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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Editor’s Note: As ever-vigilant trend spotters, we’ve noticed a few ideas worth keeping our eye on in the new year. One of the trends to watch in 2013…

Image via smallshopstudio.com

More and more I’ve been seeing an increase in the use of bold patterns and bright colors. C. Wonder stores are a great example of this trend with their use of saturated green and an eclectic mix of patterns on the walls, floors and accent pieces.

Image via elle.com

Louis Vuitton’s red polka dot windows, designed by Yayoi Kusama, are another great example of a vibrant color used with a bold pattern. From a material standpoint, I have seen an increase in wallcoverings and fabrics with larger scale patterns and bolder colors—perfect for retail and restaurant applications!

Image via DL Couch, Maharam, Wolf Gordon

DL Couch, Maharam and Wolf Gordon have some great examples of this bright and bold trend, and I say, bring it on!

The inspiration and creative passion that comes out of NYC’s annual A.R.E. Visual & Fixture Market each December is what makes my new year all the more exciting! One of my favorite finds was the love and precision that went into the mannequins, from the fashion windows to the showrooms.

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Goldsmith/Windows Mannequin France

Image property of Chute Gerdeman

Hello, gorgeous; hello, genius! With the sweep of a magnetic pen, luscious lips and dashing eyes can be interchanged within seconds, making this one of the most flexible and time-saving beauty tricks out today. An array of color and pattern, feathers and lashes means it’s possible to complement virtually any fashion statement.

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Image property of Chute Gerdeman

Image property of Chute Gerdeman

I’ve noticed more brands that offer distinctively different storefront exteriors that feel unique and one-of-a-kind. And then, once you step inside, you feel and see that the brand is familiar and consistent from location to location. Examples I’ve seen include brands like Lululemon and Aritzia, where customers are identifying with an exterior design that feels customized, “it’s my neighborhood store…it’s special and just for me!” But the brand’s iconic environmental and visual cues are quickly recognizable, and instantly you know what store you are in.

Image property of Chute Gerdeman

Lululemon has consistent interior visual cues like the power pant and bra wall; the branded Lululemon shopping bag hanging behind the side-located cash desk and the unisex fitting room lounge at the back. Inside Aritzia, they consistently use very low tables piled with folded merchandise and ethereal, fantasy-like murals along the perimeter walls. Creating a one-of-a kind exterior with a consistent, familiar interior creates a special, personal shopping destination; I think we’ll see more and more of this.

Image via shoesofprey.com

Editor’s Note: As ever-vigilant trend spotters, we’ve noticed a few ideas worth keeping our eye on in the new year. One of the trends to watch in 2013…

Editor’s Note: As ever-vigilant trend spotters, we’ve noticed a few ideas worth keeping our eye on in the new year. Here’s one of the trends to watch in 2013…

There’s a new definition of consumer demand emerging through online funding programs like Kickstarter, where the consumer is actually choosing to support and invest in the ideas or innovations that they want to see developed.

In the last couple years, we’ve seen retail stores and restaurants developed either solely or partially funded by the consumer through crowdfunding. One of the things influencing this trend is the increasing desire to support independent or local retail. For entrepreneurs, this method enables them to take their idea straight to the consumer and ask them to help fund it—no bank loan required.

Image via duke-winston.com

Philadelphia-based, casual apparel brand Duke & Winston utilized the Kickstarter platform to help gain funding to increase its national presence. Those who “kick in” are awarded merchandise based on their investment level, ranging from a $25 t-shirt up to a shopping spree.

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