Interiors Profiles

Behind every great retail interior there is a battalion of companies whose combined efforts have been called upon to make the plans of architects and designers a reality.

This may sound like a truism, but it is something that is frequently overlooked when the finished product is unveiled and shoppers flood the space (all being well) to admire what has been done.

These pages highlight the efforts of those all too frequently unsung heroes who work antisocial hours, are at the beck and call of retailers and designers and who do so uncomplainingly – at least for the most part.

It is also worth noting that while the design glory goes to the “creatives”, it is the implementation, be it lighting, shopfitting or the visual merchandising propping when the job is nearly done, that will determine whether a store is worthy of consideration by the consumer.

Worth noting too is the fact that the various companies and agencies that are involved in all of this have got the work in an incredibly crowded market. The truth is that in the current market there are relatively few paymasters (aka retailers) and a morass of those seeking work from them to build new stores. This means that those successfully winning tenders, pitches et al, are experts in their trade and are recognised by those employing them as being so.

Celebration is a much overused word, but there really is every reason to run up the flag for those working in this sector. They really are very good indeed.

John Ryan Stores Editor, Retail Week