Two major findings drove the entire strategy:

1. Our core consumer, the affluent Gen Xer, prefers an unplanned and eclectic design when decorating. Moreover, nine out of 10 affluent households buy home furnishings by the piece. That behaviour is a major evolution from a few years ago, when people were looking for long-lasting, complementary, one-size-fits-all home decor.

2. On the strength of its 134 years in the business, the owners gradually developed a savoir-faire and a wide international network in order to hunt down unique furniture and home decor elements. As a result, each product that finds its way to the sales floor has been carefully curated by the brand and its owners. For consumers, it means more exclusivities than anywhere else, selected pieces of a collection vs. the entire collection of a designer, and limited quantities of each product. This way of doing business resonates emotionally with consumers by creating a sense of positive scarcity, exclusivity and individuality.

ITEM believes that a truly exceptional home must be as unique as the person who inhabits it. A home decor is created gradually over time, piece by piece, from successive discoveries. The essence of any decor is expressed in each detail, each element, each ITEM.

To highlight this vision, the identity is supported by a full line of vibrant colours and diverse patterns, meeting our consumers’ desire to be unique. The variety of designs and the infinite possibilities for mixing and matching to also encourage inspiration were applied to every touch point, especially the in-store experience.

To perfectly express the brand’s essence, the in-store design was created to hint at a museum experience, where everything is thought to enhance an object's presence. Projections were used in the store to communicate what the ITEM brand is all about. Finally, a communication campaign was deployed across Montreal to celebrate ITEM's opening and to make Fraser's faithful consumers aware of the old concept’s renaissance.

Launched in September 2014, the opening of ITEM generated massive press coverage. It is too early to gather exact results, but foot traffic increased and sales per square foot were on par with the old Fraser store, despite a significant decrease in store size.