Bling It On!
We were approached to design KBOX, a South Korean costume jewellery brand. With the imposing site at Westfield Garden City, we had an opportunity to create something that would reflect the brand as it begins to grow in the Australian market.
Aimed at a younger aspirational demographic, together with the position in the mall, and shopfront height, it was important that the brand make a strong statement.

You Are Blingiful To Me
The brand needed to communicate that fashion beauty does not have to cost the earth. The brand sells costume fashion jewellery at a low cost. The dramatic design captures the theatrical origins of costume jewellery.

Costume jewellery is big and bright and meant to be seen, especially from a distance from the “stage”.
Light
The design needed to create a dramatic statement. Lighting is an important element of a design that can create this drama.
A black painted open ceiling creates a large void, and spotlights work to highlight the product creating contrast throughout.
Copper feature pendant lights bridge the 3D space emphasizing its height.
The illuminated sign at the shopfront and another towards the back of the store draw in customers like moths to a flame.

Contrast Can Create Focus
The store has a very pared down palette, consisting of timber for the joinery and black painted open ceiling. These matt low-sheen surfaces ensures that the focus is directed to the jewellery.
It is through contrast that we can direct energy and focus to where we want it to go. This is one of the elements of design that can act as a super power.

Developing Your Bling Superpower
As you have seen, the design principle of contrast can give you superpowers to direct and focus your customer’s attention.
Contrast counter-intuitively happens when we create areas of darkness and little details against areas of strong light and detail and repetition. Now you have discovered this secret design superpower, will you use it for good or evil? Just kidding.