Retail Focus December 2015 by Retail Focus

Merry Christmas!! l l a m Fro f us at o

For a free artificial snow sample pack please email info@mtfx.com www.mtfx.com/vm

Features Regulars Reading between the lines

58-59

Today’s 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.

Retail 2016: What’s in store?

68 Focus on Lighting

Shopping centres

Leader

16-17 W indow shopping Festive window displays from some of the UK and Ireland’s top department stores.

18 21

22-29 Project Focus

Early Learning Centre: Jigsaw: The Story Shop

Diary

11-14 N ews

Top of the POPS Karl McKeever Is online and in-store failing to click, asks Karl.

37 VM Focus supplement

Opinion

The 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.

Q&A

As 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.

64-67 Products Products and services for the retail industry.

www.retail-focus.co.uk

leader

December ‘15 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 UK’s top department stores (pages 16-17). We also head across the pond to marvel at the displays from New York’s 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 I’m pleased to say that we will now be working together to develop the editorial content for the magazine and www.retail-focus.co.uk It’s good to be back!

Gemma Balmford Editor

Display Sales

Gemma Balmford e. gemma@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)7908 895 906

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

Editor

Production & Web

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

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

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diary

Maison & Objet Paris Nord Villepinte, France 22-26 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 à la Carte space. The inspiration theme for the January 2016 show is ‘Precious’. MaisonObjet

www.maison-objet.com

Retail Shopfitting & Display Summit Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted 8-9 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

Surface Design Show Business Design Centre, London 9-11 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

EuroCIS Düsseldorf, Germany 23-25 February 2015 Taking place in Düsseldorf, 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 year’s EuroCIS. EuroCIS

www.eurocis-tradefair.com

SOA R I N G AH E A D O F TH E CO M P E TITI O N The Visual Merchandising and Display Industry is heading South to the Business Design Centre, London from the 20th to 21st April 2016 for the Visual Merchandising and Display Show. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be left behind and book your space today. Call 01945 420 068 or email enquiries@rvmww.com www.vmanddisplay.com

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Jo Malone London opens Regent Street flagship

Jo Malone London has opened its global flagship boutique on London’s Regent Street. Amplifying the retailer’s philosophy of fragrance combining, customers will be able to add personalisation at the boutique’s workshop. An in-house master engraver, alongside a calligrapher,

Lidl launches new store concept Discount supermarket chain, Lidl opened the first of its new concept stores last month, in Rushden, Northamptonshire. The launch comes as the company announces

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

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.

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 retailer’s 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 UK’s 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.

news

Chameleon Visual creates feature wall for Chloé

Photography: Melvyn Vincent

As part of the Selfridges Christmas theme ‘Journey to the Stars’, Chameleon Visual has designed a bespoke constellation display, featuring the Chloé Drew bag. Produced and installed by Chloé, with creative by Chameleon Visual, the installation will be in Selfridges London throughout the Christmas 2015 period.

Apple set to launch solar powered Singapore store 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 Singapore’s largest clean energy provider, Sunseap Group, who will provide power to Apple’s 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.

Network Rail reveals promising retail stats New retail sales results from Network Rail’s 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 Britain’s rail infrastructure owner and operator shows that up to a quarter of people who use its stations, such as King’s 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, Joe’s Coffee House and Five Guys. Sales results at three London stations were the highest for the quarter with

Cannon Street (44.55 per cent) Paddington (18.83 per cent) and London Bridge (17.24 per cent) recording the highest growth across Network Rail’s estate. Outside of London, Network Rail’s 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 opens its largest Japanese flagship store Michael Kors has opened its largest Japanese flagship store on Chuo Street in Tokyo’s 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 Jing’An 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.

news

John Lewis to enter Europe with physical shops 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 Bijenkorf’s 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 retailer’s in-house store design team designing the look and feel of the retail space. On offer to customers will be the best of John Lewis’s own brand home and lifestyle products across bed, bath, living and gifting assortments. The announcement builds on John Lewis’s 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: ‘We’re 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-inshops 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.’

LVMH’s Fresh opens new London flagship

LVMH-owned skincare brand Fresh has opened a 70 sq m flagship store on Monmouth Street in London’s 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 company’s full lifestyle range, including skincare, bodycare, haircare and fragrances. ‘The brand’s 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.

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Nespresso opens boutique at Bluewater to trial new customer experience

The state of UK retail design

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 hasslefree 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.

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. What are the big challenges facing retailers right now? For me, there are two. 1. Complacency. In my experience, it’s when things are good that retailers are most at risk. As we move into growth, there’s 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?

rpa:group launches new interior concept for Runners Point 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 runner’s 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.

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. You’ve got to give people a reason to visit. Doing things better than the competition isn’t 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 isn’t easy, especially when you’ve got shareholders breathing down your neck. But, I think the lessons of overexposure 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 we’ll see greater diversity driven by changing shopping habits. We’re 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 supermarket’s power is being watered down by a more discerning shopper who prefers to go to specialists. Specialists who do what Tesco and Sainsbury’s do, but do it better and at a fair price. I think you’re also likely to see a resurgence of town centres as they become places to live as opposed to places to shop. You’ll 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.

T. 020 7833 4032 www.umbrelladesign.co.uk

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visual merchandising

Window 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.

shopping Festive window displays from some of the UK and Ireland’s top department stores.

Brown Thomas Irish department store Brown Thomas has adopted the theme ‘Store of Wonders’. The retailer worked with children’s 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.’

Harvey Nichols This 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.

See more 2015 Christmas window installations at:

www.retail-focus.co.uk/vm

Bentalls Bentalls 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.

visual merchandising

Selfridges Selfridges 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.

Debenhams The 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.

Liberty The 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.

Harrods The Harrods Christmas windows set the scene for a world of moving puppets and performers. Inspired by the store’s ‘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 child’s 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.

POP

p o t POPS e h t f o

Company: 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 Creed’s 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 brand’s 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 bottle’s cap and luxurious quality. The promotional sites went live on 11 October 2015 and remained in store for two weeks.

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Q&A column

Karl McKeever 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. It’s one of the key reasons why retailers with a strong click-and-collect offer are currently winning. Clearly, the arm’s length armchair shopping experience offered by click-andcollect 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. Karl McKeever is creative director of visual merchandising and brand delivery consultancy Visual Thinking.

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

Increasingly, 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. It’s 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.

project focus

Early Learning Centre Mothercare, Manchester Fort Design: 20.20 Opening date: August 2015 Store size: 325 sq m 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. ‘It’s 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 Mothercare’s 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 doesn’t over stimulate, to create the optimal learn and play environment,’ explains

project focus

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.

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project focus

Jigsaw Guildford, Surrey Design: Checkland Kindleysides Opening date: October 2015 Store size: 270 sq m

The new design concept for Jigsaw’s 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 London’s 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 brand’s 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 brand’s 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 Jigsaw’s 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

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 brand’s men’s 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, Adam’s style ceiling. The new format was unveiled towards the end of October 2015.

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project focus

The Story Westfield London Shop Design: The Yard Creative Opening date: October 2015 Store size: 24 sq m

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 children’s 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 consumer’s 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, we’ve 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.’

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 child’s world appears,’ explains James-Royle. ‘The longer this connection is sustained, the more of the child’s 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 charity’s 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 we’ll be monitoring its performance closely in the coming months to see if it meets the targets we’ve 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

For retail technology, the only place to be in Europe: EuroShop

Trade Fairs

E uroC IS 23–25 February 2016 The Leading Trade Fair for Retail Technology Düsseldorf, Germany

www.eurocis.com eurocis.com

All you need to know about retail technology: the hippest trends, the newest innovations, the most important developments. All in Düsseldorf, and all at EuroCIS – as always. Where else?

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For further information contact ITSL Ltd _ Ramsay House _ Marchmont Farm Link Road _ Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire _ HP2 6JH Tel 01442 230033 _ Fax 01442 230012

2015-11-25 EuroCIS 2016_Großbritannien_Retail Technology_86 x 262mm_Retail Focus _4c_4652

I don’t care what you think. As of tomorrow, I’m with the No. 1.

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30 2015-11-25 EuroCIS 2016_Großbritannien_Retail Technology_86 x 262mm_Retail Focus _4c_4652.indd 1

20.10.15 11:33

shopping centres

Text: Gemma Balmford

Centres of attraction 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.

Main: Mall of Scandinavia opened in November and is now the largest shopping centre in Sweden. Right: CallisonRTKLdesigned Aquis Plaza opened in Aachen, Germany in October.

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 Aachen’s urban core. ‘CallisonRTKL’s design was inspired by Aachen’s historic thermal springs — “aquis” in Latin — which played a significant role in the city’s 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

shopping centres

project. The theme is consistently carried throughout, from environmental graphics and wayfinding to the exterior facade.’ The centre’s 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 today’s retail environment, consumers are seeking more than just purchases, they’re 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,

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

including Flemingate in Beverley, Friars Walk in Newport, The Broadway, Bradford and Birmingham’s 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, UnibailRodamco’s 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.

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smarter and cheaper Providing 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 tags The 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.

SMART & CLEAN Strengthen your image with personalized price tags printed on plastic cards and maintain hygiene all-in-one pack, including in your display stands.

An card printers The price tag offering consists of two solutions, for single or FAST & EASY dual-sided tagprice personalisation, as required by users. Both Create your tags in a few clicks the included label design software solutionswith include a card printer with premium printing features and print your cards in less than 10 seconds! and performances. Also included are the «cardPresso XS Price Tag Edition» software, black blank cards and a white ribbon 100% certified for printing tags are 100 per cent food compatible (TUV foodthat compatibility certification). www.evolis.com Fully-fledged accessories To 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. pubPriceTag-compain_ENG A4.indd 1

04/11/2015 09:28:11

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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 product’s price.

promotion

the evolution of DIA systems Designs 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 customer’s 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 today’s 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 Friend Managing Director Call: +44 (0) 1273 582241 www.diagroup.co.uk

Autumn/Winter 2015

, s a m t s i r h C

e l y t s k r o ew Y

p o h s w o d Win

le p p A g i B e ping in th

News VM & Display Awards 2015 Product showcase

WINNER2015

Unique displays & installations... Exclusively for you!

145 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD LONDON W1T 7NE bespoke@dzd.co.uk 020 7388 7488

Welcome 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 Barney’s to animatronics and interactive elements that combine past and present at Macy’s, there’s plenty of interaction with passers by. Lyndsey Dennis Editor

News

Christmas, New York style 43 VM & Display Awards 2015 49

41 News The latest news from the visual merchandising and display industry. www.retail-focus.co.uk

43 VM & Display Awards 2015

Managing Editor

A celebration of visual merchandising and display expertise.

Gemma Balmford e. gemma@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)845 680 7405

Editor

49 Christmas, New York style

Lyndsey Dennis e. lyndsey@retailfocus.co t. +44 (0)845 680 7405

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

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

Festive windows from across the pond.

47 Cover image: Bergdorf Goodman’s windows on Fifth Avenue, New York celebrate Swarovski’s 120th anniversary with the theme ‘Brilliant Holiday’. Pictured is The Treasure Chest window.

news

proportion>london relocates showroom to Shoreditch proportion>london has opened the doors to its new showroom in London’s 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>london’s 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.

VM & Display Show 2016

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.

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

House of Fraser introduces augmented reality for Black Friday windows House of Fraser offered its customers a unique mobile shopping experience using augmented reality (AR) technology from Layar throughout this year’s Black Friday promotions. The retailer’s 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

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 app’s augmented reality features earlier this year. The combination of the offline

event usually occupying the physical side of the consumer’s 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.’

CONCEPT DESIGN TECHNICAL DESIGN PRODUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTALLATION & LOGISTICS

SPRING IS IN THE AIR AT MILLINGTON ASSOCIATES

www.millingtonassociates.com enquiries@millingtonassociates.com +44 (0)20 7231 5770 Unit 6 -9 Sydenham Industrial Estate Westerly Crescent, London SE26 5BA

awards

VM + DISPLAY AWARDS 2015 A celebration of visual merchandising and display expertise. 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 year’s 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 evening’s 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. Right: Comedian and author Julian Clary hosted the awards.

BEST INTERNATIONAL WINDOW/S Sponsor: DZD

BEST USE OF INSTORE GRAPHIC

Shortlist:

Sponsor: Barthelmess UK

Alexander McQueen - In collaboration with proportion>london Marks & Spencer - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

Shorlist:

Printemps - In collaboration with in-house display team

Jack Wills - Denim - In collaboration with in-house display team

Saks - Enchanted - In collaboration with Anthony Crathern, Genesis, Mondo

Nike - Golf - In collaboration with Millington Associates

and High Style Furniture

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

WINNER: Marks & Spencer - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

BEST NON FASHION RETAIL CONCEPT Sponsor: proportion>london

BEST BOUTIQUE WINDOW Sponsor: Boutique Magazine

Shortlist: Christian Louboutin - In collaboration with Blacks, Specialist Models,

Shortlist:

StudioXAG, Tarek Shamma and TrueStaging

Browns - Underwater - In collaboration with Bonaveri and Pennant

Made - In collaboration with Bureau de Change Architects

Christian Louboutin - House of Cards - In collaboration with Baf Graphics

Selfridges - Ocean - In collaboration with in-house display team

Victoria Beckham - In collaboration with Baf Graphics

Vodafone - In collaboration with A Pollick, Green Room, Household and Stylo

Vivienne Westwood - In collaboration with StudioXAG

WINNER: Vivienne Westwood - In collaboration with StudioXAG

WINNER: Selfridges - Ocean - In collaboration with in-house display team

BEST WINDOW GRAPHIC

BEST USE OF MANNEQUINS IN A MULTIPLE

Sponsor: Blacks

Sponsor: ICON

Shortlist:

Hunter - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Hackett - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

John Lewis - Autumn Leaves - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

Marks and Spencer - In collaboration with Hawkes and Foreman

Nike - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Topman - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Topshop - Summer of Love - In collaboration with Blacks

WINNER: Nike -In collaboration with Millington Associates

WINNER: Topshop - Summer of Love - In collaboration with Blacks

awards

BEST CHRISTMAS WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT STORE Sponsor: Riot of Colour 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.

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 INDEPENDENT Sponsor: 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

BEST WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT STORE Sponsor: Bonaveri

WINNER: Charlotte Olympia - In collaboration with proportion>london

Shortlist: Bentalls - Pop Art - In collaboration with All Print Supplies, Arty Wigs, Brewers

BEST INSTORE BRANDING

and Champion

Sponsor: Global Display

Debenhams - Checkout - n collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare Basic and Replica

Shortlist:

House of Fraser - Autumn - In collaboration with Blacks and Concorde

Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, Planarama,

Graphics

Replica and Rare Basic

John Lewis - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

Harrods - Dior - In collaboration with Tenn Jack Wills - Denim - In collaboration with the in-house display team

WINNER: Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare Basic and Replica

John Lewis - In collaboration with Go Visual

WINNER: Harrods - Dior - In collaboration with Tenn

BEST INSTORE VM SOLUTION Sponsor: Replica

BEST STORE CONCEPT Sponsor: Concorde Graphics

Shortlist: Cambridge Satchel Company - In collaboration with Elemental Design

Shortlist:

H&M - In collaboration with FormRoom

Hunter - In collaboration with Checkland Kindleysides

Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with Atrezzo

Joseph Cheaney - In collaboration with Checkland Kindleysides

Selfridges - L’Oreal - In collaboration with Elemental Design

Oasis - In collaboration with Dalziel and Pow and Esprit Penhaligons - In collaboration with PLANarama

WINNER: Cambridge Satchel Company - In collaboration with Elemental Design

WINNER: Hunter - In collaboration with Checkland Kindleysides

RETAIL FOCUS PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE/PROP

Sponsor: Retail Focus Magazine

Sponsor: The Retail Factory

Shortlist:

Coach - In collaboration with in-house display team

Disney - Cinderella - In collaboration with Delta Display and Propability

Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty Wigs, PLANarama, Rare

Harrods - Stealing Beauty - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Basic and Replica

Harvey Nichols - Raw Beauty - In collaboration with ANS Lighting

Debenhams - Tropical - In collaboration with PLANarama and Replica

Selfridges - Rick Owens - In collaboration with Go Visual and

Joseph - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

proportion>london

WINNER: Debenhams - Checkout - In collaboration with Arty

WINNER: Disney - Cinderella - In collaboration with

Wigs, PLANarama, Rare Basic and Replica

Delta Display and Propability

awards

BEST CHRISTMAS INTERIOR Sponsor: 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 MULTIPLE Sponsor: Dulux Trade Shortlist: Hackett - In collaboration with Harlequin Design Mappin and Webb - In collaboration with Harlequin Design Penhaligon’s - In collaboration with PLANarama Topshop - In collaboration with Blacks

WINNER: Penhaligons - In collaboration with PLANarama

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.

