Feature:
Retail design
W
e as human beings want to touch, to feel and be moved
by our senses, then it belongs to us. We are looking for
inspiration as well as social exchange and locally, for
instance, we find it in a store. Inspiration at a distance
is somehow difficult. Fashion labels often assume a
pioneering role in this field, but not surprisingly, Apple,
as the only technology provider (the others are mainly
on the internet) has joined the fashion flagship stores
in Düsseldorf’s amazing new shopping destination “KöBogen”, which was designed by Daniel Libeskind. Museumlike with high walls, in a futuristic design flooded with light and structured,
curated areas (such as the product proficiency placements at the entrance) that
means one artefact group per table and an accurate presentation of each product
at a 70° angle, plus the Family Zone for workshops and the Genious Bar for quick
repairs. The check-out? Well, it’s gone mobile, done by iPhone. The store concept
is more than successful: Apple leads the US ranking list with more turnover per
square foot than Tiffany’s.
Stories are the strongest driver of
our evolution
Emotional stories affect the
whole of the brain but facts
affect only a part of it, according
to neuroscientists. On a totally
different scale than Apple, a
small owner-managed shop in
Düsseldorf brings its successful
story to life: “Madeira Drive“, the
biker Eldorado, includes a HeritageStore, a café, an art gallery and
a workshop. The store was born
out of the garage and the owner’s
community – passionate bikers
of course. The interior-windows:
taken from a pigsty. The presenter:
from former GDR music supplies.
The scent design (smell sells!): oil
emanating from the workshop.
While the Harley gets repaired,
men either drink coffee or shop.
The brand name: taken from the
owner’s favourite film and album,
Quadrophenia from The Who.
Another nice men’s playground is “Butch”:
equipment for ambitious hobby chefs.
The shop is designed as a warehouse, with
heavy-duty shelving, euro-pallets, and a
stainless steel kitchen for cooking on site.
africandesignmagazine.com
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