Nakaoka / Roberts Is A New York Based interior design

nakaoka / roberts is a new york based interior design and retail
imaging firm, creating distinctive signature environments for fashion
and retail brands.
n / r was founded in 2003 by christine nakaoka and norman roberts
as a design lab to explore all aspects of retail design and imaging in
parts and whole - from façade design to a shagreen in-laid display
cabinet - n / r strives for creative solutions to today’s store design
challenges.
christine nakaoka “we specialize in creating exciting retail concepts. the differences and similarities of our personal styles, philosophy of design and backgrounds come together to make up the ‘signature design style’ of our work. simple… bold… and nuanced.”
norman roberts “retail design gives us the opportunity to really play
with how an environment can impact a person’s experience, a brand
is an abstract thing, we have the fun job of making it tangible”
nakaoka / roberts
212 274 0033
nakaokaroberts.com
projects
luxury retail
bergdorf goodman beauty, new york
bergdorf goodman men, new york
d.porthault, paris
judith leiber, dubai
judith leiber, delhi
judith leiber, las vegas
paul stuart, new york
shreve crump & low, boston
specialty retail
ann taylor, manassat
ann taylor, water tower
ann taylor loft, times quare
c’bon, tokyo
city center by mgm/mirage, las vegas
eva scrivo, new york
mary norton, charleston
mary norton, melrose place, l.a.
sample, los angeles
sogo, osaka
victoria’s secret beauty, prototype
showrooms / offices
harrys of london showroom, new york
mary norton showroom, new york
mtv headquarters, milan
tbwa/bddp headquarters, milan
museums
j paul getty museum stores, los angeles
japanese american national museum, los angeles
visual merchandising
d. porthault, paris
judith leiber, las vegas
mary Norton, los angeles
seibu, japan
sogo, japan
products and packaging
crystal hanging sculpture installed at divine
floating cases installed at sample
fragrance bottle for prescriptives
furniture and home accessories for driade
light fixtures for magis
steuben glass hanging sculpture for installation at shreve crump & low
watches for swatch
various furniture and decorative accessories for home
various functional and decorative furnishings and display elements for specific projects
branding
cbmg, new york
kooba, new york
Awards and Publications
Awards
First Place, 2008 VMSD Retail Renovation Competition – Mary Norton Melrose Place
Grand Prize, 2006 NASFM Retail Design Award - Sogo, Osaka
First Place, 2006 VMSD Design Award - Judith Leiber, Las Vegas
Publications
Interior Design - nakaoka / roberts profile, April 2009
Beautyfeed - Eva Scrivo, New York, April 2009
WWD - Paul Stuart, Phineas Cole shop, New York, March 2009
Men.style.com - Paul Stuart, Phineas Cole shop, New York, March 2009
VMSD – Mary Norton, Melrose Place, September 2008
The Architects Newspaper – Eva Scrivo, New York, August 2008
New York Post / page six - Eva Scrivo, New York, July 2008
American Salon - Eva Scrivo, New York, July 2008
WWD – Eva Scrivo, New York, July 2008
Daily Candy - Eva Scrivo, New York, May 2008
VMSD – Judith Leiber, Las Vegas, March 2007
Maison Francaise – D. Porthault, Paris, January 2007
Best Stores of Year / 2006 – Judith Leiber, Las Vegas
WWD – Ann Taylor Loft, Times Square, November, 2006
Paris Match – D. Porthault, Paris, October 2006
Gotham Magazine – Judith Leiber, Las Vegas, 2006
DDI – Sogo, Osaka, March 2006
Improper Bostonian – Shreve Crump & Low, Boston, December 2005
WWD – Sogo, Osaka, September 2005
Various Japanese language Magazines and Newspapers – Sogo, Osaka, September 2005
Television
Martha Stewart Show - Design Interview for Eva Scrivo, July 2008
Sheila Bridges Designer Living – Designer Profile, May 2004
Various Japanese language televisions – Sogo, Osaka, September 2005
Page Six Magazine - June 2008
EVA SCRIVO...
has unveiled
her latest spot,
at 50 Bond St.
as seen in...
