While this fixture grouping evokes a haberdashery with attitude, the story behind the shop-in-store fixturing is more likely to conjure images of caped superheroes. Called in at the eleventh hour to produce intricately detailed fixtures on a tight budget, Chippenhook saved the day with its “super powers,” which include more than 30 years’ worth of manufacturing expertise and plants on two continents.

BOLT, a nationally recognized design firm with offices in Charlotte and New York, had worked with Ecko to develop fixtures that display garments with a blend of Old World tailor and Marc Ecko attitude. A Syracuse, N.Y., fixture manufacturer had developed prototypes, but fabricating the elaborate fixtures with the level of detail required within budget was another matter. Kent Chapman of Ecko called upon a fixture manufacturer with which he was already familiar, NASFM member Chippenhook Corp.

Established in 1974, the Lewisville, Texas-based company bills itself as a “total resource for visual merchandising, fixturing, and packaging solutions.” Offering a suite of services from design and manufacturing to warehousing and logistics, Chippenhook maintains manufacturing locations in China and Connecticut and distribution facilities in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Dallas and North Stonington, Conn. This global sourcing expertise enables Chippenhook to fulfill customer needs using the most effective means for the unique characteristics of each project, be it through domestic or overseas fabrication.

With a mere 12 weeks to delivery date for this fixture grouping, Chippenhook created another set of prototypes, adding a little value engineering to the process, and then handled the large production volume necessary through its Asian plant. With crews working long hours and Project Manager Sherrie Betham along with other Chippenhook staff making several trips overseas to ensure that the project was on track, Chippenhook’s plant was able to complete fabrication in time to ship by boat—air shipment was out of the question given the weight—and still make deadline.

The finished fixture collection, one of those rare projects that ended up looking nearly identical to the sketches from the design team’s initial vision, doesn’t compromise style for capacity and functionality. It brings back an old-fashioned haberdashery look, but with unexpected little touches, such as leather-covered tables and custom cast-iron bases with molded detail.

The bases feature stitching, the scissors logo, and the apparel designer’s name in keeping with the brand; the details are matched by complementary signage on the hang/fold fixture. The shelves on the dual-purpose hang/fold hinge easily out of the way to allow for hanging merchandise. The back wall complements the fixture program, allowing for more merchandising options.