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On the Road Again

Three weeks in South America unveiled a cornucopia of history, culture and great retail stores

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At the right time of day when the angle of the sun is just so, the Andes cast a fiery red glow around the bustling city of Santiago. The high reaching peaks dominate the landscape as the metropolis sits nestled in the arms of a spectacular panorama. Upon seeing this, one can only wonder where the mountains end and heaven begins. It was here that my three-week sojourn through South America began, stretching over 15,000 kilometers, four countries, five cities and a plethora of compelling retail environments.

This was my first trip back to Santiago, Chile, in 21 years, since doing design work for Ripley Department Store. The growth of this city in that timespan has been remarkable. In 1997, Chile’s Gross National Product per person was $5020 USD, which placed Chile 32nd in the world out of the 133 countries ranked by the World Bank (1998). As we approach 2020, Chile’s GNP income is on course to reach $28,080 or 61.7 percent of U.S. ($45,526).

As the past two decades unfolded, Santiago has blossomed into an international city, accounting for nearly half of Chile’s GDP. With a strong economic foundation that includes major institutions of higher education to support an increasingly well-educated workforce, a portfolio of large global companies and ambitious entrepreneurial start-ups, the city has shown tremendous growth and continued economic promise since my last visit.

As I navigated through the city’s retail scene, including the three major department stores, Falabella, Paris and Ripley, I was most intrigued by a new mall located at Avenida Independencia. Opened in early September, Mall Barrio Independencia sports the tagline “Orgullosos de tener un mall en el barrio,” which translates to, “Proud to have a mall in the neighborhood.” An immediate attention getter, the tag line underscores this South American city’s growth in recent years. With a diverse grouping of malls throughout the city, this one represents a clear melding of the old and the new.

Located in the space occupied by the Ebner Brewery, considered a National Historical Monument, the new mall seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology and architecture with the old world charm of the venerable brewery. The front façade of the heritage building has been carefully blended into the contemporary architectural vernacular of the 2,368,000-square-foot shopping center. With four levels and four retail anchors, the mall offers a roster of restaurants with capacity for roughly 1400 people, eight movie theaters, an event center and a children's play center. The distressed red brick of the brewery’s buildings harmonizes with the sleek glass facade of the new construction, as abstract sculptural tree-like lampposts along the exterior welcome visitors into the space.

In contrast, the Costanera Center complex in another part of town, features the largest shopping mall in Latin America and Gran Torre Santiago, which is also the tallest building in Latin America at 64 stories and 980 feet, designed by the Argentine architect Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, Chilean architects Alemparte Barreda & Asociados and the Canadian firm Watt International.

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Of course, one can’t speak of Chile without mentioning its amazing culinary offerings, from its world class vineyards, producing the finest of wines, to its sumptuous indigenous salmon and other joyas del mar, papaya and pisco sour, a cocktail whose origin is hotly disputed between Peru and Chile. Wherever it came from originally doesn't really matter; it’s unique to the region, and it’s fantastic. After three days of great food, wine and retail in this remarkable South American city, I headed for my next destination, Lima, Peru.

While some may quickly leave Lima after arriving, and head immediately for Machu Pichu, they are clearly making a mistake if they don’t linger in this magnificent coastal city that is embraced by the Andes and stroked by the sea. Known as “la cocina de america del sur,” the kitchen of South America, the food is divine. One must be sure to sample Peru's famous ceviche, fresh raw fish marinated in a delectable mixture of citrus juices, and then tinged with a touch of chili peppers. And by all means weigh in on the great debate, who holds the patent on pisco sour?

Here too, great shopping malls abound, but I found myself most drawn to the cliffs of Barranco, a bohemian part of town overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Easily Lima’s most colorful neighborhood, both literally and figuratively, the heart of Barranco is anchored at The Bridge of Sighs, where dreams and romance collide. In this gem of a neighborhood, street art, murals, small shops, boutiques, galleries and restaurants define the experience where ancient Peru intermingles with the free spirit of modern day Lima. Colorful building facades punctuate the urban landscape in shades of purple, ultramarine blue and blushing rose, adding to the vibrancy of the tiny neighborhood sandwiched between the upscale Miraflores and Chorrillos.

The Larcomar Mall, neatly carved into the seaside cliffs of Miraflores, is where I found Kuna perhaps the most prestigious Alpaca brand in the world. A true snapshot of Peruvian culture, the company is committed to the conservation of the indigenous species and the Andean communities that produce the finest fibers, textures and colors inherent in the ancestral textiles of Peru.

“Kuna is an international Peruvian brand that shares garments with the world that are made of the finest fibers of South American camelids, such as alpaca, guanaco and vicuna,” says Pilar Dammert, Directora de Arte, Kuna. “Our stores look to recall the essence of Kuna, ‘Feel the Hands of the Andes.’ That is why the feeling when walking into the store was carefully curated; every sound, scent, texture and light, walk our customers through an unforgettable experience with a flavor of the Peruvian Andes.”

Soon after dining at Larcomar and visiting more of its shops, including Ilaria, a destination specializing in silver jewelry designed by Peruvian artisans, I left Lima with two new stamps in my passport, and two great Latin American cities under my belt. The next stop along the way was Cartagena, Colombia, for more retail adventures and a bit of R&R. While I catch my breath after this incredible journey, please look for a continuation of this travelogue in my November blog.

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Eric Feigenbaum is a recognized leader in the visual merchandising and store design industries with both domestic and international design experience. He served as corporate director of visual merchandising for Stern’s Department Store, a division of Federated Department Stores, from 1986 to 1995. After Stern’s, he assumed the position of director of visual merchandising for WalkerGroup/CNI, an architectural design firm in New York City. Feigenbaum was also an adjunct professor of Store Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and formerly served as the chair of the Visual Merchandising Department at LIM College (New York) from 2000 to 2015. In addition to being the Editorial Advisor/New York Editor of VMSD magazine, Eric is also a founding member of PAVE (A Partnership for Planning and Visual Education). Currently, he is also president and director of creative services for his own retail design company, Embrace Design.

 

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