Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (BCJ) have announced their design of Everlane’s newest and largest store to date in the heart of vibrant Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Located at 104 North 6th Street, the space is a redesign of an existing 1960s, two-storey brick building. The store opened to the public in September.
Online clothing retailer, Everlane, is known for minimalist staples and quality lines of women’s and men’s clothing and accessories. They embrace an open and transparent supply chain, labor and production, and pricing, only working with ethical factories, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Everlane sought out Bohlin Cywinski Jackson as they began to define the brand experience in brick and mortar, specifically for the firm’s prior work developing storefront experiences for brands like Blue Bottle and Apple. Everlane prides itself on being ‘Radically Transparent’ in their practices and the in-person shopping experience needed to mirror this philosophy.
We are excited to continue our collaboration with Everlane as they expand their physical store program. Williamsburg is their first two-storey location, and the design focuses on providing an exceptional customer experience. Everlane’s commitment to customer-focused, refined and crisply detailed design aligns closely with our values as architects.
Principal Gregory R. Mottola, FAIAThe generous storefront invites patrons in with a monumental 20 feet tall glass wall allowing an abundance of natural light into the space. Inside, guests are welcome to explore over 2,000 sq ft of retail on the first floor and an additional 700 sq ft on the mezzanine. Guests are guided from the first level to the mezzanine by a grand staircase, designed with precast terrazzo treads, a glass guardrail and a maple wood handrail. The ceiling incorporates a deep louvered scrim that appears as a neutral plane, while masking the mechanical and electrical system below the existing building’s uneven structure.
Under the mezzanine, three large luminous stretched panels bring forth soft, bright and even light to one of Everlane’s best selling products – shoes. Most of the furniture in the store is custom designed by BCJ and detailed in maple, bringing natural warmth to a cool palette of glass, terrazzo flooring, and white metal panels. The custom fixtures are flexible to allow multiple configurations for displaying an array of Everlane products.
One of the primary drivers behind the design is the guest experience, which was carefully considered. In developing the in-person shopping experience, Everlane aimed to reduce wait-times for fitting rooms, increase capacity and provide privacy during the fitting experience. In the Williamsburg store, a series of vertical maple louvers screens the fitting rooms from the main sales area, providing privacy and warmth.
Everlane ambassadors are present to greet and assist each guest with the fitting process, and hold their selected garments at a concierge station. Once ready, each guest is directed to a dressing room, designed with a small closet to hang clothing. Each fitting room is equipped with a full-length mirror, a custom designed stool and an oversized glowing disc of light above that brightens each room.