TREND KATIE LOBODA
DIGITALLY DEPENDANT
A study has concluded that social media is linked to mental health issues, primarily loneliness and depression as well as lower self-esteem, inattention and poorer quality of sleep. Social media provides us an opportunity to compare ourselves to others, killing our confidence and causing a lot of stress by the curation of our social media presence, forgetting the fact that everyone else is doing the same by just showcasing the positive parts of their life. Seeing people on our feed having a “good time”, worries us into thinking we’re missing out, leading to anxiety and isolation. And ironically, the more people we keep in contact with over social networking, the more isolated we feel, spending our valuable time having shallow conversations with people we don’t even know or care about. However, there is a common argument that social media is used by individuals who are wanting to reach out. It can be a common way for people to have that slight connection with something when they’re not connected in person. Many young people and adults use it for a way to connect with others and to find friendships easily due to being stuck in the same routines.
retail spaces: RELAXATION STATION
To create a new way of building a connection to something other than social media and release stress caused by it, retail spaces must make their space design more inviting to help a consumer get out of the feeling of stress and isolation. Many people turn to retail therapy when they are stressed but when we are stressed, we react to shopping differently. It can be a harmless mood booster for many but could possibly grow to be a compulsion that could make an individual feel out of control, more anxious and frustrated. Most retail shops are cluttered and busy so to make a shopping experience more enjoyable, retailers can use new and emerging ways of design including colour psychology and chromotherapy into building a plant filled space and a minimalist interior.
Millennials spend nearly $600 billion every year on retail in the US. They are changing the rules of brand marketing and purchasing habits both through in-store and online shopping. According to a study, 49% of 18-to-34-year-olds prefer to shop for clothes in stores, compared with 39% through websites and 11% via apps. This gives retailers more of an opportunity to create unique shopping experiences that can take away the digital dependence Millennials have and turn it into something they can connect to more.
Colour is a powerful communication tool that can influence mood, behaviour and physiological reactions. It’s a popular theory associating the increase of individuals’ metabolism, blood pressure and changes in emotions. There are no good or bad colours, it’s all in the matter of how they are used and our reaction to them which are all different according to our upbringing, gender, location, age, values and even simple factors such as the person’s favourite colour.
“Colour speaks all languages”
COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY
Colours impact the way people perceive stores around them. It affects how long people stay in the store for and what kind of experience they have. About 62% to 90% of consumers say they judge a retail environment based on its colour within the first 90 seconds of viewing the store. It suggests that retail design should focus on the store’s colour palette and incorporate colour psychology to make sure the customer obtains a positive shopping experience. The main colours to apply in retail design are blues, greens, yellows, pinks, violets and oranges.
Orange is a very inviting, warm and positive colour. It can reassure the consumer and make them linger around the store more as it’s so energetic, just like with the colour yellow.
Yellow brings out excitement, happiness and optimism. It’s a very eye-catching and overpowering colour. It can help an individual feel like they are bathing in a warm ray of sunshine.
Green is quite soothing and calming as it’s associated with nature and the outdoors as well as health and peace. Any shade of green will make an individual feel calm and relaxed and is thought to relieve stress.
Blue brings out the feeling of trust, dependability and calmness. It’s an ideal colour to help calm a busy mind and is favoured by many people as it is viewed as a non-threatening colour.
Pink is a colour that can bring an element of peace, love and sensitivity and it can alleviate feelings of angers, abandonment and aggression because of how feminine and sensitive this colour is.
Violet is another calming colour because of it’s blue base. A soft lilac or violet can bring a lot of balance and inner peace. It can also create an impression of luxury and wealth as it has so much power and richness to it.
The next step to help mental health and the revival of retail. Millennials can walk away from the outcomes of social media by becoming plant obsessed and being more aware of the numerous positives of plants such as purifying of air leading to increased concentration and productivity, relief of stress and anxiety and boosting of mood. Being in nature has proven to reduce stress levels and help rejuvenate the body and mind. “It has also been established that plants confer positive changes in the brain’s electrical activity, muscle tension and heart activity” notes environmental health expert Danica-Lea Larcombe, in an article published in The Conversation. By incorporating the colour green through plants, which is the most predominant colour after blue, it can balance our energy and help us connect with nature. increasing our sensitivity and compassion towards others. Studies now show a significant reduction in stress when plants are introduced to a space, with a 37% fall in anxiety, 38% decrease in fatigue and 38% reduction in hostility and anger. By adding plants to any interior design, it can really open up the space, whether it’s plants hanging from the ceiling or displayed on shelves.
To declutter the mind and provide a simplistic and enjoyable shopping experience, minimalist interiors are the way forward. Emerging research has proven that lighting, space and room design can affect how you feel. Too much clutter can cause the individual to feel more anxious. If this is incorporated with dark lighting, the person can feel depressed and gloomy, but if the lighting is too bright it can them feel stressed and hurried. Most minimalist interiors have a simplistic approach to colour, but by adding a splash of modern colours which are calming and soothing, it can make the retail space feel more open, inviting and airy. Simplicity and symmetry has been proven to be a positive reaction on our brain, so applying simple decoration like mirrors can make the space look a lot bigger and cleaner. It’s also important to have organised products on display.
Chromotherapy is mostly used in saunas but can be a new way to incorporate into retail space to adjust body vibrations, resulting in health and harmony. Colour and light have been used in pain relief, accelerated healing, decreasing of muscle tension, regulation in moods, improvement sleeping patterns and even the relief of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Using calming and soothing colours through chromotherapy lights can also help spiritual growth. This can help an individual connect to their inner soul, become more harmonious with life around them and help develop feelings of power and strength leading to a happier life. This can be a unique and innovative way to incorporate different lighting and also provide positive effects on the consumers mind. Apply the light around fixtures and walls and create a sauna-like feel.
Shops selling healing crystals, spiritual books and special tonics have always existed, but are now starting to get introduced into retail shops across the world. Customers in normal retail stores can receive palm readings, purchase cosmic gifts, jewellery and tarot cards and help themselves to a juice bar and receive spa treatments as well as perform meditation, from something as simple as colouring in to sit-ins, giving the individual a break from shopping. The 360° lifestyle store is a new trend in retail that can help consumers find an interest in spiritual practises and de-stressing in a new, innovative way. To personalise the customers’ experience, astrology from ancient practises is used to connect the mind and body, helping Millennials rest their minds and help their personal growth, health and wellness.
ACTION POINTS
- Apply colour psychology into retail design to create a more positive shopping experience for consumers. - Create a stress-free and clutter-free space by taking the minimalistic approach, making the store more inviting and comfortable. - Take advantage of the power of plants to purify the air in the space and create a quieter and more calming shopping space that consumers can relax in. - Allow shoppers to have a variety of services available with a 360° lifestyle store that includes spa treatments, meditation spaces, a juice bar and a spiritual shop for a new approach to self-care. - Introduce chromotherapy instead of traditional lighting into the design to improve the consumers’ mood and develop their power and strength.
FASHION COMMUNICATION