Macy’s Herald Square
Through a clever brand extension, the red star of Macy’s serves as a beacon for wayfinding through a beloved flagship retail experience and NYC landmark.
Occupying nearly an entire city block in the heart of Herald Square, Macy's flagship store encompasses approximately 1.1 million square feet of retail, office, and back-of-house space, making intuitive navigation essential for visitors. Laura Varacchi directed the development of a comprehensive environmental graphics and wayfinding program designed to simplify circulation throughout the building while creating a more seamless shopping experience.
The system establishes a clear visual language by integrating the Macy's brand identity through a refined color palette, consistent terminology, highly legible typography, universally recognizable icons, and easy-to-read orientation maps. Each information element is distinguished by the iconic red Macy's star, transforming it into a recognizable landmark that helps customers quickly locate guidance throughout the store.
Beyond identifying merchandise departments, the program also directs visitors to restaurants, guest services, and other amenities. To support the store's evolving operations, the signage incorporates modular, replaceable information panels that can be updated efficiently while providing a flexible framework suitable for implementation at additional Macy's locations nationwide.
Design: Laura Varacchi while at Two Twelve.