www.mtfx.com/vm
For a free artificial snow sample pack
From all
of us at
Merry Merry
please email [email protected]
Christmas!! Christmas!!
Regulars7 Leader8 Diary11-14 News
16-17 WindowshoppingFestive window displays from some of the UK and Irelands top department stores.
18 TopofthePOPS
21 KarlMcKeeverIs online and in-store failing to click, asks Karl.
www.retail-focus.co.uk
.22-29 ProjectFocusEarly Learning Centre: Jigsaw: The Story Shop
61 OpinionThe economic downturn saw discount retail rise to new heights, but as the recession slowly becomes a distant memory, what does the future hold for value retailers, asks Sue Benson of The Market Creative.
64-67 ProductsProducts and services for the retail industry.
74 Q&AAs 2015 comes to a close, we talk to Mark Stevens, director of creative at Debenhams, who was recently named Most Innovative Person in VM at the VM & Display Awards.
31Shoppingcentres FocusonLighting68
37VMFocussupplement
62Retail2016:Whatsinstore?
FeaturesTodays bookstores provide a much more personal experience for literature lovers, moving away from previous library-like interiors to provide a relaxed
and social space in which to spend time.
Readingbetweenthelines58-59
2015-06 Retail Focusemb.indd 1 26/06/2015 12:47:04
7leader
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What an exciting time of year to be returning to Retail Focus from maternity leave. Christmas is the busiest and most important period in the calendar for retailers, and since October stores have been unveiling their enchanting festive window displays that have been months in the planning. In this final issue of 2015, we check out the themes from some of the UKs top department stores (pages 16-17). We also head across the pond to marvel at the displays from New Yorks finest department stores in our special VM & Display supplement (pages 49-50).
In November the visual merchandising community once again came together in London to celebrate retail success and personal achievements over the last 12 months. The 11th annual VM & Display Awards took place on 19 November at The Bloomsbury Big Top with host Julian Clary. A full rundown of the winners can be found on pages 43-45. The closing award of the evening went to Mark Stevens at Debenhams for Most Innovative Person in VM. Check out our interview with Mark on page 74, where he talks Christmas windows, collaborations and challenges.
As we reflect on 2015 and look ahead to 2016, five industry professionals share with us the trends they predict will impact retail most in the year ahead (pages 62-63).
My close colleague and friend, Lyndsey Dennis has done an exceptional job of reporting on the industry in my absence and Im pleased to say that we will now be working together to develop the editorial content for the magazine and www.retail-focus.co.uk
Its good to be back!
Gemma BalmfordEditor
Managing EditorGemma Balmford
t. +44 (0)7908 895 906
EditorLyndsey Dennis
t. +44 (0)7500 138 810
Display SalesLee Cullumbine
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
Production & WebTerry Clark
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
For subscription enquiries please email:
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Retail Focus Promotions Ltd 2015.
December 15
8diary
Maison & ObjetParis Nord Villepinte, France22-26 January 2016
Maison & Objet will be celebrating 20 years
in 2016. The layout of this lifestyle exhibition
has been reconfigured to offer a richer
visitor experience that is more fluid than
ever. After several years of research and on
the basis of evolving consumption patterns,
the show has shifted towards grouping by
lifestyle rather than by sector. The show is
divided into three major hubs: 1. Maison,
2. Luxury, Design & Interior Decoration, and
3. Objet. A series of conferences will run
throughout the five-day event, as well as
Designers of the Year who will be located
in the Talents la Carte space. The
inspiration theme for the January 2016
show is Precious.
MaisonObjet
www.maison-objet.com
EuroCISDsseldorf, Germany23-25 February 2015
Taking place in Dsseldorf, EuroCIS
is a leading European trade fair for
retail technology, bringing together
more than 235 exhibitors from
22 countries. The 2015 exhibition
attracted a record number of 8,866
visitors, suggesting that even more
retail professionals will decide to visit
next years EuroCIS.
EuroCIS
www.eurocis-tradefair.com
Surface Design ShowBusiness Design Centre, London9-11 February 2016
One of the key focuses for the 2016 Surface
Design Show will be retail surfaces.
Evening events will include a live debate,
hosted by New London Architecture, with
the topic Architecture is More Than Skin
Deep, and the PechaKucha Evening.
Winners of the Surface Design Awards will
also be announced during the show.
surfacethinking
www.surfacedesignshow.com
Retail Shopfitting & Display SummitRadisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted8-9 February 2016
Now in its eighth year, the Summit is a
platform for retail purchasing professionals
responsible for store planning,
development, VM, display and design who
are given the opportunity to discuss future
projects and ideas and see how others
within the retail sector do it.
Retail_Summit
www.forumevents.co.uk
The Visual Merchandising and Display Industryis heading South to the Business Design Centre, London from the 20th to 21st April 2016 for the Visual Merchandising and Display Show.
Dont be left behind and book your space today. Call 01945 420 068 or email [email protected]
S O A R I N G A H E A D O F T H E C O M P E T I T I O N
It was, without a doubt, the best Show we have exhibited at in 20 years in terms of the volume and, crucially, the quality of leads we picked up. We will definitely be back next year.
Mike Houghton, Marketing Director,CJ Retail Solutions
The European annual leading event for INNOVATION AND INSPIRATION IN RETAIL DESIGN, VISUAL MERCHANDISING, MARKETING & SHOPFITTING is doubling in size and filling up fast!
80% of available stands are already booked!
Dont wait, secure the stand you want. Call Rachel or Michelle on +44 (0) 208 874 2728 or email [email protected]
Your unique opportunity to:
Be seen as a leader in the industry Engage with the retail design industry Meet with senior decision makers Generate qualified targeted leads Promote awareness for your company Launch new products and services
Co-located with Supported by
Hunter Flagship by Checkland Kindleysides
www.retaildesignexpo.com
NEW for 2016:
Retail Digital Signage Expo -A major new event for the retail industry.www.rdse.co.uk
RDE_RetailFocus_August2015_216x303.indd 1 11/08/2015 11:17:02
11
Jo Malone London has opened its
global flagship boutique on Londons
Regent Street.
Amplifying the retailers philosophy
of fragrance combining, customers will
be able to add personalisation at the
boutiques workshop. An in-house master
engraver, alongside a calligrapher,
news
embosser, illustrator and visiting artists,
are on hand in the studio to personalise
bottles and boxes. Customers also have
the opportunity to customise Jo Malone
London bottle caps, and can choose
from a selection of colours. Bottles are
packaged in special Jo Malone London
bags with unique Regent Street tags,
stickers and ribbon.
Jo Malone London opens Regent Street flagship
a new expansion investment of more than
1.5 billion over the next three years.Lidl has overhauled its store design
to create a style that brings the retailer
further in line with the expectations of the
British customer.
The glass-fronted design is the first
of its kind to open in Great Britain and
forms a key part of the retailers expansion
programme, which will see all future
planning applications for Lidl stores
designed in the same way.
The new spacious layout includes
wider aisles, longer checkouts, and
restroom and baby changing facilities,
and uses some of the latest energy
efficient technologies.
Along with its cutting-edge design,
our Lidl of the Future concept will also
go a step further to streamline processes
and maximise efficiency, says Lidl UKs
board director of property and expansion,
Ingo Fischer. This forms a key part of our
business model, which enables us to
keep prices low and the quality of our
products high.
The announcement follows plans
revealed by Lidl earlier in the year to open
281 stores in London alone.
Discount supermarket chain, Lidl opened
the first of its new concept stores last
month, in Rushden, Northamptonshire. The
launch comes as the company announces
Lidl launches new store concept
12
news
1212
As part of the Selfridges
Christmas theme Journey to
the Stars, Chameleon Visual
has designed a bespoke
constellation display, featuring
the Chlo Drew bag.
Produced and installed
by Chlo, with creative
by Chameleon Visual, the
installation will be in Selfridges
London throughout the Christmas
2015 period.
