Why Retail Spaces Are Becoming "Hyper-Physical"

[@t23001]

Stores install several thousand square of faux fur or porcelain tiles that are used for a few weeks and then get tossed in a landfill. Then they produce a 20-page full-color brochure touting their environmental and sustainability efforts. This is the bus to Crazy Town.

[@amicaaranearum]

All aboard!

[@eatplastic9133]

Almost all theatres, movies, parties and exhibitions are like that.

[@annasolovyeva1013]

​@@eatplastic9133 traditional repertoire theatres store and reuse decorations and props

[@lpqlbdllbdlpql]

And all those brochures end up in the landfill too

[@litterbox2010]

:c

[@LunarDelta]

My very first thought upon seeing the thumbnail: Damn that's disgusting, can you imagine how foul something that fluffy and with that much surface area would get after just one day, hell, after just one hour of being exposed to customers?

[@primalconvoy]

I thought that too. It looks tacky.

[@johnhutto71]

And flammable. How the hell did they sneak that past fire marshalls?

[@Bonserak23]

Would be nice when you're really high or something idk differently not a personal experience or anything, no one is buying anything honey I am not driving home I'm flying home LoL

[@vistasinconnection9678]

Your initial gut feeling is correct, it is disgusting. Why would any one think that it isn't. People have got their aesthetics all skewed. How they're selling anything is beyond me. However people are weird in todays world. Maybe having a lot of money tamps down both your aesthetic/ethical, judgement and the gag reflex who knows.

[@funnyvideohaha5337]

I like it!

[@MartinPittBradley]

This silliness is purely to motivate pics & social media: free marketing

[@Cherrysmith2809]

Ah, you are right! Instaworthy.

[@amoliski]

But at the same time.... can I pet that store?

[@tesla6422]

Yeah... pop up shops and retail decor are nothing new... these are 100 years old techniques.

[@BillClinton228]

and if you're not a gay trans xim xer they dont want your money because you're not "cool"

[@bunberrier]

Bingo

[@lungshenli]

creating an elaborated space for the customer of your high fashion products to make shopping an 'experience' sounds exactly as hyperconsumeristic as Id expect from these brands

[@itwasaliens]

All these spaces are absolutely hideous too. Also creepy. It gives backrooms/liminal space feelings. Not in a fun way either.

[@NothingXemnas]

@@itwasaliens Not practical either. They only work because they are luxury brands, only selling a limited assortment of products. 6 purses, 4 boots, maybe 2 or 3 pants and shirts. Almost like a single-brand car retail; they have the luxury of having a much better decorated place because they only need to show a handful of cars. If these were actual product retails for a large selection of brands and manufacturers, they DEFINITELY wouldn't have the luxury of being dumb and getting away with it. Edit: I also think stores could rely less on the overly enclosed spaces with little to no windows, covered up if there are any. I have seen many good examples of glass windows directly showing the interior of the stores, and some even benefit from that.

[@SOLOcan]

​@@NothingXemnas The video is pretty poor, it doesn't actually explain what is happening, it just points out this weird thing that these stores are doing. But that's the whole point of this, to be weird and get noticed, not actually to sell products. (Thus this video also just becomes part of the marketing campaign, ironic given than it also says the digital world misses out on it) You've hit the nail on the head when you say it only works because they are luxury brands. The video points out that these luxury goods value don't stem from their use value, but from what the brand signify and represent. You want other people to see that you have it. But it fails to take that logic further, and actually explain what is going on. Previously branding use to represent/advertise physical shops, it was the sign above the door. Now brands have become so valuable that it's the other way around, the physical store is just another advertisement for the brand. The term hyperphysical is a misnomer, the "idea" of Balenciaga, its trademark that brands the product, has become more important than the physical thing it is meant to represent. The "representation" is more real than what is actually real. This is not hyperphysical; the more accurate term is hyperreality.

[@JamieBarnes11]

​@@itwasaliensclearly intentional with Balenciaga. Demna feels like a jaded apathetic accelerationist doing irony ironically because it's already been done and is meaninglessness

[@theowainwright7406]

I think they are quite cool, why should everything be products on a shelf, if the shop is gonna exist anyway why shouldn’t I be able to go and see this silly store covered in faux fur

[@catboy_official]

This hyperconsumption just makes me want to declutter and live in a monastery out of spite 😵‍💫

[@KogureDevilchan]

it makes me want to give in and live a normal life like everybody else is.

[@bexiexz]

pls me too

[@KevinMakins]

Do it.

[@purpleheart3431]

Same, it’s overwhelming and exhausting 😩

[@tablescissors]

Our host has a video for that too! No, really. He does. Looking forward to watching it. But, it’s an understandable reaction that you have.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

I totally disagree that brick and mortar shops can be just done online. You cannot touch, gauge size and compare online. Just to contrast this less than 10% of in store purchases are returned, close to 50% of online purchases are returned causing huge amounts of unnecessary waste. You are also much more likely to get scammed and basically garentueed to be sold something that has a description which is incorrect.

