Rubin and Chapelle Boutique Fashion Retail Interior

In all of our work we endeavor to engage people rather than make everything into a display. People face their screens, posters and billboards all the time, so a store should do more. The warehouse space in New York is tall and dark, with lighting only where it is needed. The atmosphere lends itself to memories of sneaking into forbidden and forgotten places, an attic, a disused factory and the like. We loved how the child-like excitement we experienced in this space coalesced with our approach of engagement.In the case of Rubin and Chapelle’s boutique the clients specifically wanted the fitting area to be open and distinct from the changing room. The more luxurious evening wear also needed to be distinguished from the main clothing displays. We used those distinctions to divide up the space while using black glass and porosity to connect them and generate mystery.When the construction was underway and the lights started going in, the clients simply raved. They had concerns over the impact of the lights on the atmosphere but they stayed the course and felt rewarded they had done so.

In all retail there is a desire to entice the customer into the store. There has to be some hint of something exciting or curious without exposing the entire experience via the windows. Once inside the experience changes, a customer is now enveloped in the atmosphere of the store. At Newport Beach, the Rubin & Chapelle boutique stands apart from the other stores which generally compliment the bright sun and beach atmosphere. This store is sexy and instead invites you to a place of luxurious silk and leather within refined Bohemian textures.In the larger scheme, for such a small space, several things can engage and surprise people. These include a mixture of surfaces from heavily textured to reflective, as well as materials that are just a tiny bit off from the expected, such as a familiar wood but with a black finish. Spatially the layout gives hints of where one may go without instruction. Even clothes on full display can be slightly concealed due to the depth of the shelving. They are not fully hidden, so the customer knows to explore in order to see more. This is where the detailing conflicts with the openness of the main space, and black glass dividing the space are so effective. The larger triangular space is open and welcoming, yet the fitting room is not fully separated into another part of the store. It is partially open and visible behind the glass thereby inviting friends to be a part of the shopping experience. Sonja and Kip have recounted for us that the store has had the desired effect, with great foot traffic and sales. Fashion Island’s in house marketing team has been very excited by the store, promoting it in their outreach and in local newspapers.

First, I’d like to thank Sean and his team for the excellent collaboration for a successful project. Sean and I worked diligently to determine what structure would be visible and what would not. Aligning the design of the supporting steel for the free-standing glass walls in the space was crucial to their impact. We were able to locate the structure to one side of the glass so that it reads as a flat surface on one side and has depth on the other. We were also able to use the horizontal steel as a hanging rod, incorporating lighting into it as well. So what we obtained was additional display space, accessible on one side while the clothing remains slightly veiled by the glass on the opposite side.