Finding new and exciting forms to create a pleasant spatial branding experience for the consumer is a must not only for the fashion house or brand involved, but also for the architect working for them. Despite the influence of new digital means of communication, physical shops - be they temporary or permanent - continue indeed to represent the genuine identity of that specific house or designer, playing a key part in generating desires in the consumers.
In the last few years, small-scale and local retail spaces with a special attention for eye-catching design with a sophisticated edge have created engaging environments for the consumers, proving to be particularly successful. In some cases, retail spaces combined art and architecture, fashion and interior design to provide consumers with more visual stimuli.
London-based architect Mehrnoosh Khadivi of Craftwork Studio has worked on 6 shops (including the temporary stores) for footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood. He recently designed the Kirkwood pop-up shop at the Tokyo department store Isetan (open until tomorrow, 27th May 2014), and another temporary store at Miami's Bal Harbour (open until September 2014).
The shops are characterised by Kirkwood's signature chevron pattern and by a series of geometric shapes in optical black and white shades that perfectly highlight the colours of Kirkwood's Spring/Summer and Pre-Fall collections. As a whole, the two spaces are a mix of modern, chic, slick and playful moods.
What inspired the palette of colours for the pop up shop in Miami and the shop at Isetan?
Mehrnoosh Khadivi: Generally, I like to stick to one palette of predominantly white and let the colour within the store come from products. I highlight and add details in Chrome / Black and Pale greys for patterns or pinpointing specific objects and details. The intention for the Miami store was to create a pop-up space that, whilst temporary in nature, was both fast to build and clearly very considered and site specific so as it looks permanent and very much on brand. The central display of hanging mobiles in the front centre of the store has all the motifs of the brand displays interpreted in a new way and creates a centre piece for the store. Whilst really dense in nature, this element still allows for each shoe to be seen independently whilst it can be clustered in grouping which are story and style led. In many ways, it is a vertical version of the plinth topographical landscape I created for Kirkwood in the New York store allowing a flow between products and stories which can be adapted when needed. Both are loose displays which allow for multiple variations. This approach allows for the Miami customers who are perhaps unaware or new to the Kirkwood brand to engage with the one large display with many products set within it from the outside and be drawn in to take a further look.
Did you ever do any shops/works in Miami or Japan before? What do you like about these places?
Mehrnoosh Khadivi: This was my first project in Miami - I have been to the city a few times during Art Basel. As a city it has clearly set its sights towards architecture, art, design and fashion; it is a city in transition and this makes it very exciting. You can palpably feel the urban renewal. The mix of American with the Cuban / Latin is really exciting and one feels you are in between. If I could live there I would be heading to downtown to Design District Wynwood and find my house! I know Isetan as I did a project for Pollini's 60th anniversary there last October. I love Japan and the way really familiar things are presented in a way that feels totally different and new.
There are some geometrical and optical elements and features inside the shops - is geometry still a strong inspiration in your work?
Mehrnoosh Khadivi: Very much so, I was a Maths geek at school and always finding patterns and topologies through geometry. I love the way that it can open up infinite possibilities in terms of direction and application. It allows for seemingly really simple spaces that on deeper inspection can reveal layers of complexity - or on a really surface level add a graphic overlay. A good example of this is the stone floor in the Las Vegas store - the radial parquet pattern of stone is both subtle and complex - and is a flat 2D mirror image of the reflected ceiling plan which features a large scale eight sided geodesic dome.
A brand can transform through a commercial space the face of a city, but how challenging it is for you to create a space that can also prompt consumers to become part of that retail experience?
Mehrnoosh Khadivi: It is always a challenge - especially for smaller younger brands that are defining themselves. With Kirkwood I always want to create spaces that display and present products in a way that is somewhere between retail and gallery allowing for individual products to be seen as the main focus. It allows for customers to come and explore the brand and connect with product groups that appeal to them. Since working with Nicholas broader types of styles have become available as product ranges have expanded and, as a result, so has his customer base. In Miami the central hexagonal hanging display is like a cluster of trees you can walk around and pick fruits from...in our case shoes! In Isetan, we had a collaboration with Samsung and created interactive motion graphics developing further the signature chevron patterns we created for London Fashion Week. This pop up store plays on the precision, technological and craftsmanship fascination of the Japanese.
The image of a brand is an invisible concept, but architects turn the invisible and artificial construct into something tactile and physical through innovative spatial branding experiences. In which ways can a store forge a sense of community or hint at interaction in the marketplace?
Mehrnoosh Khadivi: I try with Kirkwood's stores to always relate to the locations very specifically in order that customers can engage with the brand in a familiar way specific to them. I prefer the challenge of changing the designs from place to place whilst keeping brand values of craftsmanship, innovation and creating objects of desire. The store designs always set out to highlight and elevate individual shoes in order that they can be seen individually and specifically and, after that, in broader groupings. The idea is not to intimidate but to engage and present.
What should a retail space give the consumers: sensations, creativity, sophistication?
Mehrnoosh Khadivi: I think this really depends on the brands - I would say all three would apply to Nicholas Kirkwood whilst there is a sense of fluid change from place to place. The stores are like cousins - members of the same family who share key attributes but have distinct personalities.
Image credits for this post
All images courtesy Mehrnoosh Khadivi
1.- 5. Nicholas Kirkwood Shop, Isetan, Tokyo.
6. - 10. Nicholas Kirkwood Shop, Miami.
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