Goafer Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Link to Article Famed British luxury department store, Harrods, opened the doors to its first gender-neutral toy department this week, no doubt smart timing on the part of the store, who will be seeing floods of tourists who are wandering London during the Olympic Games. For the new design, Harrods commissioned London and Singapore-based interior designers Shed, who specialize in retail and who have also created nteriors for such famous clients as Prada and Hunter, and also designed the art-deco shoe salon at Harrods. The multi-million pound re-design of the 15 year-old department was Harrods’ way of entering the new era, as Toy Kingdom was to be grouped by theme, not gender. It includes new areas like an enchanted forest, a miniature toy world, a reading room, a circus area and a candy store. For the designers, this was an opportunity to “honour the traditional while composing an ultimate fantasy land.” The Toy Kingdom is a space meant to reflect the fame and prestige of Harods while going into different worlds, called Dreamscapes. “It’s retail entertainment. Coming to the Toy Kingdom will be like a day out, and you need to be taken out of the real world to enjoy the reality of shopping,” said Mark Briggs, Head of Store Image at Harrods. udging from the pictures, although most of Harrods seems a bit like a dreamland of beauty, refinement (and excess), the Toy Kingdom will be a hit with whatever children are lucky enough to browse. But, I’m guessing its contents won’t be cheap. There have been a lot of comments about various displays containing only cars and others only containing pink things, but what they're missing is the fact that they're right next to each other, instead of clearly defined boys and girls sections of the store. Each display has a certain theme for the sake of finding toys easily. It would be a nightmare if each display was a mix of cars and dolls etc. You'd never be able to find anything! Personally I think it's a good concept, but I think it loses some of it's practicality. For example, If I were looking for a train set I'd generally assume it to be near the toy cars and other vehicular based toys. But in this store it could be anywhere, since clumping too many boys toys into one section negates the gender neutrality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Peeps Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Personally I think it's a good concept, but I think it loses some of it's practicality. For example, If I were looking for a train set I'd generally assume it to be near the toy cars and other vehicular based toys. But in this store it could be anywhere, since clumping too many boys toys into one section negates the gender neutrality. I think that makes it harder for parents but any children in the department would just be running around looking at everything anyway, so in that respect it perhaps opens children to more options than they'd normally have. Instead of running around the boys or girls sections, they can run around the whole area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoogleViper Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Personally I think it's a good concept, but I think it loses some of it's practicality. For example, If I were looking for a train set I'd generally assume it to be near the toy cars and other vehicular based toys. But in this store it could be anywhere, since clumping too many boys toys into one section negates the gender neutrality. Well you'd only look next to cars because that's how it has always been. I'm sure this has reasoning behind its layout. If all stores were like this then you would come to learn its layout, and would easily find a train set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightwolf Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 I like the idea, but on the other hand I think it's stupid. There's absolutely nothing stopping me going into any store and picking up something of the opposite gender. For example tshirts, I tend to buy mens because I'm 5 ft 10 and I have trouble finding tshirts that fit in ladies, I get some odd looks, but do I care? No. Screw that. It should be the same for toys, buying a thomas the tank engine train for a girl = awesome. Buying a pink pram for a boy = excellent. Suck it up and go in the opposite section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 Well you'd only look next to cars because that's how it has always been. I'm sure this has reasoning behind its layout. If all stores were like this then you would come to learn its layout, and would easily find a train set. The whole point of any store redesign is exactly this. Change things round so customers have to look in more places. These are just adding a marketing gimmick for extra publicity. It's like how milk and bread is always at the opposite side of a store to the entrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegoMan1031 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 The whole point of any store redesign is exactly this. Change things round so customers have to look in more places. These are just adding a marketing gimmick for extra publicity. It's like how milk and bread is always at the opposite side of a store to the entrance. Defiantly! It's all marketing strategy to make them money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Sounds great! I was sort of expecting there to be some sort of controversy or big thing to discuss, but it all seems good to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iun Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Link to Article . Did no-one else look at that ceiling and think "This Toy Department Is Brought To You By The Umbrella Corporation"? Seriously, I'd expect families to be "mysteriously disappearing" there all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grazza Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 The more I think about it, the more I think most things are gender neutral anyway - the themes Harrods has chosen are good examples. Why should one gender like those things more than another? Yes, I'd put trains with cars, but that would just be good grouping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fierce_LiNk Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I'm pretty sure kids don't give a shit either way really. They just want to play with something. It's adults that makes all these problems for them. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twozzok Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Defiantly! It's all marketing strategy to make them money. It's that why any company does anything whatsoever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegoMan1031 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 It's that why any company does anything whatsoever? It's actually a closely guarded secret that I decided to spill the beans on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts