Retail Focus June 2017 by Retail Focus

retail focus

JUNE 2017 : £6.75 #88

June 2017/issue 88

retail focus WWW.RETAIL-FOCUS.CO.UK

Clerkenwell Design Week : Window Shopping : V&A Main Shop : White Tower Gift Shop : Jigsaw : Banks : In & Around Chinatown : Retail Design Expo : RBTE : Focus on Technology : Q&A with Mikael Söderlindh, Happy Socks

Man’s world

Lee Broom collaborates with Bergdorf Goodman

Clerkenwell Design Week : Window Shopping : V&A Main Shop : White Tower Gift Shop : Jigsaw : Banks In & Around Chinatown : RDE : RBTE : Focus on Technology : Q&A with Mikael Söderlindh of Happy Socks

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contents

CONTENTS Man’s world

23-25

Themed Exercise, Work, Play and Explore, Lee Broom’s series of windows at Bergdorf Goodman Men’s Store on Fifth Avenue looked at the habitual day of a man, curated in a surreal and scenographic style.

Design 12 Clerkenwell Week review

43 Banks of the future

Business 54 Retail Technology Expo

Chelsea 20 RHS Flower Show

from 51 Highlights Retail Design Expo

on: 68 Focus Technology

30-36 Project Focus

Leader

V&A Main Shop : The White Tower Gift Shop : Jigsaw Cobham

Diary

15-18 News 23-25 W indow shopping

Chinatown. A neighbourhood that’s evolving, creating an exciting mix of tradition and modernism.

Inspiring window displays from around the globe.

26 29

Top of the POPS Karl McKeever Retailers are increasingly turning to collaboration as a way of creating new value, says Karl this month.

www.retail-focus.co.uk

In and Around...

Opinion Mixed reality is poised to change the game of in-store beauty retail, says Sian James-Royle, director of The Yard Creative.

57-66 Products Products and services for the retail industry.

Q&A Mikael Söderlindh, founder of Happy Socks, discusses expansion plans for the Swedish accessories brand.

What’s Next for Digital Signage Displays? Creative innovations in Digital Signage display technology are revolutionising how brands showcase their products and services in-store and on the high street. At DSS Europe you will learn from the world’s leading Digital Signage experts and thought leaders about the cutting edge technologies and customer engagement strategies being created for the retail marketplace. Discover how Digital Signage is linking with Augmented Reality, Scent and Audio to create a unique holistic experience for the retail customer. The revolution is just beginning…

GET YOUR TICKET TODAY: www.digitalsignagesummit.org/europe

A JOINT VENTURE OF:

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welcome June ‘17 With Gemma on maternity leave, I’ve picked up the editorial reins for the next 12 months. Retail Design Expo, Retail Business Technology Expo and Retail Digital Signage Expo took over Olympia earlier in May to offer the industry a plethora of design ideas, debates and awards under one roof. ‘Be less architect, be more stage director,’ said Nathan Watts, creative director at design agency FITCH, when speaking at RDE. His talk, entitled ‘Boosting devotion with emotion’, explored tapping into a customer’s emotions and state of mind to create the ultimate memorable in-store experience — something that was mentioned by several other speakers across the two day event. We bring you highlights from the shows on pages 51-54. The V&A Museum has unveiled its redesigned Main Shop, situated in the heart of the museum (pages 30-32). Over at the Tower of London, the White Tower Gift Shop has been redesigned sympathetically; read more on pages 3436. We also explore Jigsaw’s latest store concept in Cobham on pages 39-40. With a large chunk of banking now done on smartphones, the banking industry is trying to define the purpose and value of retail branches. On pages 43-44 we explore recent bank branch schemes and how they have redefined the in-branch experience and format. Don’t forget to listen to the first two episodes of The Retail Exchange podcast at www.theretailexchange.co.uk Lyndsey Dennis Editor Search Retail Focus

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

Production & Web

Account Manager

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

Adam Potter e. adam@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)845 680 7405

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Industry associations For subscription enquiries please email: subscriptions@retailfocus.co Retail Focus is published 12 times a year by Retail Focus Promotions Ltd, Yeomans, Bassetts Lane, Woodham Walter, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6RZ. No part of Retail Focus may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without permission. Please address all enquiries to the editor at the above address. The opinions expressed in Retail Focus are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information contained in these pages. We will assume permission to publish any unsolicited material unless otherwise stated. ©Retail Focus Promotions Ltd 2017.

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diary

DIARY

Cartier in Motion The Design Museum, London Runs until 28 July 2017 The Design Museum in London has welcomed Cartier in Motion, an exhibition on french jewellery and watchmaker Cartier. The exhibition explores the creativity of Cartier watchmaking from a design perspective, and has been curated by architect Norman Foster and co-curated by Deyan Sudjic, Design Museum director. A total of 170 exhibits are primarily pieces from the Cartier Collection as well as loans from the Collection of the Monaco Princely Palace Collection, the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace at Le Bourget Airport and the Rockefeller Center in New York. Extracts from a scrapbook found in the Cartier archives complement the exhibits. cartier

www.designmuseum.org

New Designers BDC, London Part 1: 28 June - 1 July Part 2: 5-8 July 2017

The World of Anna Sui Fashion & Textiles Museum, London 26 May - 1 October 2017

Paris Retail Week Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, France 19-21 September 2017

Every summer 3,000 of the UK’s best design graduates arrive in London for New Designers in a coming together of emerging design. A celebration of fresh thinking and inspired ideas, New Designers also includes One Year On, a curated showcase of designers in their first year of business.

The World of Anna Sui features more than 100 looks from the fashion designer’s archive, presenting a roll call of archetypes from Surfers and School Girls to Hippies, Mods and Punks. This is the first time an American designer has been the focus of a retrospective exhibition in the UK.

Paris Retail Week, the European event dedicated to 360° commerce, will open its doors from 19-21 September 2017 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Hall 7.3. More than 600 companies will participate, with the arrival of ‘Live Retail’ in commerce at the heart of the many discussions taking place.

newdesigners

www.newdesigners.com

fashiontextile www.ftmlondon.org Photo credit:

PRWOfficial www.parisretailweek.com

www.retail-focus.co.uk /Events keep up-to-date with the latest events in your industry

Photo: Messe Dusseldorf / ctillmann

show review

REVIEW:

CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK 2017 Sarah Hopkinson, senior designer, interiors at Dalziel & Pow, shares her highlights from Clerkenwell Design Week.

Now in it’s eighth year, Clerkenwell Design Week 2017 brought colour, pattern, style and tipsy designers onto the streets of this creative neighbourhood. With more than 200 international brands fighting for prime position in seven exhibition spaces and more than 90 showrooms, the three-day festival has become one of the most important events in the design calendar. As ever, the exhibition successfully drew together global brands alongside the conceptual artisan, manufacturing from his garden shed. Slick lighting components jostled for space next to handmade timber children’s toys and unexpected partners are collaborating with innovative results. One theme, however, was repeated again and again at different stands: pattern. This year, seemingly far more than previous, CDW celebrated pattern, symmetry and interlocking forms. From the undulating cocoon-like framework of Shinola’s external exhibition space to Aldworth James & Bond’s Corian structure based on a historical motif — tessellated and modular, pattern and repetition were a recurring theme. Hakwood’s Double Vision, a series of rotating geometric shapes grouping together to create a house structure, allowed the user to interact with the piece; temporarily putting their own stamp on the display before effectively passing on the baton to the next visitor to continue the story. Inevitably, at the close of the festival, the final layout is a culmination of every hand that touched the piece and every eye that sought a particular pattern. The mood of the festival could be summed up by one of its destination sculptures. The towering geometric viewing gallery, aptly named The Beacon, bookended one end of the exhibition strip. Designed in collaboration with Perspex, the climbable structure was constructed from oversized iconic Perspex colour swatches. Each piece was labelled by colour, translated into one of the languages listed as spoken in Islington in the latest census. The reference code assigned to each related to the number of people who primarily speak that language in the borough. It was a striking piece celebrating the diversity of London’s premier design district. Perhaps this is my lasting takeout of CDW 2017; collaboration and community — the idea of designers, architects and residents coming together to discuss the future of design and, in turn, the future of our society. The tessellating shapes of the multiple displays becoming a physical metaphor for the merging of people and passions, to, together, create something new. A significant number of exhibitors offered a customisation service or some form of direct interaction between consumer and brand and many offered workshops or tutorials, adding the personal touch. The exhibition stands felt very much about inclusion, passing on a skill, demystifying the creative process or simply engaging the visitor in a communal activity. In total, more than 300 talks, workshops and CPD sessions were available over the course of the three-day festival. These ranged from the personalisation of notebooks at Altro to leatherwork

tutorials at Bill Amberg Studio, terrarium planting at Botanique Boutique to a graffiti masterclass at Shaw Contract. All the above offered a human element; reassuring to see in a design world which is inevitably evolving with innovations in technology and production methods — both of which offer the vague threat of removing the designer from design. The theme of humanity and the ties that bind a community together was something that was explored further as part of the CDW talks programme, Conversations at Clerkenwell. As the Museum of London prepares to launch a major programme of interactive content on the subject of ‘Future Cities’ and how we maintain ‘our sense of humanity in vast concrete jungles’, a panel of four discussed the theme of Man Made or Made for Man. The recurring theme was of the loosening connection between person and place. With mobile workspaces, the rapid decline in car ownership and even the demise of the statement hotel (with the rise of Airbnb), architects are exploring how the build environment can maintain emotional relevance for its citizens. The conclusion was the need for spaces that adapt; spaces that can evolve with time, that are multi-functional and inclusive rather than exclusive; spaces that draw people together regardless of their job or their gender. And perhaps this is what CDW does best — drawing people together to celebrate the excellent and the everyday and offering a direct line of communication between the designer and user, sparking conversations, aiding collaborations and, most importantly, being human. www.dalziel-pow.com www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com

Photography: Philip Vile

Above: Graffiti masterclass at Shaw Contract

show review

Left Top: Hakwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Double Vision Left Middle: Conversations at Clerkenwell

Photography: Andy Hendry

Below: Shinola pop-up Bottom: The Beacon at Design Fields

Left Bottom: Order by Aldworth James & Bond, supported by Corian

Photo Credit: SLVHCS ‘Project Legacy’, New Orleans, USA © Sean Airhart/NBBJ

news

NEWS

Missguided unveils second store Global fashion brand Missguided has opened its second store in the UK, at Bluewater in Kent. The 1,505 sq m space has been designed by Dalziel & Pow, which designed the retailer’s first store at Westfield Stratford City. The Bluewater site is an exciting evolution of the brand’s On-Air store concept, offering customers a ‘house of mirrors’ effect full of Instagrammable moments and live digital content. Features include mirror-finish columns, sparkly terrazzo-effect flooring, pink neon signage and a high impact VM statement

on The Central Stage within the entrance area in the form of a large-scale banana created by Hello Flamingo. Unique to the Bluewater site is a carnivalesque ‘house of mirrors’ effect in which the digital content reflects on the mirrored ceiling, as if continuing infinitely. The effect is a magical, illusionistic fairground feel that Missguided’s customers will be excited to explore. In the fitting rooms, infinity mirrors meet a Miami pool party theme, complete with palm tree wallpaper and playful emoji signage. Visual: Harry Dobbs Design, Architects and Urban Designers.

