Whittard of Chelsea opens its doors with a brand new store concept
Whittard of Chelsea, the renowned luxury British tea, coffee, and hot chocolate company, opens its doors to the new Oxford Street store, with a full, new brand concept designed by Zebra.
The store concept incorporates the heritage and rich history of the British brand, establishing its authority in the tea market, through a classic yet modern and elegant interior. The space with natural elements such as wood, stone, and greenery evokes a sense of connection and the natural organic features create a sense of tranquility and timelessness. By blending classic and modern aesthetics, the interior reflects both tradition and contemporary elegance, providing an atmosphere that resonates with the brand’s long-standing reputation.
By adding a focused customer journey, streamlined product display, enhanced, clear messaging, and ease of navigation throughout, this store has been transformed into a far more inviting, calm space. Zebra integrated thoughtful pause points and reduced the volume of products on display, allowing for a curated merchandise experience that feels intentional, rather than overwhelming for the customer. This approach enhances the shopping experience, creating a more relaxed atmosphere that invites customers to explore with ease.
Through design and retail techniques, Zebra modernised the interiors to improve the customer experience and ensure the journey through the store was an immersive experience. A key design solution was to focus on the authority of the brand in Tea hence the increased timber formed Tea Experience and tasting solutions. To achieve this the ‘Explore Tea’ area has been brought from behind the cash desk to customer side to allow more customers to feel comfortable exploring. Clear communication, strong caddie displays, and sensory experiences have further enhanced this area.
The lighting temperature is now warm with LED reveals throughout which works well with the material palette. The introduction of a balanced colour/paint palette has softened the environment along with the introduction of metal accents and timber floors/fixturing. Zebra’s design aimed to increase the variety of textures and materials in the space as well as having a nod to British interiors of the past.
This design will aid the repositioning, and plans for continued growth, of Whittard of Chelsea, reaffirming them as market leaders and experts.
