This is more than a place to shop. It is an experience. An ambiance. A mood. All curated and designed to stand apart from other outlet stores. The in-store experience started with the talented design team at Fossil. With a robust fleet of outlet stores, their goal was to create a new concept that would freshen up the design of the stores. Their vision? A bright, welcoming space inspired by mid-century modern design and characterized by classic woodgrains.
“We recently started rolling out a new concept for our full-priced stores. Our goal was to elevate the customer experience while creating a warm AND welcoming environment that highlights our product and brand DNA,” said Heather Richardson, senior retail designer for Fossil. “We wanted the new concept for the outlet stores to emulate this feeling while focusing on durability and longevity. We implemented bright lighting, a mix of mid-century modern and feminine details, and inviting design choices, like walnut woodgrains.”
The design team needed a walnut surface that would feel consistent in every store, maintain a beautiful appearance over the long term, and perform in a high-traffic space. That’s why they turned to Wilsonart Woodgrains™.
The Walnut Heights design delivered their vision for a rich woodgrain with warm brown undertones. Straight grain and minimal knotting offer consistency, ensuring that outlet stores across the country can easily replicate the look. In fact, it was used for nearly every surface, including tables, displays, cabinets, and countertops.
“Walnut Heights is ideal for our brand,” noted Emilie Ball, director of global environmental design for Fossil. “Since its founding nearly 40 years ago, Fossil has been inspired by European interior design trends during the 1960s. Using a rich walnut design on furniture is an example of that.”
Walnut Heights is the answer for any mid-century modern commercial space. A uniform grain pattern beautifully complements the clean lines and minimalism associated with this design style, while adding depth and dimension to the overall look.
This depth and dimension is easy to spot in contrast to lighter woodgrains used throughout the store. Walnut Heights offers a grounding quality in the space, drawing the eye to display areas and central waypoints like the checkout desk. The design is also enhanced with the Softgrain finish, a velvety texture with dense, embossed graining that mimics the appearance of raw wood.
Designing an outlet store requires a big-picture, holistic approach. Every element of the space needs to complement other design choices like lighting, hardware, and fixtures. Walnut Heights fits this description perfectly.
“The design of the space is critical, but our primary focus is presenting and showcasing our product in a way that is convenient for our customers to shop while keeping the displays looking fresh and new,” added Heather Richardson. “To achieve this, we incorporated lighting into the wall bays to highlight the leather handbags and watch products. The floor fixtures are designed to help tell stories.”
The Fossil design team also chose Walnut Heights for its ability to perform in a flexible, high-traffic space. This design outperforms traditional wood veneer with 16X more wear resistance. Walnut Heights is also fortified with ÆON™ Technology, making it 3X more scuff and scratch resistant than competitive laminates with a similar finish.
Emilie Ball commented, “We created a space that is flexible and ready to transition with new products each season. Walnut Heights meets those demands unlike painted surfaces or other solutions that can’t perform in this environment.”
The results? After positive feedback from customers, this Fossil outlet store will be the design blueprint for all locations moving forward. The California location even saw a 33% increase in foot traffic during the opening weekend! The Fossil designers describe the space as “bustling” — and they can’t wait to unearth their style in stores around the globe.
For more inspiration visit, Wilsonart.com.