London to welcome first smart street New West End Company has announced details of what it claims is a world first in technology and retail. Set to launch this month, Bird Street in London will be transformed into a ‘smart street’; an oasis of technology, fashion, innovation and sustainability. The project is being launched with funding from Transport for London’s Future Street incubator scheme. The tech-friendly, traffic-free hub off Oxford Street will be transformed with a range of cutting-edge sustainable technologies, including the use of PaveGen technology that generates electricity from pedestrian movement, and Airlite’s air purifying paint. A curated collection of pop-ups, delivered in partnership

with online pop-up marketplace Appear Here, will further transform Bird Street with a revolving mix of fashion, technology and alfresco dining.

news

Benefit to launch GlastonBrow drive-thru near Glastonbury Festival Benefit Cosmetics has announced plans to unveil GlastonBrow, the first brows and beauty drive-thru, which will be giving away free Benefit goodies, brow waxes and festival essentials on the route to Glastonbury Festival. Benefit is encouraging festival-goers to swing by the glamorous drive-thru to ensure their brows are ready for the music event. Located on the main road to Glastonbury, GlastonBrow will be a glistening pink beacon and will keep festival goers entertained with DJs whilst waiting in the infamous traffic jams outside of the festival for two days from 20 June. Passers-by will be able to pull up to the window to receive the ultimate GlastonBrow drive-thru experience — they can choose from a menu of brow-inspired gift options and drive to the collection window where a Benebabe will deliver the free goodies. In addition, Benefit will also be giving away all of the necessary festival essentials.

Carphone Warehouse opens next generation store Telecommunications retailer Carphone Warehouse of Dixons Carphone has unveiled its next generation store in Epsom, Surrey, which is set for roll-out nationwide. Designed by Household Design, the next generation pilot store is designed to win a savvy, connected customer. The project included reappraising the brand purpose and communication pillars to guide the role of future stores. Beyond value, the store expresses the Carphone Warehouse story of service, ease and exciting tech. Household uncovered the insight that customers want help to navigate a wide choice and find what’s right for them, easily. Customers did not want to feel pushed into a sale, but be offered personalised recommendations that put their needs first, walking out assured that they’ve made the right choice for them at the best value. Inside the store, impartial personal recommendations are powered by CPW’s unique service tool, Pinpoint — the active touchpoint that brings the ‘We Compare, You Save’ brand promise to life. Household has elevated the Pinpoint tool to sit at the heart of the experience, with colleagues greeting customers and

Burberry Balloon lands at Heathrow Terminal 2 Burberry is celebrating the magic of flight by installing a life-size hot air balloon and bespoke furniture designed and made by British designer-maker Sebastian Cox in a new pop-up at Heathrow Airport. Measuring 15m high, the Burberry Balloon is inspired by the real-life achievements of air commodore Edward Maitland, who, alongside fellow balloonists Auguste Gaudron and Charles Turner, travelled 1,117 miles from Crystal Palace in London to Russia in 1908, and established the British long-distance, in-flight record. Maitland wore Burberry gabardine suiting for his historic flight in the ‘Mammoth’ balloon. Located in the departure lounge of Heathrow Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal, the installation depicts a scene akin to Maitland’s balloon taking off amid a preparatory picnic, with the bespoke pieces of furniture. iPads allow travellers to create and print their own Burberry postcards and send them to friends and family via Burberry post boxes, also designed and made by Cox. The cards can be personalised with a passenger’s name and travel destination, and feature illustrations. An animated Burberry Balloon and its journey from Heathrow to the chosen destination can also be shared on the user’s social media. The scheme features mannequins from Global Display.

offering a Pinpoint welcome to assess the best handset and payment plans via their iPad. An engaging central Play Table allows customers more room to play with live tech. Design features include exposed brick, timber and a stripped-back ceiling making Carphone Warehouse feel a more relevant and modern brand. The discovery wall puts cutting-edge connected tech into the hands of the customer through immersive live demos, including virtual reality headsets and a wide range of the latest accessories.

news

In brief... Parisian fashion brand Sandro is to launch its new UK flagship on Regent Street later this year. The new 181 sq m store, at 137-139 Regent Street, will carry the full Sandro collection, including women’s fashion and accessories.

Knomo relaunches Great Portland Street store Bag retailer Knomo has relaunched its Great Portland Street store, going from a pop-up shop to a whole new retail experience, featuring a co-working space and glass floor, allowing customers to take a peek at the designers and the rest of the team, including the CEO, working below. The new store is positioned as a second home for Knomo customers, also called ‘Knomads’, where they can catch up over coffee or even stay and work a while if they like. While it’s not a traditional retail

environment, the open plan design allows customers to get hands-on with product and get expert advice on the right accessories for their lifestyle. The brand has plans to develop the in-store experience over the coming months, including customer events that allow fans to get closer to the brand and learn more from the founder, designers and rest of the team. Bespoke product personalisation is planned for launch later in the year.

Studio Tait and 3d Architects announce merger Studio Tait and 3d Architects have merged to form Prosper, a new RIBA chartered practice offering clients a comprehensive solution for creative brand and interior design delivered with the practical expertise of architects. Drawing on Tait’s experience of enhancing major UK shopping

centres and creating authentic brand environments together with 3d Architect’s experience of rolling out and delivering retail projects in the UK, Ireland, Spain and France, Prosper will be positioned to undertake more projects of increased complexity and size, from inception to completion.

Harrods unveils Social Butterflies campaign As part of its Social Butterflies campaign that celebrates the British Social Season, Harrods has unveiled a beautiful butterfly chandelier at Door 5 of the Knightsbridge department store, and a swarm of butterflies throughout the beauty hall. Designed by Zoe Bradley, the chandelier is made up of more than 5,000 butterflies and 8,000 cable ties. Millington Associates brought Bradley’s chandelier design to life, and also produced the 42m swarm of butterflies for the beauty hall. Flying high above the heads of Harrods visitors, the beauty hall feature is made up of bespoke framework dressed with 10,000 butterflies.

Matchesfashion has announced plans to open a second private town house at 5 Carlos Place near Mount Street in Mayfair. The first townhouse, known as No. 23, opened seven years ago in London’s Marylebone and hosts events and services VIP customers by appointment only. Continuing its global expansion, Canadian winter clothing specialist Canada Goose Holdings has announced it will open two flagship stores this autumn, in London and Chicago. Food chain Pret A Manger has unveiled a new store on Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch, London. Your Studio worked with Pret’s creative team to create a new design palette for its veggie concept, building on design features from the brand’s concept store in Victoria, London. Azzedine Alaïa is opening its first London flagship store at 139 New Bond Street, London. The store, formerly home to the vintage jeweller S.J. Phillips, will span 557 sq m over three floors. Shopfitting Display Equipment Association (SDEA) marks the start of its 70th year with a new Retail Display Directory. Bound together in this publication are Europe’s leading specialist shopfittings and display manufacturers and suppliers who offer literally thousands of products and services to help create captivating retail interiors. This indispensable buyers’ guide is available free of charge to the first 50 readers by calling SDEA on +44 (0)1883 348 911 or emailing directory@ sdea.co.uk and quoting this feature.

international news

international

NEWS Apple opens first Singapore store Apple has opened its first flagship in Singapore, highlighting its role as a global centre for creativity. Located along the tree-lined avenue of Orchard Road at the heart of the garden city, the flagship aims to create a new social focus while working with nature, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside. The design of Apple Orchard Road reflects the vibrancy and innovative spirit of the city state. Led by chief design officer, Sir Jonathan Ive and Angela Ahrendts, senior vice president of retail and online stores, Apple’s design team closely collaborated with British architectural firm, Foster + Partners. Singapore is considered one of the greenest cities in the world, and the new flagship embodies this theme, inspired by the origins of Orchard Road, when nutmeg and fruit orchards dominated the state. It embraces the wide pavement in front of the store, forming a new public space with eight mature trees that create a shaded ‘green orchard’, and provide a natural meeting place amid the dense urban environment.

Saks launches The Wellery Studio Saks Fifth Avenue in New York has unveiled an entire floor devoted to wellness, filled with immersive experiences aimed at creating a healthier lifestyle. The 1,549 sq m Wellery Studio comprises 22 individual spaces offering visitors the most sought after fitness classes, equipment, women’s and men’s activewear and athleisure apparel, skincare products and treatments, and will run until 31 October 2017. A dedicated Saks Wellery concierge will be on hand to help and guide guests. The Saks Studio will hold rotating pop-up classes and events throughout the duration of The Wellery, for shorter periods of time. Participating studios include Bari Studio, Box + Flow, MNDFUL Meditation, Uma Gaia and more.

3.1 Phillip Lim opens in Los Angeles ‘This is where it all began for me; the simple pleasures of being young, sexy, free,’ says American fashion designer Phillip Lim on opening his new retail concept store in the Los Angeles Art District, located at 734 East 3rd Street. The area has importance to Lim, as it marks the location of his first design studio, founded at the beginning of his career. Celebrating the communal spirit of the neighbourhood, 3.1 Phillip Lim will host like-minded creators in store, introducing a uniquely inspired experience and offering, specific to the Arts District location. Partnering companies will include Apparatus, Patrick Parrish Gallery, M. Crow and Li, Inc. The store has been designed in collaboration with New York-based retail designer Kate McCollough and architectural firm, MR Architecture + Decor, also based in New York.

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RHS chelsea flower show

FLORAL DELIGHTS: RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW Highlights from RHS Chelsea Flower Show A true feast for the senses, the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May was a wonderful source of inspiration for all things floral and sensorial. Here are our highlights. Interflora – Stories of Emotion, designed IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Mynt Design

Entitled ‘Stories of Emotion’, Interflora’s Gold Medal winning exhibit in the Great Pavilion took the form of an art gallery and featured six floral masterpieces — Romantic Love, Joy, Gratitude, Pride, Platonic Love and Empathy — each one inspired by a different emotion and created by a team of Interflora florists. Led by Birmingham-based floral designer Steve Betts, the florists used structure and form, colour and floriography (the language of flowers) to capture the very essence of each heartfelt emotion to dramatic effect. 500 Years of Covent Garden, designed by Lee Bestall

Covent Garden was reimagined as a breathtaking Show Garden, celebrating Covent Garden’s early roots as a fruit orchard until the 16th Century and later as a flower market, as well as its iconic architecture including the Market Building. The central feature of the Silver Medal winning garden was a mature, 60 year-old apple tree. Flowering herbaceous plants reflected the colours of apple blossom, while large steel structures reflected the distinctive arches of the Grade II listed Market Building. Reclaimed cobble pathways, scaled to the exact size of those in Covent Garden, guided visitors into the centre of the garden, just as the surrounding streets do into Covent Garden’s Piazza. Marks & Spencer’s Spirit of Summer: Mediterranean Journey, designed by Nicola and John Sallis Chandler

Marks & Spencer exhibited for a fifth time, this year taking visitors on a journey through the inland villages and coastlines of the Mediterranean, winning the retailer its third Gold Medal in a row. Visitors walked through vibrant colours and enticing scents to a beautiful central courtyard with a floral fountain and pool. The stand also featured a green wall, outer beds planted to reminisce Mediterranean beach holidays with swirling waves of yellow and blue representing the sand and sea. Another focal point included an archway covered in bougainvillea and ivy. Wedgwood Tea Conservatory

Wedgwood launched a new three-year partnership with the RHS at the show. The Wedgwood Tea Conservatory offered a contemporary tea experience to attract the millenial consumer. The brand’s first global tea curator, Bernadine Tray, has designed a range of bespoke tea blends as well as a tea pairing menu all inspired by the Wedgwood Wonderlust Collection. Visitors took part in special tea tasting sessions where tea was served in Wedgwood’s new Wonderlust Collection fine bone china, which takes its cue from culture and art in the spirit of the historic Grand Tour of Europe from the 18th Century.