nakaoka / roberts profile
paul stuart / phineas cole
eve scrivo salon
d. porthault
prescriptives
mary norton
bergdorf goodman men
ann taylor loft
bergdorf goodman
CV
christine nakaoka
nationality
usa
place of birth seoul, korea
education
bs architecture, cal poly u san luis obispo
career
2003-present
partner
nakaoka / roberts new york
• innovative design lab providing holistic approach to creative
services for retail industry
• projects range from design of a crystal sculpture to creative
directing a launch of a global lifestyle brand
2005- 2006
creative director
callison architecture, ny
•projects responsible for include
-sogo, osaka japan
-seibu / sogo storewide visual merchandising program, japan
-d. porthault, paris
-judith leiber, las vegas
-ann taylor, prototype manhasset and chicago
-ann taylor loft, times square ny
2000-2002
vice president - store design - prescriptives & kate spade beauty
estee lauder companies, new york
• conceptualized and led the design team for installations worldwide.
• set and maintained retail image for the launch of kate spade beauty
• created roll-out process, achieveing operational efficiencies and
stronger brand image
1998-2000
vice president - store design and visual presentation
bergdorf goodman, new york
• planned, conceptualized and led the design team for
- level of beauty
- main floor jewelry and accessories
- various others for men’s and women’s stores
• played a key role in raising money and negotiating for major renovations
• raised the quality of interior visual presentation
• master planned women’s and men’s stores for future growth
1996-1998
director - store planning
federated department stores, cincinnati
• developed and applied straight-forward, customer-oriented planning
and innovative retail concepts for new and renovations of department stores.
1985-1996
principal / director of interior design
jt nakaoka associates architects, los angeles
• led the design team for retail and museum projects including:
- bergdorf goodman men, ny
- bergdorf goodman accessories court, ny
- re-imaging of marui co. ltd. tokyo
- japanese american national museum, los angeles
- ansel adams gallery, yosemite and carmel, ca
- van cleef & arpels, ny and honolulu
awards
First Place, VMSD Retail Renovation Competition (2008)
Grand Prize, NASFM Retail Design Awards (2006)
Best Stores of 2000 – NASFM & VMSD (2000)
Store of the Year – National Association of Store fixture Manufacturers (1994, 1989)
Grand Prize – National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers (1994, 1991, 1989)
Preservation Award - National Trust for Historic Preservation (1993)
Awards of Honor for 3 projects – Society of American Registered Architects (1992)
Inspiration Press Award – Inspirations magazine (1992)
Award of Excellence – National Council, American Society of Registered Architects (1992)
SADI (Superior Achievement in Design and Imaging) Award – Shopping Center World & Retail Store
Image magazines (1991)
Best of Show, NEOCON 23 – Showcase of Interior Design (1991)
New Store of the Year, Special Judge’s Award - Chain Store Age (1991, 1989)
Store of the Year – Institute of Store Planners/VM & SD magazine (1990)
Store of Excellence – Monitor magazine (1990)
publications
New York Times, New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times Magazine,
WWD, DNR, Gap-Japan, Interior Design, VMSD, DDI, Retail Store Image, Inspiration, Interiors, The
Architects Newspaper, California Preservation, Store Planning/Design: History, Theory & Process,
World Space Design, Showcase of Interior Design, The Best of 1990 Visual Art and Store Design
Switzerland, Stores of the Year no 14, Stores of the Year 2007, Shop Spec UK, Shops & Boutiques,
Retail Design International UK, Retail Management, Executive, Inside Retailing, Rafu Shimpo, Buzz,
Gotham, Los Angeles, New York, Maison Francaise, Other national and international publications.
