Choose Love x StudioXAG: Choose Love ’22

We want to use our business as a force for good – something we’ve been recognised for through our recent B Corp Certification – and working with Choose Love this Christmas on their 6th annual Christmas store off London’s Carnaby Street, felt like the perfect way to put purpose at the heart of a project that could make a world of difference.

Choose Love is pioneering a new movement in humanitarian aid: fast, flexible, transparent and accountable. So far, their work has already helped 3.8 million people across 33 countries, and their annual Christmas store provides a perfect place for them to interact with the public, selling real, life-saving products for refugees.

We’re on a mission to reimagine retail and our work alongside Choose Love presented a golden opportunity to rethink how the public interact with charity shops, offering our skills and experience to make a dramatic difference.

The store needed to educate and motivate people around Choose Love’s causes and inspire people to ‘put love into action around the world’.

Warmth, love and kindness take centre stage across a set of shimmering windows at the front of the store, a vibrant scene that draws attention amongst the hustle and bustle of London life. We included cosy dwell spaces that are seen as soon as you enter, giving room to sit, chat and take in the space.

The Choose Love team commented that previously the shop spaces felt more like an art gallery, and not a retail space – so instead of covering the walls with small pictures as they had previously, large boards were sparingly used to mount photos around the store, with blank spaces left to add cadence and focus views on what matters most; the products, the stories, the conversations.

Big bold neon graphics pop out of one of the side walls, adding fun and a dash of Choose Love’s signature hot pink to the space.

The customer experience needed to be as seamless as possible, and allow staff to spend time speaking with customers about the charity, the store, and the products.

In response, we developed unique shelving and display systems for merchandise and products, which helped to simplify the shopping experience and maximise the time for interaction between the Choose Love staff and visitors.

The shop has always needed to be highly-instagrammable – it’s a key way that Choose Love spreads its message and awareness of its work. To ensure this was achieved, we developed a bespoke shimmer wall that sat at the rear of the shop – that way, customers needed to travel all the way through the store to get their selfie.

The project was one full of purpose; a clear example of the power of collaboration that delivers an elevated experience and has the potential to make a difference to those that need it most.