My Panda retail concept by Torafu Architects Japan

My Panda
Shop Until You Colour Block

This shop by Tokyo-based Torafu Architects takes it's cue from My Panda's two-toned bowler hats, blouses and duffel coats.

The designers used the bright and cheerful aesthetic as the inspiration for the entryway, a black and yellow mini house. The outside doubles as a resting place for passing shoppers, while windows and plant boxes give the shop a Lego cottage feel.

Clothes throughout the store are hung on a 'laundry line', while small mirrors top off display hooks for rows of sweaters alongside colour block shower curtains and rows of hats, and a black-and-white mural of a panda on a nearby wall entices customers to the Shibuya store.

It's not a fancy concept, but the approach creates a seamless bond between the clothes and the space, and emphasizes the Japanese brand's quirky, playful appeal.

Torafu Architects are particularly good at using simple materials and strong colours to convey the concept behind a brand - they recently designed two locations of Aesop in Japan, using painted oriental strand board to create to create a polished, built-in feel.