyndsey@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)7500 138 810

Lee Cullumbine e. lee@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)845 680 7405

Get more from Retail Focus online!

Production & Web Terry Clark e. terry@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)845 680 7405

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diary

DIARY

WorldDesign Retail Congress Retail Expo Marriott Auditorium, Madrid Olympia, London 17-19 April 2018 2-3 May 2018 Returning to Europe for Expo the first time since Visitors to Retail Design can 2015, joinnew the approaches world’s best in at the discover to Madrid customer World Retail Congress 2018. inspirational The Congress engagement, new thinking, provides an unrivalled high-level forum for conferences and innovative suppliers. retailcovers leaders meet andofshare RDE thetofull range retailinsight, design formmarketing powerful connections and help shape and solutions including lighting, the retail POP, future.visual Gainmerchandising, invaluable insights surfaces, from people across retail as they design consultancies, fixtures andshare fittings, their real display business stories. Anpackaging, extensive furniture, equipment, speakerconsultancies programme with than 130 insights andmore shopfitters. participants brings senior retail In addition, there is together a free comprehensive speakers from some of the world’skey biggest conference programme featuring to the newest businesses, asiswell as industry speakers. The show co-located leading industry stakeholders global at London Olympia with Retail from Business economics, Expo politics, finance NGOs. The Technology (RBTE) andand Retail Digital key theme for (RDSE). 2018 is ‘Innovate to Win’. Signage Expo WorldRetail RtlDesignExpo www.worldretailcongress.com www.retaildesignexpo.com

VM & DisplayDesign Show Week Clerkenwell Business Design Centre, Clerkenwell, London London 22-24 May 2018 18-19 April 2018

Sign Kiely: & Digital UK in Pattern Orla A Life NEC, Birmingham Fashion & Textile Museum, 24-26 April 2018 London 25 May - 23 September 2018

Retail Design Creative RetailExpo Awards Olympia, London Bunga Bunga, London May 2018 52-3 June 2018

Clerkenwell Design Week has created a showcase of leading UKhas andannounced international The VM & Display Show brands and companies presented in a new features for 2018. The Retail Focus series of events, exhibitions Forum willshowroom offer visitors insight on the latest and special installations that take trends in visual merchandising andplace design across the area. New for will from industry experts. and2018, the Light Display take over Fabric nightclub host of Team Challenge which will and see some top UK’s international lighting brands with the biggest retailers compete to be standalone lighting installations. crowned Display Team of the Year.

Discover the latest innovations in signage, ‘Orla A Life in Pattern’ is theatfirst print, Kiely: display, décor and design Sign & ever retrospective dedicatedthe to the print, Digital UK 2018. Showcasing latest in fashion homeware designs Orla all typesand of signage, wide formatofprinting Kiely. The finishing exhibitionequipment will explore the vision and print through that has, since the 1990s,inks become a global to innovative materials, and display phenomenon. It will draw on Services an archive of systems. Visit the Sign Trade more than years of work, Pavilion for20 day-to-day sign offering making visitors items an into Kiely’s creativeWorkshop. process. andinsight the popular Signmakers

The Creative Retail Awards are a Discover retail design, marketing, new and exciting annual event branding, visual merchandising, recognising architectureand andrewarding shopfittinginnovation at Retail and excellence in retail Design Expo in May. Thedesign. show also Organised the SDEAfree andconference Retail includes anbyextensive Focus magazine, awards will span programme and isthe co-located a number of disciplines, including alongside Retail Business Technology store surfaces, Expo design, (RBTE) and Retaildisplay Digitalsystems, Signage technology, Expo (RDSE).lighting and much more.

CDWfestival VMDisplayShow

FashionTextile Signanddigital

www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com www.vmanddisplayshow.com

retailfocus RtlDesignExpo

www.ftmlondon.org www.signuk.com

www.creativeretailawards.com www.retaildesignexpo.com

Image: © Orla Kiely

NEW AWARDS CONCEPT FROM RETAIL FOCUS AND THE SDEA 05.06.18 LONDON 8

FIND OUT MORE:

www.creativeretailawards.com

8 1 . 5 .0 .com 4 0 E s N I d r L a D w A a E l i D a t Y e R r T e v N E reati c . w ww www.creativeretailawards.com #CRA2018

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news

NEWS Battersea Power Station unveils retail and leisure vision Battersea Power Station Development Company has revealed the retail and leisure plans for the iconic building. When completed, Battersea Power Station will be the third largest retail destination in Central London. The whole development spans 42 acres with 450m of river frontage. ‘Battersea Power Station is the fourth pillar of London retail,’ said Rob Tincknell, CEO of Battersea Power Station Development Company, at the reveal. ‘It’s about great shopping, a great experience and great memories.’ The two turbine halls of Battersea Power Station are now available to lease and will house a vast array of carefully curated brands from around the world in just over 100 units. Turbine Hall A, which was built in the 1930s, boasts beautiful Art Deco architecture and will be home to the Premium Collection; brands that portray elegance, sophistication and timeless style. ‘A temple of sophistication,’ describes Sam Cotton, retail leasing director at Battersea Power Station Development Company.

Turbine Hall B, which was completed in the 1950s, has a sparer aesthetic and will bring together contemporary brands, providing an eclectic mix of younger, faster and more diverse names. Turbine Hall B has attracted great interest from Korean and Japanese fashion brands in particular. Cotton refers to Turbine Hall B as ‘the modern rhythm collective’. Because of the design of the turbines, no two retail units are identical and there will be no anchor stores. It won’t just be retailers taking space at the development. There will also be an extensive leisure offer, including a new park as well as offices, restaurants, bars, residential (the 865 apartments sold in just three weeks), a cinema and events spaces. Apple has already pre-let 46,451 sq m of office space within the building. Battersea Power Station will boast a

3,251 sq m food hall called the ‘Theatre of Food’. Located above the ground floor and level one retail units, the Theatre of Food will showcase innovative dining experiences that combine the best of London’s vibrant food scene, including the latest restaurant start-ups, new concepts and international cuisines. ‘It will be a place to discover emerging talent, alongside established chefs, and a chance to sample the latest food trends or enjoy old favourites,’ explains Helen Carr, F&B leasing director at Battersea Power Station Development Company. An interesting feature of the power station will be a glass lift experience in one of the chimneys, allowing views across London. Visitors will also be able to view the remarkable A and B control rooms. See P74 for an interview with Sam Cotton, leasing director — retail.

Ted Baker opens pop-up at Old Street Station Ted Baker is bringing its latest Colour By Numbers collection to life with an immersive pop-up experience at Old Street Station in London. Complementing this energetic environment is a full schedule of events and activity including restorative yoga classes, enlightening discussion events with fashion influencers Freddie Harrell and Megan Ellaby, and treatments from Ted’s Beauty Spot, as well as partnerships with independent food and drink businesses, including local coffee house Shoreditch Grind. Ted Baker partnered with ICON Retail to bring the pop-up to life. The space was designed by Ted Baker, and produced and installed by ICON Retail. Using contemporary art galleries as its starting point, the pop-up employs a clean, monochrome colour scheme with translucent opalescent panels laid out in a graphic zigzag pattern. This thoroughly modern use of materials and shapes

creates a fresh, serene backdrop for the vibrant new Colour by Numbers collection, and as with an actual art gallery, allows the dynamic feel and quirky detail of each piece to shine and be appreciated in full. The interactive space will be in place until 4 May.

news

Moose Knuckles opens pop-up at Harrods Harrods has welcomed a Moose Knuckles pop-up, following the brand’s ongoing partnership with the department store. Harrods was the first department store that started selling Moose Knuckles products when the brand launched in Europe in October 2016. Given its international visibility and the segment of clients, selling its products at Harrods is increasing the perception of the brand, also thanks to the fact that the pop-up is surrounded by other luxury brands such as DSquared2, Neil Barrett and Balenciaga. The pop-up is currently displaying both FW17 and SS18. Moose Knuckles is already planning to replicate this format all across Europe, opening pop-ups in the key stores of every capital city of the continent.

Browns handbag department in York gets a new look Browns department store in York now enjoys a new design of its ground floor handbag department. This new area has been designed by Emma Parish, director of design agency EPD, with retail delivery partner Resolution Interiors responsible for all of the fixtures and installation works. This is a key feature department for the store, which includes iconic fashion labels such as DKNY, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Radley, Orla Kiely, Lulu Guinness and Valentino. Merchandising units are made of highly polished stainless steel, with a ceramic tile feature bay to showcase these luxury brands. ‘For this project the brief was to re-design their handbags department to promote their new luxury handbag range. We’ve specified high quality materials, with a classic colour palette, aiming to create a refined backdrop from which to showcase their new collection,’ says Parish. ‘A design element of particular note would be the Pay and Pack. Owing to Browns’ renowned levels of customer service and the high end nature of the handbags, we incorporated an elegant glass return on the Pay and Pack. This dedicated sales area allows the assistant to present the product range to the shopper on a more personal level, enhancing the shopper’s overall experience.

Superdrug opens vegan pop-up at Boxpark Shoreditch Superdrug has opened a trial pop-up shop at Boxpark in Shoreditch. The Little Vegan Pop-Up By Superdrug has been opened to appeal to customers who are searching out vegan and cruelty-free beauty, with the trial store supporting Superdrug’s vegan proposition by stocking a selection of the hundreds of Own Brand vegan products. Housed in one of Boxpark’s shipping containers, the 18.5 sq m pop-up has opened to customers for three months. Superdrug’s vegan collection includes B., a range that was launched to be the first high street brand offering a complete range of vegan and cruelty free makeup, skincare, grooming and beauty accessories. ‘This is Superdrug’s first pop-up shop and definitely our smallest store, showing how adaptable our brand is when it comes to designing new stores. From this tiny Little Vegan Pop-up shop to our large retail park stores, we are looking forward to the year ahead creating health and beauty retail spaces for customers across the country as Superdrug continues the search for new stores to meet our target of 25 new sites in 2018,’ says Nigel Duxbury, Superdrug property director.

news

Oris opens pop-up in Mayfair

Arket to open first store outside London at Bluewater Arket, H&M Group’s latest fashion and lifestyle brand, is to open its first store outside central London on Bluewater’s Guildhall in May. The 1,021 sq m store will create a Nordic-inspired fashion and lifestyle destination offering products for women, men, children and the home, with a focus on sustainability, durability and quality. This opening follows the brand’s maiden store on Regent Street that opened in 2017. The Arket store concept reflects the new brand’s ‘modern-day market’ appeal, combining the efficiency and easy overview of an archive collection, a spacious layout allowing the customer room to breathe, and the warmth of its Nordic café.

Swiss watch brand Oris has opened a pop-up on South Molton Street in Mayfair, the company’s first standalone retail outlet in London. It will also become the first retail outlet after Maison Oris in Basel to host the Oris 2018 collection after its launch at Baselworld. Oris Pop-Up London will be a place to explore the Oris brand and its rich watchmaking heritage like no other. One of the highlights is an Oris mini museum, featuring historic pieces from Oris’s 114-year history that have been personally selected by Oris Chairman Ulrich W. Herzog. ‘London is a world city and one of the most culturally and historically significant places on Earth. It is home to one of the most dynamic watch retail markets and attracts a wealth of domestic and international customers who know and love their watches,’ says Herzog. ‘That’s why we have chosen to open Oris Pop-Up London and to take our 2018 collection to London first after Basel. We look forward to welcoming Oris oficionados, customers, members of the press and watch lovers to Oris PopUp London.’ The 25 sq m space will be open for six months until the end of August 2018 and will host a series of events for customers, friends of Oris and MyOris members.

Selfridges Birmingham launches Shoe Galleries Following the launch of its London Shoe Galleries in 2010, Selfridges has unveiled its second Shoe Galleries at The Bullring in Birmingham. Located on level four of the department store, the 1,393 sq m space officially launched at the weekend and hosted a series of events to celebrate, including bespoke personalisation and performances. Following in the footsteps of London’s Shoe Galleries, the new department stocks more than 1,700 different styles from almost 50 international designers, including Valentino, Balenciaga and Stella McCartney. The new footwear destination incorporates a blend of Selfridges’ high-end established brands with new ranges from brands including, Magda Butrym, Coach, Mallet, Alberta Ferretti, Gina, Malone Souliers and Marco de Vincenzo. Gucci, Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin have their own designated areas within the space, complementing the upmarket offer also provided by Tiffany & Co, which opened on level four late last year. Enriching the wide range of occasion footwear available to customers, and exclusive to Selfridges Birmingham, the Jenny Packham X LK Bennett bridal collection will feature in Shoe Galleries, ready for the wedding season. ‘The Shoe Galleries concept is an excellent addition to an already hugely popular range of departments available at Selfridges, Birmingham. The additional mix of global luxury

brands further elevates the Bullring to one of the largest retailers to stock high-end fashion and accessories outside of London. This opening reinforces the Bullring Estate’s position as one of the leading UK retail and leisure destinations for luxury brands,’ says Iain Mitchell, commercial director at Hammerson. Sam Watts, Selfridges Birmingham general manager, adds: ‘We are very excited to launch Shoe Galleries and are confident it will quickly become the premium shoe shopping destination in the city, serving the entire West Midlands region. We are also really pleased this innovative space gives us the opportunity to introduce many new brands to our customers.’

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international news

international

NEWS Printemps de l’Homme unveils accessories department Printemps de l’Homme in Paris has now inaugurated its new ground floor dedicated to accessories — the last stage of the architectural layout of the store. The 2,000 sq m space, designed by Wilmotte & Associés, is part of the overall project of the Printemps Men’s Store that is centred around the concept of energy. ‘The Luxury Accessory’ area brings together the best of the creation of 13 iconic brands, including Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Loewe, Prada, Valentino, Coach, Paul Smith and Ralph Lauren, as well as David Yurman for the jewel. Devialet will also present exclusively at Printemps Haussmann. ‘The Multi Accessory’ section stocks more accessible and often exclusive designers to Printemps. Other selections of accessories are offered in all categories alongside historical emblematic names such as Longchamp and Le Tanneur. The new ground floor is home to ‘Le Masculin Singulier’, an 85 sq m exclusive shop that celebrates the craftsmanship and offers the best of the exceptional accessories.

Fairytale-themed floral spectacular takes over Macy’s Macy’s stores in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco were taken over by the annual Macy’s Flower Show earlier this month. ‘Once Upon a Springtime’ transformed the iconic stores into enchanted gardens where the beauty and renewal of the spring season met the whimsy of a fairytale journey. This year’s themed celebration brought to floral life an original twist on classic fairytales, creating a world of personified flora and fauna, princesses, evil queens, fairy godmothers and noble knights that lead spectators on a wondrous journey. As visitors entered each ‘show’, they had the ability to choose their own adventure based on how they begin their trip through the floral fantasy land. From a towering castle where the princess resides to a meadow of brightly colored flowers, an enchanted forest, and lush lagoon; spectators played a part in Spring’s triumph over eternal Winter.

