With a strong presence in David Jones and the last store concept implemented in 2005, the brief from YD was to take the next step and create a retail space that revolutionised the mass market menswear space in Australia. The client requested a level of theatre that would not intimidate but rather reflect the environment where the YD guy hangs out. Their target customer is young or young minded, 18-24, has no commitments, loves the city, dressing up and leads a busy and fast life.

With the design evolving out of the places that the YD guy would hang out in, we looked at setting the store within an inner city bar context. The store would be dominated by a central bar which would house the main display for denim as well as the service counter, with mannequin legs suspended from the overhead bar gantry. Internally illuminating the bar and ceiling section above and placing it on a high gloss black mosaic tile, heightening the drama of light against dark.

In a move away from the traditional signage elements of a retail store, we made the only YD logo of the space a sculptural, visual merchandising tool within the shopfront. Made of powder-coated steel, two metres high with a LED highlight, the logo becomes the backdrop to suspended mannequins, as well as providing an on-going, changeable framework for seasonal promotions. 

Towards the back of the store, adjacent to the fitting rooms, we wanted to create a style bar where clients could strut their stuff in a ‘preening lounge’. We saw this as an area where a bit male rivalry could be encouraged to see who was man enough to come out of the fitting rooms into the lounge with the guys showing off who looked the best in the oversized mirror. Previously the guys would come out of a small blank white fitting room into a narrow white corridor, not so flattering for these image conscious guys. Now with a sense of theatre the fitting rooms sit behind a full height wall of curtaining, each room individual with a nightclub blast of geometric wallpaper and angled pendants. Seating within the lounge continues the nightclub feel as a chill out zone where girlfriends hang out and look through the accessories wall, partly screening the lounge from the rest of the store.