22 February 2010

The Sportsgirl Super-Flagship

Interactivity and sense experience to the fashion label's retails outlet, Alice Blackwood discovers

Sportsgirl has come far since launching its colourful brand into a decidedly grey post-World War market circa 1948 – and it hasn’t missed a beat yet.

The popular fashion brand remains young at heart, tapping into the ever-changing whims of the youth market and re-inforcing its eminence within the fashion retail industry with the opening of a Super-Flagship Store at Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne.

Designed by UK design consultancy HMKM, the 750m2 retail space – a veritable department store – changes the landscape of retail design as we know it, engaging with the consumer in a highly interactive and sensory way.

While Sportsgirl is an Australia-only brand, it has a ‘world class’ reputation – and the new retail space needed to reflect that, says Sportsgirl’s Chief Executive Officer, Elle Roseby. “We wanted an exciting, ever-changing retail environment which is incredibly flexible.”

Integral to this brief, says HMKM’s Managing Director, Alison Cardy, was to transform the space from a blank shell into an enticing destination for ‘Sportsgirl fashionistas’ and their aspiring acolytes.

Having worked with clients such as Selfridges and Harrods, HMKM was well versed in the requirements of top-end retail and, taking into consideration that the store would be part of a shopping centre, they recognised the need to stand out in a living, breathing way.

For the full text turn to page 132 of Indesign #40 on newsstands now.

Browse the gallery for additional project images.