Snapshot: A new shade of pink

By Sigrid Tornquist

When Victoria’s Secret began searching for a new look for their flagship store in 2012, they turned to Capital City Awning to find them a new shade of pink. After months of presenting pink swatches to the company, including digitally printed fabrics that cost $200 a yard, Victoria’s Secret opted for the first color the Capital City Awning team had offered them—Sunbrella® Hot Pink from the Mayfield collection. The company chose a custom brushed nickel finish for the frame. “What happens so often with national accounts is that they feel they need to change their look to stay ahead of the next store,” says Kisha Moldovan. “So when they select a fabric, their selection almost always comes down to color. A lot of suppliers don’t understand that. For smaller companies, the warranty and cost are a huge factor, but for large chains, cost and warranty take a back seat to color.”

Capital City Awning fabricated 15 awnings for the flagship Victoria’s Secret store, including a front marquee with valances around it and four banners. “Now they’re changing other stores to this color,” Moldovan says. “Victoria’s Secret has hundreds of stores that now need their existing awnings re-covered—and that is, of course, in line with our goals.”

Sigrid Tornquist is a freelance author and editor based in St. Paul, Minn. She is also the associate editor of InTents magazine, a publication of the Industrial Fabrics Association International.