Friday, 27 June 2008 |
It is risky to try to express luxury for an 18-28-year-old, wealthy male audience — and not turn them totally off. Rafael de Cardenas of New York’s Architecture at Large took on this challenge with the rebuilding of Ubiq Philadelphia, the destination of choice for sneakerheads from far and wide.
As sneakers and streetwear do not lend themselves all that well to wine-colored velvet or chandeliers, de Cardenas approached the redesign of the large store with a cold and bold, simplified black-and-white palette. Hard, black-lacquered surfaces, op-inspired patterns, harsh lighting and simplified displays mix with beautiful detailing and white ceilings and floors.
Thrown into the mix is a posh back room, where streetwear is displayed in a traditional gentlemen’s tailor room complete with dark-wood panels, antique furnishings, restored Victorian plasterwork and a magnificent, restored mahogany fireplace. It is all a nice fusion of mansion and showroom, inviting and cold, pared-down and rich. With his approach, de Cardenas has managed to teeter in the wobbly middle-space between the reassuring ‘you can tell this is expensive, can’t you?’ and the nonchalant ‘I don’t really care.’
The entire store is up about a meter from street level, so you can be assured that you are seen, day or night, on display, shopping for your latest pair of Clae, Stussy Deluxe, Vans Vault, Original Fake, UMBRO by Kim Jones and many others. Apparently, rap artist Kanye West has shopped there, so it should be good to go for the rest. By Tuija Seipell
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Wednesday, 14 May 2008 |
If you were led to a department store’s make-up and perfume floor blindfolded, would you know where you are when the blindfold came off? What store, what city, what country? Probably not, as one looks just like the other. Unimaginative, predictable, boring. Not so at Berlin’s 100-plus year-old Kaufhaus des Westens, one singular store known by Berliners as KaDeWe. Specializing in luxury, style and indulgence, KaDeWe has never shied away from swanky design or striking displays. This time, they’ve allowed Hamburg-based Bilen & Born GbR to create two radically different areas on the ground-floor perfume department. One is a white space-agey multi-label area inspired by the act of breathing in fragrances, where spirals and rounded shapes draw the visitor in. The other is a baroque-inspired space with a contemporary twist. With its glass mosaic floor, studded pillars and ceiling with more than 8,000 Swarovski crystals, these surroundings are memorable even if the brands are the same as everywhere else. By Tuija Seipell
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Wednesday, 02 April 2008 |
Since being established by Dennis Pahitis twenty years ago, Aésop skin
care has become an uncontested success story in the notoriously fickle
beauty industry – focused on providing its worldwide clientele with the
highest quality botanical skin care, rather than subscribing to
mainstream-cosmetic anti-aging hype. Aésop now have 78 international
stockists, plus 20 signature stores including stores in Paris, London,
Sydney and their most recent Melbourne addition, Flinders Lane.
In keeping with Aésop tradition – that every store is different;
conceived and designed individually so as that each store is a
reflection and celebration of its location – the Flinders Lane store
does not disappoint, providing its customers with a design and
infrastructure that is just as alternative as Aésop’s skin care
products. Located in one of Melbourne’s most interesting precincts, the
Flinders Lane store interior is made entirely of industrial-grade
cardboard; from the display shelving, to the massive eastern façade,
and even the counter tops– proving that cardboard can be both striking
and structurally sturdy if it’s engineered well.
Designed by local interior architects Rodney Eggleston and Anne-Laure
Cavigneaux of March Studios, the ambient new store has drawn attention
from all sorts of passers by. Store manager, Kate, says she wasn’t
expecting how amazed customers would be by the store’s design. “It’s
clear it’s a very tactile environment. Most people come in and tend to
want to touch it all.”
The Flinders Lane store is located at Shop 1C, 268 Flinders Lane,
Melbourne. For a full list of Aésop products and stockists visit www.aesop.net.au. By Anna Byrne.
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Wednesday, 26 March 2008 |
Alexandre Herchcovitch has come a long way since his humble beginnings
of making his mother's party clothes. Having launched his first
collection in 1994, things have only gotten bigger for the
Brazilian-born designer.
