Nagnata’s first Byron flagship store is a celebration of artistry and movement

“Moroccan-inspired change rooms, Texan adobe plastered-rendered finishes and hints of Japanese wabi-sabi design.”

Luxury lifestyle and fashion label Nagnata has opened the doors to its first-ever flagship store in Byron Bay. Collaborating closely with local artists and interior design studio Pattern, Nagnata founder Laura-May Gibbs has created a gallery-like space to house Nagnata’s considered collection. “We were interested in exploring the relationship between architecture and movement,” Laura-May says. “[We chose] curvaceous forms, fluid lines and shapes to offer a sculptural journey.”

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Located in Byron’s Jonson Lane precinct, the store features hand-carved timber and Italian marble details, nature-inspired elements and – the pièce de résistance – a custom-made lounge crafted from velvet Raf Simons fabric. Below, Laura-May shares how the Nagnata flagship vision was brought to life.

Tell me a bit about how the vision for the Nagnata flagship store came about.

My vision for our first flagship store was to create a culmination of the Nagnata world, a celebration of artistry and movement in a gallery-like space where the clothes and colour speak as art. I researched architectural influences and sketched potential floor plans with a friend one weekend, then presented Josh and Lily at Pattern Studio with drawings, art references and a concept board.

It was a truly collaborative and fun experience working with Pattern Studio to refine the materials [and] designs and [to] bring our Nagnata vision to life. Inspired by the works of Hungarian architect Antti Lovag and French ceramicist Valentine Schlegel for the design of the interiors, we were interested in exploring the relationship between architecture and movement… [we chose] curvaceous forms, fluid lines and shapes to offer a sculptural journey.

How would you describe the store’s aesthetic?

The store’s design is anchored in a refinement of materials sourced from the natural world, with elements of nature creating a sense of harmonious balance and serenity. Worldly influences synergistically blend with architectural elements… [in the] Moroccan-inspired change rooms, Texan adobe plastered-rendered finishes and hints of Japanese wabi-sabi design. These are some of the interior styles I explored with my home renovation too, so we explored these influences further for the store.

We offset the raw elements with LED linear lighting… [which] can instantly bathe the entire space in a wash of coloured light. This transforms our serene sanctuary into an electrifying, energetic environment! The front window display offers an artistic view into our Nagnata world with hand-plastered, abstract floating body forms adorned with colourful Nagnata knits.

What was the process like putting the store together and were there any challenges or roadblocks along the way?

I’ve really enjoyed the process of building a physical world for Nagnata [and] further exploring our brand’s identity… we were working with a blank canvas and essentially handed a cement slab to customise in the Jonson Lane precinct. The build process was complex and naturally, all the common challenges arose with customising a space in a short amount of time… [like] material delays and exceeding the budget!

Who did Nagnata collaborate with when bringing the store to life?

Everything in the store is uniquely crafted and customised. Pattern Studio and I carefully curated a selection of local and interstate artists across different mediums to contribute to the space.

A hand-carved timber pillar by Byron-based artist Lex Williams sits with an Italian marble table hand-crafted in Sydney.
It was important to foster a sense of community, with locally sourced rugs from Byron-based businesses Pampa and Tigmi. The centrepiece of the store is a custom-made lounge utilising Raf Simons’ luxurious, plush velvet fabric with upholstery by The Dusty Road… [it] offers a space to cultivate community and discussion – or just hang.

Our cutting-edge lighting design was [done] by Ambience Lighting, and hand-plastered body forms [were] created with Who Plastering. The build was lovingly mastered by local builder and craftsman Glenn Warren.

We complement our fashion collections with an array of art, design and fashion books on offer by our friends including Rob Tennant, Love Want, Kate Bellm… [and] my sister and co-director Hannah and partner Nick Stenmark’s illustrated book for families of premature babies, Your Little Head Start… along with our Ayu x Nagnata candle.

What’s your favourite feature/area of the store?

I love our Italian marble table hand-crafted sales table, which I refer to as our ‘brutalist beauty’. This design came about in the final weeks of the project, using contrasting planes of stone to create an abstract interpretation of yin [and] yang, paying homage to yogic foundations of balance, polarity and harmony.

What do you like about the area/the Byron creative scene in general?

Byron is a free-thinking community and I find our way of life here… encourages the artist spirit. It felt important to lay the roots of our Nagnata store down on Bundjalung Country, where the brand was first established and where I call home.

My intention for the store is that it will allow us to have an interactive space to further cultivate community, connect and highlight other artists. The concept of our Byron flagship store will lay the foundation for our retail expansion within Australia and globally.