Tamaris is opening a new pilot lifestyle store in Dortmund, Germany.

The company said that as part of its evolution into an international lifestyle brand, its new design is going “forward to the roots” after almost 20 years. Its store concept will showcase textiles for the first time and the modern facelift is characterised by a contemporary colour and design language that reflects the shopping habits of fashionable women, the company said.

Iconic brand qualities – such as monochrome white – give the space a clean, timeless setting and direct attention to the product presentation. Flowing curtains, decorative wood elements and a modern interior ensure a new feel-good ambience, which is complemented by personal messages to the customer.

The first store of this kind will be run by Wortmann Fashion Retail, part of the Wortmann Group alongside Tamaris itself, and further stores will be opened shortly in France. Then, the company hopes to roll out this new store concept elsewhere in the future.

“As a lifestyle brand, licences are part of our brand identity,” said Jens Beining, CEO of the Wortmann Group. “For overall brand visibility, it was important for us to provide a space for the Tamaris textile collection to illustrate our aesthetic expertise in the retail area.”

As a showcase for the brand, the lifestyle concept combines licences with the focus product, namely shoes. Designed as a pre-selection service concept, this approach has more modules to showcase the fashion items and includes tidy floor units so that shoe boxes can be stored out of sight on the shop floor. Modern rear panels made of steel offer flexible product presentation and the ability to display inspiring looks “from head to toe”.

The result is an uncluttered and stylish store concept that can be adapted for different brands and countries. The lifestyle approach is also ideal as a starting point for “shop in shops” with a focus on fashion. The shoe concept takes the familiar features offered by monolabel stores and incorporates them in a new lifestyle look.

Jens Beining added: “We continue to have confidence in the retail business. Despite the role played by online global players at the moment, the fact that we are still investing in our store concept should be a clear signal for our partners.

“Reduced footfall in city centres is one of the biggest challenges for the retail sector. Customers are used to finding constant inspiration online and on social media. If they choose to visit a store, they expect the same. This is about much more than just product presentation; the focus is not just on shoes but an entire lifestyle concept, which will resonate with all sorts of different women.”

With the look and feel of the new store, Wortmann wants to enhance the relevance and emotional appeal of the Tamaris brand, making the city-centre shopping experience an attractive option.