THE OVERVIEW
Our first project with Milligram was in 2023, when we worked together to design a flagship store in Sydney. Located within the iconic Dymocks Building, the store is a generous 180sqm site, with the storefront facing busy George Street in the CBD.
Since 2007, Milligram has been the retail home to the world's best designer stationery, office, and lifestyle accessories. Initially starting life as an online-only business, in 2017, Milligram chose to grow their retail reach by opening bricks-and-mortar stores across Australia.
THE CHALLENGE
Milligram stocks thousands of SKUs, and over half of them are smaller than your hand.
Our challenge was to design the store where the product was the hero, but never at the expense of squandering space.
Working with their three biggest selling categories, pens, inks and notebooks, we needed to take some very small products and amplify their reach to quickly reach their customer.
THE SOLUTION
PENS - Milligram pen ranges are categorised across type, brand and price point. For the selected ranges that sat wall-side in the store, we designed pen-frames that capitalised on the neatness and uniformity of pens - grouping them visually fortified their presence.
To showcase the premium pen ranges, we designed a bespoke, multi-purpose, free-standing unit. Running down the centre of it are lockable glass-boxes that frame the pens, elevating their value and beckoning the customer forward.
NOTEBOOKS - Milligram’s notebook game is strong. They cater for all tastes; lines, plain, grid, dots, to all requirements; from year-planners, to visual diaries.
The notebook walls we designed prop the books up to 60 degrees, so customers can easily see what's available without needing to rifle through stacks. Custom-designed pull-out trays offer customers the chance to look more closely at their short-list before they buy.
INK - Lastly, and possibly our favourite section, we created the ink wall. Milligram sells small pots of ink in every colour imaginable. But when the product is the size of a golf ball, and then stocked in a cardboard box, it’s tricky for customers to see what creative possibilities sit within each box.
Working with the product's exacting dimensions, we designed shelving units that neatly presents each colour. Then we installed an acrylic slot to sit adjacent to each ink pot hole. The slot is where an accompanying, hand-painted, colour swatch sits in, showing off the vibrant colour the ink bottle hides. With all the colours on full display simultaneously, it’s a kaleidescope of colour.
THE OUTCOME
"We’ve worked with Lex Design on several of our new Milligram stores opening in Sydney. The best part of working with Chris and Renee is that they listen to what we need, then they create great solutions that work for us. They’re a great balance between offering creative design as well as having a functional mindset. They are a fast and responsive team." – Scott Druce, CEO
Written by Renée Ballard, ©️ 2024
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