How Uchronia brought planet Koibird to a London high street
Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Belma Gaudio, Koibird (a portmanteau of the koi fish and a bird) is the go-to spot for twentysomethings to stock up on quirky homeware from the likes of Ichendorf Milano and Completedworks, as well as offbeat garments.
The physical store is situated in the heart of Marylebone and, though it usually gets an interior overhaul every season, for this renovation Gaudio wanted something more permanent to coincide with the launch of new integrated eatery, Koi 11 (opens 7 January). ‘The Koibird boutique has had a strong design aesthetic since its inception six years ago, with store interiors changing twice a year to suit a specific theme,’ she explains. ‘This time around, we wanted to create something true to the brand, but that wasn’t so temporary.’
Who better than Julien Sebban, founder of interior-design agency Uchronia and a self-confessed lover of kitsch, to capture the brand’s whimsical essence? ‘I reached out to Uchronia as it shares the same design sensibilities as Koibird, and I thought it would be the perfect partner,’ Gaudio recalls. The resulting boutique is a pulsating, futuristic space painted in intense washes of Brat-green and lilac paint. ‘We love a good ombré, and colour mixing has always been part of our branding,’ Gaudio says. It’s as far from Pantone’s neutral colour of the year, ‘Mocha Mousse’, as you can get.
Intergalactic references abound, from a silver-metal planet with orbiting rings that serves as a playful display for clothing to lava-stone tiles with concentric circles that evoke the surface of the Moon. Meanwhile, bags and accessories are displayed on disco-mirrored plinths and shelves. ‘Koibird is a journey to another planet,’ Sebban says. ‘Every element works together to create an immersive, otherworldly experience. The interior cocoons you in joyful colours, playing with scale and perception to evoke a childlike sense of wonder.’
It’s all part of Gaudio’s vision to tear up the conventional retail rulebook and ‘make shopping an opportunity for adventure’. Sebban says: ‘It’s a vibrant burst of colour and creativity on the high street. Once inside, it’s more than a shop; it’s an experience. It’s a vibe you don’t want to miss!,’ koibird.com.
