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IKEA: The value of ‘groundwork’ not ‘deskwork’ . From ‘customer to community experiences!’

IKEA: ‘A lively happening’ coming soon to a place nearby There are many interesting learnings from the opening of the new IKEA shops across the globe, not least the fact that the roll-out is happening at a pace against a back-drop of shop closures, particularly amongst established chains. There is much to digest in the location of the shops, the retail and social environments that IKEA is creating around them,-

Judging begins for the VMRD Retail Design Awards 2022

It is that exciting time of year again, to begin judging the entrants for the 2022 VMRD Retail Design Awards. From experience as an awards presenter, I know that the ceremony itself is a great spectacle and a place of high excitement and emotion. These awards mean a lot in the retail industry in Asia and beyond. It is quite an accolade. However I have to say that I also-

“Working with the Cottage Customer“ – Re-commerce & the Circular Economy

Tim Radley:“Re-commerce & the Circular Economy”The World Consumer Goods & Retail Forum 2022 23rd – 24th June 2022Amsterdam, Netherlands The re-commerce model, also known as the circular economy, has become an important strategy for many retail verticals, especially as physical retail continues to lose its footing. But it’s not without its challenges.In this session, Tim Radley will explore how the disruptors are seeing success and the common pitfalls to avoid-

Made.com: fabricating a new approach to furniture

Made.com: fabricating a new approach to furniture Made.com was founded in 2010, as an online retail enterprise. As a product of recent times, it exhibits the same entrepreneurial culture, a desire to innovate, and an appetite to disrupt the traditional way of doing things in its own sector, as other digital-first businesses. Imagine a furniture concept that throws out the baggage of the traditional ways and re-invents the whole process-

The White Company: Living life in the Soft Lane!

There surely cannot be a better example of why online retailing will never replace the physical store than The White Company. The recent opening of the extension of Westfield London sees the latest incarnation of the home retailer, now lifestyle retailer, inviting the customer to literally dive into the sumptuous textures and fabrics that make-up its assortment. If this is your brand taste then there is nothing to compare,-

MADE+ in Heaven: Delivered to your Door!

So, imagine a furniture concept that throws out the baggage of the traditional way of doing things, and re-invents the whole process from the perspective of the customer and the designer. More or less, you have Made.com Made is born from a passion for modern, beautiful furniture and the frustration of buying it the old-fashioned way. And with necessity being the mother of invention it was real life experience that-

Loaf at your Leisure: Disruptive Relaxation

Loaf, in a purely traditional definition, is a retailer of sofas, beds and furniture. However in the context of the traditional way of doing business it is a disruptor of the highest order bringing new ideas, imagination and inspiration to the table of home retailing. To begin, Loaf is not just a clever name with its implication of relaxation in the modern media world, or its application to product-

Everything’s Coming Up Roses: Cath’s Cornucopia

As part of VM-unleashed’s 10th anniversary year we take a look back at some retail milestones from the last decade and explain why each store’s message is as relevant for us today as it was then. Cath Kidston flagship store, Piccadilly London “Amongst the proud pillars of Piccadilly a little floral femininity has broken through the winter weather. Cath Kidston’s first flagship is a bright beacon of colour inviting the-

House of Hackney: passionate people producing amazing experiences

To step from Shoreditch High Street into the House of Hackney is a journey into such a wonderful world of sumptuous colour and texture that a visit to Narnia itself would be no more astounding. And that is not to sleight Shoreditch but to extoll the voluptuous virtues of this home emporium that it so appropriately houses. House of Hackney is a print-based lifestyle brand, founded in London in-

Pop-Up for Tea: Tasteful Treats from Wedgwood

A mere meander from the horticultural highlights of the Chelsea flower show is a marriage made in heritage heaven between Wedgwood and John Lewis. Just a few steps into the foyer of Peter Jones in Sloane Square is a land of serene ceramics and tasteful elegance, a month-long pop-up experience that turns tasteful into tasty as the setting for the Wedgwood Conservatory Cafe, a place of tranquil relaxation and-