With a commitment to recognising excellence and championing the creative industries, the SBID International Design Awards presented its annual Fellow of the Year award to TV Dragon and retail entrepreneur, Theo Paphitis for his outstanding professional achievements. With a business empire that now spans retail, property, finance and consumer goods, he began his career from a low-income background with no formal qualifications due to his dyslexia.
Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, Founder & CEO of the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) explains: “The SBID Fellow of the Year is awarded to a successful public figure who has broken through personal and professional challenges, and in some cases prejudices, then progressed to become a household name in a specific field of business or the creative industries. Theo exemplifies the journey and struggles that many young designers and creatives are faced with. His personal and professional success is recognised in this award and acts as inspiration to the next generation of emerging talent to persevere through life’s challenges.”
At the age of 16 Theo started working as a filing clerk in a Lloyds of London brokerage before discovering his passion for retail at Watches of Switzerland. He later went on to carve his reputation in business and retail when he revived the fortunes of notable high street names such as Ryman, Partners the Stationers, Stationery Box, La Senza, Contessa Lingerie and more recently, Robert Dyas. Theo also bought Red Letter Days out of administration in 2005 with fellow TV Dragon, Peter Jones, and in the Spring of 2011, launched what has now become the multi-award winning, global lingerie brand, Boux Avenue.
In 2015 he launched Theo Paphitis Retail Group which encompasses Ryman Stationery, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue and London Graphic Centre. The combined group comprises over 300 stores and 4,000 employees, serving millions of customers a year!
Theo Paphitis said: “Winning any award is wonderful, but to be recognised for the SBID Fellow of the Year award, amongst so many well-known design individuals, was beyond that. Retail is such a visual medium, whether it is the product, the brand or the store windows and inspiration can come in so many forms. My award is for all of those design specialists who have inspired me and so many of my retail colleagues over the years, helping us to put design front and centre in our businesses.”
The SBID Awards strives to empower design industry talent to exhibit their creative work and celebrate their achievements on its global stage, as a testament to the incredible outcomes that can be accomplished through the power of good design and quality craftsmanship.
Click here to explore the full line-up of this year’s SBID Awards winners across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit Out.
About SBID International Design Awards
The SBID International Design Awards attracts entries from over 85 countries worldwide, serving to recognise, reward and celebrate design excellence across Interior Design, Product Design and Fit-Out. Showcasing the world’s best design talent on its globally respected stage each year, the SBID Awards champions and challenges design standards – a parallel it shares its exceptional entrants. Winning a SBID International Design Award signifies outstanding industry achievement, with recognition that is second to none for the deserving winners.
If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.
EPISODE THREE: The Future of Retail Design
With previous episodes addressing workplaces and the hospitality industry, the upcoming panel discussion with Zaha Hadid Architects will explore the evolution of retail design. Hosted by SBID’s founder & CEO, Vanessa Brady, the series examines new definitions of interior space and the consequential impact on the people who commission, design and use them.
One of the fall-outs of the pandemic is undoubtedly the retail sector. The lack of access to physical spaces forced the retail industry to find new and inventive ways to communicate and distribute their goods and services in the digital landscape. Guest speakers Sylvie Freund Pickavance, strategy and business development director at Valueretail; David McNulty, head of architecture at ICICLE Fashion Group and Kar Hwa Ho, head of interior architecture at Zaha Hadid Architects will discuss how evolving consumer attitudes and behaviours impact the design, use and significance of retail environments.
Kar-Hwa Ho | Head of Interior Architecture at Zaha Hadid Architects
Kar first worked with Zaha Hadid in the 1980s before he spent eleven years with Kohn Pedersen Fox and further eight with Louis Vuitton Malletier in Paris. Kar re-joined ZHA in 2014 to set up and lead the new ZHA Interior Architecture cluster. His expertise in retail, commercial, and residential interiors has significantly strengthened ZHA’s architectural offer that includes bespoke interiors, furniture and product design for both private and public projects.
David McNulty | Head of Architecture at ICILE Fashion Group
David McNulty graduated from University College Dublin, School of Architecture in 1985. He moved directly to Paris and started work at the office of Marcel Breuer Architects. After 20 years managing the Architecture department at Louis Vuitton David joined the Chinese fashion company ICICLE in 2017 to head the Architecture studio for store projects in China and overseas. In 2012 he was given the UCD faculty award for achievements in his career.
Sylvie Freund Pickavance | Strategy & Business Development Director at Value Retail
Sylvie is a graduate of ESCP Business School in Paris, Shenzhen University in China and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership. She is a member of the jury for The World Retail Congress Awards and gives her time to mentoring young designers and charities in the UK, Italy and the Middle East. She also sits on the Court of the Glasgow Caledonian University and Chairs GCNYC and the Luxury Club of the French Chamber of Commerce in Great Britain.
Image project credits: Zaha Hadid Architects©
When the owners of Thimbleby Shooting Ground turned to Rachel McLane Ltd for the interior of their new clubhouse they were looking for a longlasting and empathic design that reflected the Thimbleby Estate’s rural traditions in a homely, memorable and practical fashion.
