MAISON ORION

Cover sheet of the working drawings

Clothing for contemporary activists

Apolis Common Gallery – Los Angeles, CA USA

By Scott M B Gustafson

…we founded Apolis with a simple idea that people can live better lives if they are given equal access to opportunity. Our travels abroad immersed us in personal stories of struggle and survival that inspired us to create a business model that bridges commerce and sustainable development. A model which we call advocacy through industry. Along with our commitment to global advocacy, we also understand the importance of sourcing and manufacturing locally. An average of sixty percent of our product assortment is made in the United States and each of the manufacturers we partner with are part of our goal to empower people through opportunity instead of charity. Since we started, our philosophy has grown into a global community of people from all walks of life who believe that the most valuable practice in creating lasting change is by investing in people. It is people who are the innovators, the advocates, and the revolutionaries. Apolis is a platform for a network of global citizens who are empowering people through opportunity.

Shea Parton, Apolis Brand Director

I was drawn to Apolis (Greek for “Global Citizen”) originally as a fan of their daring blend of capitalism and social entrepreneurship. I recognized a strong link between their design aesthetic and focus on quality, durability, sustainability and community development and the goals I set for MAISON ORION as a design studio. In early 2011 we initiated a dialogue on retail design, authentic experiences, empowered consumers and sustainable development.

I’d been following the company for a few years. I love the blend of activism and capitalism they bring to their collaborations. Early on in the process I mentioned that as their business model is equal parts social and sartorial, any retail endeavor they pursue will need to incorporate aspects of a meeting hall, a library, a speakeasy and of course a shop. More than ever products need to tell a story. Apolis allows their customers to be part of the story by supporting, through their purchases, the lives of the workers they partner with. Shea Parton has said that “Apolis is a brand you join rather than just purchase” speaks deeply about the mission of empowering opportunity that Apolis champions.

Unlike other clients I have worked with, the Apolis team possess numerous skills which make the design process run more smoothly. Visual literacy, construction experience, process management and inspiring insight into brand concepts have been a part of every conversation during the development of the design. Raan Parton, the design director of Apolis, had a very clear vision from the beginning of what kind of retail experience he wanted to achieve with this project. Some designers are intimidated by clients with a strong sense of direction, fearing loss of control in the creative process. I relish the chance to work with energetic people who push me to do my best. If I felt that I couldn’t do excellent work with them I would have not accepted this commission.

These sketches were drawn in early July, 2011. After completing initial code and zoning research and agreeing on a program (the list of rooms and their sizes), I typically start the design process by sketching spatial ideas that get tested and refined in dimensionally accurate computer drawings. When I was younger, I tended to draw in a more elevational format; more frequently now I work in perspective. I start feeling the space and honing in on the scale of the various elements in the design. Between sketches, physical models and 3D computer models and computer drafting (CAD and BIM) and frequent on-site walks, the design takes shape. As process sketches, these drawings do not necessarily represent the final design of the project.

http://apolisglobal.com/

Follow the Common Gallery on Twitter @CommonGallery

Architectural and retail reference images

Los Angeles Arts District

Green foliage frames crisp apertures

A fully re-configurable layout for changing moods

Honoring the bones of the existing building

Apolis lapel pin for Advocates

Check out this excellent film on the history of Apolis by the British production company Lonely Leap Film.