Tailor Inc.

Earlier this year, we had the privilege of partnering with LagardèreAWPL to refurbish five Relay – travel essentials stores at Auckland’s Domestic and International terminals. Collaborating closely with our client and shopfitter based in Sydney, we set out to enhance both the brand and the customer experience, aligning the stores with Relay's 'Next Gen' rebrand vision. The design focused on creating flexible spaces with fixtures, fittings, and digital screens seamlessly integrated into key areas such as the gondolas and shopfronts. We also redefined the Travel Well and Kids zones, giving them distinct identities that stood apart from the main travel essentials section. The introduction of express checkouts provided a faster, more convenient customer journey, while the addition of free water stations offered a thoughtful, sustainable feature. Sustainability was central to the project, with a focus on using eco-friendly materials, finishes, and reusing existing elements like ceilings and services. The stores’ new design reflects a distinctly Aotearoa feel through five core elements. Light oak timber was used extensively for flooring, fixtures, and joinery, bringing natural warmth and earthiness to the interiors. Movement, a key part of the brand’s identity, was captured through animated signage and a spatial layout that ensures clear wayfinding, making navigation effortless for travellers. The shopfronts feature striking, black-stained timber, creating a bold and inviting entrance, while hints of Relay’s signature red were carefully placed throughout the space, adding vibrancy and reinforcing brand identity. Quality remained at the heart of the design, reflected in the choice of materials, lighting, and meticulous detailing. By prioritising these elements, the new Relay stores offer an elevated retail experience that reflects the brand’s commitment to excellence. This project exemplifies how thoughtful design can transform retail spaces, blending functionality with local identity to create something memorable. It was an honour to be able contribute to this evolution, crafting spaces that resonate with travellers and embody the essence of Aotearoa. Designer: Tailor Inc Shopfitter: Trivision Shopfitters Photographer: Mark Scowen #RetailDesign #SustainableDesign #CustomerExperience #AucklandAirport #LagardèreAWPL

Tailor Inc. partnered with Z Energy NZ to reimagine the traditional service station, transforming it into an inviting roadside destination that truly "keeps people moving." Our innovative retail refresh concept blended smart design with a uniquely Kiwi identity, creating spaces that resonate with customers while driving retail sales across the network. By leveraging authentic and relatable materials, we crafted an environment that feels refreshingly local, enhancing the customer experience and setting a new benchmark for service station retail in New Zealand. Delivering this large-scale program required meticulous planning and close collaboration with all stakeholders. With early contractor engagement, we established accurate cost estimates and leveraged economies of scale to streamline the rollout process. This approach allowed us to refresh 25 sites within just seven months, with site turnovers achieved in as little as 7–14 days. Despite the scale and diversity of Z’s locations, from urban centres to rural destinations, our compact and agile team ensured the programme remained efficient and adaptable, reacting quickly to challenges without compromising quality. Our approach went beyond aesthetics, focusing on functionality and operational efficiency. We carefully analysed customer flow and staff workflows to design layouts that minimised wait times, reduced congestion, and improved accessibility to key resources. Standardised joinery and bulk manufacturing solutions allowed for consistency across site formats while enabling localised adaptations. The result is a cohesive and scalable design framework that aligns with Z’s future strategy, enhancing both the customer journey and staff satisfaction, and cementing Z Energy’s position as a leader in innovative retail experiences.

A massive thanks to all those who attended our annual Wind Down event held at the brand new Allbirds Britomart store. Congratulations to our spot prize winners, and cheers to Free AF | AF Drinks for providing the bubbles. We had a fabulous time with you all and we hope you did too! Best of luck with the silly season and have a happy holiday break. We look forward to catching up again in 2025. 📸 Jay Moon

Another Tailor Inc Design.Delivered masterpiece set for completion before Christmas 2024. It's been a pleasure to work with SSP on this.

