Recently, spectacle brand Kirk Originals opened their new flagship store on Conduit Street in London. Unlike most other eyewear stores, Kirk’s store design does not feature white walls, or rows of eyewear that are systematically placed exactly five inches below another. Instead, designers decided to be creative and take a sculptural, 3D approach to presenting Kirk’s retro-inspired glasses on the wall.
Not only was I impressed with their semi-futuristic, compelling visuals, but I was impressed with their product, as well. With collections such as ‘Sculpture’, ‘Kinetic’, and ‘Saturn’, I was intrigued to browse Kirk’s website. Lucky for my oval face, Kirk Originals features lots of square, geometric shaped frames. (Too bad I don’t even need glasses! We always want what we can’t have, right?)
Carrie Bradshaw once said, “One girl’s dream boat is another girl’s Titanic.” Well, the same goes for retail design. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we can only expect to see a plethora of display ideas from both negative and positive angles of Hallmark’s “Day for Love”.
Do you feel romantically inclined, like Saks Fifth Avenue?
…or do you care to daydream about your dinner plans?
It’s so hard to watch brands and stores crash and burn. What I’m referring to is when a brand decides to launch a new product line in store, and you can just “see it coming”. (The failure, the awkward sales tactics, the push to get an awkward new line of products to the registers and out the door.)
These awkward new product lines usually involve combinations you would never imagine being a reality – like when The Gap installed a bike shop. I guess it’s all about lifestyle, but I always think: “Wait, what? Really?”
Earlier today, I found out that Payless is going to be launching a cosmetics line. The proposed reasoning is that, because their accessories sell so well, customers will be attracted to something like cosmetics, too. Honestly, it sounds like the brand will just be a waste of time to even think about -– there’s way too many brands and products in the cosmetics market, anyway!
I mean, would you purchase cosmetics from Payless shoe store? Let’s be honest –- I love a good drug store fest, where I load up on guilty pleasures, but Payless is entirely different. I guess I won’t be stepping inside to even test it, due to fears of quality and wasting my money. Or is it just like a drug store binge session? I guess we have to wait and see.
One last comment: will BOGO apply to the cosmetics as well?
Lately, I’ve started to believe that there’s no end in sight to these chilly days. (I am more of a late summer/fall girl, who loves heat and not having to cover up her entire look with a coat. I guess I also love getting away with wearing a bra as a top.)
A few days ago, my downtown neighborhood stroll came to a halt as I discovered Barney’s new spring windows. The neon lights are obviously shocking and thrilling, but they are currently the best pick-me-up for my winter blues. The windows give me hope that there are things such as the rebirth of spring, and bright colors in the near future.
…but Barney’s isn’t the only retailer to jump on their spring windows early.
A select amount of the San Francisco Ballet’s costumes have been sprinkled through the windows of luxury boutiques and department stores around the city’s Union Square.
Ballerinas in the windows of Neiman Marcus
This annual tradition not only promotes the Ballet’s opening night gala, but allows ex-dancers like myself to squeal and gaze at the costumes with eyes fully open.
These costumes also have the perfect amount of sparkle, personality, and oomph to keep me engaged between the awkward transition of late fall to early spring. When I say personality, I mean their hidden characters. Each store sets their tutus up with such personality, I can’t help but comment about it.
These ladies seem all dressed to attend a Marie Antoinette themed tea party. Fruit tart, anyone?
Here, Miss Thang is making her big entrance to the city’s hottest club, Saks Fifth Avenue. She enters the room, strikes a pose, and demands, “I’ve arrived! Why isn’t MY song playing? And where’s my Cosmo?”
Would you shop out of a freight crate if it were arranged in a chic way? How about if it was set up on the streets of London, stocked with goods rounded up by hip, young buyers and designers? Then, check out flights to London in August, because Boxpark is coming your way.
Boxfresh founder and brand consultant Roger Wadeand property developers Hammerson and Ballymore must really miss building forts in their childhood — or they want to push the marriage between recycling and architecture to its limit.
Boxpark is an exciting new pop-up style shopping experiment made up of 60 big rig freight boxes. The atmosphere is supposed to encompass the exciting vibe of an international trade show. Developers plan to rope in shoppers by renting to semi- famous indie brands and mixing them with newcomers.
Display mannequins. We overlook them. We lust over the clothing they’re wearing and we think they all look the same. Being a detail-oriented Visual Merchandising major, I am constantly paying attention to the variety of mannequins available on display in retail stores. They all have their own personalities and send waves of energy out of their windows and onto the streets. Here are a few of the main “Mannequin Tribes” I’ve noticed in the industry.
First, we have the positive, energetic tribe — one that goes to great lengths to get our attention. Their action-induced poses lead me to wonder: 1. How bored the merchandisers were and 2. Should I enter the store?
I’ve been eyeing your recent partnership with the art of visual merchandising — and I love where the collaboration is going. The visual and branding industries are changing forever because of your latest sensory videos, mechanics, 4D store displays, and architectural mapping.
My recent favorite creation you made was to celebrate the launch of Ralph Lauren’s new UK web site. The installation was viewed outside at Ralph Lauren’s new Bond Street and Madison Avenue stores with no screens, glasses, or wires, and a splash of fragrance in the air.
I am extremely inspired by the creativity and believability of the video. (And can’t wait for more luxury designers to catch on – can you imagine a 4D presentation by Vivienne Westwood or Rei Kawakubo?)
Faux snow in store windows may be the closest that San Francisco will get to having a white Christmas, but why the packing peanuts? Other retailers are using a more “authentic” faux snow, and it looks more believable. I say BCBG is on the right path to bringing down and cheapening their luxury brand.
I finally ventured into Macy’s to check out their “Holiday Lane” Christmas ornament selection. I was in awe of the number of trees on display, with themes ranging from international travel to ballet. It wasn’t long until I realized that I was lost in a maze of glittering trees, and had to “phone a friend” to get guidance on leaving the premises.
I was really excited to see the “Foodie Holiday” windows go in at Barneys in Union Square. Unfortunately, my excitement was quickly turned to disappointment when I realized there was only ONE window installed at our San Francisco store. Pathetic! I want more foodie creativity!
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