Retailing Art ~ Hanro of Switzerland

Way back in olden times when I was in high school, the art department put on an annual stage show followed by an exhibition of the students’ work in the gymnasium. One year, an entire wall was filled with fashion illustrations, so charismatic that the audience was stunned. The work was an elegant rendition of the female form, never deviating from the acknowledgement of a woman’s curves. The artist would go on to become a world famous fashion designer. Her name was Donna Karan.  It was at that show that I began my recognition of the symbiotic relationship between art, design and profit. As I started a career in merchandising, it became obvious to me that this synthesis was a brilliant method to realize sales. The retailers that recognize how visual impact affects the consumer are always ahead of the game.

So, it was with great expectation that I learned that Hanro of Switzerland would be unveiling a mural painted by renowned fashion illustrator Izak Zenou at the opening in May of their flagship store in New York City’s meatpacking district. Zenou’s work embodies the entire Hanro mission: feminine simplicity, elegantly executed with an ethereal hand. Painted directly on the walls it integrates seamlessly with the Hanro merchandise, raising the environment to a gallery of sophisticated and enchanting product. The artist has indelibly planted his signature on these walls consequently, becoming part of Hanro’s public art campaign. In my opinion, the merging of art and retail is where the most provocative and profitable brick and mortar future resides. It creates a visceral experience that is impossible to duplicate on line.

“The Color Of Your Eyes, The Smell Of Your Hair. I Try To Draw You In My Mind. . . “
~Izak Zenou