The Yard Creative sets ‘walk-in wardrobe’ look for Paul Taylor

The Yard Creative is working on retail designs for Italian menswear brand Paul Taylor.

The consultancy was appointed after approaching brand manager Trophee Retail directly and awarding it a design prize. This was part of a concept called TYC Unofficial Design Awards 2009, as creative director Steve James-Royle explains.

He says, ‘When Westfield opened last year the team was keen to go and visit, but we wanted it to be worthwhile.’ The consultancy created the design awards, and staff were asked to nominate retail designs at Westfield in nine categories.

The Yard Creative then set up a website for the awards, which went live in April, and e-mailed all the winners to establish contact. James-Royle says, ‘To get new business you’ve got to get out there – but everyone’s cold-calling, so we wanted to stand out.’

The award for best ambience went to clothing brand David Mayer Naman, owned by Trophee Retail, and after a meeting with the client in Rome, The Yard Creative won the Paul Taylor work.

James-Royle says the interiors will ‘create the feeling of being in a successful Italian businessman’s walk-in wardrobe’. The first redesigned store is set to open in Limassol, Cyprus, in November, before being rolled out to the rest of the portfolio.

James-Royle says the consultancy is also working on three other projects for the company, one of which is a ‘grab and go’ cafe; in Italy.