[@KNosk826]

Totally! I can likely count on 2 hands the number of things I've bought online. I need to know what things look and feel like and read packaging. Especially clothes. I'm not going to buy something without trying it on. And I need to know if the fabric is going to be itchy or clingy or see through etc.

[@jackalenterprisesofohio]

Like furniture I mean ususaly people buy depending on whether or not it can fit in their room(s)....I hope...

[@Josh-yr7gd]

Yes. I'm old fashioned. I prefer to shop for items in person, unless they are only sold online. It's disappointing when the product arrives and it's not what you expect. Happened with a pair of shoes that I couldn't buy in the store. The actual shoes looked nothing like the advertisement on their website. I returned them the next day and informed the employee that their picture was misleading.

[@vylbird8014]

Depends on the item. Things like clothes people will want tactile examination before buying - they want to pick it up and feel the thickness and texture of the fabric. Maybe even try it on. But there are a lot of goods that can be fully described through text and pictures. I don't need to rub kitchenware or squeeze a spool of cable before buying.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

@@vylbird8014 kitchenware is a terrible example as seeing it in person and being able to get textile feel is very important, for chopping etc. And visualise how it will fit in your kitchen. Not to mention when items are on sale they are a lot cheaper in store, I got an air fryer in store for less than half price and their full price was already cheaper than amazon. I guess a cable you don't need to, but a spool is more likely to be around the same price or cheaper in store than online. Meaning you get the item quicker, no postage cost and you support local business and at the least local workers.

[@vgmandstuff1381]

man, this is just depressing, how public space is used not to convey inspiration but to make us want to buy stuff, and online is getting more and more unbearable as well. society just sucks, what a waste

[@user-jk7vp7vn2k]

i don't think fashion brands have anything to do with that, they're not the ones making the rest of your city boring and ugly. and i don't see how inspiration =/= profit, they're a business of course everything that attracts attention will generate revenue

[@tablescissors]

[insert the meme “Why not both” here]

[@mdhazeldine]

Good video, but surprised that in 15 minutes of talking on the subject, you didn't once mention that this is all about attention getting via social media. The brands want to go viral and so do the customers. It's a win-win for both of them.

[@amicaaranearum]

Yep. Selfie backdrops.

[@martinchamberlin1118]

yeah a channel that's normally devoted to Chicago architecture made a video about balenciaga handbags...I'd say their marketing worked 110%

[@ChandlerBullock]

I mean, that's what the video very much outlined. They don't necessarily need to say those exact words

[@oki__]

The channel is about architecture and saying a brand wants to advertise is like saying the sky is blue. I don’t think you’ve managed to make the big bad observation that you think you did

[@Cyberleader135]

The Balenciaga fake fur looks like fiberglass insulation

[@abcdeisthekey]

That's what I thought it was in the thumbnail

[@JaSon-wc4pn]

The forbidden attic Candyfloss

[@comradeinternet467]

How many muppets did they kill and skin for that stunt?

[@maksrambe3812]

​@@JaSon-wc4pnthe house flesh

[@Iquey]

My exact thoughts.😂 looks dangerously itchy in there.

[@andersonic]

In a way they're catching up with IKEA making their stores a self guided theme park through visions of domesticity and craftiness, without the pressure of salespeople. Or extending "Christmas shopping" through the entire year.

[@tablescissors]

Hmm. Very insightful reflection!

[@Wulfsbane13]

I feel like this connects to there being a lack of “third spaces” now due to most of them moving into the digital realm. Brands are creating these interesting experiences in an attempt to create “third spaces” but in reality it is just to try and sell you a product/lifestyle.

[@kodakodiak3949]

I think there's something to be said about how each of these hyperphysical spaces that were shown are places exclusively for the wealthy. In my experience, people often complain about architecture and its complete lack of ability to produce unique experiences, often highlighting how boring buildings from the modernist movement are. In a world where corporations are increasingly trying to sell every aspect of your life, the cynical side of me see's this more as an intential effort from companies to sell you the simple experience of getting away from the boredom they force upon the lower classes.

[@theowainwright7406]

These are actually for more than just the people able to afford the product. They are designed for people to go visit even if they would never buy a £15k bag. All those people who go visit and think “wow balenciaga is cool” are the ones who make the bags worth so much. I think these hyperphysical spaces are actually a response to a more boring ‘product on a shelf’ store that only exists as a location for the paying customers to shop at. Much like how an art gallery opening is designed both to have rich people there to buy the art, and normal people there just to enjoy it.

[@Emlaladeo]

I disagree. A typical exclusive luxury store is way more exclusive than these type of installations. The newer stores feel more like an art gallery than a store that has 3 of its workers following me around judging if im there to purchase something or not.