Trained at the Catholic institution Santa Marcelina College of Arts in
Sao Paulo, his designs have been sent down the runways of New York,
Paris and London. Best known for avant-garde designs and eclectic
prints, his trademark skulls became an icon of Brazilian youth in the
nineties.
2007 was a memorable year for Herchcovitch. It was a year of branching
out, particularly with his redesign of the uniform for McDonald's
employees in Brazil, and the opening of his first store abroad. In this
daring project, Herchcovitch chose Tokyo where a good part of his
collections are purchased and where he has become somewhat of a fashion
guru.
The 1,076sq ft store, which sits in the hip Daikanyama district carries
his men's, women's and denim collections and is operated in partnership
with Japanese fashion distributor and retailer H.P. France.
Changing the way the world thinks about Brazilian fashion, coupled with
his new Japanese store and concessions in New York, Herchcovitch is
fast becoming a big and serious name in the fashion world. By Brendan McKnight.
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Monday, 04 February 2008 |
The much awaited, fabulous, 6,000 square-foot M.A.C Pro
space has just opened in New York. Occupying an entire floor at 7 West
22nd Street, the new facility is divided into two separate sections,
each with its own entrance: A retail/studio and a training area. Unlike
other M.A.C Pro stores around the world, this is a full-blown studio
and experimentation facility for make-up artists and beauty
professionals. With its dramatic open layout, the space is a true feast
for the eyes.
M.A.C Pro’s New York store is completely dedicated to serving the pros.
At the mixing station, they can hone their skills, test samples and
experiment with the product with all of the tools of the trade nearby.
The reference library is stocked with books, magazines and other
reference materials for those who want to learn more or do research. At
the photography studio, they can record their processes and their
results. A separate training area, a kitchenette and bathrooms with
showers make this an ideal space for some serious learning.
Makeup Art Cosmetics (M·A·C) launched in 1984 when two Canadians,
makeup artist and photographer Frank Toskan and beauty salon owner
Frank Angelo, opened a single counter in the basement of the
now-defunct Simpson’s department store in Toronto. Staffed by
professional make-up artists, determined to become the ultimate color
authority in make-up, and blessed with an outrageous sense of drama and
theatre, M.A.C gained huge popularity among professionals and
consumers. The Estee Lauder Companies bought 51 per cent of M.A.C in
1995 and the rest of the shares in 1998. Sleek stores, a vast array of
color options, and a sense of professionalism and artistry are still
the hallmarks of M.A.C that now has more than 750 stores in 50
countries. By Tuija Seipell.
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Friday, 18 January 2008 |
Unworldly spaces with equally unworldly names, like the topsy-turvy
boutique And A, Beams T or Foot Soldier, shops that feature little
conveyor belts for the display of merchandise, or Nowhere *A Bathing
Ape 'Busy Work Shop', a Tokyo boutique that stocks and displays
garments in an oversized refrigerator that resembles the familiar unit
in everybody's local supermarket - all recent additions to Japan's
shopping streets - are the work of Masamichi Katayama, founder of
Tokyo-based WonderWall. More than just attempts to be futuristic or
extravagant, they are highly sophisticated retail outlets. Not to
mention great fun! Katayama is the consummate consumer. With his shop
designs for *A Bathing Ape, a charismatic apparel brand, Katayama has
ventured beyond the streets of Japan to enrich shopping experience in
London and New York. By Lisa Evans
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Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
In the mid-nineteenth century, when Bavarian peddler Morris Levi
Strauss and Latvian tailor Jacob Youphes (Davis) started to create
tough work wear for California coal miners from “denim” cotton imported
from the Provençal city of Nimes, they had no idea how far and wide
denim’s popularity would reach.
Most certainly they could not have imagined the veritable Versailles
created late this fall solely for the purpose of displaying denim in
the magical city of Istanbul. Located in a traditional Ottoman
building, the denim showroom was designed by New Zealand architect
Christopher Hall.
The showroom’s best feature is the lighting created by Beirut, Lebanon-based, PSLAB. The
firm of 40 designers, architects, craftsmen and engineers focuses on
researching, designing and producing custom lighting for a demanding
clientele in Europe and the Middle East.
