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A pared-back concrete showroom with an arched glass-brick ceiling sits next to a historic salon filled with collectible design at fashion brand Acne Studios’ latest headquarters, designed together with Stockholm-based Halleroed. Located in an up-and-coming area of Paris’ 10th arrondissement, the Acne Studios headquarters is in a historic 18th-century hôtel particulier – a type of […] More
Fashion brand Bottega Veneta has opened a pop-up shop at London department store Harrods with an interlocking shelving system that draws on modernist architecture. Located on the ground floor of the Knightsbridge store, the Bottega Veneta pop-up shop was created by the brand’s in-house design team to celebrate 50 years of its signature weave, the […] More
Chinese studio Say Architects has designed a concept store for fashion brand Nice Rice in the seaside resort of Aranya, featuring bright-orange tiles and furniture intended to evoke the colour of a sunset.
Having previously designed stores for Nice Rice in Shenzhen, Chengdu and Shanghai, Say Architects conceived the interior as a response to the store’s setting near the port city of Qinhuangdao, also known as the Aranya Gold Coast.
Say Architects has designed a concept store for Nice Rice in Aranya”Due to the individuality of the site and the splendid geolocation, we hope to bring the orange sea of Aranya inside and build a gold coast that never ends by using light as expression, creating undulating volumes, intertwining lights and shadows,” the architects said.
The 290-square-metre store is arranged over three floors, with retail spaces on the lower two storeys and a roof terrace accessible from the top floor.
Glossy orange tiles reflect light onto white walls, creating a “golden afterglow” effectThe building’s minimalist facade features an illuminated sign with the company’s logotype over the entrance and a horizontal window above.
A glazed entrance provides a view into the store, where bright orange surfaces create a vibrant contrast with the shop’s monochrome exterior.
The glossy orange tiles reflect light onto the white walls, creating an effect that the architects describe as a “golden afterglow”.
A leather bench provides a minimalist seating area on the first floorInside, a full-height void connects the shop’s three floors, with a vaulted ceiling directing light from a window on the top floor down to the levels below.
Say Architects designed each floor with a symmetrical layout that enhances the calm and serene atmosphere within the store.
Clothes rails in the Nice Rice store are designed to resemble breaking wavesOn the ground floor, a pair of freestanding units are used for serving customers, while changing rooms are positioned on either side of a second entrance to the rear of the space.
Clothes rails on both sides of the room are designed to resemble breaking waves, curving outwards from the wall to create space for hanging clothes underneath.
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On the first floor, a geometric leather bench provides a seating area, while a simple display podium is located close to the transparent balustrade overlooking the triple-height void.
Throughout the store, windows of varying sizes create a play of light and shadow on the internal surfaces that changes throughout the day.
A full-height void connects the three floorsStaircases on both sides of the building ascend to a roof terrace that is floored with the same tiles used inside the store.
A sheltered area with matching orange benches allows this space to be used in all weather.
The building’s staircases lead to an outdoor roof terraceSay Architects is based in Hangzhou and is led by architects Yan Zhang and Jianan Shan.
The studio works across architecture, interior and landscape design, with previous projects including an accessories store formed almost entirely of translucent resin and a grooming salon for pets featuring a sunken cafe and a paddling pool.
The terrace is finished in the same tiles as the interiorAranya is built on the site of a failed real estate development and aims to provide a haven for overworked young urbanites seeking a coastal escape.
The exclusive gated community contains several architecture projects that have helped elevate its profile including an art centre designed by Neri&Hu, a monolithic concrete concert hall and a chapel raised above the beach on stilts.
The photography is by Wen Studio.
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In this video, Dezeen previews the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute’s latest blockbuster fashion exhibition Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, following last night’s Met Gala.
The exhibition explores the concept of rebirth and renewal in fashion, showcasing the archival and restoration processes that take place behind the scenes of the Met’s Costume Institute.
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The exhibition brings together historical and contemporary pieces from the museum’s archive
The show also uses nature as a visual metaphor to explore ideas around the transience of fashion.
In addition to bringing to life the behind-the-scenes work of fashion conservation, the exhibition also explores the sensory aspects of fashion, with visitors being encouraged to smell aromas of floral motifs, feel the textures of different embroideries, and talk to historical figures through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The show links exhibits through the motif of nature. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe title of the exhibition is derived from the “sleeping beauties” of the institute’s archives – pieces that are too fragile to be displayed on mannequins. Instead, the exhibition uses AI, animation and X-rays to bring these historical garments to life for visitors.
Approximately 220 garments and accessories spanning four centuries will be on display as part of the show.
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Sleeping Beauties will be open to the public from the 10th of May, following the annual Met Gala fundraiser, which took place yesterday and celebrated the exhibition’s debut.
