Retail Futures

The retail landscape is undergoing profound transformation. Consumer behaviours are shifting rapidly, new technologies are accelerating adoption, and expectations of brands are becoming more complex and value-driven. Across industries, retailers are being challenged to think beyond transactions to connection, responsibility, and relevance.

As part of our ongoing collaboration with UAL: London College of Fashion, each year we partner with leading luxury fashion and beauty brands, to brief their MA Global Fashion Retailing students.

As tomorrow’s retail leaders, the students’ brief was to explore how key forces such as Connected Experience, Intelligent Operations, and Purpose-led Scale are shaping different sectors, and to design strategic responses that meet new consumer expectations. It required holistic thinking when defining the retail experience, ensuring understanding of and catering to the new rhythms of customers' lives, and documenting the integration of the online and offline customer journey.

This year, we worked with with lululemon and Mulberry to deliver the Retail Futures Brief, and we were joined by brand representatives from each, to provide the students with firsthand insight and feedback.

Every year, we are inspired to see the creative flair and diverse perspectives that this brief brings. And with the biggest cohort of students to date, this year was no exception. We were impressed to see the depth of vision and creativity that went into each and every presentation.

One thing that was loud and clear from the students was their interpretation, backed by research, on just how much the landscape has changed through the demands of Generation Z and their shifting perspectives and shopping habits.

The future of retail lies in a brand’s ability to understand the next generation of luxury shoppers, and this brief is an excellent opportunity for us see firsthand what they are prioritising.

With so much speculation about what the future holds for physical retail design within the luxury sector, it was refreshing to hear the perspectives of those who will soon become the next generation to influence this sector.

Previous collaborations:

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