Total Retail Magazine cover Prop Studios' Green outlook towards their Design & Manufacture

Elina Smith & Paula Bestford, Project Managers at Props Studios, identify many VM trends for this year, and agree that green/eco-friendly options are increasing: ‘More and more clients are showing a desire to have sustainable options for their displays and we are able to offer them a variety of interesting options.

Longer shelf life -a leaning towards in-store furniture items that have a longer shelf life and act as a semi/permanent fixture; after a time these can then be stored and reused periodically or sold. We did this recently for Anya Hindmarch. We produced mock crocodile upholstered tables, which were dressed with merchandise. These are being used in-store for all stores/concessions worldwide.

‘Sourcing reclaimed materials for visual displays is an excellent way of being more sustainable. We have done this for several projects the most recent being for Topman. We sourced banister spindles, which we adapted and were then used for in-store theming and display in 140 Topman stores worldwide.

‘Reusable materials – We have seen a huge increase in demand for paper and card products. Companies are keen to reduce wastage wherever possible. A good example is Ann Summers who are using a lot more visuals to communicate their new brand image. Props Studios recently produced all of the sets for its 2008 photo shoot. The images are now being used across their marketing collateral; including window displays, in-store themes, brochures and online.’

Smith and Bestford say retro themes are also still very popular. ‘Recent examples include retro children’s Ted Baker – Retro children’s clothing concession in Debenhams, and O’Neill – Fifty’s petrol pumps and motel sign.’

Theatrical and dramatical influences are also popular. ‘Perhaps it is the economic downturn that has increased the desire for all things whimsical. Take Ann Summers where a Moulin Rouge concept is used where previously images had been raunchy and in your face,’ say Smith and Bestford. ‘Even Ralph Lauren, a luxury brand, opted for fantasy with picture book window schemes designed with childlike simplicity and featuring beautifully carved Easter bunnies, chicks and a five foot Easter egg. Selfridges, the leader in avant guarde displays, steals the crown here with its latest in-store installation Wacky Races, featuring a hang-gliding mannequin wearing a ballgown suspended in the centre of the atrium – that’s pure theatre!

‘With the desire to excite and delight beyond customers expectations, Animatronics becomes the obvious choice. Harrods never disappoint with their displays and this Easter was no exception. Their chocolate egg factory was reason enough to visit their food hall, with or without the kids. A rustic barn visually represented the process of making an Easter egg run complete with moving conveyor belt showing off Harrods’ handmade eggs.’

The use of instantly recognizable brand images is becoming more and more important. ‘This works hand in hand with the move towards increased use of paper products. We recently did a project for House of Fraser where we handled the photography, styling and art direction.  The images will be used generically across all their stores and promise to become the footprint of future creative work.’