Cole Haan

A high end retail space in downtown Chicago needs to be well designed to stand out. This space is directed at marketing Cole Haan’s shoes to 30-50 year old affluent women. Much of the design concept revolves around the word “ingenious” from Cole Haan’s description of the brand’s history and values. The layout is kept fairly minimalist in keeping with the concept of ingenuity. Breathability, as seen in the flow of air, light, and traffic is important to this concept which also alludes to the simplicity of the color scheme. This simplicity is shown, for example, by painting the side walls very light grey to showcase the shoes as the main feature. Ingenious takes the form of industrial elements, centered around gear accent shelves, but also reflected in the steel beams and brick. The design specifies mostly neutral tones placing the interest instead on the various textures. Using steel with blue undertones would aid the indigo accents in complementary color scheme with orange in the copper. Strong use of metallics, wood, concrete add to the industrial vibe with the persian rug and french furniture counterbalancing with a softer more feminine tone. With copper finishes the lighting fixtures traverse the spectrum between sleek to more decorative, though always staying in the realm of clean lines. Simplicity in the well designed is the corporeal expression of ingenuity, manifested in this store through the layout, materials, and colors.

Retail Floorplan

Facade                                                                                                        Interior Elevation

Main store perspective

Metallic pattern below check out counter