In our newly launched blog series, Lucky Fox shares the five elements that helped to translate Levi's powerful brand message into a memorable store experience.
When Levi’s UK approached Lucky Fox to help them develop the design concept for their first UK women’s store concept in Bluewater shopping centre in Kent, we knew this wouldn’t be a cookie-cutter store format.
The design of this 1,900-square-foot women’s store was the second of its kind globally. It aimed to create an on-brand experience representing the diversity of Levi’s female consumers in all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.
Key to creating this on-brand experience was allowing our team the freedom to explore creativity. For such a huge, global brand, we love Levi’s creative approach and openness to our ideas. It’s what keeps them ahead of many of their competitors.
Here’s how we approached the design.
The power of signage
Signage isn’t just about your store name above the door and logo placement pasted on every wall instore. Neon lighting, canvases, light boxes, and billboards all add a unique and memorable touch.
Translating a brand message into the physical store space begins at the store entrance for the Levi’s women’s store. Greeting Levi’s customers is the LED window signage, working as a reminder of the brand’s ethos for customers to make Levi’s their own.
Further into the store are beautiful and authoritative mixed media images of Levi’s women, printed on ply panels, canvases and lightboxes, depicted by various models to bring the campaign to life.
Creative finishes
Never underestimate the power of your store’s finishes – the fixtures, colours and textures all paint a visual story of your brand. Levi’s was keen to create some texture in the store in a subtle and feminine way. We designed textural curves into the walls at the rear of the store which are inspired by the curves of the female body and also the back pocket arcuate found on all Levi’s denim. The subtle but feminine link back to the brand’s DNA was creative and totally unique to the store.
Cultural relevance
However large and global the brand, a store environment still needs cultural relevance. Take, for instance, collaborating with a local artist. It’s what helps to build a strong affinity and experience with their target customers and connects with them on an emotional level.
Making this connection at Levi’s store are the murals in the fitting rooms, hand-painted by Kent-born artist Jessica Sharville. Jessica was commissioned by Lucky Fox and Levis to interpret the embodiment of Levi’s women in all her guises.
Personalisation and interaction
Allocating valuable floor space to a dedicated personalisation station shows how important personalisation and interaction are for a brand like Levi’s.
The station enabled customers to consult with the in-house tailors and customise their Levi’s jeans and jackets with rips and trims.
Curation
The female product in the store is more collections based and curated for the female consumer and holds some beautiful key pieces alongside staple iconic denim fits and washes.
But curating the store isn’t just about the product. Think about the other visual focal points to curate. For Levi’s store, this included ombre indigo wall art and glass plinths holding white rocks and succulents, forming a contemporary backdrop for the brand’s product and creating a lifestyle feel for the store.
The store, located on the upper Mall, opened to a great response, and we hope it continues to excite and engage Levi’s female consumers.