Third Space bags Selfridges job

Third Space has completed the redesign of the luggage department at Selfridges and last week presented first concepts for an ‘outdoor lifestyle’ menswear room on the first floor of the Oxford Street store.

Creative treatment in the luggage department includes ‘airport references, such as wing shapes, landing strips and chevrons’, says Third Space managing director Antony Parham.

The revamp is part of a general refresh of the department, says Selfridges buyer James Tanner.

‘We wanted to spruce up the casual side of the business travel range and had nowhere to show these items as a complete story,’ he adds.

The menswear brief involves the creation of a new department selling yachting and outdoor leisure brands within a listed part of the Selfridges building. Third Space’s design concept includes an architectural ‘envelope’, centred around six existing marble columns, with details like vertical, polished steel lightboxes.

Exposing more of the original marble featurework remains one of the client’s objectives, but the initial request for an ‘earthy look’ has now been ‘toned down’ in favour of a minimalist white box, says Parham.

He adds, ‘We’re using high tech materials like up-to-the-minute Kevlar sail laminates rather than naff yachting memorabilia like brass fittings.’

Construction work on the luggage department begins shortly and it is due to open in early August, while the menswear room should be ready by late summer. The consultancy was appointed without a pitch to both jobs, in March and April respectively.

Contemporary menswear space The Lab, also designed by Third Space, opened last month.