8217;d like to know that when someone went into our Melbourne store, then went to our Sydney store, they’d have a different experience,” Bennett told Inside Retail PREMIUM. Though a cookie cutter rollout would make more sense for the bottom line – and be more readily achievable – that doesn’t fit with the aims of Vanishing Elephant’s co-founders Bennett and Felix Chan. “We are still a relatively young brand – we want to be interesting, we want to explore options, we want to work with different architects and even artists in the space. That lends itself to having unique and interesting spaces,” Bennett said. The Melbourne QV store was designed by a relatively young architect, and a woodworker. Across one seamless, open space, the store mixes core wooden fixtures with contrasting elements seen in metal railings and rubber pendant lights. Floorboards are reclaimed from 1920s railway flooring and powder coated metal racks sit on spotted gum bases. The finishing touch is a striking wood and glass exterior leading into the airy street level space. Bennett said the design ideas for the Melbourne QV store were around creating a warm, inviting space – the kind of space where customers could come and spend a bit of idle time. “We wanted a space where you could come in and buy a magazine and the next day buy some incense and a pair of socks, or you could come in and look at a suit,” he said. “Many other products, including magazines, were initially brought in to add to the ambience, which has been tweaked through a growing familiarity with the customer base.
It also evoked how we felt about Melbourne; we really loved travelling to Melbourne, so we wanted something that felt comfortable and homely.” Since opening in October 2011 as Vanishing Elephant’s first standalonestore, the QV store’s design has been, “livened up a bit”. Bennett said the initial fitout was too sparse, so additional elements were added to soften it, including colour and texture such as rugs, and more seating. Different designs for different climes While the Melbourne store presents a “darker and moodier” vibe, Vanishing Elephant’s Sydney store is stark with a modern build designed by an established architect. Located in Westfield Bondi Junction, this store has polished floors with white walls. “We wanted something that was a little bit unusual for a Westfield space,” Bennett said. “There’s a framework of timber which is what you would see on a building site before they put up all the insulation and the walls, and that’s what we used as the racks for the clothing.” Though Westfield is a “whole different beast”, dealing with the shopping centre group was a very positive experience for Bennett and Chan “They looked after us really well. We were guided through the process almost seamlessly. We did have a fantastic architect, which was a big help.” Another difference between the stores is the breed of customers they attract. Being close to RMIT, the Melbourne store attracts a large university and international student base, as well as – at the other end of the spectrum – the corporate customer. Conversely, Bondi Junction entices more female shoppers and a bigger dollar value in a singlepurchase. “The stores are incredibly different in terms of clientele,” Bennett said. “That’s something I guess we are grateful for because we tend to find, for the most part, if something is weak in Melbourne it does well in Sydney, and vice versa. [Westfield Bondi Junction ] has a real draw. If we have a bad week I almost do a rain dance because if you get rain that centre is almost worth its weight in gold.” An aspect across both stores that has been fine-tuned is the retail spatial awareness – such as the positioning of the counter and the staff. “How you create space in the store for staff, to stand or to work, to busy themselves, is a big key in people ultimately just deciding to enter the store,” Bennett said. Bennett and Chan have designs on opening a third store this year, but Bennett concedes it may take up to 12 months to realise, as finding the right space is proving a challenge. “Ideally we would get a street front,” Bennett said. “We’re looking for a really special shop … and a bit more space.” Wherever they land with the third Vanishing Elephant store, it’s a safe bet that the design of that store will be different again – while also being linked to the character of the building or the space it sits in.