Custo Barcelona is best known in the United States for eye-catching, artistic clothing designs sought after by the fashion elite. The Barcelona-based firm is presently in the process of opening and renovating multiple new retail locations in the United States, including the Los Angeles branch in Beverly Center, which opened its doors on August 5th, 2005.


Alejandra Airaldi, a designer with Custo Barcelona, was responsible for the layout of the L.A. store, as well as its furniture, colors, and lighting. She described her design goals as being a deliberate contrast to the flashy Custo style – she wanted a clean, contemporary design that would allow the clothing to assume center stage. "We wanted a dramatic effect that also preserved the intimacy of a smaller space," she says. "The store has a very straightforward design: a box with a large center table and merchandise on either side. I realized the lighting would have to follow suit, and be able to point exactly where we want to direct shoppers' attention, without adding any visual distractions."

One of Custo Barcelona's first U.S. store locations was in Las Vegas, and the original lighting design presented a problem. The lamps and fixtures were consuming too much energy, presenting potential licensing issues in the planned L.A. store because of California's Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standard. Upon being retained for the store's renovation, Airaldi also found the existing lighting to be too generalized and dim. "It was like being in a supermarket," she said. "I don't think Custo's clothing goes well with that kind of lighting, because his designs are so complex and textured. We needed something more focused, but with no glare so the fabric colors could really stand out."

Jorge Antonio Reyes, Project Manager at Chadha+Associates, was also brought on board to redesign Custo's U.S. store look. He agreed that the existing lighting did not provide the desired lighting results for the store, and contacted John Metzger, National Accounts Manager for Lightolier, to help correct the problem. Metzger subsequently conducted extensive product research, taking into account the need to cut energy costs and the store's design. "Custo Barcelona needed light that would be very focused on the product itself, despite coming from the high ceilings in the store. They were not satisfied with the look of the lighting they had used initially, and because of the proposed L.A. opening, they needed products that would not exceed California code limitations."

On Metzger's recommendation, both the Las Vegas and new L.A. stores underwent a dramatic redesign. Custo Barcelona installed all Lightolier products, including end-feed PowerTrip™ current limiters, T4.5 PowerArc™ Modular track fixtures, Basic® Track, and T4.5 Calculite® accent downlights. Spot reflectors were used to introduce contrast, and the new Solution Series emergency fixtures, a fully recessed MR16 architectural emergency lighting unit, illuminate the exit doors. The track was recessed, and all white fixtures were selected to match the ceiling

"The store design incorporates recessed track into the four coves, and scattered accent downlights to illuminate product along the walls," explains Metzger. "Even the emergency lighting is flush with the ceiling."

The installation of Lightolier's PowerTrip current limiting device for track in place of standard live end feeds and in-line connectors was crucial to meet the standards of California's Title 24. In Las Vegas, the previous lighting consisted of MR16 lamps that were consuming as much as nine watts per square foot – significantly exceeding the 1.7 watts per square foot limit defined by Title 24 and ASHRAE. PowerTrip preserved the location flexibility of track lighting by avoiding the watts-per-square-foot penalty of energy codes like Title 24. The device shuts off power to the track when the load is exceeded, and simplifies the inspection process. "PowerTrip was required," says Airaldi. "You pay a minimal amount more in the beginning, but in the long run you're doing a better job regulating your use of track. It allowed us to make the most out of the track lighting, to have the flexibility to place it where we wanted a spotlight effect without exceeding the limit."

The track fixtures chosen for the job, PowerArc Modular, provided a great deal of positioning flexibility and 50-70% energy savings when compared to the older incandescent fixtures. The ceramic metal halide lamps also delivered a crisper, longer-lasting light, and the styling was a better match for the store interior.

Similarly, the Calculite accent downlights, also utilizing energy-efficient, compact ceramic metal halide lamps, provided a bright yet nuanced effect that was entirely absent from the initial store design. The fixtures are flush with the ceiling and unobtrusive. "Overall, Custo Barcelona was looking to achieve a minimalist, modern design that wouldn't distract the eye from the bright colors and designs of the clothing," says Metzger.

Pleased with the results of the lighting design in Las Vegas and L.A., Custo Barcelona plans to install solely Lightolier fixtures to light all of its new retail locations in the United States.


"We plan to use the same lighting in all future U.S. branch locations," says Airaldi. "I'm very satisfied with the design changes we were able to make, and pleased to find a consistent look for the company stores." Reyes agrees: "The merchandise and the colors show up so much better in this light." New branch locations for Custo Barcelona include Dallas, Texas, which was recently completed and officially opens in November.