PANDORA unveils multi-sensory beehive in Sydney PANDORA has opened a multi-sensory retail store in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall to launch its new PANDORA Shine collection. Taking cues from PANDORA’s geometric honeycomb charm design, experience design agency YourStudio designed and built an immersive five metre-high installation called ‘The Hive’ to replicate a working beehive. The concept features ‘Humming Hubs’ that incorporate scent and sound, LED light panels that mimic the movement of bees, and the Pandora product housed in scent-infused stigmas of goldplated flowers to create a genuine multi-sensory experience. The customer has been put at the heart of the experience, engaging all senses for this dramatic launch of the new PANDORA product line. The Hive attracts the customer like a pollen does to a bee. The customers are drawn in by the scents of a meadow which is positioned around and through the hive. The gold flowers emit a meadow fragrance, attracting customers passing by. As they approach they get the alluring visual impact that shines like a jewel.

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Seeing is believing Discover retail design solutions at RDE 2018 Meet the full range of design solutions providers including lighting, surfaces, P-O-P, visual merchandising, design agencies, fixtures and fittings, furniture, display equipment, packaging, insights consultancies and shopfitters. Attend the outstanding FREE conference programme featuring star-studded speakers in retail design, marketing, branding, shopper and VM sessions. In 2018 weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expecting over 18,000 retail professionals to attend. Will you be one of them?

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visual merchandising

Inspiring window displays from around the globe

Hackett Hackett’s latest window campaign has been inspired by the Great British Stripe collection. Harlequin worked closely with the British menswear retailer to design an optical illusion, cheating depth and perspective with giant 3D columns, shadows, stripes and flat layered materials.

Joseph For Joseph’s Spring 2018 Urban Forest, the brand’s head of visual merchandising, Nathan Hicks, worked alongside Tenn to produce a bespoke installation. Using local wood suppliers, carpenters and manufacturers, Tenn sourced, stripped and sanded a series of birch wood planks to bring to life Joseph’s visualisation. Painting out the window in a raw concrete grey and cladding the back wall in a series of mirror panels, the window was visually transformed. Bespoke clear acrylic rod pegs and shelves were mounted onto the front and reverse of each plank to allow for key SS18 pieces of womenswear, footwear and accessories to be displayed in the main window.

TED BAKER Spring has sprung at Ted Baker, and Ted knows his onions. This fun window scheme has been produced in collaboration with Millington Associates, which made 67 onions in total. The onions all have varying personalities, all placed on springs and hand-turned in Millington’s studios. The onions were first moulded then cast, each one hand-painted, with foamex detailing for relief. The window scheme was rolled out to 21 Ted Baker stores.

visual merchandising

Ralph Lauren Spring has sprung at Ralph Lauren on Madison Avenue in New York. To celebrate the arrival of the brand’s Spring range, mannequins from the Genesis ICON collection attract attention in haute couture as well as high-end denim and lingerie.

Coach x Keith Haring Coach x Keith Haring is a special-edition collection combining artist Keith Haring’s iconic illustrations with Coach’s signature craft and all-American attitude. It’s a celebration of two legacies, both inspired by the spirit and optimism of New York City. Designed by Coach, the window campaign at De Bijenkorf department store in Amsterdam was produced and installed by Harlequin. Two giant 3m-high LED screens were placed in the corner windows, framed by scaffolding wrapped in Coach signature print fabric with gold fittings. Electro-plated gold tables propped up the Keith Haring emblem Coach bags. The scaffolding appeared again in the vitrine windows, this time holding gold shelves to support the product. The Keith Haring print continued instore with a wall clad area in the accessories hall and column cladding on the second floor.

Lululemon Lululemon is celebrating its number one yoga pant — the Align — in its latest window campaign. Lucky Fox designed a window scheme to showcase the meticulous development process undertaken by a team of designers and scientists to create the athleisure brand’s hero piece. Central to the window display scheme is a large 3D ‘DNA’ hanging structure designed and produced by Lucky Fox to fill the entire window space. Hanging above Lululemon’s mannequin army, the structure works as a subtle nod to the science involved in the development of the brand’s ‘Perfect Pant’. Giving more depth to the scheme are reflective window vinyls echoing the shape of the DNA structure. Elsewhere, key product information is printed onto acrylic and hung at intervals between the mannequins and molecule installation. The scheme was rolled out across all of Lululemon’s UK and European stores.

Karen Millen Karen Millen has unveiled the next instalment in the ‘Be More Karen’ series for Spring/Summer 2018, which sees the focus shift to occasionwear season with Karen Millen having all the styles covered for the key events in the calendar. Design by Karen Millen, the scheme was produced by ICON Retail. The scheme was rolled out globally to more than 60 stores and features 3D arches inspired by a rustic villa setting, with rich foliage and floral expanses hung in a romantic display. See more window schemes at

www.retail-focus.co.uk/vm

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CENTRE STAGE pop and display

Standout POP and displays from around the WORLD

Adidas Originals Adidas Originals has launched the Deerupt shoe with an interactive activation area, designed and produced by StudioXAG at the brand’s Foubert Place and Hanbury Street stores. One of the key design features of the Deerupt shoe is the distinctive mesh overlay that features on archive designs but on the Deerupt it emcompasses the whole shoe. StudioXAG created an immersive experience that invites people to interact with Deerupt to ‘transform the grid’. The 176 sq m Hanbury Street location features a graphic takeover of the grid pattern inside and out. Vast warped mirrors distort the pattern and anyone who walks past in their reflection. On the store’s large central table, the shoe is heroed on bespoke metal linear risers, extruded from the printed grid lines. At Foubert’s Place, StudioXAG teamed up with Cinimod Studio to create a digitally interactive experience. Grid-wrapped panels backed with warped mirrors create an enclosed space in store, inside which a Deerupt shoe is displayed, inviting shoppers to pick it up to ‘disturb the grid’. Using motion sensors, as soon as the Deerupt is disturbed the grid projection on the walls around transforms.

www.studioxag.com

Victoria’s Secret Female underwear and lifestyle brand, Victoria’s Secret unveiled the Pink Spahh pop-up to promote the brand’s ‘Pink’ beauty range. Lucky Fox produced the mobile pop-up stand to merchandise the spa-inspired products to new customers in shopping malls across the UK. One side of the stand held the product for customers to try and buy. The flip side of the stand had a selfie wall where customers held up speech bubble signage in front of a pink brick-effect wall. There was also a giant giveaway spinner, giving customers the chance to spin the wheel to win Pink-branded products.

www.luckyfox.uk.com

pop and display

digital displays

CENTRE STAGE

Tory Burch x Selfridges Women’s fashion brand, Tory Burch opened Tory’s Beach Pop-Up at Selfridges on Oxford Street for Spring 2018. Developed by Seen Displays, the pop-up is a sunny celebration of vibrant colour and pattern, and interior designer David Hicks, who’s scrapbooks of English interior design inspired the Spring/Summer 2018 collection. ‘The palette is bright and happy, perfect for the season. We wanted an explosion of print and colour,’ says Burch when discussing the collection, and this is reflected in the bold and bright pop-up space. Seen Displays also developed a window in line with Selfridges’ Radical Luxury theme.

www.seendisplays.com

Volvic HRG designed and produced the Danone Volvic activation kit for wholesale depots. Consisting of depot display archways, bottle standees with POS kit holders, pallet skirts and aisle flags, the kit aimed to highlight an exciting Volvic partnership with one of the year’s most anticipated blockbusters, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. In addition, POS kits for retailers to implement were also included, comprising an A4 poster, wobbler, magic 8 barker and a floor sticker along with retailer incentivised scratch cards. The limited edition design of the bottles encouraged consumers to ‘Find Their Force’ (just like the film characters) and this tag line was used to resonate with fans. HRG continued to use the Volvic ‘Find your Volcano’ message, which celebrates the brands ‘volcanic heritage’ and aims to inspire consumers to ‘find their inner strength’.

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column

Karl McKeever

(Spring) Clean Conscience? Government has pushed ahead with its new sugar tax in its bid to tackle obesity and help reduce the nation’s waistlines — though after consuming copious amounts of chocolate over Easter, the sugar content of soft drinks may hardly register. While the new levy will hit those with a sweet tooth, it is consumers with a conscience that have, traditionally, paid the price. Want to support brands that are socially responsible? You’ll pay more. Buy organic — pay more. Make ‘green’ choices in the products you purchase — pay more. ‘We can’t afford to shop at any store that has a “philosophy”!’ Although these words may come from the iconic, albeit fictional, cartoon matriarch Marge Simpson, they capture the sentiment perfectly. But the focus is shifting, away from the cost to consumers of being ethical and towards the price that retailers are likely to pay for a failure to demonstrate a strong moral stance. At the same time, the question of what it truly means to be ‘ethical’, and how retailers should respond to this increasing scrutiny, is an interesting one. Recent full-page ads depicting a (seemingly) contrite Mark Zuckerberg pleading for forgiveness over data harvesting claims show how even the mightiest can fall when faced with the wrath of a duped public. Of course, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility has been around for a while. But where before the focus was primarily on environmental credentials and ethical supply chains, it has now taken on a more holistic mantle. Consumers are no longer simply demanding to know exactly how and where products are manufactured. Like retailing itself, it has become more about taking a 360 degree approach — encompassing diversity, morality, environment, provenance, workers rights, and declaring specific ambitions to make a change for the good. Many large corporations could take inspiration from smaller retailers, who have led the ‘quiet revolution’ of transparency and conscience, pushing it not as part of their brand but as intrinsically in their DNA. Organisations like Hiut Denim, a fashionista-favourite high-end jeans manufacturer that harnesses local skills and craftsmanship in its hometown of Cardigan in Wales. Previously home to a factory that produced jeans for Marks & Spencer, the Karl McKeever is founder and managing director of visual merchandising and brand delivery consultancy Visual Thinking.

Email Karl at karl@visualthinking.co.uk karlmckeever www.visualthinking.co.uk

town boasted workers with artisan skills and Hiut Denim’s founder David Hieatt focuses on this heritage as a key part of his brand. One example that is particular pertinent is Canadian fast-food chain Tim Hortons. This brand has moved away from the ‘quick and dirty’ side of fast food, instead focusing on boosting its community credentials, acting as a friendly neighbour rather than a faceless corporation. But sadly, even such bighearted brands can have a dark side, and recent news that one of its franchises is scrapping its paid breaks for workers has put a question mark over its true ethical commitments. In a similar fashion, consumers are now quick to hit retailers the ‘hypocrisy’ tag. Launching an instore recycling initiative to let shoppers drop off unwanted items at their nearest store is laudable. But miss the mark on issues like diversity and consumers will soon forget such admirable gestures. The extent to which H&M was vilified for its ‘monkey’ hoodie gaff at the start of the year is proof enough of that fact. Topman has also endured its own Twitter storm for its red ’96’ hoodie, designed to celebrate a Bob Marley song but seen as distasteful in its unwitting reference to Hillsborough. Whatever you stand for; if you don’t do it, mean it and live it, the message from consumers is clear — we are simply not prepared to buy into that. One final word on ethical behaviour: Taxation. As many, including myself, have been discussing in the media and online discussions recently, the practice from some etailers of making large revenues but declaring widening losses due to ‘building the brand’ is becoming increasingly prevalent. At what point do online retailers have to show a profit… if ever? Surely it’s only a matter of time before this is put under the same kind of spotlight as Corporation Tax avoidance? For me, any brand that innovates and serves their shoppers well should enjoy the commercial rewards, but should also declare their profits to the exchequer like all good citizens are expected to do. It’s little wonder then that many of the world’s biggest brands today invest huge sums on elaborate PR efforts to promote greater transparency to consumers. Although some have more work to do. We all know retailers are under enormous pressures to find ways of delivering growth in a difficult climate. But this can categorically not be done at the expense of ethical behaviour. Everyone accepts the fact that balancing divergent and competing demands is increasingly difficult. But for all the effort and energy retailers put into delivering transformation, the harsh truth is this: one wrong step and all your good work can be undone, in an instant.

project focus

UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON OXFORD STREET, LONDON Design: Inhouse Store size: 1,500 sq m Opening date: March 2018 United Colors of Benetton has unveiled its new London flagship on Oxford Street, marking a significant change of pace for the Italian fashion brand. The retailer has incorporated informal, hi-tech spaces into the three-storey space, as well as a knitwear theatre which it claims will offer 'an ultimate brand experience that goes beyond the traditional idea of a shop.' The 1,500 sq m store is located on the east side of Oxford Street, close to the new Tottenham Court Road station on the Elizabeth Line, and part of a rapidly developing area. It will be an outpost for Benetton in the UK — a market where the brand is present with 55 points of sale and where it plans to expand its activity further. 'As the world of retail is rapidly changing, the design brief specifically tackles how consumer habits are adjusting, while digital shopping is increasing exponentially, and at the same time physical experience is proving a key factor to a successful retail format, that cannot be left out,' says Michele Trevisan, global head of retail design at Benetton. 'When we started the project, the brief was not just to do another flagship store; the idea was to create a brand amplifier, a place where the customers can become users of the brand’s philosophy, not just simple consumers. Therefore, we decided to use three drivers for the project: attract, explore and inspire.' On the exterior, an arched counterfacade invites passers by to enter and dream. While the 12m-high arches recall classical architecture, the LED screen cladding will showcase interactive content curated by Fabrica, playing with colour textures, images and illustrations. 'The store façade is the main attracting element, not just a simple facade but a strong and impactful communication tool. The façade philosophy is in fact a combination of the classical architectural elements of the arcade together with a digital LED skin in which the content displayed allows interaction with the public,' explains Trevisan. Once inside, shoppers are encouraged to explore the space around them. The store has been designed entirely by

'Attract, explore and inspire.'