[@justsomeguy898]

@@theowainwright7406 not sure about where you are, but the balenciaga near me has what's effectively a bouncer that won't let people who "look poor" in. if you're not there to shop they don't want you in the store.

[@Iquey]

​​@@justsomeguy898that's hilarious considering that Balenciaga sells extremely distressed items Like pre-dirtied/beat up shoes and artistically torn-up sweaters. That brand is such a troll ? ?

[@panampace]

Easy remedy for this: get out in nature, don’t expect architecture to “give you experiences”

[@autumnesneed-lyons744]

with the emphasis on children’s spaces I kept coming back to the work of “don’t hug me I’m scared” especially when you said the “are you really exploring yourself or who the retailers want you to be?” really made me think 🤔 great vid!

[@tablescissors]

And don’t leave out, because I cannot forget, fashions brief foray into “infantilism” fairly recently - embracing the trend of kink and age play. Disturbing, but something had to compete with the edge lords re-branding Satanic Panic in the music industry.

[@liamtahaney713]

I really agree with your point about public spaces becoming indistinguishable from someplace trying to sell us something, especially with the (often well intentioned) discourse around 3rd spaces. If you can't afford a €4 coffee a few times per week or you don't drink so you can't go to the bar, your economic or social status completely prohibits you from accessing places which have, in a sense, become surrogate public spaces that are, in truth private businesses trying to profit off your patronage. The replacement of union halls, libraries, and places of warship with cozy coffee shops and craft breweries has basically sequestered social community into a bubble for those who can afford it. This is of course not exactly what you're talking about, but in a way it is the most extreme example, redefining public spaces as those strictly for profit-in this case just a more over the top way.

[@LindseyLouWho]

I read something along these lines about the modern generations of teenagers and the link between tech addiction/use and how public spaces have dwindled, malls are going away, not to mention it's cheaper to be at home on the internet than out with friends, further sequestering the low-income population from those whose families can afford to support a teenagers' social life. Interesting stuff. Wish I knew where the heck I read that, for citation's sake.

[@neongreenon]

Let us all not forget about libraries as a nonconsumerist public space

[@Unenthusiastivly]

​@neongreenon now if only they were open when I was off work...

[@ohthankg-dforthebourgeoisi9800]

I noticed that public spaces in Europe tended to be defined by the climate. In Spain there were large public squares where people would sit and talk. Very park like. In Ireland, most people met in the local pub because you wanted a fire place and a way to get out of the rain. Our online discourse happens VERY FAST now. Lots of images, memes snippets of observation and rumor fly by, from one circle of interest to another overlapping one. A physical public space would slow down the process.

[@bexiexz]

youve said it best

[@woflpack2390]

Thoughts go out to all the poor workers having to clean this mess

[@theowainwright7406]

They get paid well

[@annabarr1304]

The cleaning agencies like ISS do, not the individual ​@@theowainwright7406

[@valshiro515]

It's called a job. Or did you forget that someone cleans toilets for you daily, too, and gets paid for it? Delulu much?

[@woflpack2390]

​@@valshiro515 Unlike you snarky karen I have actually worked jobs like that before. Gives you a bit more respect and consideration for these people. Maybe you should try it too, instead of wasting your time being "clever" in the comment section.

[@mutsgarfield6887]

​@@valshiro515 just because something is a job doesn't mean it is pleasant, someone who cleans toilets would prefer finding relatively clean toilets over shit stained walls as well, even though it is the same "job"

[@johnmarston2616]

14:14 I want to offer some constructive criticism. I enjoy your videos and I fully understand that you have to advertise to stay afloat, I’m not faulting you for that. I just want to say I was on edge for essentially the second half of the video because the entire thing felt like one big sponsorship tie in. Basically the moment you started talking about your personal data online and your online footprint, which was pretty early on in the video, I was expecting an ad. This does NOT improve the advertisement, this instead makes your video less appealing. It doesn’t make me want to buy the product it makes me want to watch your video less because it feels like I’m going to be set up for an ad the entire time and makes what you’re saying seem less genuine. I think we all really prefer a clean ad break where the boundary between video and advertisement is clear, you don’t need to do a transition. Literally just “thanks to our sponsor blah blah blah” no preparation needed.

[@yeskaitlyn8029]

Yes i dont know why youtubers do this now so tacky

[@lolunicornsaj8907]

It's also upsetting because this whole video is about having advertisement imposed on you. Not being trusted to make a decision in something out of your own personal autonomy, it gives a sense of hopelessness when the conversation doesn't lead to any change, even in the circumstance the conversation is coming from.

[@vanessat9309]

Wow you put into words exactly what I was feeling

[@crtchicanery9605]

when "metaverse" was mentioned I checked the upload date and was shocked to discover this video is in fact from this year. don't worry man, metaverse is deader than dead. it can't hurt you.

