Interior Design for Retail @ Central St. Martins, Student Guest Blogger

On completion of the Interior Design for Retail Course I asked students to present their projects and to reflect on their experience of London. Here, Nimet Bekar, an Architecture Student from Turkey presents her new concept Shoe Retail experience and offers her thoughts about London. I wanted to photograph the students individually to give them the credit and ownership that they deserved for their hard work. We decided that rather than photograph each other against a White background we would project images from our favourite Artists, Designers, Architects etc. onto ourselves. Following howls of laughter students began giving each other projected moustaches and coloured make overs - the above right image of Nimet is just one of the results.

Nimet Bekar:

This is my second time in London but my first time as a designer in this city. One of the things I like about London is the harmony between past and present and even future. While I was walking around in London during my time here, so many things caught my eye like the contemporary bridge leading to the historical St. Paul's Cathedral. Our class has seen so many neighbourhoods in London on our journey that have been rebuilt after World War II, so you can see lots of buildings which belong to different historical periods. One of the most intriguing scenes I saw was the reflection of an old church in this modern building. Actually I had to take this photo several times because everbody in London is in a rush!

H&M Oxford Circus, London

On an unusually quiet morning I managed to photograph Hennes in Oxford Circus before the crowds of shoppers arrived. Hennes provides a very good example here, where we are able to identify front of store layouts which I have identified as Lakes, Trees and Mountains. There are of course many examples out 'there' of retailers that do this using a low table, fixture and mannequin combination which enables the shopper to view the variety of products at a glance in a small space.

The image below identifies the shoppers flow through the space from the front door to the escalators. The male mannequins are placed at the base of the escalator indicating that menswear is on the first floor. Again the heads and poses of the figures face the customer flow, following the customer as they move through the space.

How to dismantle a Mannequin

Mannequin Components: Full Figures, Detachable Arms, Detachable Hands, Detachable Waist. One Detachable leg, Glass / Metal Base plate, Screwable spigot, Star Plate, Wig, Make-up

•1. Detach arms and hands from the figure. Place you hand on the shoulder of the figure while holding the arm. Lift the arm upwards until you hear it click and unlock, then place it gently on the floor.
•(The codes written on the inside of the arms and shoulders refer to the collection and catalogues from the supplier)

•2. Remove torso from legs by twisting the figure one direction until you hear it click and unlock, placing it carefully on the floor to avoid scratches and chips. Again the code written on the connecting plate refers to the manufacturers catalogues.

•2. Remove legs from the Glass / metal base place by lifting upwards.
•3. Twist the leg gently one direction until you hear the connecting plates click and unlock.
•4. Place the legs gently on the floor.
•5. Begin dressing from the legs upwards reassembling the mannequin in reverse order.

Optical Illusion potential for Retail Environments?

I came across this piece of Art work earlier today on my way to see Carlo Guzzini from Iguzzini Lighting (the artists name was not credited), however I do remember a few years ago seeing one of the Billboards in Earls Court had something similar.

Optical illusions are such fun pieces to view, and I particularly enjoy the reward in eventually seeing the reality (see image below). What I found so interesting about this piece is its possible application into a Commercial Environment as either an installation, promotion of new products or perhaps as a store window display?

Hermes - London

As my students will tell you, I am not a fan of motifs in Design, although I came across these windows in Hermes, London recently which did raise a smile on my face. Bicycles covered in lots and lots of sea shells used as a vehicle (no pun intended) to promote their Summer merchandise. I thought perhaps smaller shells could have been used to really intensify the detail, although they have of course been so expertly produced and I think they do ultimately work very well.

Interior Design for Retail - Central St. Martins

The wonderful thing about the Museum of Branding and Packaging in West London, is being able to see how materials in packaging, images and sizes of products have changed over the past 100 years. The Robert Opie collection has superb examples of historical packaging from the turn of the last century which includes toothpaste which was sold in ceramic dishes, chocolate bars and cigarette packets - many with the original product contained within them. The student group I took this week represented every continent. What is so interesting is how fascinated they were by the variety and the types of product that have been and still are available in the UK.

Below, an opportunity for a group shot of us all in the reflection of a retailers mirror.