Network Rail reveals promising retail stats
New retail sales results from Network Rails
managed stations reveal that 63.2 million
people almost equivalent to the entire
UK population visited a station retailer
between July and September 2015, pushing
up sales by 4.47 per cent compared to the
same period last year.
Analysis from Britains rail infrastructure
owner and operator shows that up to a
quarter of people who use its stations,
such as Kings Cross, Waterloo, Bristol and
Glasgow Central, are not there to travel
but to shop, eat or meet. This is testament
to the ever-increasing role of stations as
city centre hubs and destinations in their
own right.
Like-for-like figures show average
sales for July to September 2015 rose
by 4.47 per cent, compared to a slight
increase of 1.10 per cent by retailers on
the high street, according to the British
Retail Consortium.
Retailers in Birmingham New Street
have reported growth of 3.48 per cent
helped by the opening of the completed
station in September. The 600m redevelopment saw the introduction of
a number of new shops and restaurants
open at the station, including three brands
new to the Network Rail estate Moleskine,
Joes Coffee House and Five Guys.
Sales results at three London stations
were the highest for the quarter with
Ph
oto
gra
ph
y: M
elv
yn V
ince
nt
Chameleon Visual creates feature wall for Chlo
Apple is planning to open a new store in
Singapore powered entirely by renewable
energy. The global retail giant hopes to
power all of its facilities with green energy.
Apple has partnered with Singapores
largest clean energy provider, Sunseap
Group, who will provide power to Apples
25,000-person corporate campus and
retail store. Solar panels laid on the
rooftops of 800 buildings will harvest the
solar energy. The exact location of the
Singapore-based store and the opening
date have not yet been confirmed.
Apple set to launch solar powered Singapore store
Cannon Street (44.55 per cent) Paddington
(18.83 per cent) and London Bridge (17.24
per cent) recording the highest growth
across Network Rails estate.
Outside of London, Network Rails
newest managed stations, in Reading
and Bristol, performed strongly with
increased sales of 9.47 per cent and
11.76 per cent respectively.
Michael Kors has opened its largest Japanese
flagship store on Chuo Street in Tokyos Ginza
district. The store is the first in the world to carry every
category offered by the global luxury retailer.
The 724 sq m store reflects the new design
concept unveiled last year at the JingAn Kerry Centre
in Shanghai, including a shimmering exterior facade
inspired by Michael Kors signature use of metallics
and texture.
The facade comprises luminous screens made
of light reflective facets set within a grid of internally
lit recesses. In addition, a large-scale branded
campaign image covers the balance of the second
and third story facade, creating an effect that is
elegant and kinetic.
The store interior reflects the jet-set glamour of the
brand, and features white marble flooring and custom
white painted wood fixtures for a sleek and refined
feel. Rice paper accents and framed Macassar wood
boxes highlight key products and evoke the elegance
of sophisticated Japanese design. Luxe ultra suede
fabrics are also used throughout the store to enhance
the inviting atmosphere.
Michael Kors opens its largest Japanese flagship store
1313
John Lewis has announced plans to open its first physical stores in
Europe. The retailer will open shop-in-shops in seven branches of
The Netherlands high-end department store, de Bijenkorf.
The first three shop-in-shops will open next spring at
de Bijenkorfs flagship stores in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and
The Hague. This will be followed by additional openings in
Eindhoven and Utrecht by the end of 2016, and in Amstelveen and
Maastricht in 2017.
The John Lewis departments will range from 28 sq m to
46 sq m in size, with the retailers in-house store design team
designing the look and feel of the retail space.
On offer to customers will be the best of John Lewiss own
brand home and lifestyle products across bed, bath, living and
gifting assortments.
The announcement builds on John Lewiss ambition to
increase awareness and engagement with more international
customers and to expand its existing international presence.
Throughout May and July 2015, John Lewis opened 14
shop-in-shops across Singapore and the Philippines, and by 2014
had opened seven shop-in-shops in South Korea.
John Lewis managing director, Andy Street says: Were
delighted to be debuting our first European shop-in-shop and
de Bijenkorf is the perfect partner to enable us to bring John
Lewis to a new customer base and country. Our existing shop-in-
shops in Singapore, the Philippines and South Korea have been
well received and are trading well. Whilst we remain committed
to our UK physical expansion we hope to announce more
international collaborations in 2016.
John Lewis to enter Europe with physical shops
news
LVMH-owned skincare brand Fresh has opened a 70 sq m
flagship store on Monmouth Street in Londons West End.
The opening marks the latest in a line of top brands to take
space on the street in the last 12 months, including Larsson &
Jennings, Loft Design By, Pierre Herme and most recently,
Club Monaco.
Designed in-house, the Fresh boutique is the second
standalone UK store for the brand, which houses the
companys full lifestyle range, including skincare, bodycare,
haircare and fragrances.
The brands arrival plays a great part in our strategy to
create a unique shopping destination that appeals to both
local and international visitors alike, says Charles Owen, Seven
Dials portfolio executive at Shaftesbury.
LVMHs Fresh opens new London flagship
14
news
Nespresso has opened a permanent boutique at Bluewater
Shopping Centre in Dartford. The new store is an additional
location for Nespresso Club Members and coffee connoisseurs,
and replaces the pop-up shop that opened in the summer.
This is the seventh Nespresso boutique to be opened in the UK
and the first globally to trial a newly designed customer shopping
experience. This experience is designed to eliminate the barriers
between the customer and the Nespresso Coffee Specialists, using
mobile technology and increased open spaces to encourage
greater interaction.
Coffee specialists are equipped with a tablet that allows
them to spend more time with customers and take their order
on the go, avoiding the need for the customer to queue. At the
touch of a button, the order is sent to the back office and the
purchases will then be ready for the customer to collect hassle-
free within seconds at a small window in the coffee wall. This new
retail experience is designed to maximise quality time spent with
customers, helping to create a seamless and enjoyable
shopping experience.
rpa:group has launched the new interior concept for Runners
Point. The German retailer, which was bought by Foot Locker in
2013, has more than 200 stores in Europe. The first store roll-out
launched last month in Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna and seamlessly
connects online retail and social landscapes.
To achieve maximum flexibility, the store design avoids visual
clutter, encouraging freedom of movement within the space.
Natural, authentic raw finishes have been specified, avoiding
highly processed materials and complex structures that clash with
product aesthetic. Display furniture is self-supporting, free from the
perimeter architecture and offering flexibility of use.
Runners Point has an inspire, analyse, activate brand
message, and the store space had to support superior levels of
engagement by staff, customer, and brand alike, both inside
and outside the physical environment, says James Breaks, head
of design for rpa:group. The new shops have a grounded and
authentic tone, reflecting a runners ethos; promoting focus,
reducing distraction, and encouraging attainment of specific
individual goals.
Coloured lighting has been used to define gender in either
side of the store, alongside simple, bold category headers of Live,
Run or Train. Customer flow is designed to allow for an effective
unguided purchasing experience, while screens are provided for
online selection, stock checking and ordering. Customers can also
choose a fully guided analysis and fitting session.
rpa:group launches new interior concept for Runners Point
T. 020 7833 4032
www.umbrelladesign.co.uk
What are the big challenges facing retailers right now?
For me, there are two. 1. Complacency. In my experience, its when things are good that retailers are most at risk. As we move into growth, theres a danger of getting comfortable and with it an unwillingness to change. In retail, change is both vital and inevitable. To stand still is to risk losing ground to your competition.
2. Balance. To succeed in our new omnichannel world you have to keep a close eye on the relationship between digital and physical retail. Without a balanced approach, one can shoot the other in the foot. You have to play to their individual strengths to build positive relationships in both environments.
Can design help to overcome these challenges?
With the right approach, yes. When you truly work in partnership, retailers and designers can deliver long-term sustainable success. Our most successful clients are those that are never satisfied. They are constantly tweaking and evolving what they do. They consistently push the boundaries of what can be achieved and look to us to translate their vision into the store environment.
