DDi - January/February 2011 - (Page 31)

| 31 Photos: Courtesy of Luxottica Group Top left: The “vault” at the store’s center houses high-end brands. Bottom left: Warm finishes and greenery create a welcoming environment for OPSM’s EyeHub. Top right: A cylindrical architectural feature encloses an inner “customer chamber.” Bottom right: Interactive mirrors on the main floor allow customers to record video of themselves trying on a range of styles. apply its expertise and challenge the norm in eyewear display. “We identified the EyeHub customer journey to be driven by trust,” explains Alex Ritchie, e2’s creative director. The e2 team translated that “trust” into a calm and soothing environment that would eliminate any stress associated with a trip to the eye doctor. “[We wanted to create] an experiential design that strikes up a two-way dialogue with the customer.” The resulting design is, therefore, about education, health, staff, service and product. “It’s not just about selling frames,” Ritchie emphasizes. At the door, customers are greeted and can ask for guidance through the store, designed loosely on the elliptical shape of the eye. “e2’s design strategy put the customer journey up front,” Ritchie says. A cylindrical architectural feature that includes an inner “customer chamber” dominates EyeHub’s center core and houses the store’s most aspirational styles. A zoned lighting plan reflects the store’s different functions, with moods ranging from examination rooms to testing and try-on stations. Pre-set illumination levels, depending on the time of day, ensure the right ambient levels are maintained. Given EyeHub’s high ceilings, illumination had to be “punchy” in specific display areas, without upsetting the warmth of other zones. Compact fluorescent, metal halide and LED sources were selected to deliver the desired effect, as well as for energy conservation. Technology plays a key role in the overall customer experience, with touchscreen interactive mirrors that allow people to play back a new look and see what they’ll look like with full clarity of vision. Sports enthusiasts and athletes can put their eyewear to the test in the Oakley Pressure Chamber and Revo Elements room, complete with a custom wind tunnel and variable settings for rigorous on-site frame testing. Beyond technology, the store is meant to be fun and educational, featuring elements such as the dedicated kids’ area with health education components, enclosed eye “pods” with factoids about eyes and eyeball-shaped chair seating. Luxottica Group’s long-term goal is for its EyeHub concept to be adapted globally, according to CEO Andrea Guerra. A second store is expected to open in late spring in Brisbane, Australia, and additional stores could be opened in key markets, such as China, the United Kingdom and the United States. “We believe the brand [integrity] will stay the same since it’s a global concept, but the mood and style of the store might be adapted to [the] local needs of specific markets,” Spencer reiterates. “It’s part of OPSM EyeHub’s DNA, to meet the needs and requirements of local customers, which means the design could vary from country to country.” To e-mail this article, visit www.ddionline.com/magazine. www.ddionline.com http://www.ddionline.com/magazine http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - January/February 2011

DDi - January/February 2011
Table of Contents
From the Editor
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Quick Tips
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Swatch Shanghai
Printemps Paris
OPSM’s EyeHub
Sugamo Shinkin Bank
Right Light
Product Spotlight
GlobalShop Preview
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - January/February 2011