The art of illumination
Marco Tolaini, Sales Director of Lucent Lighting, discusses how lighting enhances the retail experience while delivering on energy efficiency.
In the competitive world of retail, physical stores must do more than just display products – they must offer an experience.
In a marketplace where customer loyalty is often earned not just through price point but through a shopping experience and lasting memory, the role of lighting is becoming even more vital. More than just a functional necessity, lighting invites people to explore, engage and buy.
It’s important to understand the power of illumination to enhance not only the appearance of a retail space but also its performance, ambience and environmental footprint. This philosophy is brought to life in a recent project for Lucent Lighting – the Hermès flagship store on 17 rue de Sèvres in Paris.
Set within the walls of the former Lutetia swimming pool, an iconic Art Deco structure, the building has been reimagined into a masterpiece of contemporary design. Here, lighting isn’t just supportive – it’s essential. It enhances the store’s narrative, reveals the architecture and helps redefine a historic site as a vibrant commercial destination.
Shaping the customer experience
In high-end retail, lighting plays a primary role in shaping the customer experience. It creates mood, influences movement and defines how merchandise is perceived. In the Hermès Paris store, lighting is used not just to illuminate but to inspire. The entrance features decorative meandering patterns that emit a warm, welcoming glow, setting a luxurious tone from the moment a visitor crosses the threshold.
Within the space, bespoke lighting fixtures supplied by Lucent Lighting work in harmony with a carefully orchestrated design scheme to highlight a mix of textures and finishes – from shimmering wall fabrics to ceramic tiles that catch and reflect light with fluid elegance. These reflective surfaces, subtly lit, create a sense of movement and memory, evoking the presence of water, paying homage to the building’s origins.
In such settings, it’s important that the luminaires utilised are engineered to deliver exceptional performance with minimal visual intrusion and maximum energy efficiency. At Hermes, Rue des Sevres, Paris, the lighting plays an important role in elevating organic features such as the towering ash wood structures and the sculptural central staircase. These focal points are illuminated with a balance of contrast and softness, showcasing their form without overwhelming the space.
At its most successful, lighting in a retail environment becomes invisible. It guides without distraction, reveals without overpowering, and supports the architectural and brand vision without drawing attention to itself. But achieving this delicate balance requires both technical precision and creative intuition.
The role of a lighting manufacturer is to provide the tools that allow lighting designers and architects to bring their visions to life. Often, this involves developing bespoke solutions tailored to the unique requirements of a space.
A key consideration in any modern retail project is energy efficiency. Lighting must be sustainable – not just visually, but operationally. This not only supports a brand’s environmental targets but also reduces long-term operational costs, without compromising on the overall atmosphere or customer experience.
A vital asset
Ultimately, lighting is about more than visibility. It reinforces a brand’s personality, sets the emotional tone of the space and can influence how long customers stay and how much they spend. As the retail sector continues to seek differentiation and resilience, lighting will remain a vital asset to bring spaces to life.
Our role is to listen deeply and respond precisely. Every project is a balancing act between the architect’s vision, the lighting designer’s intent, the client’s brand and the practical needs of those who will ultimately use the space. We’re not just making and providing luminaires; we’re creating tools that help realise ambitious design ideas while performing flawlessly in real-world conditions. Hitting the brief isn’t just about ticking technical boxes, it’s about understanding the purpose of the space and ensuring the lighting enhances it on every level.
As the retail sector as a whole continues to adapt, lighting remains one of the most powerful tools at a designer’s disposal. When executed well, lighting transforms a space into an experience, elevates brand identity and, ultimately, supports commercial success.