[@Alfenium]

I like ur name, I loved my CRT television growing up. No better way to play Gamecube.

[@tablescissors]

Keep telling yourself that, honey. Meanwhile, we’re all basking in it.

[@club2772]

But… I JUST bought land in the metaverse. 😢

[@amandamuszynski5908]

My program at FIT actually ended up getting all the balenciaga fur donated to us haha. Spatial experience design integrates itself in stores, in store windows, and even on the streets with pop ups!! Visual merchandising is evolving and merging over to our side slowly but surely

[@cupostuff9929]

4:06 having the vine boom come right before the media offline error was actually kind of funny

[@ohneville]

As a video editor this tickled me as well.

[@yashuchiha99]

@@ohneville true bro

[@sillysurgeon]

I can't tell if it was intentional or not lol

[@benjamindavenport1857]

This video works well as an example of how selling 'experiences' has been a new chapter in the hundred+ year assault on leisure spaces and activities. Public plazas, parks, and spaces for social interaction and public recreation have been privatized and commercialized relentlessly over the past 100ish years - malls are an easy example of how even those stand ins for the public plaza have become controlled for who does and does not have access to a social space and what kinds of activities are allowed there (i.e. consumption). The advent of the internet seemed like a new 'third place' but it quickly also become dominated by retail and commercial interests instead of the public space for ideas and knowledge sharing that many had originally envisioned. I guess what my question is for Professor Hicks and his team - 1. What can we learn from historical arch / landscape arch for designing non-commercial/non-consumptive recreational and leisure spaces 2. where do we see these enacted in practice in modern day and how can we encourage them in a city like Chicago Love the work.

[@francinebacone1455]

This is one of my favorite comments on here. 👍

[@willieverusethis]

Yes. Thanks.

[@paulkuijpers]

On the one hand I love how creative these concepts are and the magic of such a retail space. However I also feel it is also gross because most of these pop-us are super temporary so everything (the whole interior) will be thrown away after a couple of weeks/months. Just to sell some luxury purses to rich people. I get that it is the luxury market, so their consumers are less inclined to care about (this) impact and more about status/experience but it would be cool if brands found a way to think of more meaningful concepts that contribute to the environment or benefit local communities.

[@joshuaharper372]

When I look at it, it almost makes me sick to my stomach. The over-the-top and hyper-wasteful installation (because what will happen to the plastic faux fur after a month or so?) is just so frustrating. Are we actually trying to steward our planet and its resources or just entertain ourselves so we don't notice things falling apart around us?

[@georgekoutsoudopoulos]

​@@joshuaharper372absolutely agree totally late stage capitalism at work, thoughtless, splashy, utterly pointless.

[@chedinbuildsstudio5144]

Stop forcing environment and local community to non-target-demographic based designs! Not everything has to cater to the lowest common denominator! You are destroying creativity and identities and forcing too much on "ethics"! You keep forcing everyone to "care for sustainability" and "give back to community" by not letting these brands trying to stand out and pushing towards the terrible minimalistic bland designs that goes against their ideas. Your comment reeks of schools educational systems that turns kids into mindless factory slaves. Your over-emphasis on "care for environemnt and community" makes me hate the environment and not want to partake in local community!

[@fennecfoxfanatic]

At least resuse it or make it into product

[@mdhazeldine]

I was going to say the same. It is extremely wasteful...but then that is pretty standard for the super luxury world, so it shouldn't really be a surprise. It is disappointing though.

[@CrankyHermit]

Luxury fashion marketing has always been tangential and atmospheric. Same for tobacco, cars, jewelry, alcohol, cosmetics and many other products.

[@vylbird8014]

Don't sell the car. Sell the promise it'll make you a cool person and get you laid.

[@MarioXcore1]

The fact that this ended in such an involved ad bro 💀💀

[@yeskaitlyn8029]

so annoy in g

[@Green4CloveR]

It is impossible to gauge the quality of a product only by seeing a pic online. I prefer to see it in person before buying. Nothing now seems to be made very well

[@AngleIron426]

Pink fur stores and $10K handbags just reminds me of P.T. Barnum.

[@tablescissors]

Re-branded as Circ du Soleil - because only the abuse and exploitation of humans is permitted now ~

[@gamagama69]

honestly this is why museums are pretty nice. need to go more often tbh

[@Brian-ti6tt]

Great video as always! I'm a theater artist (scenic artist) who works in a custom fabrication shop. A lot of our clients are Experiential Marketing companies, so we build a lot of this type of thing. The temporary nature of these elaborate installations is a constant source of cognitive dissonance for most of our team of craftsfolk constantly churning out what we call "dumpster food."

[@tablescissors]

On par with word salads.

[@deadalnix]

You were very nice with your description of "cagole". While the description is correct, it misses the point. First, there is an association with the south of France, implying sun/hollyday style outfits, and most importantly, second, the term is VERY pejorative in French. Balenciaga is playing on the shock value when choosing this term and know it'll get attention this way.

