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Project: Max Studio Location: worldwide Description: Women's Retail Clothing Stores Client: Leon Max [Max Studio, Pasadena, California] The Max Studio.com projects are part of a comprehensive brand identity strategy for a woman’s clothing retailer with an international presence. A holistic brand experience is created for a variety of projects such as retail stores, outlet stores, showrooms, tradeshow booths and an e-commerce kiosk. Our designs not only build brand identity but carry through with it's positive attributes in all aspects of the design to turn the identity into a holistic ‘experience’. Our client’s requirements were extremely focused and pragmatic and in many cases we took inspiration from the design of the clothing in understanding the role of design in the client’s overall business plan. The following are issues that were given to us as part of our design brief: Appeal to a broad target market; within the specialized market of women’s fashion we were asked to design for an age spread that would include both the maturing teenager and her stylish mother. Reflect the client’s price point; the client wanted to maximize the attractiveness of the store while projecting the appropriate ‘price point’ of approximately $100. Create an image identity that would last the life of the lease; the goal was to create an overall image that was as ‘aesthetically forward’ as possible but which would not become outdated before the end of a typical retail mall lease of five to ten years. The environment reflects the client's design philosophy of a clean, understated, modern sophistication. Like the clothes, the architecture has a rigorous consistency of idea, uses materials economically but to maximum utility and aesthetic effect, and is a harmonious ‘background’ to the merchandise. The projects look simple and uncomplicated while satisfying the very complex and almost ‘scientific’ demands of a branded, retail, environment. The strategy is the use of a PROTOTYPE design that is replicated from site to site. The problematic idea of SITE is embraced as a primary idea. The typical mall space configuration and the multiple LOGICS of retail form the generalized character of site. The prototype emphasizes the distinction between the generic site and the customized 'liner' by creating a phenomenal transparency through the use of light. . |