River Island has collaborated with architectural interiors and branding studio Draw Creative to create River Studios, a new retail concept designed to reinvigorate the high street.
Making its debut in Derby this month, River Studios introduces a “modernised take on the retailer’s brand, while paying homage to its craftsmanship and family business culture.”
According to the fashion retailer, River Studios’ interior steers away from the typical white box retail approach, taking cues from the “eccentricity and curation of boutique stores.”
The space will showcase a “quirky mix of old and new” mixing natural materials, recycled and distressed furnishing with digital content to convey a “domestic yet fresh” look and feel.
River Studios will also feature smart fitting rooms, allowing customers to request alternative products and seek assistance without leaving the cubicles. In addition, the concept will include free standing clothing rails as well as hosting new, exclusive in-house brands.
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The store concept was designed to reinvigorate the River Island identity through a new brand name combined with an elevated visual approach. It aims to “deliver a modern, seamless experience fit for the evolving needs of shoppers of today, through a striking shopfront to lure customers into the physical space.”
“Reinvention has always been at the heart of River Island, with our business adept at evolving alongside – often ahead of – the high street,” River Island retail director Steven Morris said.
“By trialling River Studios, we aim to create a seamless, premiumised experience for the customer that tells them a story – about our design process, which not that many know of, and the fact we’re still family owned. We believe the concept proposed by Draw perfectly encapsulates that. We’re really pleased with the store and excited to see what comes next.”
Draw co-founder Jess Codrington added: “Chris and I have a long relationship with the Lewis family and River Island, so we were delighted to be involved with the next evolution of the brand from start to finish.”
“They have always been very agile, not afraid to explore new developments and evolve with the high street. The new concept is unique to them with all its quirks, even with it being an elevated experience, there is a domestic quality to the scheme that customers can relate to.”
River Studios will make its UK debut in Derby before subsequently being rolled out to selected locations.
