Hangzhou, China-based fashion house JNBY has unveiled a new retail space for its directional menswear brand, Croquis, in the Sanlitun section of Beijing. The retail experience was crafted by New York-based design studio Rafael de Cárdenas Ltd to reflect the authenticity of the clothing on display.
“The brand has a lot of naturalism about it. Their clothing doesn’t hide its materiality—on the contrary, the materials seem to have a life of their own,” says Rafael de Cárdenas, founder of the eponymous design practice. “Our design amplifies this in a number of ways. Partly by placing it in relief—in moments of polish and precision-engineering—and partly by incorporating natural materials with a rich and raw presence of their own.
A fluid layout is complemented by a soothing palette of neutral tones infused through elements like rough-hewn walnut, wool carpeting, and yellow velvet. Anodized aluminum and satin-finished glass also adorn the space to subtly imbue surfaces with light, notably demonstrated with the Mushroom—the monumental, lantern-like volume that radiates like a beacon and houses the fitting rooms.
Recessed displays throughout can be adjusted to emit a range of hues and alter the atmosphere as well. At the heart of the store, a corridor of rotatable oak arches anchors the space with an array of modular and mobile furniture. “Overall, the materials form a spectrum that speaks to the brand’s ongoing evolution,” de Cárdenas adds.
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