Kastner & Öhler:
Clear the stage for exclusive shopfitting
In March Kastner & Öhler, Austria’s leading fashion store, opened no fewer than five stores within the country. umdasch was the partner for the implementation of the branches in Bärnbach, Graz and Leoben. The Stuttgart architecture and design office blocher partners was the leading firm responsible for the branch concept. The new setting in the shopping centre in Leoben in particular is a notable addition to the Austrian retail scene.
Kastner & Öhler is a family-run company currently in the hands of the fifth generation and is one of the largest fashion suppliers in Austria. The firm has now set its sights on expansion. This famous brand has recently opened five new branches, including those in Bärnbach, Graz and Leoben. Kastner & Öhler had long been searching for a location in Leoben, Austria. With the extension of the Leoben City Shopping (LCS) the traditional company finally found a suitable space in the very heart of the town. The architecture and design office blocher partners from Stuttgart was responsible for the store concept. The Store Makers from umdasch took on its translation into a fascinating shopfitting setting.
A greeting with signal effect – the entrance
Shop façades are like business cards. Kastner & Öhler clearly thought the same in Leoben and set an eye-catching branding statement by the entrance. In the shop windows an asymmetrical, free-standing portal in the red of the department store’s corporate design attracts the attention of the passers-by. The sales areas act as stages in a variety of ways and encourage exploration. The Young Fashion, Women’s and Men’s fashions are set apart from each other in a harmonious way through the different colour schemes, including copper and anthracite, in the surface finish of the shelving. Warm furnishings in light oak wood form a constant feature is which is repeated in the presentation of the products and even in the checkout area, designed by umdasch.
Nuances and Accents – The Young Fashion Department
The Young Fashion Department is decorated in shades of grey, from greyish-white speckled tiles on the floor to furniture elements of oak with surface finishing in matt anthracite. Above the whole is a medium grey high, open ceiling with a rail pattern, the so-called grid, providing flexible presentation possibilities. In front are suspended frames and special frames with flattened corners which emphasise the height of the room. The frames are also used in the central space as connecting elements – as a zoning feature and for the presentation of accessories.
White Box – the Modern Classic Departments
The Modern Classic departments contrast with the Young Fashion section and extend in an L-shape from the entrance to the back area of the store, accompanied by a wood-look floor covering. The interplay of white walls and a white ceiling creates a so-called White Box. In line with the principle of multi-layering, it acquires an additional impression of depth from the shelving systems in front. Room dividers of various heights and levels with fabric inserted and overlapping mirrors separate the “white boxes” from the central area.
Cool Feeling – The Kids’ World
The Kids’ World is multi-faceted. It is separated from the other departments and the area is defined as a house-within-a-house construction. A step-like platform of light-coloured wood for the presentation of jeans and pullovers symbolises the entrance. A square ceiling construction in the same material announces the Kids’ World from afar – and leads customers into a rather different setting. “On the wild side”: a neon-green graffiti legend on dark grey walls underlines the special mood, which nonetheless blends in harmoniously with the overall concept. The colourful children’s clothing is presented on obliquely positioned powder-coated shelving uprights in anthracite grey. In between: a landscape of presentation cubes in light wood which lead into the rear section of the niche, where the brands for older children are to be found.
Anything but monotonous
Throughout the entire store, special furnishings ensure the stylistic variety – in different colours, materials, heights and forms; sometimes with feet at a skewed angle or concave-shaped edges, sometimes worked in wood or upholstered and complemented by curated theme islands with highlight furnishings, carpets, special lighting and seating areas. The arrangement of high-end bags is particularly eye-catching; they are presented in spectacular fashion on round shelves suspended from the ceiling. They correspond with a display on the adjoining wall where a mosaic-like world map has been produced with 3D printing.
The display unit for sunglasses by Umdasch is also new. With its different levels and LED lighting the shelf forms the perfect setting for the models by famous designers. With the help of impressive visual merchandising, a powerful mix of colours, textures and creative presentation a Customer Journey which has been created will make the visitor curious.
“Our cooperation with Kastner & Öhler has been in operation for more than 30 years. We are delighted to have been able to accompany the development of one of the largest fashion concerns under Austrian ownership over such a long period. Together with famous architect partners and Kastner & Öhler itself we have developed and implemented a trend-setting concept. And so we have created a fascinating shopping environment which will set the tone far beyond the borders of Austria”, commented Silvio Kirchmair, CEO umdasch The Store Makers.
