Amina Rubinacci

• Location New York, NY
• Design Team Shuji Suzumori, Liam Fujita, Wentao Guo
• Team De Lux Construction, Nathalie Faubert (Lighting)
• Photography Cheng Lin

NY Flagships for a family-owned Italian fashion brand: Clothing as material

Within a symmetrically organized space, the rich and vibrant colors of the clothing is the primary architectural material within the space.  The garments are hung linearly along both sides of the store but tilted slightly towards the central entrance, thereby maximizing its exposure towards the street and to the customers as they enter the store.    We wanted the customers to be immersed in the beautiful colors of the brand each time they visit and experience the seasonal changes envisioned by the designer.

The central islands as well as the linear light fixtures enhance the symmetrical and orthogonal nature of the space and in contrast accentuate the diagonal tilt of the hangers.  The tilt in the hanger rod also makes more space between the hanging clothes and the sidewalls towards the back, creating room for shelving for garments better suited to be placed.

The rear of the store uses playful rhythm of symmetrical arches to organize the functional elements of the store like changing rooms, cashier, and storage.  In keeping the same arch geometry for the mirror inside of the changing room, in one instance, there is an infinite mirror effect, metaphorically multiplying and radiating the color back into the space as one tries on the clothing.