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-
Yet another survey was published last week showing how the number of closing retail stores on the high streets of the UK significantly outweighs those opening. Sad as that is, it’s no surprise to anyone in the current omnichannel climate. What is surprising is that the store category with the healthiest number of openings, compared to closures, is bookstores. A decade ago the mere thought that bookstores would be leading-
Pitch Perfect: Sports Direct Playing the Field If you want to see some clues as to what the new Mike Ashley House of Fraser might look like, then a good starting point are the new Sports Direct/USC/Flannels superstores. One of the latest is at Lakeside where a 10,000sqm sports and lifestyle experience has taken shape. The Mike Ashley’ jigsaw put together piece by piece. Recent years has seen a subtle-
If you read my post regarding Sports Direct and Game proposing to share store space to introduce eSports arenas and you’re not familiar with Bunkr then read on. Bunkr was a pop-up eSports store and social space set up by Fnatic, one of the worlds biggest and most popular eSports teams. The concept appeared in Shoreditch in London and although planned as a pop-up of a few weeks lasted for-
The Evening Post:- 22nd March “The New Era of Retail Collaborations: Sports Direct & Game!” Roaming through my rather cavernous Sports Direct in search of school sports supplies, I was considering the proposed collaboration between Sports Direct and Game. The idea is to share retail space and bring their brands together under one roof. It makes complete sense, serving different retail and leisure needs but to the same customer, whilst-
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. The last decade has shown us that brands need to connect very strongly on an emotional level with their customers in order to survive and flourish. New brands arrive with a fanfare of future-
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. Two big themes of the decade were epitomised by the second coming of Jim Hendrix to Carnaby Street. Firstly the advent of the “Pop-up” shop. Now everyone’s favourite vehicle for testing out new product launches-
Selfridges opens its biggest ever department, Body Studio, encompassing everything that is exciting and inspirational about London’s leading department store. Never the laggard Selfridges is ahead of the trend as its manoeuvres gracefully to gain a fitness foot hold in the fastest growing area of fashion – Athleisure. The department brings together an intimate experience, despite its many metres, catering for everything feminine from lingerie, nightwear and seasonal swimwear,-
An article featuring Tim Radley of VM-Unleashed! in Football Club Business Magazine October 2015 “Make a Football Experience to Remember!” Christmas is an enormous opportunity for all retailers but in particular for those brands with a strong loyalty and emotional connection with their customers and where gift and impulse sales have the potential to go over the proverbial moon. Football Clubs are ideally placed to benefit from satisfying this seasonal appetite. –
There are many magical corners of the Selfridges supersized store to admire and marvel at, to lose yourself in an exploration of a wondrous assortment from traditional classics to outrageous innovation. In the basement bowels of the lower ground floor through the avenue of travel accessories, luggage and literature is a gem of a department for anyone with an eye for imagination and an ear for entertainment. Focal point of-
