Writer ARIADNA FERNÁNDEZ UJJA
Sonia Rykiel’s flagship store in Paris has become an enormous bookstore-coffee shop where shelves crammed with up to 50,000 books rise from floor to ceiling covering every wall.
The Swedish-Portuguese artist André Saraïva and the artistic director Thomas Lenthal have redesigned this impressive flagship store which is located at the 175 Boulevard Saint-Germain in the French capital. The bookshelves covering all walls of the store from floor to ceiling are combined with rectangular holes where are exposed bags, shoes, accessories and clothing from the latest Rykiel’s collection. A skylight allows the entry of natural light to compensate the warm tones of the interior and a red carpet designed by Saraiva with lips, cigarettes, pencils and mirrors lead to the mezzanine.
The flagship stores of luxury brands get the consumer inside into a different, special experience. It is no matter of buying, but to experiment, to discover, enjoy, delight and live 360 the brand.
