In the fashion world a successful brand identity effortlessly inspires and also affects retail design and how merchandise is presented. Evoking an emotional response is key, and in this digital age of overexposure it’s no mean feat. But if a brand pulls it off, a shopper’s loyalty is bestowed. Global denim brand G-star has jumped on the bandwagon of creating retail design with added value by launching a specially conceptualized flagship store in London.
G-star’s art director for 3d design Piet Kool supervised the design and has taken its signature industrial aesthetic to another level. Spartan-chic and void of distracting clutter, the interior features carefully selected modernist materials, fixtures and furnishings, all in tones of soft metal grey, which add up to an atmosphere that’s similar to an art gallery.
The denim wall, once a proud and defining fixture of practically all of G-star’s stores across the planet, has been banned and instead its extensive denim collections are presented in a more discreet and sophisticated manner [read: in much smaller batches] across the store. This way, shoppers are able to experience the products up close and thus more profoundly. Fits are displayed with corresponding “wash drawers” and sizing stocked drawers below for a quick and accessible browsing concept. Other innovations include a fitting area with a personalized service, and an exposed, fully glass-fronted stockroom on the mezzanine floor. The new G-star flagship carries the brand’s full denim range, in addition to its dressy and higher-end midnight collection, footwear and eyewear.
