Fashion Boutique | Yellow Studios
Standing at the junction of the dense shopping complex, a small shop decorated with a vintage door that has potential to attract the customers, stands out amongst its neighbourhood.
The boutique specifically showcases a premium collection of the client’s work who is a Surat-based fashion designer.While the client had been contributing to the industry
on a small scale, a consistent growth into her business led to the decision of creating an official space in order to display her newest work, and the Reflex boutique was
thus conceived.
Starting out with the design, including working with the basic sketches of the property and reflecting ideas on paper. The property comprised of two areas on a floor plate, 1) the workshop and 2) the display and customer engagement space.
Adjacent to the display wall, resides the reception table, a changing room and entrance to the workshop behind.An arched wall behind the reception table enlightens the area with a Persian look and the louvred doors of changing room and the workshop facilitate inner spaces with air circulation.
The major constraint of the boutique was its ‘area’, which is quite tiny, breaking the typical notion of a fashion boutique. Conventions demand a big space for exhibits and customer engagement, however, the design was conceptualized to provide sufficient and workable space for all the functions.
Once conceptualized, the process was realized around the fact that the client is a fashion designer herself, wished for creativity in the best sense but without suggesting a compromise in the level of the display and relativity of the interior.
The door at the entrance facade is obtained by resizing a double shutter vintage door, in order to make the experience of the customers alluring as they walk in.The red arched film compliments the entrance door and provides a feel of royal entry.
While customers are welcomed to a very informal space to interact with the owner and converse, the placement of vintage receptacle and bench binds the roots of Indianness to space inside.
One of the concerns that the design had to adhere to was to ensure focus and highlight on the clothing line exposition to the best possible extent.The exhibit has been designed to be presented along the flow of the path as one walks ahead. Therefore, the softness of pinkish-brown jodhpur stone gives a subtle background to the exhibit which would minimize any chances of attention being diverted from the products. Floral motifs welded on the rods of the metal hanger compliments the display beneath.Furthermore, the Kalamkari and block printed fabrics, photo framed,
are the owner’s patent ones that shows the relativity with the products displayed.
Moreover, the lights have been so arranged that the products are kept in focus throughout.The ceiling, as well as the fixtures for lighting, have all been intentionally toned in dark shade, which would restrict visual connection beyond the eye level.
The opposite wall to the display, features a unique wall installation consisting of 18 wooden printing blocks, each with different designs, along with a full height mirror that has been embedded in a vintage wooden door and pine wood shelvings, all of these provides a relative visual frame to the customers.
The tight budget was also a constrain and with respect to it the designing has been done in a way that each and every installation was done in the boutique is sustainable.
Together with the minimalistic interior space featuring red walls and brown wooden flooring, the store develops a bright yet introvert and inviting atmosphere for the customers browsing through a well-curated selection of premium ethnic wear.
Project Name: Reflex Boutique
Design Firm: Yellow Studios
Principal Designer: Azaz Calcuttawala
Design Team: Azaz & Jahal
Client: Chetna Dhorajiya
Location: Surat
Area: 310 sqft
Photographer: Tarak shah