Interior Design for Retail Course - Central St. Martins

Following on from the series of Lectures student's attended this week, they also had the opportunity to visit Concorde Graphics factory and Proportion-London's showroom. Julian Marks and Simi Francis from Concorde toured the students around the factory showing them examples of some of the current commercial advertising campaigns they have been working on for some of the larger retailers. Concorde Graphics are never a company to turn down a challenge and students were amused to find examples of the company's work which even included printing onto pieces of toast..!

In the very capable hands of Tanya Reynolds, students were also shown the latest collection from Proportion-London. Tanya explained the various processes and techniques that the company uses and where students could find examples of the work they do which includes just about every major (and minor) retailer.

Church's Shoes - Knightsbridge

Whenever I visit New York, I always enjoy seeing the American flag being flown outside the major department stores - Americans are rightly proud of their flag and it is very much a part of the 'visual' that gives me the feeling that I am in a different country, a foreign culture and enjoy it accordingly

I do love the iconic image of the British flag. Sadly, it has for quite a few years had other connotations, so it was such a pleasure to see the process of it being re-claimed by Church's shoes in Knightsbridge, London as part of their visual merchandising brand image. Whoever has installed these windows also clearly understands how to lay out the merchandise i.e. never showing the inside edge of the shoes.

G-Shock, Carnaby Street

While walking along Carnaby Street today, I came across G-shock. I don't know much about this company, although what is so interesting is how retailers are coming 'out' of their windows more and more. These things are of course common place in New York where the local authority don't seem to be phased by Health and Safety, so it was a real treat to see this almost Graffiti like art painted on the outside of the windows. These things are of course so wonderfully temporary, that I can hardly wait for the next installation as the Seasons change.

Central St. Martins, Interior Design for Retail

Each year I have the opportunity to work on a collaborative project between Central St. Martins @ the University of the Arts, London, and Domus College in Milan. What is so interesting about the students I work with are the diverse Design and Architectural backgrounds from which they come from (Internationally) and it is always so exciting to work with them. During the first day we discussed Creating Visually stimulating Environments, surveying a space, and the diverse ways in which they could begin to research for their set brief. As it was such a hot day in London on the second day of their course the students worked in Hanover Square in the shade of the trees in the middle one of the world most exciting retail areas - London's West End. Later in the same day students had the opportunity to visit the In-store show at London's Olympia.

House of Wax - Great Yarmouth

I recently ventured along England's East Coast to Great Yarmouth's House of Wax. Having read an enormous amount of mocking viral e-mails and how it was voted as Great Britain's worst Museum, it definitely warranted a visit. I certainly wasn't disappointed. As reported in the national press, it was as bad as the stories led me to believe. After paying my £3.00 entry fee I found myself alone with the likes of Samantha Fox, an angry looking Princess Diana, Eastender characters Den and Angie and Beckham look-a-likes. Signs all throughout the building scream CCTV in operation. I couldn't believe for a moment that these figures were protected by expensive equipment such as CCTV and the urge to record them photographically was too much. Of course its easy to mock these wax figures, and they are hilarious, however my interest was purely Academic and my main focus was in the representation of the human figure. I did however allow myself a wry smile.

All in one

I was recently sent the most wonderful American catalog(ue) from 1963 - All-in-one. The most interesting thing about this, is, that it is a great insight into a company who at the time were already in operation for 45 years when it was printed. The catalogue contains articles on the (then) latest Minute Maid Wigs - comb 'em.....curl 'em....twist 'em...brush 'em...., as the advert says, thrift line plastic hangers, papier mache forms, all plastic reinforced Lady Mannequins and most interestingly, the Studio Trion Hood and Glam-A-Mask. Essentially a plastic bag that is put over the head when trying on clothing to protect a women's 'hairdo' and make-up from being 'mussed' or 'spoiled'. The advertisements instruct that these hoods are produced in Pink marquisette which quickly zips on and off.....washes in a jiffy........drys in a moment. At the time, retailing at just $1.25 each, or $9.00 per dozen.

Sale Windows

Its that time of year again - Sale. It was so refreshing to see these Pringle windows along Bond Street this week. Sale windows traditionally, of course, have been (in general) a mass of Red and White notices, swing tickets, flashes and hanging baffles, so it was such a pleasure so see retailers being creative with such a dull part of the season. These windows with their considered paint 'splashes', props of huge jars filled with different coloured water placed next to the product and a background suggesting water coloured washes I thought worked incredibly well. Diesal (further below) as witty as ever, with the candelabra, sofa and urn wrapped in a Sale printed cloth suggest perhaps that, really, everything must go.