The West 14th boutique was the project that put Stella and Universal Design Studio on the map. Since it opened in 2002 the boutique has reached iconic status winning many awards and inspiring a host of imitations. We were commissioned to develop the brand identity for the Stella McCartney Flagship stores worldwide starting in New York’s Meat Packing district.

Stella’s brief was for a relaxed environment with an air of nature where customers would be free to explore and discover her creations. The notion of the abstracted landscape was realised in a series of elements of differing scales including the contours and levels of the floors and hanging screens evocative of long grass. These formed a terrain for customers to casually explore.

The New York Store shows Universal and sister company Barber Osgerby working in collaboration with the invention of the bespoke porcelain Stella tile.  Using our international contacts in specialist fabricating we developed a bespoke tile design that could be mass produced and installed into any given retail format. The tile pattern quickly became one of the brand’s visual icons and has since been translated into print and exterior grade applications.