A creative practice exploring time, memory, and the relationship between our lived experience and the physical world

Argent — Upper East Side

Client:

Argent

Type:

Spaces

Location:

989 Madison Avenue New York City

Year:

2023

Discipline:

Experiential Strategy

Spatial Design

Production

Overview

With the brand’s first New York retail presence established downtown, Argent moved uptown for its second location in a boutique storefront off Madison Avenue—a pied-à-terre within the city, of sorts. Drawing from the established design approach of the preceding flagship, Argent’s new location would serve as a sister store to maximize merchandising and streamline service areas within a petite, jewel box space.

1/4 The storefront at 989 Madison Avenue.

STRATEGIC APPROACH

Nestled among a shopping high street, a small footprint required an exercise in editing and refinement to adapt the established retail concept onto a 400 SF space. Rather than limitation, the reduced size served as a conceptual opportunity: the store as an intimate space to convene and styling suite.

Fig 1.0 989 Madison Avenue storefront, 1940

Fig 2.0 Ladies' Mile Historic District

The spirit of destination shopping—and the creation of stores as safe spaces for women to convene—in New York's historic Ladies' Mile provided a point of reference.

1/3 Merchandised product paired with furniture as space for shopping and socializing.

Experience Moments

Drawing from the modular approach to the experiential concept established for Argent’s preceding flagship store, crafting the secondary store was a practice of integrating programmed moments into a singular experience—reshifting the lens to optimize for one-on-one interactions around product and styling.

Fig 1.0 The Work Wardrobe

A curated closet: thoughtfully merchandised assortment showcases the spectrum of the Argent line to showcase versatility through product styling, cueing ideas for mixing and matching. Through a combination of hang rails and shelving, areas are dedicated to both Argent product and featured “editorial” showcases for new, core, and seasonal collections.

Fig 2.0 The Concierge Station

An edited point of service. A custom credenza with roll-out folding surface offers a compact point-of-service for folding and transacting.

Fig 3.0 The Dressing Suite

A fitting room meets lounge, with personal rooms paired with social space. Dedicated to personalized appointments, fitting rooms offer place to recharge, or charge up, during sessions. Considered lounge seating allows for interactions between groups or newly-made friends, with concierge service and a beverage always on offer.

Senses & Atmosphere

Oak paneled walls adorned the majority of surfaces, providing a continued visual experience and a warm envelope within which to display product and try on clothes. Given the limited footprint, each corner of the space was considered for use: integrated custom wardrobes flank the entrance to the dressing room, delineating product from styling; a custom credenza with roll-out folding surface offer a single point-of-service for folding and transacting; an upholstered seat fits snugly into the window for a moment to perch and pause.

Furnishings and furniture in warm hues and natural materials of leather, wood, jute, and dried flora provide a neutral—yet tactile—canvas for Argent’s product palette to come to the forefront.

CREDITS

Photography — Clement Pascal

Millwork & Fabrication — Brooklyn Fabrication

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