BEST WINDOW/S IN AN INDEPENDENT BEST WINDOW/S IN A MULTIPLE

Sponsor: Cofrad

Sponsor: VCG Colourlink Shortlist: Shortlist:

Harrods - Stealing Beauty - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Hunter - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Joseph - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

Miss Selfridge - In collaboration with Blacks

Selfridges - Magnum - In collaboration with Prop Studios

Penhaligon’s - In collaboration with PLANarama

Selfridges - Strength - In collaboration with Artem, Atom, Cofrad, Go Visual

Topshop - Mirror - In collaboration with Smith VC

and SFD

WINNER: Miss Selfridge - In collaboration with Blacks

WINNER: Harrods - Stealing Beauty - In collaboration with Millington Associates

BEST CHRISTMAS WINDOW/S IN AN INDEPENDENT Sponsor: Window Mannequins

MOST INNOVATIVE PERSON WITHIN VM Sponsor: Universal Display

Shortlist: Harrods - In collaboration with Millington Associates

Shortlist:

Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with 3D Eye, ANS Lighting, DZD, Planet,

Tommy Aitchison - Bentalls

Riot of Colour and Wig Art

Libby Day - Selfridges

Joseph - In collaboration with Harlequin Design

Simon Hatter - Topman

Selfridges - In collaboration with Go Visual, Propability and Totally Dynamic

Mark Stevens - Debenhams Alexander Wells Grecco - Harrods

WINNER: Harvey Nichols - In collaboration with 3D Eye, ANS Lighting, DZD, Planet, Riot of Colour and Wig Art Below: All the winners

Daniel White - Disney

WINNER:

Mark Stevens – Debenhams

Promotion

lighting up the stars Progress 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 store’s 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 store’s 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 704 124 www.progresslighting.co.uk

Christmas campaigns

Barneys New York

Christmas, New York style

Luxury specialty retailer, Barneys New York is using its famed sense of wit and surprise to play up traditional winter motifs for this year’s 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. The one-of-a-kind ice locker, used for the Ice Castles and Ice Carvers windows, was designed and built by the Barneys New York team to maintain the optimal condition for the integral component of the installations: ice. ‘The Chillin’ Out window installations have been amongst the most creatively ambitious that our team has designed,’ says Barneys New York creative director, Dennis Freedman. ‘We’ve challenged ourselves to reach new heights in terms of technical advancements, but ultimately it’s the beauty and visual impact that really counts. Continuing with the tradition of integrating a performance element into the windows adds a layer of excitement and spontaneity to the experience for audiences.’

Festive windows from across the pond.

Bergdorf Goodman

Photography: Ricky Zehavi

Bergdorf Goodman’s windows on Fifth Avenue celebrate Swarovski’s 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 crystalencrusted fortune teller’s 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 Swarovski’s 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.’

Christmas campaigns Saks Fifth Avenue Towering light icicles, crystal palace spires and snowy magnolia arches come together to form The Winter Palace at Saks Fifth Avenue this festive season. This year, the luxury retailer has reimagined the earth’s most spectacular wonders and transformed them into wintry fantasies. The window displays include the Empress of China sliding alongside her Great Wintry Wall, the Gladiatrix battling above her ice-cold Colosseum, and an Icy Mermaid marvelling at the beauty found in the frozen Great Barrier Reef. ‘New York during the holidays is quite a magical experience, filled with excitement from visitors all around the world,’ says Mark Briggs, executive vice president, HBC Creative. ‘Yet, the most breathtaking and wondrous sights are the holiday windows showcasing the creations from retailers’ imaginations. New York would not be the same if it weren’t for the whimsical lands and twinkling decor of the holiday windows. I am excited for sightseers to see our very unique creations this year.’ The remaining Saks Fifth Avenue windows host The Winter Palace banquet, featuring a wintry-white feast of elegant fashion and holiday attire.

Macy’s This Christmas, Macy’s is celebrating Peanuts in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the holiday classic. Entitled Macy’s Presents A Charlie Brown Christmas, each of the six Broadway windows features the holiday adventures of Charlie Brown, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang. The windows have been created by Roya Sullivan, award-winning designer and Macy’s national director of window presentation. The windows combine the wonder of modern technology with visual elements and an extra dose of nostalgia. Following Charlie Brown’s heartfelt quest to discover the true meaning of Christmas, the windows feature key scenes from the animated classic. ‘This year’s Christmas windows celebrate Charles Schulz’s 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas where we tap into our own inner child, remembering the adventures of our favorite Peanuts characters,’ says Sullivan. ‘We are proud to have maintained the integrity of the original animated television special while also acknowledging today’s tech-savvy child with the addition of highly technological and interactive elements. This unconventional marriage of animatronics and interactive elements, combined with old school artistry and craftsmanship, forms a truly unique marriage between the past and the present.’

URBAN VINTAGE RETAIL DISPLAY

56 PAGE CATALOGUE ON REQUEST The Urban Vintage collection from Andy Thornton includes a complete range of industrial-style retail display products including shelving units, garment rails, drawer units, cabinets, trolleys and display tables, plus furniture, decorative lighting and tin tiles. Send for your copy. Call: 01422 376000 Email: marketing@andythornton.com Online: andythornton.com

THE ORIGINAL

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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arthelmess

Design and Complete Visual Merchandising solutions

n o i t a r i p s n i #vm s a e d i h s e r f

e: info@barthelmessuk.com t: 01438 318634 - 724065

Global Manufacturing and Logistics

www.barthelmessuk.com

CNL High Quality, Superb Value Mannequins Decorado off the shelf decor and props

RF_ad_print.indd 1

17/11/2015 09:56

products

BARTHELMESS Decorado Featuring a range of more than 6,000 themed items, the Decorado catalogue by Barthelmess includes a huge selection of props, POS and visual merchandising equipment. Everything a small retailer would require to create window and in-store displays throughout the year, or even a large retailer with time constraints. From mannequins to props, store and display essentials to visual merchandising fixtures, lighting and point of sale solutions, it’s all here! Call now for your free copy of the Decorado spring/summer 2016 catalogue. T. +44 (0)1438 724 065 E: info@barthelmessuk.com www.barthelmessuk.com Twitter: BUK_VM

Barthelmess UK project The company’s 35 years experience in design and manufacturing consistently makes a crucial difference to the retail environment in which its clients’ products are sold. From bespoke one-off displays to a complete concept, its state of the art prototyping and manufacturing systems, allied with tightly controlled logistics procedures, enable Barthelmess to design, produce and deliver precisely and efficiently for all its customers, whether for a large retailer with hundreds of outlets, national or international lifestyle brands, shopping centres or train stations and airports. T. +44 (0)1438 724 065 E. info@barthelmessuk.com www.barthelmessuk.com Twitter: BUK_VM

Production With a strict focus on the environment and sustainability, Barthelmess guides projects from the individual concept and design to procurement and production to logistics and installation. It supplies everything quickly and flexibly from one source, working innovatively and cost effectively. Its comprehensive production expertise has enabled the company to support customers throughout Europe with innovative and high quality solutions for decades. T. +44 (0)1438 724 065 E. info@barthelmessuk.com www.barthelmessuk.com Twitter: BUK_VM

Creative Barthelmess helps its customers turn their display ideas into real window and interior schemes, taking it in-store to noticeably increase footfall at the point of sale. Some of the biggest names in the high street such as Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, Arcadia Group and New Look trust the company’s creative and innovative approach. Whether you need a themed scheme, a bespoke scheme, a new range of mannequins or an aspirational, inspiring window display, Barthelmess can design and manufacture a solution for you. Regardless of the project size or complexity within your budget, the company can help. T. +44 (0)1438 724 065 E. info@barthelmessuk.com www.barthelmessuk.com Twitter: BUK_VM

products

vm + DISPLAY The Jewellery Display Company The Jewellery Display Company offers luxurious steel fixtures available from stock in chrome, brushed steel and matt black. Designs include handbag stands, hat stands and shoe stands. The company is able to provide customers with any branding or signage solution, varying from branding blocks, magnetic blocks, plaques and other point of sale displays. The Jewellery Display Company uses materials such as acrylic, plastics, glass, steel, wood and leather to name a few. T. +44 (0)208 805 8551 E. sales@tjdc.co.uk www.jewellery-display.co.uk Twitter: d1splay

Andy Thornton This industrial-style display trolley from Andy Thornton provides plenty of product storage on three levels of shelving. It comes with sturdy castors attached to the base, allowing easy movement around the store. The trolley is just one of an extensive selection of display trolleys from the Andy Thornton Urban Vintage range. It is manufactured using scaffold-style clamp components and steel tube finished in an attractive gunmetal colour and three planked shelves in reclaimed pine. The Urban Vintage range includes retail shelving, cabinets, drawer units, display tables and garment racks. T. +44 (0)1422 376 000 E: email@andythornton.com www.andythornton.com Twitter: andythorntonltd

