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Stand for Something

The new retail paradigm is a conduit for social change

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We’ve come to this industry from all walks of life and points of view. Armed with degrees in art, architecture, theater and even psychology, we were drawn to visual merchandising by our passion, our drive and our creative spirit. We soon recognized this was a 24/7 commitment. With radar screens always activated, we were sponges, soaking in all the world had to offer. Images and inspirations were stored into memory banks, journals, filing cabinets, or merely hot glued and scotch taped to the most convenient nearby wall. As visual merchandisers, we shared ideas and celebrated cultural nuances through theatrical presentations on retail stages across the industry.

In the early days, we lifted, pulled, hoisted and hung, as we hustled around 200,000 square feet of retail space with cunningness and grace. We highlighted, presented and displayed all that our stores had to offer. The retail venue became our extended campuses, as we rolled up our sleeves and learned our craft on the selling floor, the studio and the corner window. Professors had names such as Moore, Callahan and Benzio.

Being immersed in the business of fashion, we recognized that change was inevitable and, in fact, the lifeblood of our profession. Those of us who succeeded embraced change and even sought it out. With new technologies and philosophies, retail is lightyears ahead of not only the grand emporiums that graced our cities in the early 1900s, but also ahead of the old-school means of conducting business just a few short years ago. And with the prevailing change, it seems as though the world has become a smaller place. Of course, ease of travel, particularly for those in our industry, is opening many international and intercultural doors.

As my experiences continue to unfold, my tattered passport seems to have more ink than the Sunday New York Times or the arms of a tattoo devotee living in Williamsburg. I barely unpacked my bags after a recent visit to Hong Kong and Mainland China, and now I’m packing for a week in Brazil. In addition to a speaking engagement, I expect that I’ll be engulfed in the excitement surrounding the Olympics – you know, the games that “sweep it all under the table” amidst its own political intrigue, and happily pretend to be a great world unifier, healer and salve.

A new social order emerged in 1948; the world was a different place. Licking its wounds, a battle-scarred Europe struggled to recover. It was a mere three years since the allies marched into Berlin to end a depraved nightmare. It was then that London stepped forward to help the world unite in sport. London hosted the games of the XIV Olympiad. The Empire wanted to communicate to the rest of the world that the challenges and evils of the hard fought war were over. Although rationing of food and clothing was still part of everyday life, and worldwide economies were still struggling to get onto solid ground, Britain was inviting the international community to celebrate a new day. By no means a lavish event, the games – costing a mere £730,000 – were rich in spirit and heart. Known as 'The Austerity Games,” London didn't offer new venues, or even an Olympic Village to house the athletes. It merely offered a meeting place for the world to convene.

Given the events of the past several weeks – or even of the past 70 years – it doesn’t seem as though the five rings of the Olympiad have done much to bring the world together. But still, even in the face of incredible turmoil, political unrest and economic challenges, we are moving toward a global community. The sinew of much of this bonding, of course, is the relentless march of technology, and the far reach of cyberspace. Connectivity has made it clear that the world is shrinking. In today’s global community, a garment might be designed in Milan, made of Egyptian weaves, manufactured in Hong Kong and distributed in New York. And while eloquent political rhetoric and powerful military saber rattling have not advanced society to a loftier place by stemming the tide of divisiveness, perhaps it’s commerce, culture and concern that can bridge the dividing gaps.

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So as we bow to the temples of technology and are shepherded by myriad devices that we hold in our hands, can we somehow chart a new direction for growth, understanding and hope? Can social responsibility be as compelling as “buy two, get one free?” Can retailers use the new tools of connected commerce as new tools of connected conscience? Can we do more than just sell; can we also teach and connect?

The biggest challenge facing retail today isn’t the economy, it isn’t sameness, and it isn’t the integration of technology, but rather, it’s the humanization of the process. The retail cycle is no longer linear in the sequence of awareness, interest, desire and purchase. Today, the retail process is circular, with many avenues of engagement. Through multiple well-orchestrated touchpoints (brand awareness, research, displays, physical environments, online engagement and social media), the customer will discover, explore, engage and buy.

It must be noted, however, that a by-product of this new nonlinear process is transparency. The new retail order is an open book. It tells the customer who you are, what you have to say and how you say it. So the message here is quite clear: Stand for something, have a point of view, and make a difference.

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.

 

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