Text: Lyndsey Dennis

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INSPIRING WINDOW DISPLAYS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Bergdorf Goodman British award-winning furniture and lighting designer Lee Broom has collaborated with Bergdorf Goodman Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Store in New York to create a series of windows on Fifth Avenue. The windows were unveiled to coincide with the launch of NYCxDesign 2017. The partnership has seen Broom curate his unique lighting, furniture and accessories alongside the latest menswear fashion for Summer 2017 including new collections from Thom Browne. The four windows were themed Exercise, Work, Play and Explore and looked at the habitual day of a man, curated in a surreal and scenographic style.

Hackett London Hackett London on Sloane Street was transformed in May for the Chelsea in Bloom competition. Designing and working with Hackett and Wildabout Flowers, Harlequin Design produced the winner of the Best Floral Display Award. With a selection of 3D jungle animals all crafted from hundreds of flowers, a blue jeep and a full-length exterior covered in tropical foliage, this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scheme took visitors on a journey of exploration and adventure.

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T. M. Lewin Menswear retailer T. M. Lewin has unveiled a new window scheme to promote the launch of its new Cool Comfort shirt, which is made from moisture-wicking fabric so the wearer can stay cool and composed. The window shows a man being showered with buckets of ice over his head. The team at Hello Flamingo individually threaded 1,000 artificial ice cubes onto nylon thread, which in turn were attached to chrome champagne buckets. These were then suspended from the ceiling to give the impression that the mannequin was being showered in ice. Champagne buckets spill over with ‘ice’ out onto the floor of the window, and this is continued with buckets of ice in store. The mannequin is flanked by clear acrylic panels with water splashes, and the window features a vinyl of a large splash.

Fortnum & Mason Fortnum & Mason unveiled a charity art installation by David Bailey in its Piccadilly windows in May. The 10-day window scheme included 400 bronze tiger sculptures, created by Bailey and Pangolin Editions to highlight the plight of the endangered Sumatran tiger. Each handcrafted bronze cast was available for purchase and represented one of the 400 remaining Sumatran tigers in the wild. Costing £400 each, every penny went to Greenpeace to assist in their efforts to protect the Sumatran tigers’ Indonesian island habitat from illegal deforestation. As the individual tigers were sold, they were removed from the window display, diminishing the artwork and demonstrating the speed with which this critically-endangered species might disappear from the planet.

See more window schemes at

www.retail-focus.co.uk/vm

Joseph Joseph’s summer window scheme is inspired by the 50th anniversary of the social phenomenon, the Summer of Love that occured in 1967. The scheme takes inspiration from the hippie cultural movement that originated from those eclectic times and still lives on in annual gatherings and festival such as Burning Man. The creative concept was conceived by Nathan Hicks, head of visual merchandising at Joseph Fashion, alongside the visual team. Creative production was undertaken by Harlequin Design, with mannequins from Adel Rootstein and mannequin styling by Danny Letton.

vis

visual merchandising

Christian Louboutin Christian Louboutin’s Summer POP! window scheme features graphic explosions made from powder-coated steel combined with shards wrapped in baby blue glitter and vibrantly contrasting coloured vinyl. At the centre of each explosion is POP! emblazoned in red neon lighting. In the larger windows, the explosion bursts from a bespoke metal and mirrored acrylic box lined with golf ball filament bulbs. Shoes from the collection are displayed on concealed shelves in the explosions, rocketing outwards in a vivid display. The windows were produced and installed by StudioXAG worldwide.

Goat Goat unveiled a new window installation in collaboration with Adolfo R. Alicart of Tremulous Dew Flower Studio to celebrate the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The window scheme on Conduit Street, London combines the essence of the Tremulous Dew brand and reflects the floral wonders of the event. The window scheme was designed by Making Noise Quietly in collaboration with Tremulous Dew.

Coach The New York City Lights windows at Coach focus on the city that never sleeps, showing it’s luminous face at night with shimmering and bright neon lights covering the street. The signs were created to tell the love story of Coach and New York City, the place of Coach’s birth and the source of it’s inspiration. ‘In the spirit and in homage to our great city, we are framing bags and ready-to-wear with bespoke neon signs. A juxtaposition of polished luxurious material with authentic types of neon signs work in sync together using a warm colour palette. Touches of humour are found with the addition of symbols and signs sure to capture customers and the passer by,’ says Samar Younes, design director, global visual creative at Coach. Photography: Brian T Silak

Havaianas Havaianas is celebrating its new collection of kaleidoscopic espadrilles at Colette in Paris with a vibrant window scheme that brings the spectacle of a rainbow into the space. Tessalating, coloured, translucent, acrylic boxes fill the entire span of the window and suspend the product so they appear weightless. A spectrum of coloured neon parallel lines continues the rainbox theme, highlighting the product as a glowing white strip runs across the entirety of the installation, featuring the Havaianas logo. The windows were designed in collaboration with StudioXAG, with the lighting by Tagra Lighting. Photography: Melvyn Vincent

See more window schemes at www.retail-focus.co.uk/vm

pop

TOP pops of the

Company: Design4Retail

Client: Too Faced

Display title: Shop-in-Shop Global Concept

Sector: Beauty

Location: Selfridges Oxford Street; Debenhams, Oxford Street; Debenhams Leicester and another 10 Debenhams stores in due course.

The brief: To create a compelling and dynamic global shop-in-shop environment for Too Faced cosmetics. The space needed to be approachable and inspiring as well as be a place where customers can interact with products and enjoy a truly memorable experience. The shop-in-shop needed to be designed to merchandise the entire product line and include a hero space to launch new products, which creates those traffic stopper moments. The design needed to be flexible and scalable to meet the needs of various footprints within different retailers.

The solution: The concept is a juxtaposition of styles and textures, with a bit of ‘what the..?’ thrown in. Whilst the products and the packaging provide a cacophony of colour, the palette of the concept is very pink and gold with accents of black, which you would think would create a calmer backdrop, but not quite! It’s Parisian town house meets the exuberance of Rococo, meets contemporary styling, meets California cool. Heart-shaped mirrors and frame details are complemented by ornate gold drawer handles and bow adorned wall lights. A stylised French dressing table in rococo pink is embellished with gold coach-line detailing. Unexpected details delight and surprise.

www.design4retail.co.uk 26

column

Karl McKeever

Stop, collaborate and listen Some of you may be too young to remember that particular Vanilla Ice hit — it was nearly 30 years ago — but as far as retail success goes, that one line in the song has never been more relevant. When it comes to winning over shoppers, retailers are increasingly turning to collaboration as a way of creating new value. Recent partnerships have seen Japanese designer Kenzo link up with H&M and Miami-based Webster join forces with the luxury department store Lane Crawford in Hong Kong. Victoria Beckham has also been getting in on the act, lending her name to a clothing range for US budget store Target. Of course, this is nothing new. Designers normally known for their exclusive collections have been working with well-known high street chains, including supermarkets and discounters, for decades. Such relationships are mutually beneficial — the retailer has the kudos of being associated with a luxury brand, while the designer has the chance to reach out to a wider audience. It also enables ordinary shoppers to share in the thrill of owning a designer piece, albeit one produced for the mass market. But away from the publicity that surrounds these campaigns, some of the most effective partnerships are now behind the scenes. If last month’s Retail Design Expo was anything to go by, there’s plenty to get excited about, and it was great to see so many leading figures sharing knowledge, ideas and best practice. During the event, I had the opportunity to chair the VM Conference and later share best practice thinking on how to measure the impact of visual merchandising when delivering retail transformation. Drawing on my own experiences, it opened up a fascinating dialogue with delegates and we all took away some valuable lessons and insights. Large-scale industry events like this do not come around very often, so exploring new ways to regularly engage with peers and other experts is vital. Recently, I joined Nathan Watts, creative director at retail and brand consultancy FITCH, Paul West, strategy director at creative agency Dalziel & Pow and James Breaks, associate director of design at rpa:group, to take part in the newly-launched retail podcast series, The Retail Exchange. Speaking to these highly regarded specialists, both during and Karl McKeever is founder and managing director of visual merchandising and brand delivery consultancy Visual Thinking.

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

outside of the recording, underlined just how crucial it is to discuss ideas openly and freely. Without this kind of fresh thinking, the whole sector risks stagnation. Brands that have transformed their proposition, and consistently deliver on store performance, understand why collaboration with internal stakeholders matters. Discussions about what direction a brand should take are, of course, healthy but success cannot be achieved without first setting clear goals. Implementing change requires buy-in from everyone at the top level so that objectives can be communicated across all departments, from marketing and VM to the customer-facing store teams. As efforts to step up collaboration increase, retailers should remember the role agencies play in enabling it to achieve meaningful change. Each one may have its own specialism, whether branding, retail design or digital, but leaving them to operate in silos is no recipe for success. In bringing everyone together, all thoughts of ‘treading on each other’s toes’ should be banished in favour of connected thinking and working together towards common goals. It was this kind of inter-agency collaboration that was vital in delivering Sainsbury’s ‘Making Life Taste Better’ campaign in the early 2000s. By running a series of ‘agency day’ workshops, the retailer created a valuable opportunity to bring the whole brand team together, enabling everyone with responsibility for handling the brand to align, inform and agree the approach. Only by doing this could Sainsbury’s ensure consistency across the brand delivery. Today’s technology makes inter-agency working easier than ever. As well as regular meetings, partners can share information via remote access to computer systems, video calls and project management software. Finally, retailers should not forget that collaboration extends to shoppers too. Retail transformation requires major investment, not just financially but in terms of time and resources too. However, it is all for nothing if it fails to increase sales. It is not just a case of ‘thinking’ like a shopper or making assumptions about what motivates them. Instead, retailers should conduct research at every stage, asking for early input to set them on the right track. Measuring how successful this change has been will help avoid costly mistakes, and secure long-term buy-in from both internal stakeholders and investors. In the same way that LEGO has crowd-sourced its product design ideas to customers, inviting them to become part of the journey, retailers and agencies should place greater emphasis on finding out what people want to see in stores. Too many retailers are standing still or failing to effect real change across their stores. At the moment, the pool from which our ideas are drawn is not as big as it could be, and even though there are plenty of smart, clever people in the industry, we are in danger of simply repeating our best work without being aware of it. To listen to the first Retail Exchange podcast visit www.theretailexchange.co.uk

project focus

THE V&A MAIN SHOP London

Design: Friend and Company Opening date: May 2017 Store size: 464 sq m

The Victoria & Albert Museum in Kensington has completely remodelled its main shop, having undertaken the first redesign of the space in 11 years. The aim is to reflect the ethos of craftsmanship and manufacture that has always been central to the V&A, while also creating a beautifully designed space to inspire visitors. Situated in the heart of the museum, the site is crucial in defining the V&A experience. An international competition was launched to appoint a designer to remodel the space. Adrian Friend and his architectural practice, Friend and Company won the contract, working with Millimetre Design. The winning design combines function, form and flexibility, with a strong emphasis on revealing the materials used in the project, reflecting the history of the building, which was first opened as the Museum of Manufactures. ‘Championing new design talent is something we continue to be passionate about,’ says Sarah Sevier, head of retail at the V&A museum. ‘The redevelopment of the shop is part of the museum’s FuturePlan project,