At the Istanbul denim showroom, PSLAB took its inspiration from the
constraints of the old space and created an exciting environment that
also works. Custom suspended fixtures, positioned on two parallel
lines, were given long adjusting arms for directing the light where
needed. The fixtures give ideal light and look cool yet they allow the
original ornamental ceiling draw well-deserved attention. By Tuija
Seipell
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Wednesday, 12 December 2007 |
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One of our favourite bookstores, Magma (UK) expanded its brand a few
months ago by opening it's first Multi-Purpose product shop, designed
by architects Julie Blum and Nikki Blustin. The eco friendly shelving
is made out of treated cardboard and these specially designed units
(and counters and changing-rooms oh my) come flat-packed, to be
unfolded and built up "according to how many coffee cups are spilled on
them."
This new store looks like something straight out of Michel Gondry's
Science of Sleep, and is a present buyers dream come true. Jam packed
full of the interesting, inspiring, unique and the quirky from big
brands, to one off local designs, be sure to check out this store when
next in London (don't forget to also check out their flagship bookstore
a few doors down) By Brendan Mc Knight |
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Thursday, 15 November 2007 |
The in-crowd in Moscow knows Denis Simachev. The only place to buy his
Special edition PlayStation 3, his just-launched sunglass line, his
special Ducati motorcycles, his snowboards or hand-made shoes is
Simachev’s one and only store at 12 Stoleshnikov Pereulok.
The recently unveiled flagship is a hybrid of a store, bar, restaurant
and art space. In addition to rare special-edition items, it showcases
Simachev’s true Russian, irreverent fashions, jewellery (both for men
and women) and furs in an authentic-mixed-with–surrealism environment.
The Englishman and New Zealander in the kitchen cook up everything from
panini sandwiches to Kamchatkan crab, and absolutely nothing flows out
of those golden faucets. The bar is well-stocked, though, and the
prices reasonable.
Simachev is a Muscovite born in 1974 and a graduate of the Kosygin
textile academy. He is a veteran of Milan and London runways and his
brand is sold around the world. But for that PlayStation, you need to
head to Moscow now. By Tuija Seipell
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Wednesday, 24 October 2007 |
Sensory overload is unavoidable in Paris, and after a while you become
a bit numb. But like a sorbet that clears your palate between courses, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s (JC/DC) store at 10 Rue Vauvilliers will work as a visual palate-refresher.
The store has an air of theatre without being theatrical, drama without
being dramatic and history without being historical. A retro,
semi-aggressive undertone, popped up by whimsy and surprise. Oh yes,
they do sell fashion, too.
The store’s flair and ingenuity are not accidental. Cooperation between
super-talents such as JC/DC and Christian Ghion is likely to produce
something remarkable. In his 40-plus years in the business of
high-impact eye candy, the Casablanca, Morocco-born Marquis de
Castelbajac has enjoyed enormous successes designing fashion, movies,
cars, sportswear and interiors. Celebrities from Elton John to Pope
John Paul II have worn his creations and added to his fame.
The 49-year-old Christian Ghion
is no less prolific or versatile. He is known as a designer of high-end
furniture and accessories, exhibitions, and home, store and hotel
interiors. His chicest furniture design is the 2002 Shadow chaise
lounge for Cappellini. By Tuija Seipell
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Wednesday, 03 October 2007 |
Walking past a series of drab estate agent windows doesn't really make you want to part with your hard earned cash. Even if you are looking to move out.
That's why estate agents Hotblack Desiato – depicted as a keyboard player in the cult sci-fi novel, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – decided to spruce up their Islington offices in London.
These little clusters of property were inspired by the revival of cubism within architecture. The 3-D squares created by designer Paul Crofts are set at varying depths to create an almost pixel like installation that spills over onto the adjacent wall inside. Which makes poking your nose round other people's houses that little bit sweeter. By Matt Hussey
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Tuesday, 02 October 2007 |
The stark XXS Shop for Mobile Gadgets opened earlier this year in
Hamburg’s Innenstadt, at Spitalen Hof 8. It is a minimalist showroom by
Hamburg-based Spine Architects
for Etronixx-Trading GmbH. The store is void of practically everything
else but white surfaces and the merchandise itself. Mobile gizmos
appear almost suspended in air, as they rest in small slots within the
white expanse of built-in cabinetry that encircles the entire space. It
is an excellent example of forcing the customer - in a pleasant way -
to focus on the products, not on the props.
