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DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE Lynk & Co has opened the first of their physical retail locations, which the company has dubbed Clubs, in Amsterdam
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CONTENTS CONTACT: Terry Clark terry@retail-focus.co.uk Lee Cullumbine lee@retail-focus.co.uk
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28 SUBTYPE CELEBRATING - NETWORKING - WINNING
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28 DELVAUX
09-11 News
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13-17 Window Shopping International
20-23 Retail Trends 2021 By Gemma Balmford
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Feature Why Virtue is the new cool
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S w w EE MO RE w. r EV e ta i l- f ENTS A oc us. T co .u
CREATIVE RETAIL AWARDS
Proud Embankment, London, UK 10 June 2021
The Creative Retail Awards recognise and reward excellence in retail. Moving away from the traditional awards ceremony the Creative Retail Awards offer a night full of exuberance. The Awards span a number of disciplines, including store design, Visual Merchandising, inspired technology, Omni-channel innovations, bar and restaurant design, shopfitting and much more. The Awards will be judged by a panel of industry leaders and experts. creativeRawards Open for entries at www.creativeretailawards.com
Virtual Interiors Virtual Event 15-17 march 2021
ISE 2021 Fira de Barcelona 1-4 June 2021
CONNECTIONS BOUNCE, LONDON 23 SEPTEMBER 2021
Virtual Interiors will enable us all to source, communicate and interact with the industry in a virtual world during a 5-day event accessible on any platform and device. You can view and engage with product launches, Showroom and factory video presentations, products and services, all never seen before on a global scale.
The exhibitors, visitors and cutting-edge technical innovations are what give ISE its very special atmosphere. It is a place for connecting with key contacts in the industry and for reaching important business decisions. Tthe show has grown in size and stature to become a key date on the tradeshow calendar for anyone working in professional AV.
Creative Design & Connections provides an element of fun and networking as well as one-to-one meetings. The quirky setting of Bounce Old Street, London, will let suppliers and buyers soak up the atmosphere, play some ping-pong and enjoy networking drinks and food after the one-to-one meetings have taken place.
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CREATIVE RETAIL AWARDS NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES WWW.creativeretailawards.com 6
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news
NEWS
Holland & Barrett continues store transformation plan Holland & Barrett, one of Europe’s largest health and wellness retailers, has announced a new, larger store in Angel Islington, and a complete redesign of its Hemel Hempstead store, making it even easier for customers to take positive control of their wellness. Sustainability has been a focus with the business reviewing everything from shelving and shop fitting, as well as lighting which has been redesigned to be more efficient, reduce energy consumption and cut carbon emissions. Customers in Angel Islington’s new larger store will also be able to top up on everyday food essentials at the new zero-waste refill station, while free water refills will also be available for plastic-conscious shoppers in-store. Customers will have access to in-store specialists who are highly trained in nutrition,beauty and sports nutrition. All Holland & Barrett store associates have the equivalent of an A level in nutrition, and are therefore ‘Qualified to Advise’ customers on the best ways of maintaining a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and supplementation.
Pure Electric launches European expansion in France and Spain E-mobility specialist Pure Electric is opening stores in Paris and Madrid at the start of a new push into mainland Europe by the fast-growing British business. Pure has signed deals for stores in the French and Spanish capitals as demand for e-scooters and e-bikes soars on the Continent. France updated legislation on e-scooter use on city roads and cycle paths last year; there are already an estimated 20,000 rental scooters on the streets of Paris. Pure expects to open on the Boulevard de Sebastopol – which runs through the heart of Paris – in early January. Peter Kimberley, Pure chief executive, said the business plans to open at least 10 stores in both France and Spain next year. It already runs 16 in the UK and is poised to open its latest UK store in London Bridge before Christmas. There are estimated to be between 150,000 and 200,000 electric-scooter owners in the UK with sales rising by 100,000 this year during the pandemic.
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NEWS
VIA Outlets completes over 300 leasing deals in year of lockdown VIA Outlets – Europe’s fastest growing owner-operator of premium fashion outlet destinations – has completed over 110 new deals since the start of the pandemic, evidence of its commitment to its remerchandising strategy despite difficult market conditions and this year’s extensive periods of lockdown. In total, new leases, renewals, upsizes and downsizes representing a total area of 43,300 sq. m. have been concluded thus far in 2020, with even more deals still in legals. This includes 12 entirely new brands joining the VIA Outlets portfolio, including American Eagle, L’Oreal, Pinko, Cavalli Class, Samsøe & Samsøe and digitallynative NA-KD. Jorge Sánchez Mera, Head of Leasing, comments: “Our leasing team has redoubled its efforts to remerchandise VIA Outlets’ centres despite this year’s lockdowns and centre closures. It has been great to see heightened interest from retailers even during these turbulent times – proving that outlets are more relevant than ever in the current retail climate.
Frasers Group to open 60,000sq ft Sports Direct Flagship in Birmingham Frasers Group plc has unveiled plans to open a 60,000sq ft Sports Direct flagship in Birmingham city centre, as part of an initiative that will see key strategic flagship stores open around the UK. The next-generation store will open on New Street, in the heart of the city, and will house Sports Direct, USC, Evans Cycles and GAME, as well as a Belong e-sports arena. Michael Murray, Head of Elevation for Frasers Group, said: “This new location in Birmingham demonstrates our confidence in our elevation strategy and commitment to opening premium retail destinations across the UK. This will be our most advanced store to date offering our multiple sporting and lifestyle brands alongside specialised services and leisure facilities. As we continue to grow throughout the UK, our ethos and commitment remains the same; we offer customers the very best brands and an unrivalled product choice.” Set to open in 2021, the store will feature the brand’s new premium design across four floors.
