Retail Unplugged Marks the Start of a New Movement in Physical Brand Experience

Retail Unplugged has launched with a clear ambition: to reconnect the people who shape physical brand experiences and to reignite the creative energy that once defined great retail. Born from a shared concern that post-COVID retail streets have become fragmented, flat, and uninspiring, the initiative aims to bring brands, designers, architects, and makers back into meaningful collaboration.

The first edition of Retail Unplugged brought together a diverse group of professionals from across the retail ecosystem, including architects, designers, builders, and brand marketeers. With participants from brands such as Nike and Karl Lagerfeld, the gathering centered on a shared belief in the power of bold, beautiful, and emotionally engaging physical experiences.

Highlight of the event was the presentation by Yew Kee Chung, a Singapore-born designer and creative director now based in Amsterdam. Drawing on his frequent travels through Asia, Yew Kee shared unfiltered inspiration from retail environments in cities such as Seoul, Shanghai, and Singapore. His work revealed a side of retail that is playful, human, and emotionally rich, where space, storytelling, and culture intersect.

Rather than offering ready-made solutions, Yew Kee introduced a mindset shaped by three emerging themes in Asian retail culture:

The core takeaway from Retail Unplugged was clear: the future of retail lies in designing spaces that move people, spaces that spark curiosity, evoke emotion, and create moments worth remembering. With this first edition, Retail Unplugged positions itself not as a one-off event, but as the beginning of a broader movement to raise the bar in physical retail and to build experiences that truly matter.