Celebrities interpreted the theme of The Garden of Time on the red carpet, with celebrities like Zendaya, Nicki Minaj and Gigi Hadid sporting floral motifs.
The show includes pieces by fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen, Dior and Iris van Herpen. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe exhibition was organised by Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of The Costume Institute, with photographer Nick Knight acting as creative consultant for the exhibition.
Exhibition design is by architecture studio Leong Leong in collaboration with The Met’s Design Department.
Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion takes place from 10 May to 2 September at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
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Local studio Hemingway Design collaborated with designer James Shaw to transform a London store interior for charity retailer Traid, which features colourful furniture created from leftover second-hand clothes.
Hemingway Design renovated Traid’s Shepherd’s Bush branch as part of a wider rebrand for the retailer to mark its 25th anniversary, including its visual identity.
Hemingway Design has redesigned the Traid store in Shepherd’s Bush, LondonTraid sells donated clothing and accessories in 12 stores across London to fund global projects that tackle the issues caused by producing, consuming and wasting textiles.
As part of the Shepherd’s Bush store refurbishment, Hemingway Design worked with Shaw to create furniture out of poor-quality clothes salvaged from the Traid sorting warehouse that the retailer deemed unsellable.
James Shaw created furniture and lighting made from recycled clothesShaw, whose practice centres on repurposing waste materials, created curved pendant lighting from the leftover clothes, which were shredded back to fibres and combined with a plant-based binder.
The designer applied this method to make the rest of the furniture. One piece is a low-slung bench for trying on shoes, upholstered with a yellow, green and blue patchwork of old denim jeans and corduroy trousers.
Shaw designed the bench’s lumpy legs in his trademark extruded HDPE plastic, finished in the same colours as the patchwork seat.
This included changing room door handlesElsewhere in the store, boxy pinewood changing room doors feature multicoloured handles created from the leftover clothes, defined by a speckled appearance thanks to the combination of shredded fibres.
Silver scaffolding previously used for a different purpose in the original shop layout was used to create a “staff picks” clothes rail positioned at the front of the store.
The designer combined shredded fibres with a plant-based binder. Photo by James Shaw”To align with Traid’s manifesto of reducing waste and prolonging the lifespan of items, a fundamental objective of the refurb was to reuse and repurpose existing fixtures and fittings within the store where possible,” explained Hemingway Design.
British designer Charlie Boyden created chunky pastel-hued plinths from other offcuts and materials salvaged from the strip-out. They display merchandise in the shop window illuminated by more of Shaw’s clothing-based pendant lighting.
Existing silver scaffolding was used to form a “staff picks” clothes railSwirly linseed-based oil-stained pine also characterises the geometric cash desk, fitted with an accessible counter and positioned in front of an existing timber stud wall painted in bold pink.
Next to the counter, bespoke bright green Unistrut shelving creates additional space for hanging clothes and displaying shoes.
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According to Hemingway Design, Traid has put 228 million garments back into use to date, saving 622,059 tonnes of carbon dioxide and 105.3 million cubic metres of water.
“The charity retailer maximises the potential of the clothes you no longer wear, demanding change from a throwaway, fast fashion culture that continues to destroy this planet,” said the studio.
Charlie Boyden designed display plinths using off-cutsShaw recently applied his extruded plastic designs to another store renovation in central London for shoe brand Camper, which includes a jumbo foot sculpture.
Hemingway Design previously created a minimalist but colourful logo to celebrate 100 years of the Dreamland amusement park in Margate, Kent.
The photography is by French & Tye unless stated otherwise.
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Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen has completed a boutique in Milan for Italian fashion house Ferragamo, featuring red marble panels and an alcove covered in ceramic petals that offset the original Renaissance-style interiors.
The store is located within Palazzo Carcassola Grandi, which was originally built in the 15th century and now occupies a prime spot on Milan’s Montenapoleone fashion street.
Vincent Van Duysen has designed Ferragamo’s Montenapoleone boutiqueThe palazzo was remodelled in the 19th century when it was home to Emilio Morosini – a member of the Italian unification and independence movement known as the Risorgimento.
Van Duysen chose to retain much of the building’s historic character while introducing some surprising contemporary details.
Footwear is displayed in a large salon”With this project, we tried to express a timeless Italianicity that is steeped in Ferragamo’s DNA,” said Van Duysen. “A sensual theatrical setting, where the scenic screen is luxuriously elevated and used as a backdrop and space dividing element at the same time.”
“The skilful juxtaposition of modern, essential elements and materials with existing structures such as the columns and the cross vaults creates a pleasing contrast that enhances every feature.”
