Fit for a Queen’s Unmentionables
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By Anne DiNardo
There’s a certain cachet that comes with holding a Royal Warrant of Appointment from the British Royal Family. Since 1960, high-end lingerie retailer Rigby & Peller (London) has enjoyed a reputation as corsetiere to HM Queen Elizabeth II.
The company had a few stores in London, but it evidently sensed there was a market beyond the walls of the city and Windsor Castle itself. So the company sought to expand, opening its first store outside Central London. And it created a new store format that would appeal to a broader demographic and reposition the company as a fashion-forward retailer whose values are centered on quality and personalization.
“We wanted to create a contemporary feel without losing our core traits of richness and luxury,” says David Kenton, Rigby & Peller’s managing director.
At the new 840-square-foot store at the Brent Cross Shopping Centre, designers from Portland Design (London) moved away from the brand’s former gold and red interior to a more contemporary palette of chrome, cream and black. A crystal chandelier and high-end finishes on the beveled mirrors lend a luxurious feel to the space.
Since the retailer needs to carry a variety of sizes and styles of bras, underwear, nightwear and accessories, a new storage system was devised featuring cream drawer units with deep red inserts denoting sizes. Placed along the store walls and underneath glass-enclosed displays, the units keep merchandise easily accessible and organized.
Since Rigby & Peller prides itself on personalized service, the more spacious fitting rooms were also given a royal upgrade with new ventilation, mirrors and lighting.
“The design blends heritage with modernity and delivers a product and service offer in tune with the tastes of a new generation,” says Ibrahim IIbrahim, Portland’s managing director.
Client: Rigby & Peller, London - David Kenton
Design: Portland Design, London - SJ Clegg, senior interior designer; Keeley Lascelles, interior designer; Caroline Wright, senior interior designer; Ed Nelson, senior graphic designer; Tracy Cheung, PR coordinator/studio manager
General Contractor: Bursell Ltd., Braintree, Essex, U.K.
Lighting: Julian Rankin, Rankin McGregor, Faversham, Kent, U.K.
Signage/Graphics: Jupiter Display, London
Photographer: Robert Howard, London
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