Re-Imagining Retail with True&Co.’s Try-On Truck
Author:Annette HanamiTrue&Co. founder Michelle Lam already transformed the way women shop for intimate apparel in 2012 when she launched the online lingerie retailer with a proprietary Fit Quiz that eliminated her customers’ need to try on bras in sterile fitting rooms. Still, Lam heard from so many women who wanted to see, touch and feel the products before purchasing them. Lam collaborated with lingerie designer Nikki Decker, Dan Spiegel of Spiegel Aihara Workshop and Dustin Stephens of Mobile Office Architects to create the Try-On Truck, a travelling boutique that delivers True&Co.’s bespoke shopping experience in a warm and inviting space that “feels like home.”
Michelle Lam
In the intimate 24’ X 8’ truck, women are made to feel that “unique is beautiful” sharing their feedback and personal preferences with Fit Therapists so they can customize their selections. There’s no off-the-rack here. For Lam, the Try-On Truck “is a social experience … where we hope women will engage in dialogue and a sense of community with other women, all united behind the concept of feeling comfortable in your own skin.”
The Try-On Truck was designed for great visual impact with varying levels of transparency and unfolding origami doors that provide additional space for seating and retail. Fully open, the Try-On Truck expands from 175 square feet to 235 square feet. Per Dan Spiegel, “We wanted people to stop and stare, ask around, poke their heads inside, check social media…create an allure.”
The design team put considerable effort on the details to make the mobile store feel less like a truck and more like a boutique, such as the system of curated trays built into a millwork display. Cabinetry and partitions were constructed of finished plywood and cedar, creating a warm yet polished look.
Four spacious and heated fitting rooms and lounge areas create a welcoming environment for customers, adding to the personal shopping experience.
The True&Co. Try-On Truck is currently in Southern California with plans to cross the country in the next 12 months. Check the website for specific locations added on a regular basis.
