Store Design

Overview

Role

David Yurman opened its latest flagship store on 57th St, NY with more that 106' of linear jewelry cases. It was a momentous occasion for the company, and to mark more than forty years of being in business.

The store was to embodied the DNA of forty years of a luxury brand, and also represent the future of the brand.

For this special project David Yurman hired the Architecture firm Gabellini to work with once again.

Industrial designer tasked with designing and developing all incase features and fixtures through out the store. Worked collaboratively with stake holders such as the Yurmans, Directors, and the Architecture department.

Architecture

Features

Visual Merchandising

106' of linear cases to be filled with product
Material selections must compliment Arch Dept. and Evan Yurman's vision.
Overall aesthetic can't clash with Gabellini or the Arch Dept.
All 3 floors will be open floor plans

Develop a modular system for variety and manageability
need to conceal tags price tags as much as possible
Need to be able to layer in fresh elements, seasonal campaigns
Needs magnetic bases to keep fixtures from falling over

Floor Plans

Leading products, such as silver, are placed closest to the entrance.

First Floor

Wedding and Women's VIP is located on second floor.

Second Floor

Third Floor

Men's product line and VIP room

Stake Holders

Evan: President Creative Director

Laurent: Vice President of Architecture & Interiors

This store is supposed to reflect his parents accomplishments, and his future vision for the company
He prefers raw and natural materials
He wants to integrate stone into the cases, but jewelry cannot rest on stone or it'll scratch
He prefers tonal palettes, not vibrant colors

The new style moving forward will be much brighter and lighter in colors compared to the past darker walnut mid-century driven store brand.
Working with Gabellinni we will be using a lot of whit oak and marble.
Instead of previous blocky features with sharp lines the new furniture, product cases, and interior will have much softer edges and and rounded corners.

Material Research

Material research includes a wide range of variety, and sometimes specialized materials. Common materials include fabrics, wood, plastics, metal, and stone. Materials are consider in tiered categories. Solutions are need for multiple locations and within cost constraints.

Process

Process and ideation are always a critical component. From basic sketches to extensive 3D CAD models and renderings ideas and evolving concepts are continuously presented to teams and directors. Then proceed quickly to model making and prototyping advance presentations.

Sketches

3D Models

Renderings

Models

Prototypes

Special Request

Evan Yurman:

President Creative Director

The Yurmans are know for mixing for their material exploration. Its a huge part of their DNA. Evan had specifically requested to find a way to intergrade stone into jewelry cases much like the brand integrates minerals and natural materials into their window displays.

Stone Trays

Needing to find a way to integrate natural stone in the jewelry cases without placing jewelry directly onto to the stone was an interesting challenge. The solution was custom machined marble trays.

The marble was selected to match the tonal criteria from the Architecture Department, and then machined to have soft edges and rounded corners defined by Gabellini.
The element of the tray allowed for softer elements to be layered in organized in a easily manageable way.
The rests on variety of fixtures, ramps. and bases all upholstered in tonal suede with magnetic elements to keep them from shifting around to easily.

Custom CNC Marble

Seasonal Insert Tests

Trays allow for layering

Faux Finishes Samples

Special Request

Sybil Yurman:

Co-Founder

A personal request from Sybil Yurman was to develop a new fixture for bracelets. One that would work with all styles of David Yurman bracelets. In five years the company had tried four different designs, but none that she felt elevated David Yurman bracelet collections. She didn't like how loosely some bracelets would hanged, the orientation they would hang, or the fact that it took at least two different fixtures to represent all styles.

Bracelet Fixture

Combining the best qualities of Bracelet Bar and Bracelet pillow the new design fits all styles, sizes and variations of bracelets and cuffs.
The body of the fixture is made of a semi rigid foam that ensures to take out any slack in lose chain bracelets, but is soft enough to comfortably fit rigid bracelets and and cuffs.
The body is also tapered as to fit many different sizes.
It is oriented and well balanced in order to always visually present the product upright and facing directly towards the customers gaze.
Lastly, the body is perched on a magnetic stem that allows it to live alongside many different combinations of fixtures.
Cost per unit is an attractive $12, and orders exceeding 3,000 so far.

Whole Sale Locations

Occasional Pillow

Bracelet Bar Chosen for al future roll-outs

Story Telling

Ken: Senior Director, Creative Visual Services

David yurman is looking for a way to integrate story telling through out their stores. The richness of the David Yurman story along with the stories behind of their collections are rarely represented.

Marketing signs are always placed outside the jewelry cases where customers are more likely pass by them.
The signs that are made never adhere to the same format.
We need a standardized solution that can live inside the jewelry cases integrated with with alongside the product.
It needs to be cost efficient so that it can be rolled out to all stores.

On special occasions a few solid brass frames were produced to live inside the case. However they were poorly designed. They were waterjet form solid brass plates, and cost nearly $200 a unit

Story Frames

With some simple tweeks the design was reduce to only 10% brass, and standardize sizes that could fit easily inside the jewelry cases. The creative department could customize interchangeable stories. The cost per Story Frame was brought down to $2.60 a unit. Estimated orders so far around 5,000 units

Inset Frame allows for insert-copy

Three Standard Sizes

Lower Tier Jewelry Cases

Laurent: Vice President of Architecture & Interiors

The Yurman's want to ensure that the product is not overcrowded in each case, so they have requested a second tier presentation case. Our solution was to add a pull out drawer encased in glass that act as an alternate jewelry case. It will have height restrictions due to a much lower profile. We need features and fixtures solutions for merchandising product in these second tier case that would compliment the main floor jewelry cases.

First Tier vs Second Tier

Women's Second Tier Case

Men's Second Tier Case

Accomplished

With nearly 48 different SKU's of fixtures and 106' for linear jewelry cases to fill the result is a multi-material, multifunctional, and multi-versatile system that elevates and tells the story of the David Yurman brand through their vast product line. This fixture program carefully highlights the product without overpowering it.

Designed for Women's, Men's, first tier, and second tier product lines.
Incredibly versatile magnetic grid allowing for layering and inserts for seasonal campaigns as well as easy upkeep.
Integrated standardized story frames allowing for much more detail branding and information of each collections that is a very cost effective method setting the standard for all stores.
Developed custom marble trays that satisficed Evan Yurman's request to integrate stone into the cases without placing directly onto the stone.
Developed a new bracelet fixture versatile enough for all bracelets and cuffs. The first to be approved by Sybil Yurman in nearly five years, and setting the standard for future store roll outs.