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Designing Tomorrow’s Retail

As customer well-being becomes a higher priority than ever before, shopfitters and designers across the world are finding new and innovative ways to offer relaxing and stress-reducing commercial spaces to improve the overall guest experience. Over the coming pages, RLI takes a closer look at multiple examples of new retail spaces that highlight these very elements.

The shopfitting and design of store interiors has taken on a more important role than ever before in the industry, as customers wants and needs have altered so much in recent years. For example in this day-and-age, incorporating wellness elements into store design not only enhances the customer experience but also encourages longer store visits, which can lead to increased sales, possibly not something on everyone’s agendas even just a few short years ago.

This comment comes from Barcelona-based retail design studio CAAD Retail Design in their article ‘Exploring the Future of Retail Design: 6 Key Trends for 2025 (part II)’. The article continues by saying that focusing on customer well-being helps stores differentiate themselves from competitors. Offering a unique, wellness-centred shopping experience attracts a broader audience and builds customer loyalty.
While this is just one of the new trends being witnessed in the world of shopfitting and design, there are many more and you can find out more about these in the global examples that follow.

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Bigface, Miami Design District, US Designer: DE-YAN

Americas

In December last year, RH (Restoration Hardware) announced the opening of RH Newport Beach, The Gallery at Fashion Island, an immersive retail experience seamlessly integrating luxury home furnishings collections from RH Interiors, Modern, Outdoor, Baby & Child and TEEN with rare art, antiques and artefacts from across the globe. The 97,000sq ft space offers a multi-sensory retail experience across four levels. It features a Venetian plaster façade, garden courtyards and lavish interiors showcasing RH collections. Ascending a grand, architecturally inspiring double floating staircase to the rooftop, guests arrive at the one-of-a-kind RH Ocean Grill. Set within a year-round, skylit garden escape, guests can enjoy fresh seafood dishes and enduring classics from the restaurant’s live-fire hearth, all beneath a dramatic atrium with sparkling chandeliers, heritage olive trees and a cascading central fountain. Visitors will also find an interactive 8,500sq ft RH Interior Design Atelier dedicated to its team of in-house designers.

The 424 brand’s original store on North Fairfax Avenue closed its doors during COVID, but a little while ago, a new 424 retail space was inaugurated on a more upscale location – Melrose Place. The new 424 store stands out because of its unusual aesthetic. Founder Guillermo Andrade collaborated with multidisciplinary studio Zoo as Zoo to create a mystical, grotto-like setting which aims to push the boundaries of traditional retail. As such, the 1,625sq ft space juxtaposes a variety of materials, including concrete, cement and steel, while seamlessly blending industrial aesthetics with organic elements, playing with the contrast between warm and cold tones. This audacious approach deviates from the norm of creating retail spaces that are merely aesthetically pleasing, aiming instead to craft an ambiance that resonates with the brand’s quirky philosophy.

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LIKELIHOOD, Seattle, US Designer: Heliotrope

Sci-fi film 2001: A Space Odyssey informed the design of the Bigface coffee shop in Miami Design District, created by NBA star Jimmy Butler and design agency DE-YAN. The first physical Bigface store opened in December 2024 ahead of the annual Art Basel fair and concurrent events around the city. Director Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 movie served as a reference point for the interior, which is predominantly white and minimally furnished like the film’s spaceship setting. Merchandise adorned with the smiley Bigface logo – including apparel, mugs and insulated cups – is displayed inside backlit niches set within a brushed stainless steel wall. Another display unit opposite is wrapped in the same material and houses ready-to-drink canned beverages in chillers. The logo is also enlarged and applied to the pill-shaped drop ceiling above the counter, positioned in the centre of the space. This counter follows the same round-cornered shape and has a matte-grey surface finish upon which coffee grinders and taps for cold brew are located.

