Introducing yourself to a new crowd tends to be awkward at times, but the Australian furniture brand SP01 makes it look easy with the launch of an elegant concept shop in New York, designed by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio. The label’s US debut, wittily named ’Over/Under’, is located on the ground floor of DDG’s XOCO 325 condominium in the heart of Soho, and will serve as a meeting hub for visitors for the duration of NYCxDesign.
Ladies & Gentlemen Studio has taken a clever approach to the XOCO 325 space by creating an environment that blurs the distinctions between showroom, stage set and public space. The pop-up is also the firm’s first major interiors project. The stylish vignettes featuring SP01’s minimal furniture and Ladies & Gentlemen’s lighting, sculpture and accessories are also interactive, giving passers-by cause to stop for a breather and try out the merchandise.
‘With this project, we’ve expanded our creative vision beyond individual objects and into the entire experience,’ says Ladies & Gentlemen Studio co-founder Jean Lee. ‘[The pop-up] showcases a convergence of the two brands as complementary opposites — in many ways related and in many ways unique.’
In such chic environs, ‘Over/Under’ showcases SP01’s embrace of warm natural materials and fine Italian craftsmanship that underscore each piece of its minimal indoor and outdoor collections. Rugs come courtesy of CC Tapis, while artworks and objects selected by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio provide the perfect finishing touch. The space also features a design library, curated by Awindow studio and Various Projects Inc, which is formed by authors and themes that inform the creative processes of Ladies & Gentlemen Studio.
