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A CASE STUDY OF DICKINS & JONES DEPARTMENT STORE
Over a period of two years, my company worked with House of Fraser to transform public perception of Dickins & Jones department store, on Regent St , London , from a blue-rinsed, granny store, where pensioners met for tea… to a flagship, trendy ‘label' stockist, aimed at educated, well-heeled, young professionals meeting at designer-chef restaurants.
It was a near-prefect marriage of client and agency, proving that a lot of success in meeting a client's brief is determined by the amount of information given to the agency and the agency's ability to understand and interpret this information. The client needs to be clear and honest about the brand's personality, current positioning and goals.
In 1997 I was fortunate to be commissioned to design Dickins & Jones' window displays by Ron Tice, an American, visual merchandising and branding consultant House of Fraser had brought on board. The ‘partnership' also benefited from the store's passionate manager, Gill Streider's clear definition of her target customer profile.
I have a rather unique company, which not only designs window displays, for fashion and lifestyle retailers but that also bespoke-makes scenery, props and merchandising furniture in our own workshops. Creatively, we aim to be a form of (disposable) public art, in a window, instead of a gallery. We love to design intelligently and to make beautiful things which not only give the viewer pleasure but that send out clear communication. In the first instance, we assume that Jo Public is intelligent and has a sense of humour! We use the spaces which we design responsibly; hesitant to add to the visual pollution pedestrians are bombarded with.
But it is also interesting to note that across the industry, display department managers in previous years had found the notion of paying design fees, at a daily rate, totally unreasonable and expected this to be masked in the price of ‘props' or better still, free. House of Fraser understood that they were hiring experts and display was as valid as graphic design, interior design or legal advice. (This section might not be included / of interest?)
Through a series of well-documented, professional photographs, this chapter walks the reader down the block of 12 windows along this prestigious, high street. Always demonstrating how achievable it is to totally re-invent a shopfront and catch the passers' eye. This underestimated marketing tool had measurable results and could double a department or product's sales by getting potential customers off the street and through the threshold.
One of the most challenging projects being, to invent characters, Ms Dickins and Ms Jones for Christmas 1997. This involved sculpting a range of cartoon-like mannequins personifying their two distinctly different customer groups.
Interestingly enough, the store interior and atmosphere did not shake off its conservative stuffiness, despite investment. In my opinion it looked as though the architects were not sure of the brief. Classic and grand or a contemporary statement? The buying too, did not seem to quite get it right and as much as windows increased footfall, potential customers were often under -whelmed once inside.
Due to a change in directorship in 1999 and budget cuts we gradually stopped working on Dickins & Jones. I have watched its decline, because I am fascinated and attached. As the store's management changed, its image deteriorated and it seemed to become confused about who they were targeting. Window displays, that once got them talked about, were now bland and ‘safe'.
The store closed in 2005, having been there since 1835. House of Fraser had suffered a huge increase in rent, on Regent Street and could no longer justify the store's poor performance. The memorable facade is to be split into many smaller stores and restaurants while upstairs will be luxury apartments.
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