Dorotape UK Britain spends more than £22 billion at Christmas. With many shops decorating their windows, each one wants to stand out to catch the customer’s attention and bring them into the store. In the image above, Dorotape UK shows off Aslan’s new specialist illustra range to show how easy it is to create that perfect winter display. The illustra range is suitable for long-term exterior applications and as an added bonus are printable with eco/solvent, UV and latex inks. ‘We can now supply our customers with yet more exciting possibilities in the window film decoration market,’ says James Carpenter, managing director at Dorotape. ‘With more retailers wanting to step up their game each year, they are constantly on the look out for something new; with our specialist films we can help with that.’ Contact the Dorotape team for further information and samples. T. +44 (0)1858 431 642 E. sales@dorotape.co.uk www.dorotape.co.uk Twitter: doro_tape

arken POP arken POP is a leading manufacturer of graphic display products. Its quality products are built to last and withstand the rigours of the in-store environment. The vast range, based around the clip frame system that was originated by arken, includes its Purelite LED light boxes, hanging systems, window displays, pavement signs and forecourt signs alongside bespoke solutions. In addition to graphic displays, arken also designs, develops and manufactures award-winning bespoke POP displays, supplying retailers in many sectors including consumer electronics, cosmetics and FMCG. T. +44 (0)1638 565 656 E: info@arken-pop.com www.arken-pop.com Twitter: arkenPOP

products

HL Display (UK) HL Display has launched the Multivo shelf management system. Multivo makes the daily work of restocking, front facing and planogram changes easier and faster. The solution also allows automatic fronting of more packaging types than ever before. Fronting can be either automatic, utilising integrated pushers, or manual simply by using a pull strip to bring product to the shelf edge, providing a high level of flexibility and ensuring optimum product visibility at all times. T. +44 (0)1279 412 345 E: enquiries-uk@hl-display.com www.hl-display.co.uk Twitter: HL_Display_UK

Unibox Retail Unibox Retail has an ongoing partnership with River Island. The newest store to be updated was Manchester’s Intu Trafford Centre. The new layout for the store benefited from new LED Lightboxes, Kontakt shelving and display plinths from Unibox Retail. Introduced into the Birmingham Bullring flagship, the latest adaptation of the Kontakt shelving also appeared within the women’s footwear section of the store, alongside wall-mounted Kontakt shelving. Also continuing the trend set by the flagship, highly visible LED lightboxes were installed in key messaging areas, T. +44 (0)161 826 1684 E. info@uniboxretail.co.uk www.uniboxretail.co.uk Twitter: UAUnibox

W&Co Displays and Signs Market research has shown that illuminating promotional graphics massively increases attention to the advertisement. However, retailers have not been able to tap into this major benefit outside of shops — until now. The innovative Venus LED illuminated pavement sign, offered exclusively from W&Co, will give your advertising greater impact and increase sales — a must for the darker winter months. Backlit with an Osram LED light panel, the Venus offers superior brightness and even illumination with adjustable brightness modes. A rechargeable lithium battery, sourced from the aerospace industry, is housed securely inside the base, providing up to a remarkable 18 hours of illumination from a single charge. T. +44 (0)1708 863 260 E. info@w-co.co.uk www.w-co.co.uk Twitter: WandCo

Panache Display Collection L is the new realistic female mannequin collection from Panache Display. A choice of six relaxed poses are available, and work equally well grouped in a selection of mixed poses or repetition of a single pose. The mannequin can be styled to the individual requirements of clients by Panache Display, with body colour, wig and make-up designed exclusively for the brand by the company’s in-house team. By working with Panache Display on the finishing detail of the mannequin, she can become as individual as the brand she represents. T. +44 (0)020 8752 2520 E. info@panachedisplay.co.uk www.panachedisplay.co.uk Twitter: PANACHEDISPLAY

promotion

ten out of ten IPOS Design celebrated 10 years of business at a glitzy celebration at the Great John Street Hotel in the heart of Manchester last month. The prestigious black-tie event was attended by clients such as ASICS, Hunter, schuh, Vans and many more. Guests enjoyed a three course meal before trying their luck at poker and roulette tables. The night continued with dancing, drinking and networking into the small hours. About IPOS: IPOS is a retail design and brand communications agency. We create exceptional marketing campaigns across every aspect of retail point of sale, from concepts and ideas, to design, print, production and installation throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe. We’re proud to work with some of the biggest names in sportswear and fashion plus other blue chip companies. From dynamic, fast growing UK brands to classic global icons, they come to IPOS because they appreciate the strength and simplicity of our inspiring, engaging, no-nonsense approach. We’ve been doing it for over 10 years, and we’ve grown every year since the business was first established. We like to think that’s a sign of jobs well done and exceeding client expectations. So drop us a line if you’re looking for inspiring campaigns that deliver your marketing objectives, and give you the best possible return on your investment. Maybe we will see you at our 11th birthday celebrations... www,ipos-design.co.uk

bookstores Text: Lyndsey Dennis

Bookstores: Reading between the lines Today’s 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.

Photographer: Wang Ning

To many people, buying a book is a personal and emotional experience. They want to pick up a book, flick through the pages and get a feel for the story and the way it has been written. Bookstores need to improve the experience of buying books, in order to stay in business, connecting with the customer on a more personal level. The new 400 sq m Foyles store at Grand Central Birmingham has been described as a retail space where physical meets digital. Designed by lustedgreen, it stocks 15,000 titles and includes a number of digital innovations for enhancing customer service and experience. The curved perimeter bookcase walls provide a soft and flowing store layout, very different from the traditional ‘library like’ rectilinear bookstore. The bookcase walls are broken up with illuminated feature bays that highlight a specific new book or author’s work. The Children’s area has a lowered cylindrical ceiling drum easily identified from the front of the store. The new Children’s floor units are based on building blocks, providing a centrepiece for the area. Technology features extensively throughout the new Foyles store. ‘Four author listening pods use hyper-sound hoods,’ says Graeme Lusted, partner at lustedgreen. ‘These alleviate the need for headphones and provide a focused sound beam to the customer as they stand in front of the LCD screen featuring an author reading and talking about their new book.

The one in the children’s area is touch screen, allowing the child to choose from a selection of different authors. Along with a number of LCD screens placed around the store, at the shop entrance facing the mall, a video wall stack allows for impactful ever-changing promotional messages to be shown. The objective with all these devices is to provide more information about new and forthcoming books, that add to the whole experience of book buying.’ Foyles has also introduced new mobile tablets for each member of staff to search and order books in store for customers, which can then be either delivered or collected the next day. Lusted believes the key for the independent bookseller is to provide great service and knowledge to their customers, through good product presentation, events and interactive media sources in store. ‘Today, bookstores are not just rooms full of books, they also interact with visitors through multimedia, leisure areas, reading corners and exhibitions,’ agrees a spokesperson from SoNo Architects. ‘Unfortunately, the traditional paper book form is slowly disappearing and because of that bookstores have to do so much more to keep the attention of the readers and make them come back for another visit. Architects and designers have to accommodate the new situation and envision new elements that interact inside the bookstore but also promote outside the building to passing by spectators.’

