Interior Design—06 / 11

Mise En Scene

Park St. West, Egypt/Retail/Alchemy Design Studio

Merchandising treated as staging: saturated blocks of colour, exposed services and lighting that turns each bay of the shop into a scene.

Mise En Scene — Exposed scaffolding turns the stair hall into a framework for changing displays. — 01Exposed scaffolding turns the stair hall into a framework for changing displays.

Location: Park St. West, Egypt
Sector: Commercial
Scope: Concept proposal — interior design, art direction, FF&E and lighting
Status: Concept proposal

My contribution

My role: Design lead
Responsibility: Concept proposal — interior design, art direction, FF&E and lighting

Key contributions

Led the concept proposal
Set the staging concept, colour blocking and exposed-services language
Directed FF&E
Developed the lighting concept as part of the design

The project

The concept takes the name literally. The shop is composed as a set: saturated colour blocks define the bays, services are left exposed as part of the scenery, and lighting is theatrical rather than ambient, so that garments are staged rather than stocked. The sequence runs from the shopfront through the display floor to the fitting rooms, each treated as its own scene with the same palette.

The proposal covered the interior architecture, FF&E and lighting as one package, so the staging reads consistently from the shopfront to the fitting rooms.

Mise En Scene — The illuminated stair carries the shop's activity to the street, making the interior part of the window display. — 02The illuminated stair carries the shop's activity to the street, making the interior part of the window display.

Mise En Scene — A clear line from door to stair draws visitors into the full depth of the shop. — 03A clear line from door to stair draws visitors into the full depth of the shop.

Mise En Scene — Garments are staged within the architecture, so the window introduces the experience inside. — 04Garments are staged within the architecture, so the window introduces the experience inside.

Mise En Scene — Street-side seating gives the shop a social edge beyond its display windows. — 05Street-side seating gives the shop a social edge beyond its display windows.

05Street-side seating gives the shop a social edge beyond its display windows.

Mise En Scene — The display borrows the language of a stage rig, with garments held inside lit frames. — 06The display borrows the language of a stage rig, with garments held inside lit frames.

06The display borrows the language of a stage rig, with garments held inside lit frames.

Mise En Scene — A narrow display route keeps the clothing close to the visitor as the shop unfolds. — 07A narrow display route keeps the clothing close to the visitor as the shop unfolds.

Mise En Scene — The open gallery lets the two floors remain part of one retail scene. — 08The open gallery lets the two floors remain part of one retail scene.

Mise En Scene — An orange, ribbed passage marks the move from one display zone to the next. — 09An orange, ribbed passage marks the move from one display zone to the next.

Mise En Scene — A lounge interrupts the shopping route with a place to sit and look back across the floor. — 10A lounge interrupts the shopping route with a place to sit and look back across the floor.

Mise En Scene — Strong colour identifies a display zone within the otherwise metallic interior. — 11Strong colour identifies a display zone within the otherwise metallic interior.

11Strong colour identifies a display zone within the otherwise metallic interior.

Mise En Scene — A curved accessory wall draws visitors around the display instead of stopping them in front of it. — 12A curved accessory wall draws visitors around the display instead of stopping them in front of it.

Mise En Scene — Overhead rings establish a centre for the display while keeping its edges open. — 13Overhead rings establish a centre for the display while keeping its edges open.

Mise En Scene — A regular shoe grid makes the product collection readable against the busier interior. — 14A regular shoe grid makes the product collection readable against the busier interior.

14A regular shoe grid makes the product collection readable against the busier interior.

“Merchandising as staging.”

Mise En Scene — A low counter preserves long views between the shop's different scenes. — 15A low counter preserves long views between the shop's different scenes.

Mise En Scene — The eyewear unit uses colour and transparency to distinguish a small product within the larger floor. — 16The eyewear unit uses colour and transparency to distinguish a small product within the larger floor.

Mise En Scene — A framed room gives the shoe collection a more focused setting within the open shop. — 17A framed room gives the shoe collection a more focused setting within the open shop.

17A framed room gives the shoe collection a more focused setting within the open shop.

Mise En Scene — Perimeter shelving leaves a central place to sit, try on and compare. — 18Perimeter shelving leaves a central place to sit, try on and compare.

Mise En Scene — Heavy curtains mark the salon as a room within the shop, changing the pace of the visit. — 19Heavy curtains mark the salon as a room within the shop, changing the pace of the visit.

Mise En Scene — The salon uses a tighter furniture arrangement while continuing the store's theatrical material language. — 20The salon uses a tighter furniture arrangement while continuing the store's theatrical material language.

Mise En Scene — The cash desk shares the metallic palette, keeping checkout within the same visual sequence. — 21The cash desk shares the metallic palette, keeping checkout within the same visual sequence.

Mise En Scene — Curtains provide privacy while retaining the fitting area's softer, changing boundaries. — 22Curtains provide privacy while retaining the fitting area's softer, changing boundaries.

Mise En Scene — The washroom continues the lighting and colour of the fitting suite into its smallest space. — 23The washroom continues the lighting and colour of the fitting suite into its smallest space.

Process

Layouts

Two floors: a ground floor of display bays around the stair, and a first floor of lounge, shoes, eyewear and the fitting rooms.

DWG 01Ground floor — the central display area connects fashion with fragrance, beauty and accessories.
DWG 02First floor — the retail route passes through a series of distinct display settings around the stair.

Custom fixtures

The display pieces were designed with the shop rather than bought: scaffolding frames, perforated-steel stands, bent-metal clothes rails, a branded hanger and a frosted-glass eyewear display.

DWG 03Scaffolding unit — an exposed frame provides a repeatable structure for shelves and product displays.
DWG 04Suspended mannequins — tensioned lines turn the clothing display into an installation above the floor.
DWG 05Mesh stands — lighting becomes part of the fixture, giving smaller products a distinct display setting.
DWG 06Clothes rail — tripod supports and an exposed crossbar borrow the language of studio equipment.
DWG 07Hanger detail — a fabric buckle carries the store's identity down to the scale of an individual garment.
DWG 08Eyewear display — upright panels bring small items to eye level above integrated storage.

Colophon

Location: Park St. West, Egypt
Sector: Commercial
Typology: Retail
Scope: Concept proposal — interior design, art direction, FF&E and lighting
Status: Concept proposal
Role: Design lead