Conscious retail design
In this post, I talk about fashion retail interior design and how conscious design can support a person’s wellness. I have worked in retail and worked in retail stores for 15 years in the past, and I have spent a lot of time working in many different retail spaces. Dozens (I have traveled a lot and had to switch jobs, and wanted to learn new things from different companies.)
While I had worked in these retail spaces, a few of which I have worked at: The Goodwill, Montmartre, The Gap, J. Crew, Elie Tahari (and more), I noticed their retail store interior design and store layouts were ergonomic and powerful.
These retail stores, retail companies, interior designers, and architects are creating retail concept designs that are healing and healthy for both customers and employees.
While working at these retail stores, I noticed that when the interior design of the store was appropriately designed, the clothing was similar to the interior design; appropriately designed. There was a natural symbiotic relationship between the clothing products and the store's interior design.
All the clothing that was sold and the retail interior design were:
Intelligent
Physiological
Engineered
Scientific
It is a positive ritual to shop in stores; it is a fashion experience to walk through the stores and shop and also see the interior design of the store. It is our own fashion interpretation too, what we see. Like the stores mentioned in this post, concept stores and retail stores will give us positive energy.
The CEO of Starbucks says: "You walk into a retail store, whatever it is, and if there’s a sense of entertainment and excitement and electricity, you wanna be there."
— Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks
This is how I felt working in fashion retail (management, styling, visual merchandising) with the apparel, the employee team, the customers, and the store design and space—there was excitement! There was electricity, and it made me want to be there. I was truly inspired by the retail interior design of all the fashion retail stores I have worked at.
Retail concept stores that sell apparel and fashion designs have to have a "fashionable" interior design in their retail space with contemporary elements. Retail design is important because it helps the customer feel good when they are in a good environment. I also think local concept stores, experiential concept stores, and pop-up shops will be important for future trends in the fashion world.
I am featuring eight elevated concept store designs in this post. I feature the retail brands and the creative minds of the architects and interior designers that designed these retail stores. Unfortunately, I have not listed the architects or interior designers of all these stores, only a few I have found the names of who designed them. I have listed the retail store brand.
These are concept stores that are consciously and cleverly designed. They all have a clear, healing space. Interior designers and architects have created unconventional ideas. They used the concepts of feng shui either consciously or subconsciously in their retail space design.
Some of the aesthetics of the concept store’s design:
Nature
Modern
Futuristic
Glowing light
Modern color palettes—bold colors, cool colors,
warm colors, modern blues of hues, tones, tints, shades
Ultra of-the-moment
Celestial
Whether it is a brick-and-mortar shop or an online shop, both need to have the conscious design as a part of the business's fashion expertise. Digital websites and physical stores need to be fresh and modern.
The retail concept stores I am featuring in this post are:
1. Gate Zero High Snobiety X Zurich (travel retail custom-designed store)
2. Tom Greyhound (luxury design concept store)
3. Glossier (concept showroom)
4. The Ring Mall (concept retail destination)
5. AND.G (luxury design concept store)
6. United Nude (concept retail store)
7. Derek Lam (luxury design concept store)
8. Burberry (luxury design concept store)
The retail space uses composition in order to arrange the product. Everything has balance, and nothing is imbalanced. People want to shop in stores that make them feel like they are having an experience. A sensory experience. These concept stores are wellness spaces. For example, modern light technology is featured in many of the retail spaces in this post, which is part of the mindful design.
If you go into a store, most of the retail design is fresh, modern, and creative, and this is an important part of wellness design. Conscious design is an architect creating art in a space. Store design also helps with branding.
Many of the designs have included biomimicry; their design is inspired by nature. They use modern elements. They use beautiful elements from nature. When you walk into a room, the way it is designed can either make you feel good or bad.
It is about the design. If it is feng shui, it is designed in a way that supports a person’s health.
The elements of retail design:
space
forms
light
color
texture
pattern
These are the basic elements of design.
The eight retail concept stores I am featuring in this post
Each concept store is named with the title on the top of the photo and is hyperlinked. You can click the title to visit their site. I have included a brief description of each store that is directly quoted from their website and a few design details.
Photo credit: High Snobiety / Zurich Airpot
About High Snobiety: "Highsnobiety is a multi-media global brand that keeps you up to date on the people, products, and ideas that are shaping the landscapes of fashion, design, music, and more."
Design details:
Rhythmic
Faux iceberg
Photo credit: Tom Greyhound
About Tom Greyhound: "Tom Greyhound Paris is a concept store featuring a selected range of Men's & Women's designer clothing and accessories."
Design details:
Feng Shui
Nature-inspired
Open concept
Photo credit: Glossier
About Glossier: "Glossier is a beauty brand inspired by real life. Everything we do is distilled into our essential, easy-to-use skincare and makeup products."
Design details:
Futuristic
Curated furnishings
Textured
Photo Credit: The Ring
About Lead 8: "Botanic-inspired retail destination featuring one of China’s largest indoor gardens. The Ring is the inaugural development in Hongkong Land’s new retail series by the same name." (Developed by Lead 8)
Design details:
Nature-inspired
Waterfall
Elevated
Photo credit: The Ring
About Lead 8: "Botanic-inspired retail destination featuring one of China’s largest indoor gardens. The Ring is the inaugural development in Hongkong Land’s new retail series by the same name." (Developed by Lead 8)
Design details:
Feng-shui
Lighting fixtures
Rhythmic
Photo Credit: Shao Fang
About AND.G: "Project Name: AND.G Concept store
Project Location: The Mixc, Shijiazhuang
Interior & Installation design: DAS Lab (www.das-design.cn)
Principal designer: Li Jingze
Designer: Ivy Wu
Owner: AND.G"
Design details:
Futuristic
Light fixtures
Interior walls
Photo credit: United Nude
About United Nude: "Clear conception, innovation, and design, at the intersection of fashion and architecture. United Nude products are architectural designs with a unique DNA."
Design details:
Futuristic colored lighting
Open concept
Feng Shui
Photo credit: Derek Lam
About Derek Lam: “Derek Lam and Jan-Hendrik Schlottmann. The advanced contemporary line, Derek Lam 10 Crosby was launched in 2011.” Derek Lam is now owned by Public Clothing Company."
Design details:
Rhythmic
Modern
Feng Shui
Photo credit: Burberry
About Burberry: "Founded in 1856, Burberry is a global brand with a distinctly British attitude. With a story steeped in exploration, innovation, and craftsmanship, Burberry continues to harness the power of creativity and community under the helm of Riccardo Tisci."
Design details:
Elevated
Textured
Gold hues
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