How can retailers stand out from the crowd?
Create the demand. Youve got to give people a reason to visit. Doing things better than the competition isnt enough. Exclusivity is key. You have to offer something that no one else is offering. Think Harvey Nichols or Selfridges. Stylish stores in key cities, selling great brands, many of which can be hard to find on the general high street. Make yourself rare and you create demand.
Certainly, getting the right balance between growth and exposure isnt easy, especially when youve got shareholders breathing down your neck. But, I think the lessons of over-exposure have come into sharp focus in recent times. At least, I hope they have.
How will the high street evolve in the next five years?
Depending on where you live, I believe well see greater diversity driven by changing shopping habits. Were already seeing massive change in the way people shop for groceries. Rather than one big outing, we now have a culture of lots of little trips throughout the week.
As a consequence, the supermarkets power is being watered down by a more discerning shopper who prefers to go to specialists. Specialists who do what Tesco and Sainsburys do, but do it better and at a fair price.
I think youre also likely to see a resurgence of town centres as they become places to live as opposed to places to shop. Youll still need shops to service those communities. However, the shops will be tailored to the needs of that community both in terms of their activity and affluence.
sponsored column
The state of UK retail design In the third part of our series of interviews with Umbrella Design, we talk to managing director, Mark Fanthorpe about the relationship between retail and design, and look at what the high street of the future might look like.
Nespresso opens boutique at Bluewater to trial new customer experience
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16
Windowshopping
Festive window displays from some of the UK and Irelands top department stores.
Fenwick of Bond Street Fenwick of Bond Street teamed up with creative
studio Propability to develop its Countdown to
Christmas theme, which features a giant
cinema-style light box with chasing lights and
layered graphic cut-outs around the perimeter.
On either side, a selection of tumbling giant
Fenwick gift boxes are used to display stock and
hold mannequins. On the exterior, a 3D giant glitter
ribbon with a back-lit Fenwick logo and twinkling
lights frames the scheme.
Brown ThomasIrish department store Brown Thomas has adopted the theme
Store of Wonders. The retailer worked with childrens author,
Ciara Molloy Tan to write a story that is told across each of the windows.
This year, we have gone back to the simple pleasure of a great story
well told and have decided to celebrate the art of storytelling, says
John Redmond, creative director at Brown Thomas. We are doing
fairytales and enchanted stories with a Brown Thomas twist.
visual merchandising
Harvey NicholsThis year Harvey Nichols is
encouraging shoppers to avoid
Gift Face by finding the perfect
Christmas present. The theme runs
through the brand, with the
Studio 54-inspired windows
featuring oversized faces artfully
crafted from 15,000 gift boxes.
Cleverly positioned props are
used to emphasise facial features,
such as mannequins forming
the eyebrows and nose, while
baubles, stars and ribbon add
texture to the hair, giving each
window a personality and creating
a visually exciting 3D display.
BentallsBentalls Kingston has carried its Nordic theme
through the Christmas gift department to the
windows. The department store collaborated with
Link Shelving and Artywigs on the scheme.
See more 2015 Christmas window installations at:
www.retail-focus.co.uk/vm
17
visual merchandising
Window
HarrodsThe Harrods Christmas windows set the scene for a world of moving puppets and performers.
Inspired by the stores Once Upon a Christmas theme, each window features a stage complete
with performers, lights, scenery and red velvet curtains. Meanwhile, hidden beneath the
floorboards - at childs eye level - is a world of Christmas mice, with Peter Pumpernickel returning
to lead the entertainment as they play and prepare for their Christmas celebrations.
DebenhamsThe Debenhams windows follow through the
story of the Found It campaign from 2014.
Our ambition was to create something that
would stop people in their tracks, says Amanda
Britton, Debenhams creative controller. We
have used mixed media for the window, and
introduced video screens and sound into
the scheme. The concept developed into a
story based around our Sky Goddess. The
introduction of the star icon has evolved into a
stencilled star backdrop for the windows across
all Debenhams stores.
LibertyThe creative team at Liberty,
along with StudioXAG, have
transformed the windows into a
giant dolls house, filled to the
brim with Liberty Christmas gifts.
Each window puts the spotlight
on a different room, and
corresponds to a department
within the store. Hand-made
stepped and tiered wooden
structures create the bespoke
cross-section of the dolls house,
carefully covered in beautiful
Liberty print wallpapers and
luxurious fabrics, edged in
twinkling gold glitter.
SelfridgesSelfridges was among the first to unveil its Christmas windows
when it launched its zodiac sign-inspired theme in October.
Using the symbolic Christmas star as initial inspiration,
Destination Christmas - Journey to the Stars sees each of the
12 Oxford Street windows dedicated to a sign of the zodiac. The
displays are set against an illuminated backdrop of outer space
and depict the star signs most recognisable characters.
POP
POPStopCompany:Mad About Design
Client:The House of Creed
Display title:Royal Mayfair
Sector:Fragrance
Location:Harrods, London
The brief:To design and manufacture a number of promotional sites, including a window display at London department store, Harrods for the launch of Creeds latest fragrance, Royal Mayfair.
The result:Luxury fragrance house Creed launched its Royal Mayfair scent exclusively in Harrods in October with a takeover of multiple promotional sites as well as a window on Brompton Road. The brands striking new imagery took centre stage in the black hall, with light boxes and counter overlays featuring an interactive ingredients display and bright bouquets of flowers to reference the key notes. The design also featured elegant mirror gold to reference the bottles cap and luxurious quality. The promotional sites went live on 11 October 2015 and remained in store for two weeks.
www.themadpeople.com
18
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Call: 0845 680 7405 to advertise
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The Retail Shopfitting & Display Summit will provide you with a platform to enhance your company and share the long-term vision of the retail shopfitting business by setting tomorrows standards today, and to prepare for future developments, innovations and technology.
Network with fellow experts within this industry, listen to case studies, meet and discuss ideas with retail shopfitting service providers, hear personal experiences and find solutions to issues facing this ever changing industry.
For further information or to book your place contactCarly Bailey on:
01992 [email protected] www.forumevents.co.uk
Media & Industry Partners:
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8th & 9th February 2016Radisson Blu HotelLondon Stansted
Q & A
21
Are online and in-store failing to click?
Convenience is always high on the list when it comes to creating
great shopping experiences, particularly during the pandemonium
that is Christmas. Its one of the key reasons why retailers with a
strong click-and-collect offer are currently winning. Clearly, the
arms length armchair shopping experience offered by click-and-
collect appeals to many, especially at this time of year.
Such is customer demand for convenience that US department
store Sears has invested in an app that allows people to pick
up purchases without even leaving their car. Elsewhere, the
revolutionary Volvo On Call system lets shoppers opt in to have
purchases delivered directly to the boot of their car by arming
store staff with a digital key to their vehicle, while Asda has trialled
unmanned click-and-collect sites.
But, while there is no denying that click-and-collect is now an
integral part of the shopping mix, it also means that retailers are
missing the chance to engage people with their brand. Instead
of experiencing the magic of a store dressed up for Christmas,
shopping becomes a mere transaction.
But, there are other issues. Some, notably John Lewis, have
started to charge 2 for orders totalling less than 30 after finding it was not cost-effective to process the six million orders it receives in
a year. Retailers are becoming all too aware of the costs involved
in providing this service. During intense shopping periods, such
as Black Friday, Christmas or the January sales, retailers are
faced with a high number of returns and the cost that comes from
handling these.
Operationally, administering a charge seems a logical
response. But, from a shopper perspective, this feels counter
productive in a number of ways. Firstly, it adds another barrier in the
quest to tempt me, as a shopper, away from pure online shopping
and into the store. Secondly, why would I want to pay more to
collect from the store when I will, in all likelihood, pass the item
on the shelf as I walk through the store? While my local store may
carry the range to make that a reality, by the time you add fuel, car
parking fees and time, surely I might as well pay for home delivery?
