The retail landscape is rapidly evolving and brands are redefining their approach to the in-store shopping experience to remain competitive. Victoria’s Secret & Co. is at the forefront of this change, focusing on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment with its Store of the Future initiative. This episode explores how Victoria’s Secret is leading the way with curiosity and a commitment to storytelling in the design and implementation of its new store formats. As retail demands increase, the question is how brands can maintain relevance and deepen customer engagement in an ever-changing market.

What does it take to create a shopping experience that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations?

In this episode of Retail RefinedHost Melissa Gonzalez sits down with Albert Gilkey, senior vice president of store design and visual merchandising at Victoria’s Secret & Co., to discuss the evolution of the brand’s in-store experience and the importance of staying curious in retail.

The two discuss…
– Holistic store experiences: Albert emphasizes the importance of storytelling in store design, ensuring that all aspects – from layout to visual merchandising – work together to create a coherent customer experience.
– Customer-centric design: The “store of the future” is designed to be open and inclusive so that customers feel seen and welcome.
– Continuous learning: Albert talks about the need for constant curiosity, listening to customer feedback and adapting store formats to meet different customer needs in different markets.

Albert Gilkey is Senior Vice President of Store Design & Visual Merchandising at Victoria’s Secret & Co. In this role, he leads the launch and implementation of the company’s new store experience, Store of the Future. This store experience features an open and modern design to amplify product storytelling and create an inclusive, welcoming environment for all – a key initiative in Victoria’s Secret & Co.’s comprehensive brand transformation. Albert has overseen the opening of over 150 Stores of the Future worldwide.

Albert is also the Executive Sponsor of Mosaic, Victoria’s Secret & Co.’s Inclusion Resource Group for Black and African American employees and allies. In this role, he leads the group’s mission to foster a dynamic and culturally enriching work environment that helps internally recruit, retain and advance employees from diverse backgrounds.

Albert has been with Victoria’s Secret & Co. for over five years. Before taking over as Head of Store Design & Visual Merchandising, he was Vice President of Visual Merchandising for Victoria’s Secret Beauty. Albert has had a career in creative environments and as a storyteller for well-known fashion brands such as Coach, Armani and Cole Haan.

Article written by MarketScale.