When it comes to retail spaces, experiential design reigns supreme. But locales that prioritize photo ops alone lack substance and distract from a store’s offerings. For womenswear brand FLORA&aiLEY, woman-led firm JYDP sought to go in a different direction—one that showcased the company’s ethos, melding practicality with creativity. The space, situated on the ground floor of the FLORA&aiLEY headquarters in Shanghai, sets a standard for the brand’s future stores. To appeal to its young female clientele, Michelle Sun, firm founder, envisioned the space as a secrete garden with intrigue around every twist and turn. Curved walls comprise the central area, creating unique spatial layers alongside bespoke brass clothing racks, wooden stands, and dressing mirrors. “The curved walls tell the story of a ‘secret garden,’ and will be applied to FLORA&aiLEY’s future stores,” notes Sun.

A palette of earthy hues makes for a serene environment accented by pops of greenery. Beige terrazzo and textured paint offer a subtle backdrop for the brand’s clothes, which represent the “flowers” in the imagined garden. “We hope our design can empower commodities,” adds Sun, stressing the importance of highlighting the clothing on display. “As customers enter the space, the displayed commodities firstly come into sight, which are in harmony with the space.”