Lee Thompson on retail lighting that elevates brands

With experience on the shop floor and in design, Lee brings a practical, emotional, and sustainable approach to lighting that transforms retail spaces.

What inspired you to get into the lighting industry, specifically with the focus on retail and hospitality?

It was a mix of personal interest and chance. I spent many years working in retail, but I’ve always had an interest in design and architecture. I transitioned into a design role at a lifestyle brand manufacturer, where we worked extensively with natural materials, pigments, and especially natural light. I became fascinated by how different lighting morning versus afternoon, warm versus cool could completely change how a product looked. Lighting shifted from being just functional to an emotional, aesthetic element in my mind.

When I interviewed with Fagerhult, I admitted I hadn’t focused much on lighting before; it wasn’t a big part of the conversation in retail design then. I was used to working with materials like tiles and wood but hadn’t fully appreciated lighting’s impact. Since joining Fagerhult, my perspective changed completely. Lighting is fundamental to how we experience a space.

Because of my retail background, I naturally joined the retail team here. It’s a great fit, I started working in shops at 16 and spent over a decade in retail. Coming back to that world through lighting and design feels like a full-circle moment, returning to something familiar but from a fresh perspective.

How has your retail experience shaped your role at Fagerhult? What unique perspective do you bring?

My background is different from most of my colleagues, who often come from design or lighting design disciplines. I came from retail, including store management, so I’ve lived the daily realities of a store floor. I regularly collaborated with visual merchandising teams, helping shape store layouts and displays.

This experience gives me a practical perspective when designing lighting for retail. I understand the operational needs of store managers and what a physical retail space demands beyond just aesthetics. Retail environments are dynamic, layouts change every few weeks, mannequins and stock moves regularly and lighting needs to be flexible to keep up.

I focus on lighting systems that are adaptable and can evolve with the store, rather than static schemes that quickly become obsolete.

This blend of practical and design thinking is what I uniquely contribute to the Fagerhult retail team.

How do you develop lighting solutions that enhance brand experiences?

It starts by deeply understanding the client’s emotional and experiential goals, not just technical specs. Lighting should reflect the brand’s mood and atmosphere, creating a strong emotional connection for customers. Often, clients need guidance to discover what lighting can do, so I help translate their vision into lighting that supports and elevates their brand story.

Can you share a project you’re proud of?

One project that really stands out is the Flannels store in Leeds. As a team it’s definitely something we’re proud of.

It’s a mammoth site, seven floors of retail space and each floor tells its own story. We used a wide range of lighting, including bespoke fixtures, linear spotlights, controls, architectural lighting, and RGB colour-changing features.

The scheme was designed to look amazing during store hours and also make a strong impression externally at night. The building sits by one of Leads’ iconic arcades, and the lighting enhances those architectural features beautifully. Inside, shoppers experience a rich variety of atmospheres, all carefully tailored through lighting.

What makes it special is that it involved products from across the entire Fagerhult Group, not just our core brand. Coordinating that variety on such a scale really showcased our group’s collaboration strength. Since the store houses multiple brands with distinct identities, the lighting had to be flexible and nuanced, which made the project challenging but very rewarding.

How do you approach combining functional and bespoke elements in lighting design?

It comes down to layering light. Functional lighting ensures the space works well, enough brightness, good visibility while bespoke or feature pieces add character and atmosphere without overwhelming.

Bespoke elements might not be the brightest but set the mood or highlight key areas subtly. At Fagerhult, I’ve learned lighting isn’t just a bunch of fixtures you switch on; it’s a comprehensive scheme where every element affects the whole. Removing or changing one part can alter the entire mood and experience.

I always take a holistic approach, integrating functional and bespoke layers to complement each other and create the right atmosphere that supports the space’s purpose.