Los Angeles | With just 122 stores in Canada and the USA, Aritzia is not a fashion giant, but the affordable luxury brand is considered an instore shopping experience trendsetter. Lounge mirrors, arty signage and a lot of ambience with a local touch. Anyone who predicts the demise of brick-and-mortar retail has not yet been to an Aritzia store.
Brick-and-mortar retail is having a hard time, especially in Los Angeles, where many stores in shopping malls are empty. Not to mention Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), which has been struggling with store vacancies and homelessness for decades. Even though new retail and digital signage hotspots are developing in more and more corners that are worth a visit – especially arts and fashion districts and Row DTLA.
But in better-positioned shopping malls, in proximity to Apple and Alo Yoga, locals and visitors can usually find a Aritzia store. The Canadian women fashion retailer is positioned above Zara & Co in the affordable luxury market. And yet parallels to Inditex can be seen: Stationary stores play a very important role – not only as a showcase for eCommerce but as a profitable sales channel.
At Aritzia, every store has to pay for itself – the average investment of USD 3 million has a payback of 12-18 months. With over USD 10,000 in annual sales per square meter, Aritzia has a far above-average space productivity for the fashion sector. An average Aritzia store with 750 square meters generates USD 8 million in annual sales.
Aritzia stores are remarkable for their consistent focus on experiences. The store design is inviting, modern, regionally adapted and takes a special approach to the changing rooms and digital signage. There are no mirrors in the changing rooms. These are located in the lounge in front of the changing rooms, and the fitting room is intended to become a community space.
For digital signage, the women’s fashion brand from Vancouver builds on LCD-screens integrated into picture frames that are fully integrated into the retail design. Positioned at a slight angle on shelves on the wall, digital signage is an integral part of the stores. Aritzia relies on regional art, which is distributed throughout the stores to create the typical atmosphere. Audio speakers are integrated into the wall, which, unlike in retail, show their membranes visibly. The in-store music is developed in-house and does not include top 40 songs. Aritzia’s success proves it right; the brand’s $148 pants are considered a must-have item for office workers in North America, as are the Super Puff down jackets.