A ‘journey to the outer reaches of scent’ at London’s Selfridges department store explores the future of retail design through a sensory customer experience, writes Ola Bednarczuk.
June 5th, 2014
A collaboration between interior design studio Campaign, trend forecasters The Future Laboratory and perfumiers Givaudan has brought an experiential contemporary apothecary to the storefront of London department store Selfridges.
The Fragrance Lab takes shopping for perfume to a new level, inviting customers to explore their personalities and preferences to find the scent that best represents them – whilst taking them on a nostalgic journey incorporating all the senses.
Visitors are invited into a pristine white laboratory-like space, where they are handed an iPad and asked to respond to a series of images and questions designed to analyse their aesthetic tastes, buying behaviours and decision-making processes. Then, with the help of an audio-guide led by an enigmatic character identifying himself as ‘the shopkeeper’, they take a journey through a sequence of spaces designed to evoke nostalgia, heighten the senses and increase their awareness of how they react to what’s around them. At the end of the journey they are presented with their very own Givaudan perfume, which best matches their character based on the decisions made throughout their experience.
The Fragrance Lab is the second collaboration between Campaign and the Future Laboratory, in a series of projects designed to draw on the retail design talents of the former and the consumer insight and trend expertise of the latter. Each of the evocative spaces and experiences the visitor goes through is designed to feel other-worldly and magical, with the ultimate purpose of gaining vital information about the visitor to aid the creation of their signature scent.
It’s an ambitious project for a department store to commission, and one which shows a real interest on behalf of Selfridges to explore the possibilities a retail space can offer in a digital age. At a time when online retail is perceived as a growing threat to the physical store, Fragrance Lab is a fascinating look at how digital elements, when combined with consumer insight, clever design and personalised service, can provide a tailored, unique customer experience that results in a bespoke product.
Campaign Design
campaigndesign.co.uk
The Future Laboratory
thefuturelaboratory.com
Selfridges
selfridges.com
Givaudan
givaudan.com
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In the bid to balance the desire to live amongst nature with the modest footprint of today’s homes, designer Victoria Azadinho Bocconi looks for inspiration in the depths of the Amazon jungle.
The workplace has changed – and it will continue to evolve. With dynamism at the heart of clients’ requirements, architects and designers at leading practices such as Elenberg Fraser are using and recommending Herman Miller’s OE1 products for the future workplace.
Green Cities is the largest and most influential green building conference in the Asia Pacific Region.
With many offices now shifting to accommodate flexible working, three distinct spaces have emerged to support new hybrid working models – each with their own unique seating requirements.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
We were blown away by the beauty of these richly dynamic rug designs crafted in collaboration with four talented First Nations artists. Relive the highlights from the launch of Tappeti’s Indigenous Collection.
At Ivanhoe Grammar, McIldowie Partners has tackled a demanding brief head-on. With multiple levels and a wealth of facilities, the new Sports and Aquatic Centre brings top class facilities without losing a connection to the landscape.
ARM Architecture took inspiration from Kane Constructions’ gritty urban surrounds to deliver a dynamic workplace as exciting as it is functional.
The Globe Lookout is the newest tourist attraction in the Outback Queensland town of Barcaldine, joining the award-winning Tree of Knowledge (2009) and The Globe Hotel (2016). It’s all part of the master-planning that has cemented Barcaldine’s position as a regional tourist destination.