230614 – 120914 – Visits to all UK and European stores > words
So this is what I start with. In the first two months I visit every UK and European Vivienne Westwood Store to see where potential changes need to be made. There are a number of questions that need to be addressed:
- Who is the Vivienne Westwood customer?
- What is our brand awareness?
- How do the stores need to look?
- Who are the competition?
The answer to these questions will help develop a strategy on how to move forwards and to best deliver the conclusions.
It is clear that the problems are not just aesthetic. Stores are inconsistent in type, character, age and context. Spaces are used as found with furniture inserted as need requires there is very little design overview. With a new store concept starting to be worked on, the initial changes need to be relevant to this transition, and final roll out. One problem is the locations of the stores. Vivienne Westwood bought back the Northern Stores from Hervia and ran with the leases that were already in place, some of these stores are outside of the main shopping areas, in particular Liverpool. This is something that should be addressed as it affects both passing trade and our ability to build brand awareness. The main focus has to be on the product and ensuring this is displayed in the best way to engage customers and tell the Vivienne Westwood story. Rather than having everything out on the shop floor I am proposing a reduction in the amounts we display and make this generic across all the stores.