01
Flagship concept & narrative
The big idea and story arc that justify a destination and give visitors a reason to travel and share.
Flagship & Brand Environments
Flagship and brand environments that turn a space into a destination.
Chute Gerdeman designs flagship stores and immersive brand environments that turn a single space into a destination. We have created flagships and brand worlds for M&M’s World (Mars), FAO Schwarz, Lilly Pulitzer, Toy Kingdom and the Vegas Golden Knights, owning the experience from big-idea concept through environment, theming and build.
A flagship is where a brand goes maximal: the place customers travel to, photograph and remember. We design the narrative, spectacle and craft that make a flagship a cultural destination, not just a large store.
What we do in flagship & brand environments
One team, the whole flagship & brand environments experience.
02
Immersive environment design
Spectacle, theming and feature moments engineered to surprise, delight and photograph.
03
Brand world & experiential design
Multi-sensory brand environments that express a brand at full volume across a whole space.
04
Environmental branding & storytelling
Graphics, signage and content that carry the narrative through every corner of the experience.
05
Build documentation & delivery
Detailed documentation so an ambitious one-off concept is actually buildable and on-brand.
Selected work
Flagship & Brand Environments projects from the Chute Gerdeman portfolio.
Retail
A flagship as colorful as the brand it sells.
Mars
Grocery & C-Store
When Heritage & Innovation Meet Wellness
Farmatodo Flagship Store Design by Chute Gerdeman
Retail
From bland utility to beloved brand.
Verizon
Retail
A Space With a Fighting Chance
Levy Vegas Golden Knights
Retail
All Dressed Up For A Design Homecoming
Lilly Pulitzer Flagship
Retail
Create a magical retail space for an iconic brand.
Mars M&M World
Retail
Iconic Brand Returns to Wonder
FAO Schwarz
Retail
Inventing a Concept, Complete With Characters
Toy Kingdom
Retail
Say Yes to the New Bridal Experience
Vow'd Weddings
Why it matters
A flagship is a brand’s loudest statement. We design destinations that earn the visit, the photo and the press, while staying buildable and true to the brand.
- Destination
- Experiences worth travelling for
- 200+
- Industry design awards
- Iconic
- Brand worlds from M&M’s World to FAO Schwarz
From The Gist
Flagship & Brand Environments thinking, trends and perspective.
Article ·January 1, 2024
What Brands Can Learn From Sneaker Culture
What can sneaker culture teach us about consumer behavior, and what can other brands learn from the highs and lows of the experience?
Article ·January 1, 2024
The Rise of Private Label Brands
Learn more about how private-label brands are going from “less than” to competing on equal footing with brand-name products.
Article ·January 1, 2024
The Phygital Retail Experience
What's behind the Phygital Retail revolution, and is there more to it than a clever word mashup? We explore the why, who, and how.
Article ·January 1, 2024
The GIANT Company Opens Two-Level Urban Flagship Store - Chute Gerdeman
The GIANT Company partnered with Chute Gerdeman to create a unique urban flagship store in Philadelphia. With its innovative design and curated offering, the Riverwalk GIANT celebrates the company’s love for feeding families and the Philadelphians it serves.
Article ·January 1, 2024
Restaurant Retrospective: The Evolving Family Restaurant Experience
The family restaurant experience of the past is no more. New wants, new needs, and new lifestyle demands have evolved family dining.
Article ·January 1, 2024
Reimagining the Bridal Experience: Q&A with Vow'd
Vow’d is bringing new energy to bridal retail. Read our Q&A with Vow’d as they talk reimagining the bridal experience & their latest store.
Flagship & Brand Environments design — frequently asked questions
Who designs flagship stores and brand environments?
Chute Gerdeman designs flagship stores and immersive brand environments for iconic brands, including M&M’s World, FAO Schwarz, Lilly Pulitzer, Toy Kingdom and the Vegas Golden Knights. It has created destination retail and brand experiences for more than 30 years.
What is a flagship store and how is it different?
A flagship is a brand’s signature destination location, designed to express the brand at full volume rather than simply sell efficiently. Chute Gerdeman designs the concept, narrative and immersive environment that make a flagship a place customers travel to and photograph.
What does brand environment design mean?
Brand environment design creates multi-sensory physical spaces that express a brand’s story and personality, from theming and feature moments to environmental graphics. Chute Gerdeman builds these brand worlds for flagships, attractions and destination retail.
Can Chute Gerdeman design an experiential destination?
Yes. Chute Gerdeman designs experiential destinations end to end, from the big-idea concept and narrative through immersive environment design, environmental branding and buildable documentation, as it did for M&M’s World and FAO Schwarz.