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Benetton's retail design department and furnished with natural materials such as wood, iron and stone. United Colors of Benetton is an Italian company with more than 50 years of history and this was the real starting point of the project. 'We are proud of being an Italian brand in an international fashion world. That’s why we developed the interior design mood using a selection of warm, elegant and honest materials with Italian taste. The flooring features terrazzo Veneziano for most of the floor area, an essence of ash tree wood furnishes all the furniture in combination with natural iron elements, while the ceiling is composed of a mix of high gloss surfaces, metal mesh and an interpretation of a classical Italian cassettoni wood ceiling. In specific areas, greenery is added to complete the natural environment via the presence of live trees and plants. Colours and finishes are inspired by the Mediterranean environment,'

adds Trevisan. 'The store layout and the product displays have been designed to simplify the circulation and the product exploration, while the interaction between sales associates and customer is facilitated thanks to a new mobile payment system and the presence of innovative express checkout desks which allow a more friendly and queue-free service,' continues Trevisan. Staff are on hand in the knitwear theatre to present Benetton's vast knitwear collections. In the lounge area, customers can relax while reading books and design magazines. In addition, a series of touchscreen tables allow visitors to interact with the entire collection as well as the brand's most significant contents. Customers will be able to move fluidly across the three levels — dedicated to men's, women's and children's collections — thanks to a 'loop' staircase that extends like

a ribbon across the shop floors and leads to a series of scattered stations that replace traditional checkouts. Technology is also key to the customer experience. Inside the store, two digital applications were created with the intention to simplify the customer’s activity reducing the waste of time. The first one is the mobile payment system that, thanks to the use of WiFi tablets and mobile POS, allows an exclusive payment via mobile and card only, potentially everywhere in the store, reducing the time spent in a queue. The second one is represented by three digital interactive tables showcasing content on selected products, on the Benetton brand initiatives and, thanks to the use of an integrated RFID antenna, they release technical information about the products that are placed on the table top. The new Oxford Street flagship is Benetton’s 16th UK store.

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FILIPPA K

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Photography by Erik Undehn

UTRECHTSESTRAAT 85, AMSTERDAM Design: White Arkitekter Opening date: December 2017 Store size: 600 sq m

When Filippa K founder Filippa Knutson returned to the company after a six-year hiatus, her mission was to refresh the Swedish clothing brand’s expression and refocus it's original values — style, simplicity and quality. The retailer worked alongside White Arkitekter, which interpreted a physical environment that explores the absolute potentials of material quality and detailing. The result is a store concept balancing heavy and light materials with minimalism and warmth. 'Our brief was to develop the Filippa K store concept we have already implemented in stores and concessions in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and Copenhagen. Utrechtsestraat is the first standalone flagship store with the new store concept. The aim was to create a more pronounced brand expression in the new physical stores, to communicate the Filippa K brand effectively and to reflect the brand’s identity. The main focus was to work with natural materials such as wood, stone and natural fabrics,' say Eleanor Bergren, lead interior architect, and Charlotta Hallström, interior architect

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at White Arkitekter. Filippa K’s Scandinavian design heritage and brand vision — where simplicity is the purest form of luxury — is present in every detail and choice of material in the flagship store in Amsterdam. Italian marble and Scandinavian elm wood harmonise with richly tactile linen fabrics in earthy hues and carefully curated modern design

classics by Harry Bertoia. Verdant lushness of different trees injects vitality and life. 'Our aim was to create a base that harmonises with the clothes. The colour palette consists of the materials’ natural look to represent the brand’s fashion collections,' say the architects. Both White Arkitekter and Filippa K want to work with Scandinavian materials that are sustainable

and age with dignity. The main material is a variety of handpicked Swedish and Italian marble stones for the display modules, white washed Douglas fir and elm tree wall panels, European linen fabrics and stainless steel clothes rails. Bespoke carpentry for every location is made by Swedish company Aarts Lundsjö Snickeri.

project focus

NATURALLY HOLLOWAY ROAD, LONDON Design: FormRoom Opening date: March 2018 Store size: 120 sq m

New grocery retailer Naturally has opened the doors to its new London home on Holloway Road. Having found it frustrating to find good quality food at an affordable cost whilst knowing where food is coming from and exactly what’s in it, Naturally’s owner set about resolving this. The brand’s ethos is to supply its community with simple, fresh, delicious food. The retailer worked alongside FormRoom to create the brand identity and design the UK store rollout. From cheese to charcuterie, freshly baked bread to pasta, each of Naturally’s produce can be traced across its journey through Europe, from the markets of Madrid to the direct, to the shopfront on London’s Holloway Road. ‘The brief was to create a food store that would disrupt the relatively saturated market. The idea behind Naturally was to sell good quality products but without the traditional higher price tag. We needed to create a brand and retail environment that would reflect this and not alienate the average shopper who otherwise may not

be able to afford those types of product,’ explains Jess Gillespie, head of projects at FormRoom. Evolving the brand from logo conception through to full brand guardianship, product packaging and store design, FormRoom began by analysing the

Mine’ loyalty scheme is core to the brand community, which offers experience rewards such as a Supper Club or a Meet The Makers taster sessions. FormRoom approached the packaging from insights gained in the market research stages, responding to pain points such

‘Designed with the local community at heart.’ competitive environment and target market for this new brand, eventually identifying three brand pillars: quality, transparency and community. Naturally’s brand purpose is crafted around its community as a local, reliable grocery store providing high quality products through its in-store bakery, cheese and charcuterie counters alongside all other grocery essentials. The ‘Naturally

as reducing waste, transparency and freshness. Bespoke resealable, reusable craft paper pouches with transparent windows were designed to view product within, with a sealed freshness sticker. The Naturally stickers communicate the ingredients, the supplier and the in-store packer’s name, creating a local connection between the customer and the store team. The personalised freshness sticker acts

project focus

as an experience cue, building on brand engagement and communicates the authenticity in the transparent supply chain. FormRoom created an ‘Unpackaged Zone’ with self-service dispensers for grains, cereals, pasta etc incorporated to reduce waste and encourage shoppers to reuse pouches or jars. For the store design, FormRoom applied the brand pillars of ‘quality, transparency and community’ to the choice of materials throughout the fit-out and furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) utilising sealed OSB raw steel and a recycled composite plastic. All of the furniture is built in 500mm x 500mm sections that can be bolted together in different formations, responding to in-store community events, new product launches or changing customer journeys. ‘Our material choices were driven by the idea of the urbanisation and regeneration of the traditional farmshop/butchers/deli. OSB provides a beautiful tactile texture replacing what would traditionally be solid wood; mild steel gives a sense of industry and the use of tiling keeps the space recognisable. Using materials in their raw state, with minimal cosmetic finishing or adjustment, reflects the no-fuss, simple quality of the brand,’ says Gillespie. The existing red brick walls were retained and paired with white and green subway tiles and sourced pendant lighting. A striking visual brand cue was designed for the ceiling with suspended slatted wooden joists crossing and reflected within the furniture design. Within the Unpackaged, Wine and Bakery sections the joists drop from ceiling to floor carrying the feature throughout the store. A Community Table and Window Table encourage dwell time and interaction with staff who act as advisors, rather than sellers. An exterior cart takes the brand outside the store to offer seasonal tastings to locals. ‘Naturally is about the enjoyment of food through delicious, quality ingredients. Naturally sells smaller, independent brands at an affordable price point. They are transparent about their supply chain and encourage shoppers to have a better understanding of where their food has come from. Naturally was also designed with the local community at heart. There is a large open seating table instore to encourage people to use the space as their own and enjoy the environment,’ says Gillespie.

@retailfocus

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shopping centres

Shopping centres or lifestyle destinations? Text: Gemma Balmford

Some of the UK’s best-known shopping centres are increasing their experience-led leisure floorspace to entice visitors, finds Retail Focus It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since Westfield London first opened its doors. In that time, the shopping centre has generated more than £8.6 billion in sales and welcomed nearly 250 million customers. The key to this success, according to Keith Mabbett, director of leasing at Westfield Europe, has been creating a retail and entertainment destination that spans beyond the traditional shopping centre offering. Now, in a move to stay competitive and relevant, the centre has unveiled the first phase of a £600 million, 68,750 sq m expansion, which will see more than 90 new shops, cafes, restaurants and leisure outlets open throughout 2018. The development forms part of the estimated 139,355 sq m of additional shopping centre floorspace that is scheduled for completion this year, almost all of which will be extensions to existing schemes — according to Cushman & Wakefield. Others include the intu Watford/ Charter Place extension and the intu Lakeside extension. The expansion of Westfield London Main: The £180 million redevelopment plans at intu Watford will include new fashion, beauty, food and leisure stores, including a new nine screen IMAX Cineworld cinema

has enabled it to introduce new retailers such as John Lewis and Primark, extend its new and growing categories, such as homewares and beauty with West Elm, BoConcept, Space NK and Miller Harris, bring more dining and leisure concepts with the golf-tech Puttshack concept, All Star Lanes and Japanese food hall Ichiba, as well as give existing retailers such as H&M and adidas an opportunity to upsize. ‘Leisure is a current focus but we expect much more varied mix of uses being part of all development and this will be critical to creating successful places,’ says John Percy, head of retail development consultancy at Cushman & Wakefield. ‘Landlords are quickly adapting to market trends and engaging with an increasing number of “experience” led operators in order to entice shoppers offline and into their developments. Activity at some of the UK’s best-known shopping centres, including Westfield London, Brent Cross and intu Lakeside make this an extremely interesting year in development terms.’ The new anchor ‘Today, dining, leisure and entertainment have become the new anchor and experience is king,’ claims Mabbett. This sentiment is echoed in the Cushman &

Wakefield report, ‘UK Shopping Centres: Dead or Alive’, which states that ‘the shopping centre is being transformed from a place where people just go to buy “stuff” into a live-work-play environment, driven by food and beverage, experience and a sense of community’. The study further suggests that the ‘traditional’ anchor stores, such as the large department store operators, are consolidating both in terms of size and number of stores, while the international multibrands are seeking more space. Inditex, for example, now occupies 5,295 sq m of space at intu Trafford Centre across four of its brands and H&M has taken 10,405 sq m at Westfield Stratford for six of its brands. ‘These are the new shopping centre anchors of the future,’ says the report. Rebecca Ryman, regional managing director at intu, agrees that the type of anchor tenant is changing. ‘Super retailers, such as Primark and Next, are increasing their store size, while the likes of Inditex and H&M are taking additional stores to showcase their portfolios of brands,’ she says. There is also the new breed of leisure anchors, such as Cineworld, who anchor the development at intu Watford, and Hollywood Bowl and Nickelodeon who will anchor the 16,258 sq m intu Lakeside extension. ‘These anchor tenants are drawn to our locations as they offer high footfall

shopping Flash to go centres here

Below and right: Tunsgate Quarter, the new 7,430 sq m retail and leisure space in Guildford, opened its doors in March. Right middle: intu Lakeside’s £150 million leisure extension will create a 130,064 sq m retail and leisure destination. Right bottom: Westfield London has unveiled the first phase of a £600 million, 68,750 sq m expansion.

Shopping Centre Developments 2018 Tunsgate Quarter

Developer: Queensberry Size: 7,432 sq m Opening: March 2018 Westfield London extension

Developer: Westfield Size: 68,748 sq m Opening: March 2018 (phase one) intu Watford/Charter Place extension

Developer: intu Properties Size: 37,161 sq m Opening: October 2018 intu Lakeside extension

Developer: intu Properties Size: 16,258 sq m Opening: Spring 2019 Adapted from Cushman & Wakefield’s report, UK Shopping Centres - The Development Story

and a compelling mix of retail and leisure,’ adds Ryman. For Linda Tait, managing director at Prosper, which is responsible for the retail design delivery for intu’s Southern portfolio, the move towards more dining and leisure anchors is the biggest game changer in the industry as shopping centres evolve into experiential destinations. ‘Traditional department stores have moved to include branded eateries along with programmed events in store to enhance the customer experience.’ Technology is the name of the GAME Unsurprisingly, the Cushman & Wakefield report further suggests that the most successful shopping centre schemes are those that bring together the physical and digital worlds through the use of technology. ‘Destinations of the future will

continue to be influenced by who/which developments can embrace and develop the digital revolution. Retail destinations that can integrate new digital technology into their existing architecture will be the schemes that thrive in the future.’ Notably, click-and-collect is driving shopping centre footfall and boosting sales. At Westfield London, for example. clickand-collect shoppers spend on average 40 per cent more than others in store. Meanwhile, shopping centre owner, intu has recently launched artificial intelligence technology that can use a single photo to search more than four million items on its online shopping platform. But, while digital technology may be key to the success of shopping centres, it does not replace the physical shopping experience. It is simply a tool that assists the process, argues Cushman & Wakefield. ‘The real world customer is still king.’

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#retailexchange

RETAIL’S REAL STARS The importance of the human touch in retail.

Text: Lyndsey Dennis

PARTICIPANTS:

Ben Bland Host

Lara Marrero strategy director at Gensler

As technology and automation becomes more prevalent in the world of retail, the idea of having store assistants might seem old-fashioned, but the human touch is still very much in demand. In the latest episode of The Retail Exchange podcast we ask our experts for their views of what the future holds for human interaction within the physical retail environment. ‘It seems as though in some ways technology, robotics, automation could pretty much very soon be doing everything within the retail environment. Do you think humans will soon become defunct in all of that and have no place left at all?’ asks Ben Bland, The Retail Exchange host. ‘Wow, let’s hope not for all of our sakes,’ says Karl McKeever, founder and managing director of Visual Thinking. ‘I think it’s essential that people are still very much part of the retail experience. Shopping is a social activity; it’s one where men and women come together to interact over goods and services. As part of that it’s about giving advice, making friends, discourse, dialogue and of course just hanging out, so I think it’s essential that people remain at the heart of all retail experiences. ‘I absolutely agree with Karl. I think as humans we crave human interaction, that’s why personally I don’t believe technology will ever completely take over those roles, because I think when we go into a store we are also looking for an experience, and as humans we want to connect with other humans. I think that’s a key point when looking at technology,’ says Mel Hales, director of Rush Collective. ‘I would have to agree with both Karl and Mel. I think the human experience is going to be even more important as technology helps to aid the automation of things getting people what they want, the actual physical spaces and the people who help to create that engagement are going to play a more pivotal role in advice seeking, in terms of being able to share and connect people together and to really humanise the brand,’ says Lara Marrero,

Mel Hales director of Rush Collective

Karl McKeever founder and managing director of Visual Thinking

strategy director at Gensler. ‘Where are the examples that you’ve seen, both good and bad, of retailers and the use of the people who work for them in store?’ asks Bland. ‘I think there are brands that nail it. I think the John Lewis empire has always been very good on that front. When you go and buy your groceries from Waitrose you can buy them on a card, but when you go into Waitrose you do get a really good service and the people can give you advice about their products and there is a level of engagement there that you just can’t get. I also think when you do shop online with them, their delivery people follow the same kind of procedure — they are engaged with you, they want to bring your shopping in, they will have a conversation. So I think that’s a thread that runs throughout the whole brand. Even when you are using technology with them, they still try to keep that human element there,’ says Hales. ‘I think one of the best experiences I’ve had when it comes to human interaction and service is my neighbourhood Starbucks when I was living in LA,’ remembers Marrero. ‘They would be able to anticipate my order the second I walked through their door; they knew that I had a limited period of time and because we’ve built that rapport, that relationship, they cared enough to get to know me and they knew that when I walked in, they knew exactly what I was having. I think more and more of what’s happening with big data is people are using the data to inform the sales experience, and so when you go to places like Harrods and you walk in and see a sales associate that’s helped you before, they can actually look up your information and start to anticipate things that you might want to see and start pulling things into the room, knowing your sizes. It helps to create a much more engaging experience when you are having somebody constantly trying to get ahead of what you want instead of just trying to sell you things.’