[@alicemartin3275]

This, it's a pretty specific east-south insulting term. Which is why it's a surprising use of the word

[@tablescissors]

What would you say would be some English equivalents? “Cholo” or “Ratchet”, or is it more like “Mall Bunny” or “Scene Girl”?

[@RockyBergen]

Amazing amazing! Also 4:06 Media clip offline. I hate it when this happens...

[@HIIMPIEZ]

Oh I thought that was intentional artistic imagery lol

[@meepinandmorpin]

@@HIIMPIEZ same xD i was like what a creative way to show that nothing on the screen would compare to physical marketing

[@eepynicky]

@@HIIMPIEZ nah haha premiere does that when it can't find the media you used when rendering

[@sonicgoo1121]

@@HIIMPIEZ I've seen it being deliberlately used that way in a music video already, so not unusual!

[@annestrauss161]

Right after pointing out how insidious it is that communal spaces have merged into retail spaces, and how marketing manipulates our sense of self and invades our privacy, you flow right into an ad with barely a segue. It's hard to tell where the break is between educational and mercantile content.

[@johnmarston2616]

Completely agree, it was very unpleasant. Really makes the rest of the video feel in-genuine

[@amicaaranearum]

SponsorBlock was made for this sort of thing.

[@user-jk7vp7vn2k]

it's a yt video with a noticeable production value, you think people do this for free? it's like complaining you have to peel the banana yourself also, disingenuous is the word you're looking for​@@johnmarston2616

[@Mitchellfw]

I love learning that these pillars of children's literature have the most mundane day jobs. It's like how Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) wrote books on mathematics.

[@filiaaut]

I'd say a lot of the people who write book on mathematics don't find their job mundane or boring at all.

[@desroth]

The shot of Lakeside mall at 2:29 being that full really took me back... I can't place the date, but seeing Aeropostale and White Barn with the Godiva still open it had to be back like 2010-2012...

[@ealusaid]

I think money plays a huge role in where people spend their time. People like to be in spaces that are inviting, curated, and aesthetically pleasing. Who's shelling out the money to make spaces like that for free? (Libraries are the exception, but even the nicest library can't have space and entertainment for everyone.) I think it's positive in some ways that people are relying less on alcohol-centric bars and clubs to socialize, but it does leave the question of where ELSE they should go up in the air.

[@tablescissors]

Libraries get their checks from the government (tax dollars, from those who pay taxes) and there are some major controversies about how it’s been spent lately…😙

[@ealusaid]

@ 😂 Oh yes VERY controversial. They follow the principles of curation they've practiced for decades, and conservatives freak out about their kids learning that gay people and racism exist. Very 1980s coded. Tale as old as time.

[@xporzy]

8:05 bro knew what he was doing with that signature

[@evasofia07]

Examples of hyper-physical retail spaces that aren't luxury are the Glossier stores (especially when they were pop-ups) and that Jelly Cat fish and chip shop

[@BradThePitts]

Where I come from, a designer handbag is an advertisement to get mugged.

[@davidbest3814]

After learning about the psychology of retail space design I just thought, wow, I didn't think I could hate physical retail but I guess I can

[@Strange9952]

Marketing is evil, how many artists involved in such things, kinda sad

[@demystify1567]

Balenciaga has been getting "hyperphysical" alright

[@JOSEPH-vs2gc]

beat me to it lol

[@he_was_a_skater_dog]

are they cancelled still? I can't keep up with these things anymore

[@scarlettdamante4945]

@@he_was_a_skater_dog they out children in fetish gear. If you need the internet to tell if that makes them immoral pls do some soul searching. Anyone who supports them still after finding out what they promoted is scum adjacent. There are some ppl in this world that will assault you if you have their products like wearing fur and paint throwing. So yeah I’d say they’re still “cancelled”

[@1d10tcannotmakeusername]

@@he_was_a_skater_dog That seems to have gotten memory holed

[@GoBizBaz]

I'm glad to discover that old ways are returning on the surface. Online retail queers up the experience while traditional stores bring fruitful experience for not only customers but also the sellers

[@skyblueo]

There is fast fashion. Can we call this "fast architecture "? I see brands feeding the Instagram feeds of savvy influencers, or would be influencers. It's all a kind of marketing theater that has to change as fast as the web.

[@HeatherFoster-nk5vn]

Fast architecture is when an entire village of overpriced and poorly built McMansions pops up within a years time and then crumble a decade later

[@JellyFlavoredGerman]

LUH - KAH - GOAL Pro tip for French: pretty much always ignore the last letter. I wonder why Balenciaga used the masculine Le instead of the feminine La despite Cagole being a feminine word. Also, I think it's Marseille slang rather than a French word.

