White House | Black Market, Naples, Fla.

To retain its neighborhood boutique roots, White House | Black Market is constantly seeking ways to connect with its local communities. “It helps differentiate you from the competition,” says Victor Johnson, director of store environments.

The bond for its Naples, Fla., flagship was created by tapping into the vibrant arts community. Working with local curator Trudy Labell, the retailer selected pieces with a fashion theme for its visual program, including a commissioned work by Gabrielle Mayer (at left), who’s known for taking shopping bags and pinning them into 3-D dresses on traditional dressmaker forms before painting a canvas of the finished dress.

Johnson says other art pieces were placed to relate to the different areas of the store, such as artist Susan Freda’s wire, resin and glass dress forms hanging near the dress and shoe areas. “The fine art gives the store a more residential character,” says Johnson, “and that reinforces the boutique experience.”

Project Participants:

Client
White House | Black Market, Fort Myers, Fla.: Lexy Onofrio, vp, visual merchandising, White House | Black Market; Victor Johnson, director, store environment, White House | Black Market; Jackie Francis, director, architectural store planning, Chico’s FAS

Architect
DA Levy & Associates, Akron, Ohio

General Contractor
DeJager Construction, Wyoming, Mich.

Artwork
Trudy Labell Fine Art, Naples, Fla.

Flooring
Budget Interiors, Bridgeport, Ohio

Fixtures/Furniture
idX, St. Louis
Triad Mfg. Inc., St. Louis
Golden Oldies, Flushing, N.Y.
Chairmasters, Bronx, N.Y.
Circle Visual, New York

Mannequins/Forms
Fusion Specialties, Broomfield, Colo.

Props/Decoratives
Holiday Foliage, San Diego
Trimco Display, Carteret, N.J.
GO Concepts, Flushing, N.Y.
Christine Taylor Collection, Doylestown, Pa.

Signage/Graphics
Innomark Communications, Fairfield, Ohio