Centrally located escalators and an illuminated perimeter wall around each shop floor makes navigation easy. A clean white balustrade running across the front of the mezzanine adds clarity between the floors. The café is indicated by a break in the balustrade. Different “fields” of lighting distinguish departments at a glance and create different moods throughout the store. Clothing is laid out in fashion stories that put customers at the centre.
Music and large-scale photography add drama.All aspects of the shopping environment have been redesigned to create a fashion-led experience. New graphics, introduce a more friendly tone of voice and a soft fabric basket replaces the wire mesh basket. Conceived as pieces of furniture, the service points are generous to the customer and stylish. Changing rooms are striking and intimate.
Contemporary materials and furniture such as Barrisol, Birdwing, the Mooi Monkey ball light and the Maarten Van Severen .03 chair have been used. Many elements of the design are bespoke including the finish of the poured resin flooring, the lingerie, womenswear, menswear and kidswear lights and the customer seating.The store is successfully attracting new customers as well as core customers. It is selling proportionately more of the younger styles and has a high level of repeat customers. In its first two months of trading, the store has generated two and a half times the weekly sales of a comparable M&S store on a retail park.
The design of the store and its sister shop in Speke will form the template for the future roll-out of the M&S stores...more
Awards
Retail Week June 2005
Frame 41 2004 article
Independent on Sunday May 2007