#retailexchange

So, do bricks-and-mortar stores across the board make enough of the fact that they have the human advantage that online just cannot offer in the same way? ‘I think it has to be a really committed part of the strategy. I think many brands, in fact probably most brands, would like to thing that they offer some level of engagement in that form, but all too often it comes across as just a phony layer, which is really quite meaningless in real terms. There is the standard greeter at the door who pounces on you in the first three feet, which actually can leave

‘It’s essential that people remain at the heart of all retail experiences.’ you completely cold; it feels insincere, it doesn’t feel well connected and it’s often ill-timed,’ believes McKeever. ‘However, there are brands that actually spend a great deal of time thinking about that process and getting it right. So I think if it’s a fundamental part of the strategy and they take time to advise, inform and train and develop the sales associates, I actually think it really can add value 7 to the consumer.’ Hales agrees: ‘I totally agree with Karl. Another store I went

into recently where I noticed they had so many sales staff was Lush, the beauty brand. I noticed they almost had as many sales staff as there were customers in store, but immediately when one approached me, she started reeling off a range of their products and putting things in front of me without asking me one question about why I was there, what I was shopping for and it’s a key skill in sales. I think what’s often happening is training isn’t reaching the sales associates and like Karl said, if you actually invest the time to train them properly, to teach them skills and techniques, it will probably be a lot more successful and make the experience much more enjoyable for the customer.’ Marrero also notes the operational costs that go with everything. ‘If you look there is always a balance between how you are spending your operational funds, so if you want to create a place that creates engagement you have to think about who it is you are trying to engage and how to train people or how to create messaging that does just that. It could be that you have a really amazing sales staff that understands how to read human behaviour, understanding micro expressions, learning when to approach, when to let somebody go free, learning how to curate the conversation based on the way somebody is responding to your questions, just as Mel said. But it’s also the nuances in a space that can really help be the voice of the brand, which is why I think physical spaces are such an important role, because it adds that humanity into the space, it gives it voice. It’s not just the person, but it’s also the environmental graphics, the digital experience, all these things kind of coming together to really manifest that ethos of the brand.’

To listen to the full podcast episode, visit the Retail Exchange website: www.theretailexchange.co.uk

oxford street

OXFORD STREET

Text: Lyndsey Dennis

With the arrival of Crossrail and plans for pedestrianisation, London’s Oxford Street is undergoing significant transformation. Stretching from Marble Arch to Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Street is the main vein of London’s West End. As Europe’s busiest shopping street, the area attracts half a million shoppers everyday. The street will soon see significant transformation in the form of pedestrianisation plans by December 2018 and the arrival of Crossrail. Tottenham Court Road station is undergoing a major transformation. The Crossrail project is delivering a new underground station and ticket hall at Dean Street in Soho and a second integrated ticket hall below St Giles Circus on Oxford Street. Plans to transform Oxford Street and the surrounding area into an unrivalled place to live, work and visit have received widespread support. The plans, subject of a consultation by Westminster City Council and Transport for London, proposed a new traffic-free area between Orchard Street and Oxford Circus, delivered by December 2018 to coincide with the launch of Crossrail. The plans include improved pedestrian crossings, wider pavements and provide additional taxi ranks on surrounding roads. ‘The introduction of the Elizabeth line later this year will significantly increase the number of people walking along Oxford Street and this creates a once in a lifetime opportunity to transform the area into an unrivalled place to live, visit and work,’ says Alex Williams, director of city planning at TfL. While a final decision is still to be made on the scheme, a range of work is already underway in the area surrounding Oxford Street to prepare for the launch of the Elizabeth line in December 2018.

This new east-west rail line will bring as many as 40 per cent more visitors to Oxford Street, on top of the 500,000 that arrive each day. Public realm works around the new Elizabeth line Bond Street station on Davies Street have begun this month. Improvements will include wider footways and a raised junction in front of the entrance to accommodate the expected increase in pedestrian flows, with the area decluttered and new cycle stands, ‘Legible London’ signage and lighting installed. Works to improve the area around Hanover Square will also be carried out by Westminster City Council later this year to improve access to the new Elizabeth line station entrance. Improvements are already being made along Wigmore Street following agreement with Westminster City Council late last year. These include improved pedestrian crossings and widened pavements to provide more space for local residents and visitors. These works are being closely aligned with the wider Baker Street two-way project to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum. TfL, Westminster City Council and Camden Council are also working with local businesses, fleet operators and organisations across the West End to help reduce the impact of freight deliveries and service trips. The number of deliveries made on local roads can be significantly reduced through a range of measures, such as better coordinating deliveries or retiming/consolidating them alongside other businesses in the area. This will reduce pollution, congestion and noise throughout the wider area.

    From help and advice to bespoke products, we will help your vision come to life! With a range of innovative colours and effects, we have exciting solutions for designers and fabricators looking to make an impact in the retail environment. ◆

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Need a bespoke colour? Ask us about our colour matching service available in small order quantities.

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 

opinion

THE POWER OF Virtual Reality Ian Johnston, founder and creative director at Quinine, discusses the benefits of virtual reality – the latest weapon in the retail designer’s armoury.

The best retail designers are not only great ideas people, they’re also highly skilled at explaining and selling in their concepts. Charisma and eloquence count in these early stages; convincing the client to part with their precious budget is a tall order at the best of times. However, since the earliest days, designers have always needed a little help in showing what’s in their heads to prospective patrons — like the exquisite wooden models created for the Duomo in Florence by architect Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century. In more recent times, physical models have been joined by floorplans and 3D renders as a means of explaining design intention. These tools are useful enough, but sometimes there’s still a disparity between what the client was expecting and the final reality of the designs. Drawings, however detailed or accomplished, can be misinterpreted or misunderstood, it can be difficult for some people to make the conceptual leap from static illustration to actuality. Not so with virtual reality, the latest weapon in the retail designer’s armoury. VR is fast becoming not only an essential means of presenting a new project, but an integral part of the whole design process. It provides a really easy-to-use, immersive experience, which can put both client and designer into virtual spaces. Everyone is speaking the same language from the off, so there’s little chance of anything being lost in translation. Promise and expectation are met when our clients see a finished store and remark that it’s exactly how they imagined it at the beginning. The real power of VR is that it’s a visceral experience, really immediate, intuitive and to scale. This means that feedback, input and direction from stakeholders is clearer and more informed, which is a great help to the design

team. What’s more, VR files are really easy to share — we can send virtual walk throughs to clients on the other side of the world, which they can upload to their phones and review at their convenience. Different colleagues all get a very similar experience, so they share the same points of reference and are singing from the same hymn sheet from day one. Crucially, VR allows the designer to bring clients into store (at least virtually) before a single brick has been laid. This minimises risk and means you can get the design right up front. You can tweak, adjust or make changes before committing to any spending on the physical store, which saves time, money and angst in the long run. And that’s just the start. We’re finding that VR is not only an invaluable presentation tool at the beginning of a new project, but can be of real help at almost every stage of the design process. For example, we use it for research and seeing what the competition is up to, using 360° images or 3D movies that can be viewed on screen or via a VR headset. You can, for example, send files of new, innovative London stores to clients in the US, and they’ll get a clear, compelling picture of what’s happening on the other side of the Atlantic, without having to go near an airport. At the design stage, it’s perfect for exploring and sharing work in progress concepts and ideas, spatial layouts, colours, materials, finishes and more. Your final concept presentation can be a virtual walk through the proposed store environment, helping the design team to sell their ideas in to all relevant stakeholders involved. Once we’re at the build stage, we often use VR headsets to explain complex detailing to contractors on site. And during

evaluation, we can identify issues and find solutions quickly, as well as looking into any possible design improvements with our clients while the work is still ongoing. Finally, VR also comes into its own as a staff support tool. For instance, we can now train staff teams how to use the features in a new store using VR headsets before completion, so they’re good to go as soon as the doors open. We can also work with visual merchandising teams to consider where best to display new products or point-of-sale materials, moving them around virtually. The relationship of VR and retail design is in its infancy, and looks set to become more and more sophisticated in the coming years. Exciting possibilities such as shared experiences, eye tracking and augmented reality are already with us, but are still developing and still expensive. For now, VR set-ups like the accessible and portable Google Daydream and Samsung Gear are making the working lives of retail designers more dynamic and interesting, and radically improving the channels of communication between clients, designers and contractors. Virtual reality is here to stay — and that’s for real.

www.quininedesign.com

Flashshowrooms to go here

Text: Gemma Balmford

The next era of retail? Today’s showrooms provide a glimpse into the future we are heading towards, finds Retail Focus. The leading argument for bricks-andmortar has been the ability to see, touch and try out the product in person, said Emily Hamilton, director of brand marketing at FRCH Design Worldwide, in a recent article for Retail Focus. Retailers, therefore, need to shift the role of their store from being a physical space to stock goods, to a physical space to stage goods. It’s a move that would be welcomed by consumers, according to a study by enterprise solutions specialist HSO. The research, which was published towards the end of 2017, suggests that more than three quarters of consumers are ready for the next era of retail, where stores become showrooms, designed around the customer experience rather than just sales outlets. ‘The showroom concept has many advantages for retailers, not least that almost all stock can be held at a less expensive location and staff no longer need to take their eye off the customer to unload boxes and stack shelves,’ comments Hector Hickmott, sales director at HSO. ‘However, the word “experience” is the allimportant one here. Not only will customers expect more personalised service in store, they will also expect their subsequent online purchasing to be linked to the visit and run smoothly, regardless of whether they are ordering via their mobile from the store, by laptop or tablet once they are back home.’ British furniture brand Loaf has built on its online success with the opening of four showrooms — or ‘slowrooms’ as they are also known — in and around London, including the newly renovated Tunsgate Quarter in Guildford. ‘I always had this vision that I wanted these big, quirky spaces where our customers can come and experience the brand,’ says Charlie Marshall, founder of Loaf. ‘We want them to explore our laid-back world and flop around on our

beds and sofas; chill out; smell, feel and even hear the brand, through the music we play.’ The so-called Loaf Shacks include mattress testing stations, arcade games, a cinema room playing 80s movies and even old-school-style icecream parlours. Complementary drinks are also available in fridges dotted around the space, and there are even colouring stations for children (big and small). ‘I want visitors to step into one of our shacks and while away an afternoon,’ adds Marshall.

As might be expected today, the slowrooms are designed to sync seamlessly with the brand’s website, brochure and marketing content. ‘Consistency is crucial to successfully operating as a full multichannel retailer,’ says Marshall. ‘Our move to bricks-and-clicks is all about reaffirming what we do and giving customers a fantastic experience, where they can kick their shoes off and relax.’ In Shoreditch, East London, RB12 is a new design space and concept store offering personal service and stimulating

showrooms Far left: British furniture brand Loaf opened its fourth showroom in March, at Tunsgate Quarter in Guildford, Surrey. Bottom: RB12 is a new design space and concept store in Shoreditch, London, which aims to reinvigorate the London design scene with inspirational design, excellent quality, personal service and stimulating sensory experiences. Left: Consumer electronics company Sonos opened its first store in 2016 with seven state-of-the-art rooms, each acoustically designed to replicate a home listening environment. Below: Bed manufacturer Silentnight is set to open its second showroom with shopping centre owner intu this May.

sensory experiences. Arranged over two floors, the space showcases design pieces for every area of the home and even has a working kitchen that serves coffee and light bites throughout the day. It is the first business to take up residence in the new Shoreditch Village development and is committed to providing personal, customised service. ‘Going back a few years, you’d usually find a traditional showroom in a more out-of-town location or at a brand’s HQ,’ notes Ollie Patterson, marketing director at Mynt Design. ‘These days, we’re finding more showroom spaces in shopping malls and central locations, and I think this is in response to how brands want customers to explore their stores and their products, but also the habits of today’s consumer.’ Bed manufacturer Silentnight, for example, is set to open its second showroom with shopping centre owner intu this May. The 445 sq m space at intu Lakeside in Essex will enable visitors to explore and experience the brand’s full range of beds, mattresses and accessories. For David Wright, marketing and new business director at Dalziel & Pow, what we are seeing is a structural shift in retail. ‘The

growth of online, new disruptive models, the failure of established brands, and major demographic and customer behaviour changes [are] leading to the reassessment of the established retailer model, and with this the role, purpose and, dare I say it, need for “stores”. However, we do see a role for the store and one way in which it has a future is through the showroom model,’ believes Wright. ‘Today’s showrooms are a glimpse into the future we are heading towards. [They] chime with modern consumers’ need for experience and love of brand storytelling.’ The Sonos stores in New York and London are designed to fulfil these exact needs. ‘The whole store experience is based on the idea of being in a really comfortable and inspiring environment, listening to music you love, but hearing it in a way you never have before,’ said Dmitri Siegel, Sonos VP, global brand at the opening of the Manhattan site in 2016. ‘The intention is to allow the music to do the talking, making it easy for everyone to experience Sonos exactly as they would

at home, even though they are in a retail environment,’ explained Giles Martin, Sonos sound experience leader. But, while it may seem like more retailers are transitioning to showrooms, in most cases they are simply using it as a testing mechanism, argues Hamilton. ‘Showrooms are not the universal answer for retail of the future, but just like pop-ups, they should be utilised as part of a brand’s arsenal. Leveraged as a temporary solution — to introduce an online brand to brick-and-mortar, to gain more insights and data on shopper habits, or simply change a consumer’s perception of an ageing retailer — showrooms can be a successful retail tactic.’ The future of showroom design, claims Sammi Burden, creative director at Resolution Interiors, is about doing unexpected things at unexpected times. ‘It’s about increased awareness and adding extras to the usual shopping experience, keeping customers returning time and time again,’ she says. And let’s face it, loyalty is the name of the game.

show preview

RDE 2018:

Text: Lyndsey Dennis

LEADING BY DESIGN Retail Design Expo returns to Olympia in May, bringing new approaches to customer engagement, fresh thinking, inspirational conferences and innovative suppliers. London Olympia will once again welcome Retail Design Expo (RDE) next month, co-located with Retail Business Technology Expo (RBTE) and Retail Digital Signage Expo (RDSE). The all-encompassing event showcases the full range of retail design and marketing solutions including lighting, surfaces, POP, visual merchandising, design consultancies, fixtures and fittings, furniture, display equipment, packaging, insights consultancies and shopfitters. Visitors will walk through an entrance installation designed by retail and brand design consultancy, FITCH. The installation seeks to bring together style and substance; whilst the entrance will showcase the latest in design innovation and style, the installation will also communicate some of the topical issues currently facing the retail sector. ‘When RDE approached us to imagine a feature area that welcomes visitors to the show, we wanted to create something that would be visually arresting, impactful at scale and immersive. At the same time, we wanted to make a strong statement about the dynamic and fascinating nature of retail itself, which matched the progressive design concepts on show at the expo,’ says Tim Greenhalgh, chairman and chief creative for FITCH. In addition to the wide range of suppliers at the show, a free conference programme will run across the two days featuring more than 75 speakers from top retailers, brands, visual merchandisers, architects and shopfitters. There are two theatres dedicated to Retail Design and Branding together with an exclusive VM conference and a Shopper theatre. Topics will include International VM Trends by Davy Pittoors, VM manager, Louis Vuitton; Daphne Dutilleux, retail design and VM director, L’Oreal discusses launching House 99 by David Beckham; and getting under the skin of GenZ by Danielle Pinnington, managing director, Shoppercentric. The Innovation Trail & Awards will return once again. A panel of experts will highlight a selection of key products and award a winner at the show. Designed to celebrate, encourage and promote the future stars of retail design, the Retail Design Student Awards will see students from six colleges taking part. In the centre of the show floor, the Designer Pavillion will see some of the leading design agencies and architects come together. Companies in this area include NBC Build, Altavia, True Story, Ormerod Sutton Architects, Phoenix Wharf and Bohnacker Store Solutions. ‘RDE has established a reputation for offering something for everyone all under one roof — from lively debate and a thought-provoking line-up of speakers to inspiration, the latest trends and new business opportunities,’ says Sarah Adams, event manager at RDE. To register for your ticket, visit www.retaildesignexpo.com

SHOW FEATURES Retail Design Student Awards 2018 The Retail Design Student Awards are designed to celebrate, encourage and promote the future stars of retail design. For 2018, students from six colleges will take part, including Ravensbourne, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Westminster, Manchester Metropolitan University and London Metropolitan University. The students have been mentored and supported by Tim Greenhalgh, chairman and chief creative officer of FITCH; Ross Hunter, director of Graven Images; Lloyd Blakey, founder and creative director of Innovare Design; Howard Sullivan, co-founder and creative director of Your Studio; Helen Shelley, creative director of M Worldwide and Jon Lee, creative director of 20.20. Innovation Trail & Awards Innovation is crucial to the success of modern multichannel retailing, and that is why it sits at the heart of both Retail Design Expo and Retail Digital Signage Expo. The chosen products or services will be showcased in the Retail Design, Marketing and Digital Signage Innovation Awards and Trail. Each shortlisted exhibitor will feature a special certificate on their stand, used to guide visitors around innovation hotspots at the busy event. The overall winner will be announced on the first day of the show at the Innovation Wall. The judges for the 2018 awards are Nick Widdowson, merchandising & creative controller, Unilever UK; Alan Taylor, head of retail design, B&Q; Sigrid Brewka-Steeves, director of retail concepts, Adidas and Peter Kramers, portfolio director, Clarks. Designer Pavillion The Designer Pavillion will be home to eight companies in the centre of the exhibition floor. With London topping polls as the most attractive city in the world for international retailers, the Designer Pavilion is a honeypot for retailers and brands checking out new partners. The International VM Awards The International VM Awards recognise and reward the very best examples of VM displays, whether in windows or in store. All shortlisted entries are displayed at Retail Design Expo and the winners announced at a lunchtime ceremony on Thursday 3 May at the show. The awards judging panel included Adrienne Davitt, VM director at The Body Shop; Clare Otte, VM director at Foot Locker; Aoife Blicher, head of VM at Magasin du Nord; Essential Retail editor Caroline Baldwin, and Retail Design World editor Matthew Valentine. The Big Party The Big Party takes place on the first evening of the show and is open to visitors and exhibitors alike. It is the perfect way to round off a busy day at the exhibition and the popular conference programme, catching up with friends, colleagues and new contacts. See you at the bar!

Flash to show preview go here SEMINAR HIGHLIGHTS Wednesday 2 May

Thursday 3 May

10:30 – 11:10

10:30 – 11:00

International VM Trends (Visual Merchandising Conference)

Key note speaker: Davy Pittoors, VM manager, Louis Vuitton

11:05 - 11:35

EE ‘Showcase’ Stores - Designing staff journeys to enhance your customers’ in-store experience (Retail Design and Branding Case Study Theatre)

Ian Johnston, founder and creative director, Quinine & Matt Price, head of commercial development and store design, EE

12:45 – 13:15

Emotional payback: How investing in human experiences can drive commercial success (Retail Design and Branding Keynote Theatre)

Bevan Bloemendaal, vice president of global environments and creative services, Timberland & Mike Roberts, chief creative officer, Green Room

13:50 – 14:20

Launching House 99 by David Beckham

09:30 - 17:00

11:15 – 11:45

Delivering retail transformation in-store (Retail Design and Branding Keynote Theatre)

Emma Fox, CEO, The Original Factory Shop Karl McKeever, founder & managing director, Visual Thinking

11:15 - 11:45

G-Shock - Designing a physical space that embodies brand values (Retail Design and Branding Case Study Theatre)

Poonam Moodhvadia, retail marketing manager, Casio UK; Tom Parker, business development lead, Double Retail and Alex Forsyth, creative lead, Double Retail

12:00 - 12:40

Daphne Dutilleux, retail design and VM director, L’Oreal

(Retail Design and Branding Case Study Theatre)

14:40 - 15:25

Panellists: Caroline Philipson, head of store development, Ann Summers; Stephen Spencer, director of store development, Lululemon athletica; Emma Gullick, senior 3D designer, Phoenix Wharf

Panellists: Gabriel Murray, CCO, Studio 48; Tony Devlin, executive director, CBRE and Tom Nathan, general manager, Brent Cross Shopping Centre

2-3 May 2018

Toby Pickard, senior innovation and trends analyst, IGD

Panel discussion New store formats

(Retail Design and Branding Case Study Theatre)

Olympia, London

(Shopper Conference)

(Visual Merchandising Conference)

Panel Discussion: The future of shopping centres - it’s all about customer experiences, making places not filling spaces

When and where

Evolution of the shopping journey in food grocery stores around the world

Moderator: Doug Barber, managing director, Barber Design Consultancy

14:15 - 14:45

Launching flagship stores in the UK and the US (Retail Design and Branding Case Study Theatre)

Moderator: Bill Kistler, executive vice president & managing director - EMEA, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Kate Maher, senior director, retail concept creation concept to consumer, Adidas

15:40 – 16:10

Panel discussion - Using VR to engage with customers

Getting under the skin of GenZ (Shopper Conference)

Danielle Pinnington, managing director, Shoppercentric

www.retaildesignexpo.com RtlDesignExpo #RDE2018 All seminars correct at time of going to press

15:45 - 16:30

(Retail Design and Branding Case Study Theatre)

Panellists: Kristine Kirby, managing director, digital, Pragma Consulting; Karen Harris, managing director, intu Digital; Adrian Leu, CEO, Inition Moderator: Ross Wakefield, global head of design, Shopworks

products

RETAIL DESIGN EXPO LG Hausys - Stand C201 LG Hausys returns to RDE with a number of innovations. The stand is designed by Draisci Studio, an award-winning London-based practice that designs and develops unique projects spanning from interiors to installations. HI-MACS is composed of minerals, acrylic and natural pigments that come together to provide a smooth, non-porous and visually seamless surface to help meet the highest standards for quality, aesthetics, fabrication, functionality and hygiene. It is the sum of these parts that brings a modern material that is far superior to other conventional materials, and which promises to stand the test of time. T. +49 (0)69 58 30 29 469 E: info@himacs.eu www.himacs.eu Twitter: HIMACSEurope

Tarkett - Stand D171 Returning for a third year, Tarkett’s stand will feature three pop-up micro structures showcasing the company’s customisation services and new product launches for 2018. In the customisation pop-up, Tarkett will focus on its LVT collection, iD Mixonomi, which offers architects and designers unparelled opportunities to push the boundaries with flooring designs. The second pop-up will preview Tarkett’s forthcoming LVT collections, iD Supernature and iD Tattoo, while the third pop-up will showcase Cementi Click, which combines the look and feel of premium mineral ceramics with quick and easy installation.

Northbanks Design - Stand F210 Northbanks Design has designed, manufactured and installed the very first kiosk to go into the new Phase 2 expansion at Westfield London, which opened in March. This project for Skinnydip London continues a trend for Northbanks, which has previously installed kiosks for the London-based fashion brand in intu and Westfield shopping centres across the UK, along with Gatwick Airport North airside and Oberpollinger shopping mall in Munich. Northbanks continues to partner with Skinnydip London to design, manufacture and install concessions, fixtures and displays in department stores such as Selfridges, Topshop, Fenwick, and House of Fraser to name a few. Find out more about this exciting project and more at www.northbanks.co.uk or chat to the team at Retail Design Expo in May. T. +44 (0)20 7993 8066 E. hello@northbanks.co www.northbanks.co.uk Twitter: NorthbanksCo

T. +44 (0)1622 854 040 E: marketing@tarkett.com www.tarkett.co.uk Twitter: TarkettUK

Kendu - Stand E191 The experienced team from Kendu will be on hand at RDE to discuss the latest in-store visual solutions and innovations. Kendu offers 360º retail services with a bespoke solution for every client. Discover the ‘Sensory Experience’ with Flowbox, the new generation of dynamic LED displays that combine printed tension fabrics with motion effects and dynamic animation. Now with a simplified three-step set-up, it’s easier than ever to install instore. Explore every corner of the Kendu stand with the new special effect textiles featuring unexpected 3D effects that change depending on the perspective and the clear, sharp reflection of the mirror textiles. T. +44 (0)20 3735 5258 E: info@kendu.com www.kendu.com Twitter: KenduInStore

products

Signwaves - Stand E229 Signwaves manufactures and prints thoroughly researched, designed and tested sign and display products for brands, agencies and trade resellers. The company operates from a three acre factory, office and warehouse site in Norfolk, supported by a joint venture manufacturing facility in China. The team is like a family and all share a common bond; a love of good design and great customer service. Signage and printed display material is a fundamental form of business marketing, and realising this in an attractive, functional and innovative way for its customers is Signwaves’ passion. T. +44 (0)1493 419 300 E: enquiries@signwaves.co.uk www.signwaves.co.uk Twitter: Signwaves_Ltd

Wieland Electric - Stand B201 Wieland Electric will be returning to RDE to exhibit the company’s extensive range of pluggable electrical systems ideal for use in retail solutions. Products on display will include the popular gesis flat cable distribution system for fast installation of power and lighting in retail applications, as well as gesis MICRO for discrete undershelf lighting along with gesis MINI. The company will also be demonstrating the very latest developments in small waterproof connectors. T. +44 (0)1483 531 213 E. sales.uk@wielandelectric.com www.wieland.co.uk Twitter: WielandElectrUK

DIA Systems - Stand E175

Corian® - Stand E210

Designs in Aluminium was established in 1997, and is a stockist and supplier of shopfitting systems and aluminium extrusions for retail industry and joinery manufacturers. DIA Systems offers a bespoke service on both mild steel accessories and bracketry along with aluminium extrusions. The company understands the needs for working within the shopfitting industry and prides itself on the service and quality of its products. Today, the company’s products can be found in most parts of the world and the company has distributors currently in the USA, Canada, Mexico and Kenya. Visit the inspiring DIA Systems stand at RDE, which will be built using raw aluminium with a modern splash of colour to compliment the large array of products on show.

Limeblue Ltd recently specified Corian® for long-standing client Dermalogica’s new London flagship store. Limeblue Ltd divided the space into clear and distinct areas with a coherent design scheme that would guide the customer on a visual and interactive journey. This was achieved through the use of sleek white curves, contrasting textures and materials, touch-screen technology and unique lighting systems. Corian® became a key solution to achieving this vision, forming the interactive skin bars in the fresh Glacier White colour choice — a pristine background to offset a series of copper-edged oval mirrors. Corian® in Glacier White, together with cool neutral shade Deep Titanium grey, also marks out distinctive zones for the backlit product display shelves designed to entice customers into the inviting ambience of the store. Accent touches such as mirrored shelf fronts, copper blocks and pendants add to the sophisticated identity of the space, and the brand. Corian® is distributed in the UK by CD (UK) Ltd. Find out more at RDE.

T. +44 (0)1273 582 241 E. sales@diasystems.co.uk www.diagroup.co.uk Twitter: DIA_Systems

T. +44 (0)800 962 116 E. info@corian.co.uk www.corian.uk Twitter: coriandesign

products

RETAIL DESIGN EXPO bbrown - Stand F201 UK display materials brand, bbrown is launching two new ranges. With metallic surfaces and finishes in high demand, the Apollo range of metallic silk PVC comes in five colours with an antique metal effect providing a strong metallic sheen. The Glitter Jazz range introduces 19 new trend colours too. With glitter randomly stuck to the backing fabric, regardless of the location of the glitter fabric or the lighting source, it will always catch the light perfectly wherever your audience’s viewpoint is. Both products are ideal for impact in retail displays and samples are available on request. T. +44 (0)3705 340 340 E. customerservices@bbrown.co.uk www.bbrown.co.uk Twitter: luvbbrown

arken POP - Stand D190 arken will be showcasing its Intel Update to Core i7 Virtual Reality display at Retail Design Expo. This unique concept was developed for Intel to enable VR to be experienced instore safely within an enclosed space, eliminating the need for store staff supervision. The display gives Intel an instore platform to promote its Core i7 processor and deliver the message through experiential POP that ‘extraordinary experiences require outstanding performance’. Alongside showcasing the VR display, arken will be exhibiting other examples of its bespoke POP including those from cosmetics, health & beauty and consumer electronics sectors. arken’s Graphic Display Division will have its own stand at the show — C208.

