Circular Store
Madewell Forever
ATTN: x Madewell, 2021
Following the success of the Madewell Forever launch, Madewell wanted to find a tangible way to extend the life cycle of its clothing for customers. The company teamed up with thredUP, the online consignment shop, to host a brick-and-mortar takeover in Brooklyn. The pop-up was the first of its kind and offered shoppers preloved Madewell clothing, custom tailoring services, and educational opportunities about the power of circular fashion.
Ashton partnered with ATTN: to bring the store to life, designing everything from the entrance experience to the hangtags. It went on to receive attention from multiple major publications and, by the end of its one-month stay, had resold over 1,000 pairs of jeans, which, compared to new jean production, reduced carbon emissions by over 17,000 pounds.
Identity / Communications
Naming
Logo Design
Identity Development
Web Asset Design
Social Media
Motion Graphics
The Circular Store’s identity needed to introduce the space as original while still tying it to the Madewell Forever brand. We created a new logo, paying particular attention to the partnership with thredUP. Using the circle as the entrance framing device set the tone for the experience inside: uplifting, inclusive, and bold.
The store was built on three pillars: start with good quality clothes, educate about clothing longevity, and extend the life of clothing. Both the brand and in-store experience embraced this optimistic and active approach to sustainability.
On-site tailoring made it even easier for shoppers to make preloved clothes their own.
In keeping with the preloved theme, love notes were scattered throughout the store. Standing cards on the tables featured educational moments, with QR codes linking to infographic videos.
Shoppers also encountered love notes on hangtags, on side tables, and in fitting rooms. They provided discovery opportunities, with each message offering a mix of surprise and delight (and sustainability).
Custom mirror graphics in the fitting rooms encouraged shoppers to share their finds and spread the word on social media. As the store was a pop-up, these images helped create a groundswell of interest and foster an “in-the-know” vibe.
Before leaving, shoppers were encouraged to take home a closet clean-out kit. The envelope served as a handy parting gift, complete with a thredUP mail-in bag, helping customers to pay it forward by recycling their own clothes for free.
Over the course of a month, Madewell sold nearly 3,000 preloved pieces, ranging from their signature denim to t-shirts and outerwear. The Circular Store was featured in Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, The Wall Street Journal and more, and was recognized as a finalist for Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards.
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