TFR | Strategy Consulting

United colors of Benetton renews its store concept with a new flasghip store in Padua, Italy. With a completely revamped hi-tech and informal concept that goes beyond the traditional concept of a store to become an urban and contemporary showroom.

During a design thinking workshop for a leading fashion retailer, we came up with the idea of including a customization area in the store. A place where you could, for example, embroider your name or change the buttons of a dress shirt (type, size, color), amongst others. For a fashion retailer that includes “made-to-measure”, it´s even more suitable. The idea responded to the personalization trend and sense of self of new generations that want to develop their own unique style. But, finally, the prototype wasn´t designed.

Customization embroiderer at Benetton store

Benetton made it real a few weeks ago, as part of its new store concept renewal. According to the company, the store covers a surface of roughly 1,600 m2 spread across three floors: the ground floorhosts the women’s collection and features the knitwear bar, an interactive display area with knitwear that also has multimedia info points which go into detail about the brand and its products, as well as an embroiderer for the customization of pieces.

Even the checkout counters are innovative: a series of circular structures, which substitute the traditional cash registers, where one can pay via smartphone or card, allow for a speedy service without lines.