Inditex : Uterqüe unveils its new store concept, inspired by contemporary art

Art and fashion join forces to inspire Uterqüe's new store concept. The Inditex Group chain specialised in premium fashion accessories and textile and leather garments has unveiled its new store image, inspired by the Mid-Century Modern movement of the 1950s. Uterqüe's logo is evolving in parallel: from now on it will feature a font characterised by more organic, refined and minimalist lines.

The new Uterqüe image will, moreover, serve as a symbiotic loudspeaker and ally for contemporary artistic creation. And so, just as the visual arts will imbue the brand's collections with more contemporary values, the firm will support exhibitions, collaborate with sector experts and showcase new artists' talent. This strategy will be palpable from Uterqüe's shop windows to its store interiors and, naturally, its collections, which will live and breathe art.

Uterqüe's new look is making its début at the firm's newest store in Braga (Portugal). This new establishment, with a sales floor area of 180 square metres, reinforces Uterqüe's presence in Portugal, where the chain now operates five stores.

New image and logo

Uterqüe's new store concept is heavily influenced by the artistic and architectural movement known as Mid-Century Modern which emerged in the 1950s. Spacious houses that accommodated restrained, modern and purist furnishings, yet beckoned you to come inside, and even to stay and live in them, provide the muse for the fashion brand's new spaces. The elegance of this leitmotiv is tangible in every detail within the stores.

Mid-Century design fused sobriety with an organic spirit; those were the tenets of the movement, as would be tangible in all of its reinterpretations. In keeping with Uterqüe's new image, the interior décor similarly adopts the core ideas of this movement, adapting them to preserve its spirit in a contemporary environment.

Space and light invite exploration of the collections in an atmosphere shaped by warm designs and an aura of femininity. The fittings are an integral part of this new concept which recalls the best of the 50s. The furniture adopts the Scandinavian style of the era but, having been custom-created for Uterqüe, exudes a contemporary and versatile feel. The floor coverings are inspired by Persian rugs and the stores will be dotted with decorative pieces and works of art, busts with more daring looks and cult objects in pottery, iron and bronze.

The aesthetic reaches its zenith in the store materials: a combination of straight shelves made from stone, metal and wood to make the interiors feel tranquil, organic and restrained and render Uterqüe's fashions the outright protagonists of the space. The dressing rooms feature bamboo floorboards covered with beige-coloured carpeting and natural leather doors.

The state-of-the-art lighting adds class and warmth and reduces the stores' power consumption. Moreover, an eco-efficient and next-generation system will recreate the sun's light in an enclosed space, bathing it in warm, Mediterranean light.

The Mid-Century movement's hallmark minimalism has also left its stamp on the new Uterqüe logo, which now features a font characterised by more refined and organic lines, in keeping with the firm's new look and feel.

About Uterqüe

Uterqüe, the Inditex Group's youngest brand, was created in 2008. Its customer proposition is a combination of fashion accessories and a meticulous selection of premium-quality textile and leather clothing inspired by the latest trends coupled and product exclusivity.

Uterqüe currently has 71 stores worldwide. In 2011, it launched its online platform (www.uterque.com), which presently reaches 30 countries, having been rolled out in 14 new markets so far this year: Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania.