FRCH

Founded in 1968 by James Fitzgerald, FRCH is one of the older statesmen of retail design. The consultancy also works in other sectors including entertainment, restaurant, hospitality and office design, each of which are supported by their brand strategy and graphic design services.

For US home furnishing retailer Ballards, FRCH created a space that would inspire their customers. As well as featuring room sets and more typical spaces to buy from, they created a ‘design studio’ at the heart of the store. Customers are encouraged to peruse the open displays and sample draws, making up their own mood boards or using the interactive touch screens to experiment with concepts, becoming the designer themselves.

Working with Saks internal design team in the creation of their first flagship store in 40 years, they commissioned a number of artists to create a gallery like environment. Fixtures and furniture act as art objects within the store, with beautiful textural canvases providing backdrops to the displays and vignettes. Spaces are delineated by the most delicate and almost ‘ethereal’ fixtures, whose elegance enhances the couture designer labels on display.

Likewise, Liverpool’s department store in Veracruz, celebrates the ‘art of nature’, through the use of organic forms; in the beauty hall the designs and textures reflect the sea bed, and the shadows of the forest are expressed through sculptural screens that delineate the space and create a natural flow to navigate the store.

With a great brand to work with, their tone of voice for Whole Foods in Dayton localises the store with graphics that speak to the city’s industrial roots, subtly weaving the Wright brothers’ story throughout the space, while maintaining clear visual ties to the fresh and organic produce synonymous with the Whole Foods brand.

From its HQ in Cincinnati and studios in New York and Los Angeles FRCH has worked with most industries and around the world, for clients such as Macy’s Department Stores, Saks, Disney, Hilton Worldwide, Luxottica, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Under Armour, Aveda and the Target Corporation.

There is always something new and fresh in each of their concepts, which is backed up by a solid assuredness that comes from many years of experience; making for a happy client.