Sneaker emporium LIKELIHOOD first set up shop in Seattle in 2015 and now, almost a decade later, has added an alluring second outpost in South Lake Union, a downtown area which has seen hugely increased gentrification the past two decades. The company’s new store occupies a 3,000sq ft corner unit on the ground floor of a glittering high-rise office building. The interior design, created by local architecture practice Heliotrope, takes cues from an art gallery and it’s one that’s anchored by monumental, 36ft trapezoidal display. Combined with an understated backdrop of whitewashed walls and matching shelving, polished concrete flooring, mirrored dressing rooms and a ceiling of large, elongated cloud lights, the setting make the colourful merchandise on display effortlessly pop. The new LIKELIHOOD store stocks sneakers, apparel, accessories and fragrances by a curated range of leading brands, including On, Homme Plissé, ISSEY MIYAKE, New Balance, Marni, Nike, UNDERCOVER and Saucony.

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Via 1719 Wu Liangcai, New Vision Field, Shanghai, China Designer: Dayuan Design

Asia

Located at the heart of Marisfrolg Fashion Group’s Shenzhen campus and launched this year, the 2,900sq m Marisfrolg Showroom interiors by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) are informed by the rich textiles, timeless design and precision tailoring embodied within the group’s nine unique labels. Founded in 1993, Marisfrolg Fashion Group has grown to over 400 stores in 100 cities, collaborating with innovative designers from around the world on collections that showcase the group’s unwavering commitment to the highest quality and craftsmanship. Featuring the main flagship store, a pop-up store for temporary exhibitions and events, a homeware gallery for décor and furniture, as well as a café and an outdoor courtyard, ZHA’s interiors convey the ethos of Marisfrolg’s unique labels. Echoing the headquarters’ original ‘butterfly-wing’ structure, ZHA’s showroom design embodies a unifying architectural language of dynamism, with distinct elements unique to each label creating a different spatial experience to reflect their individuality.

Opened last year after interior design work by Dayuan Design, the new Via 1719 Wu Liangcai, New Vision Field project involves the intervention of the iconic Qichongtian building, built in 1922, a symbol of Shanghai culture, rich in emotion and history and combining modernist and art deco styles, and does so by paying homage to the collective memory of the city through the creation of an artistic installation that functions as a commercial space. Inspired by mechanical glasses with a traditional Chinese touch but bringing a contemporary and narrative image to the project, Dayuan Design creates a space that fuses fashion culture and historical architecture, breaking away from a solely traditional image to show the vitality that defines the brand. The project aimed to simulate a trip to an eyewear factory, which it achieves through an exhibition space that combines Chinese industrial aesthetics with modern factory elements, allowing it to adapt to different needs such as events or conferences.

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House of Silhouette, Vienna, Austria Shopfitter: umdasch The Store Makers

Opened back in November at Jio World Plaza in BKC, Mumbai, Tira Beauty’s new flagship offers a fresh shopping concept, featuring a combination of technological advancements and tried-and-true in-person consultations. The 6,200sq ft space exudes a certain kind of larger-than-life element and is set on the first floor of the mall. The multi-brand boutique attempts to make beauty inclusive, diverse and accessible to all. Designed by London’s renowned studio Dalziel & Pow, the retail store embraces a Scandinavian-style layout. Within this experiential concept site sits the Tira Beauty Suite – a first-of-its-kind, sophisticated in-store spa replete with premium treatments. Here, skilled aestheticians pamper you with exclusive invigorating services like Aqua Infusions and the Augustinus Bader facials, available only at Tira.

As the capital city of a booming economy, Jakarta boasts a growing demographic of creatives and entrepreneurs that continue to push the envelope, creating a consumer experience that’s uniquely Jakarta. One of the latest retail concepts opening in the city is Donut of Curiosity. Occupying a modest unit on the premises of ASHTA District 8, a shopping centre in the Senayan area of town, it features an interior design by Jakarta-based architects, interior designers and also twin brothers, Rama and Romy Dwiwahyu. It is an artisanal donut shop set up by 20/WOL, an Indonesian investment and development fund and the interior design is anchored by a striking oversized kneaded dough form in concrete which not only beckons donut aficionados from afar, but also signals the store’s has an out-of-the-box approach. Set in an open space that allows easy access, the structure features a single peak hole for ordering. The entire space is crafted from precast concrete, giving the setting a cool understated appearance, and it’s paired with an illuminated stretch ceiling.

