Happy New Year and welcome to 2025!
So excited to see what's new in the world of retail this year with all of you. But first let's look back at the Retail Design Institute's 53rd Annual International Design Awards and say a very special congratulations to our friends at Mercado Gonzalez and Shook Kelley for their win in the class of 2023 Store of the Year, category: Innovation/Storytelling. As many of you may remember, we hosted a tour last year with Northgate Markets and Kevin Kelley and had an amazing time.
Save the Dates...New Year Kickoff Celebration
Zinc Cafe, 580 Mateo St, Los Angeles
Thursday, January 30 5:30-8:30pm
Kick off the New Year with the Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter at the Zinc Cafe in Downtown LA. This will be an opportunity to celebrate 2024 years' achievements and make a toast to the new year and preview what we have in store. We will also be taking suggestions to ideas for new events and priorities for the coming year so come on out and have your voice heard. Here's a pic from our New Year kick-off last year at the Zinc Bar in downtown LA's Art District.
New Year Kick-off Celebration
Zinc Cafe, 580 Mateo St, Los Angeles
Thursday, January 30, 5:30-8:30pm
Registration coming soon!
Virtual Store Tour
Tori Richard Flagship, Outrigger Waikiki
Thursday, January 23 4:00-5:00pm
Registration coming soon! Tune in to the Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter's virtual presentation hosted by Tori Richard for their newest flagship opening in the Outrigger Waikiki Resort on Kalakaua Ave in Honolulu. We are excited to host our first event with our collaborating members in Hawaii, and explore the brand and the construction of their beautiful store. As with our previous virtual events, there will be a free membership raffle so if you're not a Chapter member yet but are interested, be sure to join us for a chance to win!
Tori Richard Flagship Virtual Tour
Thursday, January 23, 4-5:00pm PT / 2-3:00pm HST
Registration coming soon!
26th Annual PAVE Gala pics
The Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter attended the PAVE Gala of 2024 at the IAC Building in New York in December. It was a great celebration and recognition of the talent in our field and a lot of fun. PAVE is a fantastic organization that supports the future of retail design and the annual event is a celebration of the retail industry and its contributors, with awards given away, complementary food and beverages, and capped off with a bumping dance party.
Retail Spotlight
Aspen Retail during the holidays
Allison Wix, Southwest + Pacific's Communication + Graphic Design Chair, takes us on a retail tour of Aspen in the holiday season.
November in Aspen is a truly magical time, the arrival of the ski season and the beginning of the holiday festivities! The crisp mountain air is filled with excitement as snowflakes begin to blanket the landscape, creating a picturesque winter wonderland.
Ralph Lauren, one of the oldest brands in town, is iconic for its luxurious Western aesthetic. This store is a staple for shoppers in Aspen and is renowned for having some of the best window displays. During my recent visit they were in the process of a visual refresh for the winter. I had the opportunity to watch the team in action and spoke briefly about what goes on behind the scenes. The team had come from their LA store and was busy introducing the latest winter styles along with a festive holiday touch of garlands and accessories.
Golden Goose has been operating in Aspen for two successful years. I spoke with the store manager, Javier, who is a local and lives nearby. He has witnessed Aspen's transformation into a top-tier shopping hub. When I asked him about customer patterns and peak times of the year, he explained that winter consistently brings the highest foot traffic. Additionally, summer also attracts a significant number of tourists. One unique feature of the store is an in-house artist who customizes shoes with hand-painted artwork and/or crystals that feature Aspen.
Revolve/FRWD opened this year in Aspen, and it was highly anticipated by Millennial and Gen Z customers. For the first time, two well-known e-commerce brands have joined forces in one location, providing a wider variety of products.
Revolve occupies the first floor and features a clean, bright aesthetic with custom wood trim and round mirrors. The store offers an assortment of apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty products. As you ascend the stairs to the second floor, you'll find FWRD, which showcases elevated iconic and luxury brands. Upon entering, you are greeted by rich, deep blue carpeting and dim lighting, creating an inviting atmosphere like shopping in your best friend's closet. A unique feature of the FWRD space is its selection of one-of-a-kind luxury second-hand bags.
Come Join Us!
Retail Design Institute Southwest + Pacific Chapter is a fun place to connect, network, learn and have a good time. Be part of a global non-profit networking organization dedicated to the advancement of retail and retail design. The Retail Design Institute is a collaborative community where ideas, knowledge and a passion for design are shared at local levels.RDI members enjoy a variety of benefits such as priority access to events, networking and educational seminars, access to member-only areas of the website, job postings, emerging retail trend information and access to other Chapter events.
"Thank You" To Our International Sponsors!
Comments