African Design Magazine August 2015 | Page 72

Conveying attitude to lifestyle – the Concept Store A Concept Store is an unusual combination of product ranges and brands. You visit a concept store to get surprised. The cross selling approach takes its origins from the United States. It promotes life and lifestyle, playing its game in the fields of luxury, design, sports or handicraft. The Soho House Concept Store in Berlin offers everything from fashion and furniture, hairdressing and pedicure, to vinyl and UK floristry, plus workspaces and hangout areas to meet and network in a stylish ambiance. The brand itself is not visible; the concept lives from the assortment, the atmosphere, and the storytelling. Ethics and aesthetics can be merged together – this is the credo of the House of Naïve in Vilnius, Lithuania. Sustainable clothes, shoes and chocolates reach the consumers’ hearts in the clean, chic design. The Merci Concept Store in Paris not only gathers the best of fashion, design and items for the home in a stylish 1 500m2 location, but also fuels an endowment fund to finance education and development projects in Madagascar. 72 Pop up in the City! A Pop-up Store is normally run by one brand only. It lives from its artificial scarcity and temporary character. A mega cool location, which makes you feel that you will miss something if you don’t go in, is a decisive criterion. The advantages: low costs, high sales, media-effective and a high brand building factor. It is ideal to test products, locations, or markets, and a low cost way to start up a business. Other brands use Pop-ups to create commitment. Surprise the customers: Nike’s oversized shoebox Pop-up store in New York, which is completely digital outside, changes design at night, allowing you to africandesignmagazine.com