It is the 13th year in a row that VMSD magazine (Visual Merchandising & Store Design) publishes its annual list of winners of the Designer Dozen award (March 2025). The young designers chosen (age 35 and under) are considered the best and brightest designers in retail in their generation. The 12 designers specialise in interior design, architecture, and visual merchandising, and they come from retail organisations and design firms alike.
- Carely Hagedon, Editor-in-Chief of VMSD, made this appreciative statement about the dozen designers chosen: “Our 2025 class of Designer Dozen winners represent the future of the retail design and visual merchandising industries. These winners push the limits when it comes to making a difference, not only in their firms but in the world at large” (“VMSD Unveils Its 2025 Designer Dozen“, 31 March 2025).
In its March/April 2025 edition, VMSD magazine gives a short profile of each of the winners and an interview about his or her inspirations, work experiences, and viewpoint about the state of retailing (with photos to demonstrate their projects). In particular, some of the winners express interesting judgements about the balance between virtual (online commerce) and physical (built stores) arenas of retail; they seem to agree on a shift in priority and emphasis from transactional to experiential retailing, which corresponds largely to the distinction between virtual and physical retail domains, respectively. Award winners may further stand-out in their inspiring personal stories and how it influenced their development as designers. Their contributions, as reviewed below, are enlightening and instructive.
Jordan Taylor (Creative Director at Landor, age 31) underscores the value of developing a community of customers that meet, interact and share their love for a brand in brick-and-mortar stores. His viewpoint is based on his leading role in the project of Foot Locker for redesigning their stores while reshaping the brand concept of the athletics retailer. The aim was to build “a true community for sneakerheads”. Taylor further explained: “From the beginning, we wanted to create a space that wasn’t just transactional but felt like a cultural hub, a place where people come together and share their true love for sneakers” (boldface added to highlight the key principles). The reformed interior design was directed to customers, but it also resonated with employees, the sales staff, by strengthening their sense of belonging in the store and thereby making their engagement with store visitors more meaningful. The behaviour of sales staff complements the interior design in shaping the store (and brand) experience for customers.
- In the reformed design of Foot Locker stores, the retail space has been re-organised to foster a more prevalent footwear theme (e.g., repositioning seating while replacing benches with banquettes, and rearranging product displays in central areas and on wall fixtures). Additionally, the colour palette has been changed from red-and-black to black-and-white (with grey inserts in-between), for creating a more open and dramatic atmosphere. The implementation of the new design and retail experience concept is in process, spreading to more locations in the US and around the globe. (“The Best Foot Forward“, Janet Groeber, VMSD, 13 October 2024.)
Taylor was inspired primarily from childhood by his father and grandfather who were carpenters, from whom he learned about craftmanship, and which later influenced his own approach to design. On the connection between design and marketing, he is praised by his colleagues for his ability to turn brand challenges into compelling stories enlivened in stores as well as in social media and beyond.
Shelly Chipmo (Architect at Bergmeyer, age 30) believes that physical stores can deliver experiences that online platforms cannot, hence the stores can be expected to remain relevant and vital in future. Stores are better suited to go beyond a transactional space and provide an experiential space and mode. According to Chipmo: “Brands are increasingly creating environments where customers can interact, learn and engage in ways that online platforms simply can’t replicate“. Consumers-shoppers are looking for “deeper, more meaningful connections” with brands, and while visiting stores they are looking for the experience, which can drive them to stay longer, rather than making the transaction. Nevertheless, her approach also implies that stores should not be seen merely as ‘showrooms’ because consumers also seek more engaging and interactive experiences.
Chipmo is appreciated by her co-workers for her attention to detail and eagerness to learn. She played a key role in executing a design project of Lululemon (eight new locations).
In a similar realm, Nicki Gitlin (Founder at her own design studio ‘dang’, age 33) appraises the experiences that physical stores can offer to consumers, and which are much less likely to be found in online sites. She identifies the shift in the focus of stores on experiences over transactions, and notes that consumers-shoppers can complete and execute their purchase transactions online, yet in stores they can engage with a brand in a tangible way: “The most successful retail spaces create an emotional connection, offering something that can’t be replicated online“.
Gitlin has been working with fashion retailers such Zadig & Voltaire and Theory, but also with mom-and-pop retailers. (The photo image of a Theory store demonstrates a relatively new, modernistic style of design with minimum displays of merchandise on mannequins and hangers across the spacious store, bare concrete walls, and soft-spread white light.)
For Claire Coder (Founder at her company Aunt Flow, age 27), Community, connection and convenience are key words. Stores that prioritise these three concepts are likely to thrive by creating a meaningful shopping experience. Shoppers should be treated as guests: “When guests feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to stay loyal to your business“. Coder has a unique mission at Aunt Flow to help women with products essential during a menstruation period if they happen to need them while visiting a public place like a store. She designs and supplies quality products suitable to provide free-of-charge in public bathrooms (e.g., stores, restaurants, hotels). Coder sees this action as “a great way to show your guests and customers that you truly care about their well-being“.
Joanna Roopchand (Design Director in 3-D Design Studio at Coach, age 35) highlights the social dimension of physical stores “as a place for bringing people together”. Part of it is in establishing a customer community: “While we all enjoy the convenience of being on our phones, there is something irreplaceable about in-person connections. It’s about creating a community and providing a place where like-minded individuals can come together” (boldface added for key concepts). Roopchand is commended in her nomination for her “track record of coming up with disruptive ideas”, in thinking big, taking risks and accepting failure — suggesting valuable traits for being innovative and creative. These qualities are apparently realised through her engagement in 3D design and focus on Gen Z consumers.