an ambitious programme endeavouring to update and modernise facilities while revealing and restoring the beautiful original building,’ explains Philippa Simpson, project director at the V&A. ‘More than 85 per cent of the public spaces in the museum have been transformed over the last 15 years, allowing spaces to be used in new ways, contemporary opportunities for curation and display, and improved access for visitors.’ The FuturePlan aims to create a more holistic visitor experience that brings hospitality closer to the collections. ‘The shop design was inspired by our fascination with digital craft processes and is now as much a showcase of latest building technologies as it is a new space to display new designers’ work and additions to the shop collection,’ says Adrian Friend, founder of Friend and Company. ‘We are fascinated with how architecture is made and through our work try to take control of the socio-economic tools of production to push the envelope of possibilities through owning, influencing and ultimately

project focus

‘We are fascinated with how architecture is made.’ Photography: Ed Reeve

showcasing in the final design the industrial processes of manufacturing.’ Friend and Company designed the shop as a pair of pavilions. Spatially the new shop substantially increases its displayable wall space through a concept of lanes and street facades that grew from a close examination of previous hidden steel structures. The team removed the 1970s suspended ceiling, drawing the eye to the room’s full height with back-lit polycarbonate panels wrapping the shop space. Films are projected on these to reveal new narratives connecting the shop to the collections. This structure is echoed with bespoke 10mm mild steel shelving ‘weldments’. Millimetre was responsible for building a prototype of the steel weldments with integrated visual merchandising designed by Friend and Company. Millimetre was also commissioned to make the VM kit. Detailed lighting design was undertaken by Arup Lighting. The lighting system is designed to be tuneable, and can change colour with the time of day as well as the seasons. This will help create the

project focus

most comfortable environment inside the new shop. The main shop features an area for visitors to view the curated Custom Prints collection, alongside a Jewellery Pavilion and the Pocket Workshop demonstration space which will focus on a different material every quarter, starting with ceramics. Visitors will connect with the museum catalogue through these innovative spaces that also recall with the taxonomy of the first V&A Shop. Both pavilions make use of the latest robotic craft and are made from digitally fabricated components that have been beautifully hand finished. This bespoke 21st Century applied art uses new materials and tailored finishes that are usually only achieved in workshops, and levels of precision normally only found in the latest manufacturing technologies. The Jewellery Pavilion is formed of four mid steel ‘weldments’, laser-cut to a precise pattern, hand welded and finished in a zinc spray that is then patinated. The Pocket Workshop features a glass and timber structure in which timber shelves

are stacked and slotted into water-jet cut structural glass fins so they appear to float on ‘structural air’. This glass and timber structure is clad in glass shingles held in place with timber stakes. Engaging with new creative methods, the designers and in-house team have sourced custom-designed ceramic tiles for the floor, featuring a pattern taken from the design of a Chinese bowl in the V&A collection. The tiles were made with clay using a specifically adapted 3D printer at Grymsdyke Farm in the Chilterns.

‘The shop design was inspired by our fascination with digital craft processes.’

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project focus

WHITE TOWER GIFT SHOP Tower of London

Design: Kinnersley Kent Design Opening date: May 2017 Store size: 83 sq m The White Tower Gift Shop at The Tower of London has undergone a major redesign. Continuing its long-term relationship with Historic Royal Palaces, Kinnersley Kent Design worked to a design brief with four key aims: to create an exciting and engaging retail experience; improve customer flow and circulation; take a sympathetic approach to enhance the natural theatre and character of the building; and finally to facilitate product merchandising, using individual or grouped product narratives. The key challenge was achieving these transformations without touching the building fabric of this Grade I Scheduled Ancient Monument. Kinnersley Kent Design’s new concept was inspired by the aesthetic of The White Tower itself and the building’s innate theatre and character, with its high vaulted ceilings and raw stonework. Rather than covering these natural assets, the new concept reveals and celebrates the building’s structure, adding to it with a raw and honest material palette that draws inspiration from these materials, as well as from the weaponry and armour that is on display. When it came to circulation, the existing floorplan had to remain untouched because of the building’s listed status, and so its essential form remains: a central space with six alcoves, three to each side. The new design improves the in-store customer journey by freeing up the central circulation route, replacing existing mid-floor units with new grab-and-go displays — set back slightly into the alcoves to increase the sense of space — whilst still being enticing enough to draw visitors in. All the units and any new lighting had to be freestanding as the restrictions meant they could not be attached to the walls or ceiling. The bespoke new modular display units are made up of blackened steel structures, with oak units comprising burnt larch tops and brushed brass detailing. Rather than encasing the existing architecture as before, the units feature stainless steel mesh at the back, subtly referencing chainmail while helping to reveal and celebrate the original stone wall behind. The backlit units create a glow around the products as well as highlighting the rough texture of the historic walls behind. They are also modular and can easily be adapted and adjusted. ‘The new concept aims to enhance the nature of the original building. Rather than being an add-on to the existing architecture, the perimeter units and pendant lights act as a stand-alone framework, with semi-transparent backs behind the shelving revealing the historic medieval walls behind,’ says Simon Krapf, senior designer at Kinnersley Kent Design. ‘The previous shop interior featured heavy timber fitted units throughout, which masked the original architecture of the building at eye level as it looked like continuous cladding. The store felt rather disjointed due to differing lighting levels, and vinyl flooring in the alcoves jarring with the original flagstones of the central walkway. The previous design also featured imitation historical features that had begun to feel dated.’ The space had to be easy to re-stock throughout the day as the shop gets so busy. Therefore, the fixtures allow for maximum visual merchandising flexibility, while providing the framework and

project focus

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The standout design feature is the three huge, bespoke pendants that rise up in arches from the display units, lighting the central area.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

project focus

structural support for the key design feature of the new scheme: three huge, bespoke pendant lights over the central walkway. Cleverly attached to the units, the lights rise up in three arches, mirroring and accentuating the vaulted ceiling. To create a greater feeling of intimacy in the alcoves and better highlight the products on the perimeter display, the design team also lowered the existing hoop pendant lights by one metre. Dramatic downlighting creates a spotlight on the exit doors, signalling a clear navigational path to customers. The lighting also draws attention to the design detail of the oak doors, which are punched through to metal behind in a pattern inspired by the armour housed upstairs in the Tower. Both cash desks have been relocated closer to the exit and face each other in the rear alcoves, minimising any disruption caused by queuing. ‘The new lighting concept aims to unify the space. The standout design feature is the three huge, bespoke pendants that rise up in arches from the display units, lighting the central area. The lights not only provide a dramatic focal point, but also help unify the two sides of the store. They create an illuminated walkway that draws the customer’s eye in, inviting them further in store,’ says Krapf. The designers also extended the flagstones throughout to cover the alcove floors as well as those already in the central walkway

using architecturally salvaged flagstones treated to ensure a uniform fit with the original existing flooring, making the space feel bigger and more streamlined. Whilst laying the new flagstoned areas, an undiscovered Tudor wall was found. ‘Since the completion of the redesign of The White Tower Gift Shop we have seen an increase in our sales against last year, and an uplift in our average transaction value and spend per visitor. As an independent charity receiving no Government or Crown funding, retail sales make an important contribution and ensure we can continue to give these important heritage sites the care they deserve. In addition, the newly designed shop has enhanced the shopping experience for the visitor, customer flow has been improved and the presentation of our products enhanced. Our White Tower shop has received many compliments from visitors both here in the UK and from our overseas visitors,’ says Ian Cuerden, Historic Royal Palaces’ head of retail operations. The overall result is a dramatic, warm and practical space with a robust and authoritative aesthetic — one that is authentic and appropriate to the historic location. The store boasts a warm atmosphere thanks to the lighting and natural, but authoritative materials, with a premium feel that befits its royal location.

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project focus

JIGSAW COBHAM

Design: Barber Design Opening date: April 2017 Store size: 90 sq m

Fashion clothing retailer Jigsaw has unveiled its latest store in Cobham, Surrey. Each Jigsaw store is designed to have itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own look and feel rather than a uniform identity, which means it can also be sympathetic to the building and street that it is situated in. Barber Design has continued its partnership with the retailer, delivering this latest store concept in Cobham. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Our involvement was to design and detail the shop and develop a range of fixtures which can be used for future rollouts. We were involved in specifying all materials

project focus

‘We wanted it to look sophisticated rather than funky.’ and finishes and worked closely with the Jigsaw retail team to develop and finalise the store with the contractors. This included regular meetings and site visits during and once the store was complete to handover,’ says Doug Barber managing director of Barber Design. The concept was developed to appeal to a fashion conscious audience in the Cobham area. ‘We wanted it to look sophisticated rather than funky. The sales space is open and inviting with a luxurious fitting room and chill out space,’ continues Barber. All of the items designed for the store were bespoke, including hanging rails and mid-floor furniture. Barber Design specified Tom Dixon feature lighting and changing room fabrics as well as furniture. In addition, concrete lighting pendants were specified over the cash tills and in the changing rooms. Classic 1970’s furniture was sourced and refurbished to add in special features to the store. Specialised artwork has been introduced in store which is also for sale. ‘We introduced a clean and contemporary palette of colours to the shop and we used found furniture which was refurbished to “good as new”. Overall the store is clean and contemporary with a Jigsaw twist on its Style and Truth campaign,’ says Barber.

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bank branches

IN THE BALANCE:

BANK BRANCHES

Today’s banks are redefining the in-branch experience and adapting to today’s tech-savvy customer, and aiming to build deeper relationships with customers. Text: Lyndsey Dennis

Advances in technology mean that the way people now do their banking and make financial decisions has shifted dramatically. With a large chunk of banking now done on smartphones, the banking industry is trying to define the purpose and value of retail branches. ‘Most branches were built in, and for the, analogue age not the digital age. Traditional financial institutions are now faced with a strange paradigm: they need to be reactive — responding to consumers that come in with queries, tasks, chores and complaints, while at the same time they need to be proactive — full of ideas, engaging and provide trustworthy advice for big, complex items like mortgages,’ says David Martin, joint managing director at brand experience and retail design consultancy, M Worldwide. Lloyds Bank is a good example of how a bank has redefined the in-branch experience and format. Designed by M Worldwide, its Clapham Common site is highly targeted to the area’s particular demographic — young, financially well-off and digitally-savvy. ‘Recognition of local residents’ lifestyles through personalised service was central to delivering a customer experience that deepens relationships. The branch is experiential rather than purely functional,’ says Martin. There’s a mix of self-service, assisted self-service areas and intimate, flexible spaces for one-to-one conversations. A project table with fixed e-tablets and other portable devices allows for demonstrations and digital on-boarding. There is space for partnered events, such as a local business event with Google Digital Garage about SEO. The bank is opening more sites with a local focus and reduced footprint. Skipton Building Society has unveiled a new concept in Guildford by M Worldwide, largely catering to the over 50s. The new ‘Ideas Centre’ concept reflects this ‘anything is possible later-in-life’ perspective — it’s a homely place that’s much more proactive, open,

and welcoming. It celebrates the fulfillment of those hopes and dreams that had to be put on hold whilst focusing on career/raising the family. The Ideas Kitchen at the heart of the concept is a domestic setting with items such as globes and travel books that staff can use as conversation starters, combined with gestures like starting every chat with a cup of tea. ‘We found our inspiration in service-based environments like airline lounges, because it’s the generous gestures in those settings that count towards a positive experience. At Skipton, the tea-making ritual is one of those key gestures,’ says Martin. Swedish bank Handelsbanken has a traditional banking model based on local, long-term relationships with all of its customers. The company opened a branch on King’s Road, London earlier this year, and each branch is run like a small business with experienced local teams responsible for all the day-to-day lending Main: Santander’s Red Branch store of the future includes digital communications to help the bank engage more with the customer. Above: Swedish bank Handelsbanken has a traditional banking model based on local, long-term relationships with all of its customers.

