Mane
This year’s Commercial Interior winner of The (Emerging) Designer Awards presented by Artedomus and The Local Project, Mane by Manifold is a bold, community-oriented fit-out in Melbourne’s Collingwood that reimagines what a retail space can be.
Located on the first floor of an Art Deco warehouse, Mane draws on Collingwood’s unique mix of grit and polish to create a sophisticated, welcoming and creative space for cult fashion boutique Mane by Stable. For co-directors Lachlan Cooper and Morgan Novy, the aim of the project was to reimagine what a retail space could be. “We really wanted to create something that was not just about retail, not just about transactions,” says Cooper. “It could be a community hub, they could hold events or installations. It keeps it feeling very dynamic and new, but not taking itself too seriously.”
The pair were initially inspired by the site’s industrial bones. “We got so excited about the expansive volume and the existing elements like the steel windows,” says Novy. “We stripped it all back and exposed the building for what it was.” The design embraces the grittiness of elements such as the original bricks and steel-framed windows, playing them against smoother, high-gloss finishes, pops of bright hues and tactile metals. “That tension between the older and the new makes the space feel really interesting,” adds Cooper.
From the street, a statement use of colour and graphics lures visitors to the boutique upstairs. Inside, the space is designed for flow and discovery. At its heart sits the gift area – a cluster of three yellow custom units forming a central service, display and wrapping area. Beyond, the main lounge area leads onto a generous, sunlit terrace that can host community events and gatherings. “The terrace really started the concept of the lounge areas and bringing in those slower moments, which you don’t normally typically see within a retail space,” explains Novy.
At the rear, a secondary lounge and fitting area offer a more intimate experience. The beautiful, cream-toned shoe wall offers a calm backdrop to a semi-circular cobalt blue lounge and a sculptural display for jewellery and accessories. “It gives you the opportunity to slow down, sit down, enjoy the space, try things on and talk with friends,” she says. “It’s super rewarding to see the space used as intended … by the local community as a retail space, and a place for discovery.”
Manifold’s approach to Mane challenges conventional retail architecture, rethinking what a store can be. “It can be quite formulaic and traditional, and we wanted to turn that on its head and create something that was a bit different and unusual,” says Cooper. This experimental approach captures both the raw, creative energy of the surrounding suburb as well as the brand’s focus on individuality, fluidity and self-expression.
Interior design by Manifold.
