Stories told through design

Indian operations have clicked a turnover of approximately INR 40 million since its start of operations. FRDC has been growing at 100 per cent on yearly basis. The company has exclusive licensing with ADIG Studio, San Francisco and JGA, Detroit. The company offers 360 degree retail services, including VM, branding, service design (collaterals and service wares) and roll outs so as to give a one point comprehensive solution to retailers and brand owners.

The company’s list of clientele include Tashi Shoes (Tata International), Ecko Unlimited (Spencer Retail), Addict (juice bar), Crusoe (mens’ innerwear), Onida, Viveks, Nokia, ITC Ltd (personal care division), John Players, Bhoomi Retail Destination (Mauritius),Via (travel boutique), Eka (art store) , Max, Envy, Mr. Pretzels, Yo China, Neeru’s, IFMPL (Alisha), Fstudio (fabrics boutique), Rupee Zone (financial services), Myntra and more.

CASE STUDY

‘Tashi’ by Tata International opened its doors to the public in October 2010. It is a Shoe store with a difference. It is the first Indian LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) under USGBC (US Green Building Council) Green retail store. With a well executed store design conceptualised, planned and created by a true international team comprising of retail design professionals from Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Bangalore, the virtues ‘prosperity’ and ‘well being’ have been further worked upon in the designing and creation of  the Tashi store. 

Stories: the key design element

Instead of lining up its wall with shoe boxes, the design tells “out of the box” stories of the merchandise it stocks.  The story begins at the façade itself, where Tata has segregated itself - Tashi, with an identity and imagery using three simple red dots. The dots signify “Trust”, “Reliability”, and “Service”, the three key ingredients of Tata International, which have now been brought down to retail. Attracting maximum attention, the window display used by Tashi, is a bright red stiletto!   The store standing tall across a total area of 2300 sq ft is spread over two levels. Keeping in mind the differences in both the sexes, Tashi has designed the men’s and women’s section in a way appealing to both discerning men and women consumers.

Creating lifestyle experience

All interior materials, methodology and designs comply with LEED. Waste segregation has been planned inside the store and all paper waste will be recycled or reused. Tashi is all about democratising style, celebrating life to add a soul to every sole to create an ongoing lifestyle experience in-store. The elements used to create these vary from small detail driven signage to highly communicative visuals, graphics to tables, and coasters to lampshades.  The use of wood and stone wall- cladding and acrylic and brushed steel categorise standard wear from premium. Dynamic graphics and painstakingly resourced artifacts all add to provide an experience that brings the style to life. Design, colour and lighting work together, inviting the customer into and through the store. Signage and graphics are used to inform, clarify and create brand image excitement.

Lighting & Visual Merchandising

Lighting, wherever used, adds sparkle, and illuminates, directs, highlights and defines the merchandise, colour accuracy and store environmental experience.

Visual Merchandise is implemented on a consistent basis. It is the silent salesman in Tashi whose body language shouts out, “For the love of shoes…” as it connects and romances with and mesmerises the consumer.               

Tashi stores are first of its kind of Green retail design in India. We are already saving 40% energy in store energy bills and our store smell and breath fresh.

Deepak Deshpande, Vice President - Retail, Tata International

Retailers will need to work closely with merchandise and retail designers to innovate offerings where prices can be exclusion for buying. Western retail maturity is classic example of this where customers’ loyalty is exclusivity of pricing, because of emotionality attached to brands. Indian retailers still have a long way to go to become emotional.

Sanjay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Future Research Design Company