The latest retail design and hospitality trends

As part of DesignWeek's series of design in 2023, UXUS CCO and founder George Gottl offers his view on what might happen in retail design over the next year.

As 2023 begins, I’ve been thinking about what would be top of my to-do list if I was a consumer-facing client today, with all the social and economic challenges they face. Every challenge is an opportunity to innovate, and the fundamental thing so many clients need in order to transform and futureproof their businesses is to realign their customer experiences with the way customers see them.

During the pandemic, we experienced one of the largest spikes in e-commerce sales to date. Post-pandemic, we are experiencing a rise in physical store experiences as consumers crave human interaction. Brands are no longer selling a product, but rather selling a memorable experience, creating a sense of connectivity and brand loyalty.

Reimagining a modern customer experience that serves speedy convenience to a digitally savvy generation, Design Week recently covered our creative collaboration with McDonald's on a new digitally-led test restaurant concept.

Join us for a peek inside the inspiring world of Queenie Lo, CEO of the global retail design brand agency extraordinaire UXUS. Creating holistic brand experiences through storytelling and helping others cultivate their talents are Queenie Lo fortés...

One of the biggest challenges brands are tackling right now is adapting to the much more transient, on-demand version of retail that has flourished since the pandemic. A retail reality where the notion of ‘place’ is being radically redefined...

George Gottl is the chief creative officer for UXUS, a leading creative brand and design agency. He has worked with some of the world’s leading retail and hospitality brands to re-imagine the consumer experience.

Despite buoyant sales stats, the luxury sector is experiencing some interesting shifts in response to the current economic uncertainty.

Brands are no longer selling a product, but rather selling a memorable experience as it lasts longer, creating a sense of connectivity and brand loyalty. People remember places and not websites, so creating something that gets people talking about the brand is far more powerful and engaging.

Creativepool sat down with our CCO George Gottl to dive into his unique creative mindset for the #gettingtoknow section of their magazine. Read the full article here to find out how he and our team cultivate one-of-a-kind experiences.

Covid didn’t bring the end to brick-and-mortar retail that some people predicted, but it certainly changed it forever. From a retail design perspective, it’s led to brands facing increasing pressure to offer customers a real reason to visit physical stores, as opposed to just shopping and browsing online.

The arrival of Pride season has once again raised the ongoing issue of corporate pink-washing and tokenism in how brands engage with the LGBTQIA+ community. While huge progress has been made in recent years, there is still more work to do before most brands can say they are truly inclusive of the queer community.

While we can’t ignore the challenges we’ve had to face during the pandemic, one of the most unexpected aftereffects our retail design agency has witnessed, is the positive impact it's had on client-agency relationships. As the dust from Covid-19 gradually settles, here are some of the positive shifts we have been observing in this area.

E-commerce boomed during the pandemic. That, coupled with widespread store closures, led many retail pundits to predict the final death of physical stores. Because of that, George Gottl explains why we need a new approach to measuring the hidden value of brick-and-mortar retail.

There has been a question mark over the role of and value of brick-and-mortar stores since the very inception of online shopping. For consumers, the question is what can a store offer that competes with the convenience of shopping at home or on-the-go? For brands, why invest money, resources and people in physical retail when consumption is increasingly moving online? Yet profitability is not the only transaction in the retail environment. As a new model of consumer engagement emerges in the post-pandemic area, it's time to redefine how we measure 'impact' in retail spaces.

The 'Het Amsterdam Diner' gala charity dinner event was celebrated on Saturday the 25th of June with breaking record numbers in donations and we supported them as a sponsor by designing all the branding communications.

Barely a day goes by in the creative industries without another hot take on the war for talent. In a candidate-driven market agencies and brands are having to rethink their value proposition for staff. Nowhere is this more true than when it comes to making a meaningful and positive impact on staff wellbeing.

A recent community initiative in North London reminded me of the immense power that creativity and design has to bring a community together - and how important it is to draw on this power in retail and hospitality design now, more than ever, as people experience a renewed appreciation for what it means to gather together and socialise. 

Read our statement about why we are giving our team the day off on the 1st of July and find out how you can join the movement!

While it is vague how the digital universe will evolve, the opportunities it presents for designers, brands, retailers, and consumers are tremendous. What specific challenges does the metaverse represent for the fashion industry? How might it reshape consumers' behavior and accelerate the changes in the supply chain? Various professionals from the fashion and digital industries, including George Gott, answer these questions in an article of WeAr.

Each week, The Drum asks agency experts from across the world and the ad business for their take on a tough question facing the industry, from topical concerns to perennial pain points.

"An iconic 17th century canal house in the heart of Amsterdam has been given a new lease of life as a new cultural hub and swish Italian restaurant", Designerati reports.

