American trend designer Alexander Wang has worked with Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen to generate a greyscale interior for his most current store, inside a former post office in London’s Mayfair .
The 625-square-metre retailer, which opened earlier this month, gives all of Wang’s clothes, accessories and homeware collections across three amounts.
Positioned on Albemarle Street, just down the street from Paul Smith’s cast-iron-fronted retailer, the flagship was made by Wang and Van Duysen to echo the designer’s dark, minimal aesthetic.
“The essence of the London keep displays a coherent synergy among Alex and myself and produces a area that helps make reference to both modern day and traditional archetypes,” mentioned Van Duysen, who has also developed a shop for skincare brand Aesop in Hamburg.
Retaining to a limited palette, the duo mixed a range of textures and supplies – combining rough industrial aspects with smooth details.
The structural factors of the historic original building were retained and highlighted making use of new surface remedies. Columns organized in a grid are wrapped with silver travertine stone, although beams and wall niches are coated in matt black recycled rubber.
“I have usually loved London and I am so proud and excited to open my initial European flagship retailer here,” stated Wang, who not too long ago left his place as the innovative director of French style property Balenciaga to concentrate on his very own brand. “The multi-degree room and the historical structure of the building gave us the chance to evolve our retail idea, and to adapt it specifically to this place.”
Relevant story: Tokujin Yoshioka patterns London flagship shop for Issey Miyake
A sculptural staircase encased in black rubber rises by way of the developing to connect all 3 amounts, with measures created from dark grey concrete and a handrail in embossed stingray leather.
In the basement, men’s prepared-to-put on, T by Alexander Wang and men’s equipment, as nicely as women’s Denim x Alexander Wang, are all displayed in the space with dark concrete flooring.
Add-ons like women’s handbags, footwear and modest leather products are housed on the ground degree, which features a charcoal terrazzo and concrete floor.
Show fixtures and horizontal surfaces are covered in grey suede, although the walls and ceiling are finished in a light grey Venetian plaster.
Women’s ready-to-dress in and T by Alexander Wang collections are housed on the upper level, exactly where a wool carpet is set into the concrete floor.
On this floor and the bottom degree, chromed metal tubes hang from the ceiling to type lighting fixtures and garments rails. Horizontal metal louvres kind partitions.
A black rubber-result metal coating is utilised across all the cabinetry, making curved edges close to freestanding tiered show stands.
Van Duysen said: “The wealthy heritage of the constructing and the Mayfair location juxtaposed with Alex’s fascination with much less standard supplies – this kind of as rubber, distressed chrome, embossed leathers – and the ‘unexpected’, create some thing quite unique that speaks strongly to our mixed aesthetic – geometric proportions with a refined contemporary edge.”
The principal fitting rooms are totally lined with ivory-coloured suede and integrate customized-designed tubular chrome mirror and lighting fixtures.
Furnishings throughout are customised from Wang’s selection for Poltrona Frau, while Van Duysen Architects has also designed bespoke pieces for the store.
A re-edition of a 1970s sofa by Italian designer Gianfranco Frattini for Tacchini also functions, along with sculptures by artists Ben Storms and Gerard Kuijpers.
The shop’s symmetrical facade functions giant glass panes framed by patterned metalwork, flanked by the original carved stone doorways.
This outpost is the 25th Alexander Wang store around the world and his debut standalone retailer in Europe. The designer’s 1st flagship opened in New York’s Soho district in 2011, six many years right after he set up his eponymous label.
Worldwide vogue brands are continuing to construct their presence in London, with Issey Miyake, Saint Laurent and Bally all opening new stores in the Uk capital in excess of the past 12 months and a half.
