Visual Merchandising Trend Journal 2017 by Tian Shi

VISUAL MERCHANDISING TREND JOURNAL 2017 by Tian Shi

Table of contents 01. Metal Space

06. LED Lighting

02. Transformed Mannequin

07. Tropical Illusion

03. Paint-Pot Color

08. Going Digital

04. Playful Creatures

09. Linear Wave

05. Into the Woods

10. Sustainable Decor

01 Metal Space One of the latest growing trends developing in the visual merchandising is the concept of metal space, this trend characterized by using stainless steel walls and bespoke fittings and furniture to create an individual destination. The metal space is like futuristic inner senses mixing innovation with tradition. Clean and minimalistic would be decribed as the keywords of this trend. By taking a less is more approach, instead of creating complex displays, retailers are shifting their focus to smaller and more simplistic displays. Basically, only a very few profucts would be displayed in the store; nevertheless, these displayed products would be the key focus to attract the attention of the customer and stimulate their desire to get it. Moreover, by placing minimal apparel products for display, retailers could create an art gallery look to showcase featured products more impressively. 5

RESOURCES http://www.yellowtrace.com.au/acne-studios-munich/ https://www.melvinroos.com/visual-merchandising-trends-to-watch/ https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/50884/page/6 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/65482/page/5

Acne Studios is known for its bare minimalism store display. The retailer use austere interiors embrace minimalist designs to show a futuristic approach to its visual merchandising. Walls are covered in shiny steel and paired with linoleum flooring. The shop is sparsely furnished with boxy displays in a matching grey and an occasional contrasting color of products. The large, light filled location is viewed through a series of windows, the store itself acting as if a window display. Contrasting textures are key, with both stainless steel walls and concrete reflected in a mirrored corner box that houses the fitting rooms.

02 Transformed Mannequin Mannequins are a statement in visual merchandising when it comes to creating unique and eye-catching store and window display designs. Their role became so important due to the strong customer-friendly aspect, the fact that they reflect the human body and shapes to perfection and help customers imagine the items of clothing on themselves. The design of the mannequin is highly representative for each store in particular. Today, mannequins are transformed into characters, playing out narratives in window displays and store visual merchandising. Concepts span from offbeat opulent body styles and theatrical headpieces. From avant-garde designs, to classic shapes, all colors and types, there are no limits one can image when it comes to mannequins. Male, female and children models are equally popular and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;ideal body typeâ&#x20AC;? stereotype has been long forgotten.

RESOURCES https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/67491/page/1 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/68373/page/4 https://mannequinmall.com/blogs/posts/using-a-mannequinas-a-visual-merchandising-tool https://www.repsly.com/blog/consumer-goods/visualmerchandising-trends-2016

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The next-gen story, and the m

With the rise of ecommerce and online shopping, traditional brick and mortar stores have been forced to think outside the box when it comes to getting consumers in their doors. Transformed mannequins offer one such option; the crafted mannequins with fun and personality could attract the attention of the customer at first sight to make their entrance. In addition, the dynamic body shape of the mannequins could have multiple views of the clothes and stimulate consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; desire for shopping. Stores are realizing that mannequins offer more than just a practical purpose, and the arresting transformed mannequins are great vehicles for branding and engaging on a deeper level with consumers.

eration consumers want to see a mannequin becomes part of the sell.â&#x20AC;? -Faith Bartrug, owner of Faith Bartrug Designs 11

03 Paint-Pot Color With the summer time coming up, retailers celebrate the season with display comprising bold paint potinspired palettes, graphic visuals and playfully artistic props. This paint-pot color theme refers to a pouring paint illusion of an bright palette and cartoon-like graphic visuals, and usually display in color strips or blocks. Shopping is an art of persuasion, customers would place color as a primary reason for why they buy a particular product, it is certainly a factor that should be given high consideration during any retail design. This bold eye-catching hues not only evokes a cheerful emotion through its bright visual impact, but also creates a attractive atmosphere for the product display which drives customer sales.

RESOURCES https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/67469/page/1 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/65354/page/11 http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/v2/interior/visual-merchandising/ http://vmsd.com/content/significance-color-retail-store-design

HermĂ¨s implemented this paint pot color palette within its window displays a lot, which featured arranged shapes in vivd colors placed in layered walls with its famous handbag showcased on colorful props. This design has a strong modern appeal should attract everyone's attention when they walking by. Loewe also incorporated bold color blocks in the backdrop and props for its window display, this design allows the retailer to be easily changed the blocks and allow freshness to be added to the windows. Timberland used a multicoloured static splash display to highlight the various colour options of this season's boat shoes. Berluti showcases the different tones of its leather shoes underneath colour coordinated pipes.

