Midas touch: Australian lifestyle brand Ginger & Smart forges a new retail design direction

On the perennially warm Gold Coast, the vacation capital of Australia, the powder pink façade of fashion and lifestyle brand Ginger & Smart’s newest boutique within the refurbished Pacific Fair complex beckons reprieve from glaring rays.

Inside the chiselled recessed entrance, the mood dips to a cooler tone. The vault-like space with deep oceanic teal blue walls, carpet and theatrically puddled curtains lining the rear styling suites immerses one within the world co-founders Alexandra and Genevieve Smart have created in collaboration with David Flack of Flack Studios. Even the solid American oak entrance door is stained caviar black. Once closed, you are cocooned within.

Up front, raw concrete co-exists with the sheen of reflective Perspex and signature blush pink walls, while the black point of sale with its slick licorice granite surface weighs heavily upon a crisp white Terrazzo floor with coral specks. They form the perfect backdrop for the brand’s sharp design aesthetic where bold colours and distinctive patterns confidently animate the space.

The store celebrates Ginger & Smart’s tenth retail anniversary and its new fit-out direction under Flack which includes Sydney’s Strand Arcade boutique, opening in mid-September. ‘He has a light hand but makes a big impact with his choices. We wanted the store to be polished and playful... like our Ginger & Smart girl,’ adds Alexandra.

Cue the subtle incorporation of the brand’s distinguishing features. Metallic flashes shimmer on the black steel units showcasing leather shoes and accessories upon bronzed glass shelves. Combined with copper strips lining the free-standing steel hanging racks, both reference the label’s rose gold zips, fasteners and other ‘hardware,’ while a deep cobalt blue upholstered Cassina armchair pays homage to a consistent shade in their ready-to-wear collections.

Most perceptive is Flack’s reference to the oblique ampersand in the logo’s bespoke font. It is echoed in the tilt of the racks and the angled geometry of the abutting floor finishes. They are his only nod to branding within the boutique and signal Ginger & Smart’s new directional formula.

INFORMATION

For more information, visit Ginger & Smart’s website

Photography: Toby Scott

ADDRESS

Ginger & Smart
Pacific Fair
Shop 2708 Hooker Blvd
Gold Coast, Queensland 

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