Retailers recognize that COVID-19 have had a significant impact on their business, that's why Welum interviewed Queenie Lo, to discuss how to design an extraordinary shopping experience in this era.

Nobody quite knows yet what the metaverse will become in the years ahead but one thing is for sure: brands need to start planning for it now. Olivier Termijtelen discusses 5 metaverse mindsets for retail brands to start considering now about how to approach the next big thing in retail experience.

A sophisticated personalisation strategy is one of the most crucial parts of delivering seamless customer experiences today. Pakwing Man, Creative Technologist at UXUS, shares five pointers all brands should consider when it comes to optimising their personalisation strategies for today’s consumers.

Each week, The Drum asks agency experts from across the world and the ad business for their take on a tough question facing the industry, from topical concerns to perennial pain points. This week, ad agencies share practical tips on when (and how) to promote junior staff.

Dutch TV show BinnensteBuiten gave their viewers a peek into the Amsterdam Loft and eclectic art collection of George Gottl, CCO and founder of UXUS.

We Are The City features the latest female centric news stories focusing on women in business, technology, careers news and current affairs. This week they spoke to Queenie Lo, CEO at UXUS, about career planning, diversity and inclusion and more.

Consumers are increasingly seeking out brands that can demonstrate maximum transparency and authenticity around wellness and sustainability. But many brands are still trying to translate their values directly into profit - which often works against what consumers are actually looking for. Rosie Smith reflects on how to get them right.

A new series of articles from Designerati, by designers, architects and senior professionals on future-proof design. Today George Gottl, Founder and CCO at UXUS, looks at the retail journey and the crucial role of physical stores in consumer engagement and brand loyalty.

What’s next for retail – apocalypse or renaissance? Even before COVID-19, retail has been undergoing a significant transformation towards truly phygital experiences that blend the best of online convenience and real-world immersion.

For International Women’s Day 2022, Henry Wong at Design Week spoke to Queenie Lo, and other women in the design industry, about their main challenges and opportunities in the workplace today.

Almost every fashion event has gone hybrid in the last one and a half years. For their January issue, WeAr asked various experts working closely with the fashion industry, including Pakwing Man, Creative Technologist at UXUS, to share their views on the way forward and to tell us which innovative practices they want to see in events further on.

January and February usually sees a sharp spike in new gym memberships but this year the industry has reported a fall in sign-ups compared to the same period in 2020. Phoebe Barty-King, Senior Designer at UXUS, explains how gyms can adapt to post-covid consumer mindsets

George Gottl, cofounder of UXUS, approaches projects from the lens of the customer. In this article from Hospitality Design Magazine he explores Retail’s Three Pillars of Transformation.

Diversity is becoming increasingly integrated into the creative process, a shift which is driving change across the industry. Our CEO, Queenie Lo, elaborates on the case for creative optimism in her article published in Creative Brief.

Rather than simply being a transactional space that requires a traditional product showcase, stores are drawing inspiration from unexpected places such as supermarkets, cafés, post offices or galleries to create unique and immersive journeys.

UXUS has added Pakwing Man to its creative team as creative technologist, a new position within the organisation aimed at providing clients with solutions that enhance consumer experience by seamlessly integrating digital and physical environments.

Each week, The Drum ask agency experts for their advice on real problems facing today’s marketing practitioners. This week, they look at the quest for the fabled work-life balance and asked UXUS CEO Queenie Lo for her opinion.

Queenie Lo, CEO of hospitality and retail design agency, UXUS, speaks to Transform magazine about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the retail and hospitality brand design space.

On their biweekly podcast Hospitality Design editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen sits down with industry veterans and visionaries to delve into early beginnings, how they got to where they are today, and greatest lessons learned. On their latest episode: George Gottl, CCO of UXUS.

This Vogue Living series was photographed in Cromhouthuis, a stunning 17th century Amsterdam canal house, while closed for renovation. UXUS, tasked to work on the interior concept and redesign, will elevate the iconic heritage building with refined contemporary touches.

California Live is setting a new trend when it comes to dessert experiences – Pudding! NBC Los Angeles found a hidden gem in Venice called Pudu Pudu. The concept is German, the ingredients are oh-so fresh, and the pudding is simply edible art.

Engaging gamers authentically will be key to future growth, says George Gottl in an article written for Cannes Lions' membership portal.

People have five senses - and when shopping they want to use them all. Thomas Wagner at MD Mag explores why interior architecture and retail design are more important than ever, what challenges they master and what competition they have to reckon with.