bank branches

and investment decisions on behalf of customers. Branch staff are also given autonomy to advise and agree individual terms and pricing. ‘We already know that the local community value real-world relationships with experienced bankers they know and trust,’ says Kieran Costello, branch manager at Handelsbanken Chelsea. ‘Our emphasis on serving the community, and building long-term relationships with our customers, makes the thriving King’s Road an ideal home for the branch.’ allen international has worked on the international roll-out of Santander’s next generation branches. In the UK, Santander’s Smart Red branch of the future first rolled out in Sittingbourne, followed by Tottenham Court Road in London and Stretham. The space is designed to orientate the customer towards digital touch points and present them in an engaging and easily accessible way. ‘We’re going through a massive change in banking, certainly in terms of the physical,’ says Richard Benson, creative managing director at allen international. ‘There’s a progression towards much more self-service and so in all the branches we’ve increased the number of ATMs; they are multi-functional ATMs which pretty much allow the customer to do all of their transactions through those devices.’ In Dubai, allen international has been working with Emirates NBD on six different branch formats appealing to various demographics and propositions. The digital format at Emirates Tower incorporates both physical and digital designs divided into three sections: The Digital Banking Zone, The Future Banking Zone and The Advisory Zone. Featuring a 12m-long digital wall, the Digital Banking Zone provides self-service facilities and video connections to remote service staff. In The Future Banking Zone, the branch showcases digital innovations developed with its technology partners such as the Visa Connected Car, MasterCard Virtual Shopping Experience and SAP’s Augmented Reality Real Estate & Mortgage Digital Solutions. At the heart of the space is the The Advisory Zone, boasting a contemporary, relaxed environment for customers to browse the bank’s products and services, and meet with financial advisors. Benson believes the future of banking will completely change. ‘We’re going to see a more rapid change than we’ve ever seen in the previous 10 years. Everyone’s talking about using Alexa and voice activated banking. People are becoming used to things like robotics and artificial intelligence and more people are getting used to the fact that it’s useful.’

Main: Designed by M-Worldwide, The Lloyds branch in Clapham Common is experiential rather than purely functional. Above: M-Worldwide’s design for Skipton Building Society provides a homely place that’s much more proactive, open, and welcoming; Designed by allen international, Emirates NBD includes the Future Banking Lab, a key initiative of its digital strategy that will enable and accelerate the development of next generation digital and mobile banking services.

He says the future will be lots of different formats. ‘You’ll still have your flagships but less of them, and micro branches like Lloyds which is now hosting two-person branches. Pop-ups will not just be about direct marketing but convenience. The ability to be in a location where people pass through daily at different times of the year when you know there is high footfall. ‘Branches won’t completely disappear, but they will be very different in the future. Much more community focused, beyond banking as well,’ concludes Benson.

@retailfocus

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chinatown

CHINATOWN LONDON Chinatown London is evolving, creating an exciting mix of tradition and modernism.

Chinatown London is perfectly positioned to access central London’s cultural highlights. A tourism hotspot in the heart of Theatreland, it’s popular with show-goers seeking dinner and drinks, whilst bordering Seven Dials and Carnaby Street. The area is also bordered by lively Soho, Piccadilly Circus Station being only a stone’s throw away, and Leicester Square located right on Chinatown’s southeast corner. Largely pedestrianised, Chinatown London is easy to explore on foot, with Gerrard Street and its main strip running through the centre. Other streets that form the Chinatown London hub include Wardour Street, Rupert Street and Rupert Court, Shaftesbury Avenue, Lisle Street, Macclesfield Street, Newport Place, Newport Court and Little Newport Street. ‘Chinatown London itself is evolving, reflecting changes in China and the Far East. Traditional values are being complemented by new ideals, trends and cultural influences, creating an exciting mix of tradition and modernism that at Shaftesbury we’re striving to curate in the heart of London’s West End. We have recently welcomed a range of innovate concepts that offer modern takes on east Asian traditions including Hot Pot and Bubblewrap, and soon to open are XU and ICHI BUNS,’ says the Shaftsbury team. XU (pronounced ‘shoe’), a concept from the creators of BAO in Soho and Fitzrovia, will immerse diners in the world of Taiwanese cuisine, showcasing the island’s unique cultural diversity. ‘A Taiwanese tea bar on the ground floor will serve rare and competition level leaf teas, providing diners with an insight to traditional Taiwanese tea ceremonies. Japanese-inspired burger concept, ICHI BUNS will be opening its debut site on Wardour Street this Summer, delighting customers with prime cuts of Wagyu

Text: Lyndsey Dennis

Retail neighbourhoods

beef and an array of traditional Japanese dishes to deliver an authentic experience, in a modern Japanese environment. It’s this mix of cuisine and cultures that create Chinatown London’s diverse appeal,’ says Shaftsbury. Central Cross is a new £15m development currently being transformed at the eastern gateway that will create a 4,459 sq m mixed-use scheme, and includes the development of Newport Place that will be pedestrianised with a new pavilion and enhanced to create a landscaped public space. Chinatown London covers just over three acres in the heart of London’s West End and has the largest concentration of restaurants in the UK, offering visitors a choice of more than 90 places to eat and socialise. It also boasts the only independent cinema in the West End, the Prince Charles Cinema, which hosts world famous sing-a-long interactive film screenings, as well as three karaoke bars. The area is still very much a lively and important hub for the Chinese community with dedicated restaurants aimed at Chinese customers, supermarkets, hairdressers, bakeries, cafés, Chinese medicine and travel agents available. ‘The importance of Chinatown London to the capital, and in fact the UK, has never been greater. London is one of the world’s most outward-looking, tolerant and diverse cities, inherently celebrating other cultures. Chinatown London’s uniqueness and rich history also makes it integral to the fabric and origins of London. No other place enjoys such popularity with the Chinese community, Londoners and tourists alike. This thriving network of streets, shops, bars, restaurants and much more serves as a truly unique melting pot of different cultures offering an affordable, fun, cultural experience for any visitor,’ concludes Shaftsbury.

Central Cross will create a 4,459 sq m mixed-use scheme.

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opinion

FUTURE OF IN-STORE BEAUTY RETAIL Mixed reality is poised to change the game of in-store beauty retail, says Sian James-Royle, director of The Yard Creative.

No longer constrained, the world of beauty is more accessible than ever before. According to Euromonitor International, the online channel for global cosmetics increased in value by 14.4 per cent year over year as of 2015. Information has reached overload status. At the touch of a button there are vloggers, selfie makeovers, how-to tutorials and skin shade apps. Knowledge is everywhere, yet identifying the right cosmetic products and discovering new beauty techniques remains a major challenge in an ever-expanding market. The global cosmetics market is estimated to reach 675 billion USD by 2020 (growing at a rate of 6.4 per cent). Unlike other retail sectors being cannibalised by online, the beauty sector seems to be withstanding the e-commerce onslaught. Even though 70 per cent of women research beauty online, only 10 per cent actually make a purchase online, which means 90 per cent of those women are still going to the store to purchase. The act of buying beauty and cosmetic products remains a tactile one with barriers to purchase being tangible product attributes such as colour matching, texture, coverage, perfume and quality — all of which can not be easily conveyed online. Physical, in-store cosmetics retail is here to stay and will continue to play the leading role in both luxury and massmarket beauty sales. But how to elevate the in-store experience to stand out, attract and engage people into store? Here at The Yard Creative, we believe that mixed reality will play a big part in the future of in-store beauty retail. Mixed reality experiences invite digital content into users’ real-time surroundings. This creates an environment where physical and digital objects co-exist, mimicking our natural behaviour of interaction; such as

objects getting bigger as they get closer and the changing of perspectives as the user moves around an object. Combining the use of several types of technologies including sensors, advanced optics and next gen computing power. All of this technology bundled into a single device creates scenarios that are unbelievably realistic and mind-blowing. Here are a few examples of mixed reality technology in the beauty arena:

Face by Holition An immersive virtual cosmetic experience where smartphones and tablets act as a mirror for consumers to apply different coloured lipsticks, eye shadow, blusher and foundation with different textures in real-time. Fully customisable for own brand and product ranges.

ModiFace ModiFace Mirror features photorealistic makeup/skin simulation, shade matching and glance-based product recommendations. ModiFace also has a number of other apps including Beautiful Me that advises your true skin tone and undertone, and what foundations are best for your skin as well as hair tone based on your social photos.

Samsung Lumini Lumini is a portable device. After taking a picture of the face with Lumini, the device analyses the information and sends it to a smartphone app. The device identifies issues under the surface of the skin, like pimples, freckles, increased pores, wrinkles, redness, and sebum. It then recommends cosmetic products based on the analysis. Mixed reality technology will help to bring about a reinvention of the physical retail space. It will have a transformative effect on the customer journey and the way shoppers experiment and explore new products. The trick will be how brands develop it to be more than just a gimmick, making it a helpful and relevant shopping tool.

www.theyardcreative.com

Below: Magic Mirror at Charlotte Tilbury and the Panasonic Smart Mirror

Mobile beauty filters Using a modern smart phone and impressively strong facial recognition technology, Snapchat (and other technology firms) can apply predefined ‘filters’ to any face. Creating a point-mask that matches to an individual face means it can move and mimic facial movements. Beauty filters can be sponsored and are perfectly placed for a beauty world foray.

Panasonic Smart Mirror Debuted in October 2016, the mirror takes photos of a customer and identifies problem areas such as wrinkles, redness, pores and even sun damage beneath the skin that’s invisible to the naked eye. Once problem areas are identified, the mirror will recommend products to correct every blemish.

show review Text: Lyndsey Dennis

RDE 2017: CREATIVE THINKING Highlights from the third Retail Design Expo in May.

‘Be less architect, be more stage director,’ said Nathan Watts, creative director at design agency FITCH, when speaking at Retail Design Expo in May. His talk, entitled ‘Boosting devotion with emotion’ explored tapping into a customer’s emotions and state of mind to create the ultimate memorable in-store experience — mentioned by several other speakers across the two-day event. Predominant topics discussed were the future of retail design, the shopper and the store of the future, the right use of in-store technology and VM trends. Stuart Geekie, managing director of HMY Group (UK), discussed the shopper of the future. ‘Retailers need to be ahead of the curve in terms of what makes the shopper of the future tick, so they should be considering how technology will play a role and how it can be incorporated into their stores,’ he said. Of course, he noted there’s certainly no one-size-fits-all approach and retailers should consider all tools they have at their disposal.

