CLIENT Perri Cutten
PROJECT Retail
DATE December 2022
LOCATION Manuka, Canberra

Perri Cutten Manuka

Paying homage to the 40-year legacy of Australian fashion label, Perri Cutten, the Manuka project is the first in an ongoing relationship between Brahman Perera and Perri Cutten, crafting a layered experience grounded in its local context. The interior for the Manuka boutique combines quality materiality, timeless forms and tailored details that echo the modern femininity that the Perri Cutten label is known for.

The coarseness of the original buildings’ hull is refined with a soft biscuit-toned render and interspersed with various timber displays that allow for a variety of clothing presentations and arrangements. Finished with mirrored panels and solid timber plinths, these elements take inspiration from curatorial methods in fine art galleries, while a series of curved clothing displays in the centre of the boutique creates an anchor and beating heart to the space.

Saturated inflections of a true primary-coloured red represent the confidence of the Perri Cutten woman, akin to a swipe of red lipstick. Its form is an unadorned custom display unit, inspired by Donald Judd’s beautifully austere artworks and furniture. A travertine counter operates as a terra firma, the solidity contrasting against raw silk curtains behind. Throughout, Perri Cutten Manuka is enlivened with collected furnishings, lighting and artworks by local makers and artisans, tying the store narrative to its immediate Australian context.