Retail Spaces impart a unique identity to brands, through a design language that reflects values, emotions, and experiences !

Rhea Mathew, our next pathbreaker, Head of Design (Retail) at Space Matrix, leads the creative process by developing innovative and aesthetically pleasing design concepts for various brands.

Rhea talks to  Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about having had the opportunity to be part of retail design and development for some amazing brands such as Parx, Park Avenue, Colorplus, Raymond, Uniqlo etc.

For students, the field of retail design is very cross-functional and involves working with Architects, Interior Designers, Furniture Designers, Graphics Designers and many more professionals to transform a vision into reality!

Rhea, can you tell us about your early years?

Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of God’s Own Country, I have been fortunate to be raised by parents who were incredibly supportive. Between dad, who was an engineer, and mom, who was a teacher, they made sure we not only put our best into academics but also gave equal importance to involvement in sports, and other creative pursuits. Not trying was the only thing that was considered a failure in our household.

Growing up in a middle-class family, we lived a lot in rented places, which also meant that ‘home’ was, for us, a space that changed quite a lot in its physical dimensions but remained consistent in its emotionality. You could say I was always fascinated by how we adapted ourselves to physical spaces and buildings and how we associate emotions to them.

What did you do for graduation/ post-graduation?

I did my Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering from Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology, and my Masters in Product Design from MS Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies. 

How did you end up in such an offbeat, unconventional and cool career?

When I was faced with the decision to choose a stream of study for my undergraduate, I was keen on taking Architecture, but for whatever reasons, life led me to pursue a path in Civil Engineering. It was the closest thing to structures and spaces that intrigued me. I learned to appreciate the intricacies of the creation and development of structures that blend functionality but, in all honesty, I craved to play with the aesthetics of the structures. It was during this exploration that I stumbled upon the world of Product Design, which opened up new horizons for me. During my postgraduate education, I learned to combine my love for creativity, functionality, and aesthetics all centered around the philosophy of human-centric design.

Tell us about your career path. 

I was always sure I wanted to do something related to design, but I knew that I was a more structured thinker (more hands-on) and not just a conceptual person. It was during my master’s that I was exposed to various design philosophies and varied avenues of design including Product Styling, Toy Design, Furniture Design and this is when I discovered my inclination towards design of spaces and furniture. 

My internship was with a retail design firm called FRDC in Bangalore. This is where I learned about how to design furniture for retail spaces, learned all about how design impacts customer experience and how to apply the basis of design to serve their intended purpose with efficiency.

After my internship, I was fortunate enough to continue my learning in Retail Design. I learned to design environments that attract and engage customers, the strategies to enhance the customer experience, and ways to optimize product displays and how to guide customers through the space and expose them to various product offerings to ultimately drive sales and brand loyalty for retailers.

I have had the opportunity to be part of the design and development for some amazing brands – some home grown and others international names;  Parx, Park Avenue, Colorplus, Raymond, Mustard, Ruosh, Enamor, Jockey ,Crusoe, Marks & Spencer, Linen Club, Samsung, OnePlus, Hamley’s, Uniqlo etc. 

Work as a retail designer is very cross-functional and a typical team consists of various professionals ranging from Architects, Interior Designers, Furniture Designers, Graphics Designers to an army of consultants that support you with services like air-conditioning, lighting, plumbing and electrical. Even though, from a typical architectural design perspective, you might work with only some of them, retail design makes it essential to have such a diverse team on any particular project. This makes it important for you to have a strong knowledge in all of these verticals that makes the collaboration possible.

How did you get your first break?

During my second year of working, when my then mentor and team lead was leaving the company, he put in a good word to the firm’s director about my capabilities. And, Sanjay took a chance on me and gave me an opportunity to lead a project for COLORPLUS. It was a lot of hard work, but the learning and confidence that I built working on that project along with my team held me in good stead over the years. 

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

Challenge 1: 

Understanding the Client’s Vision: Being able to identify the client’s needs can be challenging, in order to align the design with their vision and expectations, even when they have specific or evolving requirements. Usually, we do a workshop with the clients very early on in the process, to establish the needs of the client and what we are addressing through the design, that is, a customer experience which aligns with the brand identity. 

