What are the most important sites for retail today – the physical store, the online store, the pop-up, social media, or a combination of all these? How will technology alter retail and retail architecture even more than it already has? When does a physical retail experience make an impact, and why is it so important that it does?

 Sponsored by W. Atelier, Singapore Indesign 2017’s Design Conversation titled ‘Bricks to Clicks and Back Again: What Matters in Retail Design’ will explore what’s driving retail’s shifting ground, what consumers want, and what it all means for retail designers.

 Indesign Media Asia has invited four speakers with diverse creative industry backgrounds to share their experiences. Each a respected figure in their fields, these four have been applying design strategies to successfully navigate the changing waters of today’s retail business. They are:  

Dario Reicherl

CEO Asia – Republic of Fritz Hansen

Italian-born Dario Reicherl has been calling Asia home since 2003. He was responsible for introducing some of the best European brands to Asia Pacific, including Novamobili, Lightyears and Dr Vranjes. In 2014, he joined Republic of Fritz Hansen as Vice President Asia Pacific with the task of developing the brand’s presence in the region. Over the course of four years, Reicherl oversaw the openings of 28 new Fritz Hansen stores across the region – a record growth of 330 per cent. Today he is the CEO Asia for the brand.

Lim Wenhui

Partner – SPARK

Lim Wenhui is one of the partners at SPARK, a multidisciplinary architecture and design firm based in Singapore, Shanghai and London. Among Lim’s notable projects are the Aga Khan-nominated Fai Fah learning centre in Bangkok and the Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. One of her recently completed works is the mixed-used development Shekou Gateway One in Shenzen, China, which makes for a valuable case study of how the mixed-use model might evolve in response to the new retail era.

Matthew Shang

Principal – HASSELL

Matthew Shang has had experience across multiple creative fields. Prior to pursuing a career in interior design, he was active in the production and art direction for television and film. He brought his unique expertise to Distillery, a Singapore-based interior firm he co-founded in 2008. In 2015 Distillery was acquired by HASSELL and Shang joined the firm as a Principal specialising in hospitality and luxury retail design. Shang approaches each new commission as a journey of discovery.

Yah-Leng Yu

Founding Partner and Creative Director – Foreign Policy Design Group

A graduate of the Art Institute of Boston, Yu started her creative career in New York before returning to Singapore in 2007 to establish Foreign Policy Design. The studio’s portfolio covers branding and interior design. In addition to running the studio, Yu also co-created and co-runs the official museum store Gallery & Co at the National Gallery Singapore. She is also the President of The Design Society Singapore and she has sat on the advisory board of the Temasek School of Design.

Design Conversation ‘Bricks to Clicks and Back Again: What Matters in Retail Design’ will be moderated by Cubes and Indesignlive.sg Editor Narelle Yabuka at the W Atelier Showroom at 201 Henderson Road, #01-01 APEX@Henderson on 7 October, 1:30pm-2:15pm.

Don’t miss out! Reserve your free seat here!