SoNo Architects created the interiors of the 177 sq m Slovenian Book Center in Trieste, Italy. The Oberdan Piazza and Maks Fabiani’s National Hall nearby provided inspiration for the bookstore, which is housed in a palace dating from the first half of the 20th Century. ‘In addition to this varied and dynamic orthogonal pattern, we also extracted the colour scheme and the materials of the facade. The pattern on the facade uses colour contrast, which was achieved by using white shades with basic brick and earth colourtones. This represented a starting point for the selection of materials that we wanted to use for the bookshelves and other elements,’ explains the spokesperson from SoNo Architects. ‘Painted wooden elements of white colour, in combination with a dark timber shade, achieves the same contrast effect that Fabiani showed on the facade. The National Hall’s base is made of stone; this way we chose the material for the floors while the warm colour of the brick walls are presented in geometrical pattern of the wooden bookshelves.’ The idea was to showcase modern architectural and design solutions for the new book centre, whose main purpose was to improve the perception of Slovenian literature and language, and also promote Slovenian architecture. The pattern of the bookshelves, accompanied by interactive displays, become the central point of the space. Wood dominates the store,

bookstores

helping to create a warm and welcoming environment. The site is not only a bookshop but a place for organising social and cultural events for all types of visitors. Designed by Arch Studio, Rongbaozhai Coffee Bookstore in Beijing combines coffee with literature. Accompanied by a cup of coffee, people communicate with others, books and nature, creating a relaxing and comfortable reading environment with a slow rhythm. In order to change the heavy and rigid image of traditional bookstores, the new design utilises transparent and light iron book shelves with green plants to make the internal space more continuous and open as well as full of vitality. Plants include sciophilous ferns and climbing shrubs, with herbs such as mint and pelargonium odoratissimum placed in front of the windows and on coffee tables. The coffee bookstore will become a new leisure place for people after shopping in the Azure Stone Workshop. LED light strips were installed at the bottom of the plant boxes, which provide readers with indirect illumination. Based on the original pole net of the building, the inside turns out to be a ring-like space structure, with the central island-style space surrounded by the iron bookshelf walls. The central island on the first floor is used as a cashier desk and coffee area, while the second floor is the meeting room — a shiny box enclosed by switchable glass. At Borders in the UAE, it’s about taking

time out of a person’s schedule to browse the books, toys, crafts, stationery etc. ‘It’s about touch and feel, and getting to know the product — not looking at it on a screen — and, for some customers, to experience the great feeling of true service within a retail environment,’ says Ollie Patterson, head of business development at Mynt Design and the company’s founder and managing director, Andrew Patterson. The design brief was about embracing the brand’s American heritage and showcasing this through some of the architecture, materials and typography, while creating a more emotionally driven tone of voice throughout the store’s various communication touch points. A key focus was to make the brand relevant for todays consumer, which meant redefining the brand and introducing new product categories with a particular emphasis on children’s products. It was also important to ensure the fixtures and displays could accommodate high product densities while delivering a calm and relaxed atmosphere. ‘The store is very linear and clean. Having to display high product densities across all the categories and many sub-categories, we felt it was necessary to reduce visual noise within the new store concept, and that we should deliver a gentle and calm retail experience to encourage dwell time, a place where people feel comfortable and at ease to unwind. Subtle use of colour and new brand language helps and gently guides

customers through the store. We introduced themed lighting schemes to create a change in ambience for the different product category zones,’ explain the team. New product categories such as Your Place to Read, Your Place to Stay and Your Place to Work help express the brand’s mantra of belonging. ‘We wanted the store and communications to welcome customers, and subtle queues throughout help to increase dwell time and encourage customers to explore the very broad range of categories. Large-scale screens behind the till showcase the latest or upcoming promotions and are a real showstopper as soon as you enter the stores. The new strapline epitomises the spirit of Borders as Your Place To Be Inspired. We provided soft seating, a coffee partnership in Starbucks and information points to offer good old-fashioned service which all helps to encourage dwell time. ‘Books are such a personal and tactile thing and we think sticking to traditional retailing methods certainly creates a more human and real feeling. Places to sit, somewhere to have a coffee, wide aisles, touches of personality across the POP, a range of lighting schemes, clean and linear lines, clear category segmentation and good staff who know the product range should be the way forward to encourage people to take the trouble to get up and go to store rather than purchasing online,’ concludes Mynt Design.

Top left: At Borders in the UAE, designed by Mynt Design, it’s about taking time out of a person’s schedule to browse the books, toys, crafts, stationery etc. Top right: Amazon Books in University Village, Seattle is a physical extension of Amazon.com. From left to right: Rongbaozhai Coffee Bookstore in Beijing; The Oberdan Piazza and Maks Fabiani’s National Hall nearby provided Sono Architects with inspiration for the Slovenian Book Center in Trieste, Italy; Physical meets digital at Foyles in Grand Central Birmingham, designed by lustedgreen.

opinion

Discount retail: Deal or No Deal? The 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, managing director at retail marketing consultancy The Market Creative. While the struggling competition looks on with envious eyes, sales and profits at discount retailers soar, and there’s also evidence of growth. Lidl has recently launched a new concept store and Aldi is pressing ahead with expansion plans. Here’s why I believe discount retail will continue to boom.

Built on shopper insight Striking a winning balance between indulgence and bargain, discounters appeal to a broad spectrum of shoppers. But their real success is down to a deep understanding of their customers. Their concept is seeped with insight. They recognise that shoppers are increasingly savvy, seeking out the best quality at the best price; but they also play to the fact that more people have moved towards convenience shopping, visiting stores more frequently and filling smaller-sized baskets. Millennials is one important segment that a value proposition appeals to, but discounter values of price transparency and local community also attract this group.

Shopper experience The shopping experience itself has become more relevant as consumer confidence and spending power grows. Bargain and discount prices, combined with indulgence, meet this revived interest. Following a ‘less is more’ approach to product selection, and marketing too, has appealed to shoppers who, overwhelmed by choice at the major supermarkets, look for a simpler less overwhelming experience. Aldi takes this a step further, proudly sharing that more than 90 per cent of products are sold under private labels. These exclusive deals mean they can pass on well-negotiated prices to customers. More than ever, shoppers are focused on surprises and product quality, flocking to buy the ‘five-star’ purchase, number one and ‘best-in-class’, based on independent testing panels and reviews in which more often than not discounter own-brands are winning hands down. Discount retailers are also the kings of ‘special buys’, planning their promotional strategy at critical times, such as on Thursdays and Sundays, driving a more relevant and enticing shopping experience for bargain hunters.

Brand communication Discount retailers can account some of their continued success and acceptance from powerful, significant and clever investment in their brands. Aldi’s TV ad, which features customers comparing products against well-known brands, was deemed the best-recalled ad of 2014 by Marketing magazine. The no-frills campaign won out among the major supermarkets without the need of stars such as

Peter Andre or Ant and Dec. Marketing that is focused on the high-quality and indulgent nature of products is winning the hearts and minds of shoppers. Aldi’s ‘Favourite Things’ ad places it as the home to everyone’s favourite things at everyday low prices — even at Christmas. It even trumped John Lewis in a New Mums poll as the best seasonal campaign. A splash of humour is also used to great advantage by discounters. Lidl’s latest ‘school of Christmas’ campaign is designed to help shoppers through this tricky time of year, showing people being taught how to light Christmas puddings and untangle fairy lights, among other things. Discounters don’t just score high on their creative execution. The channels deployed are effectively strategic too, with key TV spots and ads in the major broadsheets, gaining presence in the ‘middle class’ space. This confident approach to brand strategy has fast led to a disappearance of the snob factor, as shoppers, regardless of demographic, flock to discounters, proudly sharing and displaying their choice as a badge of honour. What’s evident from all of this is that the discount retailer doesn’t sit still. It’s evolving to maximise every opportunity. The creation of an improved shopping experience with larger stores, toilet facilities and self-scan, is only strengthened by a move into the convenience store market as we see Aldi and Poundland opening smaller stores in high-footfall locations. While a change in format signals success, there is some perception that discounters are slowly becoming more aligned to the major supermarkets. If they move further into this arena they will lose their differentiation, which has ultimately been the key to the success enjoyed so far. It will be interesting to see what these new formats and improved experiences will have on customer perception of value, and whether they’ll become victims to backlash from the staunch working class.

www.themarketcreative.com 61

As the year draws to a close, we ask five industry professionals what they will take away from 2015 and what trends they predict will impact retail in 2016.

Retail 2016: , What s in store?

trends

Beta brand mentalities Katie Baron

head of retail, Stylus 2015 witnessed many retail trends that I believe will be sticking around in 2016, notably the editorialisation of retail, the advent of fully shoppable virtual realities, an uptick in ethical attitudes as a driving force not a compromising burden, and the dawn of ‘beta’ (trial-and-error) brand mentalities. Contextualised, culturally astute and super-socialised commerce were also more widely embraced, as were revised understandings of gender, identity and consumer tribes and ‘fandoms’. In terms of new, or interestingly evolved trends for 2016, here are some more key predictions: • Shape-shifting or ‘splinter’ store spaces: The direct result of brands needing to extend their role and remit as entertainers, educators and also enablers. This will take the form of new collectives, still deeper examples of hybridisation and also concepts attuned to borrowing. The premise is ‘owning over becoming’. • Experiential and exploration-based modes of commerce that acknowledge a growing desire for experiences over outright ownership, as well as a distinct need for retailers to counterbalance the rising use of predictive analytics and algorithms with concepts rooted in unpredictability, choice, impulse and the exhilaration of surprise. • Ephemeral moments and digital delay: Two ideas that illustrate how digital retail must evolve from being synonymous with everywhere, anytime ubiquity to a playing field in which to generate both ‘now-ornever’ moments of absolute shopping hunger and the ‘wait-and-anticipate’ thrill of sustained delayed desire. Staggered releases, physical-digital-store-marketing crossover concepts and drip-fed content will all be part of this shift.

