Selin Ergeneli

Mirrors reflect an objective image of “reality”, but what each individual sees in the mirror is extremely subjective and based on a number of psychological, sociological and environmental factors. Retail environments, especially fitting rooms, are often designed to provide the most “flattering” environmental conditions for their customers when they are trying on clothes. Self-image, however is not solely comprised by outward appearance. It is the person in the fitting room with all of his or her thoughts about the self that creates a miscellaneous relationship between the item for purchase, the mirror, and the individual. The complex relationship of self perception and fitting rooms creates an opportunity for retail lighting design to go beyond its common objective and create an experiential retail environment that will try to emphasize a philosophy of being and bring a new meaning to how people perceive themselves.This thesis brings an opportunity to provide a thoughtful retail experience for Kenzo that communicates the brand’s amusing and delicate approach to self-perception through lighting design. It defines the sense of self in a retail environment by taking the customers through a self-perception journey that will be created by self realization moments with the use of the convoluted relationship of lighting and mirrors.