Week 6 - Joey N-M. - Staging Luxury (Site Specific)

STORE: Perfumania

This store aims for luxury and desires for the mature customer to feel expensive. I know this to be true because of the subliminal messaging of a woman's headshot overhead, inviting the shopper to assess their own beauty. The designer set the photo around the store, wrapping the space so that no matter where the client is positioned, they see "her" overhead. Pink and black are often used together to highlight feminine and contemporary feel. The designer used mainly white to cover the store but interrupted a cascade of color spread throughout the perfumes. The primary lighting source is fluorescent lighting overhead, giving the shopping atmosphere a cold and almost clinical feeling. Although clean, the store appears and feels cluttered.

 

I chose this store because it had similar concepts as my other pick, but it didn't execute the ideas as best as possible. If the store had played with lower light intensity or perhaps added a tint to the light's color, it wouldn't feel as clinical as I had interpreted. Also, since the lighting is so bright, everything feels exposed. The exposure drew my eye to the amount of stock on the shelves and not the objects themselves.

STORE: Julie Grey

 

 This store also aims for luxury, but comfort is designed for a parent to have an expensive shopping experience for their child. I envision the designer wanting the parent to feel at ease, as I've heard having a child has stressful moments. This store invites the audience to take a breath in its naturalistic and warm color scheme. It's casual, yet it still exudes luxury and high-end material. This store also utilizes a white background of the store. I almost wish they had something in my size! Still, the tint in the warmer color and the natural fibers sprinkled throughout the space make it a place that feels open and uncluttered.

 

This store changed my mood the moment I saw it. It made me feel calm. This store also utilized a broad whitewash. It played with its overhead intensity and added further visibility with the side panels on the walls. Since the lights had a warmer tint (it doesn't fully show on the photo), it immediately gave off a fall season feeling. This is an example of the space being strategically exposed yet offset with the minimal display to make the shopping experience more open and perhaps more enjoyable. You'll notice there were a good amount of people in the photo!