AOI shops around for Akademi model

London-based environments specialist Association of Ideas has created the interiors of a soon-to-launch Knightsbridge fashion boutique called Akademi.

The consultancy was briefed to create a retail space to showcase the work of a selection of upmarket, young fashion designers.

AOI researched the project by making transatlantic visits to a number of established boutiques in New York.

The design team has subsequently selected a colour palette consisting of burnt orange and creams, mixing a touch of green and gold as a backdrop for the clothes, which are allowed to take centre stage.

“While maintaining the architectural line of the original shop form, the interior deliberately uses the effect of exposed brick to echo the New York urban experience,” says AOI director Jonathan Lovett.

The retail space mixes older with more modern styles, using wooden flooring and “relaxed” seating. A selection of antique furnishings has also been included, while Garments and accessories are displayed within screens.

“We wanted this to be an environment to savour, with a relaxed atmosphere more reminiscent of entering a home than a shop,” Lovett adds.

The shop, in London’s Motcomb Street, opens on 20 March.