[@HeatherFoster-nk5vn]

probably because its a bag and most words for types of bags are masculine

[@comradeinternet467]

That shaggy pink fur could hide a shitton of bedbugs.

[@tablescissors]

New subscriber. What a treat this channel is. You’re super good at segways to these now practically mandatory endorsements that KZbin insists upon. What’s more, you very thoughtfully put them at the end and that makes them so much easier for me to respect. Thank you. I’m not into purses, but man oh man can I respect the psychology and science (albeit a fairly manipulative one) that is going into these marketing and sales designs - what a unique way to explore architecture and art!

[@spacekettle2478]

"Edward Bernays" thank you for telling me the name of the person I hate the most in the world

[@CrankyHermit]

The father of propaganda. Wrote a book about it in 1928.

[@willieverusethis]

The man who sold us on the lie that there was a popular revolution in Guatemala.

[@stellaluna6421]

Fascinating. I have not encountered this in my general shopping experience; I guess it has to do with the fact that "retail" and "luxury brands" are used mostly synonymously throughout the video. For a more familiar (to me) hyper-physical retail space, I think small yarn stores are quite interesting - very physical (you go there to touch the yarns:) ), but they also collapse the public and retail space with classes, meet-ups, and sometimes guild meetings. Fiber festivals ramp this up to a different level.

[@ert537]

Very interesting and encouraging to think about it topic! It is amazing what tricks different shops use against their customers to make more sales.

[@francinebacone1455]

This is one of my favorite videos of yours. Thank you.

[@iijeriichoii]

your video essays are great some of the only content I still watch on YT

[@crownprincesslaya2]

12:06 “the physical world (…) just be a waiting activation zone” I’ve actually seen this- when the inside of coffee shops get remodeled into just a waiting room for to-coffee orders, it’s so sad😢

[@Bunny-ch2ul]

Luxury retail is super interesting because most luxury brands cater to two distinct customers, and they want absolutely opposite things. There's the consumer that everyone laughs at, who wants to spend $500 on a tee shirt with a brand logo on it, so that everyone who follows them on Instagram will know they can afford a $500 tee shirt. This customer likes things that get a lot of hype, but they do not like challenging design. They mostly want loud basics. These customers aren't remotely brand loyal because they want the most popular merchandise from the most popular brand at any given moment. They spend huge amounts in the short term though. The second type of customer is the opposite. They buy luxury because they want excellent craftsmanship, original design, provenance, etc. This customer doesn't really care about "status," and they will actively shy away from pieces that have received a lot of hype. These customers tend to be very brand loyal because they like specific aesthetics and kinds of craftsmanship. They're more expensive to cater to because they won't buy basics with logos slapped on them, but since they're brand loyal they will keep coming back season after season. Striking a balance between these two customers is really interesting because the only thing they really agree on is that they both like shopping that's highly experiential. Creating something that's appealing to both people who are design minded and people who just want a lot of flash usually means thinking well outside the box, so you see a lot of incredibly interesting solutions.

[@ethantarpley]

We know we're living in a dystopia when companies are inventing frivolous things to do with their empty commercial spaces and meanwhile the average American family can't afford a home.

[@jephh]

Rebel. Only buy fakes.

[@ndrew5809]

So interesting as a designer who works on events and interested in the fashion industry. I've been seeing this as a new trend, especially in the media industry with networking events by nyt.

[@kibble-net]

The uncanny valley of retail and art.

[@GemmaTrellis]

As someone with a dust allergy, that Balenciaga store looks like a NIGHTMARE

[@lalayastill610]

i grew up thinking unique items that are high quality, no label visible, are luxury. I don't recognize these pieces as what i grew up to consider luxury

[@vylbird8014]

Luxury items aren't about quality. It's more about status. These designer handbags and such goods are desirable because they are deliberately scarce - the retailer makes a strictly limited production run, and will never discount the goods. Even if they don't sell as expected, surplus stock will be incinerated rather than reduce the price. Maintaining a minimum price in this way turns the good into a status symbol - it declares to the world that you are a person of such high wealth that you can afford to waste it on frivolous designer goods, and as wealth correlates with power, it shows you are a person of importance who must be respected.

[@lalayastill610]

@@vylbird8014 i think that's more for the new rich/aspirants. The millionaires i've known live frugally and walk around in jeans and a T... One made a very poignant comment, in a restaurant where lots of people had luxury accessories "I can take one look around this room and spot people who want to be rich, but aren't, in a second"

[@forehand101]

Other comments kinda mentioned this, but I feel like a huge reason why these places decorate in such an absurd way is because both the company and their consumers benefit from these installations; far from it being a healthy relationship tho. The consumer is manipulated not just by the company, but other customers who give into this style of marketing and push others to engage with it. This creates a feedback loop where companies keep doing weird stuff just to attract people to the store, and people show up because it's weird. All of it adds up in the real world to being a waste of resources, yet since it manages to turn a profit it continues to be done. I'm not sure if the loop can/will break or if this style will just always be around in some form now. Personally, I hate every bit of this. It's engineered to be manipulative from the very start before you even walk into the door and it's done in a way to hide how nefarious and terrible for the environment it actually is. I don't see it as a problem with capitalism as *a lot* of comments suggest, but rather that consumers are not protected from these types of manipulative practices by companies. Manipulative and harmful practices are regulated in other types of industries; however, it seems for fashion specifically there is very little ever done to protect consumers and thus these companies are just free to get away with it.