Above: Tagra Lighting’s mirror and LED creation in collaboration with SFD; Office 12 opted for a plywood halfpipe stand design. Below: Whiteroom collaborated with Vic Lee who inked up a live mural over the two-day show. Vic Lee www.viclee.co.uk

And the winner is... The Retail Design Student Awards, sponsored by ITAB, made a welcome return, promoting the future stars of retail design with students tackling live briefs from retailers and brands. Pret A Manger brief Winner: Johanna Hauke, Manchester Metropolitan University Commended: Ningwei Yuan, University of Huddersfield and Elysia Dyson, University of Huddersfield Adidas brief Winner: Ka Wing Chan, Middlesex University Commended: Eloise Day, University of Portsmouth and Hanna Stauch, Middlesex University Majestic wine brief Winner: Veera Ahlholm, Glasgow School of Art Commended: Luiza Darie, Kingston University and Annabel Simmons, Kingston University The Retail Design Expo and Retail Digital Signage Expo Innovation Trail and Awards, sponsored by 20.20, were won by Sensape for its Sensape Visual Retail Solution. ‘In its own marketing literature, Sensape points to the fact that it can leave shoppers amazed

by the experience they have had with a brand. Everyone in the retail industry knows that a run-of-the-mill, average experience isn’t enough to achieve shopper loyalty. Customers want to be wowed, they want to remember and they want to be treated as an individual, which is exactly what Sensape has encapsulated,’ says Mariann Wenckheim, director of 20.20. The first VM Christmas Awards took part on the second day, recognising and rewarding the very best examples of Christmas 2016 VM. Highlights included Hamleys by Propability winning the GRAND PRIX Award, Department Stores winner Magasin du Nord by Mette Boesgaard Illustrator and Office Twelve, and Best Use of Digital in a Christmas Display winner Asprey by Lucky Fox. ‘The creation of the awards illustrates just how important the VM industry is for many retailers during the festive period. The VM world is always busy and it’s rare that we take the time to celebrate these achievements, so to have recognition for this from the industry is wonderful,’ says Jason Traves, chief creative offer at Lucky Fox. Read the full list of winners at www.retail-focus.co.uk/blog

show review Right: House of D4R was synonymous with the welcoming feeling of home.

Stand designs and themes Newcomer Quinine sponsored one of the design and branding theatres by its stand. ‘From everyway I look at it, it is all very positive: from helping to galvanise our own team, to networking, to meeting new clients and to reminding existing clients what we do. I was amazed how powerful the theatre content was and by how engaged audiences were,’ says agency founder Ian Johnston. ‘It was good having a stand this year as it gave us the platform for leading industry figures to share their view on retail culture summed up in three words,’ says Lucy McClaren, senior strategist at Household which exhibited in the Designer Pavilion. Many exhibitors demonstrated the benefits of virtual reality in store design. Quadrant Design took visitors on a walk-through of its work with Radley, while Lumico Design demonstrated its VR software in the Kesslers Lounge. British Gypsum demonstrated the benefits of its acoustic ceiling panels with virtual acoustic reality in conjunction with acoustic enginering specialist, Cundall. TRO Retail brought its bespoke TRO Boutique to RDE to showcase a suite of creative technologies that are transforming modern retailing including augmented reality, personalised virtual reality, RFID and Microsoft Kinect — allowing visitors to experience the benefits and features in a bespoke ‘boutique’ environment. ICON’s Play/Shop/Pop-up concept invited guests to take part in an immersive experience, featuring interactive face detection technology, optical movement sensing and sound activated Colour Alchemy lightboxes. Illustrator Annie Rickard Straus joined us on the Retail Focus stand for day one. Whiteroom collaborated with Vic Lee who inked up a live mural over the two-day show, while British Gypsum offered caricatures of guests on its stand, to help showcase the company’s magnetic surfaces. Raccoon also demonstrated magnetic surfaces. Natural wood stands were in abundance this year. Office Twelve’s halfpipe creation was made out of plywood. The team wanted to create something dramatic but fun to celebrate materials, creativity and building things. The plywood House of D4R was synonymous with the welcoming feeling of home, with a neon HELLO which made a bold statement. Corian’s stand backdrop featured giant waves, alongside small cut-outs in the shape of shoes and handbags. ‘I think Corian exhibiting at RDE is going to provide some well-deserved mass exposure for the surface. It lends itself very well to environments within the retail industry; due to its structure it’s incredibly strong and durable, meaning it can withstand the everyday wear and tear and giving the investment longevity,’ says Sean Dennis, managing director of Superior Surfaces. Oriam Green returned to RDE with its paper-based re-board material in the form of a giant bus. Raccoon built its stand from re-board and found brands were really engaged in conversations around sustainable solutions. je+1 chose to create a central focal point of cardboard boxes in the middle of its stand and on the ceiling, with smaller branded boxes lined up on the back wall. Tagra Lighting certainly stole the show with its mirror and LED creation in collaboration with SFD. Congratulations to Display by Design which won the SDEA’s Best Stand Award, voted by its members, with its creative design featuring a real ice block. RDE returns to Olympia London on 2-3 May 2018.

Tim Manning, experience director at Swarm Group, shares his top five highlights from RDE: 1. Voice Search – Signage Live Signage Live appeared in a tucked away shelf within an integrator’s stand. The clever techs had programmed Google Home to perform a number of tasks using natural voice in one of the noisiest exhibition halls in Europe. ‘Ok Google, lets create the future of retail.’ 2. Appropriate use of virtual reality Oh so often VR creates a complex solution to what is simple in the real world but has taken the headache out of store planning with a VR solution. Using the HTC Vive, Lumico Design was able to demonstrate a real value add for VR. A speedy, good value, time saving execution means that creativity can be employed by retailers. Move items, re-plan and see it real time. 3. Projection Mapping combined with Gesture by LumiTRIX The beauty of this wasn’t in the execution so much as the combination of two great technologies to punch above their individual weight. Gesture accurately allows the ‘cursor’ control while projection mapping gives you limitless visual opportunity. 4. Transparent LED screens – numerous Eye-catching story boxes. The three layers offer you a layered approach to building a story in the vital few seconds that you have the consumer’s eyeballs fixed on your product. The back wall was never used by any vendor at the show, why? The middle layer gives you a physical opportunity, which can remain hidden, to put the product at the centre of the story. The font is a full LCD. Go create! 5. LED printed media by Ultima Displays We know its old tech but the quality and subsequent price of full colour printed graphic panels backed with LED is now a steal. Bang for buck, they make a huge impact.

show review

RBTE: FRICTIONLESS SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Craig Mountain, design & development engineer at Lumico Design, brings us his top five highlights from Retail Business Technology Expo in May. After spending some time talking to show goers and exhibitors, it was evident that the trend for the future was mainly based around creating a frictionless shopping experience for customers. Here are the five most impressive pieces of retail technology from RBTE 2017... 1. Dynamic Price Tags & Intelligent Fitting Rooms – EllaFashion EllaFashion’s electronic price tags and intelligent fitting rooms relieve the pain points of in-store shoppers. The price tag solution consists of price displays, two-way radio equipment and controller software. The tag is fully updatable from a company database, which allows customers to be given the most up-to-date offers and information. This in hand will save the retailer money and gives them a reliable tool for maximising sales, profit and margins. EllaFashion’s intelligent fitting room works together with the dynamic price tags to help customers try and buy more by allowing them to request extra sizes or more clothes from the comfort of their changing room via a tablet. 2. Click and Get App – Urb-it Urb-it’s ‘click and get’ concept has taken a leaf out of Uber and Deliveroo’s textbook by trying to create a personal app for shoppers who have busy lifestyles. The customer shops for their item from select retailers on the Urb-it app, then chooses where they would like to receive it. The ‘Urber’ goes straight to pick it up, and just like Deliveroo the Urber can be tracked on a smartphone. The order is then handed over to the customer wherever and whenever they desire. The Urb-it concept is something that we will definitely be seeing more of in the future and is another example of the industry seeking to improve customer retail experience through technology.

There were a lot of companies that have developed customer recognition systems which serve a variety of purposes to retailers. For example, Panasonic had its own security system which is able to identify trouble customers like shoplifters by taking their facial recognition and pairing it with a pre-existing database of known shoplifters in the area. There was also a lot of marketing-based companies who use customer recognition to identify customers’ behaviours and act on them. For example, advertising boards for when people are yawning — a coffee is dispensed to give them that extra push through the day. 5. Artificial Intelligence – Kore-AI Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another piece of technology that seems to be gaining traction in the retail industry. In a world that revolves around customers, it is key for retailers to give their customers a tailored experience to keep them engaged in their interest. Kore-AI turns the traditional digital experience shoppers are used to into a conversational, personalised and instantly gratifying experience. Kore-AI’s artificially intelligent bots provide real time offers, customer reviews and advice on what product is right for the customer. This is a great example of customers having a piece of technology that answers their own personal wants and needs at their fingertips. The next RBTE takes place on 2-3 May 2018.

3. Augmented Reality in Retail – Smart Pixels Augmented reality made its mark on RBTE 2017 with many companies exhibiting the technology on their stands. French start-up Smart Pixels, which won an innovation award at RBTE, has created an immersive technology that enhances retail environments. Smart Pixels’ technology works by using smart projectors that have object recognition. The colour and textures of clothing can be changed before your eyes via the smart projection system. It works by adding a virtual layer to a physical surrounding/ product to actively guide the customer in their purchasing process, allow for advanced customisation and a stronger marketing impact. 4. Customer Recognition & Analysis – Panasonic

Top: EllaFashion price label. Bottom: Urb-it’s ‘click and get’ concept.

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LIGHTING Megaman UK At the new Japan Home store in Sengkang, Singapore, Megaman worked with the client and interior designers Evince Design & Consultants to create an environment that was warm and welcoming while retaining the desired modern industrial appearance. Megaman recommended energy and cost saving LED alternatives that would still deliver the same warm and welcoming effect as the originally specified 50W halogens. A mix of exposed track lighting, recessed downlighters and pendants all containing Megaman 2,800k colour temperature lamps were specified. T. +44 (0)1707 386 000 E: marketing@megamanuk.com www.megamanuk.com Twitter: MegamanUKLtd

TRILUX TRILUX fittings are illuminating The Vault retail space at The Bentley Studio London, located at Westfield. The Vault has been created within Westfield’s indoor car park and houses a selection of Bentley models that are available for customers to view, test drive and purchase. TRILUX’s E-Line LED delivers a high level of light and light quality to accentuate the exceptional design and lines of the cars, whilst the Live Link lighting management system allows the Bentley consultants to flexibly and easily individualise the space. T. +44 (0)1245 463 463 E: sales@trilux.co.uk www.trilux.com Twitter: TRILUXuk

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When plans were announced for Green Common’s latest vegetarian shopping and dining outlet in Kowloon, Hong Kong, the lighting design needed to reflect an environmental focus, maximise the aesthetics of the store and create a comfortable ambience. Due to the building’s high ceiling, the new branch required an even distribution of light to ensure that customers could enjoy a comfortable shopping and dining experience. MEGAMAN ZEKI Ø50 Gimbal luminaires were among the specified products that helped to provide the ideal solution.

