62|A FONDO T he fashion industry is a sector that is quickly becoming a referent in our society. We talk about fashion as the most representative element of what is generally known as retail, a world with numbers that reflect the strong impact it has in the economy of the planet. This economic situation implies a constant evolution, a constant change in tendencies, inherent in the concept of fashion, with new roles that adapt (when not induced) to the spending power, demographic, and cultural circumstances of the population. In any case the most fundamental tendency is “empathy”, which is the creation of recognition and identification between the consumer and the brand so it can translate into a purchase that transcends the mere commercial relationship and becomes an emotional experience. Shopping center vs. Shopping in the center We can hardly remember when the large spaces, that concentrate business and recreational activities, started to appear on the outskirts of cities, establishing a new psychological model that has become an integral part of our lives and has put an end to the neighborhood store. The all- engulfing model of the “Shopping Mall” is infinite and is taking over the center of the cities. Urban centers are quickly becoming commercial centers where the public spaces are just an accessory, a scenery for the commercial machinery to work incessantly. How does urban planning, architecture, and lighting design work when confronted with this new situation? Who is capable of maintaining a balance between the urban center, mainly historical in character, and the unbridled commercial activity? We know only too well the rankings that show us the most “expensive” streets in the world that are a cause of pride for some political representatives and part of the population. Nevertheless, it is not the streets but the buildings that shape them and the passer-byes capable of drawing others to those streets, what determines their “value”. Buildings, spaces, streets where a commercial architecture must be configured, and therefore, where light has an essential role as creator of atmospheres, spaces of seduction, communication, guidance, attraction and for the acquisition of experiences as a true commercial product, transcending, as mentioned before, the mere property exchange of an object. The stance taken by the lighting design will be key in the attainment