Following a number of successful years as an online-only fashion brand, Manière De Voir recently expanded its reach with the opening of a physical store on Oxford Street, London. An accomplished project team oversaw the construction and design, which included a number of luminaires from market-leading manufacturer Light Forms.
The fashion retailer was founded by former Manchester City and England under 20s footballer Reece Wabara. The brand is known for blending design and quality, offering investment pieces that stand the test of time.
While still playing professional football, Reece led the company in turning over £1m just in its first year of trading. Having moved on to solely focus on the retail business, under Reece’s direction Manière De Voir now secures more than £30m of revenue each year. The opening of the flagship London store was a significant step in the growth of the business.
Located above Bond Street Tube station, the space spans an impressive 5,189 square feet. Engineering expert Cundall Manchester led the project and began with a preliminary design to work towards. To ensure the project could be completed within budget, this design was value-engineered and scaled down.
The new iterations of the design ensured that the initial brief for multiple layers of light could be achieved yet blended with lower costs. A number of luminaires from Light Forms were specified to fulfil the scheme; creating a captivating retail environment that reflected the brand, while securing good value for money.
A CRI of 90 has been selected to offer high-colour rendering. This is ideal for a retail environment as it ensures a true reflection of the clothing and the colours, which is of benefit for those shopping and trying on the clothes. Cool white has been chosen, creating a clean and minimalist look and feel to the space, which aligns with the Manière De Voir personality.
The space features an interesting, mirrored ceiling, which adds contrast and reflects the light around the store in an effortless way. A linear lighting system with an integrated track blends form with function; offering sophisticated aesthetics and superb illumination. All of the track heads are adjustable on-site, meaning the light direction can be adapted to match the changing retail displays and reconfigured product showcases.
All fixtures have been supplied in 9016 RAL, ensuring the crisp, clean and minimalist look is carried throughout the space. The luminaires blend seamlessly into architectural features, presenting a high-end, yet welcoming, environment.
The electrical contractor for the project was Moyne, and the general contractor was QOB Interiors.
While the lighting scheme has delivered undoubtedly impressive results, there were challenges in achieving this. The lighting system is complex, with more than one light in one rectangular fitting, sized 4.5m x 1m. There are 25 of these fittings, with each one made to measure and bespoke to the retail space. Within each of these rectangular fixtures, there are four different light sources – linear, track, spotlight and emergency lighting.
In total, there are 25 of these rectangles over three floors; in combination, this is 300m of linear lighting from Light Forms.
Lighting control has been introduced into the space, via DALI 2.
Harry Prior, Managing Director at Light Forms, said: “Maniere de Voir’s first flagship store is a triumph; securing an enviable position on Oxford Street in an incredibly impressive building. It was an exciting project to be part of, especially as the brand’s founder has a clear vision and a fresh perspective on retail.
“The lighting needed to be completely bespoke to make the most of the space and deliver both aesthetics and functionality. We have achieved a great deal while working to the set budget, and at Light Forms we’re very proud of the results.”
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