In creating the new global flagship for Rodd & Gunn, Studio Y has expertly merged hospitality and retail design to present the next iteration of the experiential for clients. Not simply a beautiful space to buy men’s clothing, the Rodd & Gunn store is also a member’s club with dining and hospitality central to its offering.

The store is located in one of Melbourne’s premier heritage addresses at 280 Little Collins Street and the building was once the home of the renowned G.J. Coles department store and latterly, David Jones Men’s. Rodd & Gunn occupies four levels within the southern wing of the building and, through Studio Y’s design, these spaces are now unique in the landscape of retailing and hospitality.

The building boasts a Gothic façade clad with pink and blue terracotta tiles. Certainly, the design of the new flagship pays deference to the heritage of the architecture while aligning the highlights with today’s contemporary lifestyle.

“We were delighted to work with the Rodd & Gunn team to create a destination where retail and hospitality unify, both worlds elevating each other, while still holding their own identity,” says Yaron Kanor, Founder and Creative Director of Studio Y. “Our relationship with Rodd & Gunn has always been built on trust, ambition and a shared respect for craft and this project carried that partnership into new territory. It’s the largest project Studio Y has delivered to date and we approached it with a clear and confident vision.”

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Entry is via Union Lane – laneways being the quintessential passageways in the city– and so the journey begins. In the basement is the Cellar and Cellar Caffetteria. Large checkerboard tiles, walkways and booths reference Melbourne’s laneway culture and complement the exposed fragments of the original wall murals that herald the building’s history.

On the ground floor is the retail area that boasts corniced plasterwork, restored marble joinery and heritage balustrades. With a black and white colour palette, timber detailing and contemporary product displays, the mix is refreshing and sophisticated and perfectly encapsulates the Rodd & Gunn brand.

For Rodd & Gunn’s loyalty club clientele, the Member’s Bar on the mezzanine level becomes the gathering hub with club chairs, timber panelling, leather banquettes, custom inlaid carpets and textured wallpaper. A stunning sculptural pendant light designed by Volker Haug becomes the focal point of the space and brings elegance to the aesthetic.

However, the showpiece of this project is The Lodge Dining Room which occupies level one and the top floor of the premise. Access to this area is by the heritage marble staircase and floor-to-ceiling arched windows frame the outside views of Little Collins Street.

Columns that date back to the 1930s with an Art Deco Aztec-tiled pattern have been retained and restored, and the motif re-applied on walls. Black Caviar marble finishes and black timber parquetry establish this space as authentic, while curtains and sheers lend softness to the hard surfaces. Pendant lighting from Christopher Boots is refined and the ornate tilework on the columns has inspired the form of the custom-etched mirror back of bar.

There is also a private dining room with a Bianco Carrara marble table that sets the scene for grand lunches and dinners. With sleek steel accents and voluminous drapery in the design of this room, the old and new combine to great effect, resulting in quiet luxury.

“We set out to create a journey where hospitality and retail live side by side, each with its own rhythm, yet moving in harmony. We wanted every visitor to feel invited to explore, discover and lean into the subtle shifts in atmosphere as they move through the space,” reflects Kanor. “Each zone carries its own attitude and material languages, but all share the same Rodd & Gunn DNA. The heritage bones, the Melbourne laneway grit, and the dialogue between old and new give the experience depth, character and a true sense of place that feels unmistakably Rodd & Gunn.”

In this project, Studio Y has created architecture and interior design that traverses time and genre. Kanor and his team have conceived not merely a hybrid design, but a true celebration of the experiential.

The Rodd & Gunn project is a splendid example of the trajectory of retail design, where online has its place, but instore browsing and buying, sipping a martini or indulging in a three-course lunch becomes the unmissable shopping experience.

Studio Y
studioy.com.au

Photography
Jake Roden