Dalziel & Pow interiors clothe John Lewis stores

Department store owner John Lewis Partnership has unveiled interiors concepts at a new-build store in Solihull in the West Midlands, designed by Dalziel & Pow and the JLP in-house team. The launch is part of a £300m nationwide roll-out programme.

The store opened its doors last Wednesday. The concepts are being introduced imminently to a Nottingham store and will launch in stores in London’s King’s Road, and Edinburgh, later next year.

The King’s Road Peter Jones store will retain its name, which will be reworked ‘with a twist’, says John Lewis design consultant Douglas Cooper. Dalziel & Pow has created concepts for the perfumery, men’s fashion and fashion accessories departments, says associate director Guy Smith.

Solihull is the first store to incorporate every aspect of John Lewis’ new look, including a revamped corporate identity designed by Pentagram, which was first revealed at a John Lewis store in Reading two weeks ago.

Pentagram revamped the store’s corporate identity, following its audit of John Lewis’ image (DW 3 November 2000).

The revamped identity will be rolled out later this year to stores in Norwich, Watford and London’s Oxford Street. The aim is to apply it nationwide by autumn 2002, says John Lewis design consultant Douglas Cooper. ‘The process will be carried out eventually, but not overnight,’ adds Cooper.

Pentagram partner John McConnell says the revamp was designed to modify John Lewis’ corporate identity, which had become ‘fuzzy round the edges’. The lettering has been restyled, based on a Gill font. ‘We have reworked the identity “intelligently”, as there was more right than wrong with the previous logo’, says McConnell.

The John Lewis ‘tyre track’ logo remains unchanged, but has become a ‘more active identity’. ‘[The “tyre-track”] is no longer a static pattern but is designed to be more fluid,’ says McConnell.

Pentagram has strengthened the colours featured in-store, he adds. More colour has been introduced to individual departments and the corporate green has been darkened, he says.

The consultancy has also designed corporate literature, a visual merchandising system, information boards incorporating humorous illustrations by George Hardy, carrier bags and stationery.

John Lewis is undertaking a £300m makeover of its 25-strong chain, including renaming its regional stores to John Lewis for a more consistent corporate image.