DDi - July 2012 - (Page 22)

22 | Design Snapshot “O”riginal design Oakley debuts a new, gallery-like concept store By Sarah Goddard C hallenged by the question—“What would an ‘O store’ look like that strictly features eyewear and accessories?”— Foothill Ranch, Calif.-based Oakley Inc. set out to bring its newest concept store to life. Nestled in Pembroke, Fla., a mere 30 minutes north of Miami, Oakley’s Optic O store is a noticeable departure from the brand’s other O stores, which possess a more industrial, heavy aesthetic. A modest 677 sq. ft., this location is more gender neutral, utilizes wood to soften its appearance and conceal some of the storage spaces visible in other current O stores, and features an open floorplan. The eyewear is showcased with intent to make consumers feel as though they are wandering through an art gallery. Oakley worked with San Francisco-based Tajima Creative to develop several conceptual, visual ideas for the store design. And while there wasn’t a specific design inspiration for the Optic O store, the brand itself served as the muse for this store, with an objective to incorporate some new materials, while simultaneously telling the Oakley story. “We wanted to marry new materials with existing materials that traditionally had been used in other stores,” says Kelly Kim, director of global visual merchandising for the retail division at Oakley Inc. “We didn’t want it to be a revolution, but an evolution.” The store—which carries 80 percent hardgoods (eyewear and watches) and 20 percent accessories (backpacks, iPhone cases, etc.)—welcomes customers with a cashwrap that doubles as the merchandise center for watches. The cashwrap also is branded with a lightbox in front—a design treatment used throughout the store. On the right, a custom-created wall features two touchscreens, with two additional touchscreens on the floor. The back of the store houses accessories, backpacks, luggage, a small collection of branded, iconic T-shirts and more, while the left-hand side of the store displays Oakley’s category eyewear. The store’s concrete walls feature graphics printed directly onto the surface using an inkjet printer. In addition, Oakley used the Optic O store to pilot its new LED light fixtures. The test went so well that the brand plans to slowly retrofit the column displays in existing stores, and integrate this lighting scheme in its new store openings. The end result is a design that not only showcases the eyewear, but also highlights the different technologies featured throughout the store as part of the brand experience. As for additional locations, Oakley plans to open a second Optic O store on the West Coast in late 2012. www.ddionline.com | July 2012 Photos: Adrian Wilson http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - July 2012

DDi - July 2012
Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
El Palacio de Hierro
Global Department Store Summit
Liverpool
Neiman Marcus
State of the Fixture Industry Roundtable
2012 Fixture Leaders listing
2012 Fixture Leaders company index
Fixture Products
Right Light
Product Spotlight
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - July 2012