The paint- pot color is an emerging trend having an impressive impact on visual merchandising today, many retailer and brands using this bold bright color palette in both window display and in-store designs.

04 Playful Creatures The use of featuring animal image and shape was seen through the window display within many different areas, including fixtures, mannequins and props, this is one of the latest emerging trends developing in the world of visual merchandising. This playful trend provides a fresh update to the traditional fixtures and mannequins to seek a creative way to display products and create a storybook feel. By using the whimsical animal-themed displays in store retail, the fun and will creativeness would appeal more young people as well as the young-heart.

RESOURCES https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/67469/page/10 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/65482/page/2 http://0-pro.windowswear.com.library.scad.edu/trends/top-holiday-window-displaytrends-2016 http://0-pro.windowswear.com.library.scad.edu/trends/windowswear-pro-topwindow-design-trends-of-july-2016

Gucci showcases an exclusive version of its Dionysus it-bag for its in-store pop-up boutique. Flamingoes sport hats and shoes while butterflies carry bags and ants climb the brightly colored panelled walls in the electrifying display. Also, opening ceremony uses fixtures of horse to display its accessories instead of common showing shelf. These installations are sure to be more attractive and moved to customers.

L o r d & Ta y l o r i s k n o w n f o r i t s impressive holiday windows, this year, Lord & Taylor take their customers on a whimsical winter journey for portraying scenes of a winter wonderland filled with 34 hand-sculpted spirited holiday a n i m a l s . A l s o , H e r m Ă¨ s c re a t s i t s whimsical wildlife-themed displays by using colorful paper-made animal creatures. When we attracted by its superior visual impact and stop to enjoy it, its funny are always memorable.

05 Into the Woods Wood is increasingly being used to create striking interiors that allow products to stand out in new and interesting ways, the Into the Woods trend aims to blend the natural and the urban for a harmonious lifestyle shopping experience. Raw timber is one of the most popular materials. The original pattern of the wood created a distinct and primitive beauty which brings customer to an the natural world immediately. In addition, the raw timber shelves could draw customers' attention to the product itself which evoke their desire to shop. Linear wood is another emerging store design tendency. The wood vertically arranged slats and linear framesÂ create the illusion of depth within a space. Clothing can be displayed on integrated hanging rails between these structures,Â thereby maximising space. The wooden slats create a connected series of wall partitions, allowing customers to slowly discover the different collections on offer throughout the store's various layers. Wooden grid structures are also being used across entire walls, creating individual cubbyholes to display products.

RESOURCES https://www.repsly.com/blog/consumergoods/visual-merchandising-trends-2016 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_ viewer/#/66429/page/1 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_ viewer/#/59245/page/3 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_ viewer/#/70619/page/4

In Céline's newest retail store opened in HongKong, the untreated wood furniture and fixtures, and some carefully considered plants, accent the space, lending a natural and unassuming vibe to the brand. Also, Bally's flagship store recently opened in London showcases a new design concept of wood store decoration. Three-dimensional gridded walnut display walls feature throughout, which add warmth to the otherwise pared-down space, with its white resin ceiling and grey wool carpet. Rather than just filling the space with plants and wood, creative designers outfit shops with natural materials that fit not only the brand identity, but the shop’s specific environmental surroundings. Blurring the boundaries between the indoors and outdoors creates a space that communicates with the natural atmosphere. In addition, bringing elements of nature to retail design can decrease shopping stress, by inviting customers to enjoy the space as they would the great outdoors. 23

06 LED Lighting In-store lighting has always been an important i n f l u e n c e o f v i s u a l m e rc h a n d i s i n g , b u t re c e n t advancements in tunable LEDs have armed brands with new and increasingly subtle ways of influencing customer experience. The store can use tunable LEDs to highlight product displays or complement the light levels outside so that intensities like bright lights at night or slightly light shops during the day arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t jarring for customers. Tunable LEDs can also allow brands to change the feel of their store very eaily to follow the upcoming trend.

RESOURCES https://www.repsly.com/blog/consumer-goods/visualmerchandising-trends-2016 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/?lang=en#/65145/ page/1 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/61634/page/5

Since LED tubes have a very flexible shape, they can be used in stores in a multitude of ways, such as in grid formation to emphasize product displays or draping from walls to alter an ambiance. In addition, the advent of structural LED tubes has provided a way to create 360-degree diffused glow, eliminating dark corners and highlight certain pieces of merchandise. For now, many fashion brands have begun experimenting with embedded LEDs, which can be integrated into different store displays and are programmable. “As LEDs become smaller and more compact, and their outputs become brighter,” said Nelson Jenkins of Lumen Architecture, “it’s easier to integrate those sources into architectural details, like behind backlighting surfaces or cove cavities.

