The Future of Retail
As canapés are nibbled and the last glimmers of another bright Amsterdam evening are soaked up by the invited guests, glasses clink together in celebration at the opening party of the new BOSS store on the city’s famous shopping street, P.C. Hoofstraat. With its welcoming interior that’s easy on the eye, this next-generation store has customer engagement in its DNA. After openings in Dubai, Birmingham and Singapore, Amsterdam is one of many stores that present the future of retail with a concept that blends the best of physical flagship experience with the benefits of the web. The result: A new digitally enhanced store that offers customer new ways of engaging with the brand – be it BOSS or HUGO.
BRINGING THE LATEST CAMPAIGNS TO LIFE – KLICK IT, HAVE IT, LOVE IT
Always on the look-out for innovation, HUGO BOSS piloted the new interior concept in 2017 and launched it in 2018, incorporating digital experience platforms to transform in-store shopping. These aren’t just on-trend tools, but the building blocks around which the whole retail experience is built.
Today we want the choice given online, with the personal touch of a store experience; to browse on a screen, but sample in a shop; to order online, but collect in person. As the shopper enters the new wave of BOSS and HUGO stores, he or she is offered an experience that goes beyond the merchandise; put at ease with a warm welcome, complimentary coffee and a seat on a comfy sofa. There, it is easy to browse the latest collections not only in person, but also digitally.
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL
A shoppable kiosk on the wall acts as a showcase for current campaign videos and fashion shows, giving the BOSS man and BOSS woman inspiration to build a head-to-toe key look. With a simple touch, the digital kiosk displays an interactive screen through which the customer accesses the latest styles both in-store and online. With the company of a helpful assistant, the shopper can try on a pair of authentic jeans, but click the screen to find different colors, washes and sizing options. The kiosk doubles as a full-length mirror, giving an array of possibilities to create an ensemble, and to find inspiration for accessories, shoes and outerwear.
BLENDING THE BEST OF ONLINE AND OFFLINE
What’s more, the light-filled store is designed with digital tables for browsing the collections at leisure. The customer orders and pays at the counter, choosing delivery either to store or their address. The sales assistant can build a profile of the customer and offer the perfect product, even if it is not available immediately in store.
HUGO SETS THE STAGE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
Meanwhile, the fashion-forward fans and followers of the HUGO brand are driven by their connection to social media, inspired by the latest campaigns through online communities. HUGO customers are style individualists with a fashion-savvy attitude that directs them towards the progressive designs and cool looks the brand is known for.
These networking pros and fashionistas are drawn to the social media wall at the heart of new HUGO stores; here, live Instagram updates are streamed amidst fashion shows of newly dropped collections. Surrounded by progressive interior design with accents of signature HUGO red, shoppers find the cosy lounge area, with an array of international style magazines. Offered a complimentary drink from the in-store bar, they can flick through the lookbooks and follow brand-related content on the screen for inspiration, before heading for the shoppable kiosk. Here, they can create their own statement look with the technology, or choose the services of an assistant who knows the HUGO brand inside-out and points out the latest collection styles. In this way, digital and physical experiences come together effortlessly.
THE FUTURE: MERGING CONTENT AND COMMERCE
Back in the Amsterdam store the party draws to a close and guests slowly filter out to the sound of the last beats from the DJ. What they have shared this evening is the opening of a modern space that not only showcases the newest designs but tells the brand’s story, fusing online possibilities with the benefits of personal, in-store service. This is the future of retail, where commerce and content come together in a seamless shopping experience.
