Retail Immersion Experience

Retail Immersion Experience20/05/2022
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From March 10th to May 22nd, 2022, the community of Madrid hosted an exhibition, in Sala El Águila, on the history of fashion in Madrid from 1940 to 1970. 
In light of this temporary exhibition, Pedro Fernandes, BP&A manager, organised an after-work activity where he invited Nextailers based in Madrid to partake in a “retail immersion experience”.
During the experience, the group visited the temporary exhibition and other retail stores in Madrid to examine them from a business perspective and deepen their understanding of what makes those stores great.  
Throughout the exhibition, the team found photos, archives, videos, and gowns that told the story of fashion in Madrid. The exhibition showcased social customs and stylistic references that have been recovered through 118 photographic reproductions, many of them unpublished, and 76 pieces from institutions such as the Regional Archive of the Community of Madrid and the Costume Museum.

Then, the team headed to Zara in Plaza de España, which was inaugurated recently and is the largest Zara store worldwide. It is the first Zara where you can go in and buy without having any contact with employees. For instance, fitting rooms can be booked through an app, customers can make payments with their mobile phones without going to checkout and there is an online returns box. 
After visiting Zara and trying out the new technology, the team headed to Primark in Gran Via. Mario Postigo, Product Design intern, gave an architectural explanation of the building. Mario shared that the building was designed by Teodoro de Anasagasti to house the first department store in Madrid, the Almacenes Madrid-París. However, due to a lack of economic success, the department store shut down and the building went through minor changes and renovations until it became house to Primark. A curiosity that Mario pointed out is that, unlike other stores nearby, Primark has no window display.

To conclude the learning part of the retail experience, the team visited WOW concept, the first phygital store in Madrid. The idea of WOW concept is to give physical space to brands born on the internet without a physical existence yet. Therefore, the concept of the store is that you try the products offline (in-store) and then buy them online using the app, website, or digital screens that can be found in the store.
Finally, after gaining some insights about retail design and understanding how technology is aiding great retail experiences, the team ended the afternoon with some finger food, drinks, and great conversations. 

WE build together a culture where these initiatives appear by themselves and that says all 👏Pedro Fernandes, BP&A Manager