More than 1,600 sq m of programmable LEDs from Reggiani UK have been installed at The Toyota Wave, the largest and most advanced Toyota flagship in the Middle East. Greenspace designers and Reggiani created an energy efficient, low maintenance lighting scheme. Incorporating creativity with practicality, they designed a unique look and feel for each zone to aid the customer’s journey throughout the facility, be it the colour-changing café with RGB LEDs or the dramatic 1,000 lumen per boot and per bonnet in the main car showroom that also boasts Reggiani’s Roll IoS complete with barn doors and DALI dimming. The luminaires can be controlled via an iPad through 99 different combinations to set the desired variety of scenes. Elsewhere, recessed Linea Luce were installed and set up for sequential operation at the exit from the service zone on the ground floor to create the impression of chevrons showing the way out. Ceiling recessed Low LEDs have been concealed between wooden baffles on either side of the travelators.

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products

VM & Display Anchor Magnets Attract is a multifunction, double or single-sided magnetic display system, designed for use throughout a retail environment. The versatile nature of Attract allows it to be installed as a free-standing, wall-mounted or suspended unit. Attract contains an internal magnetic surface housed within an elegant, sleek frame. The magnetic surface works in conjunction with printed ferrous media such as digifilm, which is overlaid onto the magnetic surface. Due to the strength of the magnetic surface multiple layers digifilm can be added if desired, allowing displays to be quickly and easily changed or updated, and promotional messaging to be added instantly. T. +44 (0)114 244 1171 E. sales@anchormagnets.com www.anchormagnets.com Twitter: AnchorMagnets

Andy Thornton Manhattan is a new collection of period-style display fittings by Andy Thornton comprising counters, cabinets, shelving units and drawers. The range includes this haberdashery-style shelving unit, a steel frame incorporating 12 useful pull-out teak drawers below three shelves. There’s also a matching glazed counter, a drawer unit incorporating 20 pull-out timber drawers and a glazed showcase. The range includes teak framed shirt cabinets and display cases and a number of period-style apothecary shelving units and for jewellery businesses there is a 6ft tall glazed display cabinet on cabriole legs. T. +44 (0)1422 376 000 E. sales@andythornton.com www.andythornton.com Twitter: Andythorntonltd

DURABLE UK DURAFRAME is the innovative and easy-to-use signage solution for shop windows or in-store POS. DURAFRAME POSTER is the self-adhesive infoframe designed for large format posters. The frame can be applied either landscape or portrait to any smooth surface including walls and doors, and can be read from both sides when applied to glass. Information inside the frame can be inserted and changed quickly and easily due to the fold-back magnetic panel allowing you to change messages in line with key retail periods. Frames can be customised to include your branding. T. +44 (0)1202 897 071 E. customeroperations@durable-uk.com www.durable-uk.com Twitter: durableuk

Andy Thornton Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly has recently undertaken an extensive makeover of its Gentlemen’s Accessories department with bespoke shelving sourced from Andy Thornton. A total of 11 large vintage-style units have been positioned around the department with each unit given a bespoke antique brass finish in the Andy Thornton workshops. The four-shelved units provide plenty of display space to showcase the luxury men’s bags, belts and grooming products. Industrial garment hanging rails, again from the company’s retail display range, are used throughout to display the men’s luxury clothing collections, with a bespoke antique finish to contrast against the rich, deep colours and elegance of the department. T. +44 (0)1422 376 000 E. sales@andythornton.com www.andythornton.com Twitter: Andythorntonltd

products

VM & DISPLAY Graphica Display Graphica Display specialises in the design, production and installation of retail and commercial interior graphics and signage. From roll-outs to promotional displays, branding to exhibition and event graphics, Graphica Display has the solution for you. Find out more about the company at its new and exciting website: www.graphicadisplay.co.uk T. +44 (0)845 373 0073 E: sales@graphicadisplay.co.uk www.graphicadisplay.co.uk Twitter: graphicatweet

Think Ambient Think Ambient showcased its range of easy-to-apply, easy-to-remove, damage free printable materials at the VM & Display Show in April. In order to stay ahead of the competition, the company is constantly innovating new products to better meet the needs of its customers. Think Ambient’s products are widely used for innovative visuals and point of sale. The company’s latest product — ZTAC-TOUCH — is a high performance, low-tack film graphic that can stick to a wide range of smooth indoor surfaces, including glass, metal and polished stone. It offers easy to apply, bubble-free installation and can be repositioned and reused. T. +44 (0)1625 251 049 E: info@thinkambient.co.uk www.thinkambient.co.uk Twitter: Thinkambient

Artillus - Ways2display DIA Systems DIA Systems’ single slotted section has been utilised in collaboration with Advance International to create Lynx. This fully insulated, adjustable powered delivery system is fully compatible with a variety of standard shelving systems. Manufactured to BS EN60570:2003, the system can be retro fitted into DIA Systems’ FMR002 and can be used with Advance’s Ara range of undershelf LED lighting. Neither specialised powder coating nor the additional cost of masking specific areas on the brackets is required. The system requires no unsightly cable or connectors, T. +44 (0)1273 582 241 E: sales@diasystems.co.uk www.diagroup.co.uk Twitter: DIA_Systems

Ways2display’s ultra-slim 20mm deep and 10mm deep light boxes and LED light boards are designed for building into displays and signage products. The company demonstrated these at Retail Design Expo, where visitors could see the differences between daylight, warm white and RGB light boards and the new dynamic white that changes from warm to daylight by remote control. The company also showcased the new ceiling display LumiTile and 25mm front loading light box using textile prints for stunning illuminated graphics. T. +44 (0)333 123 0345 E: sales@artillus.com www.ways2display.com

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products

FLOORING Tarkett iD Mixonomi from Tarkett has won the coveted Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017, competing against participants from 54 countries with around 5,500 products and innovations. Created for architects and designers, iD Mixonomi is a new Modular Vinyl tile flooring range that makes custommade interior environments possible. Built upon the principle of combining colours, shapes and patterns, iD Mixonomi is an intuitive tool to create personalised and tailored flooring installations, from timeless patterns to the most vibrant collages, There are 33 colours and 10 shapes to play with. T. +44 (0)1622 854 000 E: ukretail@tarkett.com www.professionals.tarkett.co.uk Twitter: TarkettUK

Gradus Contract interiors specialist Gradus has supplied Esplanade 6000 primary barrier matting to The Gate leisure and entertainment centre in Newcastle upon Tyne. As part of The Gate’s £3.5 million investment programme, Gradus’ Esplanade 6000 primary barrier matting in closed construction with Boulevard 6000 wipers in Nightfall was installed at various entrances to the complex, providing an ideal matting solution for the busy leisure and retail environment. It gives the entrance a sleek, modern and professional appearance to visitors entering The Gate. T. +44 (0)1625 428 922 E. imail@gradus.com www.gradus.com Twitter: Gradus_World

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Forbo has refreshed its popular Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) collection Allura, introducing new tile shapes and sizes that are ideal for use across the retail market. New to the collection are 180cm x 32cm giant oak planks, 1m x 1m tiles, small 50cm x 15cm planks and Hungarian Point planks cut on a 45o angle allowing realistic herringbone and chevron designs to be created. There are new marble options, and in Forbo’s largest ‘wood’ offer to date there are new contemporary solids and more planks than ever, with in-register embossing to bring designs to life.

A variety of commercial vinyl tile products from Polyflor were chosen to create a retro inspired interior design scheme for Nelson’s Diner in Newbury, Berkshire. Approximately 300 sq m of Polyflor flooring was installed by The Hull Flooring Company at Nelson’s Diner in Kennet Shopping Centre. The refurbishment project was led by BMS. Expona Commercial PUR luxury vinyl tiles in Light Grey Concrete were fitted around the booth seating area, with the Black Matrix design used for a highlight arc shade near the bar area. Expona Bevel Line PUR tiles in the pale Portland Stone design were also installed around the bar seating area. Polyflex Plus PU homogeneous tiles in the Anglian Red and Mourne Grey shades were used to create a chequerboard pattern floor in the middle of the diner. Both the Expona Commercial and Expona Bevel Line collections feature wood, stone and abstract effects that are ideal for heavy commercial environments in hospitality, retail and leisure sectors.

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products

SURFACES & FINISHES James Latham James Latham has supplied American Red Elm for the new concept booth seating found in Japanese restaurant ITSU. The American Red Elm tables can now be found in ITSU outlets at Victoria, Camden, Heathrow T5 and Bristol. Following the success of the new concept booth seating there are plans to re-fit more restaurants across the UK later in the year. ITSU as a company prides itelf on providing ‘beautiful’ high quality food, so it was imperative for the company to find beautiful high quality materials to reflect the company’s ethos. American Red Elm is known for its attractive appearance, boasting a smooth texture and distinctive visible grain so it was the ideal choice. However, American Red Elm was not only chosen for its aesthetic qualities but also its sustainability credentials as well as its hard-wearing attributes. T. +44 (0)116 257 3415 E: marketing@lathams.co.uk www.lathamtimber.co.uk Twitter: lathamsltd

Rockfon Rockfon’s Mono Acoustic seamless acoustic ceiling and wall system was specified for ACME Architects’ multi award-winning £165 million Victoria Gate in Leeds city centre, to help create the desired look whilst helping deliver ambient acoustic comfort. With its elegant, smooth white surface, ROCKFON Mono Acoustic combines the monolithic clean lines associated with traditional plastered surfaces, and performance characteristics thought only possible with modular suspended ceiling and wall systems. Naturally made from stone wool, it offers Class A2 fire protection. T. +44 (0)208 222 7457 E: info@rockfon.co.uk www.rockfon.co.uk Twitter: RockfonUK

Armourcoat Armourcoat polished plaster has been specified for the UCL (University College London) School of Management at its new space on the 38th floor of the iconic One Canada Square at Canary Wharf, London. The space has been designed by leading architect Levitt Bernstein in collaboration with UCL Estates and the School’s director, Bert De Reyck. The floor has been divided into six distinct zones, which each serve different aspects of the School’s work and their own unique identities. These zones are termed as ‘villages’, offices and meeting rooms arranged around a central shared space. Armourcoat Koncrete polished plaster, including copper leaf, has been used to define the village zones with colour and texture, working with the new UCL corporate identity by Studio Blackburn. T. +44 (0)1732 460 668 E: sales@armourcoat.co.uk www.armourcoat.com Twitter: Armourcoat

Armourcoat Armourcoat polished plaster has been specified for the Leatherseller’s Hall in London by Eric Parry Architects. A central feature of the new hall is the complex spiral ovoid staircase and finely-crafted pilasters in the central Stair Hall. Originally from the old hall, the architect has imaginatively scattered the pilasters, seamlingly at random, around the ceiling and walls of the stairwell. The pilasters are placed between raised panels of Armuralia polished plaster, set as a collapsing weave –a reference to the history of the company’s seven Halls. The underside of the stair itself is also finished in Armuralia polished plaster which complements the original leather collar by the Bill Amberg Studio. Armurlia is an exquisite silky smooth polished plaster finish with subtle tonal variations. T. +44 (0)1732 460 668 E: sales@armourcoat.co.uk www.armourcoat.com Twitter: Armourcoat

products

TECHNOLOGY ONELAN ONELAN, a global leader in digital visual communications, continues its drive into the QSR space delivering a failover solution which ensures business critical information such as menu boards, pricing and calorific values are always available for customers, without the need to invest in a redundant network of multiple back-up players, dual output players or screens. This enhancement in ONELAN’s enterprise Content Management System (CMS) further enriches the functionality of ONELAN’s System-on-Chip (SOC) and Net-Top-Box (NTB) solutions, helping to cement ONELAN’s position as one of the industry’s leading innovators in the QSR environment. T. +44 (0)1491 411 400 E: sales@onelan.com www.onelan.com Twitter: onelan_ltd

