The MoMA Design Store, under Chay Costello's curation, transformed from a museum gift shop into a thriving retail destination by focusing on exclusive collaborations and unique, limited-edition products. This episode reveals how to leverage high foot traffic and strategic partnerships to create a compelling retail experience that drives product discovery and builds a desirable brand, offering key insights for operators looking to elevate their merchandising and grow their brand's footprint.
Key takeaways
Implement exclusive brand collaborations to create unique, covetable products and drive demand, as seen with MoMA’s partnerships with Champion and New Era.
Develop a merchandising strategy that balances artistic integrity with commercial appeal, curating an assortment that encourages product discovery and offers gift-worthy items.
Leverage existing foot traffic or audience engagement (e.g., website visitors, social media followers) to convert them into retail customers by offering a differentiated and desirable product selection.
Embrace the concept of limited-edition products to create buzz and a sense of urgency, enhancing desirability and perceived value.
Craft an in-store experience (or online equivalent) that goes beyond transactional, aiming to create a memorable "destination" that resonates with diverse customer segments.
The MoMA Design Store has earned a reputation as a destination for product discovery and a source of cool, limited-edition, gift-worthy finds. On the fashion side, those have included exclusive collaborations with Champion and New Era. On this week’s Glossy Podcast, the curator behind the store’s assortment, MoMA Retail's Chay Costello, breaks down her merchandising secrets.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Implement exclusive brand collaborations to create unique, covetable products and drive demand, as seen with MoMA’s partnerships with Champion and New Era.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Develop a merchandising strategy that balances artistic integrity with commercial appeal, curating an assortment that encourages product discovery and offers gift-worthy items.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Leverage existing foot traffic or audience engagement (e.g., website visitors, social media followers) to convert them into retail customers by offering a differentiated and desirable product selection.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Embrace the concept of limited-edition products to create buzz and a sense of urgency, enhancing desirability and perceived value.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Craft an in-store experience (or online equivalent) that goes beyond transactional, aiming to create a memorable "destination" that resonates with diverse customer segments.
