River Island

River Island wanted their new 21,000-square-foot flagship store at Manchester’s Trafford Centre to set a benchmark for the brand. The brief was to modernise the retail experience while staying true to the company’s family-owned heritage and reputation as a high street favourite.

The Challenge

The large footprint of the site presented both opportunity and complexity. The design needed to create clear customer journeys across departments while maintaining warmth and cohesion. The space also had to reflect River Island’s distinctive personality – balancing timeless appeal with a contemporary, energetic edge.

Our Response

We used strong architectural gestures to divide and define the space: oversized crittall walk-throughs, ceiling rafts, and a mix of timber, resin and brick flooring that guided movement naturally from one zone to the next. Retaining the original blockwork walls gave the store a tactile, grounded quality.

Against this raw, honest backdrop, we layered colour and energy. Interactive fitting rooms wrapped in bold wallpaper, reclaimed furniture, bespoke artwork and projected video brought individuality and playfulness. Fixtures were designed to lead the eye through each collection, ensuring the product always took centre stage.