Song for the Mute Flagship by Pattern Studio

With a contemporary, poetic vision for cult fashion label Song for the Mute’s inaugural flagship space, Sydney-based Pattern Studio demonstrates the power of thoughtful and creative retail design.

Delivering a forward-thinking design that celebrates a brand’s distinctive identity while meaningfully engaging with the constraints of an existing heritage structure is no simple task. Yet for Australian fashion label Song for the Mute, Pattern Studio has achieved this and more. The result is a charismatic, conceptually driven flagship space that reflects the creativity of their client while setting a new precedent for enduring retail design.

“We have great respect for Song’s creative process; their depth and theoretical rigour have helped them carve out a unique and coveted position in the market,” says Goodwin.

Having admired the previous work of Pattern Studio, Song for the Mute approached the interior design practice, led by principals Josh Cain and Lily Goodwin, to collaborate on the new Sydney flagship, located at 350 George Street. As the first brick-and-mortar venture for the clothing label, launched in 2010 by two lifelong friends, Melvin Tanaya and Lyna Ty, this project represented an important milestone. For Cain and Goodwin, it was an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a brand that aligned closely with their own values. “We have great respect for Song’s creative process; their depth and theoretical rigour have helped them carve out a unique and coveted position in the market,” says Goodwin.

The brief was to design a space that embodied Song for the Mute’s philosophy of “accordance through contrast” and their “perpetual preoccupation with the paradoxical” while also respecting the parameters of the heritage-listed site. Known for interpreting seasonal collections as interwoven chapters, it was also important to reflect the brand’s poetic sense of narrative in the final design.

To transform Song For The Mute’s aesthetic and philosophy into something physical and experiential, Pattern Studio worked closely with the brand’s creative director, gradually refining the conceptual direction and interior response.

To transform Song For The Mute’s aesthetic and philosophy into something physical and experiential, Pattern Studio worked closely with the brand’s creative director, gradually refining the conceptual direction and interior response. Prompted by the need to maintain the structural integrity of the neo-classical interior while also speaking directly to Song for the Mute’s preoccupation with paradox, a pair of bespoke pods sit within the space as detached retail elements. These pragmatic and somewhat futuristic sculptural forms, inspired by the steelwork of Jean Prouvé and smartly finished by an automative fabricator, add a modern touch to the sumptuous atmosphere of the surrounding store. Their relative oddity strikes a pleasing balance with their function as pieces of display and utility.

The influence of assemblage – a sub-genre of contemporary sculpture – is also evident in the juxtaposition of space and object; it invites an immediate sense of discourse with those entering the flagship and experiencing the space. This heightened point of intentionality, reflection and abstraction is something that devotees of the brand will appreciate. The material language of the fit-out is an ode to Song for the Mute’s guiding philosophy of accordance through contrast – a perfect tension between the stonework of the existing interior and a new, mid-century-inspired palette of powder-coated metal, microcement, steel and hardwood plywood surfaces. The combination is distinctive yet harmonious, echoing the brand’s own experimental process of fabricating each garment and realising each collection.

Pattern Studio’s work for the flagship exemplifies a meaningful shift in the way we envision and seek to engage with retail spaces.

Receiving the Award for Retail Design at the 2024 Australian Interior Design Awards, Pattern Studio’s work for the flagship exemplifies a meaningful shift in the way we envision and seek to engage with retail spaces. For Cain and Goodwin, it’s a validation of the collaborative experience, their own practice and ethos, as well as an acknowledgment of the value of enduring and sustainable design. “This project reinforced our belief that design and fit-out must be relative to a project’s life cycle,” says Goodwin. “The current full-scope retail design model is alarmingly wasteful, with substantial resources poured into fit-outs that might last only three to five years. We hope the flagship exemplifies the potential of combining quality, enduring architecture with innovative, creative interior design.”

Interior design by Pattern Studio.