Craving that physical contact?

The idea of a store that curates a range of interesting and relevant products in an inspiring environment is not a new one – and there is a real risk that Showfields claim to be ‘the most interesting store in the world’ is a case of the Emperors new clothes.

The way in which brands interact with this physical space (where space / fixture design is modelled on a digital approach) and the speed with which the assortment changes could point the way to a reinvention of the highly troubled department store concept however.

Of course the challenge is to manage continuous delivery of inspiring and engaging experiential space alongside an evolving brand and product mix without redesigning the store on a 6 monthly rotation.

If Showfields can showcase this fluid model that achieves dynamic curation in an inspiring space – and digital players are hungry enough for the physical touch to cover the cost base then this may well be a trailblazer for the reinvention of a highly troubled sector.