Naked gym to launch in London

Sterile corporate gyms will face competition of a different sort when boudoir-style, high energy fitness concept Naked launches in London’s Earls Court in the spring.

Interior designer Solange Azagury-Partridge is creating the interiors for the west London club and Brainchild is designing its fig leaf-inspired identity.

Naked is being launched by Tabitha Ritchie and will be a non-membership club with classes such as kick boxing and pilates, and beauty treatments including mud wraps. It will incorporate a juice bar and five separate treatment rooms and feature club DJs on Friday nights.

The club is being constructed in a former post sorting office with gabled ceilings. According to Azagury-Partridge, the aim is to make Naked “look like it has been around forever”.

“I want the interiors to emulate an old-fashioned, sweaty club,” she says.

The predominant colour palette will be based on the pink, brown and vanilla colours of Neapolitan ice cream, which will be lightened to lend it a distressed air, says Azagury-Partridge.

Individual treatment rooms will feature different designs, including chintz, camouflage and stripes. The juice bar will feature low seating and will be branded with a red and pink version of the fig-leaf identity.

According to Naked founder Ritchie, the aim is to get away from the sterile image of corporate gyms and make exercise fun.

“I want to attract everyone – from children to senior citizens – but I am anxious to distance Naked from the leotard-and-exercise-class image of many gyms. The designs are decadent, cosy and a touch ethnic,” she adds.