Page 134 - AIT0118_E-Paper

VERKAUF UND PRÄSENTATION • RETAIL AND PRESENTATION TECHNISCHER AUSBAU • TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

I t's always a little love affair. The feeling of having discovered a suitable item of clothing
when shopping. It stirs one’s blood, fantasies set in about what one will probably expe-
rience together. But in the very next moment, the young liaison is put to the test. Arriving
in the changing room, the harsh contrasts of a merciless, blazing downlight distort the
impression of the clothes. The customer hardly recognises himself in the mirror. This is still
the devastating situation in the majority of changing rooms. Outside, everything is done to
spark off the little love affair with clothes. Light attracts customers to the shops, which are
spectacular worlds of experience designed to draw attention to products and increase con-
sumers' propensity to buy. But then, at the place where the final decision to buy is made,
that's all over. Customer service ends at the entrance of the cubicle. From here on, there
is dreariness, lack of space and poor lighting. The possibility of directly trying on the clo-
thes in the changing rooms is the unique selling proposition of stationary retailers compa-
red to online competitors! A representative study by the Innofact research institute shows
the enormous importance of this microarchitecture. In a precise snapshot, the study
records plain figures, which could hardly sound worse from the retail trade's point of view.
Three-quarters of all respondents said they could not do without a changing room when
buying clothes. At the same time, 72 percent of consumers complain about the equipment
or condition of their cubicles. Good lighting is important for 85 percent - and at the same
time, over 70 percent are annoyed by poor lighting. Among women, this figure is almost
80 percent. This leads to the absurd situation that a total of 40 percent of consumers aban-
don their purchasing decisions because they do not like the changing room. What began
as a strength of stationary retailing quickly developed into a real sales barrier.

The workings are modelled on the rules of photography

And yet, the solution is quite simple - at least for Niklas Reiners. For Ansorg, the lighting
designer has developed the changing room of the future, called Youzon. According to
Reiners, the users of changing rooms need a contemplative space of tranquillity, far away
from the stress of everyday life and perhaps also from stressful shopping. Even more
important than the look and feel of the clothing is the user's self-perception in the mirror:
“This is decisive for the very important recognition process,” explains Reiners. “The more
positively the customer perceives himself or herself at first glance, the more he or she iden-
tifies with the selected goods.” Clearly illuminated eyes with bright white of the eyes and
Sechs unterschiedliche Lichtelemente wirken zusammen. • Six different lighting elements work together. harmonious highlights, a soft yet vivid illumination of the body with a clear visual separa-
tion of silhouette and background support the recognition process and emphasise the
positive basic mood. This has long been known from photography. “We have taken pho-
tography as our guiding principle because we pursue the same objective,” Reiners
explains. “The aim of a good photo is to show the person in a snapshot as advantageous
as possible, but realistically with all his or her characteristic strengths. We can do the same
with Youzon.” Reiner is passionate about what a changing room should achieve today, first
to make its users and then its owner, the retailer, happy: The main mirror should greet its
Skizze • Sketch guests with smooth indirect light. It clearly shows fit and materiality at close range.
Homogeneous indirect lighting via reflectors lends three-dimensional clarity to flat struc-
tures without dazzling. A light shower as ceiling light gives the entire retreat space a softly
flattering, but uncompromisingly clear ambient light- ing. The backlighting of the upper
body, in turn, can accentuate the customer's contours and make the hair appear shiny. A
light aura opposite the main mirror should ensure that the visitor sees himself or herself
in the mirror as a radiant appearance. At the lower edge of the rear wall, a carvetto - just
like the infinity cove of a professional photographer - conveys the feeling of spaciousness.
This creates a wide, shadow-free space, flooded with soft light that allows customers to
perceive themselves positively throughout. With these six freely combinable lighting ele-
ments, Youzon is able to lift the user onto a very personal intimate stage.

Sensibly used digital elements support the effect

In addition, Ansorg has added digital elements to the cubicle. The new possibilities are
used moderately. ---Users can use touch screens or touch panels to select an individual
lighting scenario that matches the intended occasion when wearing an item. The right light
for business, sports, casual or evening wear is available at the touch of a button. According
to the Innofact study, the consumption-oriented, fashion-conscious target group between
30 and 39 years of age particularly appreciates such digital features. All lighting elements
can be infinitely adjusted and have dynamic white light with excellent colour rendering.
Nothing stands in the way of the great love of shopping!.

134 • AIT 1/2.2018