Sisters Cheryl, Vanessa and Gabrielle Manning have been quietly building their Sydney-based label Manning Cartell for years now. Like all good brands, the signature is consistent, with the polished Manning aesthetic now instantly recognisable amongst the city’s glamour-set.

But this brand is so much more than sophisticated cocktail wear. The sisters’ design philosophy eschews trends and embraces contrasting elements. Fluidity and severity clash and coalesce, as do raw femininity and androgyny. There’s also a strong focus on quality fabrication and loose, soft tailoring.

Designed by local architects MCK Architecture, the fit-out combines raw textures with modern materials for a cool and understated effect.

Illustrating once again how important well-designed and considered retail spaces are to fashion right now, the architects have sourced factory lighting from France, along with modernist cabinetry and a bespoke, sculptural clothing display.

With collections that favour colour and prints, not to mention striking silhouettes, the store acts as a stark canvas on which the fashion stories come to life.