An Inside Look Into Ted Baker’s First Store In South Africa

Ted Baker launched his first store in South Africa within Sandton City, Johannesburg.  The 1960 square foot retail space will house Ted’s SS16 menswear, womenswear and accessory collections.

Every Ted Baker store design is bespoke and no two are the same.  For this project, inspiration has been taken from Johannesburg’s famous Shakespeare garden, whereby plants mentioned within the works of William Shakespeare are cultivated in a beautiful and serene setting.  With Ted also being an avid gardener himself, he wanted to bring his horticultural talent and a little Elizabethan grandeur found in England, to South Africa. 

An ornate Elizabethan wooden framed store front and antique oak floor with a black and white chequered in-lay, welcomes customers to the new space.  Plants and hanging greenery trail down behind the glazed shop front and an ornate gilded ceiling feature is reminiscent of a British stately home.

Conservatory style panelled walls with lush green plants behind the arches act as a hiding place for famous Shakespearean symbols and artefacts.  The skull from ‘Hamlet’ and the scales from ‘The Merchant of Venice’ are just a few of the treasures that can be found.  Sumptuous, heavy velvet fabrics and drapes fall from the ceiling, softening the interior.   Neon quotes on the wall mark the menswear and womenswear shopping areas; “The soul of the man is his clothes” and, “And though she be but little, she is fierce” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Prada Enters Into The South African Luxury Market

Image Credit: Sandton City Facebook

Prada opens its first store in Johannesburg, South Africa, inside the prestigious Sandton City Mall shopping centre.

The space, designed by architect Roberto Baciocchi, covers a total surface area of 800 square metres and houses the women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, leather goods, accessories and footwear collections.

The internal façade, of remarkable visual impact, stretches approximately 65 metres in length and with its elegant geometry results the focus of the “Diamond Walk”: a backlit white canvas curtain enclosed in a crystal box creates a sophisticated atmosphere. Black marble frames border the entrances, windows and light boxes, lending a precious flair to the space.

The entrance to the area dedicated to the women’s collection opens on a large octagonal space characterised by the signature black-and-white marble chequered flooring – a legacy of Prada’s identity worldwide – and green fabric-clad walls, which serve as a backdrop for sleek polished steel display cases embellished with black Marquinia marble chests of drawers.

From here, the visitor is led to two spaces defined by black marble-clad walls with cut-in alcoves dedicated to the display of exquisite leather goods, accessories and bijoux.

The areas devoted to the women’s ready-to-wear and footwear collections are separated by a green fabric curtain; elegant transparent perspex display units showcase the women’s ready- to-wear collections. The space housing women’s footwear is characterised by crystal and polished steel display niches, beige carpeting, fine crystal tables and green velvet sofas, to welcome customers in an elegant and refined atmosphere.

The area offering the men’s collection features masculine materials and finishes: slim Saint-Laurent marble floorboards and walls featuring bright orange encaustic painting. The first room is dedicated to the leather goods and accessories collections: precious polished steel display cases exalt the product.

A mirror portal leads to the spaces where the men’s ready-to-wear and footwear collections are displayed: polished steel counters with coloured saffiano leather elements and green ostrich leather sofas complete the setting.

Store Details:

PRADA – Santon City

Store number: U18

Operating Hours

Weekdays: 9am-8pm

Saturday: 9am-8pm

Sunday: 9am-6pm

Public Holidays: 9am-6pm