The rampant growth of WeChat mini-game retail is attracting the attention of luxury brands. Carly Page at Wired explores a rapidly growing phenomenon and asked George Gottl, CCO of UXUS, for his expert opinion.

Pong and Pac-Man might have been worlds away from Seventh Avenue a generation ago — but video games and fashion are both changing at hyper speed, and starting to come together in new, potentially transformative ways. George Gottl shared his views with WWD.

"UXUS collaborate with Dr. Oetker and cook up pudu pudu. The imaginative and immersive new generation pudding concept opened its doors on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Los Angeles" World Architecture News reports.

From photographers to storytellers, Hospitality Design Magazine asked five design professionals to shine a light on visionaries who help bring hospitality projects to life. Aliya Khan of Marriott wrote an ode to our CCO and founder George Gottl.

New opportunities are emerging to transform retail hubs community-first assembly points that offer more diverse activities for wider audiences. LS:N asked George Gottl to comment.

The Clinique Laboratories concept is thought out to provide customers with ‘full sensory immersion’. Lauren Grace Morris at Frame reviewed the new retail concept.

As Amazon now joins the physical retail world, has it moved beyond the need to worry about ‘good’ design or aesthetics? Emma Tucker at Creative Review asked CCO and founder of UXUS, George Gottl, for his expert opinion.

"Pudding bar Pudu Pudu in Los Angeles marks the start of Dr Oetker’s campaign to reframe pudding for the Gen Z and millennial markets." Frame reports on Dr. Oetker's emotive pudding experience for the next generation.

The hospitality sector is reopening following lockdown, with the government allowing revellers to once again visit in person, provided they eat and drink outside. Amy Ingrassia, Creative Director at UXUS, shared her views with Design Week.

The game is on in fashion and while the styles are pixelated, the money’s for real — or could be. “We have to look at the world of fashion in a very different way than we have in the past,” George Gottl explains to WWD.

UXUS has collaborated with food producer and home baking brand Dr. Oetker to transform the pudding for the next generation with the launch of Pudu Pudu, a new, LA-based pudding concept. Read more about this new retail experience in Transform Magazine.

Mood Media, LG Electronics and UXUS have joined forces to create a webinar series called ‘Automotive Retail Recalibrated’. This ebook is the result of all of these conversations and the whitepapers that derived from each of them.

As with many technologies, the current pandemic has served as a catalyst for brands to inhabit new virtual worlds. In this article George Gottl comments on luxury brands releasing pieces from its ready-to-wear collections for sale into the metaverse.

UXUS, Mood Media and LGE have launched a 3-part webinar series titled Automotive Retail Recalibrated. This Whitepaper dives deeper into the topic of session 3: Next Generation Auto Retail - Dealerships 2030.

Luna, a new interior concept for McDonald’s designed to bring people together in a welcoming, playful and shareable environment, featured on Hospitality & Leisure.

George Gottl, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder of UXUS highlights the importance of blending both physical and digital experiences for the next generation of shoppers.

Although it may take a while before we can see them in the flesh, Design Week shares some real-world interiors projects from the hospitality sector that have caught their eye recently. Their selection features two of our projects.

UXUS, Mood Media and LGE have launched a 3-part webinar series titled Automotive Retail Recalibrated. This Whitepaper dives deeper into the topic of session 2 and explores the purpose driven future of Automotive Retail.

As the age old saying goes, the only constant is change, and never has this rung more true than today as the world navigates its way through the coronavirus pandemic. So as we prepare to shut the door of 2020, Retail Focus asked six industry experts, including George Gottl, what they believe lays ahead for retail.

Each week, we ask readers of The Drum, from brands, agencies, and everything in between, for their advice on real problems facing today’s marketing practitioners. UXUS' CEO Queenie Lo tells us how leaders should be supporting the mental health of their colleagues during this stressful time.

Fashion can’t fully embrace gamification while it still clings to a 19th-century mind-set. With estimated global revenue of $159 billion this year and an audience of 2.7 billion worldwide, gaming is now as viable and lucrative as any emerging market or region in the world. Yet the fashion industry is still struggling to gain any traction in it.

UXUS, Mood Media and LGE have launched a 3-part webinar series titled Automotive Retail Recalibrated. This Whitepaper dives deeper into the topic of session 1 and explores the fluid future of Automotive Retail.

Designers across the retail sector – from robotics and technology to interactive design – give their take on the future of shopping. “If retailers are smart, they’re investing now,” George Gottl says. “Even through sales are down, everything passes and things will return to normal.”

With retail experiences limited by the pandemic, brands are driving desire by creating secretive spaces for those in the know. George Gottl dives into a new retail phenomenon, Inclusive Exclusivity, in his latest LS:N piece.