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NEWS
Creative Design & Display Connections launched The organisers behind the Creative Retail Awards have launched the inaugural Creative Design & Display Connections (CDDC) meet the buyer event. To be held in September 2021 at Bounce Old Street in London, the event consists of 14 pre-matched one-to-one meetings between buyers and suppliers over the course of the day. With Supplier
entry from just £1,750 + VAT, the event could provide the highest ever ROI for companies at this difficult trading period. Approved delegates receive free entry plus two complimentary tickets to the world renowned Creative Retail Awards taking place in June 2021. Visit www.cddconnections.com
Creative Retail Awards postpone ceremony until 10th June 2021. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and for the safety and enjoyment of all participants, the organisers have decided to postpone the upcoming Creative Retail Awards ceremony until 10th June 2021. The Creative Retail Awards are truly unique in their blend of celebration, networking and entertainment. Following government guidelines there is significant doubt that large scale indoor events will be able to operate in September, even with social distancing observed. Since their inception, the Creative
Retail Awards have always been an experience led occasion with their characteristic twist on conventional Award ceremonies, and the organisers strongly feel if they are unable to provide the highest quality event it will do a disservice to all entrants, their projects and those attending. With a truly worldwide audience, the Awards attract attendees from all over EMEA and North America who wish to celebrate the industry’s achievements which would not be possible in the current environment.
Tommy Hilfiger opens new store in the heart of London The new store is located on top of the main entrance to Liverpool Street underground station, inside the corner concession facing ‘The Fulcrum’, which forms part of the redevelopment area of Broadgate Circle. Spread over two floors, it celebrates Tommy Hilfiger’s core Sportswear Concept, yet has numerous custom-made elements and nuances that follow the uniqueness of the architecture and the importance of its location. rpa:group was appointed Lead Architect for this scheme, having worked alongside Tommy Hilfiger on numerous projects across the globe.
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Christmas
SELFRIDGES Photography: Daniel Salemi
Selfridges have continued its 111 year tradition of Christmas windows in its world famous Oxford Street flagship. The department store, which unveiled their sustainable Christmas shop, and new sustainability initiative, Project Earth this year launched a series of festive windows celebrating the holiday season.
VIEW THE VIDEO AT www.retail-focus.co.uk MACYS The holidays are right around the corner, and Macy’s is taking this opportunity to use their world famous windows to say thank you. The ‘Give, Love, Believe’ campaign includes a series of six windows that are described as ‘a thank you letter’ to New York. They celebrate NYC’s front line workers, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade and the uniqueness and diversity of the city. The scheme, designed, produced and installed by Harlequin Design, has taken over 9 months to complete and 14 days to install, not surprising when you learn the scheme includes 104 pairs of clapping hands, 42 hand-sculpted characters and 10,000 fibre optic lights.
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HUGO BOSS Galactic Christmas with Hugo Boss! The international model label in cooperation with the New York artist Justin Teodoro created a capsule collection with individual heart and star motifs. These elaborate window installations convey Justin’s cosmic journey as he travels from planet to planet, meeting several characters until he reaches planet »BOSS«.
LIBERTY LONDON Liberty has launched its 2020 Christmas theme: Peace, Love and Liberty. As a heartfelt expression of the strength of togetherness, their creative teams worked through the night to launch Liberty’s greatly anticipated Christmas theme early, before their beloved store doors closed for a second time as the nation entered another lockdown. StudioXAG meticulously produced and installed all 10 windows and the atrium installation, building each display from a plethora of glitter-coated fabric including shades of deep purple, holographic gold and azure blue..
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FENDI Fendi has revealed its 2020 holiday windows complete with a Murano glass Chandelier. The international scheme (London, New Bond Street pictured here) features decorations inspired by the iconic Fendi Pack on the external facade and within the window display. The fashion house has also launched an exciting new popup in partnership with famous department store Selfridges, the FENDI CAFFE is a takeover of the 14-seater Champagne Bar, The Fount, located in the heart of Selfridges’ Accessories Hall on the Ground Floor.
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Retail 2021 Trends a TEXT: GEMMA BALMFORD
As the age old saying goes, the only constant is change, and never has this rung more true than today as the world navigates its way through the coronavirus pandemic. The retail sector has been particularly hard hit by the global crisis, at a time when it was already struggling with low consumer confidence and rising costs. But with crisis comes opportunity for innovation, and many brands and businesses have reacted and adapted rapidly and admirably to the changed environment. So as we exit lockdown 2.0 and prepare to shut the door 2020, we ask six industry experts what they believe lays ahead for retail.
George Gottl, CCO and Founder, UXUS
Game on for gamification The world of gaming holds the key to opening up new dimensions for retail in 2021. Gaming platforms engage millions of users at any given moment in a creative, immersive experience in the virtual space. Brands need to reconsider the traditional transactional experience and move towards an innovative new structure that seamlessly moves between the digital and physical realms; something which most of the current retail experiences don’t allow.
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These immersive experiences also open up potential new revenue streams. Retailers could consider selling products for a URL persona or avatar as well as the physical twin of the product IRL. Consumers would be able to try out products and items for both themselves and their avatars. Prada already successfully debuted the idea this year with its own virtual reality dimension. The experience is immersive, experiential and flows seamlessly between virtual and physical worlds. Consumers are increasingly seeking to express their IRL values, style and aspirations through their avatars - or experiment with new modes of expression in the virtual world, but the industry has not kept pace with this new customer behaviour. These virtual experiences would allow brands to reflect their ethos and values in a way that the current e-commerce landscape does not cater for. Through their avatars, shoppers can be brought together and create communities in these alternative digital worlds, rather than act in isolation as with the more traditional, linear e-commerce model. Conversely, gamification needs to offer virtual products as well as purchases and experiences that direct consumers back to the physical store. Mobile game BTS World has hosted limited-edition product drops where fans buy the product in the game and collect the product in the physical store.The gamification of e-commerce can recreate the serendipity of physical shopping and enable customers to make purchases both virtually and physically, spread out across the entire journey to purchase. This fluid approach to retail will not only benefit the customer but also brands and businesses, by creating multiple encounters with products, deep connections with customers, and ultimately increasing brand loyalty and transactions.