But, perhaps click-and-collect also offers a more interesting
and bigger challenge as its popularity continues to grow.
KarlIncreasingly, many retailers are now offering click-and-collect via
third party stores. It is becoming commonplace for people to be
able to pick up goods from petrol stations and local convenience
shops. This can be good for customers who do not want to visit a
busy city centre store or pay high parking fees, but it also poses
some interesting questions for retailers both those selling goods
to customers and those who provide the facility for customers to
collect them.
According to PayPoint, 56 per cent of shoppers who use its
Collect+ for the first time are also visiting that store for the first time.
In practical terms, it means that a John Lewis or M&S customer may
now be walking into a c-store to pick up their parcels. In other
words, such retailers are now seeing their brand being delivered
in a retail environment where their customers are not the primary
customer and they have little or no control over customer service
standards. Retailers thought managing franchisees was difficult but
this has the potential to amplify issues like never before. But, it also
has ramifications for independent c-store retailers too, as they have
to consider how they will appeal to a different shopper type.
In my opinion, the recent partnership between eBay and Argos
shows how high-street stores can work with online retailers to offer
convenience without compromising a good quality shopping
experience. Last month, Argos rolled out a service that allows eBay
sellers to drop off parcels at its stores. These can be transported
around the network of shops, allowing buyers to pick up an item
at a time to suit them and allowing them to choose, for example,
a high-street store close to their workplace or one on a retail park
with free parking.
Its another example of the fact that shoppers do not shop
the channel, they shop the brand. Retailers can no longer
afford to see click-and-collect as standalone from the store.
Instead, they should be investing more to ensure that such
services are a fully integrated, natural extension of the shopping
experience, not as a substitute for it, or simply viewed as an easier
operational alternative.
Having a fully-functioning website and clear messaging
about when the parcel will arrive are a must, but impeccable
customer service and a carefully considered, supportive shopping
experience in store are also essential. There is no point investing
resources in dressing the store if the customer experience is let
down by a click-and-collect area that appears disconnected
from the brand. Here, effective brand delivery, store standards
excellence, and well considered POS and cross-promotion
activity continue to play a crucial role in framing overall customer
perceptions of the brand experience.
As this Christmas will once again highlight, online often seems
to fail during peak trading. There are clear parallels with in-store.
Here too, there is a need for retailers to ensure the shopping
experience is always operationally efficient and, more importantly,
never lets customers down when it matters most.
column
McKeever
Karl McKeever is creative director of visual merchandising and brand delivery consultancy Visual Thinking.
Email Karl at [email protected]
22
Early Learning Centre
project focus
Design: 20.20Opening date: August 2015Store size: 325 sq m
Mothercare, Manchester Fort
Baby goods retailer Mothercare is in the
process of modernising and realigning its
store estate with a new format. As well as
improving fixtures, signage and navigation
around stores, the retailer is introducing
new departments such as cafes and soft
play areas, and a new-look Early Learning
Centre toyshop.
Developed in collaboration with design
consultancy 20.20, the playground for little
pioneers concept for the Early Learning
Centre encourages children to explore,
learn and express themselves. Customers
are welcomed into a space that brings
imagination to the foreground of the
experience, says Mariann Wenckheim,
director at 20.20. Its a place where
learning, play and fun are fused together.
With a focus on imagination, discovery
and interactivity, the brief was to reimagine
the design of Early Learning Centre
stores, creating a concept that could be
incorporated into Mothercare stores while
retaining its own identity.
There was a need to make the
customer journey more experiential,
continues Wenckheim. We created key
feature areas in each category such as the
Tree of Knowledge, big toys wall and the
giant dressing-up box that pull customers
into and through the store.
A key feature of the new environment,
which launched in Mothercares redesigned
Manchester Fort store in August, is the
central interactive zone, where children can
climb in and out of a hot air balloon fixture,
or play with their favourite toys. Elsewhere,
a newly introduced little learners section
houses a reading tree, where children are
invited to pick a book from the branches
and take a seat to read.
The design team has worked with
the existing timber palette, using existing
perimeter furniture and mid-floor gondolas,
while introducing new tiered mid-floor
tables and play totems. We deliberately
chose a muted colour palette that doesnt
over stimulate, to create the optimal
learn and play environment, explains
23
project focus
Mothercare, Manchester Fort
Wenckheim. Our product presentation is
gender neutral and focuses on themes that
encourage children to play.
The 20.20 team has also created more
playful high-level signage, incorporating
category colours while bringing the signs
forward to be closer to shoppers.
From the moment customers enter the
store there is a strong feel for play and fun,
says Ryan Murray, trading director at Early
Learning Centre.
Key aspects of the new playground for
little pioneers concept will be introduced
to all UK stores, both shop-in-shops in
Mothercare and standalone Early Learning
Centre stores.
Incorporating:
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25
project focus
Design: Checkland KindleysidesOpening date: October 2015Store size: 270 sq m
JigsawGuildford, Surrey
The new design concept for Jigsaws
Guildford store is reflective of the
independent nature of the British fashion
brand. No two Jigsaw stores look the same
and, like the Guildford site, each store is
sympathetic to its surroundings and shows
respect to the existing architecture.
Opened 10 years ago in a Grade II
listed Georgian building, the 270 sq m
Jigsaw store on Guildford high street has
undergone a redesign by Checkland
Kindleysides and now houses The Shop at
Bluebird on the first floor (the third opening
for the brand, following the original store on
Londons Kings Road and the second in the
Duke Street Emporium).
Both the Jigsaw brand and the
Grade II listed Georgian building have
an inherent strength of character and
sense of style, says Charlie Ellis, design
principal at Checkland Kindleysides.
Through our concept we sought to
harmonise these layers of confidence
and provenance to create a landmark
expression of the brands creativity and
spirit through the store.
The design consultancy has adopted
a light touch approach, taking the shell of
the building and curating the space with
designed and found furniture, creating
a backdrop for Jigsaw to tell its story and
allow the brands identity to shine.
A series of crisp white walls at the front
of store are intended to inject a sense of
modernity, as well as encourage rhythm
and pace for customers. They also
create pause points for storytelling,
displaying edited collections and graphics,
explains Ellis.
Deeper into the space, between the
arches, wardrobes of hanging and folded
product are juxtaposed against the lightly
whitewashed brick of the interior.
Inspired by Jigsaws fondness of
mid-century modern furniture, a path of
petal tables in walnut, rosewood and teak,
featuring underside detailing in pale pastel
shades now add a touch of femininity and
a contemporary British twist to the store.
Interspersed with freestanding rails, the
path of tables run down the centre of the
space, leading to a double-height atrium at
the back of the store, where they culminate
in a sculptural tree centrepiece.
The lower levels of the sculptural
26
project focus
petal tree provide plentiful space for
playful merchandising, while the upper
levels reach up into the atrium, creating a
unique in-store feature, explains Ellis.
An expansive area towards the rear
of the store is used to display the brands
mens and junior collections, as well as
denim, footwear and accessories. It is
also used as a relaxed social space,
featuring items of mid-century found
seating and furniture.
Nearby, the fitting rooms and cash
wrap bring elements of the store design
concept and materials together. Designed
to reference the arches, the fitting rooms
have a crisp white exterior while the interiors
feature a flash of pastel colours and timber
to reflect the petal tables. Using similar
cues, the predominantly white rectangular
form of the cash wrap features rosewood
and teak petal shapes, which envelop the
end of the desk.
The first floor, which is now home to
design-led concept store The Shop at
Bluebird, can be accessed by a stairway on
the ground floor or via a separate entrance
on the high street. On this level, the design
continues to show respect for the heritage
of the Georgian building and synergy with
the store concept downstairs.
When we first saw the room at the top
of the stairs, we fell in love with it, says
Claire Miles, head of The Shop at Bluebird.
