New Retail Spaces, New Architecture
The design for fashion retail changes all around the world with the changes in our way of life. There is no longer a separate place for leisure or for work as long as we are connected. As functions overlap, so do the spaces.
Retail changed drastically. New exciting ideas emerged with e-commerce. Rent the Runway (https://www.renttherunway.com) lets you rent dresses, handbags and jewellery for 139 $ a month. If you want, you can exchange them or keep them. Yoox (united with Net-a-Porter) is about to make same day deliveries.
In today's constantly changing world, fashion brands have to redesign themselves and adopt. New inventive strategies are retuned. Shops are now perceived in a brand new perspective. The concept of display is now a traditional shop window, a Facebook page, a photo on Instagram or a live story in Snapchat.
While the traditional American mall is suffering a severe set back, luxury malls gained success in Far and Middle East. The traditional shop -squeezed by fast fashion and online commerce- now has to transform completely.
Dolce & Gabbana have redesigned 12 different flagship stores by five famous architecture firms. Later, the concept of integrating art, performance and exhibition have continued. See the golden staircase and shop presentation in Tokyo:
Fendi is hosting a sculptural exhibition by Giuseppe Penone where later two of his bronze trees will become a permanent exhibition in Rome.
Giorgio Armani has opened his museum in Milan, the Silos.
OMA transformed Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice into a Benetton project. 9,000 sqm space dedicated to tourist shoppers.
M9 Museum in Venice (2018) emerged with a new museum concept where culture is combined with innovative retail.
Once rigid space definitions are now fluid. Events and displays now mingle with architectural space in the process of fashion retail. –see Rei Kawakubo’s opening at the Met- and the Instagram studio experience
Fashion shows go live with catwalks seen real-time all around the world, breaking the separation between the physical space and the event. A trend now spreads rapidly. The key is between the physical and digital space.
-main article structure is “everyting flows” by domus, 2017