An alcove is decorated in ceramics by Andrea MancusoAt the heart of the 280-square-metre interior is a large salon for displaying Ferragamo’s footwear. A minimal material palette comprising Venetian stucco walls, stone flooring and off-white painted ceilings allows the original details to stand out.
Large mirrors set in simple bronze frames enhance the sense of space, while slabs of mottled Napoleon Red marble provide a punchy contrast that nods to the favourite colour of the company’s founder, Salvatore Ferragamo.
The rest of the spaces are organised and designed to evoke the rooms of a grand villa, each with a unique character tailored to reflect the collections it holds.
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“The design originates far in the past, in the person of Salvatore Ferragamo himself, who liked to receive his customers as if in his home living room,” explained Marco Gobbetti, Ferragamo’s CEO and managing director.
“This was precisely how he thought of his shop, as a place to come together and converse. This starting point has brought us to this contemporary expression of the intimacy of home and Italian-ness.”
As customers move through the sequence of rooms, they come across areas dedicated to footwear, bags, accessories and clothing, before finally descending a short stone staircase to reach a space displaying silk items.
Marble detailing features throughout the storeFerragamo worked with contemporary designers and gallerists to curate a collection of unusual objects and furniture intended to embody the store’s “contemporary Renaissance spirit”.
An alcove visible through one of the windows is covered in sea-blue ceramics crafted by Andrea Mancuso of Milanese studio Analogia Project, using the same technique he developed for the Aquario collection for Nilufar Gallery in 2022.
Mancuso also used the circular ceramic petals, intended to evoke fantastical aquatic flora, to form a display table placed at the boutique’s entrance.
Side tables by Andrea Anastasio stand in the vestibule next to the changing roomsSide tables found in spaces including a lounge-like vestibule next to the changing rooms are from Andrea Anastasio’s Corallium collection for Giustini/Stagetti Gallery and consist of coloured stone pieces stitched together using leather string.
JoAnn Tan’s Stockholm-based studio created the display tables seen in the windows, which are covered with leather fringe reclaimed from Ferragamo’s production sites.
Van Duysen is known for his multidisciplinary work for the hospitality, fashion and furniture sectors, and has been the creative director of Italian design brand Molteni&C since 2016.
JoAnn Tan’s fringed display tables can be seen from the outsideAs part of his role, the architect has revamped the firm’s corporate showroom in Giussano, Italy, and designed a “palazzo-like” showroom in New York.
Salvatore Ferragamo established his first business focusing on ladies’ footwear in 1927. In addition to footwear, the firm now produces luxury goods such as bags, accessories and ready-to-wear clothing, all of which are displayed at the Via Montenapoleone showroom.
In 2022, British graphic designer Peter Saville updated Ferragamo’s brand identity, replacing its handwritten logo with a custom serif typeface that references stone inscriptions.
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British designer James Shaw has renovated a shop for fashion brand Camper on London’s Regent Street, which features a giant foot-shaped sculpture that functions as a till and a bench for trying on shoes.
Located in a ground-level room within a building on Regent Street in central London, the store reopened last week.
James Shaw has renovated the Camper store on Regent StreetShaw redesigned the interiors to reflect the Mallorcan heritage of Spanish footwear company Camper – a brand known for its bold and colourful creations.
The designer constructed a 3.5-metre-tall sculpture in the shape of an oversized foot, which was covered in terracotta-hued wool and positioned on the shop floor.
His design includes a jumbo footVisible from the street, the cartoon-like structure is multifunctional. It includes internal storage for products and a small booth that houses the till.
Shoppers are also encouraged to perch on the jumbo toes while trying on shoes, making the foot a bench as well as a display unit.
Shaw also created recycled plastic furniture”The foot is the key feature of our proposal. Somewhat surreal and unexpected yet fully connected to Camper’s sense of playfulness and whimsy,” said Shaw.
“Reflected in the fully mirrored wall, it appears as a giant standing in the middle of the store.”
Walnut was used to make display unitsThe designer, who works predominantly with recycled plastic, also created lumpy yellow shelving made from extruded slabs of the material, which – like the large foot – is reflected in the floor-to-ceiling mirror that makes up one of the walls.
Shaw also combined his trademark gloopy plastic with walnut wood to create rounded stools, positioned underneath the yellow shelves.
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On the opposite side of the room, the designer added smooth walnut display units mounted to the wall with twisted polished metal fixtures – also custom-made by Shaw.
At the back of the store, shoppers can rest on geometric seating topped with textured mohair and clad in mirrored metal. The recognisable red Camper logo, positioned above the seating, was also reimagined with a Shaw-style, lumpy backdrop.
The interiors are “a nod to mid-century modernism with a warped twist”Shaw created the store’s flooring using orange resin to match the colour of the large foot as well as the painted walls and ceiling, which are all finished in similar hues.