FEATURE
and predictions
Michelle Du-Prat, Group Strategy Director, Household
The rise of the ‘Insperience Economy’ A year dominated by COVID-19 has forced us to stay at home, yet 2020 has brought with it a forced catalyst for change, redefining our relationships with brands and technology, as we moved very deliberately from offline to online worlds of connectivity and even life management.
People across all ages have learnt quickly to embrace digital socialising, working and playing, accelerating a range of new behaviours that won’t reverse. The upshot is a new-found and universal tech-confidence, along with the understanding of how it can help control and personalise interactions – from shopping, to eating, to banking and learning. IKEA, amongst others, has introduced contactless click-and-collect, delivering straight into a customer’s car boot, and Ulta Beauty has innovated with AR to aid customers in virtually trying on makeup – bringing together both magic and practicality. As life has slowed down, mobile and digital connectivity has exploded options and choice for customers to adapt to and enjoy retail experiences safely and conveniently. This new-found digital agility will enable customers to better engage between channels for joined up and differentiated service experiences. This is where the ‘insperience’ economy comes in. Brands are finding additional revenue through inspiring new and existing customers via virtual experiences offering value beyond price (the market continues to rapidly grow, predicted to be worth 168 million over the next 12 months according to Barclaycard, 2020). New influencer partnerships such as Beyonce and Peloton, and seasonal virtual events such as John Lewis’ free-and-paid for online activities to prepare for Christmas, have the pulling power to dynamically compete for share of attention, time and spend. The power of engagement with this group we call the ‘Participation Generation’ will redefine the role of retail in 2021, seeing both physical and digital worlds colliding to amplify and connect these new innovations. Welcome to the ‘Insperience Economy’ – you’ll find it somewhere very near you.
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FEATURE
Katie Baron,
Ian Johnston,
Director of Brand Engagement, Stylus
Founder & Creative Director, Quinine
Leaning into local
Do good, feel good
2020 – the year of radical change – has caused consumers to finally get comfortable with life via a digital lens, thrust the value of community (online and off) into the starkest spotlight and demanded brand practices capable of spurring a more positive status quo. Specific trends we’ve highlighted intensively this year include the leveraging of live commerce – from the epic, social streaming extravaganzas of brands such as Chinese e-tail giant JD.com to the kind of one-to-one virtual consultations (most prevalent in the beauty sector) that reveal just how digital can facilitate intimacy. It’s an appetite that’s also birthed the ‘insperience economy’ – athome products and services that may have appeared gimmicky in the early days of ‘quarantinis’ but are now, according to Barclays, a sector predicted to reach 168m ($217m) by mid2021 in the UK alone. Encompassing everything from fitness (note Lululemon’s acquisition of home fitness start-up Mirror) to culinary genius, the promise is rich and multifaceted. This year has also been shaped by the rise of bookable brand time and ‘small numbers experiums’ primed for safe social connections and upgraded utility services; from drive-thru concepts to click-and-collect, these formerly pedestrian parts of the retail experience have become touchpoints of premium importance. We’ve also seen the rise of virtual flagships and the rising stock of zero-touch technologies capable of not only building reassurance into the physical brand space, but delivering a more exhilarating and potentially personalised journey where voice, audio, app, sonic and gesture-controlled technologies can craft a more in-depth brand personality. For 2021 all of the above and more will be key, but it’s also worth pinpointing the growing importance of ‘leaning into local’. No longer the byword for small-town mentality, ‘local’ hit a new stride via the pandemic and Black Lives Matter uprisings, as community bonds (both practical and emotional) became enormously evident. Expect a new breed of decentralised stores and activations talking to ‘micropolitan’, regionalised consumers and retailer-backed, tech-enabled support networks (see Walmart’s collaboration with local goods and services exchange app Nextdoor) based on ‘omnifying the neighbourhood’.
What is important to people - to customers - has changed dramatically over the last nine months. Back in March, frictionless, convenient retail was at the top of everybody’s agenda. Our time in lockdown has changed our fundamental approach to life. Our attention has shifted towards supporting the local community, our families and the impact we can have on the world around us. Today, we are much more concerned with why we buy and whom we buy from than how quickly we can get what we’ve purchased. Who we buy from and what that brand stands for are more important than ever before. Our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated our need and desire to feel good about our purchasing decisions. With few retail experiences open, events to attend, or activities to participate in, people are finding fulfilment in associating themselves with brands that do good. The trend towards brands communicating their virtuous behaviour to engage and build trust and loyalty with customers will have a tremendous impact in the future. This goes beyond consumers’ baseline expectations of a brand’s approach to sustainability, inclusion and staff, to now include how brands support the social causes that they believe in. As brands move towards becoming the commercial and cultural pillars that society looks to forguidance, they are being asked by the public to wield their influence to have a positive impact beyond the products and services they sell. The year ahead will undoubtedly see brands exploring how the physical store environment can be used to better engage customers in the causes that matter to their brand most. Showing kindness and empathy to your staff, community and customers will outpace customer experience, convenience and price as the key drivers of brand differentiation.
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FEATURE
Joan Insel,
Ollie Patterson,
Global Retail Strategy Specialist, CallisonRTKL Vice President
Marketing Director, Mynt
New rituals for the new normal
Pop-ups built around digital data
The time is now. The future is tomorrow. And retail is evolving, just as it has always evolved to keep pace with consumer needs and desires. As we all know, COVID-19 has accelerated certain trends. Five years of change, pushed into five months: From being well to wellbeing; from “peak stuff” to re-use, re-furbish and re-purpose; from big box to small/alternative formats; and from global to more local. So what’s next? The joy of shopping in real life is seeing, touching, hearing, smelling (and sometimes tasting) the product; “IRL” shopping is about thrilling the senses. Just as the role of brick-and-mortar stores and shopping centres needs to be re-defined, so does the digital shopping experience. Right now, most products are presented as a product or package next to more products and packages. The experience is just a transaction, with one brand following another. Remember the old days, commuting downtown, grabbing a coffee on the way to the office and plunking down at a desk? Everyday routines have been disrupted and multiple aspects of life will see sustained change. Work rituals have been impacted the most, and attitudes towards “what we need” are now aligning “what is meaningful.” During times of crisis, our brains crave certainty and predictability - an intrinsic self-defence mechanism. But, when the immediate future is difficult to predict, taking the long view provides clarity and possibilities when the near term feels less certain. Some possibilities may be new while others may be old, and simply, applied differently. And, like now, adaptability will be key.
Looking ahead to 2021, I don’t really see physical retail changing that much. People will still go shopping, they’ll just have to wear a mask and distance themselves from others. But over time, people will get used to it and these shopping parameters will be loosened. As a full-service creative agency, we work with brands in so many different sectors and across diverse creative disciplines, and the commonality in all briefs right now seem to centre around delivering digital convenience. As soon as the first lockdown happened, all of our clients needed digital campaigns, content, assets, etc. in order to easily communicate, engage with and sell to their customers online. The briefs were about adding value to our clients’ customers in the sense that their stores were shut, so people needed an easy way to still access the brand. The brands needed more digital content than ever to ensure engagement remained high. Now, as we exit lockdown 2.0, we’re receiving more physical retail design briefs. But they’re not focused on creating “COVIDfriendly” retail concepts. If anything, the briefs are simply centred on harnessing the fluidity of online communications and injecting some of that into a physical space. Our focus is on creating engaging physical environments and enjoyable shopping experiences. That said, as retail evolves, one of our predictions for the future (particularly for fashion, sports and beauty retailers) is the emergence of localised capsule collections popping up in nearby regions in the form of temporary pop-up spaces, which will be built around a brand’s digital data. I think data will start to be implemented more intelligently in order to further aid convenience by informing what product ranges a pop-up space will stock (based on localised online browsing behaviour and search patterns), as well as informing what events/activations these pop-up spaces should hold. For certain markets that people dip into once a month/every other month, this model of retail has the potential to make brands feel more fluid and ‘real-time’
To quote Mark Twain, “the past does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes”.
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Photo Credit: SLVHCS ‘Project Legacy’, New Orleans, USA © Sean Airhart/NBBJ
PROJECT
Zara Bluewater, Kent
Zara has opened its first new concept store in the UK at Bluewater, one of Europe’s leading retail and leisure destinations. The 37,000 sq ft store, which is double the size of Zara’s previous store at Bluewater, shares its design with Zara’s other global flagships in Barcelona and Dubai. Situated on Bluewater’s upper Guildhall and the result of Landsec combining a number of units and building out over Bluewater’ central service yard, the new Zara showcases the brand’s full ranges for men, women and children over two floors. In addition, the upper level includes a mezzanine featuring Zara Home. Reflecting Bluewater’s ethos of providing a unique experience for guests, the store has a dedicated personal shopper area.
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Described by Zara as a model for its online and instore integration concept, the store also features an Automated Collection Point (ACP), at which customers can pick-up online orders using QR codes or PINs provided at the time of ordering online. Continuing the integration theme, the store includes self-service and dedicated refund tills to ensure the experience is as seamless as possible. Rob Hardie, Portfolio Director at Landsec, co-owner and asset manager of Bluewater, said: “It is a testament to the strength and appeal of Bluewater to brands and consumers alike that Zara has chosen it as the debut location in the UK for its new global flagship concept. The store provides Bluewater’s guests with a genuine omni-channel experience that sets a precedent for the future of retail.” Reflecting the current Covid-19 guidelines, the store has opened with a range of measures in place to ensure customers can enjoy the experience safely and with confidence. These include one-way systems, hand sanitiser stations and safe queuing. Additional staff will be on hand to assist customers, complemented by Bluewater’s guest services team. The opening of Zara follows the launch of Dermalogica’s experiential store on Bluewater’s Guildhall in October. The brand’s first standalone store outside London, and only its second in the UK, the new Dermalogica focuses on education, with expert therapists guiding customers through the full range of skin care products.
PROJECT
Subtype Sydney, AUSTRALIA Built in 1895, the 350 George Street is Sydney’s second oldest heritage site. The store design concept plays homage to the architectural history of the building, and shows an appreciation of the dramatic original design details. The curved forms of the marble lined semi circular foyer, the materiality of the ornately framed bronze grand staircase, the gold glow of the lead light domed ceilings, and the textural quality of the trachyte stone facade all form conceptual references for the store environment. With respect to the heritage overlay, Noise Noise Noise presents a memorable conceptual retail space for Subtype with their signature sense of playful allure, unexpected tactility, digitally inspired materiality and utmost confidence with colour. To coincide with Subtype’s sister concept stores in both Melbourne and Auckland, the sneaker gallery is linear and gridlike in its form, its evenly spaced matte white shelving and rhythmic spatial
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PROJECT
composition offers a sense of order to the space. A feat in its own right, all walls are self supporting and built to not impose or effect the heritage architecture of walls or floors throughout. Central to the gallery, gold dipped sustainably sourced tree logs are stacked on steel pallets and held together with yellow zinc chain. Reclaiming the logs from a Melbourne arborist they form an intriguing reclaimed display unique to the Sydney location. As an intended juxtaposition to the seriousness of the heritage site, the playfulness of primary yellow is tonally layered in throughout. The 6-metre long seating lounge is bulbous in effect and upholstered in yellow fur, yet shrouded with a juxtaposition of stainless steel. The fitting rooms are surrealist in approach, curved white exteriors contrast with the linear interior which is lined in reflective gold chrome, full-height LED strip lighting and clear infinity mirror. In the corner, a customdesigned yellow longhair fur chair – like a furry monster ready to play. Underfoot, custom hand-tufted rugs take inspiration from the glitch curtaining of the rear space and use various tones of yellow and mustard to create monochromatic eye-catching repetition which is reflected in the 360 degree mirrored walls. Round form is used throughout as a hint to the original architecture. Bases to all fixtures utilise brass tube which will continue to patina over time, corners of newly built freestanding walls flow continuously with seamless curved edges, yellow zinc dipped spiral plinths are dotted throughout, and the feature of the rear space, the gold mirror feature room is space age in aesthetic and alters perspectives. The custom chromatic inspired glitch textile was developed by Noise Noise Noise and used as curtaining around the rear of the store – 3.2metres of drape creates a fantastical dreamlike softness, blurring the line between digital and physical reality
PROJECT
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project
Delvaux Paris, FRANCE Delvaux – the oldest luxury leather goods house in the world – opens a new Parisian boutique, its fourth in the French capital. The store is situated in Rue Saint Honoré, one of the most famous streets for luxury retail. Just a stone’s throw from the Jardin des Tuileries and the elegant Place Vendôme, a stunning listed building was chosen as the exclusive location for the Delvaux boutique. Vudafieri-Saverino Partners were once again commissioned to add their unique stamp. The Milan-based architecture practice has designed Delvaux boutiques around the world since 2012, giving each store a narrative slant that differs according to the characteristics and culture of each city, from Milan to Hong Kong, from London to New York. Spread across 100 square metres, the interiors of the Rue Saint Honoré boutique reflect the building’s heritage and bring together Delvaux’ Belgian spirit and Parisian style. The use of materials is visually striking and the eye is drawn to a series of antique doors, which adorn the walls and act as a backdrop to the products on display. These rare antiques – from different periods and of different styles but all with a distinctly French feel – tell a unique story of masterly crafted design and represent a tribute to the city where this boutique is located. Used as a frame for La Maison’s luxury bags, the doors are an unprecedented evolution of the wood panelling, a design feature that Delvaux have frequently adopted and have reinterpreted in various different ways in their boutiques.