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RH Newport Beach, California, US Designer: RH In-House Team

International

With the opening of the House of Silhouette back in December, the renowned eyewear manufacturer Silhouette Group has set new standards for premium optics in Vienna, Austria with its first brand experience store. umdasch The Store Makers were commissioned to provide general contracting, shopfitting and digital retail services for the realisation of this extraordinary project. Sustainability played a central role in the shopfitting: for the shelves and back walls, umdasch used the material ECHOJAZZ, which is made of 100% PET with a minimum of 50% recycled PET. The materials used had to meet the requirements of environmentally friendly and durable shopfitting. At the same time, the charm of the historic building was preserved – the original staircase of the Palais Herberstein was lovingly integrated and forms a stylish connection between the floors. An extraordinary refraction room in the stairwell draws all eyes to it as a central element. At this store, the shopping experience is combined with state-of-the-art advice – a tribute to the DNA of the Silhouette Group.

Since 2016, multiple Arte Antwerp branded retail spaces have been inaugurated, first at home in Antwerp, then, in neighbouring Brussels and now Paris. In France, the company has launched an elongated ground floor unit alongside rue du Temple, one of the buzzing Marais district’s most important shopping arteries. Local design practice HARMO PARIS were hired to create a fitting interior design which, given the narrow and elongated dimensions, offers a clever play on perspective and as such, a dynamic visual shopping experience. Pristine white walls and concrete flooring form the backdrop of a seemingly inserted mid-section, crafted from dark timber and taking shape as both a solid and swirling volume. At the back of the store, below ceiling lighting panels, fitting rooms can be found. The new Arte Antwerp store stocks the brand’s full range of apparel, accessories, bags and small leather goods.

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Printemps Doha, Qatar Shopfitter: HMY Group

Founded in 2005 by Swiss-born David Fischer, the streetwear and sneaker website Highsnobiety has since gone leaps and bounds, trading in the aura of ‘street cred’ for stature in global fashion circles. The new Highsnobiety flagship store in Berlin, Germany occupies a lofty ground floor unit on the premises of an early 20th-century office building. The interior design, created by local design practice VAUST, reflects Highsnobiety’s forward vision of a retail space as a continuously transitional domain with a clear and tantalising narrative and in this case, one with a distinct Berliner accent. The latter element is particularly evident in the fact that the rough surface of the building’s shell has been largely retained and combined with sanded concrete flooring and a ceiling dipped in a warm grey hue, it serves as an effortless backdrop. A palette of contrasting industrial materials curated, either repurposed or reimagined, are captured by furnishings in various shapes and fixtures, adding an intriguing visual layering.

Part of the vast Inditex empire, Zara has a presence in almost every market on the planet, offering on-trend designs to a young and in-the-know demographic. One of the brand’s latest store openings, in Madrid’s upscale downtown neighbourhood of Salamanca, is a first for the city as it’s exclusively dedicated to the men’s collections. The interior design, created by the brand’s in-house design team, sees a series of understated, clean spaces with a welcoming lifestyle feel, captured by a carefully curated selection of materials, including reclaimed wood, leather and chrome metals. Adding a subtle layering to the men’s boutique is a collection of photographs by Spanish photographer Juan Baraja which adorns the stairwell. Needless to say, the store houses the latest technology, offering shoppers a seamless shopping experience that’s almost similar to making a purchase online. Additionally, it features fully automated self-service check-out counters, while highly efficient energy and cooling systems have been implemented to reduce the store’s carbon footprint as much as possible
Back in October, a very unique location officially launched to the public on Oxford Street in London, UK. Called Future Stores, this innovative space is changing what it means to shop with a bold £20M investment, transforming traditional retail into a dynamic, interactive experience-a first for London and globally. Located on Europe’s busiest shopping street, Future Stores offers a personalised experience that’s as fluid as a social media feed, featuring a rotating line-up of brand ‘showcases’ or ‘activations’ that will change every two to six weeks. In essence, Future Stores offers the space, whoever takes on the space fits it out either the way they want through their own in-house design teams, or they work with the Future Stores company to adorn the space in the most effective way to market the brand or company in question. First up was Intel®, who hosted an interactive, immersive and technology-fuelled activation for the first six weeks upon opening.

