An interestingly designed store concept is a good first step towards better sales figures. Whether you are renewing the decoration of your shop, changing its aesthetics or opting for a completely new concept, you will find ideas and inspiration here.
1 – Turn your business into a cultural place like JM Weston
The luxury shoe brand JM Weston has converted its store in the Marais in Paris into an elegant gallery boutique. In addition to marketing the pieces of the brand, the business also becomes a cultural space. The label has put together a program of exhibitions and events dedicated to the history and know-how of the brand. A smart way to merge your brand identity with the broad field of culture.
2 – conjure up the spirit of a salon like Christian Louboutin
The French shoemaker Christian Louboutin has come up with an intimate and artistic ambience for the reopening of his historic boutique on Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Red carpeting, ornamental niches, a mixture of textures and colors: everything has been completely redesigned to offer a boutique with the feel of a private salon, a vision that remains true to the concept of the brand.
3 – Incorporate carefully selected works of art like Amiri
Well-chosen works of art can increase the quality of the in-store shopping experience. The American brand Amiri recognized this when it opened its New York flagship store in September 2021. There she offers her fashion in the midst of classic art and design pieces selected by founder Mike Amiri.
4 – Turn your business into a studio boutique like Adn
In Paris, at 137 Rue Vieille du Temple, the young French brand Adn has designed a sales room as a continuation of their studio. The 45 square meter room called Le Studio is not intended to be a classic boutique: The founder of the brand, Léa Chabaa, wants to receive customers there herself by making an appointment. The pieces are offered there and can be easily revised if desired.
5 – Rely on service like Charlie Paris
An important element when it comes to a physical business: the service. In order to attract customers who are used to online shopping, this aspect is often the first lever that comes to mind, as happened with the Charlie Paris boutique, which opened in March 2021. The French watch company offers a personalization service there with laser engraving and hot foil stamping. Another service idea is changing clothes, but also providing support through personal shopping, a Click & Collect service or a shoemaker’s shop, such as the Sézane brand’s La Conciergerie.
6 – Seduce you with an Instagrammable place like Fila
Even if the decoration of the shop should be photogenic, a separate room for Instagram snapshots can also be useful. For example, this is what the Fila brand is offering in their store in Beijing. In the middle of the three floors of the store there is an area in the typical colors of the brand and specially designed for customers who want to take pictures of the store and post them on Instagram.
7 – Integrate cinema like Burberry and Ssense
As part of a partnership with Ssense, Burberry set up a room on the second floor of its New York store in June to show the exclusive short film AB-City, a film specially commissioned by Burberry and Ssense and the theme of the imaginary Cities explored.
8 – Go for an environmentally conscious decoration like Dior
For a fashion brand, it can be a good idea to talk about environmental responsibility if the topic is really taken seriously. But you have to ensure the coherence of the discourse, right down to the decoration and design of the store. Veja, for example, relies on a minimalist aesthetic in its shops that picks up on the style of the house and reuses old elements of the place. Another example is the Dior brand, which implemented a unique concept made of natural materials for a store in Dubai in November.
9 – Work with young talent – like Courir
The Courir flagship store, which opened in May 2021 in the La Défense district of Paris, is full of retail inspiration. Among them: that of a collaboration with Casa93, the free fashion school that is open to all. In particular, the sports chain invited former student Sarah Moh to exhibit her work on the topic of upcycling in stores. An inspiring idea to turn the business into a place where customers can discover new things and support young designers.
10 – Provide a place to eat like Browns
Many brands and concept stores have set up a restaurant in their shops. A widespread and effective idea for turning your own shop into a place where you can spend time. It can be a simple sofa adjoining an area with tea as desired, or a real restaurant, or even a food truck – it’s up to you to come up with the right idea.
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.fr. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