BEN SCOVILL

(Fall 2018, Educational Project)

Create a fictional company that has the potential to become a real company in an industry of your chosing. 

Based on heavy research of the fashion industry, particuarly high street fashion, I chose to create a company that is more focused and friendly towards the younger generation. The main being to make a space that can be a retail store but also function as a creative space for the youth. 

Videography by Ben Scovill

Index can be described as a mix of a fashion house from Paris with the mentality of a twenty year old artist from Brooklyn. Index exists in the mentality that being you means being two years ahead of everyone else. Index is meant to inspire the youth to create and live outside of the societal norms. Fashion is a worldwide phenomenon that transcends language barriers and cultures.

Index is a conceptual high fashion retail store that strives to make an innovative shopping experience for the younger generation. We also strive to create an environment where creativity thrives. Index would be located in three main locations; New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Creative hubs  in each of their own regards.

This logo encompasses the simplicity needed for fashion retail while maintaining to be a logo that can make a strong impact. Choosing a rectangle over a square was very much apart to the fact of shape relation to clothing tags, price tags, signs, and advertisements, all of  which happen to be commonly rectangles. The reason for the simplicity is because a fashion retailers logo can not clash or be more prominent than the brands they are selling. A look at the competition will tell the same story when it comes to their logos.

The same reason goes for the colors of logo. Black and white can go with any other colors, which is important when selling clothes as to not clash with the ideas of the designers your selling. Again, the competition will tell the same story with their designs.

The physical retail space of Index is located on the corner of Grand and Mercer at 103 Grand Street, New York, New York. This 2,772 square foot space is in Soho which is one the main shopping hubs in New York City. Originally an Alexander Wang store, we have revamped the entire space to fit the overall aesthetic of Index.

There are three main materials used in the store that stay consistent throughout the various locations. The floors are made out of Nero Marquina marble with the countertops and other surfaces covered in micro cement. The clothing racks made from black pipes are suspended from the ceiling with heavy duty black ropes. We have also included black metal grids on the walls to display art, clothing, or anything else. On the main showfloor there is room for twenty six different clothing racks and a large three tier platform for accessories. In the front of the store there is a large space for an art exhibition that can be seen through the front of the store windows to help attract customers. In the back right of the store there is a lounge space that can also be used as a meeting or hangout space for customers. Behind the checkout desk there is a large LED wall screen that has a constant video loop displaying things consistent with Index. In the changing rooms are floor to ceiling mirrors, a chair, and a clothing rack. In the middle of the changing rooms there is a 6 piece ottoman set that can be used for sitting for shopping companions. Access to the storage and break room is through the changing room area through a locked double door system to help prevent theft of items while keeping out of sight from customers. 

The storefront for Index consists of visual elements that tie back into the inside of the store. The design of the storefront will change depending on the season, collection, or designer that is chosen to be featured. There are three large main windows in the front of the store with twice as many on the side of the store allowing for bystandards to have a good look into the store. This also allows for lots of visual space for different display designs to help attract customers into the store.

The one displayed features a quote from Maison Margiela about Rebellion. This is a common theme throughout the store as it aligns with the culture of rebelling against societal norms and promotion of diversity and inclusion of all groups in the fashion world. Remember, Index is as much a mindset as it is a store. This is important because all of the display design will help reflect upon our main ethos of inspiring the youth to create and live outside the societal norms in today’s modern world.

Since Index is a new store in a highly competitive market, advertising is an essential part of how this store can become successful. Our advertising would consist of traditional means through print with the inclusion of getting exposure through collaborations with brands and people. Our target audience typically doesn’t respond well to traditional advertising, however, through the exposure from collaborations, allows us to have advertising and giving the consumer a product they love together.

Above are three posters that would be plastered on the streets of the city that the store is located. In this case, it is the 103 Grand Street location in New York City. The posters would change depending on which location is being advertised and for the season being presented.

Although most high end clothing retail stores don’t have uniforms for their employees, I feel as though Index would actually benefit from having a “uniform”. The uniform is as simple as a t-shirt that will change with the store front signage, i.e. the season or designer that is being featured. To follow the theme of the store front, the first series of Index employee t-shirts are based around Maison Margiela and a quote from their last Fall/Winter 2018 collection they presented.

The overall design of the uniform is important as well with the Index logo on the front being placed more towards the neck line. I found issues with traditionally placed logos being near the breast/chest area which leads to people look at that region of the body, something that can make others uncomfortable. Bringing it up to the neck removes the viewing of the breast/chest region and brings it to a neutral area more close to the face.

The first collection of merchandise for Index is relatively small with only one t-shirt and one sweatshirt, however, having merch allows for the opportunity to have designers collaborate with us to create specialized, sought after pieces that will help attract people to the store.

In the future, with the hopes of collaborating with different designers and brands, Index will bring a more wide range of merchandise to the store that can be purchased, such as coats, pants, long sleeve shirts, hats, and accessories for each season.