Company overview

I Love Ugly, founded by Valentin Ozich, is a New Zealand men’s streetwear label renowned for their premium quality and signature pared back aesthetic. The homegrown and independently owned brand has made its mark internationally with a global presence throughout Australia, the US, Europe, and Japan.

The scope

• Design
• Manufacturing
• Installation
• Project management

The Brief

I Love Ugly engaged RD to execute the fit-out for three of their stores situated at Sylvia Park and Commercial Bay in Auckland and The Crossing in Christchurch. RD worked closely in collaboration with the I Love Ugly team to bring their design vision to life.

Services provided

• Interpretation of the design brief and documentation for mall approval.
• Design and manufacturing of wall fixtures.
• Execution of three store fit-outs.

Challenges

• Navigation of approval processes with Precinct Properties added another layer of complexity with stakeholders.
• De-fitting the site, a former Federation store, and fitting-out for new needs.
• Overcoming logistical challenges in delivering items to Commercial Bay.
• Meeting tight timelines for the Commercial Bay store opening required round-the-clock efforts and last-minute deliveries and installations.
• Designing and manufacturing complex steel shelving supports and bracing in line with specific requirements. This included adapting fixtures to meet various configurations of shelving and hanging racking sections throughout the store.

The result

I Love Ugly, in partnership with RD, successfully launched three stores at Sylvia Park, Commercial Bay and most recently Christchurch.
Taking inspiration from I Love Ugly’s brand identity, RD meticulously translated their hallmark look and feel into functional and aesthetically designed spaces. Through a process of value engineering, RD ensured that the stores met the design brief while also being practical and suitable for manufacturing and installation.
Key to the project’s success was the strategic deployment of custom steel supports designed to adapt to the height variations and unique requirements of each space. Innovative solutions like a spigot system for steel posts above a specific height were instrumental in achieving adjustability, flexibility and precision in the installation process. In the CAD phase, notches were introduced in the steel posts, which meant that once the metres of steel had been cut to size, the two parts could be slotted and welded together in an accurate position. Shelves were then screwed into position on site to complete the structure.
The end result was three supremely crafted retail experiences that perfectly captured the essence of I Love Ugly’s brand. This partnership with I Love Ugly further solidified RD as a trusted collaborator in the retail design sector.

What they said

“I Love Ugly is thrilled with the results of our collaboration with RD. The team’s attention to detail and commitment to realising our design vision surpassed our expectations.” – Valentin Ozich, Founder of I Love Ugly.