BILLABONG, the world’s largest surf lifestyle brand opened its premium flagship store in the center of Australia's busiest and most cosmopolitan shopping precinct, Pitt Street Mall, Sydney. aplin creative was proud to be the designer of this iconic store.
The store is 550M2 over two levels of exciting retail space. The first level is the smaller of the two and dedicated to women. The goal was to create a light, fresh space with a strong coastal theme but hang onto that Sydney urban edge. The clean white walls and white timber cladding is the backdrop for the vibrant merchandise and is complemented by selected lifestyle graphics. The urban edge is introduced in the cement flooring and selected use of reclaimed bricks. Blonde timbers soften the space and bring you back to the beach.
The large central spiral staircase became the centerpiece of the store and we developed the ‘Athlete Tribute’ feature to encourage customers to explore. The tribute frames are made from stacked ply boxes that hold an image of each of the brands athletes and ambassadors. This feature wraps around as it draws you up the stairs with the hero’s of the surf industry leading you onto the second level.
The second level boasts 8M+ ceiling voids that make for a vast open space with amazing natural light flooding in from the extensive full height windows. The challenge for this space was to keep the natural light but make the space feel intimate. We did this by lowering the light fittings and other ceiling features. These features are taken from the new direction of the ‘BILLABONG’ concept. The ‘reclaimed surfboards’ together with the lighting, creates an amazing texture.
The design of the second level follows the same themes of level one but targeted towards men. The white timbers were replaced with black timber and the floor is a dark rustic timber. There are still elements of the urban theme including cement pillars and ceiling, and the selected use of mesh and raw steel. Throughout the consideration to the brand is paramount.
It was a privilege to be involved in designing this store for a world-renowned brand in such a fashion conscious city. We have made our mark with the new generation look of this store, turning it into a more sophisticated shopping experience but still keeping the iconic ideology of the brand throughout.
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