television
Martha Stewart Show, May 2008
Sheila Bridges Designer Living, October, 2004
speaking
Annual Store Design and Visual Tour, Kiuchi Group, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
Prescriptives National and International Annual Sales Conferences, 2000, 2001; ASID National Design Conference, 1994; Seibu College of Design, Tokyo, 1992; International Conference of Shopping
Centers, Tokyo, 1992; National Association of Display Industries, New York, 1991; Asia Conference
on Store Planning & Design, Singapore, 1991; World Retailer Jamboree, Osaka, 1990
affiliations
BCN / Be Carbon Neutral – Advisory Board
LIM College – Advisory Board
CV
norman roberts
nationality
place of birth
education
career
usa
berkeley, california
bfa industrial design / ccac, san francisco
studied at ecole nationale superieure des creation industrielle, paris
2003-present
partner
nakaoka / roberts new york
• innovative design lab providing holistic approach to
creative services for retail industry
• projects range from design of a crystal sculpture to creative
directing a launch of a global lifestyle brand
2005- 2006
creative director
callison architecture, ny
•projects responsible for include
-sogo, osaka japan
-seibu / sogo storewide visual merchandising program, japan
-d. porthault, paris
-judith leiber, las vegas
-ann taylor, prototype manhasset and chicago
-ann taylor loft, times square ny
2000-2002
director - store design, prescriptives & kate spade beauty
estee lauder companies, new york
• shop design and visual merchandising for prescriptives installations worldwide
• roll out project and construction management
• new design concepts and development for various prescriptives environment
• design of p.r. and sales events
• design and development of kate spade beauty collateral and
fixturing for global launch
• manage capital construction and dept. budget
• manage day to day operations of store design department
1998-2000
independent designer
milan italy
• tbwa/bddp, interior design of international advertising agency’s headquarters
• interior design of mtv italia headquarters
• lighting design, eurolounge
• design of home accessories
1997-1998
1996-1997
designer
forakis design, milan
• swatch - concept and detail design of watches and packaging
• design of seating, shelving, lighting, home and desk accessories
designer
branson coates architecture, london
• exhibition designs included “living bridges” and “erotic design”
awards
first place, 2008 VMSD retail renovation competition
grand prize, 2006 nasfm retail design awards
publications
The Architects Newspaper
DDI
Gotham
Interior Design
Maison Francaise
VMSD
WWD
Various Japanese language newspapers
television
Martha Stewart Show, May 2008
Sheila Bridges Designer Living, October, 2004
speaking
Annual Store Design and Visual Tour, Kiuchi Group, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008
affiliations
BCN / Be Carbon Neutral - Advisory Board
crosslines
These two know lipstick.
And handbags. And men’s
ties. After meeting in the
visual-merchandising
department of the Estée
Lauder Companies brand
Prescriptives, Christine
Nakaoka and Norman Roberts founded Nakaoka/
Roberts. Since then,
they’ve taken on such
Christine
Nakaoka
and
Norman
Roberts
weave tales
about
beauty and
fashion
once upon a time
clients as Victoria’s Secret
Beauty, Judith Leiber, and
Paul Stuart and are also
developing a line of furnishings. Whatever the
project, environments play
out the brand narrative.
The plot thickens.
Didn’t you both formally
study something other than
strictly interior design?
CN: My bachelor’s degree is
clockwisefromtopleft:ronholtz;johnedwardlinden;courtesyofnakaoka/roberts
in architecture, an interest
sparked by my grandfather’s
Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired
house in Seoul, South Korea.
After graduation, I decided
that practicing interior design
would have a more immediate
impact on people’s lives. One
of my first “real” jobs was inhouse designer at J.W. Robin-
son’s in Los Angeles. I’ve been
doing stores ever since.
NR: My BFA is in industrial
design, which I’d planned to
use to enter architecture—my
love as a child—like Philippe
Starck. But as I progressed, I
came to appreciate the European model of “designer,”
who works across all disciplines. Recently, I realized I
was doing just that in retail.
Architecture through facades.
Interior design through space
planning. Industrial design
through custom furniture.
Why did you start your
own firm?
CN: We were in total sync
from the start at Prescriptives,
practically reading each other’s mind.
NR: It’s true. We’d complete
each other’s sentences or reference the same artist.
CN: We thought we ought to
apply our partnership to a
Clockwise from top left: The principals of Nakaoka/Roberts. The Mary Norton boutique in Los Angeles.
A watercolor rendering of Mary Norton’s facade in Charleston, South Carolina.
april.09interiordesign.net49
crosslines
What do you each bring to the collaboration?
