Together on a plate: Food and fashion converge

Fusing food and fashion is the new mantra throughout the store’s visual merchandising (VM) displays, as the renowned department store reminds its customers to visit the new 2,000-square metre food hall on the lower ground floor.

‘We wanted to convey the message that Jelmoli is now great for food as well as fashion,’ explains Ruth Toechterle, marketing manager for Interstore Design, responsible for the creative execution. ‘All the VM features seasonal themed food alongside the season’s key fashion looks.’ The same House of Brands buying approach is applied with expert and artisanal local suppliers offering a food market feel to the floor.

There are concierge shopping services to help customers find ingredients for recipes, and freshly prepared spaghetti, sushi and frozen yoghurt are given live display areas for dedicated chefs to show how it’s done. Cooking classes are bookable for individuals or groups and expert caterers are available to hire.

One highlight is Switzerland’s first cheese humidor from Natürli, including a cheese fondue section.

Department stores are re-inventing themselves with localised, exclusive offers that appeal to consumers looking for expertise. For more on food halls with retail theatre, read our New Foodscapes microtrend.