Acne Studios opens its new monolithic flagship store in Paris
By Katja Laska (exclusively for EuroShop.mag)
Looks like it was carved from a single piece of rock: that’s the first impression you get from the newly opened store of the Swedish fashion brand Acne Studios – at least when it comes to the material that was used to craft the structure. Occupying a corner position on 219 rue Saint-Honoré store in Paris, it embodies the idea of opposites attract and provides the perfect stage to showcase what the fashion house has to offer.
“Lately, I’ve been hanging out at the Rålis skate park in Stockholm, which was built under a bridge to prevent the concrete skate bowls from getting wet and slippery. I find it a poetic spot, and it reminds me a little of Paris because there are so many bridges in the city. I wanted the store to feel like you were sitting under a bridge. I like the idea of a secret society, a sub-culture, existing under the arches – and I thought it was a good way to think of Acne Studios as a brand on the big fashion street,” says Jonny Johansson, Creative Director of Acne Studios. // © Acne Studios
The uniqueness of the space starts on the outside: the structure on the iconic Rue Saint-Honoré is composed in Saint Maximin stone, extending the exterior façade to the interior of the store. // © Acne Studios
The shop is captivating because of the simplicity that radiates from the pale, golden-beige limestone. The 385 m² space was designed by the Spanish architecture studio Arquitectura-G based in Barcelona, which used the stone to clad the walls, floors, and columns, creating a minimalist/rustic yet elegant effect. Incidentally, the Saint Maximin limestone has also been used extensively to construct many buildings of the French Capital. Happenstance or deliberate choice? // © Acne Studios
The original windows were removed to allow more light to enter the space, whose airy feel also connects two floors. In some areas, the lighting fixtures illuminate but also serve as a study in contrasts: the modern, industrial lighting juxtaposes the ancient limestone material. // © Acne Studios
The silver metal garment rails underscore this sentiment in an otherwise empty space that captivates with its design elements – shelves and counters – made of stone, thus showcasing the featured garments and accessories of the brand. // © Acne Studios
In other areas, the designers continued to embrace unexpected style and sharp contrasts: the French artist Benoit Lalloz designed the interior lights, which are arranged in wave-like formations to create a sensation of fluidity, contrasting the rigid discipline of the stone-clad columns. British designer Max Lamb created soft furniture – a mix of black leather seating and hand-dyed fabric display units and tills – in globular, organic shapes to offset the sharp doorways. // © Acne Studios
