Ragtrader regularly profiles new concept stores in Australia. Assia Benmedjdoub gets the lowdown on Lisa Taranto’s Melbourne GPO site.
Womenswear label Lisa Taranto is the antithesis of fast fashion, with its locally made garments distributed through just 12 boutiques across the country.
That’s not to say it hasn’t dabbled in speed.
The label opened its first pop-up store during the 2010 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. The temporary site in Chapel Street proved so successful, Lisa Taranto opened another store in Melbourne’s GPO complex earlier this month.
Measuring 41 square metres, the concept, design and management of the store was headed up by freelance visual merchandiser Meghan Pollard.
“The winter 2010 collection was the inspiration of the store, but it still needed to have the bones to support each seasonal collection as it changes,” Pollard says, referencing her choice of a dark grey, glossy black and stark white colour palette. “So I looked into who the Lisa Taranto customer is, the essence of the designers behind the brand and the clothes themselves.”
The result is a minimalist concept store which is offset with sharp, angular fixtures and fittings. The ceiling lights drop down like pendants, surrounded by a woven sphere of raw, black, wooden twigs.
The counter below is stark white and features asymmetrical mirrors on three sides. The two front doors are detailed with chunky silver buckles while stylised silver pins thread through the centre as a lock.
“The window display was created to mimic the shapes and angular styles seen in the fixtures,” Pollard says.
“I used matte finishes and all-white materials to create a textured backdrop that looks like falling asymmetrical leaves, which are made from paper origami. Paper and sheer tulle create a see-through screen into the store.”
Black ceramic birds have been placed on a feature table to reinforce the look. For her part, Taranto is thrilled with the result.
“The GPO is our second pop-up adventure into retail – we couldn’t be happier to be able to open here.”