Spine is a German-English partnership that started between Boris Bähre,
J'orn Hadzik, Jan Löhrs and Neil Winstanley in 2001 when they won one
of the prizes awarded in the international design competition for Rabin
Square in Tel-Aviv, Israel. They are known for their work in several
areas, from housing to public places to TV shows, private homes and
shops. In September, Spine Architects opened an office in Menlo Park,
San Francisco. By Tuija Seipell
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Thursday, 12 July 2007 |
As we have seen in various posts here on The Cool Hunter, footwear has become a genre of art all of its own.
Much like the how the simple need for shelter has crescendoed into
superfluous McMansions, the shoe started out as a humble necessity: to
keep the toes out of harm's way. Currently - as anyone who's purchased
a pair of platform sneakers or sky-high stilettos can attest - a need
for beauty and style has far overshadowed the trivial want for comfort.
Oscar Wilde once professed, "One should either be a work of art, or
wear a work of art". The financially fortunate seem to agree, with
well-manicured feet peaking from artistic footwear worth their weight
in rubies and diamond detail. Cobbler extraordinaire Stuart Weitzman
took this tendency to an unprecedented pinnacle with the unveiling of
his "Cinderella Slippers" which were were worn by singer Alison Krauss
at the 2004 Oscars ceremony and priced at $2M.
Thankfully, the art of footwear is not limited to those of
stratospheric bank accounts. The need for fashionable shoe has crossed
all social boundaries. Collecting retro-style sneakers to high-end
designer fashion heels, shoe sales are a major part of the
international fashion market and a serious indicator of status and sub
culture.
Naturally, the shoe store has evolved, side-by-side, into an equally
stylish hub of modern fashion. No matter if you're talking about a pair
Jimmy Choo wedges (a must on the streets of Manhattan) or a rare
collectable pair of original 1972 Adidas sneakers – there is a
carefully manicured storeroom and market-analyzed price tag for each.
So what's your favorite shoe store? We're asking our readers to tell us
about the most unique shoe store in their part of the world for a
feature that will appear in magazine print.
We want to see stores that feature the most original display and
merchandising techniques out there.
From sneaker shops to high-end
department stores to exclusive boutiques, if you know of a great
candidate then send us an e-mail,
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Of course, those with the best tip have a chance of winning a pair of Evisu sneakers.
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Friday, 04 May 2007 |
It’s an age-old Greek practice: tailoring skin and health care to an
individual’s needs. It’s called “compounding” and the art form,
previously lost to super-size-me pharmacy chains and the mass vitamin
and skincare market, is being “restored” with the launch of boutique
pharmacy Pharmakon in the Victorian suburb of Port Melbourne. The airy
store drips in opulence – flocked wallpaper and chandelier detailing.
But the real decadence lies in what is stocked on the backlight
shelves. Pharmakon stocks Apivita, a
Greek specialist skincare range of more than 300 products. Apivita,
which has more than 4000 outlets in Greece, is regarded as
leading some of the most advanced research into anti-ageing skincare
formulations.
So how does this skincare customising actually work? Glad you asked,
said the man in the lab coat. Customers undergo a range of alternative
tests to achieve a biochemical snapshot of their skin’s needs. The
in-store compounders then mix up the perfect product. Like a homeopath
with herbs. But in this case, using the latest cosmeceutical
formulations, such as botox. The concept, says owner Vassily
Hatzipantazis is grass roots stuff.
The compounders also prepare vitamin formulations that target specific
health complaints, including hormonal inbalances, fatigue and pain
management. To keep with the supremely odd phenomenon of pharmacies, or
chemists, stocking random gift products (tackily printed chinaware,
stuffed puppies etc that sit dustily in the window for years) Pharmakon
is also stockist for a range of exclusive brands. Among them Disney
Couture and the celeb-covted CCsky bags. By Sarah W
Pharmakon is located at 86 Bay Street Port Melbourne. Phone: 03 9646-8188

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