Spacing Out

By Caroline Tell

What is different about the retail design of Anthropologie stores? Most stores are obviously all about the product, but this is a shift. Instead it's a space for you and the product.

What is your retail-design style? Any environment that gives you the "Aha!" moment. It might be the Cloisters; it might be Anthropologie. People walk in and take a deep breath. It's a garden in a city, not somewhere to be hyper but a place for repose. My whole inspiration came from my experiences. So I wanted to differentiate. It doesn't matter if you have an experience if it's not a transformative experience.

How does the transformative experience affect shoppers? The reason you like Anthropologie is because the space is saying, "Stay. Wander. Make yourself comfortable." There aren't aisles telling you where to walk. You have a kinesthetic freedom. You can make choices and discoveries. You develop a relationship with the space, the context, the experience--and therefore with the brand. That's more interesting to us, rather than a grid telling us how to move and how to shop.

How will the transformative experience evolve? In the future, we will see the merging of commerce, culture and community into a richer content landscape where people can make acquisitions in a framework, where people can share similar values. Commercial entities are going to have to be more cultural entities and vice versa. We're all looking for a community in a global world.

What is the biggest sin a store designer can commit? When retail establishments see a shopper as a consumer, and they see what they have as a commodity. They are not creating much added value there, no enticement.