By far the biggest rush of the Olympics is not found on the running track, but in the preparations to be ready on time. And there is no group rushing more to be ready than the army of commercial enterprises that aim to squeeze as much lubrication from the games as possible, in order that their retail machines will continue to roll smoothly when the games are over. In this context, retailers have been investing in quality shop design with an eye to longevity, or at least what counts for longevity in the sphere of retail fit-out.
BuckleyGrayYeoman's design for Fred Perry in the Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, next to the Olympic Park, London, is a good example. The designers have taken the soulless shop shell and embroidered a story in the design based on the brand's rich 60 year heritage.
The centrepiece of the shop is a sculpture that is based on a deconstruction of the brands' laurel leaf logo. 32 suspended brass leaves are arranged such, that from a certain perspective the logo is manifest. From other positions the leaves run like a flutter through the shop.
The idea of scale and viewpoint carries through the design. For example, a plain white wall on close inspection reveals itself to be made of Fred Perry pin badges, whilst illuminated display boxes allude to the collar stripes of the brand's classic polo shirt.
In the overall presentation and use of material there is a feel akin to a pair of white flannel trousers rather than a pair of Lycra shorts. I am sure that Mr Perry, the last British man to win Wimbledon, might have recognized the feel for quality from 1930's London. Yet, the lines in the store, are as clean as one of his famous backhand shots, and just as powerful.
