5 MOST INTERESTING LIGHTING DESIGNS FOR FASHION STORES. GET INSPIRED
As producers and designers of lighting for the retail industry, we look at store interiors from a different perspective than the ordinary consumer. We look at the storefronts and expositions with a critical eye and analyze the solutions used inside the premises. While some disappoint us, others delight us. Here are 5 lighting designs that we found most inspiring.
PALAZZO FENDI - GEOMETRIC RIGOR AND BOW FOR ART
The Roman Fendi store is located in Palazzo Fendi - a six-story building entirely dedicated to the famous brand. In addition to the boutique, it also houses a cultural center, hotel, private VIP apartment and restaurant.
Palazzo Fendi / Rome / source: wallpaper.com
The interior of the store itself was designed by Gwenael Nicolas, an architect and founder of Curiosity Studio, responsible for all European Fendi locations. But it is the Roman design that highlights the brand's roots most strongly. Lighting is not so much a complement to the design concept as its foundation. It embodies everything Italian: The rhythmic and rigorous geometry of the Renaissance, the elegant discretion of timeless fashion and the delightful glow of southern energy.
Pay attention to the aesthetic concealment of lighting fixtures. The light sources are almost invisible. In Palazzo Fendi, it is the contrast between light and shadow that plays the main role.
THE CANADIAN VERSION OF MAX MARA
The flagship store of Max Mara is a project by Duccio Grassi Architects, as elegant and restrained as the timeless nature of the brand's clothes.
Max Mara shop interior / Vancouver / source: reggiani.net
The contemporary interior finish in the Canadian flagstore is a natural color and minimalism. Even clearly defined lines and sharp shapes do not distract from the store's assortment. Lighting fixtures must behave in a similar way: embedded in furniture, they play a supporting role. However, the professional eye will notice how diverse the light sources are: the combination of many versions of LED, metal halide and halogen lamps resulted in a surprisingly even and flexible light distribution.
Pay attention to the precision with which the numerous lighting points are positioned. They don't give any random spots of light. Each stream falls exactly where the project foresees, exposing the main highlight of the interior: the Max Mara collection.
LIKE THE COCO CHANEL APARTMENT
The Chanel fashion house boutique in Hamburg is a project of New York architect Peter Marino. The shop, located on the ground floor of the Bürgermeisterhaus, is designed to invite you to the sophisticated world of fashion, which is promised from the outside by an illuminated window that contrasts with the facade.
Dark wood, glass, marble floors, soft color palettes - every element of the interior was inspired by the Parisian suite of the fashion icon Coco Chanel. Lighting 327 square meters in such a way as to provide an intimate, feminine atmosphere was certainly a challenge.
Pay attention to how the lighting design harmonizes with the interior design. The light flows from the lighting fixtures and reflects beautifully on numerous shiny surfaces, to finally sink into the characteristic tweed upholstery of the furniture.
SPECTACULAR LOUIS VUITTON
In our opinion, this is the most interesting lighting design on the list. The Louis Vuitton flagstore is located in the famous Ginza shopping district in Tokyo. The stunning architectural concept of the building's façade by Jun Aoika is a trailer for an equally spectacular interior, for which Peter Marino is responsible.
Louis Vuitton flagship store / Tokyo / source: superfuture.com
Although the interior of the flagship store itself is dynamic and rich in details, the lighting design does not lag behind. The multitude of technological solutions, courage in the design of the luminaires, perfect setting of the lamps and playing with colors - the combination of these elements means that the lighting design could successfully create a mood on its own, even in empty rooms.
Pay attention to how the handbags or shoes on the shelves are lit. Thanks to the use of high contrast, each of the products is displayed like an exhibit in a museum or an actor on the stage of the theater.
BURBERRY - A MEETING WITH VIRTUAL REALITY
Burberry Store in Shanghai was the only one in our ranking that focused not only on emphasizing the character of its brand, but also on the experience of a modern customer. According to the architect responsible for the design of the Chinese flagstore, Vincenzo De Cotiis, there has been created "an open and welcoming, familiar and experiential place where customers can actively participate in the brand's tradition".
Burberry concept store / Shanghai / source: luxuothailand.com
Burberry Boutique is like an interactive museum. With the help of a special application, you can turn each of the 40 large mirrors into a monitor, which will display a fashion show or a movie about the brand's products. Lighting a room where the real and digital world blend had to be quite a challenge, but the effect is astonishing.
Fun fact. Burberry is more and more often making it possible to adjust the lighting in fitting rooms in its stores. Thanks to this, customers have a chance to see themselves and the selected products in the most favorable lighting setting.
Did you like the article? Do you want your store's lighting to be inspired by top designs? Contact us and let’s talk about a new project for your brand.