[@ooakleaf]

Randomly clicked... No idea how I got here... But damn! That was really interesting!! Thank you so much! A very informative, thought-provoking video, well put together - and delivered in a clear and easy to understand way. Much appreciated!

[@piccalillipit9211]

*I LOVE COMPANIES* trying to sell me a "lifestyle" - cos after a lot of sacrifice I live the perfect life I want - a tiny minimalist life overlooking the sea and wanting for nothing.

[@missScarlatine]

I feel like those hyperretail experience are born from the lost of third place. Juste cool place to hang out. All is just either your home, your work or a shop.

[@primalconvoy]

What? Are you a bot? Nothing you just wrote makes any sense.

[@SOLOcan]

lol why would that be the case? Even if you had a third place you would still want luxury goods. You would just bring it to that third place. The video even points out that these luxury goods value don't stem from their use value, but from what the brand signify and represent. You want other people to see that you have it, The video fails to take that logic further however and actually explain what is going on. Previously branding use to represent/advertise physical shops, it was the sign above the door. Now brands have become so valuable that it's the other way around, the physical store is just another advertisement for the brand.

[@hothoneymustard]

@@SOLOcan​​⁠​⁠​⁠that doesn’t dispute OPs original point though. People want cool places to hang out. Brands want to sell you things. So they make a cool place for you to come hang out and be seen and hopefully you’ll buy something in return.

[@hothoneymustard]

@@primalconvoyit makes plenty sense they just mistyped a few things

[@SOLOcan]

@@hothoneymustard No it still does, I’m showing that the loss of a third place is independent of the rise of these stores given that they can exist at the same time. There is no logical causal connection, if there is some circumstance where it does lead to these stores then you have to show the circumstantial evidence for that particular case. I’m not the one making the casual connection; OP is. Do you expect me to preempt every hypothetical situation where the store does act as a third place? And while OP maybe thinking of a lost physical third place, I’d say these stores cater directly to the actual third place that exists. *The Internet* .The shared social space of the 21st century These places are designed to be viral sensations over social media. So rather than these stores being born out of the death of the third place, they are in fact accelerated due to the form our third place has taken.

[@andrzejf6682]

Of course, Freud had an evil nephew 😅

[@LeechyBoi]

the deep boom as the media missing image popped up is INSANE

[@michaelsaparito]

I wasn't going to watch this video until I saw it was Stewart's. :)

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

A good exploration of the world of retail. I've noticed traditional retail space is being converted to housing. Which makes sense as the population grows, and shopping goes online. Every time I go out these days I see a delivery truck on my street. The future of destination shopping seems very bright indeed.

[@CicadaXiii]

I love this channel!! 👏🏻 Thanks for the excellent insight.

[@lordlynkz]

They call it "trappings" for a reason

[@mazzeimazgaj]

My mom bought one kislux and she loves it. It had been there for over 10 years when she went out with it.

[@developingtank]

Just found out about your channel, because of Phil Edwards new video. Looking forward to check it out. From one Hicks to another, I'm happy to see another Hicks spreading knowledge.

[@cosmetclub]

love this! hope you can do more videos (or even a playlist) on architecture and its relation to marketing, sales, retail, etc. :)

[@eggsinhell1532]

These spaces are the next frontier in hyperconsumption

[@JulienPowell]

Great job on this - storytelling, education, personal comment. Top notch.

[@mgscheue]

Interesting. So much time, effort, and physical resources to sell people expensive crap they don't need.

[@Mitch-Alex]

Brilliant. It's combing theatre, museums and shopping 🛍

[@MuniTechnology]

Gimmick. The Emperor has no clothes.

[@theowainwright7406]

On a micro scale all marketing is gimmicks

[@undercoverduck]

This actually seems kinda cool to me at first glance. I do love a weird little store. The incentives may be wrapped in marketing buzzwords but I'll be the last to complain if the results end up bringing back some excitement and livelihood to the streets.

[@cachalotreal]

peak consumerism

[@truerthanyouknow9456]

Holy carp! The mentalism of marketing is epic.

[@chasingpham]

2:24 is Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights, Michigan which is now closed. RIP

[@chadthunderstroke]

I know exactly what & where you're referring to, I live in Macomb county.

