VMSD - August 2012 - (Page 28)
S E CTOR SP OTLI GHT: D EPARTMENT STORES
TASK MASTERS
By Anne DiNardo, Editor Department stores have always been the multitasker of retailing, offering an array of products – from housewares and jewelry to apparel and beauty – within a spacious environment. “They’ve always been a place to go at any time in your life and find something to buy,” says Steve Gardner, vp, principal, FRCH Design Worldwide (Cincinnati). “They haven’t abandoned that – you can go as a young shopper and find trends and then grow and evolve with the product category.” While department stores continued to adapt and expand their merchandise assortment, the store environments began to suffer from lack of distinction. “Department stores have been labeled as a catch-all but nothing special,” says Kathleen Jordan, principal at design firm Gensler’s New York office. “Yet there is a huge opportunity for them to look back at what made them popular originally and apply those strengths in new, innovative ways.”
28 AUGUST 2012 | vmsd.com
The evolution of the department store continues as retailers lighten up store interiors, invest in services and amenities, and find balance in their brand mixes.
Adds FRCH’s Paul Leichleiter, chief creative officer, “People don’t want beige. Stores need to strive for an environment with an opinion.” Thankfully, a host of new design and architectural trends shows renewed interest in the department store environment, including a refinement of brand presentations, new layouts and store amenities, and architectural styles that bring the outside in.
L ET T HE L IG HT S HIN E IN
One of the most prominent design trends shaping the department store landscape is the opening up of perimeter walls. “We’re getting smarter about maximizing floor space,” says Ignaz Gorischek, vp, store development, Neiman Marcus (Dallas). Without the need to use perimeter walls only for merchandise displays, retailers are uncovering or adding windows, allowing natural light to flood their interiors and bring views of the outside in. “It feels
CHARLIE MAYER, CHICAGO
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of VMSD - August 2012
VMSD - August 2012
Contents
From the Editor
VMSD Editorial Advisory Board
The Goods
Next Store
Dress Up With a Twist
Through the Eyes of the Consumer
The Year of the Unexpected
Play Time
Task Masters
Showroom
Ad Index
Checking Out
VMSD - August 2012
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