Conran opens its new location in London’s Sloane Square, marking a new era and direction for the company. Considered one of the city’s leading design destinations, it was founded in 1973 by Sir Terence ConranConran Store began its history as, in the words of its founder, “a home for considered design and curated living”, and over the past five decades it has remained an exciting key figure in London’s design shopping scene.
Conran’s Store, Sloane Square
(Image credit: Courtesy of Conran Store)
The new Sloane Square store marks a turning point in the company’s history. The space provides a new perspective on Conran store designs, as the company moves towards focusing on its collections created through collaborations with Matthew Hilton, Daniel Schofield, Samuel Wilkinson and more.
“The new store will feel like a home,” says Peter Jenkins, CEO of The Conran Shop, who has worked over the past two-and-a-half years to develop the new era for the company. He’s guided by the spirit of Sir Terence Conran himself, having access to dozens of his books, long-term collaborators still involved with the company and even a Desert Island Discs ring.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Conran Store)
“We have this rich legacy of our founder to draw inspiration from,” he says. “And that was our focus, to get back to being a home for thoughtful design, to curate people’s living spaces. Terrence did that brilliantly, and he was focused on traveling the world and bringing products that you couldn’t find anywhere else. And that was at the heart of what we did during The last two years.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Conran Store)
Product is the starting point of the store, not a collection, but a series of well-thought-out items and furniture designs that come together to create a well-curated home experience throughout the store. “We really tried to be thoughtful all the way through the space here,” Jenkins adds. “The store will be a place where you don’t just transact, but you can get design, inspiration, design information and be aware of other things going on.” We don’t just want to open a store, we want to communicate design.’
To liven up the space, Jenkins worked with art consultancy Fine Line Art, to organize artwork throughout the store and give the space an additional warm, homey feel. Additionally, artist Charlie Sheppard designed one of his signature mosaic-like pieces for the store, a colorful and graphic addition to the space.
Conran store identity by pentagram
(Image credit: Courtesy of Conran Store)
Central to the brand’s new era (and the first item visitors to the new Conran store will approach when they arrive) is the new visual identity led by Pentagram partner Sascha Lobe (who won the 2019 Wallpaper Design Award for the signage at Amorepacific’s headquarters in Seoul). .
“Sacha has an innate understanding of Conran,” says Jenkins. A modern brand, the new identity reflects Conran’s dedication to progress, design and excellence, and represents the brand’s past and future.
Lobe has created a new bespoke typeface to adapt to every element of the brand’s communications, based on a sleek, modern composition inspired by the eclectic and inclusive design vision of Sir Terence Conran. “Sir Terence Conran and his legacy have been our biggest source of inspiration,” says Loeb. “We had a real conversation about his legacy – how he sought the new, how he curated and selected it. For us, it was clear that the new brand identity had to reflect this idea. We started working on a custom typeface to find the most suitable combination of letters, which evolved Then into a typeface family, ‘The Conran Shop Legacy Typeface Collection’, and all the assets evolved from there.’
(Image credit: Courtesy of Conran Store)
Lobe also created what promises to be among the new store’s most attractive spaces, a Le Corbusier-inspired bathroom, based on the architect’s Modulor Man. After extensive research into its design and philosophy, the new space designed by Lobe is based on a flexible tile system comprising 18 different modules with a typographic visual theme.
Back to Conran’s roots
(Image credit: Courtesy of Conran Store)
The move to Sloane Square holds great significance for the brand, firstly because it was important to remain in Chelsea following the closure of the store’s Michelin Building site, but also because this is where Sir Terence Conran lived for several years in the 2000s. 2010s. “It felt like a new home to us, a perfect place to showcase a fresh start,” adds Jenkins.
It’s a fresh start and a look back at the company’s ethos, and at everything Conran the man meant to British design and beyond. “The most important part of any Conran story is the history, heritage and purpose: we tried to bring the work back to that essence,” says Jenkins. “For a brand to be successful, it must connect with its purpose, understand why it exists. We will forever be connected to Sir Terence Conran, and continue to celebrate his essence and spirit.
Conran store
16 Sloane Square
SW1 WAQ
conranshop.co.uk