Speed and disruption Aaron Shields

EMEA strategy director, FITCH The retailing industry is going to see more change in the next five years than in the next 50. Speed and disruption are the only things on the agenda, so we can expect the following three big trends to hit the mainstream with retailers: • Customers prefer beta. FITCH identified GenZ’s preference of ‘new’ over ‘perfect’ in 2013. Now most of us expect new products, new delivery, new events and new delights in internet time and find ourselves a little more like Janet Jackson in a ‘what have you done for me lately?’ sort of way. • The mind shift from iterative to agile retail. Software companies have used agile working methods since the 50’s for their ability to handle complexity. Many retailers in fashion and tech already use agile methods that favour running many smaller experiments over creating a ‘perfect’ solution. It’s about letting 100 flowers bloom and backing the winners without a 100 per cent clear view of the ‘final’ outcome. • Stores evolving from fixed to flowing. The days of renovating a retail estate every 5-10 years are slipping into extinction. Retail is being managed more as an evolving platform with a core that is semi-fixed, while other key elements flow in to continuously enrich the experience in new ways. It’s the only way to safeguard against disruption and keep our ever-demanding appetites satisfied.

trends

Rise of the innovation lab

A braver approach to ephemeral retail George Wainwright

partner & creative director, PWW London This year, brands have finally started to embrace temporary installations and pop-up experiences. Although these aren’t new concepts, it’s not until now that they have started to encourage engagement with customers and build enthusiasm about the potential of retail as an event. With the emergence of technology in our everyday lives, we’ve become used to transient experiences. However, retail has still been a rather static experience for a while. Through the development of popups, brands have demonstrated a flexibility that traditional bricks and mortar didn’t offer. By default these experiences become less formal, more exciting, and have greater potential to reflect the immediate needs of consumers. This has shifted the perception of what a great retail experience should be, and might even spell the end of the flagship store as a brand hero. Through 2016, I want to see brands show a braver approach to ephemeral retail. By avoiding the tried-and-tested physical locations, they should enter new territories, using pop-ups as live testing grounds for brands to experiment. This would demonstrate their potential to reach a broader audience reach, with a less precious attitude towards brand management. Temporary experiences have the potential to make a permanent impression.

Colin Gentry

Give me a reason (to shop in store)

innovation researcher, GDR Creative Intelligence

co-founder, Caulder Moore

One thing that 2015 has highlighted is that the traditional hard sell is no longer fit for purpose and brands fixated on this approach are finding themselves unceremoniously dropped from the shopping list. Retailers who act as an unassuming and knowledgeable confidant are turning customers into advocates and are reaping long-term benefits. Target’s Open House in San Francisco is a case in point, with staff standing shoulder to shoulder with the customer during their product discovery. In this way, Target has been able to successfully sell the benefits of smart technology. Target’s Open House is also indicative of the enormous potential of innovation labs, something GDR thinks will only come to have an increasing presence in retail in the coming year. Actively seeking their customers’ opinions and addressing pain points, many retailers are beginning to trial prototypes by transforming existing physical stores into hybrid, experimental spaces. McDonald’s Customer Learning Lab restaurant in Sydney and British Airways’ use of hackathons are just two examples of this already taking place, and there are no doubt many more to follow in 2016. At the core of innovation labs is a new way of thinking: failing fast is a cheap, smart and valuable way to learn. Opening the floor to feedback, be it positive or negative, provides realistic insight into how products will be used once they are launched. Brands that look at the future of retail as a two-way street are more likely to succeed at a much quicker pace.

Read more retail 2016 predictions from the industry at www.retail-focus.co.uk/features

Irene Maguire

The in-store experience must focus on delivering the sensory, tactile, engaging, social experience and give a reason to shop in store. Many of our retail clients are conscious that their competitors are not other retailers, but hospitality businesses. Increasingly, expenditure is about experience; eating, drinking and socialising; basically those activities that cannot be replicated online. This is the new competitive context. Linked to this is the discussion about brands investing exclusively in digital. Pepsi returned to mainstream advertising after devoting their spend in 2010 to digital/social media and experienced a five per cent drop in market share. Byron Sharp, in ‘How Brands Grow’, (and his even better TED talk), explains that digital largely targets existing customers, and brands cannot increase market share on the back of loyal customers alone. Employing more sensory armoury to get noticed and stay top of mind is evidently seen in making sure your stores deliver immersive experiences. The transactional element can easily be delivered online, but the emotional engagement is where physical stores can deliver beyond all else, and where merging the digital and physical become a key element of creating new brand fans. Witness how the new Lush store on Oxford Street has created a buzz by creating a space where customers can play, experiment, engage and have fun — this will hopefully encourage more of this inspiring retail initiative in 2016.

products

FLOORING + SURFACES International Decorative Surfaces Last month, Spanish surface materials specialist FINSA and UK distributor IDS hosted a successful event at the Innovation Centre, London where it showcased the latest trends in materials for the architectural, design and furniture sectors, coinciding with the launch of FINSA’s latest international Trendbook 2015-2016. Produced alongside the Global Color Research trend prediction agency, the Trendbook acknowledges the importance of how social and cultural changes define the way we live and how we consume, new innovations in technology and how it inspires future surfaces. T. +44 (0)8457 298 298 E. info@idsurfaces.co.uk www.idsurfaces.co.uk Twitter: idsurfaces

Polyflor Luxury vinyl tiles from Polyflor’s hardwearing and design-led Expona range have been chosen by high street optician, Vision Express to create a fresh and contemporary look for its new store in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. Two designs from the Expona Commercial PUR collection were chosen for the store at Brookfield Retail Park and were installed by flooring contractor, Floortec. A mix of wood and stone effect designs were used on the shop floor, with a large square of the Warm Grey Concrete design placed in the middle of the room, surrounded with the Grey Limed Oak wood effect shade. T. +44 (0)161 767 1111 E: info@polyflor.com www.polyflor.com Twitter: Polyflorltd

nora flooring systems

Armourcoat

Warmth, comfort and naturalness are decisive criteria in interior design in all areas beyond the private living space. The new noraplan valua rubber flooring from nora systems combines two aspects, warm colours and natural surface structure, giving rise to a cosy atmosphere in every room. Presenting 32 appealing colours and with the authenticity of the rubber material, noraplan valua provides exceptional durability and walking comfort, and fulfils all requirements for a long lived and sustainable floor covering.

Ukrainian interior designer, Victoria Faynblat has launched a new collection of decorative wall effects using Armourcoat polished plaster entitled ‘Fragile Touch’. The designer uses the hand applied plaster finish alongside stencils and embellished with Swarovski crystals, to create seamless highly decorative finishes taking inspiration from memories and the world around us. She has included traditional and modern technology, high fashion and dream-like themes to present original wall finishes in a carefully curated range of colours.

T. +44 (0)1788 513 160 E. info-uk@nora.com www.nora.com/uk Twitter: noraflooring

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

products

SELECTION Bluestones Retail Bluestones Logistics has launched its latest partnership, Bluestones Retail. Operating from premises in Tyneside, the business will be managed by directors, Mark Pye and Simon Fontaine. The new partnership will specialise in high quality installation services including dismantling/fitting of storage systems and installation of bespoke equipment. Bluestones Retail will also supply talented merchandising and project management staff to projects all over the UK. T. +44 (0)191 466 1340 E: info@bluestonesretail.co.uk www.bluestonesretail.co.uk Twitter: bstonesretail

Tarkett Tarkett’s iD TILT is a floating floorcovering solution featuring interlocking tiles. Designed for retail or industrial applications, iD TILT’s ease of installation means it is ideal for projects where there is limited subfloor preparation time available. Part of the iD collection of commercial modular products, TILT is quick to lay and does not require glue which is why it is favoured by businesses wanting to reduce trade loss by keeping installation time to a minimum. T. (0)1622 854 040 E. uksales@tarkett.com www.tarkett.com Twitter: GroupTarkett

KGK Print KGK Print is a family owned business offering a complete artworking, manufacture and installation service for the retail sector. The company is able to print to virtually any substrate, at any size. Working with high-end retail clients and top agencies, it produces the best results time after time. KGK recently collaborated with Elemental Design and produced all printed elements for the Ted Baker Christmas campaign, which was produced and installed at over 20 UK, Ireland and European stores. T. +44 (0)1920 461 244 E. paul@kgkprint.co.uk www.kgkprint.co.uk

