Store study: Kurt Geiger
Mirrored ceilings reflect the dramatically positioned mannequins seated below. The use of glass helps to give the impression of space.
Rebecca Farrar-Hockley is the buying and creative director for luxury shoe brand Kurt Geiger. Not only does Kurt Geiger own several independent UK stores, the company also has prominent concessions in Harrods, Selfridges, and other major department stores, including La Rinascente in Milan. The new flagship store in London’s Covent Garden was designed by visual merchandising and display consultant John Field, along with the architectural firm Found Associates, with whom Kurt Geiger has collaborated successfully in the past.
Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, John Field, and chief executive officer of Found Associates, Richard Found, discuss the key issues of designing a store and their expectations for the visual merchandising.
On the subject of designing a store with visual merchandising in mind for Kurt Geiger
Rebecca Farrar-Hockley (RFH) “Shoe shops present an enormous challenge for designers and visual merchandisers because the whole presentation is about display. Customers do not shop the same way for shoes as they do for clothes because they cannot help themselves to the product and simply take it straight to the cash desk; you cannot have every size available on-shelf, and often the product is too expensive to leave unattended. In effect, the whole shop is like a large window display. Clearly the correct visual presentation can affect overall sales; there should be no room for human error. It is important that Kurt Geiger shops are designed in a way that means they need little dressing. Because of the number of stores we have, it can be hard to maintain them effectively. An easy, foolproof store design suits us best.”
On the collaboration between retailer and designer
Richard Found (RF) “We always ask clients for a detailed written brief because it will force them to think about requirements and needs. It then helps us to bring more sustenance in providing the answers.”
RFH “It is so important that both parties have a strong professional relationship. With all our projects, Richard has understood the complications of our shoe business and is fully aware of the brand image we want to promote.”
Backlit shelves help to draw the customer’s eye to the products, while the use of mirrors makes the store appear larger.
Mannequins are positioned on large steps, drawing the customer down to the lower ground floor. The display not only adds theater to the store but also acts as a strong focal point of the selling space.
A shoe chandelier made up of 200 “must-have” shoes sits at the top of the mirrored staircase: a true fashion statement that enforces the brand’s concept.
On stock densities
RF “It is important to understand just how much product the store is required to show. It would be pointless designing a store that is beautiful yet impractical.”
RFH “Future growth is also important and needs to be taken into consideration. I have to grow sales and make sure I make a good turnover. In the future, I might need to introduce more products that will eat into the valuable sales floor.”
RF “It becomes a kaleidoscope. When customers pass, it changes perspective and creates movement.”
On fixture requirements
RF “Three or four tried-and-tested fixture configurations are the main proven requirements that will produce good results. There would be no point [in] altering the shelf heights that work so well in other stores, for example.”
RFH “When working for another retailer, I once merchandised a department that had been designed with many extra fixture components, supposedly made to support the visual merchandising. I found, however, that the fixtures were sufficient by themselves because the product was visually very strong, so the extra components were not needed. Good fixtures blend into the background, allowing the products to stand out.”
On key features
John Field (JF) “In the Covent Garden store we wanted to add a key feature: a ‘shoe chandelier’ at the top of the main mirrored staircase that also reflected beautifully into the mirrored ceiling. This was constructed in stainless steel and Perspex from a specialist company in west London normally known for customized staircases. The chandelier holds 200 shoes circling the lines of Paulmann tube lamps dimmed down to a warm internal glow.”
The two red sofas are strong visual elements that sit adjacent to a wall of backlit shoes. The seating is not only visually aesthetic but practical.
Stands that not only elevate the shoes but that are designed to show the shoes at a 45-degree angle are helpful in promoting individual styles.
On the use of color
RF “A relatively blank canvas for the products to sit within will give you stronger flexible options. Strong-colored walls may clash with colorful shoes.”
JF “Texture added to the materials used enriches the quality of the shoes as well as adding more flexibility to present the ranges in segmented formats and different combinations. We can use Plexiglas, red lava stone, and mirror-polished stainless steel for the shinier stilettos, while using sandblasted timbers and industrial felts for the more earthy and urban styles.”
On lighting
RF “All aspects of design are crucial. If you fail in one thing, you can fail at everything. Lighting is one of the most fundamental aspects of design. Bad lighting can change the appearance of the product; a yellow light on brown leather can turn the shoe red. Lighting that emits a white light will give a more accurate overall effect.”
On brand identity
RFH “I prefer to have a thread or common element that is synonymous with Kurt Geiger, rather than an identical format for every shop.”
RF “The size and position of the store may also dictate what you can achieve with the design concept. The Covent Garden shop is part of a historic run of listed buildings. The design process includes many legal implications and building requirements.”
