Striking pastel hues, rich yellows and greens, and a wide range of greys define the new Moniker Man and Moniker Sport areas open to the public in early 2021.
Description of project by Snøhetta
Snøhetta has expanded the playful brand and interior concept for the Norwegian house of fashion brands Moniker with a new men’s and sports section. By adding a spacious new story to the 1,500 m² Moniker universe, the expansion creates a unique shopping experience centrally located in Oslo by the newly renovated Valkyrien square. In a time where retail is challenged, the new Moniker brand store concept invites shoppers to discover new styles and ways of expressing themselves through a bold interior and graphic design that takes in-store shopping experiences to new heights.
Situated by the busy high-end shopping street in Oslo, Bogstadveien, Moniker opened its doors to the public in the Spring of 2020. The Moniker brand experience is inspired by the human need to express individuality and features five distinctive personality traits, influenced by iconic muses of the 19th and 20th century. These zones offer secluded and playful spaces for visitors to enjoy, making a visit to Moniker about more than a simple transaction, but rather an immersive experience counterpointing fast fashion and the standardization and predictability of traditional department stores.
In early 2021, the Moniker brand store was extended with a new story comprising a men’s and sports section dubbed Moniker Man and Moniker Sport. The extension complements the existing brand store by expanding the physical space of the online store, and by adding a new dimension to the existing space.
Inspired by the bold astronaut couple Anne Lee Fisher and William Frederick Fisher, Moniker Sport features minimalistic sportswear for both men and women. This zone sources its cultural references from NASA, echoing technical space gear and the dichotomy between the human sphere and the other-worldly, the industrial and the organic. The zone features steel-toned details against a more earthy and coarser backdrop and is designed in collaboration with art designer Pettersen & Hein. Moniker Sport further plays on different nuances of white, inspired by the six shades of white that can be found in an astronaut’s spacesuit. Designed as a unified space that should reveal itself as one walks through, Moniker Sport offers a playful and out-of-this-universe experience for exploration and fun.
Moniker Man features two zones based on the existing Moniker brand store concept. Inspired by the personality traits “sensitive” and “ambitious”, the men’s wear section of Moniker is inspired by French movie star Alain Delon and race car driver and Hollywood hero Paul Newman.
Delon’s zone is inspired by the French riviera and features a warm and colorful interior design that challenges our conception of what falls into the categories feminine and masculine. The graphic design Snøhetta developed for this part of the Moniker brand experience heavily informed the interior design, creating a space with rounded shapes, arches, and organic shapes. Playing on a more classic repertoire, the ambitious zone features timeless, hollywoodesque materials such as burlwood, combined with the more industrialized material palette of the racing industry.
By superimposing layers of cultural references and atmospheres through the brand identity, and graphic and interior design, Moniker highlights and honors those who dare to stand out and showcase their individuality. Through its interdisciplinary and holistic approach to branding, graphic design and interior design, the Moniker brand house sets out to become a new icon of the Norwegian and Scandinavian brand house scene, both in the physical Moniker brand house and online on moniker.no.
