Allders

Designed by: Carte Blanche

You wouldn’t immediately associate Allders with clothes for the young and trendy. But the opening of a pilot young fashion area in Portsmouth has helped to attract a different clientele and move the 36-strong department store chain up in the fashion stakes.

The 1300m2 young fashion area, Act 3, is the first phase of a new womenswear floor that will be completed this summer. It was developed by international design consultancy Carte Blanche. ‘Allders was looking to increase its fashionable offer and give it more authority,’ says Carte Blanche partner Su Davies.

The company used illuminated mid-floor panels to divide the area and create mini department spaces for the individual retail brands that fit into Allders’ young fashion offer. These include Jeffrey Rogers, Topshop and Faith. In order to define these areas, Carte Blanche used a combination of signage, colour and fixturing.

Ceiling rafts and feature walls helped to create focal points for the main brands. Merchandise is displayed against a background of translucent acrylic and stainless steel.

The second phase in the womenswear programme takes in a new classic fashion department, hair and beauty salon and café.

Following the success of the Portsmouth trial, Allders is planning to take the design on a smaller scale to other outlets. The Woking and Nottingham outlets are earmarked next. ‘Allders has seen how it has changed people’s perception of its fashion offer in Portsmouth and it wants to build on this,’ says Davies.