Hailing from Italy's capital, with over 300 stores in Europe, menswear label 7camicie has recently launched into the Australian market via a fresh space in Paddington and a clear concept – “when in Australia.. dress like you're in Rome”.
The design for the brand's debut store is just as straight-forward as it's motto, maximising the use of the 41 square metre space with floor to ceiling shelved walls filled with shirts of every size, fit, and colour.
All product sold in store is made from Italian fabrics, with shirts featuring double and triple collars, and finished with distinct trims such as paisley, reverse stripes, polka dots and liberty floral. Shirts are produced in limited quantities and range from $89 to $159 in price, with Italian-cut suits at under $500, ties at $59, and cufflinks at $69.
The store layout showcases product categorically and took almost two months to create, with owners John Tannous and George Zembis taking the time out to totally re-design internal structures and import customised furniture and shelving.
The result is an Oxford street outlet which mirrors the design found in a back alley Italian boutique where 7camicie originated, which is exactly what Tannous and Zembis had envisioned.
“Street front shopping is still very dominant in Europe which is why it’s so fun to shop there, you get to explore the city and pick up a few fashion rarities along the way. I think we’re losing that experience in Sydney with the amount of shopping centres and factory outlets now open,” Tannous says.
“This store reflects that and has a real edge to it, almost as soon as you walk in you are welcomed with an array of colour, design and a European style nostalgic of times spent shopping overseas. Paddington is also full of culture, so we thought it would be a perfect match for us to open our first flagship store.”
But while the boutique atmosphere and product choice are impressive, the real marvel is how Tannous and Zembis have managed to squeeze so much into a relatively small space without looking like a hoarder's treasure cove.
“We spent a lot of time considering different merchandising options and our display technique,” Tannous says.
“The final concept incorporates a floor to ceiling shelving system with rows of shirts presented in a way to highlight the main design of the shirts. Not a single shirt is hanging on a coat hanger. Meanwhile, our ties are presented in little perspex cubes to display what our customers want to see the most, the individual colour and pattern of each one.”
Tannous and Zembis, who will market their flagship via fashion publications, online social media, local Paddington events and a summer launch around October/November, are also hoping the concept will pay off in Sydney so they can expand the business.
“The layout and presentation of our products and the European feel you get upon entering is what will set this store apart from other retailers,” Tannous says. “From floor to ceiling you are presented with a large variety of unique designs not commonly found in a Sydney boutique – but for our next openings we’re hoping to explore different areas with different cultures.”
