Fashion boutique Gia X

Gia X is a fashion boutique which embraces the strong and the bold whilst still retaining femininity. Named after the late super model Gia Carangi, the interior celebrates some of the same characteristics which made Gia an icon such as being uncompromisingly gritty but also sleek and feminine.

With a less is more approach, the design needed to display the clothing in an uncluttered and clean environment, this was to balance the rough surfaces and masculine palette. Blackened steel frames the retail display and weaves in and out of the interior, providing a strong repeated platform to showcase the various fashion items. Warm, contemporary and sleek, GIA X embraces drama with whispers of an industrial aesthetic. This is then complemented by distressed and worn floor rugs, voluptuous green velvet and abrasive cacti. The space is almost personified; it could be described as endearing and flirty but also erratic and unpredictable - traits often attributed to Gia herself.

The arched doorways of the change rooms are draped in sumptuous blush tones and mushroom coloured linen curtaining while lighting has been carefully detailed as indirect and recessed, shedding soft and flattering illumination onto customers.

A nod to this softer side of Gia is expressed in the front retail area by the sleek aluminium sales counter which has been anodised in an elegant shade of rose gold.

Retail design strives to not only transcend the small shop setting but also endear customers to the products. In such a small site Gia X manages to create an ever changing experience between browsing, trying on garments and purchasing. With the change room providing a completely different aesthetic to that of the store it's almost like you're seeing a private side of Gia, one that is more personal and intimate.

Hidden behind bi-fold doors, the change rooms also transform into a kitchen and bar area after hours which supports the need for functions or fashion shows.

Our client hoped to keep the front counter as sleek and clean as possible so as to draw the eye to the jewellery display. We therefore recessed the point of sale system and ensured the rose gold anodized aluminium was finished with an elegant profile to maximise the clean lines of the piece.

The method of bending the steel required a number of tests and prototypes. We needed a product which was strong enough to span over two metres without bowing under the weight of the clothing but also achieved the radius on the ends that we hoped for. The result was choosing a steel tube with a thicker wall than what is traditionally used on this type of racking system.

Voted Archilovers Best Project - Retail 2019