Map data ©2012 Google, Sanborn. Inset image property of Chute Gerdeman.

From Lanvin’s illustrative graphic cover to the classic Lady Dior quilted handbag, we’ve seen our fair share of retailers building excitement around soon-to-be open stores with creative, eye-catching shrouds. While there’s something to be said for this buzz-building introduction, some retailers are taking a different approach to generate new store excitement.

The Camper store on New York’s Fifth Avenue is an example of a retailer who believes that a work-in-progress is worth talking about. The footwear brand, based out of Spain, is known for their unique store designs and this location is no different – albeit for a different reason as I soon found out.

Images via designboom.com, dezeen.com

From nature-inspired environments like the Regent Street store in London and their bold, contemporary store in Via Montenapoleone, Milan, to a graphic illustration style in Lyon, France, each store has an individual style, and often a different designer.

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Map data ©2012 Google, Sanborn. Inset image property of Chute Gerdeman.

New York’s neighborhood south of Houston is always getting new and exciting tenants, but none possibly as recognizable as Tiffany & Co. With awnings in their signature robin’s egg, or “Tiffany blue,” it catches your eye instantly. The new store at 97 Greene St. just opened in September, coinciding with Fashion’s Night Out. The store combines two spaces (97 Greene and 106 Wooster) for a grand total of 7,000 square feet. The brand employed local artists to add elegant and dramatic elements to the design, such as mother-of-pearl magnolias, backlit dragonfly-patterened walls and unique lighting.

Image property of Chute Gerdeman

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Map data ©2012 Google, Sanborn. Inset image property of Chute Gerdeman.

I was recently honored with the opportunity to be a presenter at last week’s European Store Design Summit in Wiesbaden, Germany. While I was there I had the chance to venture the streets of the nearby city of Frankfurt. As I strolled along the ladenstrasse (a typical German shopping street), I was stopped in my tracks by an impressive architectural glass facade with a gaping funnel that shot through the five-level building, offering a keyhole glimpse of the sky beyond. Wow…very cool! I had to investigate further.

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