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PROJECT
The interior of the store is an eclectic mix of bespoke Vudafieri-Saverino Partners furnishings and a selection of designer pieces and antiques, which combine together in a subtle harmony of styles. Most notably, these include a majestic antique Saint Anne marble table with white floral motif, and, in the middle of the boutique, an outstanding 18 th century gilded ceremonial cabinet. Tiziano Vudafieri and Claudio Saverino have once again worked around colour and texture, adorning the walls with special plaster and stucco by the Italian artist Filippo Falaguasta and providing a sense of tonal warmth in line with the wall panelling. Visitors are met with the Custom Bar counter as they enter the store: here they can experience Delvaux luxury in their own bespoke way. The counter top is bathed in a warm glow from industrial style pendant lamps and behind this there stands a floor-to-ceiling bookcase which showcases Delvaux accessories.
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Aside from the unique use of antique doors, the homage to Paris and France can also be seen in the boutique’s materials. Burgundy limestone has been chosen for the flooring, and the Pierre de Taille hewn stone, a feature in furnishings such as the bookcase, is a celebration of the facades of the French capital’s historic buildings. These are skilfully blended with traditional Delvaux materials such as gold, satin nickel and burnished brass.
PROJECT
Link and Co Amsterdam
Lynk & Co has opened the first of their physical retail locations, which the company has dubbed Clubs, in Amsterdam. If you’re picturing a car showroom, think again. Sure, you can check out the 01 car, and even take it for a test drive. But more than that, the Clubs are a place to experience the Lynk & Co community, a hub to host events, a space to showcase local partners, and an opportunity to connect with members on a personal level. The Club was designed to be flexible, modular, and able to work for diverse needs: whether it’s an exclusive DJ set, provocative art exposition, cooking classes, or adult puppeteering. A space for whatever you are into. The experience starts before you even enter the Club, with the beautiful historic building and a digital facade featuring Lynk & Co’s digital assistant. Inside, there’s a creative community area, a coffee bar featuring a Lynk & Co signature mocktail, amphitheater-style seating for events, a chain-link cage to hold the 01, and a trove of thoughtful finishing touches to discover. The Club works as a living room, community gathering place, and even a co-working space with soon-to-be-bookable meeting rooms. All the unique furnishings in the Club are available for sale to customers—in fact, everything
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you can see in the Club is for sale. From the products sold to the furnishings selected, everything in the Club was chosen to be eco-friendly and ethically sourced. Much of the historic building was preserved, and the renovations were done using only natural building materials and a small amount of recycled plastic. Even the display podiums are handcrafted from recycled newspaper and car scraps. Along with the Club opening, Lynk & Co announced their partnership with Swedish micromobility company, Vässla. Lynk & Co will be the first reseller of the Vässla bike in the Netherlands, and the two companies will host events related to urban mobility and sustainability. Vässla’s products will be available online and in the Amsterdam Club. The partnership between Vässla and Lynk & Co reflects a common core value: making mobility more accessible and sustainable for all. The Lynk & Co Club is all about collaboration. Lynk & Co has curated a selection of small businesses, eco-friendly brands, and talented artists from the Netherlands and across Europe to feature in the store. The brands are diverse, but a few things unite them: unique visions, quality products, and a proven dedication to sustainability. >>>
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Lynk & Co will offer products and host events in collaboration with these partners, while focusing on uplifting ethical brands, promoting their products in a premium retail environment, and providing them with fair agreements. With a rolling lineup of local partners, there will always be new products and events for members to explore. Choosing Amsterdam, the anticar capital of the world, for their first Club was no coincidence. While Amsterdammers generally have no interest in owning their own car, many still need a hassle-free, easy solution for those too-long-to-bike journeys. The Amsterdam club is just the first of many, and each will have a unique design and feeling. Lynk & Co’s next stop? Gothen- burg, Sweden. As Lynk & Co’ home, the city is second in line for a Club of their own. The Gothenburg Club will open by the end of the year.
