K-CityMarket Fashion
We build fashion brands designed to transform markets.
Profitable. Store Optimization.
Retail store design and brand communications for
the K-CityMarket hypermarket chain. Finland's
second largest retailer.
A hypermarket fashion store interior design and brand communications in Helsinki.
Kesko is among a small number of retailers in Finland whose value proposition is well defined in the minds of consumers.
The store design included merchandising systems,
lighting and graphic communications.
Location: K CityMarket Helsinki, Finland.
The prices are so attractive - cheap chic
To create a more experiential store brand, the management of Kesko’s hypermarket division, K CityMarket in Finland, approached us with a brief that emphasized not following the traditional European hypermarket fashion model. Instead, they wanted to develop a hybrid retail approach—offering a full shopping experience that blends everyday shopping with browsing, inspiration, and indulgence for the whole family.
Our philosophy is that retailer branding should originate from the store itself, rather than focusing solely on products and categories. This approach yields the greatest potential for success and creates stronger synergies.
We explored customer perceptions of K CityMarket’s fashion offerings, analysed brand communication, aligned with shareholder objectives (Kesko OY Finland), and considered the competitive landscape. Our work encompassed category adjacencies, designing the store interior, fixtures, fittings, lighting systems, internal signage, POS promotions, communication suites, and shop-in-shop departments.
Key challenges addressed:
- Clarity of proposition: Gender and age group segmentation.
- Competitive environment: Competing with Prisma hypermarkets.
- Communication: Highlighting both new collections and value-driven products.
- Store environment: Vibrant, with flexible merchandising.
- Fashion direction: Delivering fast fashion to meet consumer demand.
Attention to detail: A sharply focused retail strategy is critical to a company’s strength. Kesko is one of the few retailers in Finland with a well-defined value proposition in the minds of consumers, where access is the primary attribute and product quality follows closely behind.
We examined how supermarkets are increasingly emulating fast-fashion retailers and explored how smart design can boost sales by streamlining the process from product conception to in-store placement.
Supermarkets are now directly competing with High Street fashion retailers. In the past, their approach focused heavily on the “stack them high, sell them cheap” formula, leading to a discount retailer image. However, supermarkets have recently shifted consumer perceptions by introducing fast-fashion lines, appealing to a broader customer base.
Supermarkets have long pushed their way into new markets, selling everything from cat food to home loans. Now, they're applying that same tenacity to the fashion world, turning "cheap and cheerful" into "chic."
