[button link=”https://www.arredanegozi.it/2016/02/alumni-new-york/” icon=”none” target=”” color=”a30b0b” textcolor=”ffffff”]TESTO ITALIANO[/button]
A new retail boutique designed by et al. collaborative that appeals to sneakerhead subculture has opened its doors on Church Ave.
It’s Alumni of New York’s second store to open on the heals of a recent identity rebrand.
(You may remember the veteran sneaker aficionados as Sneaker King if you were around during the release of Wild Style) It’s also the second time Brooklyn-based studio, et al collaborative, has been brought on to design the space. From the street, a floor-to-ceiling storefront windows showcases the latest limited edition sneakers framed in a 10’ cube light sculpture that invites in the surrounding community.
The light structure is an abstract take on a jungle gym with connotations of style and play, simultaneously evoking the hopscotch chalk lines or playgrounds from area parks and the flash of fashion runway. Brass mannequins live inside the light display, dressed with limited-edition apparel and sneakers with the occasional one-of-a-kind piece.
“We started with the concept of using the subtlety of the storefront to act as a frame for a visually impactful interior“. – José Núñez, designer at et al. collaborative. “The important part of any project is working collaboratively with the client to make each idea come alive. Working alongside Gene Han, we were able to generate a raw, industrial palette that not only showcased the grit and aesthetic of Brooklyn, but also enhanced the vibrant color palette of the clothes and sneakers against the walls. The light sculpture gave the space a focal point. We wanted to create a presence and capture the attention of everyone passing by.”
The shop is lined with sections of steel shelving, displaying the latest styles of special issue sneakers and flat-brimmed hats. The east wall, still covered in partial layers of wallpaper and contains clues and dents from the location’s tumultuous days as a bookie gambling venue. The opposite wall contrasts with a hand-parged concrete veneer that serves as a background for colorful sneakers.
Each display unit was designed and coordinated by et al. collaborative to elevate and curate the continuously changing collections. “By stripping down the space to its bare and existing elements, the interior pays omage to Brooklyn’s industrial past. The interior is meant to reflect the outside world.” – Manu Garza, principal at et al. Collaborative
Designers et al. Collaborative and Gotham Architectural Glass and signs
Custom elements et al. Collaborative
Photos courtesy Warren Chow and Meigan Canfield
et al. collaborative
Based in Detroit, MI and Brooklyn, NY, et al. collaborative is an architecture and research practice. Its team represents a unique combination of talents, professional backgrounds, passions and insights. et al. approaches each project as an opportunity to collaborate with a client, an opportunity to define and appropriately respond to a specific goal-yours.
by AN shopfitting magazine no.130 ©
