What inspires us: Retail
The ideas that have grabbed our attention today

There are a lot of stores with self-checkout facilities, but generally they create headaches for customers, don’t shorten lines, and only serve to decrease staffing needs for the store. Apple’s new iPhone app decentralizes self-checkout, allowing customers to scan items on their phone, charge them to the credit card on their iTunes account, and walk right out of the store. By decentralizing the self-checkout process, they’ve solved the problem of lines completely. They may be the first store to get self-checkout right.

Apple Store App Updated to Allow Self-Checkout, Personal Pickup | Gadget Lab | Wired.com.

Launching November 21 at 11:59pm, the Gaga Workshop will include everything from digital unicorn window displays to sculptures that are either representative or inspired by her, designed by artist Eli Sudbrack, to 170 products, which include but are definitely not limited to chocolate “Poker Face” chips.

The best part? Barneys will be taking the opportunity to donate 25% of all proceeds from the workshop to Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation.

Comprising a series of multifaceted and interactive sensory experiences that go beyond just the act and perception of sniffing perfume, the Sensorium is the world’s first scent museum of its kind. In addition to a momentary stop in a scent-deprivation chamber and a fragrance “flight bar,” visitors also pass through “First Scent,” an audio-visual set-up that coordinates with custom fragrances redolent of early-morning breakfasts, salty beach air and freshly-cut blades of grass—scents that are distinct and recognizable on their own, but often fraught with one’s associations to specific moments and memories.”

Aēsop has opened a new store in Nolita. Designed by local architect Jeremy Barbour, he adopted the same solution as when he created Aēsop’s Grand Central Station kiosk, constructing the wall displays and counter out of re-purposed editions of the New York Times. The material, layered to form what look like large paper bricks, gives the space unprecedented texture, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Beyond the visual component, the soft, weathered feel of it compliments the product line nicely, as well as grounding it within the city and community. In a nod to Aēsop’s appreciation of the arts, the store will screen Criterion Films on the paper walls, so customers can enjoy world-class cinema projected over years of the written word.

The C. Wonder flagship store on Spring Street in SoHo is officially open! Our unique concept for C. Wonder offers customers a collection of extraordinary products and luxury service in an environment that encourages exploration and discovery. The store is organized by “rooms” derived from luxury homes that are inspirational and aspirational to the C. Wonder customer. From Palm Springs Modern to Vail Cabin, C. Wonder is truly a unique experience, and the press seems to be just as excited as we are about it! Here is a quick sampling of some of the coverage…

• The Wall Street Journal
• Fashionista
• Style.com
• Glamour
• Ladies Home Journal
• NBC New York
• Interior Design
• Martha Stewart
• Racked

Comme des garcons to open experimental concept space called Trading Museum this Friday during Paris fashion week. This event will also launch their new fragrance which boasts notes of industrial glue and brown scotch tape.

New Rei Kawakubo Concept to Host Fragrance Launch

Nicola Formichetti and Gage/Clemenceau architects have debuted this year’s Boffo Building Architecture in NYC.

Boffo

This pop-up shop for skincare brand Aesop is a perfect expression of their brand aesthetic.

superfuture :: supernews :: archive :: paris: aesop pop-up shop + detox beauty bar.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFgvNMN2DiQ[/youtube]

Marcus Wallander Creative made this awesome motion-tracking, forced-perspective window display for WeSC.

For the 2010 holiday season we’re proud to introduce our first-ever pop up store, bringing together products from independent companies based in the New York region. Set in Gap’s project space on 5th Avenue, the store is a Cool Hunting production from top to bottom. We hand-picked each item using the same principles—innovative design, artisan craftsmanship, social and environmental consciousness—that guide our editorial.

via Cool Hunting for Gap on Cool Hunting.