Apparel brand Acne Studios has introduced a flagship store along the posh rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. The new retail location marries the classic elegance of the French capital with countercultural currents that the fashion house is known for. Barcelona-based architecture studio Arquitectura-G partnered with Acne’s in-house team on the design of the approximately 4,150-square-foot space.
“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,” says Acne Studios creative director Jonny Johansson. “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.”
The store attracts shoppers with a Saint Maximin stone façade that complements the Parisian vernacular and provides a preview of the interior’s materiality. Original floor-to-ceiling windows were stripped back to welcome additional natural light into the airy, double-height space, while an angular staircase equipped with swooping, handmade bespoke metal rails bonds the two levels. Light fixtures by artist and regular Acne Studios collaborator Benoit Lalloz also characterize the atmosphere with an undulating form that contrasts the rigidity of the stone columns. A mix of black leather seating and hand-dyed fabric display units populate the design with organic, globular shapes that further offset the store’s sharp lines.
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