Middle East

Late last year, luxury watchmaker Breitling expanded its footprint in the UAE capital with a new boutique in Abu Dhabi Marina Mall. With shopftting undertaken by Store Makers ME, the new 102sq m boutique became the latest retail space designed to incorporate the brand’s rich heritage with a relaxed and inclusive retail experience. The brand’s modern-retro design values have been brought to life through vintage décor and artwork, streamlined with contemporary design elements. Wall-mounted propellers, surfboards, bicycles, as well as unique artefacts guide visitors to explore the store’s air, land and sea watches.

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Rene Caovilla, Marassi Galleria, Bahrain Shopfitter: Havelock One

Al Mourjan Business Lounge – The Garden has become the perfect retreat for Qatar Airways First and Business Class passengers, offering a sophisticated way of travel, centred in comfort, wellness and nature. Through its work on the project, HMY Group has demonstrated a high engineering know-how and multi-material manufacturing capacity to make it possible. The high-level stone elements have been manufactured in HMY Spain, bringing rare and valuable marbles from the quarries of Morocco, to be selected before handling. It is a highly sophisticated concept and one of the main characteristics of the project has been HMY’s demonstrated ability to work with such unusual elements, designed as authentic sculptures from rare natural materials. HMY developed the complex technical design, architectural and engineering drawings, project and site management, natural stone works, furniture manufacturing, logistics & installation over a 7,390sq m area. Located in the impressive Northern expansion at Hamad International Airport, this lounge captivates premium passengers with complimentary access to its unparalleled facilities.

Spread over 40,000sq m by contractor HMY Group, the Printemps store in Doha, Qatar is a three-floor elliptical architectural masterpiece. Printemps Doha is the luxury fashion, beauty and lifestyle department store in Qatar, housing the most iconic luxury brands under one roof, including among others’ Louis Vuitton, Dior, Valentino, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga and Balmain. The department store also features the biggest beauty & wellness area in Qatar with 2,000sq m and 137 brands, ranging from the most illustrious names in the industry to the latest sustainable and vegan brands and all-time consumer favourites. HMY was commissioned to translate the beauty new concept to reality inside the iconic building created by the award-wining Yabu & Pushelberg studio.

With its experience in the luxury retail sector, it made contractor Havelock One the perfect partner for Rene Caovilla’s latest store launch. For its debut boutique at Marassi Galleria, Rene Caovilla sought to offer an experience of luxury and sophistication. The concept was to immerse customers in an environment that reflects the brand’s heritage of exquisite Italian craftsmanship. They embraced this vision and were ready to bring Rene Caovilla’s essence to life with a design that is both timeless and modern. To bring this vision to life, they carefully handled the installation of custom retail fixtures. They created and set up special light boxes to highlight the footwear collection, used laminated glazing for a smooth look and added elegant chandeliers for a touch of luxury. Also installed was a striking storefront to attract customers which included intricate mashrabiya details for a unique touch. Every element was thoughtfully planned to ensure a smooth and engaging shopping experience from the moment customers arrived.

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Breitling, Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi, UAE Shopfitter: Store Makers ME

In addition to their work on this store at Marassi Galleria, Emaar Entertainment LLC selected Havelock One to implement the interior fit-out and commissioning of three entertainment projects within the site. When Abu Dhabi-based developer Eagle Hills entered a joint venture with Emaar Entertainment to first bring the Marassi Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Havelock One got nominated to execute the fit-out and manufacturing of the 30,031sq ft attraction. Following the exemplary contribution to the Aquarium project in 2022, Havelock One has succeeded in securing the second and third big attractions within the Marassi Galleria—the Adventure Park and the Reel Cinemas.

Finally, another of the company’s projects was their retention to manufacture and install the store fixtures for Los Angeles-based studio-to-street brand, Alo Yoga. Recently the Alo Yoga brand made its Dubai debut in the most visited tourist destination in the world, Dubai Mall. Havelock One had the pleasure of delivering the custom manufacturing of all store fixtures for the expansive 5,000sq ft space. From replicating Alo’s signature wooden lattice partitions in metal for the outdoor terrace, to crafting stylish hanging shelves, they have seamlessly integrated the brand’s essence into every corner. They also manufactured bespoke seating for both the interior and the terrace, so guests can sit in comfort while enjoying the view of the iconic Dubai Fountains.

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