GEZE UK The Close The Door campaign has named door and window control systems specialist, GEZE UK as the exclusive sponsor representing the automatic door industry. The nationwide campaign aims to persuade retailers to save energy and create a better environment for staff and shoppers by reversing their open door policies. GEZE UK is the only door control company to support the campaign, which was launched following a winter walk by founder Jeannie Dawkins, who became concerned after seeing how hot air from the open shop doorways was melting the ice on the street. ‘We are delighted to be supporting the Close The Door campaign,’ says Kaz Spiewakowski, managing director at GEZE UK, ‘It’s premise is very simple, but the results can make a huge difference to the environment, staff and customers and of course, a retailers’ energy spend.’ T. +44 (0)1543 443 000 E. info.uk@geze.com www.geze.co.uk Twitter: GEZE_UK

products

TECHNOLOGY Evolis Evolis — a pioneering turnkey solution for food retailers designing their product price tags on the spot. Evolis has designed a one-of-a-kind, hassle-free solution for delivering price tags in plastic. The solution is a real time saver and encourages strong responsiveness in managing price tags. Such tags are in tune with functional and statutory requirements to be observed by retailers, restaurants, canteens and a variety of local shops. The pack includes an Evolis Primacy card printer, dedicated software (database management, food pictograms, templates etc), black blank cards and ribbon for printing tags that support contact with food products. T. +33 (0)241 367 275 E. rlesaint@evolis.com www.evolis.com Twitter: evolisprinters

Futura Retail Solutions Cath Kidston has consolidated its Japanese retail network utilising Futura’s multi-lingual global EPOS solution. Implementing new systems and hardware overnight, to ensure business continuity and uninterrupted trading for Japanese customers, was a key requirement for the UK-based management team. Futura4POS was selected because it provides an advanced real-time, multi-lingual, hardware independent retail environment, with the ability to roll out and update from Cath Kidston offices in the UK, in turn limiting the requirement for significant in-country overheads. T. +44 (0)1189 841 925 E. sales@futurauk.com www.futura4retail.co.uk Twitter: Futura_retail

SPC International SPC offers EPOS solutions to all retail and hospitality sectors based on NCR’s market leading hardware and specially selected EPOS and hospitality applications from the company’s software partners. Of particular interest to the design conscious retailer will be the very latest EPOS terminal from NCR. The XR7 offers the sleek high-tech look of a tablet to meet with new store design demands, combined with the retail-hardened long life and best in class performance retailers expect from an NCR product. Coupled with printers and cash drawers in a stylish black to complement the new terminal, the XR7 offers an exciting new look for retail outlets. T. +44 (0)1895 203 124 E. bmiller@spcint.com www.spcint.com Twitter: spcint

Zytronic Telefonica-owned South American communications network Movistar is rolling out Zytronic Projected Capacitive (PCAP) touch sensors to deliver an exciting interactive multimedia experience at stores and kiosks in South America. PX Group, a regional interactive retail specialist, designed the store layouts and kiosks, and is building the hardware. PX Group created a completely new concept for flagship Movistar stores featuring a touch video wall with three 50in or 46in touch screens allowing customers to browse while they are waiting, as well as a kiosk with a full product catalogue using a 40in screen. T. +44 (0)191 414 5511 E. info@zytronic.co.uk www.zytronic.co.uk Twitter: Zytronic

products

LIGHTING Minimise Energy Farmfoodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; growing portfolio of buildings must all provide the correct ambient conditions and achieve optimum efficiency. To help meet this brief at its Avonmouth distribution centre, Minimise Energy provided a complete lighting design and supply solution. Farmfoods incorporates LED lighting in all new stores and warehouses. Minimise designs, supplies and manages all new and refurbishment lighting projects, achieving return on investment periods of less than three years for each. The company was asked to design an LED scheme that would maximise energy efficiencies, take into account the changing natural light conditions, meet Building Control Standards, and be fully responsive in an ambient environment. T. +44 (0)330 313 3220 E: info@minimisegroup.com www.minimisegroup.com Twitter: Minimise_Energy

Sylvania Sylvania now offers the widest range of dimmable and non-dimmable LED lamps available on the European market. With 53 lamps in the range, the ToLEDo Retro portfolio offers LED lamps for all possible needs, By introducing dimming capabilities to its hugely popular ToLEDo Retro range of LED lamps, Sylvania, by international lighting manufacturer Havells Sylvania, now offers the most comprehensive range currently available. ToLEDo Retro lamps offer up to 90 per cent energy savings over conventional alternatives, and are an exact retrofit of incandescent and halogen lights, replicating the look and feel of traditional light sources. T. +44 (0)800 440 2478 E. info.uk@havells-sylvania.com www.havells-sylvania.com Twitter: HavellsSylvania

The Greenstock Lamp Company The Greenstock Lamp Company has published a 120-page colour brochure covering its entire range of LED lighting products, including its U-Connect plug and play system. The comprehensive range of quality products covers many different types of LED lamps, tubes and shatterproof tubes, LED strip and tape all the way through to LED luminaires such as high performance LED flat panels, highbays, floodlights and non-corrosive fittings. With huge growth in low voltage 12V and 24V LED products, a significant part of the new catalogue is devoted to the LED strip and LED tape. T. +44 (0)845 2570 444 E. enquiries@greenstock.co.uk www.greenstock.co.uk Twitter: GreenstockHQ

Commercial Lighting The Sovereign Mini LED Pendant 250 from Commercial Lighting is a high quality, enclosed pendant incorporating the latest CREE LED technology with built-in thermal management control for optimum performance and longevity. The unit is supplied with a high efficiency LED driver, which is located within the ceiling plate, offering up to 110Im/W system efficacy. The main housing is produced from quality aluminium spinning with machined aluminium front bezel and integrated microprism glass lens. The pendant can be finished in any RAL/BS colour. T. +44 (0)1489 581 002 E. sales@commercial-lighting.co.uk www.commercial-lighting.co.uk Twitter: clslight

lighting

focuslighting on: The last focus for 2015 is on lighting. From Unibox Retail’s eye-catching feature at the new Primark store in Madrid to energy saving installations in Pets at Home, where luminaires can be adjusted according to levels of daylight, lighting plays a crucial role in the overall look and feel of a store, and is an important area where energy saving can be achieved. Head turner Unibox Retail has created a lighting feature for the new Primark store in Madrid, designed by Dalziel and Pow, helping to create the ultimate flagship experience. This included creating the high quality LED illumination, a custom-made connector that held all the linear elements of the light together; and integrated suspension brackets, ensuring the installation had as little fixing points as possible. The installation was produced in-house and shipped to Madrid in kit format to save massive shipping costs then assembled by Unibox Retail in Madrid.

www.uniboxretail.co.uk

Warm welcome Hoare Lea Lighting was appointed by intu to design a new lighting scheme for intu Eldon Square in Newcastle, including the malls and a new entrance on Northumberland Street. Fittings from a variety of manufacturers were specified, including iGuzzini, Traxon, Osram, SMC Led, KKDC, RZB Lighting, Traxon Lighting, Selux and Targetti. Lighting control is provided by Helvar and Traxon.

www.hoarelealighting.com

www.hl-display.co.uk

Photo credit: intu

Flexible friend HL Display has introduced the Brandline LED to its Brandline shelf merchandising system. Brandline LED is compatible with HL Display’s Ad’Lite LED Flexi system, therefore providing enhanced brand visibility and a premium look to attract shoppers to the shelf and drive sales. The adaptable light settings give even more flexibility when running in-store promotions or offers due to the two-piece profile. This allows one or both of the LED channels to be switched on and delivers a brighter, more attention-grabbing shelf edge.

lighting Brewed to perfection Starbucks has opened a new Reserve Bar concept in Covent Garden, London with lighting by Shoplight powered by SLE. Starbucks was looking for a controllable lighting solution for the space where different lighting scenes could be created depending on the time of day or the seasons of the year. A Helvar lighting control system allows the retailer to change the lighting scenes remotely by SLE, ensuring a low-cost, long-term installation. The majority of luminaires are from the Avior range, complemented by high power LED tapes, Tarf downlights and pendant luminaires supplied by Starbucks but included in the lighting controls.

www.shoplight.lighting

Fine dining Nulty+ has completed the interior lighting for the first solo restaurant of chef Skye Gyngell, breathing life into a 19th Century drawing room at the world famous Somerset House, London. In collaboration with interior designer, Briony Fitzgerald and architect, Stuart Forbes Associates, the lighting practice helped bring warmth to a space flooded with natural light and with ceilings that stand over four metres tall. Nulty+’s concept was to enhance, yet soften, the architecture of clean stone columns and vast ceilings to create an intimate dining experience.

