New Delhi, September 19, 2015: The renowned Gabrielle Coco Chanel said, ‘Luxury is a necessity which starts where necessities end’ (Karra, 2011). True to its essence, Luxury in fact is a necessity that is linked to individuals with a high profile, and as a tool, luxury products are optimised for high visibility and as specific means of communication. Enhancing Desire more than the mere function of meeting the customers’ needs, Luxury products usually convey a compelling story that is well- presented and packaged to breath-taking perfection.
Retail Stores, typically, operate only as a window to display products; however, in the recent years, with the ever-increasing onslaught of luxury products in the market and the competition, the experience inside a retail store is as crucial as the brand itself. Focusing on the sensory, far beyond the transactional activities, the most important point to keep in mind while designing a luxury retail store is that it should be Future-ready with a next generation design/layout and create a fashion statement. There is an increased focus on lighting, materials, display systems and the decor, and the cost of lighting and sourcing is a vital part of the entire process, therefore being done only through selected vendors. Day and Night Lighting moods and effects are conceived with an exclusive design intent with no compromise on the lighting fixtures.
Working with the adage of ‘Outer beauty pleases the eye, whereas the inner beauty captivates the heart’, the layout of the store is crafted experimentally in order to create dynamic forms within the store. For example, instead of the traditional horizontal or vertical seating arrangement, round arrangements have now become very popular. And then to please the eye, the external façade becomes the highlight, symbolically representing the brand. For example, according to the store’s requirements, the entrance areas are now looked at in detail with additions being made to the immediate external environment such as the stairs, the plants and even clutter-free parking areas are designed exclusively. The façades and the display window have of course seen a major transformation in the past few years. Grandeur and Luxury go hand-in-hand, and store owners are guiltlessly ready to spend more on the façade than on the interiors. Materials with an inherent quality of timelessness such as wood and stones such as Italian marbles are tapped as extensively on the façade as in the interiors.
In today’s global markets, where there is a new luxury brand every month, it is critical to stand apart from the crowd. The competition is no longer on just a local stage, but also in the global economy. Therefore, a lot of importance and thought is given to branding and signage with these becoming seasonal design exercises in themselves.
The execution process has changed a lot since the old business holders have handed over the business to the new generations, with a great emphasis on quality and the experience of customers. Even though in India, Cost saving for owners has been a major challenge, it is essential to achieve good design and good quality, all at great value. Technological investment is still upcoming, but the motivation is being acquired.
The luxury retail segment is still evolving in India. Emporio Mall in Delhi has been the game changer, in this one mall the whole of India got a taste of luxury retail concept be it layout, lighting, materials, details , merchandising etc. Group DCA are fortunate to have handled over 20 projects in this mall.
Luxury retail projects lay a lot of importance on shop front and branding. Materials used are usually very warm and merchandising is sparse. Each product is a hero!
After people visit a luxury store more than remembering the interiors it is the product which is supposed to stay in their mind. Lot of emphasis is laid on making the merchandise look irresistible and comfortable.
On a technical side-quality of execution is sacrosanct. If the quality and detailing in the execution is not upto the mark it reflects on the quality of product being sold. This analogy is simply not accepted by global luxury brands. This is something we learnt by doing these over 20 projects in emporio. Today we have mastered this whole act of designing and setting up any luxury format across the country.
In today’s global markets, by simply placing a product in the market with a ‘luxury’ label attached, will not attract the targeted customers; Uniqueness of Store design, the appropriate ambience and experience, Diligent planning, execution and clever strategic marketing are factors that will eventually shape the success of the store.