Plaster was crumbling off the walls,
revealing some of the brick work and the
true spirit of the building. This provided a
fitting backdrop to the collections, which
are interspersed with small inclusions of
white, which allowed us to create a contrast
between the old and the new.
The first floor is divided into three
distinct spaces, with a central room at the
top of the stairs hosting homewares and an
edit of the apparel collections. This
double-height space is flooded with
daylight from skylights and suspended
lighting. To allow this light into the stairwell
we removed a wall and replaced it with
an industrial glazed window; a nod to the
architecture of the original Shop at Bluebird
on the Kings Road, says Ellis.
On the first floor, the dilapidated walls
have been retained in the front and back
rooms with the raw texture offset by the
collections and blackened steel fixtures.
Items of found furniture complement the
petal tables, which have a more premium
palette of materials in keeping with the
designer collections.
The design team has also adopted a
light touch approach to the front room, with
its ornate, listed, Adams style ceiling.
The new format was unveiled towards
the end of October 2015.
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28
The Story Shop
project focus
Design: The Yard CreativeOpening date: October 2015Store size: 24 sq m
Westfield London
Historically, the charity sector has been denied access to shopping
centres but World Vision is now striving to change that with a new
high quality retail experience that is designed to genuinely add
value to the shopping trip. The childrens charity has collaborated
with design agency The Yard Creative to explore new ways to
engage with high value customers, with the aim of rewarding
customers with an experience that matches the scale of giving.
Launched at Westfield London in October, The Story Shop
provides a completely new way for World Vision to interact with
consumers. The modular space is located on the ground floor
of the shopping centre and incorporates three different
interaction points: traditional service counters, a seating zone and
a story area, with each experience led by a consumers choices
and interests.
World Vision is privileged to work alongside millions of children,
and their families and communities all over the world, says Steve
Wood of World Vision. Behind each one of these children are
stories of adversity and great need but, thanks to the generosity of
so many people, these have become stories of hope.
At first glance, The Story Shop appears to be a vintage
specialist store with wooden cabinets displaying curios from around
the globe, notes Wood. However, weve used the latest digital
technology to ensure visitors can discover and interact with about
100 individual stories concealed in the drawers and cabinets, and
with the support of our retail team, have an opportunity to sponsor
a child, buy one of our must-have gifts or simply make a donation.
The traditional counter-style bar, which is used to sample
produce made by World Vision-supported communities not only
engages consumers but also demonstrates the positive impact
donations can make. This is a completely new way for a charity
to interact with consumers, says Steve James-Royle, founder
and creative director at The Yard Creative. A far more fun retail
experience that not only entertains but also shows the positive
impact donations can make.
29
project focus
Technology is fundamental to the design and the team worked
with Omnifi to create a digitally immersive experience. A key
engagement piece in the store is the interactive mirror, whereby a
child beckons to passers-by and encourages them to reach out
and touch hands on the screen. If a hand is held to the screen, the
shopping mall melts away and that childs world appears, explains
James-Royle. The longer this connection is sustained, the more
of the childs story is revealed. Ultimately, the participant is invited
to follow the story further and to explore the drawers and artefacts
within the shop.
A tap to donate point also enables visitors to give directly to
the charitys crisis support via contactless card or Apple Pay.
While products appear on first glance to be nondescript
merchandise, the backs of the product labels reveal interesting
facts and stories about the children.
The Story Shop represents a new innovation for World Vision so
well be monitoring its performance closely in the coming months to
see if it meets the targets weve set for it, as well as working with our
shopping centre partners to ensure it continues to work for them,
says Wood.
The Story Shop currently has sites at Westfield London,
Westfield Stratford, Manchester Arndale and Lakeside in Essex,
enabling World Vision to explore the higher donation market.
Call: 0845 680 7405 to advertise
30
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2325 February 201620162016
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31
shopping centres
Shopping centre development activity is expected to rise significantly across 2016 with London reigning as the top future hotspot in Western Europe, finds Retail Focus.
In the first half of 2015 shopping centre
floorspace in Europe increased by 1.4 million
sq m to reach 152.6 million sq m, according
to a new report published by Cushman
& Wakefield. That figure is expected to
escalate over the remainder of the year
and across 2016, with an estimated
9.7 million sq m of new space anticipated to
be constructed across the continent.
According to the report, Germany was
the most active country for construction in
Western Europe in the first half of the year,
delivering 125,400 sq m of shopping centre
space across five new centres and three
extensions, with further developments and
extensions planned over the next year.
In October, Aquis Plaza opened in
Aachen, Germany serving a catchment area
of 1.2 million people in nearby Belgium and
the Netherlands. Designed by CallisonRTKL,
the 29,200 sq m shopping centre houses
more than 130 shops and restaurants and is
anticipated to be a catalyst for regeneration
in Aachens urban core.
CallisonRTKLs design was inspired by
Aachens historic thermal springs aquis
in Latin which played a significant role in
the citys past and present development,
says CallisonRTKL director, Ken Christian.
An analysis of the mineral composition of
thermal springs informed the materials,
colours, patterns and details for the
ofCentres
attraction
Main:
Mall of
Scandinavia
opened in
November and is
now the largest
shopping centre
in Sweden.
Right:
CallisonRTKL-
designed Aquis
Plaza opened in
Aachen, Germany
in October.
Text: Gemma Balmford
32
shopping centres
project. The theme is consistently carried
throughout, from environmental graphics
and wayfinding to the exterior facade.
The centres exterior ebbs and
flows in both structure and colour,
creating movement and flow across the
layered facade.
A major shift has occurred in the
retail world from single-channel to
omnichannel and from the transactional
to the experiential, says Christian. In
todays retail environment, consumers are
seeking more than just purchases, theyre
seeking new, fresh, engaging experiences.
A more carefully curated mix of tenants
(including temporary pop-up shops),
stores that operate as showrooms and
experience hubs, digital integration that
streamlines and enhances the consumer
experience, and higher-quality food and
beverage offerings are among the myriad
ways in which retailers are creating those
experiences and keeping shoppers
coming back for more. In short, we are
seeing the evolution of the shopping
centre into a multipurpose, dynamic, more
authentic space.
During 2015, no fewer than four
shopping centres opened in the UK,
including Flemingate in Beverley, Friars
Walk in Newport, The Broadway, Bradford
and Birminghams much-anticipated Grand
Central. The Cushman & Wakefield report
also ranks London as the top future hotspot
for shopping centre development, which is
bolstered by its strong retail sales growth
forecast over the next five years and the
fact that it has one of the lowest shopping
centre densities in the region.
During the second half of 2015 and
throughout 2016, more than 334,100 sq m
of new space is expected to be added to
the UK market, with the recently opened
Westfield Bradford being among the most
prominent projects. Opened in November,
the 53,000 sq m Broadway Bradford
houses 70 retail units, making it the largest
of the retail developments to open in the UK
this year.
Also opened in November, Unibail-
Rodamcos Mall of Scandinavia is now the
largest shopping centre in Sweden with
224 retail and leisure units, 14 of which are
new market entries. The 100,000 sq m mall,
designed by Swedish architectural practice
Wingardh, is formed of organically shaped
pathways, joined by three distinct zones
(wind, earth and water) and features a
240m-long flagship avenue, flanked by
8m-high shopfronts. The centre also houses
a new concept developed by UR-LAB
called The Designer Gallery, which sees
the curation of carefully chosen exclusive
and designer brands, a selection of
pop-up stores, a lounge area and a
range of services including a personal
shopping team.
Shopping centre development activity
throughout Europe is gradually adapting
to the various and changing needs of the
consumer, states the Cushman & Wakefield
European Shopping Centre Development
report. A number of developers have
opted to respond to the current trend of
reshaping the role of the shopping centre
by focusing on refurbishment and extension
works in order to create retail destinations
with more space dedicated to leisure
and entertainment activities, alongside a
broadening of the retailers in schemes.
