Soft Power: How Retail is Reimagining Experience and Connection
Words by Catherine Baldwin from Catanna Studio
In an era of algorithm fatigue and global burnout, even brands are turning down the noise in favour of something more grounded. From product launches so subtle you hardly notice them, to impactful retail third spaces, we’ve entered a period where the experience of slowness and hospitality has become the new marker of value.
Quiet is fuelling anti-hype hype tactics, helping brands stand out through a deliberate change of pace. Minimalist fashion label The Row saw founders Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen banning audiences from using cameras and social media at shows last year- a radical act during a hyper-documented event like fashion week. During their recent Milan Design Week showcase, The Row silently debuted a homewares line without an announcement. Its discreet ethos taps into the quiet luxury movement, not just by design, but by attitude.
Also at Milan Design Week, Finnish design house Marimekko and New York-based artist Laila Gohar placed a giant bed at Teatro Litta, aimed at celebrating the beauty of slowing down while enjoying the softer side of life. The changing activations throughout the week allowed visitors to interact with it in different ways, proving softening doesn’t have to be dull or stagnant.
In parts of India, the phrase “retail therapy” is being brought to fruition with a renewed focus on hospitality, reflecting a large part of South Asian culture. Amethyst in Chennai is a curated boutique re-engaging shoppers in a blend of creativity and culture. Set in a historical bungalow, the space blends art, fashion and food, from an ornate café to lush surrounding gardens. Here, shopping is meant to feel like leisure, not a transaction, and slow consumption is celebrated.
Third spaces (a communal zone between home and work), have gained traction as people redefine their leisure time in the pursuit of more meaningful in-person interactions. PAGEONE’s vinyl concept bookstore in Beijing creates a quiet sanctuary for focus and reflection, countering the sensory overload of modern city life. Spaces within the store are designed as ‘retreats’, with listening and reading areas that engage with the natural surrounding environment. It’s less about eye-catching display and more about spatial organisation, centring the consumer journey through hospitable consumption.
It’s often said that brand loyalty is fading and that shopping has moved almost entirely online- and while those arguments hold weight, they miss a deeper question: are brands truly creating spaces people want to spend time in? Not just customers, but people. Beyond transactions, beyond the scroll, lies an opportunity to design environments that invite presence, not just purchases.
Fashion brand Coach has introduced 12 Coach Play concept stores, designed to engage Gen Z through immersive, hyperlocal experiences. Time spent in these spaces is four to eight times higher than in traditional Coach stores, with even greater engagement reported across Asia. Each store is purposefully split- 50% product, 50% experience- featuring everything from customisation stations and coffee shops to DJs and local food vendors. These aren’t just retail spaces; they’re cultural micro-hubs. Coach’s team uses them as live insight labs, where time spent on the shop floor becomes an opportunity to understand their audience in real time, fostering connection, loyalty and relevance in an age of fast-moving trends.
According to EY’s 2024 Future Consumer Index, one-third of the 23,000 consumers surveyed across 30 countries crave the personal in-store service that online shopping simply can’t replicate. This shift isn’t just about offering moments of connection. It’s a call to reimagine retail as a space for meaningful pause, emotional engagement and cultural connection that can’t be achieved through a screen, even when digital convenience wins.
Amid this shift, some might argue that brands are quietening down because they have to. Economic volatility, supply chain disruptions and rising production costs have led many to scale down their marketing budgets. In the United States, the Interactive Advertising Bureau reported that 45% of advertisers planned to reduce overall ad spend in 2025.
Yet for many brands, this softer approach is not just a financial necessity, but a cultural strategy. In a time when attention is increasingly hard to earn and even harder to hold, creating calmer, more meaningful experiences is proving to be a competitive edge. Quiet is no longer a gap in communication- it’s a language of its own.
Local and community-driven narratives reveal the importance of cultivating a loyal following without overspend. The Afghan Restaurant in Christchurch, New Zealand (Aotearoa), has cultivated cult status among residents. Its ambiguous opening hours have led to a dedicated Facebook page with over 30,000 members. Regular daily posts enquire whether the restaurant is open. Their recipe for success comes down to their quality culinary experience, and with that, a community of people organically generating hype.
In a landscape oversaturated with noise, speed and sameness, the brands cutting through are those choosing to slow down. Whether through spatial design, soft launches or intentional ambiguity, they’re inviting consumers into a different rhythm- one that favours depth over distraction, and intimacy over influence. This isn’t about retreating from innovation, but rather redefining what progress looks like in a moment of collective burnout. Quiet, it turns out, can still make a statement. And perhaps the most powerful brands today are the ones confident enough to whisper.
Catherine Baldwin is a trend and futures creative with a strategic focus on innovation and cultural insight. With experience spanning bespoke consultancy projects and leading trend publications, her work through Catanna Studio combines analytical depth with a creative approach to inspire industry leaders and drive meaningful change.