Ed Hardy fashion is inspired by its founder’s passion for body art from around the world. This year, the brand decided to make its mark in India with its first stores at upscale malls in Bangalore.
The stores – one located at Phoenix MarketCity and the other at Forum Mall – are between 1000 and 1200 sq. ft. in size, but because of clever design, appear bigger.
Restore was picked to design the stores and its design teams in Paris and Bangalore worked together to give the store a unique identity for India. Using elements from the world of tattooing and tattoo parlours, the store blended the heritage of the brand and the expectations of Indian customers.
Clever use of frontage (A 30 ft. curve at one location) allows for the creation of a dramatic entrance, using angular mirrors on a wide glossy black portal. The red neon signage on the black glossy duco surface is just the right look and feel for the entry into an Ed Hardy store.
Once inside the store, the first thing that grabs the eye is the Ed Hardy tiger on the black wall. It is both a dramatic attention getter and an integral part of the brands iconography. Looking above, there’s a surprise – a bright neon Ed Hardy logo on the ceiling!
The merchandise is displayed on clear-coated metal fixtures are designed appropriately for its range and density. The base flooring is a chequered black and white, offset and highlighted by patches of wooden flooring at strategic intervals.
The final touch is provided by the visual merchandising. Created by Jellyfish – a Restore division – it uses tattooed arms, ornamental skulls and playing cards to provide the ambience of a new age tattoo studio, without in any way detracting from the focus of the store.
The Ed Hardy store is worth a visit – even if the range of fashion is not yet complete (only menswear at the moment), purely to admire the store, which is a stunning tour de force of retail design.