NR: Broadly speaking, Christine brings the big, and
I bring the small. She has a great understanding of
space, whereas I geek out about the details.
How does visual merchandising differ with
accessories versus clothing?
NR: It’s mostly scale. Apparel has a larger presence,
Clockwise from top left: “Retail/Detail,” a show of the
firm’s work recently presented by New York’s Bridge­
gallery. The Judith Leiber boutique in Dubayy, United
Arab Emirates. A pencil rendering of Judith Leiber, Delhi.
Powder­coated steel Wallscape shelving.
especially if it’s displayed on mannequins. Smaller
items often need to have their own stage inside the
larger stage of the store.
CN: Accessories require more precisely calibrated,
flexible fixtures, but the fixtures also need to be
“invisible”—shoppers shouldn’t notice them. It’s
also important to incorporate softer elements, such
as curtains or sofas, to complement structured, hard
merchandise like shoes and bags.
Sounds a lot like the Mary Norton boutiques in
Los Angeles and Charleston, South Carolina.
NR: Yes, Mary came to us when she was expanding
from handbags into shoes. Our clients often have a
clear understanding of their product, but they have
difficulty tying it in with the larger environment
50interiordesign.netapril.09
where the product lives. It’s either too timid or too
outlandish.
CN: Mary’s very theatrical, very Southern, and her
bags have a vintage sensibility. We started by going
to Charleston, where she lives. We stayed at her
favorite hotel, had meals together, went antiquing.
Looking at her and looking at the product—where
she wanted to go and who her target customers
would be—we put together a narrative steeped in
’30’s and ’40’s sophistication.
NR: I Love Lucy and Hollywood musicals came to
mind. We researched interiors from those times,
developing a palette of peach, coral, and sea foam.
We also hit upon chinoiserie, which we made her
signature with a hand-painted silk wall covering
that set the aesthetic for her two stores, her shoe
boxes, even her Web site.
Is your process the same for a bigger brand?
NR: With Victoria’s Secret, we watched runway
shows for lingerie to find a part of the brand to
express for beauty products. And we noticed that
Judith Leiber’s packaging and gift wrapping were
pink, but it wasn’t anywhere in the shops, so we
created pink-lined dioramas. For established
brands, we’ll also do a quick pass-through of a
store, like we’re shoppers, then ask, “What was our
impression? Too dark? Too light? Was an aspect not
highlighted enough?” It’s part analytical, part gut.
clockwisefromtopleft:jessicaboucher;courtesyofal-futtaimgroup;courtesyofnakaoka/roberts(2)
more independent, experimental way of working,
beyond the world of cosmetics. Also, Estée Lauder
was downsizing. We didn’t want to stop working
together.
crosslines
How about for Paul Stuart’s
Phineas Cole brand?
NR: The CEO had an outline of
Speaking of new, how’s your
furnishings line?
NR: So far, there’s lighting,
who the fictional character of
Phineas Cole should be. In his late
30s, urban, a traveler, slightly
irreverent.
CN: We rounded out the story,
filled in the details. If Phineas
travels, he must collect things—
an unusual lamp, a wacky chair.
If he’s younger than the traditional
Paul Stuart customer, the space
should be lighter, more open, but
it still had to link to the parent
brand. So the paneling is herringbone, connecting with the leather
parquet throughout and men’s
tweed in general.
shelving, a magnetic display wall,
a partition, a mirror. We’ve had
promising responses from other
interior designers and a few big
retailers.
CN: We hope to design a store for
our own products one day.
And what would that look like?
NR: Painfully minimal yet comfort-
ably casual, like a Donald Judd.
CN: Ethereal, like walking on
clouds, or intensely rich, like the
inside of a Japanese lacquered
box. —Annie Block
Any other retail clients on the
horizon now?
NR: It’s tough out there. We’ve
From top: The Phineas Cole depart­
ment at Paul Stuart in New York.
A pencil rendering of library­style
shelving there.
fromtop:courtesyofpaulstuart;courtesyofnakaoka/roberts
been focusing on the branding
side—developing logos, labels,
hang tags, etc.—until clients start
budgeting for new construction
again.
Circle 66
52interiordesign.netapril.09