BuckleyGrayYeoman recently completed Fred Perry's new shop and gallery at 9 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. The 2,000 sq ft shop showcases garments, accessories and footwear from Fred Perry's Authentic Collection for men and women alongside the Fred Perry Reissues collection of classic garments inspired by the company's archive. The shop has been designed to allow Fred Perry's new home to be as flexible as possible, giving the brand the opportunity to reinterpret the layout to suit the display of different collections, as well as to host one-off events on the shopfloor.
The shop is complemented by a gallery space in the basement of the building, which will open with an exhibition of 7-inch vinyl single sleeve artwork from records released by independent record labels from across the UK.
"Covent Garden is Fred Perry's home turf and 9 Henrietta Street is an embodiment of the area's grown-up, streetwise style. We were given a great site in a classic Georgian London townhouse and have responded with a design that both works with the history of the building and has its own character and confidence," commented Paul White, Director of BuckleyGrayYeoman. "It's recognisably Fred Perry: a timeless one-off, with painstaking attention to detail. It provides the perfect environment for fans of the brand to come and see the collection in a place that complements their style."
Occupying the ground floor and basement of a Georgian townhouse, a stone's throw from Covent Garden Piazza, 9 Henrietta Street sums up Fred Perry's pin-sharp style and quiet confidence. High quality, self-finished materials are used throughout, creating a refined, tactile space that is full of texture and character.
The shop front has been upgraded with a leaded window that echoes the heritage of the street and features hand-gilded signage by artisan signwriter Nick Garrett.
BuckleyGrayYeoman has laid the shop out with a strong linear arrangement that runs from front to back and suits the long, narrow floorplan of the townhouse building, drawing customers through to the heart of the space. Bespoke display tables made of mild steel angle iron with stained oak tops sit on a central mat of engineering bricks that runs the length of the shopfloor and is surrounded by stained oak flooring. At the far end of the shop BuckleyGrayYeoman has created a sculptural representation of the Fred Perry laurel wreath using cut sections of mild steel angle iron.
The layout of the shop is deliberately open plan and other than the service desk and changing rooms, there is no fixed furniture, the designers opting for free standing units that can be reconfigured for new collections or one-off events. The brickwork of one of the long walls has been exposed and clothing rails and display units have been installed in the alcoves created by the structural features and chimney breasts of the townhouse. On the opposite wall, timber panelling with a subtle pattern of mouldings that evokes the Georgian heritage of the building sits behind bespoke mild steel display cages manufactured by the shopfitting contractor ITS Interiors. Footwear and accessories are displayed on an antique cart in a dedicated area to the rear of the shop. Lighting comes from two rows of exposed bulbs that run the length of the shop, mirroring the engineering brick mat and adding to the linear emphasis of the design.
At the heart of the shop, the mild steel service desk sits next to a vintage Wurlitzer vinyl jukebox, filled with singles nominated by Fred Perry's fans through social media. Behind the service desk a video screen will show work by film makers such as Don Letts who have documented the youth subcultures for which Fred Perry clothing has been an essential part of the uniform. A display case in an alcove opposite the jukebox will provide an opportunity for Fred Perry to display unique artefacts from the Fred Perry archive, which spans the 60 year history of the brand.
Photos: Hufton + Crow