Child Studio has collaborated with the British spectacle maker Cubitts to create the brand’s first store outside of London. Located on the English coast in the heart of Brighton, the site has provided a rich source of inspiration for the designers, who drew on the modernist heritage of the seaside town to create a layered and tactile environment with a touch of nostalgia.
The design duo was inspired by Martin Parr’s iconic series ‘The Last Resort’ featuring photographs of the beachside ice cream parlour and its eccentric patrons. Muted blue walls, geometric aluminium shelving and cherry wood cabinets pay homage to the quintessentially 70’s aesthetic of those images. The concrete floor was painted a vivid yellow shade, creating a contrasting backdrop for the sunlit interior.
“The interior aims to capture the nostalgic charm of the English seaside resort towns, with their amusement arcades and kiosks unchanged since the 1970s and 80s as if frozen in time. The pastel tones and bold simplicity of those settings bring back childhood holiday memories,” commented the designers Che Huang and Alexy Kos of Child Studio.
The large windows are lined with terrazzo-like ‘Blue Dapple’ recycled plastic, whilst the central 3-meter long table showcases the brand’s ‘Brighton collection’ evoking the striking geometry of the local modernist landmarks: Embassy Court building and Saltdean Lido. The furniture and light fixtures were carefully curated by Child Studio and feature authentic pieces by Joe Colombo and Verner Panton, as well as the classic tubular steel ‘OMK’ lounge chairs designed by Rodney Kinsman in 1965.
The store sits on the corner of North Laine district – the vibrant neighbourhood where narrow alleyways bustle with a diverse mix of independent fashion boutiques, vintage shops and local restaurants. Cubitts were looking to become a part of this unique community and create a place deeply embedded in the locality.
“This feels like somewhat of a spiritual homecoming for us. We are named after the Cubitt brothers, and one of the three, Thomas Cubitt, was involved in the building of Brighton’s Kemptown area, and lived here for a while too,” said the brand’s founder Tom Broughton.
