Stores we love – December 2015

Creativity and collaboration led the way this month at the latest Muji and Urban Outfitters openings, while luxury brands including Hermès entertain with charming props and domestic scenery. Take a look at our pick…

Hermès Perfumery – New York

The first standalone perfume store by French fashion house Hermès opened in the heart of New York’s Financial District in September. Famed for being the most expensive handbag makers in the world, the brand started creating distinct fragrances 11 years ago, and this new “perfume library” pays homage to the full catalogue of scents. The store design was born out of a garden and home concept, making it feel natural, classic and luxurious, i.e. all things Hermès. Store visitors enter through a symbolic garden that features a concrete staircase and video projection by a local Brooklyn-based artist, before progressing through the space to the main ‘room’ of the house, which has been largely finished with warm walnut wood. Subtle backlit shelving on one side alludes to a classic apothecary ambiance, while the opposite side references a library where store “librarians” dispense fragrances.

What we love:

The store’s subtle multimedia experience. Hermès has created Liberty 225, an augmented reality app that can be used to reveal hidden surprises among select product displays and tell visitors about the ‘artist window’.

Muji – New York

Muji opened its largest store in the US at the start of November. The 12,000sqft flagship on Fifth Avenue, New York takes some of the best concepts tested by the brand in other worldwide locations and assembles them under one roof, as well as introducing new exclusive product lines such as childrenswear.

What we love:

The concept has a clear focus on collaboration and customisation – a key retail trend driven by consumer creativity and individuality – partnering with local businesses, including Japanese plant shop Green Fingers, Cafe Grumpy and Crack Candy. Our favourite store features include the Aroma Lab (the first one outside Tokyo), inviting customers to create custom scents and diffusers from 48 oils, and the embroidery station where customers can choose from 100 designs to embroider onto any purchases from as little as $3.

Urban Outfitters’ Space 24 Twenty – Austin

Urban Outfitters’ third localised lifestyle space opened on “the drag” in Austin, Texas at the start of November. Space 24 Twenty is “a shared centre for retail, local pop-up marketplaces, live music, events and dining… It’s a community-driven space for bringing together Austin artists, creatives, musicians and designers”. The site spans over half an acre, opposite the University of Texas, and aims to fit into the daily lives of students.

What we love:

The community atmosphere, nurtured through an ongoing calendar of events and a F&B offer that includes local burger and pizza joints.

Diesel – New York

Diesel’s relatively new Creative Director (joined in 2013) and famed fashion stylist Nicola Formichetti has chosen to take Diesel’s conventionally industrial retail aesthetic in a much more homely direction with the latest concept, built upon the notion of a private apartment. The brand’s impressive return to New York’s Upper East Side welcomes visitors with reception hall decor, home to the higher price point Diesel Black Gold, before making their way into the store’s ‘living room’ to explore the main line. The homely aesthetic pairs oriental rugs with polished concrete floors and a ceiling covered in contrasting light timber, with vintage furniture scattered throughout.

What we love:

We love the wine cellar-inspired section at the back of the store that presents the brand’s coveted denim range, and the use of screens playing digital content designed by UK sound and art collective Field.

Fendi pop-up – Tokyo

Fendi celebrated its 50th anniversary in Japan with the opening of a sizable pop-up spanning three floors in Tokyo’s upmarket shopping district Ginza. The store will stay open for a year and is the first Fendi boutique to stock both women’s and men’s collections. During the opening, the exterior facade was lit with a graphic projection of Rome’s Palazzo della Civilta Italiana, an iconic landmark and the brand’s new global headquarters.

What we love:

The sleek, luxurious interior offset by playful props referencing Fendi’s Italian heritage, remaining consistent with its collections and brand persona. Our favourite prop has to be a giant tree with furry, blooming branches suspended from the store’s main atrium.