AMO, the research and design studio of international studio OMA, recently collaborated with fashion brand Jacquemus to design their new stores in Paris and London. The opening of the Jacquemus boutique at Harvey Nichols, in London, is the latest result of a successful collaboration between the french-fashion brand and the dutch studio. The shop-in-shop opened last November following the opening of two other stores: the 60 square meter womenswear boutique at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann and the 82 square meter ground-level accessories storefront boutique at Selfridges.
The design of the Jacquemus stores in London and Paris began with the idea of testing the limits of working with a single material. The architects elevated the materials as the center of the design process, carving the shape of the space and defining the aesthetic of each store.
“The inspiration for the design of the Jacquemus stores owes to the brand’s origins in the south of France – says Ellen Van Loon, who designed the three retails with Giulio Margheri –. We wanted to capture the atmosphere of Provence through the materiality of the spaces, which led us to approach the design in a different way altogether. Instead of working with form and deciding on the materials afterwards, we chose the materials at the outset and let them guide the shape of each space.”
At Harvey Nichols, walls, floor, and furniture are all cladded in limestone while the store at Selfridges are built with terracruda, a clay-based material reminiscing the landscape of the south of France.
Made of natural components and applied by hand, the materials preserve a level of irregularity in texture and color, which gives the space a sense of naturalness and craftsmanship. The architectural elements merge with the furniture into one continuous space, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere for visitors and shoppers.
The store at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, instead is a clear reference to the textiles of Provence: the walls, doors, fitting room, and display elements are upholstered in white cushioning, introducing the ease and comfort of a domestic space into the bustling atmosphere of the department store. Also the seating area and display surface are made of a stack of pillows, welcoming visitors to browse and lounge for as long as they want.
The Jacquemus stores mark a global first for the fashion label and continues Van Loon and Margheri’s recent work in retail and scenography for important brands.
AMO, the research and design studio of international practice OMA, applies architectural thinking to domains beyond architecture.
The big variety of AMO research projects and studies also include Roadmap 2050, a plan for a Europe-wide renewable energy grid, and The Energy Report, a global plan for renewable energy by 2050 with the WWF.
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Location: London, UK and Paris, France
Architects: AMO by OMA
Client: Jaquemus
Photography by Benoit Florençon, courtesy of AMO