“The clubhouse is the heart and soul of any sporting club and Thimbleby Shooting Ground is no exception,” said Rachel McLane, whose team have turned Thimbleby’s new architect-designed timber frame shell from one big open space into a multi-purpose facility where unique spaces are clearly defined by function.
Thimbleby is one of the country’s premier shooting grounds, open six days a week and with a committed and passionate customer base who use the clubhouse as a place to relax, eat, drink and socialise after a round of shooting.
Rachel McLane’s designs enhanced the building’s blend of classic and contemporary styling – with plenty of glass in a light airy interior – to deliver a modern take on a traditional clubhouse.
“We wanted the interior design to break up that large open space into smaller areas for dining, hospitality, reception, retail and gun room, giving the clubhouse a personality that would suit individual patrons as well as shooting parties and functions. This demanded we had to use space creatively with designs that were innovative and empathic not just with the cabinetry and case goods but the fixtures and fittings.”
One shining example of this is the hanging light shades that echo the look, colour and shape of spent gun casings that will not only be immediately familiar to patrons but also add a touch of theatre to a cavernous roof space.
Layers of cladding, panels, timber, tiles, polished plaster and paint added new texture and colours to break up the uniformity of single-space walls, and removable bespoke banquet seating allows Thimbleby’s clubhouse to be used by members as a function suite. A cafe-style display cabinet and proper serving counter took the place of a single food servery hatch which was removed.
“There were a few quite big changes to accommodate from the original specification,” added Rachel, “including the reception, retail area, WCs and gun room which all sat rather uncomfortably together in the entrance.”
This layout obstacle was solved by installing a new internal wall in the reception area separating it from the WC doorways while also clearly delineating the new retail space and enabling better display of goods and where people can walk. It was also agreed to bring inside the new building an originally proposed external terrace to create an indoor snug area with a new fireplace.
“Although a combination of the pandemic and Brexit made sourcing some of the building materials tricky we have been able to keep the project pretty much on time with the only delays from the design changes necessary to suit the building,” said Rachel.
“With a job like this, one of the most pleasing aspects is being able to work with an original building vision by a great architect, expert craftsmen, construction professionals and owners to come up with a design vision that can be successfully realised together.”
Thimbleby’s director Andrew Shelley says that right from the first project discussions Rachel and her team clearly understood their vision for the clubhouse. “Now the building is complete and being used on a daily basis, not only are we delighted with the finished result, but more importantly, our customers are enjoying the space,” said Mr Shelley.
“Rachel delivered an attractive, functional, flexible and comfortable clubhouse. Starting from an empty shell, her design made a huge difference. Importantly, this was not an open cheque book vanity project, this was a commercial venture and needed to be delivered on budget and in good time which she achieved.
“The team was outstanding and it was a real pleasure to see their skills employed. Throughout the final fit out Rachel and her team worked together creatively and cost effectively to solve problems – I am pretty sure none of them had ever designed or manufactured a gun showroom before, but the end result was outstanding.”
Mr Shelley continues: “I am starting to understand the difference design can make and pleased to report that Rachel and her team delivered a clubhouse and retail space that our customers will enjoy for many years – I suspect most of them will not be aware, but much of this was achieved through Rachel’s great design.”
About Rachel McLane
After graduating Middlesex University with a BA(Hons) in Interior Architecture, Rachel enhanced her experience by designing for the retail sector for eight years in London and York. This involved designing interiors for clients with commercial interests, allowing her to specialise in spatial circulation, retail display and detailed finishes. With Rachel’s reputation for attention to detail and customer satisfaction, the business has expanded, taking on more clients. There is now a small team to assist and support Rachel, who remains fully involved in the detail of each project and ensures the team shares her guiding principles and professional ethos.
If you’d like to feature your projects with SBID, get in touch to find out more.
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a bold and striking pavilion designed by Zaha Hadid Architects to mark the launch of a make-up collection by II Makiage. Informed by the label’s statement graphic identity, the pavilion’s structure reinterprets the distinctive motif that wraps the corner of all II Makiage’s packaging. Sequential folded black and white structural ribbons generate a powerful rhythm of contrasts along the length of the pavilion. Each ribbon is rotated to have a fractionally different relationship with those adjacent. The dynamism of this rotation engages perception and invites exploration within; creating a distinctly personal space, owned by each visitor on their path of investigation through the pavilion. Alternating gloss and matt surfaces are a further reference to II Makiage’s characteristic packaging, the structural ribbons interlace to describe a sheltered interior for visitors to experience the collection. Lighting installed below alternate structural ribbons and on the mirror surrounds ensures an accurate rendition of the many colours and tones within the collection.
Company: Zaha Hadid Architects
Project: II Makiage Pavilion
Project Location: New York, United States
What was the client’s brief?