Tailor Inc. has crafted the new ‘Allbirds & Friends’ flagship store in Britomart with a design that embodies sustainability, achieved through thoughtful material selection and adaptive reuse. The ‘& Friends’ section introduces brands such as Cotopaxi, Hydroflask, and Nocs, each resonating with Allbirds’ commitment to sustainability and innovative design. Base build elements the of the existing tenancy were reused and enhanced, including the existing ceiling and timber flooring. A layered lighting scheme brings the space to life, combining repurposed LED fixtures from the previous store, with the addition of new concealed LED strip lighting, that accentuates architectural details and adds a sense of depth to the product display. Contrasting black detailing has been thoughtfully incorporated throughout, to ground the design, adding depth and enhancing visual appeal. The interior aesthetic flows seamlessly with bespoke facetted walls featuring concealed lighting and a custom fixture system, allowing Allbirds full flexibility in reconfiguring their displays. Additionally, we shifted away from a typical point-of-sales counter to a more mobile service approach, enabling staff to engage with customers directly when in the store and complete sales with ease in any location. The overall store layout has been carefully considered and designed with the customer journey and operational requirements in mind as well as the staff interaction, to elevate the overall customer experience. Signature Allbirds brand elements including mirrors, chairs, signage, and display plinths were repurposed and strategically placed to minimise waste. Sustainable new materials, including cork and timber, add warmth and texture to the store, complementing the product-focused design. Located on a corner site in the Britomart precinct, the design naturally draws customers in from either side of Takutai Square, emphasising both the product and the store’s sustainable ethos. Client: Allbirds Photography by: Jono Parker Fitout by: Dimension Shopfitters

We are excited to announce that our design for RIFTERS Gin Tasting Room & Retail Store in the heart of Arrowtown, won the Food and Beverage Retail Merit Award at the RED Awards on Friday evening! Tailor Inc. created a refined and immersive tasting room and retail space for RIFTERS, set within the beautiful Dudley’s cottage precinct. This project seamlessly blends the brand's boutique, handcrafted identity with the unique character of its historic setting. The design respects the building’s heritage character by ensuring all elements are freestanding or removable, preserving its original features. The spatial layout maximises the cosy, yet inviting premises, intuitively guiding customers to the product display and storytelling elements that showcase the history and craftsmanship behind RIFTERS gin. Custom cabinetry, warm toned materials, and thoughtful styling tie the brand’s identity to the Arrowtown context, providing an authentic experience that celebrates both the brand and its location. Client: RIFTERS Photography by: Mark Scowen Fitout Contractor: Lakes Building Co.

We recently completed the interior for The a2 Milk Company's new Auckland Head Office, in association with MINISTRY - to create a warm, textural, and timeless space, blending authenticity with functionality. Our design embraces a classic aesthetic, accented with subtle pops of A2 Milk's corporate branding colours. The office features a large social hub, an open-plan workspace, executive offices, client-facing and internal meeting rooms, collaboration zones and an impressive entry lobby. To further elevate the design, we incorporated acoustic wall linings with the boardroom and meeting rooms, ensuring both comfort and sound quality in these key spaces. Natural materials such as unfilled travertine, layers of timber in various forms, and brass accents add a refined touch. The result is a space that is not only visually striking and detailed, but also inviting and practical for day-to-day operations. Photography - Mark Scowen

We are super pleased and so proud our Creative Director, Kevin Russ has been nominated for the PCNZ Outstanding Leadership Awards. With his wealth of experience and mentorship of much NZ design talent, we couldn’t think of a better person to be nominated for this illustrious award. Good luck, Kevin. We at Tailor Inc applaud you!

This is a special moment for us! We’re thrilled to recognise the achievements and announce the promotion of Harrison Sutton to General Manager of Construction Project Management at Tailor Inc. Since joining us at the inception of our business, Harrison has consistently impressed both our team and our clients with his growth, adaptability, and unwavering dedication. His contributions have been pivotal to numerous successes, perfectly embodying our "design delivered" philosophy on some of our most challenging and high-profile projects. We are confident he will thrive in this new leadership role, and we’re excited to see his Project Management team set new benchmarks in 2025! Congratulations Harrison! #tailorinc #projectmanagement #construction

Bringing Mānawa Bay to Life: A Collaborative Effort It takes a truly exceptional team - experienced, talented, and dedicated - to realise and deliver a retail project as significant as Mānawa Bay. From the initial planning stages, to aligning with leasing, coordinating the complex base build requirements, and delivering the highest standard in design and shopfitting, Tailor Inc.'s retail delivery team has achieved an outstanding result for Auckland Airport at Mānawa Bay. A special shout-out to Auckland Airport, Savory, RDT, and our incredible Tailor Inc. team, led by Mike Chapman alongside Tash Douglas, Ursula Navarro, Shaun Munro, and Clinton van der Bergh. Together, we've achieved something remarkable! #manawabay #retail