Passion at Play

Setting off in September for IRDC, I confess to feeling a twinge of trepidation at the prospect of not only making my debut at our annual event, but in connecting with some of the industry’s heavy hitters. Starbucks, Sephora, Lululemon, Gensler, FRCH, Fitch, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus…the list goes on. I was in for some heady company.

I was also awed by the scope of the Vancouver retail experience, especially as I led a group of attendees on a tour of the uber-hip Gastown district, with its eclectic mix of trend-forward stores, including DavidsTea, Secret Location and John Fluevog Shoes

But any insecurity quickly faded. First, retailers who accommodated our tours were gracious and welcoming, answering questions and enthusiastically sharing their design and concept visions. We delighted in creative approaches to basic store elements on display – for example, the raw wood cash wrap with its built-in doghouse for the Old Faithful store owner’s French bulldog, and the imposing 14-foot-tall circular fitting room in the center of Lynnsteven boutique made of stacked paperback books. 

Our opening night party and signature Iron Merchant event teamed industry veterans and newcomers in a clock-racing, fierce yet fun challenge to transform Canadian Mountie-themed mannequins from daytime protectors to nighttime playboys. The chance to get down and dirty (literally and figuratively) with some old-school visual display grooves was a welcome ice breaker.

But what really impressed me about this gathering was the openness and generosity of the participants. Retailers and designers hold tightly their brand secrets – rarely revealing the proprietary, hard work that creates retail (and revenue) magic. In keynote sessions and more intimate settings, these peers and competitors not only shared their triumphs but also missteps and challenges encountered along the way. The common factors in their successes: an intimate knowledge of their core customer, a laser-like focus on their brand mission, an ability to retain and tap into a youthful, creative spirit and openness to change and evolution.

The importance of the physical connection in a world where the virtual increasingly dominates our professional and private lives was validated in Vancouver. And it’s a theme that was hammered home by experts who preached that brick and mortar stores will survive and thrive if they’re nimble and play to their inherent strength over online channels: the human, the social, the experiential connection.