Blacksheep develops global retail concept for Wedgwood

Blacksheep is working on a new global retail concept for ceramics company Wedgwood, which will combine retail and service.

The Wedgwood brand, which was founded in 1759, is now owned by parent company Wedgwood Waterford Royal Doulton.

Blacksheep is one of ten groups to have pitched for the work, described as a ’special project’, in July 2010, and was selected by WWRD on a combination of creative and credentials.

Annick Desmecht, WWRD group vice-president and chief marketing and design officer, says that the new retail concept will roll out in more than 100 locations across the world over several years.

She adds that the work will be focused on Europe and the US, as well as the Middle East.

The new offer will mark a departure from the Judge Gill-designed 3D retail design concept currently in use across Wedgwood concessions and retail wholesalers.

The new concept will provide independent ’visible spaces,’ says Desmecht, who says she wishes to extend the brand and form a new global strategy.

In line with this, Blacksheep has also been asked to look at the main Wedgwood and Waterford brands and reconsider their three-dimensional strategies as part of a separate project.

In this initiative, Blacksheep will engage ’the entire 3D manifestation of the Wedgwood brand’ and how to integrate ’Waterford into the 3D scenario’, according to Blacksheep creative director Jo Sampson.

’We’ll be looking at heritage and quality through merchandising and repositioning Wedgwood to make it more premium, which is where the brand wants to be aligned,’ says Sampson.

She adds, ’Wedgwood was the first real luxury brand and we’re trying to emulate that and engage the consumer in its story.’

The results of this will begin to be seen in July, before the new retail environments developed as part of the special project roll-out in six to nine months.

Blacksheep is working on a third project for Wedgwood to display its highest-end products which include single pieces costing £18 000 in a newly designed concession for Harrods (pictured) that replicates a high-end domestic setting for customers.

The Harrods concession is set to open in June and will showcase the brand’s Bentley Collection. Sampson says, ’We want to elevate the status of these products that aren’t being mass produced to create a luxury aesthetic.’

A ’monochromatic texture’ pervades the domestic context, where a fireplace, debossed leather and brass detailing have been integrated into the space.