[@bexiexz]

i really loved this! well done, ty for this stewart

[@DavidBacchusX]

First off, genuinely love the video, concepts and mainly the editing. This is going to be so random, but does anyone know how to achieve the subtle blur effect as a natural transitional diversion. It's brilliant. Nonetheless, happy to have found you channel Stewart Hicks!

[@connors3356]

the ballinciager store is easily the most disgusting space i have ever seen in my entire life

[@zerodotone2986]

Nice transition into the add :D (Just felt like making a compliment :)

[@Charlz1980tv]

Listening to the assertions in your video, i thought of the possibility the future of shopping may lie in a kind of hybrid between cinema and retail. Brands can advertise their new after shave, boots, cell phones or whatever they want the customer to desire by product placement of luxury goods in blockbusters, products the audience/ buyers can buy as soon as the movie has ended in shops within the movie theater. Just an idea...

[@blakeharrison3972]

I’ve always kind of wished I lived in the 70’s and going shopping is part of it

[@jcrafthouse]

If fashion is somewhat boggling as a business to understand, please read Deluxe by Dana Thomas. Her book is still current and relevant to how these spaces function. It also explains what sales expenses are in fashion vs marketing expenses

[@mjdoombreed]

The science of getting people to shop/spend more is gross.

[@hothoneymustard]

It is interesting to learn about though so you can pay attention the the tactics they’re trying to use on you

[@theowainwright7406]

This ain’t for you bruh, you don’t have 15 grand to drop on a bag

[@calmeilles]

"Rewards the customer for just being present." I promise you, the one thing I am not going to be is present in one of these stores. 🤣

[@lobstermash]

I guess it takes a special kind of person to be "rewarded" by slogging through shedding pink shag pile.

[@davidlyvu]

first brand the comes to mind is Gentle Monster from Korea, their stores have been doing this for almost two decades.

[@jamesslate6664]

I can think of a couple of Chicago retail stores that are good examples of hyper-physical spaces. The bright red façade of Ikram Goldberg's eponymous Gold Coast boutique and the flagship Burberry store on Michigan Ave. As you explain, the most profitable items for sale are always front and center when you walk in, the jewelry and perfume, in the case of Ikram and the handbags at Burberry. In the case of Burberry, the store's exterior is the epitome of the brand's signature plaid.

[@Josh-yr7gd]

6:57 I wish people would extend their "downshift factors"! I can't stand it when I'm walking into a store behind someone and they decide to just stop right after the entrance to talk, look around or wipe their carts down. Come on people, keep it moving. Same thing happens when I'm leaving the store. They exit and then just stop after the doors to look into the parking lot. I guess that would be called their "upshift factor"! Have some situational awareness folks, and move out of the way.

[@3pix]

[psy-ops] Resembling childhood memories is akin to 'nostalgia' which is sorta subconscious healing, coping w/ depression. SO goes market manipulation, expropriation en mass. It's capital dictating to "Soul at work". ;) ~ Information is a thing.

[@Lala-f7e6m]

I love the new perspective

[@briannakirschenbaum9995]

The Era of Absurdity has begun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@KukaiTori]

My one gripe with this great video is that you know Phygital is a portmanteau of Physical and Digital and still pronounce it differently

[@eficio4225]

This guys transition into his sponsorships are seamless, paired with the fact that they are at the end of his videos, i find myself watching the sponsorship section all the way through without realizing he's switched over

[@carlossol999]

I think Aesop was one of the first retailers to do this successfully in a long term scale instead of a pop up. I've never bought anything from them but I can recall almost all of their stores that I've been in, this creates a Halo effect.

[@AnalogDarts]

Great content. Informative analysis.

[@stevemiller7949]

I have heard that the many ultra rich people find the elaborate over the top aspects of "luxury" brands to be cloying. They might own a yacht but they are satisfied with Levi's for every day casual. And the ladies might prefer a "basic" quality bag like the late Queen Elizabeth used. Elaborateness has it's place, but so does simplicity.

[@vylbird8014]

They have their own luxury brands - status symbols so elite that us mortals are barely even aware of them. The yacht included. The purpose of the yacht is not for one's own use, it's to hold social events in which one's peers can be impressed by the display of wealth.

[@theowainwright7406]

The highest end luxury stuff is almost always stripped back, using high quality materials and maybe playing with small features or elements of their sillhouettes. You say many ultra rich people dress simply, you likely can’t tell that their watch is worth more than your house and their t shirt is worth more than your iPhone

[@marv_kid4440]

Great video overall, however directly after talking about how we can't distinguish public and retail spaces from another you make a very vague and subtle transition from your own reflection to an unlabeled ad with no indication to where one ends and the other one starts. Felt very manipulative tbh

[@moxielouise]

Great info stewart, thanks

[@vivalaleta]

I hope the pink fur store has developed a phalanx of robot vacuums that can climb walls and vacuum upside down.