Verifone Verifone has unveiled Verifone Carbon 8, an affordable, smaller, and more portable POS solution and newest member of the Carbon family. Designed for high-touch industries such as hospitality and restaurants, Carbon 8’s namesake showcases a high resolution, 8in, merchant-facing tablet that enables a more portable and lighter device to fit a variety of fast-paced environments. Carbon 8 offers convenient new features including a shoulder strap for comfortable carrying and optional, detachable thermal printer for on-the-spot receipts. T. +44 (0)1895 275 275 www.verifone.com Twitter: VeriFone_EMEA

Box Technologies Modern vintage lifestyle brand Cath Kidston has upgraded its point of sale (PoS) system in its London flagship store, provided by Box Technologies. ‘We’re a beacon store for the business and the new PoS suits the design-led concept of the store. As they’re touchscreen, it makes it easier for us to deal with the volumes of customers we consistently have,’ says Jo Curlewis, flagship general manager for Cath Kidston. Gareth Hughes, IT service delivery at Cath Kidston, adds: ‘Box Technologies has been very much a partner, not just a supplier. The Cielo PoS system has been extremely reliable for us and it’s integrated really well with our existing technology.’ Following the success of the implementation, Cath Kidston is looking to roll-out the Cielo Enterprise to the rest of its UK store estate. T. +44 (0)1844 264 000 E. sales@boxtechnologies.com www.boxtechnologies.com Twitter: BoxTechnologies

Invertex New 3D technology has been designed that will change the way people make decisions on which shoes they buy from store to store. Designed by Invertex, FeetID includes the new Launch-pad, an in-store autonomous unit that can 3D scan a precise measure of a shopper’s feet and send it directly to their mobile phone within seconds. Instantly the Invertex’s cognitive match engine guides the shopper to all the shoes in the store, armed with personalised information and reviews to enrich their shopping experience. T. +414 797 1948 E: info@invertex3d.com www.invertex3d.com

Masterspot Track

Dynamic Retail LED Lighting with vivid RGB colours & high quality white tones.

Retail Lighting Project of the Year.

www.progresslighting.co.uk | T: 01423 704124 | E: led@progresslighting.co.uk

technology

focus on TECHNOLOGY Bringing online in store was one of the key topics discussed at this year’s RBTE in May. Here we look at some key technologies that are enhancing the customer experience, helping retailers with the store design process and arming staff with the tools they need to deliver a quick and smooth level of service.

Smooth operator LumicoDesignVR specialises in pioneering virtual reality for retail design. The company enables users to rapidly modify store concepts, visualise new retail designs, adapt to changing needs of the client and bring key stakeholders to an agreement resulting in a smooth sign off process.

www.lumicodesignvr.com

Melody maker McDonald’s and music streaming service Soundtrack Your Brand have been working together for the past year to develop a new way for guests to interact with music when they’re having a meal. BeatQuiz is an augmented reality quiz game that automatically generates multiple-choice questions based on the music currently playing in restaurants, enabling McDonald’s customers to use their phones to compete with friends, or aim for fame and glory on the daily leader boards. The game is first launching across McDonald’s restaurants in Sweden using Soundtrack Your Brand’s music streaming service and music curation.

www.soundtrackyourbrand.com

We are family One of the many highlights on the Fujitsu stand at RBTE was a suite of all-in-one and modular retail PoS terminals. The Fujitsu TP8K family is based on Intel 7th Generation Core processor technology and is designed to be seamlessly integrated into a wide range of retail environments, including fashion, pharmaceutical, convenience, department stores and supermarkets. The TP8K range offers unique modularity, which enables retailers to mix and match configurations and flexibly adapt the store environment to reflect changing business needs.

www.fujitsu.com

technology At your fingertips Visitors to RBTE in May were the first in the UK to try out the new in-store app from Ipsos Retail Performance. The Ipsos Count app will be the first in-store staff app provided by Ipsos Retail Performance, and is specifically designed to deliver store footfall and conversation data directly to the retail team, without individuals needing to leave the shop floor.

www.ipsos-retailperformance.com

Brief encounter Lingerie brand Undiz has selected Zebra RFD8500 handheld readers to provide real-time visibility into its inventory and sales merchandise. Complete inventories are made in less than 45 minutes, instead of the two hours with the previous equipment and now make it possible to satisfy customer queries almost instantly. Its Paris-based concept store, Undiz Machine, revolutionises the way customers can buy in store using digital terminals. Once the product is selected on screen, it is sent from the stockroom to the customer using capsules propelled in pipes. Undiz has equipped its employees with the Zebra RFID bluetooth readers to carry out its in-store inventories as well as improve the management of receipts, shipments and returns in the warehouse.

www.zebra.com

Flexible friend In partnership with international POS printer manufacturer, Star Micronics, Elo showcased its new compact countertop POS solution at RBTE. The versatile unit is made up of Elo’s popular and agile tablet-style touchscreen, the I-Series POS system. The compact counter top solution has been designed to house Star’s TSP100 and TSP654II Series’ of bluetooth, LAN, USB & Cloud (LAN & remote) printers, alongside options such as a 2D barcode scanner and EMV cradle. Elo provides touchscreens for all interactive applications including in-store displays, price checkers, endless aisle applications, digital signage and information kiosks.

www.elotouch.eu

Free and easy Honeywell’s XenonTM 1902g wireless battery-free scanner, a 2D area-imager, makes wireless scanning more convenient with fast, ready-to-scan charging in less than 15 seconds. The new lightweight scanner eliminates the need for replacement lithium-ion batteries and reduces the amount of heavy metals sent to landfills.

www.honeywell.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.

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.

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

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

KSF provides retail merchandising display solutions to retailers, brands and trade customers from CONCEPT to COMPLETION via our global supply chain (China/UK/East EU) to deliver LOWER total cost of ownership. YOU’VE TRIED THE REST; NOW PUT US TO THE TEST.

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

T: +44 (0)8450 944 699 E: ben.wang@ksf-global.com W: www.ksf-global.com S: www.twitter.com/KSFGlobal

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

directory

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.

Internationally acclaimed, award winning unique magnetic wall system offers instant flexibility & creative choice to architects, interiors & store designers. Since launching the magnIQ system in 2006 the response has been quite phenomenal. To date the system has won 13 prestigious awards and is now internationally recognised justifying the many years Rare Basic spent on research and development.

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.

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

T +44 (0)20 8348 9888 E: mail@rarebasic.com W: www.rarebasic.com S: www.twitter.com/rarebasic

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

GDP display, manufactures, delivers and installs world-class retail environments, store fixtures, displays and visual merchandising equipment. GDP is truly Global, through its activities in many parts of the world. We have supplied high-end displays and furniture to successful retail brands throughout Europe, North America, South Africa and South East Asia.

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: +44 (0)1582 433 771 E: info@gdprojects.eu W: www.gdprojects.eu S. www.twitter.com/GDProjects

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

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

LIGHTING

LED Solutions are a specialist LED lighting supplier who can offer you a wide variety of bespoke lighting solutions for the sign, shop fitting and display industries.

T: 0116 262 5933 E: sales@ledsolutions.co.uk W: www.ledsolutions.co.uk S. www.twitter.com/ LEDSolutionsUK

Literature Display

Maintenance

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

pop/pos

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

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

MIKAEL SŐDERLINDH Swedish accessories brand Happy Socks opened its first flagship in Seven Dials, London in 2014. Here, Mikael Söderlindh, founder of Happy Socks, chairman of Stutterheim and founder of The Cords & Co talks to Retail Focus about his role, the Happy Socks customer and the brand’s expansion plans in China. RF. What’s your background? MS. I was working in the advertising industry for 10 years and running an event company in Sweden, when I started various real estate projects in Bali. It was here that myself and friend Viktor Tell got the idea to create a brand named Happy Socks and make nicely tailored socks and design pieces. RF. What led you to launch Happy Socks? MS. Both Viktor Tell and I really appreciated socks, but could not find the styles we wanted to wear — socks seemed to be a forgotten item, and we also wanted to do something happier with our lives. We love travelling and envisioned to create a global company. Today, we’ve created a colourful design and lifestyle brand with flagship stores in Tokyo, New York and Los Angeles; we’re doing what we’ve always dreamed of. RF. Tell us about your role and what a typical day is like. MS. I start my day with a long distance run; this is my routine where I sort out my day-to-day schedule and process my to-do list. The rest of the day is a build-your-own-world kind of thing. I frequently travel as most of my businesses are global. Only Happy Socks is retailed in more than 90 countries and on every continent. But if I’m in Stockholm I’ll be sure to check in on the different offices and teams, and stop by the six floor-high Happy House, our new headquarters that we covered with our iconic big dot-pattern when we moved in on 1 January 2017. It’s the very first ‘sock house’ in the world!

place where the consumer gets the chance to experience our colourful world with all the unexpected details and tactile features. Our goal is to bringing happiness and colour to every corner of the world! RF. How involved did you get in the design of the store? MS. Viktor and I are still very involved in the process. We support the retail department with finding suitable locations that feel on-brand and true to the concept, and we had a lot of fun when we developed the design guidelines for our concept stores. We still try to be the last checkpoint before we cut the ribbon to a new store. RF. Do you have plans to launch more stores in the UK? MS. Time will tell but London and especially the UK is a great market, and we love it there! If we come across a suitable location, and we’re very optimistic in our retail search, I’d definitely be glad to look into the possibilities.

RF. Who is the Happy Socks customer?

RF. Tell us about your plans to open 100 pop-up stores in China.

MS. They’re colourful enjoyers of life. None of the usual boxes fit here. The Happy Socks consumers are of all backgrounds, ethnicities, ages and genders. They’re enjoying life to the fullest, they’re confident, expressive and young at heart.

MS. We’re entering the Chinese market with high energy and in full speed. The stores we open are both pop-ups and stand-alone concept stores. We joined forces with Shanghai Fashion Week and the response has been massive. We’re definitely filling a sought after gap in the market and see no reason to slow down our rollout plan.

RF. Why did you chose Seven Dials for your first store? MS. We’re always looking for interesting and original locations. Seven Dials is a fashion forward area with an atmospheric setting, that we felt was right for our playful universe. RF. How would you describe the in-store experience? MS. We wanted our socks and underwear to be showcased as the true design pieces they are, and that’s where we started working with studios that had a blank canvas and white gallery feeling. Obviously, our Happy Socks styles stand for the colourful and expressive part. Our stores are also the

RF. What’s next for Happy Socks? MS. W e’re launching our new sub-brand Hysteria By Happy Socks this fall, the world’s first lifestyle sock brand for modern, fashion-conscious women with a strong, contemporary aesthetic. We’re also teaming up with The Beatles on limited edition Yellow Submarine socks. Each pair commemorates the iconic animated film that Viktor’s dad was actually part of creating back in 1968. We’re opening a new concept store in Le Marais, Paris this summer while entering new and yet unexplored markets, and opening a new office in New York.

T 0207 3771776 info@blacksvisual.com www.blacksvisual.com FOLLOW US @blacksvisuallondon Blacks Visual London Blacks Visual London