Find out how classic British street fashion brand Fred Perry modifies its core design strategy to fit its context.
26 August, 2015
The Fred Perry tennis shirt was an immediate success when it was first launched at Wimbledon in 1952. Today, Fred Perry is a well-known British street fashion brand and its laurel wreath symbol is recognised the world over.
For its store at the newly opened EMQuartier in Bangkok, Thailand (see our story here), the brand has retained the definitive Fred Perry DNA, while making a subtle but deliberate departure from the traditional Fred Perry design language in order to align itself more seamlessly with the ethos of the new retail complex.
“Located in Bangkok’s new luxury shopping mall, the store has been designed with a contextual approach, yet it remains true to the brand’s distinct design aesthetic,” says Paul White, Director in Charge of the project at London-based BuckleyGrayYeoman.
“Fred Perry has a proud sporting heritage and has equally had a defining impact on British streetwear culture since the 1960s. The brand’s signature detailing and dedication to form and function draws reference to this and serves as a constant inspiration to BuckleyGrayYeoman throughout the design process,” White explains. The firm had deep knowledge of the brand from the outset, having already completed five other fit-outs for Fred Perry.
At the Bangkok store, a supersized version of the signature Fred Perry laurel wreath logo has been drawn into the plan, influencing the shape and position of the seating and custom-made cabinets.
In line with the ethos of EMQuartier, the store “features a sophisticated palette of colours and materials in order to achieve a more elegant and contemporary feel,” says White. “Yet at the same time, the design has been arranged around industrial references and urban themes [in keeping with the brand’s design language], combining materials such as concrete, black steel, polished brass and timber.”
To play up the sense of luxury, the design team has also incorporated striking ribbed black steel and brass strips in the shape of the Fred Perry logo onto the shopfront.
The practice has been commissioned to design another Fred Perry store in Cologne, Germany towards the end of 2015.
BuckleyGrayYeoman
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