ANCE gria

A Paddington terrace shopfront becomes an intimate world of fashion, colour and theatre for Melbourne label Ance Gria. The brand’s first Sydney boutique marks our studio’s retail debut and a playful return to Jillian’s fashion roots, bringing together retro glamour, richly layered materials and the inviting comfort of a private salon.

(1890) VICTORIAN

SCOPE:
Retail

LOCATION:
Paddington

Ance Gria boutique in Paddington with gold velvet drapes, curved timber counter and amber glass lamps by Jillian Dinkel

On Gurner Street in Paddington, Ance Gria’s first Sydney boutique gives physical expression to the vision of twin sisters Annie and Grace Mitchell. Founded in Melbourne, the emerging fashion label sought a space with a distinctive concept- retro sensibility, deep saturated colour and a generous sense of drama.

For Jillian, whose career began in fashion editorial at Vogue and GQ, the commission offered a welcome return to a familiar creative world. Our first retail interior design project brings the intimacy and attention to detail of our residential work to the experience of discovering and trying on clothes.

Beginning with a largely blank terrace shopfront and an exciting creative brief from Ance Gria, we created an enveloping interior of burgundy carpet, lustrous bronze-toned drapery and warm reflective surfaces. Tented fabric gathered across the ceiling and walls frames a salon-like retreat, where a sculptural chandelier, tiger-patterned vintage sofa and vivid chartreuse accents invite visitors to settle in.

Throughout the boutique, contrasts give the space its energy. Curved timber joinery sits alongside mirrored walls and metallic finishes, while looping garment rails turn the display of clothing into a decorative gesture. The terrace’s period fireplace offers a quiet reminder of the building’s earlier life within this expressive new setting.

Ance Gria extends our studio’s interest in deeply personal interiors into a different kind of encounter. Here, that character belongs to a fashion label: a distinctive Paddington boutique where clothing, conversation and the pleasure of dressing share the stage.