The mix of materials is “a nod to mid-century modernism with a warped twist,” according to Camper.
“Mediterranean roots are present in the colour scheme, where warm earthy tones meet shades of yellow and blue,” added the brand.
Elsewhere, designer Jorge Penadés dressed a Málaga Camper shop with materials chosen to match the brand’s warehouse while architect Kengo Kuma created scalloped shelving out of concave ceramic tiles for a Barcelona branch.
Shaw showcased pieces of his extruded recycled plastic furniture at the 2022 edition of London Design Festival in an installation he created with his partner, Lou Stoppard, that playfully explored tensions between couples who move in together.
The photography is courtesy of Camper.
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American interior designer, fashion influencer and “geriatric starlet” Iris Apfel has passed away at the age of 102.
The death of the multidisciplinary creative, who was recognised for her flamboyant personal style, was announced on her Instagram account with an image of Apfel in her trademark oversized glasses.
Apfel, who worked in the interiors and fashion industries throughout her career, shot to international fame in her 80s and 90s after New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibited a show of her eclectic clothes and accessories in 2005.
Titled Rara Avis: Selections From the Iris Apfel Collection, it was the first time the museum had dedicated an exhibition to someone’s wardrobe.
Born Iris Barrel in 1921 in Queens, Apfel studied art history at New York University and art at the University of Wisconsin.
After graduating, she worked for fashion magazine Women’s Wear Daily before interning for interior designer Elinor Johnson.
Together with her late husband Carl Apfel, whom she married in 1948, she set up the brand Old World Weavers – a company that specialised in striking textiles informed by things found on the Apfels’ travels.
Under Old World Weavers, the duo completed high-profile projects such as restoring the White House interiors for nine presidents including Harry Truman and Bill Clinton.
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The designer became a visiting lecturer at the University of Texas in 2011, where she taught fashion students about textiles and crafts.
In later life, Apfel became a staple of the fashion industry. In 2018, toy manufacturer Mattel created a Barbie doll in the designer’s image, although it was not for sale. At the age of 97, she signed a modelling contract with IMG Models.
Apfel playfully called herself a “geriatric starlet” and described the prospect of retirement as “a fate worse than death” shortly after turning 100.
Following the news of her passing, designers around the world paid tribute to Apfel’s legacy. “Iris Apfel has become a world-famous fashion icon because of her incredible talent not only as an artist but as an influencer,” said fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger.
The photography is by Ron Adar courtesy of Shutterstock.
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Danish fashion brand Samsøe Samsøe has launched a pop-up gallery for Paris Fashion Week that features an all-white interior decorated with artwork and furniture made from the brand’s T-shirts.
The exhibition space was designed to have a pared-down feel in a nod to the brand’s Basic collection, which is launching during the fashion week in the French capital.
Samsøe Samsøe’s in-house design team created the gallery together with set designer Fatima Fransson to be a “blank canvas” and bring the brand’s vision of “Scandinavian simplicity” to life.
The minimalist pop-up is located in Paris’ Le Marais area”The overall design is inspired by the way in which our Basic collection is structured,” Samsøe Samsøe art director Jelena Fijan told Dezeen.
“We took the timeless, long-lasting approach of the product to be central at the space, which gives it a contemporary art gallery feel,” she added.
“[We wanted] to create a welcoming but abstract feeling for the visitor.”
It features a central counter covered in white T-shirtsThe resulting space, located in Paris’s Le Marais neighbourhood, has a stark all-white interior punctuated by a central counter partly made from the brand’s clothes.
“By creating a high-block bar, the installation functions both as an art piece and as a community table for people to connect and talk,” Fijan said.
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“As this is the central piece in the space, we left some room for the brain to work, and we wanted to create a minimalist and long-lasting feel,” she added.
The block was made from plywood and epoxy resin, which was then covered in reclaimed T-shirts worn by the Samsøe Samsøe team.
Grey jumpers were turned into artworks on a concrete backgroundThe space also features artworks made from cashmere knits that were placed in plywood forms layered with a concrete-mixed plaster.
After Paris Fashion Week ends, the set will be moved to the brand’s headquarters in Copenhagen.
The space was designed to reference Samsøe Samsøe’s “Scandinavian minimalism”Other fashion stores with a minimalist interior include Swedish brand Toteme’s flagship London store, designed by Halleroed, and Balenciaga’s concrete Berlin store, which references the city’s modernist architecture.
The photography is courtesy of Samsøe Samsøe.
The Samsøe Samsøe gallery is located on 16 Rue Caffarelli, 75003 Paris, and will be open 28 February to 3 March. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
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