Design Lessons from The Gap

Designing with brand longevity in mind is a tricky task. If you're too trendy, you run the risk of becoming irrelevant in a short period of time, but if you're too neutral, you may bore customers right out of the store. The Gap has seen its ups and downs over the years, but one thing has remained constant in its brand lifetime -smartly-designed stores that go the distance.

In this article on EventDesignMag.com, Erin Alley, Gap's Director of Store Design, divulges some of the brand's design secrets. Here are some tidbits worth hanging on to from this designer's tool box:

• Avoid becoming too thematic -unless a certain theme fits your brand. "It's more important to understand -and stay true to- your brand than it is to pay attention to what other retailers are doing."
• Incorporate flexibility into your fixtures to allow for reconfiguration. This will help accommodate changing merchandise as well as different store footprints.
• Durability is hugely important -and don't forget to consider maintenance and the costs associated with it. "White tables are horrendous in terms of upkeep."
• While a store may look finished, "the design process never ends." Reviewing and refining should be constant as the design rolls out.

--Liz Blohm