Fair Trade asked me to develop a pilot store in Utrecht. It was a small, narrow store. The intention was that all carriers of the concept, such as collection, communication, shop furniture, etc., would get an 'ethnic' reference. The items in the collection were very diverse and often difficult to present. A whole series of tools has therefore been developed to make the items stand out as well as possible. I was also allowed to contribute to 'upgrading' the collection. Special thanks go to Jantien Lodder.

This image was developed by the Fair Trade communications department.

The idea behind the furniture was the so-called curiosity cabinet. In the golden age, the finds and treasures of distant journeys were presented in the entrance hall of large trading houses. The store also got a curiosity cabinet at the entrance where the latest and newest items were always presented. It didn't matter if they matched in style. Further in the store, so-called buffet cabinets were made on the walls where the collection was presented by product group. In the middle was a long piece of furniture on which the various articles were presented in an inspiring way from the wall cabinets.

Customers were able to remove the items from this central furniture, so that the combinations on the central furniture continuously changed.

Inspiration material that was used in research to be able to choose materials for the furniture, for the backgrounds of the prints, for the p.o.s. material and for labeling. 

Segmentation and 'upgrading' of the collection. An intensive process in which many 'visuals' and samples were used as examples. (photo: studio Style Council in Soest)