FALL

Obser vat ions

Process Work

Fal l Window

Rat ionale

W INTER

Obser vat ions

Process Work

Winter Window

Feather Tree

Cus tomer Exper ience

As the start of Fall marks the beginning of a major season in fashion on the runway, retail companies must make a major visual transition from Summer to Fall within the store through merchandising and interior display initiatives. Anthropologie’s atmosphere is greatly inspired by lifestyle narratives and individual stories of unique, sophisticated modern day women. The retail space is divided into thematic sections, each represented by a persona and the backstory of her lifestyle. Each character’s story is illustrated through the merchandising of Anthropologie clothing, accessories, and home or lifestyle products, and further enhanced through thoughtfully designed installations, displays, fixtures and signage.

Through the development of characters with differing personalities and unique lifestyle needs, Anthropologie creates an experience for their clients; a way for the clients to relate their own stories to those illustrated in the sections of the store. This also strategically places more similar product that the corresponding client is likely to purchase. With a better understanding of Anthropologie’s brand and culture, as well as marketing strategies, the Visual Display and Merchandising teams can work together to design a cohesive and effective experience and service for the clients.

OBSERVATIONS

The design of Anthropologie’s Fall visual displays starts with the search for inspiration and ideas, including but not limited to themes, nature, colours, textures, patterns and trends. The Visual Team is given the opportunity to gather ideas through a fieldtrip to get in touch with nature and forage materials to be used for store displays. The Fall displays this year

at Anthropologie combine natural, foraged materials with handcrafted components. For example, sections of branches are cut and attached to other parts of the display, but not before being wrapped with a tier of yarn and dipped in paint. The leaves used in the window display were torn from watercolour paper, which were dyed to shades of green, yellow and burgundy and attached to hanging, dipping frames.

PROCESS WORK

The store window must draw attention from a passerby and invoke curiosity to lead a new customer into the store. The Fall window suggests movement as the leaves seem to swoosh past the mannequin bust form in a gust of wind. This suggestion of time elapsing contributes to the narrative of the character

in the window.

The varying colours and sizes of leaves, floating at different levels from the ground, create depth. Finer details, such as the gradual transition of colours and textures created through the dyeing processes draw viewers in for closer observation.

FALL W INDOW

The Winter Holiday season is a time when people take the extra care to entertain, give gifts, treat themselves or travel. Thus, the holiday season generally brings in the most revenue to the store; and the Visual Team must prepare accordingly. The retail space is decorated head to toe, from large, hanging art installations to small details attached to product.

This year’s holiday projects included a window display,

several Christmas tree themes, a center store hanging installation, art features in each thematic store section, contextualizers and tie-ons to be taken home with product. When Christmastime approaches, shoppers generally become fairly enthusiastic about shopping, dining and entertaining, and the development of store visual displays enhances the shopping experience.

OBSERVATIONS

The Winter Holiday season Like with the Fall display, the Visual Team starts the process with gathering inspiration to follow the assigned overarching artistic themes. Materials are then found and gathered, whether in nature or found elsewhere. The team must plan the layout of the Winter Window, sketching compositions given spatial challenges. The Winter Window featured an oversized wreath and hanging garland, swooping across the entrance of the store. Leaves

and pine needles were created by painting cardstock and other papers, and finished with a waxy coating for a change in lustre. Lemons and berries were constructed with foam and paper structures, which were then finished with paper applications. Pine cones were made from laying copper flashing and aluminum sheets. Real twigs were adorned with shiny metal leaves and matte leaves made from crepe paper. A support structure made from chipboard was the foundation for the installation.

PROCESS WORK

With the layering of contrasting elements, colours and textures, the wreath and garland are voluminous and full. Their oversized nature, and anthropomorphizing of the birds with fabric scarves adds a whimsical feeling over the window display.

Christmas lights weaved into the installation add warmth to the cool colours and snowy details of the wreath and garland, and also invoke the holiday spirit that shoppers are so familiar with.

W INTER W INDOW

Near the store front is a large evergreen tree, decorated with handmade ornaments to complement a tree fixture that holds product, such as ornaments for sale. With the “Birds of a Feather” theme in mind, feathers were cut out of sheets of birch and cardstock, then finished with a sparkling, crystallizing application. Crystals were

grown onto the feathers through a process that applies hot water to Borax. Feathers were also touched up with sparking pigment powders, adding a glimmer and more depth to the feathers, which were then hung on the tree. Some of the texture from the birch feathers were highlighted even further, using small touches of gold leafing or metallic pigments.

FEATHER TREE

By establishing the beautiful stories and emulating the personas of the imagined characters at Anthropologie, the retail company doesn’t only offer housewears, furniture and women’s apparel; they are also selling uniqueness. To describe the experience design at Anthropologie, Glen Senk, former CEO of Urban Outfitters once described it as a “sense of adventure and originality, and the promise of self-discovery”.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

DES 586 PRACTICUM PORTFOLIOA S H L E Y T R U O N G