Connect with us

Blogs & Perspectives

Rocking in Rio

Visual merchandising wins gold at the Olympics

mm

Published

on

My seaside escape of choice on sultry mid-mornings in early June (and for those of us who grew up in Brooklyn) was the sands at Coney Island. Last week, however, I was some 4800 miles away from my boyhood digs. After more than 12 hours in the air, I found myself in Rio de Janeiro, tickling my toes in the sands of Ipanema. And while my heart still belongs to good old Brooklyn, my career in visual merchandising has led me on an incredible journey across the globe. I’ve traveled from Seoul, South Korea; Guangzhou, China; Milan; Santiago, Chile; and so many places in-between — now I’ve soaked in the excitement and energy of Rio. And as if the breaking waves at Ipanema and Copacabana weren’t enough, the world decided to convene in Rio to celebrate the 2016 Olympic Games. And as if the Olympics weren’t enough, I had the inspiring opportunity to experience “rocking” Rio de Janeiro retail.

Before embarking on my Rio retail safari, I had the amazing opportunity to speak at the Olympics. No, visual merchandising isn’t yet an Olympic sport, but I was asked by a leading Brazilian mannequin manufacturer to speak about the future of visual merchandising at Casa Brasil. The Brazilian government organized this exhibition to showcase the country’s capabilities, and I was honored for sure. And while no gold medals were awarded at Casa Brasil, all who attended were richly rewarded.

After the exhibition and presentation, I was off to explore Rio. Clearly one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Rio offers landscapes that caress all of your aesthetic sensibilities, as it steals your breath away. And if that wasn’t enough, the palpable excitement of the Olympic games ensured a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Before jetting off to Rio, I experienced Brazilian retail in São Paolo, another remarkable city. With a population of 11 million, it’s inherently different from its seaside counterpart to the north. Similarly, I visited two malls in São Paolo that are polar opposites: Cidade Jardim and the Center Norte Mall. The expected universally recognized brands from Louis Vuitton to Ralph Lauren were intermixed with local Brazilian brands in the upscale Cidade Jardim, while the Center Norte Mall was bustling with local moderate specialty stores.

My interest, however, was most piqued by the boutiques on Augusta Street in São Paolo, and the shops in Copacabana. Animale on Augusta grabbed my attention with a grouping of 8-foot-tall bronze toned mannequins, while Hering delighted the senses with a palette of rust colored textures and surface treatments. One of my favorites was Melissa, who showed their creativity and good-natured humor in both cities. I was welcomed into their São Paolo store by a brightly colored 10-foot-tall sculpture of a playful canine; you would immediately understand that this was a fun environment featuring a unique line of colorful and playful shoes. In their Rio store, the surface treatment on the walls consisted of the bottoms of their shoeboxes. Environmentally friendly, the gesture also spoke to the nuances of the brand.

In Rio, Osklen presented its line of fashion-forward casualwear in an upscale environment, featuring natural wood details, glass handrails in the stairwell, dramatic mannequin presentations in the windows and artistically rendered fashion photography. Riachuelo in Ipanema made a statement with recycled, repurposed wood and a delightful outdoor balcony garden overlooking the street.

Advertisement

And speaking of the street, I was quite taken with the street art in both cities as large scale graffiti tags adorn roadside abutments and selected building façades. The colorful urban murals, now legal, demonstrate a powerful connection to the culture, flavor and spirituality of both pulsating cities. Street art has gained iconic status as installations speak of a connection with nature and positions on social issues. The cities of Rio and São Paolo are very different, but what one doesn't have, the other does. And much like the concrete and brick canvases that adorn the urban landscapes of the two cities, local Brazilian retail is also a dynamic projection of the energy and pride that is strongly held in both.

Eric Feigenbaum is a recognized leader in the visual merchandising and store design industries with both domestic and international design experience.  He served as corporate director of visual merchandising for Stern’s Department Store, a division of Federated Department Stores, from 1986 to 1995. After Stern’s, he assumed the position of director of visual merchandising for WalkerGroup/CNI, an architectural design firm in New York City. Feigenbaum was also an adjunct professor of Store Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and formerly served as the chair of the Visual Merchandising Department at LIM College (New York) from 2000 to 2015. In addition to being the Editorial Advisor/New York Editor of VMSD magazine, Eric is also a founding member of PAVE (A Partnership for Planning and Visual Education). Currently, he is also president and director of creative services for his own retail design company, Embrace Design.

Don't miss Eric Feigenbaum's International Retail Design Conference (IRDC, Sept. 13-15 in Montreal) session Wednesday, September 14, 9:30 a.m., with co-presenter Kevin Kennon of Kevin Kennon Architects, The Future is Here: Felix and the Customer Journey,” examining the importance of the physical store through the lens of Felix B. Maduro's newest outpost in Panama's Soho Mall. For more information on his session, this year's conference agenda or registration rates, please visit irdconline.com.

 

Advertisement

SPONSORED HEADLINE

7 design trends to drive customer behavior in 2024

7 design trends to drive customer behavior in 2024

In-store marketing and design trends to watch in 2024 (+how to execute them!). Learn More.

Promoted Headlines

Most Popular