Judge's comments:

Showcasing the brand's commitment to ethical and sustainable fashion, the store's minimalist design and use of natural materials exemplify care and craftsmanship while reflecting their "off-grid" philosophy. With a focus on simplicity, Kowtow Naarm offers customers a unique shopping experience that aligns with their values.

Description:

Kowtow was established in 2007 with the desire to create an ethical label that would be the example of a conscious fashion-forward, global-thinking, clothing business.

With two existing retail touchpoints in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand, Kowtow Naarm is the brand’s first international boutique, located in Melbourne's vibrant and historically rich area of Fitzroy.

The space aims to articulate the lifecycle of cotton, through a simplicity of design and material richness, reflecting Kowtow’s ‘off-grid’ philosophy.

Situated over two floors of a mid-nineteenth-century commercial building on Gertrude Street, the interior of Kowtow Naarm features a pared-back palette of thoughtful and ethically minded natural materials. Like the Wellington flagship and Auckland stores, all aspects of Kowtow Naarm have been selected with sustainability in mind.

Floor-to-ceiling joinery of Spotted Gum, wall coverings of coarse lime wash plaster, suspended panels of Kozo washi, reclaimed timber cabinetry, textiles of linen and wool, and a refinished floor of Victorian Ash imbue the space with an empathic lightness and sensitivity to place.

Customers can seamlessly engage with the brand through both physical and digital channels, and this space provides a platform reflecting Kowtow’s belief that good design should leave the planet better than it was found.

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging.

145 sqm
Naarm/Melbourne, Australia 2023
Photography: Rory Gardiner