www.nultylighting.co.uk

Energy saver Bright Goods LED filament lamps from LED Eco Lights have been installed at the newly opened dining ‘theatre’ at Kitchen Table in London to achieve energy savings of more than 70 per cent. It was important for James and his wife Sandia Chang, who manages the restaurant, to incorporate lighting that would enhance the overall ambience of the unique experience, so they opted for the Victoria LED filament lamp from the Bright Goods range. The Victoria blends 21st Century efficiency and 19th Century styling to create a welcoming atmosphere within the dining space.

www.ledecolights.com

Level headed Luxonic has provided Pets At Home with a forecasted 55 per cent energy saving at its new store in Rugby. Luxonic’s Hi Max LED luminaire, accompanied by a flexible wireless control system, was chosen. Each luminaire was developed to incorporate a wireless integrator and sensor, allowing levels to be automatically dimmed or brightened to work in accordance with daylight levels. Luxonic also created and installed temperature colour change LED panels in the veterinary practice’s operating theatre.

www.luxonic.co.uk

Directory

Retail Supplier Directory, find the specialist retail products and services you are looking for from leading suppliers around the world. Retail Supplier 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: info@d-i-a.net W: www.d-i-a.net S. www.twitter.com/DesignsinAlumin

Bespoke Display

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.

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

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

Design Consultancies

H Squared Limited are display specialists in creating brand presence at the point of purchase. Through a holistic approach to the development of display... strategic led creative design and cost effective manufacture, supply and installation, H Squared are able to offer clients an experience to nurture an idea as well as the capability to realise and deliver these ideas. T: 01530 814200 E: studio@hsquared.co.uk W: www.hsquaredltd.co.uk S: www.twitter.com/HSquaredLtd

Aluminium Fittings

Bespoke Display

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

Aluminium Fittings

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.

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

Bespoke Display

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

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

Are you looking to increase your product sales, re-brand or launch a new product? If you’re not already talking to us, you should. Our group offer an unprecedented level of experience coupled with a comprehensive range of products and services. Our aim is to make your products sell and your service the best on the market.

T: +44(0)113 265 0093 E: sales@concept-data.com W: www.concept-data.com S. www.twitter.com/GDProjects

Display

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

Display - Digital

Furniture

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

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

Furniture

Display

Display - Digital

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 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.

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

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

EPOS

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.

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

Finishes

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

Graphics

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: 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

Slatwall

Interactive Displays

Permanent POS

POP/POS

> In house design and manufacture of permanent displays > Powder coated steel, stainless steel, plastics and print used in any combination > Rapid prototyping and batch manufacture > Confidentiality assured > Let us help you improve your product sales` Find out why our customers keep returning for more………

Specialist Stockist of Aluminium Extrusions and Mild Steel Fittings for the shopfitting industry.

T: 01482 345067 E: sales@jcrpos.co.uk W: www.jcrpos.co.uk S. @JCR_POS

T: 01273 582241 E: info@d-i-a.net W: www.d-i-a.net S. www.twitter.com/DesignsinAlumin

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

Lighting

POP/POS

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.

Custom made, 20mm deep LED Edge lit ‘Diamond’ light boxes, and 8mm deep ‘Garnet’ light panels for retail display, signage and advertising.

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

Literature Display Solutions

Maintenance

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

T: 0333 123 0345 E: Sales@ways2display.com W www.artillus.com Web: www.ways2display.com

POP/POS

We specialise in Point of Sale (POS) and Point of Purchase (POP). We design, manufacture and fit retail fixtures and store displays and we’re good at it. For over 55 years Axiom has been designing and producing exciting and innovative retail displays for well known brands and retail groups. T: +44 (0)161 681 1371 E: info@axiom-displays.co.uk W: www.axiom-displays.co.uk

POP/POS

From small, lightweight point-of-sale display turntables for short term use, to larger turntables designed for durability and reliability over many years, Movetech UK has a turntable to meet your needs.

T: 01204 537680 E: display@movetechuk.com W:www.movetechuk.com S. www.twitter.com/movetechuk

POP UP

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

Retail Consultancy

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

Extensive stock held of: *Slotted uprights *Aluminium slatwall *Perimeter Sections *Corner sections *Design and bespoke service.

Slatwall

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

MTFX Winter Effects artificial display snow range includes all you need to give your displays the crispness of a winter setting or the chill of a frosty Christmas.

T: 01452 729903 E: info@mtfx.com W: www.mtfx.com

VM - Training & Tools

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

Mark Stevens, director of creative at department store chain Debenhams, was named ‘Most Innovative Person in VM’ at the VM & Display Awards in November, and deservedly so. The retailer has produced some exceptional schemes over the last year, including the colourful ‘checkout’ campaign, which incidentally won the inaugural Retail Focus Peoples’ Choice Award. Here, Mark talks Christmas windows, collaborations and challenges.

RF. Congratulations on your recent award! How long have you been director of creative at Debenhams? MS. This year marks my 25th anniversary working for Debenhams. I have been in my current role since early this year and prior to this I was head of creative for the past 10 years. RF. What attracted you to the company? MS. The diversity of the brand. Debenhams is such a recognised name on the high street, with a huge portfolio of brands and a growing stable of Designers at Debenhams. There is also a lot of opportunity to develop, and always new challenges and exciting projects to work on. Our International business is growing rapidly and we are developing into a truly global brand. RF. Tell us about this year’s Christmas windows at Debenhams. MS. Our starting point was the evolvement of our ‘Found it’ campaign, and how we could incorporate this into something even more engaging and emotive, but still feel fun and celebratory! We developed the core creative in-house via a number of workshops. The windows design team then took this and worked it up in to our all-store scheme, where the star icon is integral. Also, they designed a concept for our Oxford Street flagship store that would give us a real point of view on Oxford Street. The scheme for Oxford Street is based around stars, but really elevated to suit the modern facade of the building. We have introduced video content and music to help tell the story, and to bring the windows to life and give modernity to the overall scheme. A large bank of screens is where the story begins, and starts with a mystical woman appearing from the nebular, she opens a present box to reveal hundreds of stars and then blows them forwards towards the onlookers. She then slowly turns and then blows the stars across the screens and through the windows, where the CGI stars become real 3D stars. The music, video content and lighting effects work together to create a fluid flurry of stars travelling the length of our front windows. RF. How important is it for you to collaborate with artists and designers on your displays? MS. We have a strong in-house creative and design team, but collaborating with different people and companies is

important as it brings fresh, innovative ideas to the table. It can really challenge and stretch us as a team, and get us to push the boundaries.

RF. What challenges do you face in your role? MS. I manage four large teams. That’s over 70 people, and their roles are very diverse, covering anything from developing a new shopfit concept for a brand, designing product packaging and logos, windows — all store, and then Oxford street schemes to every bit of POS, brochures. Not to mention the field-based visual team, and new and mod stores. The main challenges are juggling so many different projects and not missing any critical deadlines. The end result needs to be seamless, so it’s all about getting people to work together to achieve what we need to. Our business is extremely fast paced and can be very reactive, so you need to be able to think on your feet and manage multiple projects at any one time. RF. What are your thoughts on integrating digital into the in-store experience. MS. We investigated the use of digital prior to modernising Oxford Street. We wanted to introduce digital into the customer experience, but were mindful about how and where. There is definitely a place for digital. We recently designed a new shopfit concept for Principles by Ben De Lisi, and have included large digital screens into the back walls and on front of department focus fixtures. The screens bring movement and add real fashion credential to the brand. RF. What are you working on at the moment? MS. We have opened five new stores in the UK this year, and modernised two, the last being Westfield Shepherds Bush. I need to review what we have delivered and then agree what we want to take forward to the next new and mod stores. We are also finalising our Spring campaign and working on Summer too. It may sound crazy, but we are already starting the creative brain storm process for next Christmas!

Blacks London 0207 3771776 Blacks Factory 01937 840090 email info@blacks-vm.com www.blacks-vm.com

Visual Merchandising

DEBENHA MS

TOPSHOP

WAREHOUSE

GAP

JAEGER

MULBERRY

WINDOW DISPLAY / ALL STORE ROLL-OUT / BESPOKE PROJECTS / SIGNAGE / PROJECT MANAGEMENT / PRINT & GRAPHICS / INSTORE FIXTURES / PROTOTYPING & DEVELOPMENT / INSTALLATION