Surface Styling - Stand C181 With Surface Styling, there’s no need to worry over which is the right surface material for a retail project. The unique design resource offers access to over 12,000 products from more than 40 leading surface material brands, supported by a 24-48 hour sampling service. The portfolio embraces the world’s most pioneering materials, which are brought to the UK after researching and investing in the very latest surface innovations to allow designers and specifiers to stay ahead of the competition. On show at RDE will be a carefully curated selection from the portfolio to demonstrate a world of design opportunity. These include the latest additions to the thermoformable Avonite, Studio Collection, Hanex and Hanex Stratum solid surface ranges, the thermal-healing supermatt Fenix NTM and Fenix NTA materials, plus the versatile Malmo luxury vinyl flooring range. The brand new concrete, metal and texture-inspired CamuStyle panel range from Swiss Krono will also be previewed. T. +44 (0)845 603 7811 E. info@surfacestyling.co.uk www.surfacestyling.co.uk Twitter: SurfaceStyling

T. +44 (0)1638 565 656 E: info@arken-pop.com www.arken-pop.com Twitter: arkenPOP

Unibox - Stand F189 Unibox has everything you need to create engaging, impactful LED light boxes that drive footfall, generate sales, and enhance brand awareness. With virtually no size limitations and with the ability to customise displays to your exact needs, colours, and specifications, the company’s tension fabric LED lightboxes are suitable for any environment. T. +44 (0)161 655 2100 E: info@unibox.co.uk www.unibox.co.uk Twitter: UAUnibox

insight piece

show review

Lighting the way for customer experience In a high street under threat, which strategies can help bring customers back into stores? Niels Fullerton-Batten from LED lighting innovators Addlux looks at several solutions A BBC report has revealed that UK shoppers spend more money online than any other nation. Meanwhile, Office for National Statistics data shows that online sales are increasing by more than 20% per year. It is statistics like these that no doubt contributed to the demise of both Maplin and Toys R Us. But, two decades into the online retail phenomenon, innovators on the high street are fighting back with their own technical revolution. And leaders in this field are already beginning to see significant gains.

many is the considerable increase in the deployment of hi-tech shop fittings.

Innovative LED lighting In particular, retail designers and shopfitters are increasingly using innovative in-store LED lighting to make their store stand out on the high street. Used correctly, this technology creates a compelling in-store ambience, enhances the display of products and brands, makes for better POS, and improves way-finding signage. Perhaps most significantly of all, it provides an experience that is impossible to replicate online.

Enter the ‘customer experience’ A recent Euromonitor Report on Retailing in the UK (March 2018) looked at how providing a ‘customer experience’ draws shoppers into stores, keeps them there longer and encourages repeat visits. Strategies include staff using in-company apps that help deliver expertise and tailored advice to customers. Similarly, staff are using a customer’s online profile to better understand their needs and offer a unique and targeted service. But one area that is catching the eye – quite literally – of

Why Addlux is an industry leader Addlux brings you the benefits of its unique LED technologies to create even and anti-glare lighting for sleek, attractive and highly professional displays. Its range even provides illumination in retail spaces other LED technologies cannot. This opens up the possibility of creating show-stopping displays virtually anywhere in-store – and ones that we think you’ll agree beat anything your competitors have to offer. For a spectacular effect, why not use our

light sheet – the brightest, largest and thinnest light sheet on the market today. A new ultra-thin sheet (just 3mm) is fully bendable, giving you the opportunity to curve your light around a product and create cutting-edge displays that turn the heads of customers. We will make your retail vision a reality, advising on the most suitable and costeffective product for your design and prototyping when needed. Whether you want a one-off item or a large roll out of Addlux products, we will meet your needs and your schedule.

For innovative and creative LED lighting for your retail displays, including bespoke solutions, contact Addlux on 0333 800 1828.

E: info@addlux.com T: 0333 800 1828 W: www.addlux.com

Who needs OLED? Thinner than a pound coin and flexible, Addlux supplies the thinnest light sheet which makes new display designs possible.

Addlux offers: • The largest, thinnest, brightest light sheet on the market for outstanding displays • Uniform, glare-free illumination for a flawless effect • The ability to evenly illuminate spaces other LED technologies cannot. • Bespoke lighting solutions for any budget Addlux largest LED light sheet illuminates a giant ribbon mounted on Cartier’s flagship shop for Christmas

• Innovative new lighting concepts

on New Bond Street in London. At 4.8m x 2.7m Addlux now supplies the largest light sheet on the market.

show preview

RBTE: BE INSPIRED Discover the latest retail technology innovations at Retail Business Technology Expo (RBTE). Co-located with Retail Design Expo (RDE) at Olympia in London, Retail Business Technology Expo (RBTE) offers the ideal location to discover inspiring retail technology. More than 380 suppliers will be showcasing the most emerging technologies, including Google, NCR, Amazon Pay, Ingenico, Catchoom, Worldpay, Verifone, Foko Retail and BOX Technologies. ‘The co-location of RBTE, RDSE and RDE at London Olympia in May means, across the three shows, we offer up even more unparalleled levels of insight and inspiration for the retail sector, making it a ‘must-attend’ event for those looking to explore and exhibit new retail technologies and innovations,’ says Matt Bradley, event director at Reed Exhibitions. A vast RBTE conference programme will run across three theatres — Retail Technology, Retail Business and Retail Payments. Key brands and retailers speaking will include ASOS, Amazon, John Lewis and Google, as well as independent expert speakers such as Cate Trotter, head of trends at Insider Trends, discussing technology trends, and retail futurologist Howard Johnson who will be providing insight into the future of retail. RBTE also provides a host of networking opportunities, such as The Big Party which hosts the ceremony for the Innovation Trail & Awards held at the end of the first day of the show in the Champagne Bar.

New for 2018, RBTE will launch a smart networking app called ‘My Event’, which allows visitors and exhibitors a match-making service to help set up meetings with brands, retailers, vendors and partners at the exhibition. The Retailer’s Lounge is the ideal retreat for retailers to relax and network in a vendor-free environment. Drop in, grab a

When and where Olympia, London 2-3 May 2018

09:30 - 17:00 www.retailbusinesstechnologyexpo.com rbtexpo #RBTE2018

coffee and take some time to plan your visit. The Chill & Re-charge Lounge is the ideal spot to recharge your batteries (literally). Take advantage of free WiFi, have a meeting or catch up on emails.

To register for your free ticket, visit: www.retailbusinesstechnologyexpo.com

Retail Digital Signage Expo will double in size this year. Visitors to Retail Digital Signage Expo can discover the latest product innovations in retail digital signage, and hear from industry thought leaders and retailers in the dedicated conference programme. Exhibitors include the entire range of suppliers to the retail industry, from screens, kiosks, software providers, integrators and content management through to video walls, media players, networking solutions, installation and more. To find out more, visit: www.retaildigitalsignageexpo.com

EuroCIS: Future lab and ideas www.dragondisplay.co.uk

stage. With highly specialised developers and solution providers. Display Systems Ltd Tel 01952 290055 • Fax: 01952 290056 • sales@dragondisplay.co.uk EuroCIS: The No.1 destination in Europe for everyone who sees their future in retail.

@retailfocus

EuroShop

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Trade Fairs

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show review

EUROCIS 2018: AIDING THE EXPERIENCE This year’s EuroCIS showcased a multitude of mobile solutions, self scanning, artificial intelligence and virtual reality to aid today’s customer journey. EuroCIS, the annual retail technology event at Messe Düsseldorf, attracted its biggest visitor audience to date over the three-day show in February. Alongside perennial topics such as checkout systems or POS soft and hardware, new themes also dominated EuroCIS 2018. These included solutions in the area of the Internet of Things, augmented reality and virtual reality. Subjects such as robotics and artificial intelligence were also in abundance. ‘We are very pleased to note that EuroCIS managed to continue its success story,’ says Hans Werner Reinhard, managing director at Messe Düsseldorf. ‘Especially over the past 10 years or so, EuroCIS has developed into what is the leading trade fair for retail technology in Europe. The current dynamic developments in technology both in physical and e-commerce and retailers’ resulting investment provide us with tailwinds for EuroCIS.’ Michael Gerling, general manager of EHI Retail Institute, adds: ‘EuroCIS 2018 has illustrated very clearly that information technology has undeniably become a decisive success factor for retail. It enables innovative business models and opens up new opportunities for targeting shoppers. Gerling highlights that all departments of retail companies are affected by dramatic changes in structure and processes, which is reflected by the visitors’ profile at this trade fair. ‘EuroCIS is increasingly becoming a trade fair that

is visited not only by IT and security technology decision-makers. Employees responsible for marketing and distribution, for expansion and store design or for sourcing and logistics are also increasingly using EuroCIS to prepare investment decisions. The Start-Up Hub celebrated its premiere at this year’s EuroCIS. Twelve newcomers provided evidence here that they are exactly the ones who can breathe new life into the retail technology world. They presented how you can scan and pay for goods by app, leaving the store without any check-out operation; how you can create an individual body profile and calculate the ideal clothing size with practically any smartphone, or how an in-store analytics solution measures in real time how shoppers move in the store and which products they interact with. The extra features offered at EuroCIS 2018 were also used in full. The EuroCIS Forum and the Omnichannel Forum were very well attended on all three days. With case studies and user reports presented in German and English, the two forums provided a useful resource for visitors. On top of this, the Guided Innovation Tours of EuroCIS were all fully booked. The next EuroCIS takes place from 19-21 February 2019. To find out more, visit www.eurocis-tradefair.com

MODERN INFORMATION DISPLAY The professional way to display:

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show review

SHOPTALK 2018: Tom Philipson, managing director and co-founder of experience design agency YourStudio, shares his highlights from Shoptalk 2018. The US retail market has been responding to the rapid growth of Amazon over the last few years. Most retailers have struggled to respond fast enough with a retail market that is scattered with casualties. Amazon has been on an upward trajectory and doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon. This is down to them having an intimate understanding of the customer and heavily investing in innovation and testing. Because of this I was expecting doom and gloom; the closing of shops and the death of the shopping centre. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Legacy retailers are rallying (all be it slowly) and realising that they need to listen to the customer, understand what they want and really connect, rather than just saying they want to connect. Instead of trying to tell the customer what they should have and trying to force sales in store, there’s a realisation that customers are the ones voting on what experiences they like with their cash, and dictating who the winners and losers will be with their spend. Loyalty is much harder to achieve now. Creating One Journey The phrase ‘customer obsessed’ was my favourite repeated retail strategy. Nearly all of the retailers that were winning, expanding and showing positive results used this phrase. We are in a new age of One Journey — a customer will research online, test in store, qualify with their community, then maybe purchase through Instagram and pick up the parcel from their local store. This is something we have integrated into how we design our retail experiences, so it was great to hear so many retailers getting their houses in order and starting to look at the retail experience like the customers do, as one journey. A great example of connecting all the touch points, creating a campaign that connects online marketing, to in-store experience, to future online purchases, is Levi’s. Realising that once their customer knew the fit they would easily purchase repeat orders online, they then needed to focus on how to engage with the customer on a human level to keep that face-to-face interaction that is so critical to long-term success. To do this, they turned their store into a tailors. Carrie Ask, EVP & president, global retail Levi’s, explained how they began with two tailors who could customise and adjust your denim. They soon realised this was hugely popular and quickly employed another five tailors. The stories of people getting their customised items was feeding social marketing, driving online sales and getting customers into stores to customise purchases.

Learn/experiment/deploy – repeat In an age of the fast-paced changing consumer, retailers are learning from their tech brothers and sisters that they need to innovate quickly, fail fast, and try, try and try again. They are realising that innovation is what is keeping brands relevant and customer focused. The age old quote that ‘change is the only constant’ could not be more relevant in this new age of retail. The future customer journey is being hacked and experimented on at pace, to come up with exciting new offers and experiences. Retailers are using the data they are gathering from online and in store to better understand the customer and their path to purchase. They’re also trying to gain emotional intelligence to better connect with people’s lifestyles, to be able to serve them better. The experiments being deployed are varying in size from changing the store VM, through online local purchasing habits or inventing new touch points to better engagement to build a human relationship with the customer and their community. This is something M.Gemi are doing very well. We heard passionately from founder and CEO, Ben Fischman, about why getting the customer testing right is essential. They are using their showrooms to gain customer data to change their online experience, and visa versa, thus making a more seamless, engaging and efficient customer experience. The online brand realises physical retail is essential to the brand’s success. With this nimble store set up they can go in to test new markets and gather data with limited costs. Why are people doing this? Investing in innovation helps create efficiency, which frees up further budget for experience and connection, which gives sustained long-term success. This testing and experimentation is also being done on a large scale, with the 5,574 sq m Explorium in Shanghai being at the forefront of customer testing. This is a retail experience where customers can go for free as long as they wear a RFID bracelet which tracks their moments around the experiential mall. The director of the Fund Academy (the team behind the project) explained that the mall has a wide range of brands from the Fung Retail Group portfolio. The idea is the retailers gain a better understanding of customer use of omni-channel retail, and how their customers interact with the experience and product. Based on the data the retailers can then filter out the learnings to the wider retail estate. The experience is described by Simeon Piasecki, director of Explorium, as ‘partly entertainment, partly research and partly retail.’

show review

RETAIL REBIRTH

Focused experience Did someone say experience…? It was probably the most over-used word across the whole of Shoptalk. The various statistics around customers seeking experience have been rolled out over the last few years (I’m including ourselves), and only now are some of the more established businesses getting to grips with what ‘experience’ means to them. Sephora seemed to be the one that has their evolving brand experience down to a tee. Their community can buy makeup brands wherever they want and search multiple price points, so there needs to be a reason for the shopper to choose a makeup retailer. In the Sephora experience you are welcomed as a guest visiting, and retail associates and specialists are trained to advise on all of the products and beauty services. The Beauty Studio is where the customer can happily play with the product or freshen up before their night out. We heard from founder and CEO, Jen Rubio about how they’re focused on delivering one product but have aspirations to becoming an exciting travel lifestyle brand offering a variety of services and products. They see their stores as travel destinations and a place you can purchase for convenience. They’re an online brand but realise when you need a case it’s most likely just before you travel so you are less likely to risk a delivery. They listened to their online community, responded and have made it a success. Community is king According to Glossier founder Emily Weiss, the secret to online retail success is having strong connections with your community, and that dictates how successful you become as a brand. Glossier has gone from strength to strength after building its online community, and now has Glossier Showrooms where customers come to play with products, get advice and connect with the Glossier community. Nike talked about how they have created an exciting new platform using data and learning to provide engaging experiences for their community. It connects sneaker-heads through AR gaming

and offers intriguing ways to find new products scattered across the city virtually. Nike’s head of digital talked about getting back the excitement of hunting out products — being the one to find a new exclusive product and share it with your community. The new SNKRS app has geolocated drops so only local customers can go out and find the AR 3D products dotted around different locations; once you find the product you can share it with your Nike community so they benefit from you finding the drop. This is a great blend of mobile in-app connection, mixed with geolocation, augmented reality, and real life experiences. It builds an excitement and human connection, which in turn builds loyalty and marketing stories of the future. Inspired purchase Instagram, Pinterest, Google Pay, Houzz and eBay all talked about inspiring customers through lifestyle imagery and being able to shop their platforms. Instagram is now the new online department store. You can browse all your brands and order them straight from your app. On eBay you can input an image of the product you like and it will find you someone from around the world selling that product. Pinterest will similarly find what you are looking for based on you clicking a product you like in any lifestyle image that you love. Buy the look has never been easier, whether that be home, apparel and now even food you like the look of; in the future Freshly will order the recipe from the image. Image search is going into its next evolution of artificial intelligence. We are going to see that, along with voice search, as an essential part of a successful retail experience. No doubt it is an exciting time to be in retail. The digital revolution has added an exciting new dimension to how we shop and our relationships with the brand we connect with. We are excited to be part of the Retail Rebirth. To read the full review, visit: www.retail-focus.co.uk/features

products

RETAIL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY EXPO Elo - Stand F118 Elo will show its cutting-edge digital signage and point-of-sale systems for today’s leading retailers. The booth will feature Elo’s newest touchscreen solutions, customer demos and partner installations, providing a full display of the latest in digital retail technology and how retailers use touchscreens to create engaging in-store shopping experiences. Endless aisle, in-store eCommerce, self-service and Android POS are a few examples of applications running on the Elo touchscreens. Elo’s line of touchscreen products spans from 10in to 70in and includes solutions for both Windows and Android platforms. T. +32 (0)16 70 45 00 E: EloSales.EU@elotouch.com www.elotouch.co.uk Twitter: elotouch

