Footwear retailer Clarks has pushed the button on the roll-out of its updated shopfit to all new and existing UK and international stores, after a three-month trial.

The new look is aimed at providing a warmer, more family friendly environment, and has been trialled in the UK at edge-of-town development Glasgow Fort and Princesshay shopping centre in Exeter alongside several international shops.

The design features a warm colour palette with green and lime in the children’s department, while brown floors, with matt yellow equipment and lime accents, are used for the adult footwear areas, with backlit perimeter shelves.

The new look will replace the current minimalist fit-out featuring a predominantly white store design.

One source told Retail Week that the existing design was thought unsuitable for Clarks’ international stores, so a new look was trialled.

Internationally, the new design, created by London-based design consultancy Four IV, has been trialled in locations including Amsterdam, Hamburg and Washington DC.

In October, Clarks revealed it delivered a record first half under new chief executive Melissa Potter, but said it has struggled in the UK and remains cautious on future trading.

Pre-tax profits soared 111.2% to £45.2m in the six months to July 31, largely driven by its US business. Revenue jumped 5.7% to £577.2m.

Potter, who took over from Peter Bolliger in May, said at the time that its North American business, comprising 200 shops, enjoyed a “striking turnaround in its fortunes” following a difficult 2009.

The UK division, which comprises about 500 shops, had “battled to hold its own” said Potter. She said Clarks would need to work on differentiating its product and service proposition.

In the period, online sales rocketed 70% to £13.1m.

Clarks declined to comment on the roll-out of the new shopfit.

For more on Clarks see Retail Week Knowledge Bank’s report at retail-week.com/clarks

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