PROJECT
PROJECT
project
Jackman London, UK
A new addition to the London Bridge area, Jackman of Fukui, Japan are set to open their first UK shop on December 4th, lockdown restrictions allowing. Located just off the bustle of the famous Borough Market on Park Street, the brand add to the existing artisanal shopping landscape of the area with meticulously crafted, Japanese made, vintage sportwear inspired pieces that will fit right into any casual wardrobe. Founded in 1949 in Fukuki, Japan by visionary Mitsugu Tanabe, the Tanabe Meriyasu factory started life as a single room with three machines. Inspired by the stockings of the visiting American baseball team in the years following the war, Tanabe began to create exceptional quality baseball stirrup stockings, even inventing new machines in order to yield a result superior to anything else available. The offering was soon extended to include other vintage sportswear inspired pieces, and the brand would go on to supply the official training wears for the Japanese Olympic team in 1964. Fast forward to the present day and the factory brand continues to produce exemplary quality pieces from the original factory. With over 70 years of expertise, >>>
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PROJECT
the highly skilled artisans even use vintage machines which despite taking longer, create garments much stronger and of a higher quality. With a shop in Tokyo, and a small but growing fan base in the UK partly of the back of a successful collaboration with Suffolk based factory brand Lavenham, a London shop feels like a natural progression. Perfectly at home beside artisanal producers Neal’s Yard Fromagerie, Aesop and Cubits bespoke eyewear, Jackman follows the theme of quality and craftmanship the area is known for.Top customers will receive their very own numbered baseball tag to hang on the shop wall, and limited-edition home and away coloured sweatshirts inspired by an old catalogue will be available exclusively in the London Bridge and Tokyo shops. Expect to find perfectly cut sweaters and tee shirts in the softest and most durable cotton, as well as casual trousers and heavier weight jersey jackets. The shop fit itself has been carefully considered and crafted, and remains sympathetic to the grade II listed building. Perfect for fans of quality and craftmanship, and those who like their clothes to last for longer than a couple of seasons, Jackman is an exciting new bricks and mortar addition to the artisanal London Bridge shopping scene, set to cause a stir amongst London’s normcore subscribers.
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FEATURE
Why virtue is the NEW COOL What do we mean by virtuous? Virtuous is conforming to moral and ethical principles. A virtuous brand drives towards a high standard of moral excellence. Being virtuous comes from a place of sincerity. Doing something to appease public opinion or seek profits is not virtuous. This is a thin line that many brands cross. Virtuous brands do good things because it is an extension of their brand DNA. There is no playbook for what is considered virtuous. Acts of virtue that follow a script are contrived and inauthentic. Truly virtuous brands act because they feel it is the right thing to do, irrespective of judgements or profits. They are virtuous because what they are doing is true to their brand ethos. They act irrespective of their competition, often being trailblazers that others eventually follow in time.
Why do we need virtuous brands?
Ian Johnston Founder and Creative Director Quinine
Being virtuous is a key characteristic of the most successful brands. Priorities of the modern consumer have shifted to make kindness and empathy the key to sustained market growth and consumer trust and loyalty. The Millennial generation is the largest in history and has unprecedented buying power. This younger consumer group has a different set of values than the generations before them; they want a job that they are passionate about and they view their consumer choices as a mechanism to support movements and make change. Their concept of identity is intertwined with consumerism, where buying products and supporting brands is a form of self-affirmation. Today, consumers have a more positive view of a company, when that company supports a social cause. As brands try to capture the attention of consumers, there has been a shift from brands seeking engagement, to having to earn public approval. Making quality products or supplying quality services is no longer enough, brands need to benefit society. Successful brands of the future must be virtuous. And the most successful retail brands will have virtuous store experiences.
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We need brands to be virtuous because brands have power and wield influence. Modern society looks to brands for moral and ethical leadership. Today, brands are replacing politics and religion as moral pillars that we trust and seek guidance from. Global brands can wield their power to make large scale change. Brands can improve working conditions and workers’ rights. They can change employment and pay inequalities. They can choose to be sustainable. Society used to turn to governments, interest groups and activists to make positive changes, but now consumers have a direct relationship with brands. As consumerism has become a key pillar of society, it’s no surprise that we turn to big businesses to effect change like we do. Brands have the ability to take a stance, but they also tell stories and engage us in the process. Brands don’t have to please everyone, they can take sides and choose who they want to please. British supermarket chain Morrisons started an initiative to provide a shopping environment for neurodivergent customers that has since been followed by other retailers such as B&Q. Once a week Morrisons ‘Quieter Hour’ provides an altered store experience that is more comfortable for autistic shoppers. Environmental stimulants that would otherwise be off-putting for autistic customers are removed; lights are dimmed, check-out sounds are turned off and store speaker announcements do not take place, providing an altered store experience that is more considerate of this consumer group. This was an initiative that Morrisons had no legal obligation to make, yet they chose to make a positive contribution to people disadvantaged in their community.
Virtuous brands inspire people Virtuous brands show ambition; they have an admirable desire for achievement that inspires people over a long period of time. Virtuous brands lead from the front and motivate consumers to actively contribute to causes beyond themselves. We need virtuous brands to bring social issues to the forefront of people’s minds by using their stores (and other brand touch points) to highlight agendas and educate consumers. It’s not always the case that brands are fighting for causes that are on the current news agenda or that their customers deem important. It can be that brands bring issues to the awareness of consumers. Such is their power and importance in society. Customers visiting a Toms’ shoe store will become aware of the social needs of poverty stricken societies, and customers visiting an Ecoalf store can become educated about ocean pollution.
Virtuous brands help individuals be themselves They allow customers to actualise their own self-concepts by aligning themselves with the brand. A person who defines themselves as someone who believes in a sustainable way of life and deeply cares about environmental issues will reaffirm their own self-concept by purchasing a coat from Patagonia. The brand set up over 70 repair centres across North America that repair over 100,000 items each year. These are often small mobile repair centres that will repair any piece of clothing brought to them, even if they’re not made by the Patagonia brand. Another initiative is their Worn Wear collection of recycled Patagonia clothing, that they sell in-store and online. Brands that have meaning attached to them, that people align themselves to, often provide people with a sense of fulfilment. This is the power of brands in the modern age. Consumer products have always provided a sense of fulfilment on different scales, but today brands also have the ability to provide consumers with moral fulfilment. They have the ability to fulfil what Maslow, in his hierarchy of needs, referred to as ‘self-actualising’ goals. >>>
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FEATURE Virtuous brands establish a connection with the community They are a part of something larger than themselves and act in a selfless way. Virtue is socially beneficial by nature. What’s good for the community is good for the individual, and equally what is good for the individual is often good for the greater society. This is what makes the public lend their trust to virtuous brands. They follow them and believe in them. Starbucks Community Stores aim to open in underprivileged neighbourhoods to play a positive role in the community. The stores support local economic development and provide employment and training for local youth, they hire local contractors, and provide unique in-store training events and programmes. With 17 Community Stores opening since 2015, Starbucks is committed to opening a total of 100 ‘community stores’ by 2025.
