HONG KONG, Jan. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading retail designer and strategic brand consultancy Passionfruit Asia has helped to elevate the shopping experience for customers at Mikimoto's boutique at Hong Kong's IFC mall by unveiling a modern and inviting new retail store concept that will enable the Japanese pearl jeweler to engage and connect more deeply with its clients.
Wedded to conservative Japanese values, Mikimoto's stores have traditionally been formal featuring rich dark woods and angular fixtures. For the new boutique in Hong Kong's IFC mall, Mikimoto was encouraged to break away from its conventional retail template and establish itself as a more approachable jewelry store for modern consumers through an innovative conceptual design that reinterprets the brand in a fresher, more contemporary way.
Appreciating that brand values were to be respected, Passionfruit's team of designers researched the Mikimoto brand deeply which included travelling to Tokyo to meet with the global store management team.
Mr. Craig Briggs, Principal for Passionfruit Asia comments, "Mikimoto is clearly the leader in the industry having pioneered the cultivation, selection and presentation of luxury pearl jewelry. To appeal to an ever-changing and growing market, our challenge was to reinvigorate and fashionably modernize the brand through the creation of an inspiring in-store experience that appeals to new customers, whilst encouraging existing clients to return."
To enhance the retail experience, the brand's codes were optimized with Passionfruit creating a concept called "Deep Wonders" - an immersive environment that injected new life into the brand through its relationship to its source of beauty - the ocean.
Deep Wonders features a marine-themed palette with textured wallpaper reminiscent of Japanese nori complemented by marine woods, custom light fixtures evocative of pearls and the sea, as well as bespoke carpeting featuring golden light moments of blue and gold.
The central showcase is horseshoe-shaped, allowing a more inviting presentation with sales staff now able to engage with customers on either side of the display. To provide highly personalized service to prestige customers, a VIP room is located at the back of the boutique, allowing private, more intimate interactions where jewelry can be presented and traditional Japanese refreshments served.
"The result is an inviting and stylish boutique creating wider relevance for the brand without sacrificing its prestigious position as the pre-eminent purveyor of quality pearls and pearl jewelry," says Mr. Briggs. "Customers will be surprised and delighted as the evocative design immerses them in this elegant brand and its treasures."
The boutique which opened prior to Christmas 2013 has to date significantly outperformed its prior location in the IFC mall, despite having 35% less square feet than the previous store.