Challenge 2:  

Budget: Designing a retail space within a limited budget can be tricky. Balancing aesthetics, functionality, and cost-effectiveness while creating an attractive and unique environment can be a significant challenge. We are always conscious about suggesting design solutions to clients that are keeping in mind their build costs as well as maintenance and operational costs. 

Challenge 3: 

Timelines: Deadlines and project timelines are usually very crucial for Retail Design. To ensure that we are able to deliver, we prioritize the tasks, optimize the process, and rely on libraries and templates where we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We work collaboratively making sure we use everyone’s best skills to get the job done while managing the client expectations. 

Where do you work now? Can you tell us about your current role

I work with Space Matrix now as the HEAD OF DESIGN. 

My role as The Head of Design is to lead the creative process by developing innovative and aesthetically pleasing design concepts for various brands. Working closely with clients to understand their requirements, presenting design proposals, and addressing any concerns or feedback is a core part of my job. 

Apart from leading the studio’s creative and design strategies; in my current role I also get to do the following:

– To work closely with the management to set the strategic direction for the studio’s growth, development and expansion. 

– Work on the client relationship and account management to drive business.  Identify new business opportunities and work with business development teams to pitch and secure new projects. Act as a primary point of contact for key clients, addressing concerns and ensuring client satisfaction.

– Monitor project budgets and resource allocation to maintain profitability and efficiency.

– Work with the organization to recruit & hire talent, mentor and guide the team ensuring professional development and foster a positive and collaborative work culture within the studio. 

What skills are required for your role? How did you acquire the skills?

Being a Design Head requires a combination of creative flair, a deep understanding of the design industry, excellent communication skills and strong leadership skills to drive the studio’s success by managing creative teams and projects effectively. Keep in mind that specific roles and responsibilities can vary based on the size of the studio, the industry, and the studio’s focus. 

Coming from a smaller design consulting firm which had a pure retail focus and moving to a larger design organization required me to be adaptable and think more strategically to balance the creative direction with business objectives. 

What’s a typical day like?

Typical day involves working closely with the team and on client project briefs, requirements, presenting design proposals, and addressing any concerns or feedback. During the day, I also spend time with the team of designers leading the creative process and guide the team to create top-notch designs.

What is it that you love about this job? 

The thing I love about the job is the collaboration. There are so many things I learn from each of our clients, and from my team. While problem solving to create impact, influence and creativity are at the heart of the job, it is through collaboration & interdisciplinary work that we see the best results and have the biggest learnings. 

How does your work benefit society? 

My job as a Retail Designer is to ensure that through design of the space, we can create lasting impressions with the customers which relate to the brands. It’s a significant part of shaping the shopping experience, but more importantly a reflection of the social interaction and cultural expression of the times we live in.  This in turn makes a positive impact on society and the overall urban landscape contributing to economic growth. 

Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!

A few years back, while I was working with FRDC, I got to work on the team that designed the first few stores for the Japanese brand UNIQLO when they were launching for the first time in India. 

During this time, I got to experience firsthand the Japanese culture and see how much of the brand ethos is built around its culture, I got to work with their team, learn from their work ethics, got to collaborate with them in designing to adapt their global design brand language, and bringing context to cultural sensitivity and localization through use of native design language, materials and craft in design; to create compelling narratives that reflect Indian values, emotions, and experiences can deeply resonate with the target audience. 

It was one experience that was challenging, but at the same time was very rewarding. 

Your advice to students based on your experience?

Get your basics right. 

Always be curious and keep learning. There is no end to the lessons that life will teach you. 

Embrace failures as much as you will your wins. 

Learning to work together and successful collaborations are the key in our industry. Its gives you varied perspectives as well as the advantage of working with expertise in the field.  

Don’t just work hard, work smart. 

Future Plans?

While I enjoy the challenge and the rush of working as a design consultant with clients to deliver designs within budget and on tight timelines, I do realize there is so much out there to be explored.  

I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I always tell myself it’s never too late to try something new. So, we will see where the road leads, but in the meantime the aspiration is to continue to work with the greatest brands and the greatest minds in the industry.