This review concludes with a brief glance at some personal stories of award winners and their inspirations:
Meg Lefeld (Senior Project Manager, Director, Business Development, age 32) is devoted to the aspects of sensory-driven and sensory-inclusive retail environments. Her special angle arose from a traumatic brain injury she suffered a few years ago (2022), which has driven her to develop and share her expertise in the sensory field. Lefeld stresses the importance of being sensitive in design to the variety and extent of sensory stimuli in a retail space (e.g., a store), especially in avoiding overwhelming sensory stimulation (e.g., sights and sounds); sensory inclusivity refers particularly to the need to be considerate of consumers with sensorial impairments. Furthermore, Lefeld participates in a university study of brain research aiming to contribute to advancements in the field that may help others in facing similar challenges. In her work in design and VM projects, and following her personal challenges, Lefeld is dedicated to creating “more thoughtful and supportive spaces for others”.
Samantha Johnson (Senior Interior Designer & Design Studio Manager at NANO LLC, age 35) was inspired from youth by her interest in lighting and the “impact of natural light on space” (her topic in a school project). It entails, according to Johnson, “how the direction, intensity and quality of light could transform the atmosphere of a room, affecting from mood to functionality”. Later on, this perspective influenced her views in becoming a designer, where, she says, “it made me realize how much design can influence how we experience a space”. Lighting is gaining increasing focus in recent years, in recognition of how forms of lighting can affect the attention, interest and mood of shoppers in retail spaces.
Abby Golden (Senior Environmental Designer at ChangeUp, age 30) is engaged in research, competitive audits, creative concept ideation, sketching and more. She tells about her passion to sketch from childhood. Golden has a rich repertoire already of renowned (‘storied’) retailers she has worked with on their projects (e.g., Bath & Body Works, Subway, Burger King, American Girl, Hershey’s, Disney). Details matter the most to her — the ‘small things’ inspire her in coming up with creative ideas for the projects she is working on. (A photo image of the interior design of a KUIU store for hunting gear and clothing presents an impressive space setting: bold and action driven by the military-style clothing displays and robust look; dramatic, nature-missioned by the backdrop landscape images of snowed mountains.)
Melissa Davies (Architect, Creative Director at MTVD, age 31) has become intrigued early on by space design: “I think space awareness makes you understand the world in a different way, and the impact that it has on each of us”. Davies practices her knowledge, skills and view on space design in retailing and retail merchandising, with a specialisation in hospitality and restaurants. Her mission, that she exercises in retail, is “giving identity to spaces through ideas, texture and colors”. (A photo image of a bar Davies designed creates an interesting atmosphere which gives a pleasant feeling of flow with the curved lighting fixtures above, and an artistic flavour, mixing warm and cool sensations between the lighting and furnishing of the bar area.)
The winning designers refer to customer experiences in stores (and other establishments) on two levels: brand-oriented and social-oriented. The interior design of the store combined with visual merchandising can shape the impressions and personal experiences of customers-shoppers while also highlighting or enhancing specific elements that are important for creating the desired experience by the retailer. On one level, consumers-customers look for an opportunity to interact and engage with a brand (of store or product) in a direct and tangible way (e.g., Gitlin), and the store design should help to facilitate and make these engagements or connections more meaningful (e.g., Chipmo, Taylor). On the other level, a store can be designed to function as a meeting-point, a cultural hub, a place for consumers-customers to come together, mingle and share their interests in relation to the store, brands and products it offers (e.g., Taylor, Roopchand).
Through the view of awarded designers, we can find a distinction between convenience expected when using digital devices and online media and the kind of convenience expected in a physical store (see Coder, Roopchand); an emphasis on connection (in-person), community and sharing (see Taylor, Coder, Roopchand); and the notion that brand and social experiences as such created in physical stores cannot be replicated online (see Chipmo, Gitlin). Importantly, the brand and social experiential levels (or domains) should not be regarded as separate — when these two domains are woven together the social experience in particular can enrich, improve and increase the enjoyment of consumers in engaging with the brand. It is noteworthy to highlight here additional themes raised with power to contribute, such as sensory stimulation (e.g., sights, sounds, scents) and lighting (e.g., type, direction, intensity).
- The time could be fit these days to fix a missed opportunity of music stores (and more generally entertainment media) to create a new kind of experiential environment for interested consumers, following the demise of the large retail chains (e.g., Virgin, HMV, Tower Records) a decade ago. The opportunity may arise again with the revival of appeal of vinyl music records, contrasted with digital online media, but possibly as a traditional complement. The new experiential model may entail personal customisation (of music compilations) and social interaction as customers engage with music and other forms of entertainment. The interior design would be set accordingly.
The awarded Designer Dozen demonstrate talent and wisdom, put to practice in store design (or other retail and service establishments) and visual merchandising, from concept to implementation. But furthermore, their understanding in matters of retailing and customer-shopper behaviour enables them to design experiential environments. Note that the nominations are based also on involvement of the winning designers in public activities and projects, volunteering and mentoring. These are all good reasons to look forward to their contributions to retail design and beyond in the future.
Consumer / Shopper / Customer Behaviour 