London designers Sybarite have completed the interior of a store in Frankfurt for Italian knitwear brand Stefanel.

The interior comprises a series of modular elements primarily made of glass-reinforced plastic and stainless steel.

The modular nature of the concept will allow it to be repeated in 700 stores of different sizes around the world.

Knitwear is displayed on flocked mannequins.

Photographs are by Marco Zanta.

Here are some more details from Sybarite:

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Stefanel store by Sybarite

Part of a complete rebranding effort, Sybarite’s new shop concept for Stefanel is a modern and sexy solution designed to propel this Italian knitwear label in a completely new direction and firmly into the future of retail.

The brief was to create a completely new image for Stefanel shops, a strong and recognisable architectural language that would become synonymous with their brand identity. With rollout plans for 700 locations worldwide – from large flagships to tiny shop-in-shops – the concept had to offer exceptional value for money, ease of installation and adaptability to widely varying sites. The result is a modular system which achieves complete flexibility without sacrificing aesthetics or imagination. It lends itself to using repetition and variation as a method of building composition, where the final outcome can grow organically in response to a particular site and evolve over time in collaboration with the client.

The components, mainly gloss lacquered GRP and polished stainless steel, are fabricated off site and come together fluidly to form the walls, display surfaces and furniture, creating the impression of a continuous form moulded into display props and surfaces. The sense of composition is reinforced by the attention paid to the smallest detail. The motif of square into circle repeats throughout, from the curvy rectangles of the wall units and freestanding furniture to the bespoke stools, shelves and door handles. The language is incorporated into stylised mannequins and hangers and is echoed in the minimalism of the window vitrines.

The starting point of the design was to address the particular challenges faced by Stefanel. For example, Stefanel’s complicated knitwear designs don’t display to their full potential on standard mannequins, or even stay on them properly. The solution was a bespoke design contoured with flocking material which holds the garments in place and brings their detailing into view. By providing non-slip functionality in such a graphic and recognisable way, a display prop moves beyond its obvious functionality to enhance brand identity.

The design provides the client with complete flexibility and future expandability. Selecting from a wide range of components, the kit can be customised to suit shop locations of any size and budget and can be easily and cost-effectively installed on site in a matter of days. Every surface offers a means of display, which can be as dense or as sparse as necessary. Merchandising can change by season or collection and the system’s modularity easily permits both the addition of extra components and the development of new ones, ensuring the concept can adapt to meet future needs and evolve along with Stefanel.

The grand opening of this Frankfurt flagship is 15 October.

Client: Stefanel, Italy
Architect: Sybarite, London, UK (Nicola Hawkins, Simon Mitchell, Torquil McIntosh, Petra Jenning)
Specialist Fabricator: Soozar, Shanghai, China
Photos: Marco Zanta
Completed: September 2009