Along with London, the report suggests
that Istanbul, Ankara, Sofia and Prague
show the greatest potential for future
shopping centre development as they are
currently undersupplied but simultaneously
offer strong economic growth in the medium
term. Watch this space.
Top:
Broadway Bradford
is the largest retail
development to
open in the UK
this year
Top Right:
Mall of Scandinavia
Right:
Aquis Plaza in
Aachen, Germany,
designed by
CallisonRTKL
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35
smarter andcheaperProviding information on non-packed food products is a big challenge!
Retailers need to provide correct price and product information; fresh food retailers have to face daily or weekly product information updating. Customers are looking for more product information: ingredients, allergens, preparation advice etc. New European regulations require specific consumer information such as INCO regulation (Information to Consumers); EU Regulation No. 1169/2011; Compulsory information on allergens contained in finished products and on meat origin and slaughter country.
Get rid of time consuming, difficult to laminate labels that are unattractive and impractical. Thanks to the new Evolis Price Tag solution, you can shorten the process when updating product information and achieve a modern, clean look for your shelves.
The best solution to customise your price tags on plastic cards in just a few seconds.
Positioning its unique solution for creating/managing price tags, Evolis offers an innovative and original product for food retailers. This user-friendly asset makes it possible to autonomously print tags on plastic cards, allowing tags to be updated and replaced on demand, at the point of sale individually or in print runs. With a solution that supports any requirement, Evolis intends to enhance its support to players in the food retail industry, by providing them with a simple process to design and update their product tags. This cost-efficient solution provides major savings in time, improved responsiveness in managing tags and compliance with applicable European regulations.
Multi-feature software for designing product and price tagsThe cardPresso XS Price Tag Edition software provides adequate functionality and an intuitive user interface for designing price tags: users require no prior training and can instantly benefit from its enhanced contents such as: A large selection of templates available in British pounds. A library of pictograms that illustrate multiple food products. Product list samples (including product names, allergens, prices, etc.), available in an Excel format and linked to tag templates and pictograms. A font that reproduces chalk handwriting. A user guide for efficient use of the software.
The software comes with connectors to popular database formats and supports the addition of a barcode or PLU code to the back of the tag. Staff simply need to capture such codes on the weighing scale for immediate display of the purchased products price.
An all-in-one pack, including card printersThe price tag offering consists of two solutions, for single or dual-sided tag personalisation, as required by users. Both solutions include a card printer with premium printing features and performances. Also included are the cardPresso XS Price Tag Edition software, black blank cards and a white ribbon for printing tags that are 100 per cent food compatible (TUV certification).
Fully-fledged accessoriesTo extend this offering, Evolis provides a range of accessories for displaying tags on shelves and in display cabinets, depending on the product type and the environment, including spikes, supports, claws and promotional stickers, all available from Evolis distribution partners.
With this modular offering, we provide the flexibility to support any requirement, while demonstrating our ability to showcase our sound knowledge of the retail industry. Alongside price tags, plastic cards can also be printed for other applications such as loyalty cards, gift vouchers and employee badges, so that such requirements from retailers can be met in an improved and wider scope, says Christophe Peraudeau, product marketing manager at Evolis.
For more information or to discuss your project, please contact
Beckie Hutchcroft-Lesaint (English speaking)T: +33 (0) 2 41 36 44 13 (direct line) E: [email protected]
SMART & CLEANStrengthen your image with personalized price tags printed on plastic cards and maintain hygiene in your display stands.
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pubPriceTag-compain_ENG A4.indd 1 04/11/2015 09:28:11
Customers are looking for more product information: ingredients,
New European regulations require specific consumer information such as INCO regulation (Information to Consumers); EU Regulation No. 1169/2011; Compulsory information on allergens contained in finished products and on meat origin and
Get rid of time consuming, difficult to laminate labels that are An all-in-one pack, including card printers
promotion
the evolutionof DIA systemsDesigns in Aluminium Ltd has changed its name to DIA Systems Ltd. and to DIA Systems International Ltd. Why the need to change the name and rebrand the business? The business no longer just supplies aluminium profiles and no longer just supplies the UK. Over the past six years the company has developed into a shopfitting system based business producing a range of products. Today we sell matching Mild Steel Bracketry for our Aluminium Uprights. Metalwork is designed to our customers own specification and we have started to hold a standard range of metal work for our uprights. We produce an aluminium horizontal shelf holder for 3mm, 6mm, 8mm and 10mm shelving and matching steel prongs for our customers own requirements. We also offer a Cross Rail System with matching uprights and fittings, and Puks in two sizes of sockets 14mm and 6mm. Arms are produced to the customers own designs to match their needs. Other products include a wall-mounted Slat-Wall System with matching Euro accessories; Self-Supporting Slotted Posts, Mirror Wall Mounting System, Wall Board Perimeter System for board with the thickness of 13mm, 15mm, 18mm board, and soon to be introduced is a range of Mid Floor Units (Parrot Stands). The UK operation is to be called DIA System Ltd and will be headed up by Brian Betts and supported by Naj, James and Nicola.
Why the need for an international company? Since EuroShop in 2014, the overseas business has developed and today we are supplying more than 20 countries throughout the world. We have recently opened a showroom in Mexico City in support of the demand in that region. Matthew Carrington is heading up DIA System International Ltd and is supported by Jack and Kim in the UK. Designs in Aluminium was established in 1997 and has now become a global force within the retail and shopfitting industry. We understand the needs for working within the shopfitting industry and pride ourselves on the service that we offer and the quality of the products that we sell ensuring that our products are delivered to suit your bespoke needs and specifications. Our products can be found in most of the high street fashion stores, purchased by either the retailer or the contactors when fitting out or refurbishing using our products, enabling DIA Systems Ltd to evolve into todays business of offering a complete retail display system. Recently, DIA Systems Ltd has manufactured through working closely with designers who request bespoke systems for stores such as Step2wo London, Selfridges and Fenwicks, which enables the designer to transform their vision of what they wish to achieve into a reality, making DIA Systems Ltd the gateway to achieving their ambition for their client. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking all of you who have helped to build the business to what it is today. We hope that we can continue to meet your needs and expectations in the forthcoming year and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Geof FriendManaging Director
Call: +44 (0) 1273 582241www.diagroup.co.uk
the evolutionthe evolutionthe evolutionthe evolutionof DIA systemsof DIA systemsof DIA systemsof DIA systemsof DIA systemsof DIA systemsof DIA systemsof DIA systems
Autumn/Winter 2015
Christmas, New York s
tyle
NewsVM & Display Awards 2015Product showcase
Window shopping in
the Big Apple
145 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD LONDON W1T [email protected]
020 7388 7488
WINNER 20 1 5
Unique displays & installations...Exclusively for you!
Cover image:
Bergdorf Goodmans
windows on Fifth Avenue,
New York celebrate
Swarovskis 120th anniversary
with the theme Brilliant
Holiday. Pictured is The
Treasure Chest window.
47
The VM & Display Awards took place last month at The Bloomsbury Big Top in London, recognising the many talents across the industry. The giant circus tent was the perfect setting for this visual awards evening, with
flying acrobats daringly entertaining the crowd.
Retail Focus was proud to introduce a new category for 2015, the Peoples Choice Award, which gave the
industry the chance to have their vote on their favourite window from September 2014 to August 2015. You can
read about all the winners in our awards round-up on pages 43-45.
The big boys in New York certainly know how to put on a good show during the festive period. We cross the pond
and bring you some of the delights in the city on pages 49-50. From live ice carving at Barneys to animatronics
and interactive elements that combine past and present at Macys, theres plenty of interaction with passers by.
Lyndsey Dennis
Editor
Managing EditorGemma Balmford
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
EditorLyndsey Dennis
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
Production & WebTerry Clark
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
Display SalesLee Cullumbine
t. +44 (0)845 680 7405
41News 43 VM & Display Awards 201541 News
The latest news from the visual merchandising
and display industry.
43 VM & Display Awards 2015 A celebration of visual merchandising and
display expertise.
