Sandqvist Södermalm
Store concept for Sandqvist - Everyday Bags & Items
Sandqvist is a swedish brand of bags and everyday items such as wallets, belts etc. The company was founded in 2004 by Anton Sandqvist and today they sell their products in renowned lifestyle stores such as Grandpa and Tjallamalla as well as prestigeous upmarket department stores such as NK. In 2011, Sandqvist was awarded the Great Fashion Award (9th edition) by swedish Café Magazine for being Accessories Brand of the Year. In 2011 they were also voted Best Bag of the Year by King Magazine. Success and all, the brand and its founders have never lost track of their core of functionality and craftsmanship as well as an ever pounding heart for the swedish nature and active yet stylish outdoor life. In relation to this, the first own store has a lot of inspiration from the traditional sport cabins of northern Sweden, combining warmth and personal style with solid materials and simplicity. Located in a basement on Södermalm in Stockholm, the store and combined showroom + offices had to be completed in less than two months and on a tight budget. Therefore, a lot of ready-mades and simple materials were used but treated in a way that somewhat changed the perception of them. Raw MDF was treated with clear varnish to substitute hardwood, raw plywood backdrop and simple wooden details were painted into the wall color to create a monochrome composition. In all, entering the store equals entering a world of well known connotations creating an authentic and confident backdrop for the products.
Architect: Dawn of Ideas
Photo credit: Knotan / Sandqvist
