Visual Merchandising: Keeping Up Appearances

30 Nov 2021

 

As it’s back to business for most jewellery retailers, Belinda Morris casts her eye over the encouraging and inspiring flurry of refurbs and new stores on our high streets.

While at the Jewellery Festival in September, I listened to a thought-provoking talk given by senior retail executive Andrew Jennings. With more than 45 years of leadership with some very big-name retailers under his belt, his words of wisdom were really worth taking note of.

Should you have missed them, all the salient points are in his book – Almost is Not Good Enough – which offers a useful insight on what, in his view, does and doesn’t work if a business is to thrive today.

There are many soundbites in the book, but, as they relate to visual merchandising, a few of Jennings’ takeaways stand out.

• “Go big or go home... be authoritative... today in retail you have to make a statement.”
• “A strong, well-developed point of view is essential.”
• “Embrace technology!”
• “Understand your customers’ wants, needs and desires.”

He stresses that,

“Visual merchandising should be an absolute priority... creative presentation of in-store merchandise is essential... stores should be a source of visual delight.”

Image: Watches of Switzerland, Brent Cross

Suzanne Robinson of VM & Events can vouch for the fact that jewellery retailers have not been letting the grass grow under their feet over the past 18 months. She says,

“What a year, stop start, stop start, but we’ve come through it, and areas of retail have certainly woken up to a new world. We’re definitely seeing a back-to-business-as-usual from most retailers, and there’s a definite raising of standards, from customer service and hospitality to display fittings and finishes.

“We’ve found many of our clients have either continued in their pre-pandemic plans to refurbish or expand their showrooms, and some have started maximising on recent empty units on the high street, giving them further room for expansion.”

 

Astley Clarke’s First Flagship Store

 

In October, the luxury British jeweller opened its first standalone, bricks-and-mortar store. On Monmouth Street in London’s Covent Garden, the 900sq ft space has an aura of relaxed luxury with warm wood floors, brass fittings and rich blue furnishings – a nod to Astley Clarke’s love of pairing denim with diamonds.

The store is home to the full complement of Astley Clarke collections, from its vibrant gemstone designs to diamonds, and its perennially popular line of lockets – an Astley Clarke signature.

Nason Foster has also been working on numerous projects with retail jewellers across the country.

Retail designer Jo Coleman, says, 

“We’re pleased to say that the general feeling is very upbeat.

“The past year has been a challenge for the high street, and while our clients have maintained a steady footfall, they’re ready for change. This can be a new store or a full or partial refurbishment of an existing store; we advise on how their store can develop and be more appealing.

“Naturally, commitment will be budget dependent, but we find many embrace our ideas, and we usually provide an element in the design that hadn’t been considered, which will expand their options, create an element of surprise and improve customer participation.”

 

The Details That Matter

Coleman explains, 

“Design in general can be ethereal, intangible and subjective, but it’s the application of design that makes the difference.

“The recent Covid restrictions have compelled our customers to create a strong online presence, but the physical existence of a retail outlet enables the jeweller to have their own window on the world, the chance to be individual and offer customers a unique shopping experience. In principle, jewellery store design has several main factors to consider: product display, visual appeal, privacy, safety and security.

“New trends of colour, materials and appearance are transient, but they’re all important to the public; we form a veil using various approaches to conceal the everyday security requirements thus enabling the staff and the customer to feel comfortable and relaxed. Shopfront design is dependent on location; whether it’s a high street or a shopping mall, there’ll be certain restrictions and requirements to consider.”

Coleman, with a background in the history of retail store design, feels the key to success is knowing the product for sale and working with those parameters.

Image: John Pass Jewellers Newcastle under Lyme, Nason Foster Design

She says,

“We focus attention where needed while supporting the surrounding areas with colours and textures, furniture and form, and pockets of interest to encourage the customer to browse the store at leisure. It’s important to encourage the retailer to push the boundaries; there’s room for theatre in any retail environment and the public thrives on individuality. 

“Each project has to be creatively considered to develop a harmonious space, raising standards but retaining the character of a store, making the customer feel welcome and reassured in a comfortable and secure setting. We work with our clients to highlight their image, incorporating their brand colours into the interior design. The last few years have seen a rise in neutral colours, demonstrated in domestic settings.

"However, there is a danger that all stores will look the same, therefore, we suggest and persuade our clients to believe in an injection of colour and generate a feel-good factor, which in turn will make them more memorable to the public.”

One detail of a jewellery store that is certainly on the rise is a dedicated space for ear piercing. And it’s probably no exaggeration to say the system offered by Inverness has prompted this service – once the preserve of fine jewellers as opposed to Claire’s Accessories – to make a welcome comeback.

Supplied by Goodman Bros (the people behind the indispensable Lox earring backs and Connoisseurs jewellery care), it’s proving that piercing can be a win-win service.

Goodman Bros director Philip Goodman, says, 

“It’s simple and painless to get into the business and a revenue stream that jewellers shouldn’t miss out on,” 

And while the space needed is minimal because the service is mobile, many happy retailers (such as Allum & Sidaway) are demonstrating that making a space for piercing is an opportunity to get creative.

Luke from the team at Allum & Sidaway in Salisbury says,

“The whole process and service from Inverness has been exceptional. From implementation to the products, all have been seamless and easy to action in store.

“Since implementing Inverness, we’ve had well over 50 appointments, and during our peak seasons of the school holidays, we took around 20 appointments a week across all our stores. It has really helped in driving footfall into the store and opening up new sale opportunities for the company.”

If taking retailing to a new level is on your mind, PECUVi provides the technology to enable jewellers to quickly create unforgettable, hyper personalised customer experiences through personalised customer videos, allowing jewellers to showcase their products and services in a more interactive and meaningful way.