07 Tropical Illusion â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tropical Illusionâ&#x20AC;? visual trend explores an idealised, futuristic vision of nature, which feels psychedelic and super-natural. In this trend, man-made tropical environments provide a sense of escapism. This visual trend creates a capsule man-made tropical paradise and explore a hyperreal perception of nature. The visual merchandiser targets the illusive senses of customers with vivid colour, pattern, form and texture. The high-contrast lighting plays an very important role to this trend which uses fluorescent tube lights to form fixtures or as accents to create a psychedelic, man-made aesthetic. The designers usually use blurred neon lights to emphasize striking, psychedelic visuals and blurring the boundaries between the real and man-made.

RESOURCES http://trendland.com/simulated-jungle-installation/ https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/?lang=en#/65145/ page/1 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/61634/page/5

The visual of tropical illusion creates a sense of synthetic sanctuaries by combining re-coloured tropical foliage with high-shine mirrored surfaces. The retailers use coloured acrylic and tinted mirrors for decorative props and functional fixtures. Also, the installations usually combine reflective surfaces with high-octane color to amp up this trend's psychedelic aesthetic.

08 Going Digital With the growth of the technology and high-speed Internet connections, the fashion industry is going digital. Technology is changing the way visual merchandising takes place in that it allows stores to change their in-store content anytime they want. Digital displays can display promotions one day and debut a new collection another day. Topshop built its Fashion Week window scheme around the store's social media campaign. Named Topshop's Social Catwalk, the initiative aims to create the most socially accessible fashion show to date, with its collection set to be unveiled exclusively on Facebook. A triple-screen installation showcased imagery pulled in from the #TOPSHOPWINDOW hashtag, creating a fully interactive digital mosaic which shoppers are able to manipulate from the street.

Digital displays could even feature different types of merchandise at different times of the day. In addition, technology displays usually take up less space than physical merchandising props do, save more time for setting and replacing than traditional store display have and with more flexibility in the store layout. Engaging graphics, colorful video footage and electronic flat screen displays work well together to create a consistent brand image around multiple product offerings. Another big trend for digital merchandsing is Tablet. Customers using them are able to quickly learn what a product is, how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s used and why they should purchase it. Employees are able to move about a retail space with all the information they need at their fingertips. Moreover, the square credit card reader is becoming popular and taking palce of traditional POS. 35

09 Linear Wave "Linear Wave" refers to use linear instation to create Spirograph-inspired graphic motifs in the store display. The pattern focus on flowing organic lines, smooth undulating forms and sweeping contours. The linear-waved installation features elements of meticulous precision as well as soft, fluid layers; focusing on flowing organic lines, moulded forms and unexpected curves or folds. This visual merchandisers use fixtures with undulating waves or solid forms which appear to ripple in the breeze to create strong images for attracting customers come into the store.

RESOURCES https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/61634/page/7 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/53898/page/1 https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/61634/page/5

A sense of movement and flow is important in a successful visual merchandising. The Linear-waved visual trend focus on using clean lines and minimalist structures to create a dynamic and organic store display. Also, the complex linear design inspires intricate geometric patterns, creating psychedelic visuals that attract shoppers' attention.

10 Sustainable Decor Sustainability is a growing area for the fashion and textiles industry due to increasing legislation, the need to reduce production costs and changing consumer attitudes. There's an increasing pressure for retailers to do their part for the environment and adopt sustainable design practises. Sustainable desivisual merchandising are being acknowledged not only for their long-term positive effect on a utility bill, but also for their ability to increase brand recognition and strengthen customer loyalty. Popular sustainable design practices include using materials such as reclaimed wood, regionally sourced substances, renewable resources and greens installations. Also, the sustainable decor

RESOURCES https://www.repsly.com/blog/consumer-goods/visualmerchandising-trends-2016 http://www.retail-focus.co.uk/features/1315-sustainabledesign-back-to-nature https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/61634/ page/5

A sustainable design also includes the use of eco-friendly oak taken from the estate to build furniture and graphic items. For the new catering facilities, materials such as slate and oaks slabs were chosen, which offset the natural tones and textures of the space. 'Visual merchandising design can have a unique role in providing solutions that could address the problem rather than act as a sticky plaster, covering up the environmental wounds that may lay behind a retailerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lack of responsibility,' believes Jonathan Baker, course director at London College of Fashion and VM consultant. 'What I'm not suggesting is that we design a green theme, eco window or create props from old tyres and toilet paper. We need to have a far more in depth look at what we're doing and develop a strategy to deal with this instead of a strategy not to deal with this problem, abandoning a surface approach to simply appear to be concerned, however something is better than nothing of course.'