C&A continues to stretch its low-cost tentacles across the globe and this 32,000 sq ft store, in São Paulo, Brazil, is an example of how it is changing its look to bring it into line with the best operators in the value arena.

Created by Ohio-based retail design firm Chute Gerdeman, the shop combines a mass-merchandising retail strategy with design elements that evoke the world of couture fashion. These include a catwalk at the front of the store, created using grey tiles and an anthracite plinth that contrast with the white flooring used throughout the store.

A section of the shop devoted to denim uses clear and yellow plastic 3D fixturing on the perimeter to house pairs of jean-clad legs. There is also a sub-brand shop-in-shop for men and a pink-themed lingerie section. Clockhouse, aimed at young women, is the retailer’s most important sub-brand within the Brazilian market and the way it is presented in the shop is comparable to the look of an H&M outlet.

Pride of place, however, goes to the colourful children’s department (right), dominated by a psychedelic Union Jack flag design on the ceiling, which differentiates the area from the rest of the shop.

C&A has more than 150 branches across Brazil, but the São Paulo flagship, which opened at the end of March, represents its latest thinking in this country.