In 'What would I change' George Gottl, founder and CCO of UXUS, highlights the ways in which retail brands need to consider how the pandemic has impacted their consumers and what they can do to engage with them.

The COVID-19 outbreak has raised anxiety around hygiene and personal space in the office – does this spell the end of non-fixed desking as we know it? OnOffice asks Strategy Director at UXUS, Asell Yusupova.

With retail at the forefront of the sectors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, luxury brands must contend with marketing themselves to a consumer base that has been fundamentally changed. George Gottl, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder of UXUS and James Martin, Global Marketing Manager at FutureBrand, examine how brands can adapt to the challenges of post-COVID branding.

Can we really get back to business as usual? Maybe not – and that might be a good thing. Frame Magazine talks to Chief Creative Officer George Gottl about ‘new’ modes of working, the future of retail and hospitality post-pandemic, and why, to survive as a business, it’s crucial to embrace the unknown.

Chris Wittkampf, Senior Lead Graphic Designer at UXUS gives his opinion on Kings Place new identity, developed by Studio Sutherland. Check out the full 'rebrand' article here.

George Gottl, Chief Creative Officer at UXUS, discusses what interactive design will look like in the coming year with Design Week. "In 2020 interactive design will be about creating hyper-reality through real objects while using technology to create wonder. People are craving extraordinary moments in everyday spaces."

Read FX magazine's Q&A with George Gottl about the radical thinkers who have inspired him, who we can learn from and what will lead the way for radical thinking in the design field.

What “The Conversation Age” means for the future of retail. George Gottl talks about how some of the industry's foremost taste-makers are channelling their ideas to actively disrupt the landscape of retail.

Click here to view our CCO George Gottl's talk on the 'Conversation Age' at this years Maison&Object in Paris.

Our Senior Creative Strategist, Adam Thompson, discusses how Jack Wills fell out of sync with the times in Retail Gazette in this opinion piece.

We are thrilled to have won the World Retail Awards 2019 Outstanding Store Design award for the L'Occitane Flagship Store on Regent Street!

FutureBrand UXUS published a piece for this year's World Retail Congress exploring the retail spaces of tomorrow.

FutureBrand UXUS Senior Creative Strategist Adam Thompson, reflects on the the World Retails Congress' theme of ‘High velocity retail’ in a new article.

We are thrilled to have been named in Dexigner's Directory of top 30 design studios in the world!

Retail Design World reports on our new London office that openend this year.

Design Insider has published George Gottl's comments on the Blue Mountain School in a profile piece for their Creative Space feature.

Meet the Designer | Enki magazine interviewed George Gottl.

George Gottl comments on - Six trends redefining the store space.

MiND Magazine interviewed our Senior Lead Designer Tara Naismith. Talking about brand experiences in hospitality.

Retail Design World - New name for FutureBrand UXUS.

George Gottl explains to The Drum why the future of luxury retail is all in the ‘experience’.

The Moodie David Report reports on Kebaya: the highlight of Schiphols new departure lounge 2.

Wallpaper* speaks to George Gottl about the Tate Modern's new Switch House store.

Fast Company, the world's leading publication on innovation in design, leadership and ethonomics features the new Jake & Dinos Chapman store in Amsterdam.

Sephora featured as store of the week on Retail Week, UK's and the EU's leading retail trade publication.

The new Tate modern retail space featured on Dezeen.com

Design Week features an article on the 'forever changing' retail space at the new Tate extension.

Architects Datafile published an interesting read on how culture meets commerse in the new Tate Modern museum shop designed by UXUS.

It's Nice That features the new and first ever Jake & Dinos Chapman pop-up in Amsterdam, F**king Hell Das Shop.

PSFK, internationally acclaimed trend forecasting publication, features the new store design in San Francisco: Sephora, Store of the Future.

The new restaurant design for McDonald's featured on Buzzfeed. Click on the link to read more about the restaurant's transformation journey.

Architectural Digest features the newly designed restaurant, Aveline, housed at the historic Warwick Hotel in San Francisco.

British luxury magazine showcases Qela, Qatar Luxury Group's homegrown fashion and accessories boutique in Doha. Visit the link to see more of the space.

Global interior design magazine, Innsides, features the Amsterdam Loft

San Francisco's SFGate features Napa Valley's best designed wineries. We are thrilled to have the Merus Winery featured alongside Napa's finest.

George Gottl, Chief Creative Officer at UXUS, discusses what interactive design will look like in the coming year with Design Week. "In 2020 interactive design will be about creating hyper-reality through real objects while using technology to create wonder. People are craving extraordinary moments in everyday spaces. It’s not enough to create a virtual world through AR anymore because people still need to come back to reality; the two must combine."