An exclusive brand portfolio is essential to the success of any independent fashion boutique. Assia Benmedjdoub looks at how some are using vintage visual solutions to cement their niche.
It's fitting that garments at Cherry Noire do not dangle from plastic hangers but are instead pinned tightly against the wall. Locally at least, the Perth boutique is known for selling over 20 of the raciest lingerie collections from Europe.
The irony is not lost.
"We wanted to make everything in the store have a richer, sexier and more luxurious feel," says co-owner Serge Le Goueff from his Subiaco store. "We did a lot of research across lingerie stores in Perth and found they all looked the same. Because something like 80 per cent of our merchandise is imported from France, we thought we have a unique product so let's make it a unique store."
Of the absence of hangers, Le Goueff says: "We sit products on plush cushions which are attached to our walls. They're made of rich red and green velvet. Sexy, no?"
He and his wife Sally Wilkinson opened Cherry Noire in October last year, following six months of planning and sourcing unique furnishings and merchandise. They were adamant every item should reflect those found in a Parisian boudoir, and this meant doing away with traditional fittings such as racks, shelving and hangers.
With the support of their "very faithful" landlord and a space that resembled an "empty shell with no ceilings", they scoured Melbourne, Perth and even their own bedroom for special items. Today, nine antique pieces are scattered through the intimate 36sqm space including a Victorian chest of drawers, a sofa, three chairs, one stool, a cabinet and a large buffet that has had its front doors specially removed. A mini wooden ladder is also on hand to reach those plush velvet displays, which carry labels such as Nuits de Satin, Trasparenze, Luxxa, Wolbar and Axami.
The only sign of modernity are its soft lighting scheme and series of seven mannequins.
"We went through antique traders in Perth and Melbourne to get most of the furniture," Le Goueff explains, admitting they exceeded their budget by some $20,000. "The vintage couch we bought off Ebay for a fortune but it was worth it - everyone who walks in here just says 'wow'. We wanted the store to bring that kind of happiness to us and our customers."
For Clare Press, founder of womenswear label Mrs Press and former features editor of Vogue Australia, antique furnishings are also as much about creativity as they are an extension of her brand. Press will officially launch her flagship boutique in June, but the 55sqm space is already littered with items sourced from auctions and estate sales.
"I'm an obsessive vintage renovator and have been a collector now for over 20 years," she says. "I've got one dressing table in my store but lots more at home to rotate and replenish our stock. I'm working with an artist friend of mine to bring some extravagant reworked lampshades into the store and [installations] for the windows."
Press says it's difficult not to feel attached to her vintage fittings, with everything in her Sydney store available for purchase. A dressing table is likely to set a customer back $700 while other trinkets such as books, suitcases and ornate chairs start at lower price points.
Many items have been reinterpreted for modern audiences - an antique chandelier, for instance, has been morphed into a spectacular table lamp. This is in line with the aesthetic of Press's own label, which gives classic feminine slips, camisoles, playsuits and intimate apparel a fresh twist.
"Because I wanted the store to look like a dressing room or a vintage boudoir, I've had to limit myself to things that are relevant for that setting," Press explains. "You won't see things you'd normally find in a living area like great big chairs or sofas.
"I think, certainly in these more challenging economic times, customers yearn for authenticity and for you to transport them for a moment into a dreamier landscape."
It can also provide a means of reinvention for retailers finding themselves in a rut, as was the case with Perth boutique Atlas Divine. Three years ago, owners De and Jeff Williams decided to take the business in a new direction with fresh stock and a look themed around "an afternoon at grandma's house".
"It used to be an urban menswear store but we changed it to include [quirky] brands from across the board like Karen Walker, Jack London, Pop Issue, Thousand Reasons and accessories, hats, jewellery. This [also saw us] change the look of the store."
Now its collection of over 50 Australian and international brands hang off racks surrounded by antique dressers, cupboards, cabinets sourced from antique stores across the country. An orange velvet sofa greets customers as they exit change rooms draped in vintage fabric.
Press believes this approach to merchandising is more than a retail trend - in her case, it could well be a question of genetics.
"My mum, who has two gorgeous womenswear boutiques in the UK, sent me [a note] before I opened. "[It read] I think a really successful retailer is someone who creates and acts out a fantasy for the customer taking them out of their normal world into one that's exciting, wonderful and full of pleasure."
Recession chic
Retail Revamp - the No Nonsense Guide to Visual Merchandising and Display author Carol Bagaric offers some thrifty visual merchandising solutions.
In these financial times, who has the money to be splashing out on flash window displays? In my opinion, a clever idea with a thrifty approach can see your window space transformed.
Large format graphics and imagery allow you to make a visual statement about who you are and the fashion direction your business is taking. Internationally, we're seeing retailers cleverly maximising every square inch of their window area by using larger-than-life campaign images. As opposed to leaving white empty walls in the background and just a few mannequins at the front, they catch passing traffic by covering the entire space with graphics that communicate their offering.
Stick up
Decals, otherwise known as window stickers, are proving to be very popular and cost effective in the marketplace. They are applied to the inside or outside of a window and can be used to advertise an offer, a season or an important retailing event such as Valentine's Day. Decals are a great alternative to filling your window with stock and make an impressive visual statement with very little effort required on your part. Designer Lisa Ho recently used a floral decal to frame the mannequins on display in her store.
Bright future
One of the most effective and sure fire ways to make a visual statement in your window displays is through the use of colour. This style of display does not allow for a half hearted approach, you must use one colour and literally overwhelm the window space with it. When done right the results are well worth it. I have seen, in my time, window displays that catch your attention from half way down the street due to the clever use of bold color. Perhaps paint your walls a new colour for each season or invest in one large graphic and make a big statement about your product range?