Sydney-based interior design studio YSG has completed a stunning office renovation for Australian fashion brand Alémais, transforming a 491-square-meter space in Surry Hills into what the designers describe as "a galaxy of limitless imagination." The project showcases custom-made speckled globe lights, shimmering mosaic murals, and cosmic-themed design elements that reflect the fashion brand's artistic collaborations with illustrators and its founder's love for mythology and folklore.
YSG Studio Director Yasmine Ghoniem, who shares Middle Eastern heritage with Alémais founder Lesleigh Jermanus, incorporated mystical and divine elements throughout the space. "Lesleigh and I both share Middle Eastern heritage and a love for the cosmos and beyond, so references to mystic and divine elements are sprinkled throughout," Ghoniem explained. Her favorite piece is a custom 'eye' dining table featuring a hand-painted embossed pale timber surface in pastel tones that highlight the natural wood grain patterns.
The office design balances functionality with artistic inspiration, featuring a communal workspace, two private offices, and an open-plan kitchen that doubles as a meeting space. Built-in banquettes were strategically placed in corners and near the reception area to encourage interaction and adaptation based on the fashion brand's daily needs. The central nucleus includes a conjoined design and pattern-making zone with dedicated storage and archival space within arm's reach of pattern-makers.
YSG used a sophisticated color palette to define different areas throughout the office, employing warm cream shades as the backdrop while preserving some of the building's original brick walls. Bold hues mark the ends of the room, while mint and plum tones define the main design spaces. The entrance reception features a banquette upholstered in vibrant tribal fabric reminiscent of Congolese cloth, combining tangerine chenille with rugged linen.
The most striking feature of the office is the collection of custom-designed globe lights created in collaboration with local company Anomolous. These "fibreglass lunar spheres" come in various sizes and colors with delicious speckled tones, hanging throughout the space to create the illusion of entering a cosmic realm. The oversized forms help draw the ceiling height down to a more intimate human scale while maintaining the otherworldly atmosphere that defines the space.
At the entrance, YSG installed an eye-catching mosaic mural depicting mythical flora and fauna in a utopian scene. The shimmering mosaic artwork shows half-human and half-animal forms floating among fantastical creatures under a blazing sun. The installation required two weeks to complete with a team of four craftspeople laying the intricate tiles. This statement wall serves to set the tone for staff, clients, and guests while buffering the active workspace behind it.
The studio incorporated highly tactile, textural materials throughout the space, including glass mosaics, shell inlay, palm reed, Calacatta Viola marble, bronze, and velvet. Additional whimsical details include starfish-shaped handles on kitchen cabinets, an eye motif on the kitchen wall, snake-shaped door handles, and decorative sculptures that reinforce the mythological theme.
To support the creative work environment, YSG added several custom timber frames supporting cork pin boards that can display inspiration images, new collection fabrics, and sketches. These boards are mounted on casters, allowing them to roam across the floorboards as needed. Cozoni Knox drawer units on wheels are tucked under desks for additional mobile storage solutions.
The design successfully creates what Ghoniem describes as a space where "myriad realms co-exist," supporting creative confidence and spirited discovery through its playful yet polished aesthetic. The lounge-like design area nestled in the far corner of the floor plan serves as an inspiration zone where new collection ideas take flight, while the trippy green and blue underwater scene in another corner floats the spirit of adventure throughout the workspace.
