Whilst in town for ISE, we took the opportunity to explore Barcelona’s retail scene, checking out the latest store designs and innovations. With brands striving to create immersive, engaging spaces, we were keen to see who’s getting it right and who’s falling flat. Here’s what caught our attention, what impressed us and where we think brands could push the boundaries even further. Let’s dive in.
Bershka’s New Flagship
Last year, Bershka opened one of its biggest stores to date, spanning 1,700 m² of retail space across three floors, located on the bustling Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona.
A hit in our eyes, here’s what makes this store work so well.
Why It Works?
Minimalism Meets Impact
Bershka’s new image centres around a minimalist approach, using a limited palette of neutral materials. This allows the product and content to take centre stage, creating a space that encourages imagination and highlights key items, giving brands the opportunity to build the dream and upsell products.
Lighting That Elevates
The store feels light and bright thanks to the strategic use of natural and focused lighting. This creates a welcoming atmosphere and directs the customer’s attention to key collections, enhancing the shopping experience.
Distinct Identity
Unlike the often-generic feel of other fast-fashion stores in the Inditex group, Bershka’s store has its own playful identity. The design cleverly integrates the building’s architectural features, adding character and charm.
Engaging, Ever-Changing Design
Each floor presents a slightly different experience, maintaining the shopper’s attention through subtle design variations and materials, preventing monotony. The bold blue accents direct the shopper’s eye to key products, ensuring the focus stays on what matters most.
Well-Integrated Digital Displays
The round-shaped screens blend seamlessly into the design, adding a modern touch while ensuring attention remains on the content.
Bershka has created a space that goes beyond shopping—it’s a thoughtfully crafted experience that draws customers in and keeps them engaged from start to finish.
(image credit: Bershka)
Pangea Travel Agency
Pangea’s newly opened store is a one-stop travel hub, offering everything a traveller could need, from travel inspiration, a well stocked bookshop to a unique in-store restaurant, La Colosal. Partnering with renowned brands like National Geographic and Samsonite, the agency provide high-quality products alongside expert advice.
Why it works?
Five star service
With 30 travel advisors on hand, customers receive personalised trip-planning assistance—both in-store and through 24/7 travel support once their journey begins. This level of service creates an experience that online shopping simply can’t match.
Experiential Store Design
Shipping containers serve as creative consultation zones, adding an element of adventure, whilst serving a purpose.
Material interest
Natural materials like chipboard effectively zone inspiration areas, whilst the use of plants and trees helps to bring visual interest to the space. We loved the auditorium-style seating, which not only creates a focal point, invites visitors to stay, browse travel books, and attend in-store events designed to fuel wanderlust.
Pangea isn’t just selling travel, it’s inspiring it. This store is a must-visit for anyone with a passion for exploring the world.
(image credit: Pangea)
Kave Home
Last year, Kave unveiled its redesigned Barcelona store, embracing a fresh 100% Mediterranean concept. Spanning 600m² across two floors, the space is designed to be both inspirational and functional, offering a seamless blend of retail and design services.
Why it works?
A Multi-Use Space
Beyond showcasing the latest launches and collections, the store features dedicated Atelier areas for both industry professionals and customers. Here, visitors can explore fabric and shade samples, access the full online catalogue, and even design projects in the computer area.
A Sensory Shopping Experience
With 14 immersive zones, customers can touch, feel, and experience the furniture in curated settings, bringing Kave’s collections to life.
Fluid Mediterranean Aesthetics
Arched brickwork flows through the space, creating lattice-like patterns that guide visitors from the entrance through to the internal walls.
A warm inviting space
Natural materials and earthy tones evoke a true Mediterranean feel, with matte clay textures enhancing the warmth of the space.
Tailored Designs for Each Market
While Barcelona embraces Mediterranean minimalism, Kave’s Korea store takes a fantasy-inspired approach, featuring bright pink flooring and oversized mushroom-shaped rooms. Kave continues to evolve, offering unique, immersive retail experiences tailored to each location, which we love.
Lynk & Co
Lynk& Co, the Chinese-Swedish car company, has showrooms referred to as ‘clubs.’ These places aren’t primarily for purchasing cars but rather for hanging out, socialising, and finding inspiration in the brand and its ethos.
Designed to be aesthetically pleasing, with unique features such as candy-filled bathrooms and even tarot rooms. The clubs serve as a community for Lynk & Co owners and enthusiasts, offering fun events and sustainable products.
Why it works?
Connecting communities
Lynk & Co clubs foster communities, with each location akin to a member’s club with lounging at its core. Lync & Co’s business model is to offer its cars to customers in the most flexible way: Subscribe, Lease, Buy, or Borrow.
‘Out there’ design
Great use of playful colour, shape and highly sharable. The spaces are a playground for creative interiors, disrupting the traditional car showroom model which we are seeing a new wave of format and energy.
City center locations
We have seen a trend in car showrooms entering the city center retail space, from Cupra in Milan and Tesla across multiple loactions, whilst Polestar also had a city center showroom in Barcelona. This idea of bringing showroom conecpts and ‘retail park’ tennents into city centers offers a fresh opportunity, think DIY stores and paint.
Whether you’re a dedicated Lynk & Co owner or simply curious about their offerings, these clubs are the perfect places to immerse yourself in the brand’s world, share experiences, and be part of a vibrant automotive community.
(image credit: Lynk & Co)
Nike Flagship
We’ve visited our fair share of Nike flagships around the world. While they often strive for bold retail statements, the overall shopping experience can sometimes feel a bit… flat.
Bold design, but does it deliver true retail experience?
Striking LED Entrance
The store features a vibrant LED screen at the entrance, drawing in passing foot traffic with dynamic, eye-catching content.
Sustainability Efforts
Nike highlights its eco-credentials, with 80,000 kilos of recycled materials from sports activities used in the store’s flooring. However, it raises the question—what is the environmental impact of the giant digital screens?
Storytelling Zones
There are some engaging storytelling areas, but legibility issues make the messaging hard to take in. It feels as though the content hasn’t been fully optimised for the in-store environment.
What’s missing?
With competitors like On delivering fresh, immersive experiences, from pop ups through to flagships, Nike’s retail experience beneath the dazzling lights feels tired in areas. With such a rich opportunity in storytelling, from product design through to the benefits, we would love to see more of a shopper first approach in its display execution.
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