Double Retail was founded in 2009 in Bristol a vibrant and creative city surrounded by beautiful countryside. The company specialises in the fashion, footwear and sportswear sectors. Creating unique identities for each retail project. Lead Designer, Alex Forsyth gives us a great insight on how he got into the industry and his thoughts on design.
Q: Why did you get into Interior Design?
A: Really, by way of opportunity. I had trained in product design but the chance came along to get involved in interiors and retail, so I just jumped at it.
Q: How did you start up your career?
A: It came about through contacts, my mentor at the end of university was starting a new business that sounded exciting and I was super keen to be a part of it. I basically just hounded the guy relentlessly for months till he gave in and gave me a job - and we’re still working together today.
Q: Where does your inspiration come from?
A: I can’t imagine that I’m that dissimilar from many designers in that I genuinely try to take inspiration from anything and everything, films, products, art, you name it. There’s got to be something worth looking at in everything.
Q: Can you tell us about a significant accomplishment or project that you regard as notable?
A: I’m always more into the latest thing that the team and I have accomplished, so, at the moment, that’s got to be the new G-Shock store on Carnaby Street. It’s really satisfying to see a design that you’ve worked so hard at being realised the way that you’d intended.
Q: Where would you like to see your company in 5 years from now?
A: In five years?! I think I’d love to see the company being recognised at a much larger scale for the pure interior design work we do. The work we’ve done with G-Shock has really raised our profile, and I’d like to see more similar brands approaching us.
Q: What project(s) are you working on at the moment?
A: Right now, our studio is super busy with projects for Canada Goose. I can’t say what exactly, but keep an eye on our site for an update.
Q: How do you think an Interior Designer should dress?
A: I’d say dress however the hell you want. I don’t believe anyone should dress, act or be anything but themselves. For me personally, I prefer clothes without logos, but that’s just me.
Q: If you could design anything, what would it be?
A: I’d love to design car interiors, I think it’s such an interesting market at the moment as it shifts into the electric age – the interior space there has the potential to be completely rethought as the way we view cars is going to completely change.
Q: What type of restaurant would you choose to go to for dinner?
A: I always enjoy being shown a good speak-easy style restaurant, the experience is always good fun and you get a fun anecdote. But generally, I love learning about food and cooking, so anywhere where the staff or chefs want to talk to you about their food, I’m all up for that.
Q: Can you give us a statement about Design
A: I don’t know if I should be doing that. It’s so easy to put a big lofty statement out there, but then you need to consider whether you can live by your words or not, and that can be a real challenge.
Q: If you could describe your designs related to food, what would it be and why?
A: This is probably an impossible question to answer without coming across as massively pretentious, so I'm just going to embrace that and say; I reckon my design would be like a really complicated reduction. I like to get all the ideas and all the details in, and then systematically remove and reduce until your left with the most potent flavour. See – what did I tell you?!
Q: What do you think of the design trends in the future?
A: I just see design leading us in a direction where each person feels their most comfortable, or having their own unique experiences. The challenge on our part is to provide atmospheres or interiors that everyone can interpret their own way.
Q: Who is your favourite Designer and why?
A: It’s hard to pick just one, but for me, and I don’t think he’d count as a “designer” as such, my favourite creative person by a long shout is David Lynch. The guy’s a genius.
Q: In which country would you like to have your project in?
A: The work that I’m involved in, we’re more focussed on cities. I’ve always wanted to work on a project in Tokyo. From a retail perspective, it’s the place to be if you want to push the envelope. Aside from that, Chicago is a special place for me so I’d want to find myself back there for work someday.
Q: What element of a design is the most important thing to you?
A: Its details, isn’t it? All the examples you mention, they’re all the little things that add up to the sum of its parts (and hopefully more). Especially coming from a product background, you learn to obsess over the little things.
Q: What is your favourite cocktail?
A: A Brooklyn. They call it the Manhattans’ dirty cousin. If you’ve not heard of it, look it up. You can thank me later.
