Aje’s first international store opened in Westfield Newmarket, Auckland. The store was an evolution of a design DNA that has been developed over a number of years, focussed on reflecting the quintessential Australian coastal and urban style. In this space, we were afforded a more spacious layout that allowed the introduction of a dedicated fitting suite, private from the retail floor providing complete immersion in the world of Aje.

The shopfront design is an extension of the sweeping curves used throughout the design, simple in form but effective when framing product stories on the display podium and striking from a distance, cutting through the clutter of the mall environment. We carefully layered the shopfront display with a semi-transparent curtain to allow the complete reveal upon entry.

With contrasting curves, including most hard corners in the store that are treated with various textured surfaces, required a level of detail that our trusted build partners more than delivered on. With the significantly compromised build time following handover delays, the quality delivered without compromise was congratulated by all key stakeholders.

A strong focus on specific SKU count in the store and careful planning of display space to maximise and future proof the range capacity, the store's floor space allows for ease of circulation and ample room for multiple customers to shop the range simultaneously. The generous fitting suite also easily caters to the busiest of days, without feeling tight or compact.

Careful consideration was paid to the lighting design in the store to ensure all product was true to colour and form, whilst the feature pendant was carefully selected to not overpower the beautiful joinery below, yet fill the vast ceiling space. The change rooms and mirrors in the store are where all the action is though and soft backlighting complements the downlights to provide the best possible view for the customer.

Aje’s unique floor that is handcrafted by founder Adrian Norris is as much a logistical challenge as it is detailed. The hand splattered floor creatively delivers a neutral base for the store, full of interest and intrigue – we get so many questions around the floor! In the true sense, Adrian forms part of the store – every store.

Over a number of projects, we have refined the delivery of the plinths, counters and display rails in store to make them incredibly simple and sophisticated in their simplicity. Rather than working with slabs of travertine, we choose to use a tile that has continually provided a more commercial outcome and allowed us to build a structure clad with stone, for example, the shelving unit dividing the retail floor and fitting suite.