Band of Outsiders
70 Wooster Street, New York
Tel: 212-965-1313
Architect: LOT-EK

Band of Outsiders’ founder Scott Sternberg looks to classic films when designing his fashion line, references that show through in the brand’s new Soho flagship store. LOT-EK, known for its shipping-container architecture, designed the space as a twist on the technology and aesthetic of the classic road case, bringing in design elements from a recently completed Tokyo store. “We wanted to find something nostalgic that goes back to travel and the idea of the steamer trunk, but make it more modern,” said LOT-EK project architect Aaron Mark.

A series of eight large white cases are grouped in the center of the space beneath lids on a pulley system above. Casters allow for a reconfigurable layout able to handle different collections and special events. Mark described the design as “a large display installation that does everything; it’s like a Swiss Army knife.” Additional reconfigurable cases line the walls.

To open up the lofty double-height space, LOT-EK removed a mezzanine level and exposed original cast-iron columns. As a nod to the firm’s origins, durable Apitong plywood from shipping containers is used as flooring. A mural from a Jean-Luc Godard film completes the space, serving as a backdrop for the brand’s film industry glamour and concealing a wholesale showroom.