This retail outlet in Miami, USA, captures the essence of the Dion Lee Brand: urban, experimental, uncompromising and immaculately resolved. A celebration of modern architecture, the interior is the culmination of the synergy shared between two like-minded Australian designers, Dion Lee and Smart Design Studio.
Expand ContentThis is the first stand-alone international store for the eponymous design house. Located in the heart of the Miami Design District, a creative neighbourhood dedicated to innovative fashion, design, art, architecture and dining, Dion Lee is perfectly at home. Fronting onto a beautiful tree-lined street filled with luxury boutiques, the bright high-impact space is flooded with natural light.
Designed to the working title of ‘site’, the store adopts classical architectural form, constructed from raw, unadorned materials like stainless steel, concrete and travertine. This style is reflected in the commissioned sculptures by Oliver Laric and the Dion Lee collection itself. Honesty in materiality and elemental in form, the fit out is constructed with minimal ornamentation, elevated by precise and considered details that emulate the technical approach to the collection.
Limited in colour and embellishment, the resulting space is both polished and textured, luxurious and gritty. The contrary fit out is distinctively on brand, akin to the clothing that combines suiting textiles, corsetry, chains, and buckles. Upon arrival in the store, a custom helical staircase centred in the newly-formed double height void creates a sense of drama. Ancillary spaces such as fitting rooms and service areas are concealed behind mirrors, creating an illusion of more space.
The space was conceived as a gallery and a store in one, where music, events and curated art installations could be hosted. To facilitate this, the fit out comprises modular components that can be changed to suit how the space is used. Custom designed to complement the details in Dion Lee’s fashion, jewellery and accessories, the retail fixtures resemble a refined construction scaffolding system. Assembled by a series of standard industrial stainless-steel sections, each is secured with custom joints featuring the brand’s logo. They can be pulled apart, re-composed, and relocated allowing maximum flexibility and adaptability for the store.
smart design studio
architecture from the inside out
