February 10, 2021

Burdifilek Designs Flagship Store for Joe Fresh in Downtown Toronto

The brand’s signature orange hue and soft grays enliven the store. Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.

In Toronto’s historically industrial Lakeshore District, the affordable fashion-forward clothing brand Joe Fresh recently opened its new flagship. Local designer Diego Burdi, creative director and founding partner of Burdifilek, planned the store to reflect the brand’s evolving identity, ensuring its core values translated into the industrial space. The resulting interiors feature muted materials and the brand’s signature bright orange hue, which pops up in cheeky ways.

The Joe Fresh logo is illuminated behind a service counter. Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.

To compartmentalize shopping zones organized by clothing—and avoid clunky signage—the Burdifilek team arranged a series of sculpted cubes in the 6,400 square-foot-space, which also help slow down foot traffic. Whether the cubes sit low to the floor with mannequins positioned atop or house a selection of clothing, the focus paid to the rectangular forms accentuates the building’s industrial bones.

“We wanted to use the least amount of materials possible with maximum effect,” Burdi shares. For example, to delineate the children’s section while creating a sense of curiosity that also appeals to adults, a giraffe’s head descends from the ceiling. Regardless of price point, Burdi explains that when thinking of the brand’s design-forward clientele, he wanted to create a fresh and memorable shopping experience amenable to the downtown lifestyle.  

The designers at Burdifilek partnered with Moss & Lam on the fabrication of the giraffe bust. Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.
High-gloss and matte surfaces give the space an updated industrial feel. Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.
Natural wood tones add warmth to the minimalist space. Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.

A subtle gray backdrop in this section of the store enables the clothing to remain in focus. Photography by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.

Recent Projects