49 Christmas, New York style Festive windows from across the pond.
Welcome
49Christmas, New York style
www.retail-focus.co.uk
39
41
news
proportion>london has opened
the doors to its new showroom
in Londons Shoreditch district.
The urban loft style space
was originally built as a furniture
manufacturing workshop in Victorian
times. proportion>london has kept
some of the original features and
added its own contemporary twist.
The showroom houses old favourites
alongside new product in gallery
style surroundings, and is within
walking distance of several main line
tube stations and local amenities.
proportion>londons new
showroom is located at 65 Leonard
Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 4QS.
To arrange an appointment, call the
team on +44 (0)20 7251 6943.
proportion>london relocates showroom to Shoreditch
House of Fraser offered its customers a
unique mobile shopping experience
using augmented reality (AR) technology
from Layar throughout this years Black
Friday promotions.
The retailers Black Friday windows
across the UK and Ireland featured
instructions for customers to download
the House of Fraser app to access the
shoppable windows journey.
A Scan to Explore feature on the
House of Fraser IOS mobile app was
Pencil the 26th VM & Display Show into
your diary for 20-21 April 2016. Held at the
Business Design Centre in London, the
exhibition will take place over two days
instead of three and will cover all aspects
of visual merchandising and display,
including mannequins, print, Christmas
decorations, props, graphics, bust forms,
lighting, fabrics and more.
House of Fraser introduces augmented reality for Black Friday windows
The event will once again incorporate
the Graduate Challenge, where VM
students from various universities
compete to win work experience at
Harrods. The exhibition will also include
its regular Underground Network and
Designer Network feature areas.
To register for your ticket, visit the
website: www.vmanddisplay.com
triggered by scanning the window vinyl,
which allowed customers to shop the best
Black Friday deals in just a few clicks,
avoiding the queues inside the store.
Hsio Ling Hee, head of custom
solutions at app specialist Blippar, says:
The event is a natural next step for House
of Fraser on the path of setting trends in
digital retail following previous trials of its
apps augmented reality features earlier
this year. The combination of the offline
event usually occupying the physical side
of the consumers attention, with bringing
the feel of the brand and products in their
hands through their phones, allows for a
higher engagement and total immersion
into the House of Fraser brand. The new
app, powered by the Layar SDK, has a
lot more to offer in the future and we are
confident they will continue being one of
the leaders of innovation for digital and
augmented reality retail.
VM & Display Show 2016
CONCEPT DESIGN
SPRING IS IN THE AIR AT MILLINGTON ASSOCIATES
[email protected]+44 (0)20 7231 5770Unit 6 -9 Sydenham Industrial EstateWesterly Crescent, London SE26 5BA
TECHNICAL DESIGN
PRODUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT
INSTALLATION & LOGISTICS
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awards
A celebration of visual merchandising and display expertise.
BEST USE OF INSTORE GRAPHICSponsor: Barthelmess UK
Shorlist:
Jack Wills - Denim - In collaboration with in-house display team
Nike - Golf - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Selfridges - Anya Hindmarch - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Topman - Halloween - In collaboration with David Hatch and Delta Display
WINNER: Topman - Halloween - In collaboration with David Hatch and Delta Display
BEST BOUTIQUE WINDOWSponsor: Boutique Magazine
Shortlist:
Browns - Underwater - In collaboration with Bonaveri and Pennant
Christian Louboutin - House of Cards - In collaboration with Baf Graphics
Victoria Beckham - In collaboration with Baf Graphics
Vivienne Westwood - In collaboration with StudioXAG
WINNER: Vivienne Westwood - In collaboration with StudioXAG
BEST WINDOW GRAPHICSponsor: Blacks
Shortlist:
Hunter - In collaboration with Millington Associates
John Lewis - Autumn Leaves - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Nike - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Topman - In collaboration with Millington Associates
WINNER: Nike -In collaboration with Millington Associates
VM + DISPLAY AWARDS 2015
BEST INTERNATIONAL WINDOW/SSponsor: DZD
Shortlist:
Alexander McQueen - In collaboration with proportion>london
Marks & Spencer - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Printemps - In collaboration with in-house display team
Saks - Enchanted - In collaboration with Anthony Crathern, Genesis, Mondo
and High Style Furniture
WINNER: Marks & Spencer - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
BEST NON FASHION RETAIL CONCEPTSponsor: proportion>london
Shortlist:
Christian Louboutin - In collaboration with Blacks, Specialist Models,
StudioXAG, Tarek Shamma and TrueStaging
Made - In collaboration with Bureau de Change Architects
Selfridges - Ocean - In collaboration with in-house display team
Vodafone - In collaboration with A Pollick, Green Room, Household and Stylo
WINNER: Selfridges - Ocean - In collaboration with in-house display team
BEST USE OF MANNEQUINS IN A MULTIPLESponsor: ICON
Shortlist:
Hackett - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Marks and Spencer - In collaboration with Hawkes and Foreman
Nike - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Topshop - Summer of Love - In collaboration with Blacks
WINNER: Topshop - Summer of Love - In collaboration with Blacks
Right: Comedian and author Julian Clary hosted the awards.
The visual merchandising industry gathered in November for the
annual VM & Display Awards. The glittering event recognises and
celebrates the work of this innovative and talented industry over
the past 12 months.
This years awards were larger than previous years, which
led to a new venue for 2015 the Bloomsbury Big Top in London.
Comedian and author Julian Clary took to the stage as host and
ringmaster for the evenings proceedings, which took place in a
giant circus tent complete with flying acrobats daringly entertaining
the crowd.
A new addition to the award categories this year was the
Retail Focus Peoples Choice Award. Shortlisted entries were
chosen by a panel of six industry experts, with Debenhams winning
with its Checkout campaign.
The industry pulled together and raised 3,000 for Great Ormond Street, which is located just around the corner from the
venue in Bloomsbury.
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awards
BEST WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT STORESponsor: Bonaveri
Shortlist:
Bentalls - Pop Art - In collaboration with All Print Supplies, Arty Wigs, Brewers
and Champion
Debenhams - Checkout - n collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama,
Rare Basic and Replica
House of Fraser - Autumn - In collaboration with Blacks and Concorde
Graphics
John Lewis - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
WINNER: Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare Basic and Replica
BEST INSTORE VM SOLUTIONSponsor: Replica
Shortlist:
Cambridge Satchel Company - In collaboration with Elemental Design
H&M - In collaboration with FormRoom
Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with Atrezzo
Selfridges - LOreal - In collaboration with Elemental Design
WINNER: Cambridge Satchel Company - In collaboration with Elemental Design
RETAIL FOCUS PEOPLES CHOICE AWARDSponsor: Retail Focus Magazine
Shortlist:
Coach - In collaboration with in-house display team
Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare
Basic and Replica
Debenhams - Tropical - In collaboration with PLANarama and Replica
Joseph - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
WINNER: Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare Basic and Replica
BEST CHRISTMAS WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT STORESponsor: Riot of Colour
Shortlist:
Bentalls - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, Brewers, Champion, DZD
and Decorado
Debenhams - In collaboration with Blacks, Mushroom Lighting, PLANarama,
Rare Basic, Replica and Woerner
John Lewis - In collaboration with Chameleon Visual
Marks & Spencer - In collaboration with Millington Associates
WINNER: Debenhams - In collaboration with Blacks, Mushroom Lighting, PLANarama, Rare Basic, Replica and Woerner
BEST USE OF MANNEQUINS IN AN INDEPENDENTSponsor: Millington Associates
Shortlist:
Charlotte Olympia - In collaboration with proportion>london
Harrods - Mesh - In collaboration with Global Display, Just So and Wig Art
Harvey Nichols - Fabulously Stylish - In collaboration with ANS Lighting,
Global Display and Wig Art
Selfridges - Strength - In collaboration with Artem, Atom, Cofrad, Go Visual
and SFD
WINNER: Charlotte Olympia - In collaboration with proportion>london
BEST INSTORE BRANDINGSponsor: Global Display
Shortlist:
Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, Planarama,
Replica and Rare Basic
Harrods - Dior - In collaboration with Tenn
Jack Wills - Denim - In collaboration with the in-house display team
John Lewis - In collaboration with Go Visual
WINNER: Harrods - Dior - In collaboration with Tenn
BEST STORE CONCEPTSponsor: Concorde Graphics
Shortlist:
Hunter - In collaboration with Checkland Kindleysides
Joseph Cheaney - In collaboration with Checkland Kindleysides
Oasis - In collaboration with Dalziel and Pow and Esprit
Penhaligons - In collaboration with PLANarama
WINNER: Hunter - In collaboration with Checkland Kindleysides
MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE/PROPSponsor: The Retail Factory
Shortlist:
Disney - Cinderella - In collaboration with Delta Display and Propability
Harrods - Stealing Beauty - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Harvey Nichols - Raw Beauty - In collaboration with ANS Lighting
Selfridges - Rick Owens - In collaboration with Go Visual and
proportion>london
WINNER: Disney - Cinderella - In collaboration with Delta Display and Propability
Below: Debenhams Checkout concept won the Retail Focus
Peoples Choice Award, sponsored by Retail Focus magazine,
and Best Window/s in a Multiple Department Store, sponsored by
Bonaveri, in collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare Basic
and Replica.
