Cusp is a contemporary specialty chain merchandised for a moneyed young customer. The assortment is “must have” fashion pieces in apparel, shoes, accessories and cosmetics. The design aesthetic is meant to be irreverent and amusing. It incorporates many pieces of custom designed furniture, area rugs and a collection of vintage modern furniture pieces, many of them one of a kind.
Searching for a new vocabulary of design elements was central to the brief for Cusp. I experimented with a variety of less conventional ways to sign the store, from hang tags and promotional graphics to storefront signage.
Cusp was the product of a year long study about the shopping habits of affluent young women. None of the traditional vehicles for merchandise presentation seemed suitable and I proposed as many atypical variations as possible for the concept.
Cusp was conceived as an extended visual set-up which was seasonal and not fixed in the manner of traditional store design. I searched for viable design elements which could be tweaked and played with for visual impact while serving the need for merchandise presentation.
My relationship with Neiman Marcus developed over a period of decades. I have designed new stores, remodeling projects, new concepts, limited scope remodeling projects and provided design for vendor shops and restaurant areas in a number of stores in the chain.
Redesign of this area included creating a translucent light box to rehang and conserve a fiber and fiberglass artwork commissioned by Stanley Marcus.
Visual set up on the selling floor, incorporating custom area rug, form cover, floral design and graphics. I used a series of original artwork which Yurman had commissioned that year for a European event.
As Creative Director for Visual Planning and Presentation at Neiman Marcus I directed the design for the biweekly corporate window program for all stores. This included sales promotions and special events from the seasonal calendar.
The Neiman Marcus visual presentation program used specific vehicles in the stores, one of which is the vitrine shown here. Design for each visual program included the design and purchase of these elements - here the custom graphic for the deck, the custom glass neck form and the installation guidelines so that the program is consistent from store to store.