Box Technologies - Stand E120 In addition to its latest POS innovations, Box Technologies will be demonstrating its new cashless, self-checkout kiosk solution, designed to add value to your store and generate increased revenue. The company is seeing increasing market interest in self-checkout systems, so set out to create a flexible, customisable solution that would meet a broad range of requirements while maintaining a small overall footprint. The team will also be showing a new range of retail and hospitality tablets, which combine the sleek design form of consumer devices with the resilience needed in busy environments. T. +44 (0)1844 264 000 E. sales@boxtechnologies.com www.boxtechnologies.com Twitter: BoxTechnologies

imageHOLDERS - Stand F128

Futura Retail Solutions - Stand E101

imageHOLDERS will be showcasing its self-service and assisted service retail solutions, which have been successfully deployed for several large retailers and supermarkets. Specialists within secure tablet kiosk solutions and device integration, imageHOLDERS will be unveiling its latest tablet kiosks to attendees at the exhibition. imageHOLDERS has been working with clients to develop front-of-house and back-of-house solutions for the retail industry. Developing POS kiosks, back-of-house access control and digital catalogue extensions, imageHOLDERS has established itself as as a leader within the self-service industry.

Specialist outdoor lifestyle brand Seventy Three Retail — a premium UK franchise partner for Timberland, The North Face, as well as Havaianas — has finished rolling out Futura’s retail management system. To help manage the company’s rapidly growing franchise operations, the company chose to standardise on Futura’s powerful, easy-to-use, EPOS solution with core head office functionality. This supports buying, merchandising, stock management and reporting, and now full online integration with www.seventythree.co.uk with live realtime data and full visibility across the business. Seventy Three Retail was one of the first Futura users to offer email receipts on the Futura platform, following work to integrate the yReceipts application. This has added a further layer to customer service making shopping easier, but also ensuring efficient customer data capture to encourage repeat sales and customer feedback — online as well as in store. Find out more at RBTE.

T. +44 (0)1202 892 863 E. sales@imageholders.com www.imageholders.com Twitter: imageHOLDERS

T. +44 (0)1189 841 925 E. sales@futurauk.com www.futura4retail.co.uk Twitter: Futura_retail

products

SELECTION Tormax The new TORMAX Secure+Therm automatic sliding door system effectively combines certified protection from burglary to resistance class RC 2, with the aesthetic benefits of a lightweight, thermally separated profile that still delivers exceptional energy efficiency. Incorporated within the slim door profile, the Secure+Therm system is fitted with a convenient electromechanical multipoint locking. Rigorously tested to the highest standards, the added security protection contributes towards low insurance premiums by significantly reducing risk of theft or damage to property. Despite being just 40mm thick, cold, heat, damp and noise are all kept outside thanks to the thermally separated construction of the profile and the insulating safety glass. T. +44 (0)1932 238 040 E: sales@tormax.co.uk www.tormax.co.uk Twitter: tormax_uk_ltd

Frameset UK Frameset UK manufactures instant lightboxes and flat panels for POS and event promotion. The unique lightbox design goes up in under five minutes and gives perfect light dispersion. Unlike other lightboxes, the Frameset UK Instant Lightbox has a replaceable cover, which is cost effective to replace and goes on to the instant frame in seconds. The framework is made from lightweight but strong aluminium, using a system that has been very popular on the AV/roadshow market for the last 20 years. Coming in it’s own box, with feet and power system, the Instant Lightbox is the UK’s first portable, instant, ‘use anywhere’ lightbox.

NEC UK Well known for its experiential approach, the NEC Solutions Showcase returns with an exciting new evolution on 16-17 May at Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square. In collaboration with its partners, NEC will present the latest in display technology as the AV and digital signage community gather to enjoy a compelling visual experience, valuable conference schedule and rich networking scene. No other display manufacturer can offer all the major display technologies — LCD, LED and projection — making this a great opportunity to compare the advantages of each technology within real-life applications. This high relevance for vertical scenarios is brought to life as visitors experience a unique high-street reconstruction. In partnership with high profile retail brands, NEC presents smart digital retail signage, High Bright window displays, digital menu boards, POS projection solutions, interactive ordering kiosks, VR and beacon technology. A major highlight will be a life-sized holographic car configurator showcasing the future for prestige showrooms. T. +44 (0)870 120 1160 E. infomail@nec-displays.com www.showcase-nec.com Twitter: NEC_Display_UK

T. +44 (0)1962 896 127 E: contact@frameset-uk.com www.frameset-uk.com Twitter: FramesetUK

Karndean Designflooring Karndean Designflooring was selected for the recently renovated Wroxham Bridge American Restaurant in Norwich, creating an exciting and family friendly décor. Located on the riverside, the family eatery has an interior design scheme and cuisine reminiscent of a classic American diner. Karndean’s Opus Luna and Nero feature in a chequerboard design to complete the monochrome scheme of the upstairs milkshake parlour, and the subtly limed tones of Korlok Baltic Mistral Oak have been fitted throughout the main dining area. T. +44 (0)1386 820 104 E: commercial@karndean.co.uk www.karndean.com Twitter: KarndeanComm

products

Andy Thornton The versatile Anderson Display Counter is a new addition to the Andy Thornton range of retail display products. It can be used as a checkout counter or as an island display unit with its timber counter top and two display shelves to the rear. It features a hand antiqued steel frame, clad in rusty corrugated iron panels. The top is in reclaimed timber with zinc side panels plus two useful internal shelves. Visit the website to see the full range of shop counters and display cabinets. T. + 44 (0)1422 376 000 E. sales@andythornton.com www.andythornton.com Twitter: andythorntonltd

Assigns Assigns’ Stormforce Forester features a rustic timber frame and water-filled base, with high quality coil springs for wind deflection. The Stormforce Forester is available as a double sided chalkboard or A1 poster display. With tough clear plastic front sheets, it provides a versatile solution to the customer-facing marketing requirements of the fast moving retail, restaurant and hospitality markets. T. +44 (0)1462 672 000 E. sales@assigns.co.uk www.assigns.co.uk Twitter: Assigns

Concreate Flooring

Armourcoat

Concreate Flooring offers a range of concrete surfacing solutions. The engineered ready-made floor and wall panels can be installed in just about any interior space and work alongside any material to create a compelling, modern architectural styling. Two new colours will be launched this year — Titanium Black and Metal Grey.

Armourcoat surface finishes have played a central role in the refurbishment of the iconic Minster Building in the heart of London’s business district. The interior design, by architects BuckleyGrayYeoman for Ivanhoé Cambridge and its development/asset manager Greycoat Real Estate LLP, has created a major repositioning of the building built around the central eight-storey atrium. Measuring 7m high and up to 8m wide, the impressive entrance boulevard has a polished floor of terazzo with bronze inlays, edged by dark oak. Throughout the entrance and reception spaces, the walls are hand-finished in nearly 2,000 sq m of Armourcoat polished plaster together with more than 600 sq m of the company’s Acoustic Plaster System applied to the ceilings. Designed to optimise the acoustics of interior spaces, the Acoustic Plaster system offers a clean and smooth mineral surface that can be applied seamlessly over large expanses to both flat and curved surfaces.

T. +44 (0)1276 859 111 E: info.uk@concreate.net www.concreate.net/uk Twitter: ConcreateUK

T. +44 (0)1732 460 668 E. sales@armourcoat.co.uk www.armourcoat.com Twitter: armourcoat

shopfittings

focus on shopfittings From a former pharmacy interior to modern slatwall solutions, this month we bring you a mix of shopfitting solutions encompassing aluminium, wood, fabric walls and market trolleys to help hero products and stand the test of time in today’s busy retail environments.

Complete offering From retail accessory props to entire retail interior fit-outs, H.O.L. manages the process from design brief, through production to installation. H.O.L has an in-house design team to create full technical drawings and CAD. With joinery and metalwork manufacturing capabilities in the UK, Europe and the Far East, the team can work in most fabrications, budgets and time frames without compromising quality.

www.hol-group.com

Across the pond Established in 1997, Designs in Aluminium is a stockist and supplier of shopfitting systems and aluminium extrusions for the retail industry and joinery manufacturers. The company offers a bespoke service on both mild steel accessories and bracketry along with aluminium extrusions. Designs in Aluminium is launching its products in North America/Canada with its new distributor C-West Custom Fixtures. Matthew Carrington, international sales manager at Designs in Aluminium, attended this year’s Globalshop in conjunction with C-West to present the products and retail display systems.

www.diagroup.co.uk

Centre of attention Brand environment specialist Leach Impact has unveiled a new merchandise display system, which integrates illuminated fabric graphics to maximise the use of retail space. Product Wall Max premiered at the Retail Shopfitting & Display Summit in February, following more than 12 months of behind-the-scenes research, prototyping and development. Capable of being manufactured in any size up to 15m x 3m, it is designed to create an atmospheric ‘exhibition’ of hero products, which increases brand awareness and captures customer attention in store. It represents a heavier-duty version of Product Wall Lite, which was launched by Leach last Spring. Whilst this display system — with its magnetic shelves — is ideal for lightweight merchandise such as jewellery and footwear, Product Wall Max on the other hand can integrate slotted rails, floating shelves and hooks, perfect for larger and/or heavier items including clothing and sports equipment.

www.leachimpact.com

shopfittings

Modern meets classic Tiptree Store & Tea Room opened its doors on Chelmsford’s Bond Street late last year. HMKM created a modern twist to a timeless British classic with the interior design. On arrival, shoppers are greeted by a vibrant orchard-inspired retail space, anchored by a dramatic central wall devoted to Tiptree’s iconic jam products. Slatted oak storage units alternate with apple-green shelving, nestling under large trestles heaped with the brand’s wide array of products. A playful market trolley encourages customers to explore and interact.

www.hmkm.com

Perfect partnership MicroSlat’s aluminium slatwall and modular display fittings are high quality, durable and flexible. They are built to last and can be adapted to suit ever-changing product line requirements. However, in some retail environments nothing beats the craftsmanship, quality and appearance of wood. Along with the thousands of colour and finish options that are already readily available to soften the appearance of the aluminium, a selection of beautiful woodgrain effect finishes can now also be achieved. MicroSlat now combines the best of both worlds; the beauty of wood along with the integral strength of aluminium. The vast choice of colours and finishes available makes it possible for MicroSlat to be incorporated into highly imaginative and truly bespoke display solutions. All MicroSlat 25mm pitch profiles are completely interchangeable for added flexibility and colour combinations.

www.microslat.com

A piece of history Andy Thornton has uncovered this beautiful former pharmacy interior, which has lain hidden in storage for years in a Portuguese antique dealer’s warehouse. Although its exact provenance is unknown, it is believed to have originally been a pharmacy shop interior in Sao Paulo, a former parish in the municipality of Lisbon. Dating from circa 1920, the shop interior comprises a matching pair of large display cabinets, which are 4,820mm in length and 2,830mm in height, plus a similar smaller cabinet which is 1,285mm long. The display cabinets are of solid teak and pine construction and have been completely restored before being re-finished in an eye-catching traditional pale green colour washed finish, which allows highlights of the dark teak timber to show through.

www.andythornton.com

directory

DIREcTORIES

www.retail-focus.co.uk/directory Visit the Retail Focus online directory at www.retail-focus.co.uk to discover a comprehensive list of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading retail suppliers. Each listing contains indepth company information together with inspirational images, video footage and informative press material. You can also link through to company websites and connect with suppliers through Twitter and Facebook. The Retail Supplier Directory is divided into a number of categories, such as design agencies, point-of-purchase, lighting, props and surfaces, to make the site easy to navigate. To feature in the online directory, contact Terry Clark on 0845 6807405 or email terry@retailfocus.co

directory

Aluminium Fittings

Specialist Stockist of Aluminium Extrusions and Mild Steel Fittings for the shopfitting industry. Extensive stock held of: *Slotted uprights *Aluminium slatwall *Perimeter Sections *Corner sections *Design and bespoke service. T: 01273 582241 E: sales@diasystems.co.uk W: www.diagroup.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/DesignsinAlumin

Aluminium Fittings

Bespoke Display

Design Consultancies

Axis design, develop, manufacture and install bespoke retail display solutions. We’ve worked with the biggest names on the high street, but approach every project in the same way, with the maximum thought for your brand, products and sales environment.

Kendu is a European company with over 18 years of experience in pioneering in-store visual solutions for retailers. We design, manage and manufacture in-house to guarantee the best results. Visit our new office and showroom in Hackney Wick, London.

We are a global retail agency. Visual Thinking develops strategy, skills, hearts and minds to deliver retail excellence and transform brand performance.

T, 020 3260 3888 E. info@axiseurope.com W.www.axiseurope.com/retail S. www.twitter.com/AxisEuropePlc

Bespoke Display

T: +44 (0)20 373 55 258 E: info@kendu.com W: www.kendu.com S: www.twitter.com/kenduinstore

Bespoke Display

T, +44 (0) 1788 543 331 E. mail@visualthinking.co.uk W. www.visualthinking.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/shoptactics

Design Consultancies

MicroSlat is a strong versatile 25mm fine pitched aluminium slatwall system. With a bespoke range of components it can be used to build unique and interesting displays or add value to existing designs.

Original suppliers of display fabrics, textiles, PVC and polycarbonates for retail displays and exhibition stands since 1934 Backgrounds have been our background since backgrounds began and B Brown have more than 400 in stock.

Walker Bros (Elland) Ltd is an Engineering Manufacturing company specialising in sheet metalwork and plastic fabrication. We supply precision metal and plastic products, components and light fabrications to a broad range of industries and markets throughout the UK and Europe.

IGNITION is an independent creative company Our multi-disciplined team work together to deliver exceptional retail and commercial environments, global exhibitions and brands.

T. 01325 351 276 E. sales@microslat.com W. www.microslat.com S. www.twitter.com/MicroSlat

T, 08705 340 340 E. customerservices@bbrown.co.uk W. www.bbrown.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/luvbbrown

T: 0 01422 310767 E: sales@wbelland.com W: www.wbelland.com

T, +44 (0) 1179 725168 E. victoria@ignitiondg.com W. www.ignitiondg.com

Audio Visual Integration

Anna Valley looks to help guide clients with their audio visual decision making by offering high end impartial advice and help manoeuvre them through the current “minefield” of different technology and services available to them. This process then enables them to have a clear vision of what they are actually striving to achieve within the budget available to them and then provides a full range of services in the delivery of that vision.

Bespoke Display

Hello Flamingo is a creative company for the retail and event sector, specialising in window displays, in store solution, POP ups, project management, design, manufacture and installation for bespoke projects at our fully equipped manufacturing workshop.

Brochure Holders

Design Consultancies

Brochure Holders International Limited is part of the global Taymar group recognised as a leading manufacturer of premium quality injection moulded leaflet holders and display solutions. Committed to on-going product development the Taymar group offers one of the world’s largest collections of ‘clear view’ wall, floor and counter standing brochure displays.

We are TWO Visual, the retail agency specialising in visual merchandising. Led by brand directors Jeanette Cheetham and Brendan Gordon we provide everything retailers need to make their brands visually dynamic, whilst improving team and commercial performance.

T: +44 (0)1473 229250 E: sales@brochureholders.co.uk W: www.brochureholders.com

T, +44 (0) 1858 414275 E. hello@twovisual.co.uk W. www. twovisual.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/TWO_Visual

T: +44 (0)208 941 1000 E: nick.shaw@annavalley.co.uk W: www.annavalley.co.uk/avintegration

T: 01273 585768 E: info@helloflamingo.co.uk W: www.helloflamingo.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/helloflamingo1

Balloons & Bunting

Bespoke Display

Climate Control

Display

No.1 Advertising Balloon Service: • Printed Latex and Foil Balloons • Helium Gas delivery and collection • Flags, Bunting and Banners • Promotional Sashes and T-shirts • Multi-store distribution nationwide

JPMA is a worldwide leader in designing and manufacturing high-quality store fixtures and visual elements made of wood, metal and acrylic. We make everything all under the one roof and offer designs and finishes not available anywhere else in the industry.

Air Control & Development Ltd are Daikin, Mitsubishi and Toshiba accredited contractors, specialising in providing quality air conditioning, ventilation and overdoor heater installations, service & maintenance within the retail sector.

arken are a UK design and manufacturing facility creating bespoke poster display solutions. As well as our bespoke offer, we provide off the shelf products such as poster frames, light boxes, poster hanging systems, pavement signs, forecourt signs, all available in a range of colours and sizes.

T +44 777 444 5784 E: benjamin@jpmaglobal.com W: www.jpmaglobal.com

T 01922 455523 E: info@aircontrol.co.uk W: www.aircontrol.co.uk S: www.twitter.com/AirControl123

T: +44 (0)1638 565656 E: info@arken-pop.com W: www.arken-pop.com

T, 01494 774376 E. sales@b-loony.com W. www.b-loony.com

directory

Display

Focused on our customer’s unique needs, with expert knowledge of the procurement market, and a firm grip on the entire visual merchandising supply chain, we are specialists in designing and delivering complex point of sale projects.

T +49 (0) 911 97 13 389 E: info-uk@barthelmess.com W: www.barthelmess.com

Display

Display - DIGITAL

FURNITURE

Crystal Display Systems is already a leading UK designer, distributor and value added reseller of flat panel display solutions. We have a vast array of media players, interactive displays, videowalls and shelf edge displays. Our knowledge and expertise has also led to us being one of the European leaders in transparent LCD.

Spur Creative Workshop deliver unique visual merchandising solutions for retail brands. Boasting a wealth of experience in high quality prop making we create display concepts for window staging, POS and brand awareness campaigns.

T +44 777 444 5784 E: benjamin@jpmaglobal.com W: www.jpmaglobal.com

T: +44 (0) 1634 292 025 E: info@crystal-display.com W: www.crystal-display.com S. www.twitter.com/CrystalDisplays

T 01892 890608 E: phil@spurcreative.co.uk W www.spurcreative.co.uk S: www.twitter.com/ spur_creative

Display

Display - DIGITAL

FURNITURE

Durable have been one of Europe’s largest business supplies manufacturers for almost 100 years. We’re pioneers in developing and producing innovative solutions designed for retail from literature displays and POS to signage and display solutions.

We provide total end to end solutions encompassing all aspects of designing, implementing, managing and supporting multi-faceted marketing technology concepts and Digital Screen Media networks.

We create bespoke tailored solutions for retail, interiors, exhibitions, museums and 3D and we know one size does not fit all. Our teams are always ready for the challenges, big or small.

T 01892 890608 E: phil@spurcreative.co.uk W www.spurcreative.co.uk S: www.twitter.com/ spur_creative

T, +44 (0)845 481 8020 E. info@screenmediatechnology.com W.screenmediatechnology.com S. www.twitter.com/ScreenMediaTech

T: 01923 800666 E: info@stylographics.co.uk W: www.stylographics.com S. www.twitter.com/hellostylo

T. 01202 897 071 E. customeroperations@durable-uk.com W. www.durable-uk.com S. www.twitter.com/durableuk

Display

We are ICON. We create and deliver engaging brand and live experiences, particularly in the retail sector.

T: +44 (0) 20 7593 5200 E: enquiries@icon-world.com W: www.icon-world.com S: www.twitter.com/ICON_HQ

Display

EPOS

GRAPHICS

Providing Scotland’s signage, exhibition displays, digitally printed wallpapers, LED flex faces, light boxes and window graphics. Located in the centre of Scotland we are ideally situated to cover your requirements throughout Scotland. We can offer huge savings with an excellent, professional and prompt service

Offering an extensive range of EPOS hardware from world class suppliers such as Star Micronics, Honeywell and Posiflex, DED offer the complete EPOS hardware solution alongside a unique rewritable loyalty system.

Graphica Display print, produce and install retail graphics including till point graphics, window graphics, LED lightboxes, cut & printed vinyl and much more. Nationwide & Euorpean delivery and installation.

T: 0131 337 1237 E: info@specializedsigns.co.uk W: www.specializedsigns.co.uk FB: Specialized-Signs

T: 01797 320636 E: sales@ded.co.uk W: www.ded.co.uk S: www.twitter.com/dedltd

Display

Impulse POP specialises in Point of Purchase display systems for the Retail sector. We offer many years of experience in all aspects of retail design, with in house manufacture - including quick turnaround prototypes, or overseas manufacture, delivery, installation and retail merchandising.

Woodwood Group –Tx Frame UK are a specialist in tension fabric display systems and LED light boxes. We are able to deliver the highest quality service with a friendly but professional approach to ensure you receive the spectacular results you deserve.

Armourcoat is the world’s foremost supplier of polished plasters, sculptural effects and innovative surface finishes.

T, 01767 682756 E. sales@impulsepop.co.uk W.www.impulsepop.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/impulsepop

T, 01376 295 016 E. sales@txframe.co.uk W. www.txframe.co.uk

T. +44 (0)1732 460 668 E. sales@armourcoat.co.uk W. www.armourcoat.com S. www.twitter.com/Armourcoat

Finishes

T: 0845 3730073 E: info@graphicadisplay.co.uk W:www.graphicadisplay.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/graphicatweet

GRAPHICS

We create bespoke tailored solutions for retail, interiors, exhibitions, museums and 3D and we know one size does not fit all. Our teams are always ready for the challenges, big or small.

T: 01923 800666 E: info@stylographics.co.uk W: www.stylographics.com S. www.twitter.com/hellostylo

directory

interactive displays

MANNEQUINS

pop/pos

Rootstein Display Mannequins is a creative mannequin manufacturer and renovation specialist - delivering both ready-made and bespoke concepts for fashion retailers, globally.

We are IPOS. A creative design agency whose extensive and impressive client list speaks volumes for the professional services we offer. We design, produce and install all aspects of our client’s POS. From instore graphics, window vinyls and 3D bespoke window displays to full multi location campaign roll outs.

T: +44 (0) 1634 292 025 E: info@crystal-display.com W: www.crystal-display.com S. www.twitter.com/CrystalDisplays

T: +44 20 7381 1447 E: sales@adelrootstein.co.uk W: www.rootstein.com/ S. @rootstein_

T: 0161 477 8501 E: info@ipos-design.co.uk W: www.ipos-design.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/iposdesign

T. 01202 897 071 E. customeroperations@durable-uk.com W. www.durable-uk.com S. www.twitter.com/durableuk

LED LIGHTING

pop/pos

Addlux supplies high-tech LED lighting and display technologies for the retail sector, including the largest, thinnest and most cost-effective light sheet on the market today. Fast turnaround of deliveries and prototypes at competitive prices.

Harrison Products provide one the largest ranges of POS and Display componentry in the UK. We are able to supply off the shelf and customised products to suit your project. We pride ourselves on our industry leading service and super quick delivery options.

T: 0333 800 1828 E: info@addlux.com W: www.addlux.com S. www.twitter.com/addlux

T: +44 (0)1451 830083 E: sales@harrisonproducts.net W harrisonproducts.net

Literature Display

Maintenance

T 01922 455523 E: info@aircontrol.co.uk W: www.aircontrol.co.uk S: www.twitter.com/AirControl123

pop/pos

T. 01202 897 071 E. customeroperations@durable-uk.com W. www.durable-uk.com S. www.twitter.com/durableuk

pop/pos

We are ICON. We create and deliver engaging brand and live experiences, particularly in the retail sector.

T: +44 (0) 20 7593 5200 E: enquiries@icon-world.com W: www.icon-world.com S: www.twitter.com/ICON_HQ

signage

pop up

GENESIS MANNEQUINS design and produce high-class and trend-lead shop window mannequins, busts and displays for the international fashion industry. Additionally we offer style, trend and product consultation as well as a comprehensive after-sales service.

T: 01273 585768 E: info@helloflamingo.co.uk W: www.helloflamingo.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/helloflamingo1

T: +49 (0) 5752 1803 0 E: info@genesis-display.com W: www.genesis-display.com S: www.twitter.com/GenesisDisplay

Retail Consultancy

We are a global retail agency. Visual Thinking develops strategy, skills, hearts and minds to deliver retail excellence and transform brand performance.

Rootstein Display Mannequins is a creative mannequin manufacturer and renovation specialist - delivering both ready-made and bespoke concepts for fashion retailers, globally.

T, +44 (0) 1788 543 331 E. mail@visualthinking.co.uk W. www.visualthinking.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/shoptactics

T: +44 20 7381 1447 E: sales@adelrootstein.co.uk W: www.rootstein.com/ S. @rootstein_

slatwall

VM TOOLS AND TRAINING

We are a global retail agency. Visual Thinking develops strategy, skills, hearts and minds to deliver retail excellence and transform brand performance.

T, +44 (0) 1788 543 331 E. mail@visualthinking.co.uk W. www.visualthinking.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/shoptactics

Q&A

SAM COTTON As Battersea Power Station is undergoing a major transformation into a leading retail and leisure destination, Sam Cotton, leasing director – retail at Battersea Power Station Development Company, discusses the company’s plans for the iconic London building. RF. What drew you to the Battersea Power Station development? SC. B attersea Power Station is one of the capital’s largest and most eagerly anticipated regeneration projects, mixing the cutting edge with old, residential with leisure and ultimately creating a new town centre for London. It’s such an iconic building and a project like no other. Unique in every sense and an antidote to the homogenised, it was a job opportunity I couldn’t miss. RF. What makes this development unique to others? SC. T his iconic building that is located on the banks of the River Thames will be open to the public for the first time ever in 2020. Locals and those from around the world will be coming here for numerous reasons, including being able to get inside one of the world’s most recognised buildings. The Power Station has been made more accessible as it is now served by the MBNA Thames Clippers River Bus service, and in 2020 it will have its own Northern Line Zone 1 tube station, helping to put it on the map as a new retail and leisure destination for London. The Power Station itself is a huge attraction given its history and heritage; Open House days have already been a big success with thousands of people entering inside the building that is being restored. When it opens, it is expected to attract more than 40 million visitors per year. RF. Will a lot of the original building be maintained? SC. Y es, people may have noticed that the rebuild of the chimneys was completed last year. They are visually identical to the original ones that had to be taken down as they were deemed unsafe. The inside of the station is being refurbished, keeping as many original features that can be saved — this is something brands and operators really love. The two turbine halls have completely different interiors, reflecting the eras they were built in, and the retail spaces will emulate these. No two units will be the same, there will be no anchoring, no clustering and we’ll also be offering units under 92 sq m for start-up brands. RF. What type of retailers are you expecting to attract? SC. W e are attracting all types of brands. The response we have already had from businesses has been incredible — brands and operators really get it. The response from Asia, South Korea and Japan in particular has been very strong, along with the UK and the US. For us, it’s essential to balance the big well-known brands with the start-ups, from the UK and around the world. Apple has already pre-let 46,451 sq m of office space within the Power Station, which they will move into in 2021.

RF. Can you run through the differences between Turbine A and Turbine B? SC. T he two turbine halls will have a very different look and feel and will house a vast array of carefully curated brands from around the world in just over 100 units. Turbine Hall A, which was built in the 1930s and evokes the lavish Art Deco glamour of its era, will be home to the Premium Collection — brands that portray elegance, sophistication and timeless style, while Turbine Hall B, completed in the 1950s, has a sparer aesthetic and will bring together contemporary brands providing an eclectic mix of younger, faster and more diverse names. BB. How important is it to blend retail, community, leisure and events these days? SC. I t’s essential. There will be more than 250 shops and restaurants across the whole 42 acre development and we want to provide local visitors, residents, tourists, shoppers and workers with a huge variety of places to eat, drink, engage and interact. The Power Station will also be a new food destination for London, with a 3,251 sq m food hall showcasing innovative dining experiences including the latest restaurant start-ups, new concepts and international cuisines. We know this is going to be a destination that will attract food connoisseurs. RF. On completion, can you round up what the development will offer visitors? SC. O nce completed, Battersea Power Station will be the third largest retail and visitor destination in Central London, comparable in scope to Oxford Street and just as centrally located. It will be a place for visitors to not just do their shopping but a place to eat at one of the many fantastic restaurants or bars, enjoy the new park being created, simply have a coffee overlooking the Thames or soak up the culture of the instantly recognisable building with tons of heritage. Simply put, it will be a day out like no other.

Read the full interview at www.retail-focus.co.uk/qanda

www.retail-focus.co.uk

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