dash design has renovated and redesigned Godiva's retail space in the Metlife building in New York. Led by Jhipo Hong as creative director at dash design, the design team transformed a small and outdated store into a luxurious and inviting space, offering an immersive chocolate experience.
The redesigned store emanates an atmosphere of luxury through the warm glow of soft lighting and use of rich materials. Taking cues from the iconic gold box and the products themselves, the new interior is characterized by dark wood, soft creams, and golden accents. To encourage browsing and self-treat, the design team created several layers of unique experiences throughout the store, designed to make the customer feel surrounded with chocolate and evoke the feelings of pleasure, indulgence, and comfort associated with it.
The store's focal point is a large, modern runway-style table, topped with a glass case showcasing fresh chocolates in a contemporary manner while maintaining the identity of Belgian luxury. Well-lit perimeter wall cabinets filled with Godiva's line of gifts act as a backdrop to the chocolates, keeping the heritage of gifting that the brand is famous for. Tempting additions to the store include a dipping counter in the store's corner, offering a hands-on experience for guests to discover new products, and, at the end of the store, a drink bar back-lit by an emblem of the brand's namesake, the iconic Lady Godiva.
The Metlife location is the latest in a series of interiors and concepts developed by dash design for Godiva. Beginning in 2011 with the redesign of Godiva's Istanbul Nisantasi location, the collaborative project includes over 25 international retail locations throughout China, Japan, Korea, Belgium, Portugal, the UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the US, and British Columbia. Among these are Godiva's five flagship locations and Truffle Express, Godiva's first freestanding chocolate kiosk.
Photos: Daniel Aubry