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BEST CHRISTMAS INTERIORSponsor: Panache Display
Shortlist:
Fortnum and Mason - In collaboration with DZD
Harrods - In collaboration with Just So
Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with DZD and Festilight
Liberty - In collaboration with Springfield and Visual Impact
WINNER: Fortnum and Mason - In collaboration with DZD
BEST CHRISTMAS WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLESponsor: Dulux Trade
Shortlist:
Hackett - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Mappin and Webb - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Penhaligons - In collaboration with PLANarama
Topshop - In collaboration with Blacks
WINNER: Penhaligons - In collaboration with PLANarama
BEST WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLESponsor: VCG Colourlink
Shortlist:
Hunter - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Miss Selfridge - In collaboration with Blacks
Penhaligons - In collaboration with PLANarama
Topshop - Mirror - In collaboration with Smith VC
WINNER: Miss Selfridge - In collaboration with Blacks
BEST CHRISTMAS WINDOW/S IN AN INDEPENDENTSponsor: Window Mannequins
Shortlist:
Harrods - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with 3D Eye, ANS Lighting, DZD, Planet,
Riot of Colour and Wig Art
Joseph - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Selfridges - In collaboration with Go Visual, Propability and Totally Dynamic
WINNER: Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with 3D Eye, ANS Lighting, DZD, Planet, Riot of Colour and Wig Art
BEST WINDOW/S IN AN INDEPENDENTSponsor: Cofrad
Shortlist:
Harrods - Stealing Beauty - In collaboration with Millington Associates
Joseph - In collaboration with Harlequin Design
Selfridges - Magnum - In collaboration with Prop Studios
Selfridges - Strength - In collaboration with Artem, Atom, Cofrad, Go Visual
and SFD
WINNER: Harrods - Stealing Beauty - In collaboration with Millington Associates
MOST INNOVATIVE PERSON WITHIN VMSponsor: Universal Display
Shortlist:
Tommy Aitchison - Bentalls
Libby Day - Selfridges
Simon Hatter - Topman
Mark Stevens - Debenhams
Alexander Wells Grecco - Harrods
Daniel White - Disney
WINNER: Mark Stevens Debenhams
Above: Best Christmas Window/s in an Independent, sponsored
by Window Mannequins, was won by Harvey Nichols in
collaboration with 3D Eye, ANS Lighting, DZD, Planet, Riot of
Colour and Wig Art.
Below: All the winners
awards
Promotion
lighting upthe starsProgress Lighting illuminates Selfridges Journey to the Stars Christmas windows.
Shopper experience and retail theatre is a hot topic at the moment for high street retailers. Progress Lighting believes shopper experience applies to both online and high street shopping. Your customers need to receive good shopper experiences full stop. However, one key differentiator that physical stores have over the ever-growing number of internet stores is Retail Theatre. Physical stores can offer multi-sensory experiences that appeal to all our senses.
Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch and Taste.
Lighting plays a key roll in this retail equation and that is why Progress Lighting has developed its new range of addressable LED lighting, designed specifically for retail display applications. Included in this new product portfolio is the new Masterspot 2 track, which was recently chosen by Selfridges in London to upgrade the lighting within the stores iconic window displays. The Masterspot 2 was chosen by Selfridges because of its versatility, ease of use, light quality and the unmatched output that is offered by this colour tunable LED light fitting. Progress Lighting installed the Masterspot fixtures across all 24 of the stores windows to illuminate the Journey to the Stars Christmas windows. James Barnett, Selfridges visual merchandising manager (windows), says: The magnificent lighting opportunities afforded by the Masterspots have really brought our Christmas window displays to life. We knew we could rely on the expertise at Progress Lighting to deliver this integral component of our displays. This unique light fixture offers both tunable white and colour tunable output in one fitting. The fixture can output high quality white light with impressive dynamic range from 1,000 - 25,000 degrees Kelvin, or RGB light output can also be selected. The system uses a browser-based, wireless control system that allows users to create both static and dynamic lighting scenes. You can control individual or groups of fixtures via smartphone, tablet or PC.
The system is a simple plug-and-play solution with no additional wiring needed. This makes the system extremely easy to install or retrofit. The system offers retail designers and visual merchandisers a new design tool to work with live in-store to create the perfectly lit displays. Your retail display requires a cool white light output for the latest winter sports collection, or maybe it requires a warm white light for the spring summer collection? With the Masterspot system there is no need to change the light fixtures or struggle to install replacement lamps, gels or filters; simply just select your desired light output via the simple-to-use web app, and the light fixtures will respond to your needs.
With the Masterspot 2, your retail display lighting will never be the same.
Call: +44 (0)1423 704 124www.progresslighting.co.uk
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Christmas campaigns
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Bergdorf Goodman Bergdorf Goodmans windows on Fifth Avenue celebrate
Swarovskis 120th anniversary with the theme Brilliant Holiday. Each
window illustrates a different facet of the theme and incorporates
millions of Swarovski crystals.
The Crown Jewels window features fully crystallised suits of
armour, life-size lions and other royal objects set in a massive
red velvet jewel box. The Crystal Ball window conjures a crystal-
encrusted fortune tellers lair. In the Treasure Chest display, a
monumental sculpture of Neptune, fully encrusted with Swarovski
pearls, shares the spotlight with assorted sea life and a
mermaid-like mannequin. The central window, entitled The Birthday
Party, is set amid ballroom revelry, and is dedicated to Swarovskis
120th anniversary. Acclaimed fashion designers Johnson Hartig
of Libertine, Naeem Khan and CD Greene created custom looks
embellished with Swarovski crystals for the windows.
We were feeling especially sparkly this holiday season with the
exciting opening of our new Jewelry Salon, and I could think of no
better partner than Swarovski to celebrate the enchantment and
brilliance of stones, says Linda Fargo, senior vice president, fashion
office and store presentation at Bergdorf Goodman. Together, we
hope to create an unprecedented collaboration in our showcase
Fifth Avenue windows, utilising a multitude of beautiful little
Swarovski crystals, set into scenes beyond imagination.
Festive windows from across the pond.
Christmas, New York
styleBarneys New York Luxury specialty retailer, Barneys New York is using its famed sense of wit and surprise to play up traditional winter motifs for
this years Christmas windows. The team has collaborated with
artist Dale Chihuly, entertainment company Ice Castles, artist
collective Okamoto Studio, and luxury automaker Lexus to transform
the Madison Avenue flagship windows into a Chillin Out visual
narrative, complete with a 10m fully functioning ice locker, which
serves as a live frozen workspace.