design:retail - March/April 2020 - 42

WINNER'S BOOK
-PROJECT WINNERS-

SPECIALTY SOFTLINES

Birkenstock, Venice, Calif.

Birkenstock opened its a second U.S. standalone store in
Venice, Calif., that reflects the Venice Beach lifestyle and honors the cherished
footwear company through incorporating similar brand elements that were used
in its New York flagship.
Designed in partnership with TPG Architecture, the store and overall design
concept is based on the century-old bungalows that are scattered throughout the eclectic
neighborhood. Inside, the welcome area reflects the décor of a "California-bohemian"inspired home with a light palette, plants, colorful rugs and soft lighting. Guests are
presented with merchandise placed on custom-made live edge wooden tables and inside
shadow boxes interspersed with lifestyle photography along the walls.
Weathered, white wood panels reminiscent of the boardwalk line some of the walls, and
the exposed beams above further echo the prominent skate and surf culture in the area.
An outdoor patio functions as a lounge for guests and an area for the store to host exclusive
events. A mural by local artist Andy Davis enhances the patio, and hanging from the ceiling,
craftsman Drew Baggett created a surfboard made of cork, calling out the iconic material
of the Birkenstock sandals.
Additional sources : Mural: Andy Davis; Cork Surfboard Fabricator: Inspired Surfboards/Drew Baggett; General Contractor: ALAIN HIRSCH Construction Corp.; Custom
Millwork: Mega Vision; Lighting: RL Studio; Artwork Installation: Inga Guzyte Art.

SPECIALTY SOFTLINES

COVERGIRL Times Square

PHOTO BY JENNA PEFFLEY

IGNATURE GERMAN SHOEMAKER

TIE!

OCATE D IN THE heart of New York,
COVERGIRL opened its firstever brick-and-mortar space
on one of Times Square's business street corners. As retail
becomes more experiential, the brand
wanted to give customers something truly
immersive, a destination-worthy, beauty

playground that embodies its confident
essence and empowering spirit-and allows consumers to touch, test and share.
Working with FRCH NELSON, all design aspects of the COVERGIRL flagship
were selected to further enhance the
brand's "I Am What I Make Up" philosophy. The overarching design theme of the
space revolves around a unique customer
journey that encourages shoppers to explore and showcase their style. Making
the space immersive, high-end augmented reality glam stations and mirrors were
installed to allow shoppers to virtually try
on makeup. A digital greeter, customization stations, and photo studio enhance
the dynamic store layout, ushering in a
new era of beauty retail.
Additional highlights of the space include a shimmer wall made of spinning

light discs and colored LED wall washers. These elements not only add pops
of pink, purple and silver into the space,
but also enforce the space's "glam" aesthetic. Sleek, black fixtures embody the
brand's iconic look allowing shoppers to
quickly spot their favorite shades of lipstick, blush, eyeshadow and more. Glam
Studios located on both floors provide the
perfect setting to play stylist to create and
share your beauty masterpiece. The space
also features two 25-ft. signs, custom illuminated signage and lightboxes, and two
large TV screens.
This project was fast-moving from
start to finish. While the overall space
was 10,000 sq. ft., the footprint was two
narrow floors, so the design had to make
efficient use of space and keep the focus
on a seamless customer journey.

PHOTOS BY RICHARD CADAN

TIE!

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3/20/20 1:06 PM

design:retail - March/April 2020

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