II Makiage has positioned itself as a leading professional make-up brand, and the client’s key objective for the pavilion was to reflect this positioning. “The brand’s distinctive DNA celebrates intelligent, strong, confident women. We spent the last five years developing products that would live up to her high standards…” explains Oran Holtzman, the company’s co-founder and CEO.
The brand is offering customers a collection of powerful beauty tools, with high-end formulas, a variety of shades, and all with uncompromised quality. The aim of the pavilion design is to enhance the brand’s key ethos of luxury look and feel, to be one-of-a-kind, innovative, and to stand out among the existing competitors in the current global retail landscape.
What inspired the interior design of the project?
The pavilion’s structure reinterprets the motif and branding of II Makiage’s distinctive packaging. A sequence of folded, alternately lit and unlit, black and white structural ribbons generate a concatenation of light and dark, along the pavilion’s length. These ribbons are each rotated slightly against one another, to create fractionally differing relationships.
This dynamism engages the visitor’s perception, and invites exploration within, creating a distinctly personal journey. While open on both sides, the carapace-like structure also creates a private interior space that allows the visitor to engage with the product on a personal level. The structure’s black and white palette is intentionally neutral, to form a backdrop that allows the various product hues to shine.
What was the toughest hurdle your team overcame during the project?
The key challenge was to find a structural solution and construction method that would satisfy ZHA’s aesthetic requirements, as well as meeting the client’s budget, while also providing the necessary flexibility for assembly and disassembly so that the pavilion can be transported from location to location.
What was your team’s highlight of the project?
For us, the key achievement was the fabrication of the pavilion and its installation in NYC, followed by the very positive feedback from the client and its customers.
Why did you enter the SBID International Design Awards?
We believe that this new retail space embodies an unconventional and unique architectural and technical solution. It enhances the luxury make-up brand’s identity, responding to the key objective of being ‘one-of-a kind’ while also making a clear statement as a strong, self-contained object.
Questions answered by Kar-Hwa Ho Project Leader at Zaha Hadid Architects
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring the elegance, sophistication and simplicity of a family residence in Ukraine, click here to see more.
We hope you feel inspired! Let us know what inspired you #SBIDinspire
Zaha Hadid | SBID International Design Awards 2018
This week’s instalment of the #SBIDinspire interior design series features a feminine yet contemporary take on a fairytale-themed wedding dress boutique in Kunming, China. Designed to epitomise the culmination of every girl’s childhood fantasy, swathed in a beautiful gown at a magical wedding, dancing with a prince. To assist in a bride’s quest for the most dream-like wedding dress, the space evokes a romantic, dreamy atmosphere whilst incorporating the brand’s image with an inherent black and gold tonal theme, diamond detailed elements to create a feature motif and a stunning white marble flooring.
Company: F Space Design
Project: W.Dresses
Project Location: Kunming, China
First of all, the overall design needed to be consistent with the black and gold colour theme to compliment the company’s branding. Secondly, as the fifth shop of W. Dresses, the design needed to upgrade the brand presence and enhance the brand image, requiring more of a fashion focus and a higher level of synergy with the wedding dresses stocked in the shop.
What inspired the design of the project?
Every girl who grew up reading fairytales has fantasied about the idea of being a princess in a mythical world, dressed in beautifully feminine dresses and dancing with the prince. Envisioning a beautiful ending to their imaginary love story with a whimsical fairytale-inspired wedding, with a wedding dress that would realise the dream of every girl’s childhood. Therefore, within the interior design of this project, the designer incorporated black and gold as the main tone throughout; using delicate diamond details and glamorous elements as the design concept throughout the space to showcase this idea of a romantic, dream-like atmosphere.
The main difficulty which arose throughout the project was the integral design process combining thoughtful interior design with the brand’s branding scheme. In the case of a very short time limit, the primary problem to be solved in the design was how to improve the brand image in limited space and solve the problem of product display to effectively display the wedding dresses.
Another painful fact was that the building process had not always ran smoothly or as perfectly as planned according to drawings and models. This can be due to the lacking of skilful people or inaccurate readings of the plans. And time is always short. Sometimes we have to accept some of the problems which have generated on-site during construction, whilst other times we need to respond quickly to change the design and subsequently reflect this on drawings to counteract further issues and take the opportunity to resolve them almost as soon as they arise.
The shop comprised of three different styles of dressing rooms, not only to give the bride the different experience of testing, but also for each wedding dress to receive unique treatment, and increase the fun and excitement of the in-store experience. The ubiquity of the details allowed us to intuitively feel the designer’s pursuit of achieving noble quality and to therefore create the most comfortable testing environment for each couple.
Entering the SBID International Design Awards was a fortuitous opportunity. One day, my PR company recommended this competition to me. I think it is a good platform for creative communication with excellent designers from all over the world, and also provides a valuable channel to promote my works overseas.
Questions answered by Fei Fang, Design Director and Xuewan Yang, Executive Designer at F Space Design
If you missed last week’s Project of the Week featuring a quirky holiday home set on the Mediterranean Sea, click here to see more.
F Space Design | SBID International Design Awards 2018
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