One element of merchandising that’s emerging is that retailers are more environmentally conscious of materials they’re using  “whether that be in their packaging, interior fabrics or jewellery POS,”

Says Robinson, 

“There’s definitely a need to recycle where possible and to avoid using single-use plastics, vinyls and Perspex. Using UK-based manufacturers for display items has never been stronger due to the detail in delivery timescales from other countries.”

Image: Ch. Dahlinger Packaging

Cathie Osborne of Hatton & Spencer and Ch. Dahlinger packaging certainly agrees that sustainability considerations are key.

Ensuring consumer demand for ethical sourcing practices is acted upon, working sustainably is also an opportunity to build brand value, she believes. Ch. Dahlinger products are designed with environmental responsibility in mind, using, wherever possible, materials that are renewable and/or recycled for both cases and boxes.

When buying packaging material, she suggests asking your supplier whether the materials (wood, card, paper, etc.) are renewable, easily recyclable and biodegradable. Look for FSC certification – the system is committed to sustainable forest management.

 

 New Boodles Store to Open in Leeds

The prime and imposing corner site in Leeds’ Victoria Quarter, with its historic, architectural frontage, resonates with the brand whose heritage dates back to 1798.

The design narrative was “to capture the Boodles brand values, including the heritage, Britishness, design and craftsmanship, family values, knowledge and service.”

The historical nods and traditional references are fused with contemporary artisan flair and detailing, including handstitched leatherwork, bespoke furniture and locally- crafted objets d’art in woods, metals and marbles.

 

Wakefields Jewellers Refurbishment

Even before the pandemic, co-owners of fourth-generation family jewellers, Wakefields in Horsham, Melanie and Dominic Wakefield, were working on a strategy to embrace digital retailing and thinking about how to elevate their in-store experience.

When Rolex suggested expanding their space with them, they decided to invest in a full store refurbishment. They commissioned Greenwich-based retail design consultants Innovare Design to help them realise their vision.

Their brief: to achieve a luxury boutique feel without losing the store’s warmth and charm.

They wanted a high-end feel with a wow factor, and somewhere customers would feel relaxed enough to pop in for a coffee and a chat.

 

Innovare’s Rebecca Sharman says, 

“We wanted the new store interior to celebrate Wakefields’ extensive heritage, professionalism and expertise, as well as their exceptional level of customer care. The new layout had to accommodate a larger Rolex showroom, and it needed more distinctive curated display zones and more relaxed customer consultation spaces.”

The interior design inspiration came from the existing 1930’s shopfront.

The Art Deco styling balances with contemporary design elements, with key architectural features restored or replicated. Attention to detail is key – from the terrazzo entrance foyer to the refined bronze details on the bespoke display cabinets and the styling of mirrors and screens.

Sharman adds, 

“Lighting also plays a critical role and is carefully layered from the window displays right through the store. It provides sparkle and highlight to the jewellery and watches and delivers a warm and welcoming atmosphere throughout.”

 Melanie Wakefield says, 

“We’re thrilled with the new store design, it allows us to create a truly special and memorable experience for every one of our customers.”

Dominic Wakefield adds, 

“Despite the obvious pent-up demand post-lockdown, the new store is definitely contributing to a significant uplift in trading.”

 

Goldsmiths Unveils New Look Canterbury Store

Goldsmiths, of the Watches of Switzerland Group, revealed its new luxury design concept in October. The updated concept of the showroom, in Whitefriars, Canterbury, has an increased focus on luxury watch brands through a relaxed, inclusive and experiential environment.

The jewellery offering features FOPE, Gucci, Roberto Coin and Mappin & Webb. Conceived in partnership with Quadrant Design, the store has light, uncluttered spaces in a monochrome palette of luxurious materials, such as white-washed oak timber, white terrazzo and blackened steel combined with architectural forms that include repeating vertical lines and soft curves inspired by the Goldsmiths’ logo.

 

Not letting the grass grow...

Describing projects that VM & Events has worked on recently, Robinson explains that both Laings and Lister Horsfall have grown their jewellery and watch offering over the past couple of months.

“LH’s old Pandora store in Halifax has been beautifully transformed into a stylishly elegant jewellery showroom with an interior of white and gold, focusing solely on jewellery; each brand is displayed within its own cabinet to give a strong presence. The exterior of the showroom very cleverly houses four gold cube-like cases that appear to float in the window – they’ve been a joy to work in. Laings Cardiff has undergone a huge expansion, not only in the size of its showroom, by taking the retail unit next door, but also its watch offering, with a new Rolex and Patek Philippe area.”

Image: Laings St David's, Cardiff Exterior & Interior

Nason Foster is experiencing a business-as-usual spirit – and then some – among retailers. 

Coleman says, 

“In spite of the challenges of the past 18 months, we find our clients are keen to develop their businesses further. 

“We’ve recently been fortunate to undertake the expansion of several existing retail stores to create larger areas for luxury brands and shop-in-shops. In these circumstances, it’s important for the retailer to retain their own image and fit hand-in-hand with their brands in terms of finishes and quality to complete an overall luxurious feel.

"We’ve also designed and installed for a number of independent retail outlets, including new shopfronts augmenting previous interior remodelling and a full refurbishment of an established family business, coinciding with the installation of a larger shop-in-shop luxury brand.”

Without wishing to drag the ‘C’ word into the conversation, the events of the last year and a half have undoubtedly had an impact on store design. But for how long we wonder?

Coleman says, 

“With the easing of restrictions and potentially the chance to return to a sense of normality, it appears the consensus is to make the most of the situation. 

“Our enquiries show there’s a desire to improve, to develop and consider modification; even if it’s only one thing in a store, it is a positive move forward. The public looks for change, for refinement, it encourages and lifts the spirit.”

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Source: The Jeweller