Attire Accessories - Feb/Mar 2019 (Issue 74)

RETAIL INTERVIEW 101 Flying high Distinctive design and timeless appeal are at the heart of the new Tracey Neuls Coal Drops Yard retail space, says founder Tracey Neuls Tell us a bit about Tracey Neuls and how you came to open the new retail space. Tracey Neuls is London’s best-kept secret in footwear design! Coal Drops Yard approached me because of having independent retailers in mind. It had a focus on those with a distinctive personality, doing something different. What initially caught its eye was the way we display our shoes – our signature style is to hang them on ribbons from the ceiling. What challenges were overcome when you were planning the new gallery space? Our new gallery-retail space is located in a gorgeous Grade II listed Victorian building, which comes with its own rich history. However, there were some difficult shop-fit logistics to accommodate for, but we succeeded – thankfully! After decades of making our own rules, the new challenge of working more as a retail complex is quite new but also very exciting and pushes us forward into a new era for the brand. Why did you want to create a different kind of retail space, and how did you decide on the pioneering exhibition-style concept? There is so much sameness in the world, and Tracey Neuls tries to push against this. We want our customers to feel they are immersed in an intuitive experience when they enter the space. Our exhibition-style store concept is a result of my vision: inviting you to see the designs from all sides, to engage in the movement of their sculptural shapes and details. “There is so much sameness in the world, and Tracey Neuls tries to push against this.”