Jan Croatt, director of store planning and visual merchandising for the Levi's Brand Marketing division of Levi Strauss & Co. (San Francisco), has worked with some of the industry's most prominent brands: Ralph Lauren/Polo, Todd Oldham and Kenneth Cole.
A native of Port Washington, Wis., on the banks of Lake Michigan, Croatt established her interest in retailing at her grandfather's shoe store in nearby Belgium, Wis.
After earning a degree in marketing from the University of Arizona, she started her retail career in the buying offices of Robinsons Department Store in Los Angeles.
At Polo, she was involved in the creation and development of the Polo Jeans Co. brand in 1997, helping design the product's distinctive concept shops that appeared, with brushed metal fixtures and red and blue signage, in various department stores around the country. It gave her the valuable denim background she needed when Robert Hanson, Levi's brand president, engaged her last year in the opportunity to help turn the Levi's brand around.
Use 10 words to describe the significance to you of Levi Strauss'150th anniversary.
Heritage. Craft. Bold. Integrity. Foundation. Strong. Iconic. Original. Innovator. Pioneer.
How does the redesigned flagship appeal to both young and old Levi's shoppers?
It's our optimal expression of the brand. It is the foundation of where heritage meets modernity. The interactive nature of the architecture guides a shopper through the entire store, from the entryway to our Red Gallery on the fourth floor. This enables a wide range of shoppers of all ages to see the world of Levi's.
What was your first inkling that you wanted to work in retail?
My grandpa owned a shoe store in Belgium, Wis., and for each birthday and Christmas I would be able to go into his store and get a new pair of shoes, all by myself. I would find the styles, get them from the back room and pretend I was ringing them up at the register, spending my own money. I would then proceed to rearrange all the shoes on display that did not match the boxes. He always knew that I had come in to visit!
What was one lesson you learned from Ralph Lauren that you still carry with you today?
The environment speaks to a lifestyle, rather than a product category. The environment is built to be aspirational in its character. Each product segment is developed to reflect the stage in life of the target demographic.
Describe a time you, as a shopper, connected with a store's environment.
I was so enamored my first time walking into the Rhinelander Mansion of Ralph Lauren in New York. The environment stands for all desires of wanting to buy that product. The concepts of cross-merchandising into a lifestyle made me want to purchase not only the outfit and the shoes, but the suitcase to take it home in – oh, and the dog sweater for Winston.
What's the Number One rule for creating a brand concept store within an existing retail environment?
Review the floorplan and understand the best location on the floor, assess the traffic pattern and be creative in how to approach the store for the best space.
What is one hobby you have that would surprise most people?
I love to shop in flea markets. I enjoy the personalities at the fleas, and also all the good buys for myself and my friends. Watch out at Christmas!
What is the best advice you ever received?
Listen before you speak.
What is lacking in most retail environments today?
How one is affected by designing not only to sight but also to the senses of sound, smell and touch.