Case Study: Retail Material Investigation

1. On Saturday, my roommate and I took a trip to the mall.  Upon entering the mall, I started to look for stores with unique lighting or material methods and The Body Shop was the first store that caught my eye.  The woodwork around the store entrance and the shelves along the perimeter of the store are painted green as this is a signature color for the company.  The materials used in the store were more natural like bamboo, painted wood, linen, woven grass and green and white stone tile flooring.  The Body Shop also made use of an image of grass that was printed and attached to the tops of several display areas giving a natural but modern feel to the store.  Color was brought to the store mainly through the products themselves.  The lotions and soaps were stacked neatly and created a rainbow of color across the wall.

2. The second store I went into was Brookstone.  I love the modern yet warm feel to the store with the use of the medium toned wood and exposed metal framing.  The store is appropriately more industrial as they are selling home electronics. The use of light in the store was noteworthy as well with the recessed and track lighting and especially on the store front with a backlight on the metallic logo.

3.  My final case study at the mall was PacSun.  I had never been in a PacSun before, but I was told by an employee that they had been newly redesigned.  The color scheme was blue and orange on the walls representing their surfer-style clothing well.  The floors were a stained concrete with an orange tint.  All of the clothing racks and shelves were metal and dark wood giving the store a more rugged feel.  PacSun also utilized lighting for wayfinding in an interesting way by hanging a large, orange pendant lamp over the cashier's counter at the far end of the store.

4.  Although I have not been in a Lacoste store recently, I have been to the one in the Southpark Mall in Charlotte.  I mainly love Lacoste for their silly photos on their website with their jumping models because they always make me smile.  However, I think their store materials are something to consider as well.  In Charlotte, the Lacoste store is smaller and more narrow.  The whole store is done in a white plastic that is a bit reflective and very sleek.  In the store front pictured above, they made use of a shiny metal for the logo and the supports for the display tables.

5.  Similar to Lacoste, I have not been in a Kate Spade store recently but there is one in Charlotte as well that I have been to in the past.  The store front is in green, pushing off of the wall slightly making it stand out and Kate Spade New York is written simply on the green contrasting in white.  Most of the lighting in the store is recessed in the shelves while the rest of the store is dimly lit to put the focus on the handbags.  Kate Spade designs bright and colorful bags with lots of bold prints, so the white store contrasts the products well directing the shopper's eye to the merchandise.

A Product, A Designer, and A Space

This is a wire pendant light by Green and Graham design.  I thought the wire design would create interesting shadow patterns on the walls and create for an inspiring space.  I also liked the open design exposing the bulb allowing for optimal light emitted




This is an installation by Dale Chihuly, an inspiring artist who works with blown glass shapes and lighting to create unique works of art.  I chose this image for its surprising reflections and shadows casted on the wall.  The blown glass shapes are apparently backlit creating a dramatic effect on the space.




I found this image of an outdoor mall space with a tent-like covering to create an interesting lighting effect.  The white material gives the illusion that it is still bright outside, distracting shoppers from noticing the real color of the sky.
This may be a strategy by the mall to encourage shopping late into the day.