Virtuous brands take a stand, despite the risk Being virtuous allows a brand to stay present and evolve with society throughout time. Virtuous brands evolve with public movements and remain contemporary. Society always strives to become ‘good’ and to create a more prosperous world. Human beings are constantly developing a collective sense of morals and ethics to hold each other accountable. A single act that is good or ethical is contemporary, often frozen in time, but the desire to be good is something that evolves through time as society does. Nike has a history of supporting social issues ahead of other brands. Their support of American civil rights activist, Colin Kaepernick was consistent with the brand DNA rather than a reactive moment. In 1988 the ‘Just Do It’ campaign fought against ageism. In 1995 the ‘If you let me play’ ad supported gender equality in sport, the same year their ‘Just Do It’ ad featured openly HIV-positive runner Ric Munoz. In 2007 they featured a disabled athlete Matt Scott in a ‘No excuses’ ad campaign to support disabled sport. In 2017 they celebrated Arab women in sport with their ‘What will they say about you’ campaign, and in the last couple of years we have seen ‘plus size’ female mannequins and mannequins with prosthetic limbs included in their stores.
Virtuous brands take accountability This often means engaging with consumers and taking ownership, admitting faults and striving to improve. This is an inevitable part of growth and evolution. Accountability is important for a society that fears losing power. An organisation that isn’t held accountable is untouchable and has no incentive to be empathetic to others. Accountability builds trust with customers. Starbucks showed internal accountability in their response to an incidence of racial prejudice in a Philadelphia store. After they admitted fault, all stores were closed for a day while 180,000 staff were admitted into implicit bias training. What started off as a negative brand association become a brand that takes its responsibility to serve the community very seriously. It is particularly promising to see businesses turn to external sources that hold them to independent standards and value their commitment to others. B Lab is a non-profit organisation that provides ‘B Corporation’ certification to forprofit businesses. Any certified ‘B Corp’, as they are known, is valued by their positive social and environmental impact, receiving a score across multiple dimensions that asses the business governance, the impact and treatment of workers, and the impact on the community and environment. B Corps, such as retail businesses Allbirds, Patagonia, Ecoalf, Veja and Toms (to name but a few), voluntarily submit to a transparent impact assessment that can be viewed on the B Corporation website. These businesses accept the responsibility they have as global businesses and hold themselves accountable for their own performances and practices.
FEATURE Virtuous brands don’t just inspire customers, but they inspire staff The virtuous nature of the brand is embodied by store staff and their interaction with customers. This makes the brand characteristics infectious and authenticates its true nature and motives. Staff that believe in the brand they work for are happier, more enthusiastic and more productive. Staff who are authentic brand ambassadors are the key to providing a great experience for customers, while also providing a more effective workforce with lower turnover. Virtuous retailers can create a deeper level of job satisfaction that other retailers don’t provide. Giving someone purpose through their work that extends beyond the store and into the community is a powerful thing. It touches our deeper psychosocial needs of belonging.
Why does it matter? What are the results? There are many ways to gain the trust of consumers. Some brands offer quality or consistency, yet virtuous brands offer an authentic desire to do good. This can be a precarious strategy to win trust, however the rewards for philanthropic brands are becoming obvious as more brands engage in socially conscious behaviours. Brands with a clear sense of purpose have increased their brand valuation by 175% over a 12 year period. Nike has seen sales and market share grow after each socially conscious campaign. Their endorsement of Colin Kaepernick saw on online sales rise 31% in the 2 days following, while company shares rose 33% that year. Starbucks have continued to grow globally as they prioritise local communities and social causes. The company opened over 30,000 new stores in 2019 and finished the year with an all-time high figure of net sales. The biggest benefit to being a virtuous brand is the deep level of connection with consumers. This turns periodic sales into loyal customers. A 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a 25-95% increase in profit. On the other side of the line, perceptions of faux philanthropy can be a tough hole to get out of. There is a huge difference between being virtuous and virtue signalling.
Pepsi’s infamous Kendal Jenner ad should be a lesson for all brands. The brand tried to piggyback off the Black Lives Matter movement with disastrous effects. The Pepsi brand perception dropped to an eight year low among Millennials over the months following the campaign. The key is to be authentic. Virtuous acts should come from a place that’s unrelated to profits. Chasing profits under the guise of activism will likely end badly. 71% of consumers will lose trust in a brand forever, if they perceive that the brand is prioritising profit over people. The importance of brand trust cannot be overstated. Brand trust is rated by consumers as second only to price in brand attributes that gain new business or retain existing business. There are many faces to virtue and many types of virtuous acts. In reality it is very difficult to be a truly virtuous brand. No brand is perfectly selfless, just as no person is. Many brands that do great things (some mentioned in this article) also engage in acts of obvious self-interest. This is to be expected, after all, they are commercial enterprises first and foremost. Virtuous brands have to pick their battles and decide how they give back. Naturally some causes will have more social currency than others, but this shouldn’t determine how any brand decides what social cause they fight for. This would be acting with interest in profits. It needs to be authentic. It needs to come from an internal desire to use their given power as an organisation to do good.
