UNIQLO UNION SQUARE
Worked on the Interior Design, Construction Documents, and Construction Administration for the first West Coast Uniqlo Retail Store.
This Uniqlo flagship was anything but ordinary; it was complete with a glass-sheathed roof-to-basement atrium, patterned LED-illuminated staircase, and “magic mirror” virtual dressing room.
The goal of this project was to create a high-tech memorable shopping experience. The retail brand is known for its rainbow-colored casual wear for men, women, and kids. Most of its clothing is mass-produced in every color a shopper might want. After several discussions about the ability to easily try on multiple clothing articles at once, in different colorways, the world's first virtual fitting room was born.
Uniqlo’s Magic Mirror was the first of its kind, tackling real pain points through digital interaction. The augmented reality retail experience was a holistic virtual fitting and dressing system that created a lasting memory with built-in social sharing functionality and allowing you to try on 120 coats in 60 seconds, without physically changing.
We optimized the shopping experience in a more productive and profitable way to engage with shoppers. This immersive retail environment encouraged customers to interact with the brand in new innovative ways and provided an enjoyable journey that inspired the consumer to stay longer, and ultimately spend money within the store.
The virtual fitting room is a “shining example of customer empowerment. Shoppers can — using the built-in touchscreen — see what they would look like in other colors or patterns in the mirror.” (Insider Trends) This reflects the future of visual merchandising in stores; convenience, personalization, and immersive elements all come together to form a seamless shopping adventure.
ROLE
Designer
SERVICES
Construction Documents | Construction Administration | UX
TEAM
Design: Wonderwall Inc. (Japan)
Architect of Record: Gensler (USA)
General Contractors: Shawmut
Magic Mirror Development: Holition, Dai Nippon Printing Company
Completed while at Gensler (San Francisco)