Is your retail environment the best place to show your virtues? Visiting physical retail stores is a commonplace activity for most of us in modern society, therein lies their power to enact change and have a real impact. It’s important that brands go beyond mere signalling, and connect virtuous behaviour to an action. The growing number of virtuous brands is certainly encouraging to see, but we can’t help but think there is a missed opportunity within retail design. Virtuous brands are primarily communicating to customers via ad campaigns, but social causes are not being communicated inside retail stores effectively. This means that brands aren’t using their most effective and engaging communication tool; their most effective medium to translate an idea and make an impactful impression. The multi-sensory nature of store experiences creates the ability evoke more emotion, but also create a lasting memory. Retailers have the capacity to involve customers and communicate through in-store experiences. With the famous proverb in mind “Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I’ll remember, involve me and I’ll understand” retailers need to use interaction and active participation in their stores, as they are the most powerful ways to understand something. If brands use social causes to connect to customers and communities, and retail stores are the ultimate point of customer connection, it makes sense for social causes to feature heavily in physical retail, the domain of communal places for social experiences. This is the new challenge for virtuous brands and the next logical step for experiential retail in a socially conscious society.
E x p l o r a
S P E C T R U M
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products
FLOORING IDS The LiViT LVT flooring range from IDS combines a high performance specification, design and competitive price point. The range offers seven oak plank designs of 178mm x 1244mm and three rigid tile designs of 303mm x 607mm. Both are easy to install thanks to patented I4F click technology, are slip resistant, easy to clean and are compatible with water piped underfloor heating. LiViT offers a 5-year warranty for light commercial use and is available for 24-48 hour delivery from all IDS branches nationwide. T. +44 (0)8457 298 298 E: info@idsurfaces.co.uk www.idsurfaces.co.uk
IDS The characterful look of reclaimed flooring can be easily created with the popular Brada designs, part of the Malmo™ Senses Multi-Width luxury vinyl tile collection. Malmo™ Senses features the latest registered and embossed technology where the printed design is in line with the surface texture, enabling the material to perfectly mirror the look and feel of real wood. The Brada multi-width designs are part of the 12-strong Malmo™ Senses LVT range available for 24-48 hour delivery from all IDS branches nationwide. T. +44 (0)8457 298 298 E: info@idsurfaces.co.uk www.idsurfaces.co.uk
BOLON With our new and improved sound insulation layer, our design flooring is becoming an even better acoustic choice for premises such as retail, hotels, offices and public spaces. The innovative improvement of the flooring’s sound insulating performance can be found in the design. An insulation felt layer has been added to reduce noise and sound impact up to 21-22 dB, making Bolon market leading in woven design flooring with this feature.
T. +44 844 561 0918 E:sales@flooring-concepts.co.uk www.bolon.com
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SELECTION Troldtekt Danish manufactured Troldtekt panels are commonly specified throughout the UK and Europe to improve the interior acoustic environment. Troldtekt® line forms nine acoustic solutions that make up the “design solutions” range which combines the best ideals of form and function. Founded on the Cradle to Cradle design concept, 100% Troldtekt’s natural wood wool panels are manufactured in a new state-of-the-art production facility. With a variety of different surfaces and colours, they can be supplied in the FSC® 100% category (FSC®C115450) contributing to a building’s BREEAM, DGNB and LEED rating. In addition to their high sound absorption and tactile surface, the panels offer high durability and low cost life cycle performance, as well as inherent sustainability. They are also a natural, breathable material which can absorb and release moisture, which is why they have been awarded an Allergy Friendly Product Award by Allergy UK.
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Armourcoat Decorative specialists Armourcoat have provided the finishing touches to The Soak, a new bar and restaurant next to London’s Victoria Station with an all-day menu that is built around signature soaked flavours through fermenting, pickling, brining and steeping techniques. Armourcoat’s Koncrete polished plaster finish is used to great effect on the bar front with recessed logo. Koncrete is an urban range of polished plaster colours and finishes designed for contemporary projects. The range offers a wealth of design options to achieve a distinctive modern look including distressed effects or recessed ‘shutter’ markings. Outside the building, Armourcoat PPX has been used to repeat the restaurant logo design. PPX is a low maintenance, durable external limestone render system that can create stunning honed and textured stone like finishes for both new build and renovation projects.
T. +44 (0) 1732 460668 E. sales@armourcoat.co.uk. www.armourcoat.com Twitter: @armourcoat
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Products
Flooring + Surfaces FAAC Entrance Solutions Following the completion of the EUR 100 million acquisition by the Italian multinational FAAC Group earlier this year, 7 European divisions of Assa Abloy Entrance Systems and Agta Record (also part of the ASSA ABLOY Group) are now being rebranded as FAAC Entrance Solutions. As part of the EU Commission approved purchase, FAAC Entrance Solutions UK Limited will be the sole supplier of all ASSA ABLOY branded automatic pedestrian door products in the United Kingdom, including swing, slide and revolving door systems and operators. The UK division (Auto Pedestrian Doors Limited Registration No. 1256207), based in Sunbury-On-Thames – has now been rebranded as FAAC Entrance Solutions UK Limited. The transaction doesn’t represent any operational changes to management, staffing, services, or product offering. The legal entities registration number remains unchanged. The new identity roll out will start on 30th of November and will be completed in 2021. www.assaabloyentrance.co.uk/en/products/automaticdoors/
PowrPOD PowrPods are unique charging stations, delivering increased footfall for businesses such as salons, restaurants, or retail outlets. Not only do they solve a perennial problem for consumers, low battery anxiety, but the PowrApp app also directs consumers to their nearest local charging station, and can promote vendor special offers. This is a key way to drive more consumers into businesses. Sponsored pods are currently in place at various locations in the UK, including universities, where the pods have proved a huge success with sponsored brands and students. Lauren Jade Adams, Founder of PowrPod, said that: “Everyone is suffering now due to the dire economic consequences of the pandemic. Our charging solutions provide an essential service for people on the go and helps increase footfall into businesses in a safe and controlled manner and generating a much-needed new revenue stream for the vendor.” Each PowrPod is a custom-made, high-tech table that is supplied with a range of comfortable seating, super-fast
Qi wireless charging pads and charging cables, a touchfree hand sanitiser dispenser and an 18.5” LED digital advertising screen. The Bar Call app is a digital ordering system that is based on consumer input and feedback. E: info@powrpod.co.uk www.powrpod.co.uk Twitter: PowrUpClub
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