design:retail - November/December 2019 - 59

L'Occitane en Provence
555 Fifth Ave.

Watches of Switzerland

In its new Fifth Avenue concept store, French beauty brand L'Occitane is capturing the spirit of
its Provençal roots through its immersive installations, use of organic accents like woven woods,
pottery, stone and floral canopies, and overall design sensibility that brings the outside in and creates an aura of calm. The 1,870-sq.-ft. store, named "555," targets new customers who are likely
to stop by not because they need a new hand cream, but because they want to discover beauty
products and feel pampered. Moments-like a display of retro-style cruiser bikes in a quaint French
village setting, and a curved bench underneath an olive tree canopy-are designed to encourage
selfies, which L'Occitane hopes will drive user-generated social media buzz.
L'Occitane's Paul Blackburn, North American vice president of concept design, construction and
merchandising, and Daniel Contorni, international artistic director, opted for a contemporary color
palette and minimal structures to display core products; this allows for ever-changing immersive
installations to take center stage. Shoppers can test out products at the rain-shower sink as water
flows from an illuminated canopy overhead, receive a consultation in the technologically advanced
skincare area, enjoy hand massages, or use VR to go on a hot air balloon ride to the lavender fields
of France, the source of inspiration for many of L'Occitane's fragrances.
PHOTO COURTESY OF L'OCCITANE

500 W. 33rd St.

Late last year, Watches of Switzerland made its
New York debut with a store opening in SoHo. This
year, the timepiece retailer continued the momentum, opening a boutique with a prestigious
ground floor location between the Highline and
Plaza entrances of the new Hudson Yards complex. The 6,500-sq.-ft. store, designed by MNA
and CAPELO, offers stunning views of the Vessel
structure. The interior is sleek and refined, with
white alabaster panels and a black granite hospitality bar where shoppers can enjoy a drink while
they browse men's and women's timepieces from
partners like Patek Philippe and Rolex. At the entry, five display vitrines entice the curious with
rare, artful timepieces.
PHOTO BY PETER MURDOCK

Love House

37 Greenpoint Ave., Ste. 308, Brooklyn
Enter a nondescript industrial building along Brooklyn's waterfront,
head up to the third floor, and rejoice in the best, new interior design
destination you never saw coming (there's no signage). The spacious and
bright Love House is a true feast for the eyes, with unexpected rare vintage and contemporary furniture and art displayed in eclectic vignettes.
Every piece of furniture and each objet d'art is expertly selected by Jared
Heinrich and Aric Yeakey, and presented in a showroom that feels more
like a private loft than a retail environment.
Beneath 147-year-old scraped beam ceilings, the floors and brick walls
of the 2,000-sq.-ft. space are all whitewashed, creating a sense of drama
around statement pieces. Twentieth-century vintage designs are nestled
next to rare contemporary pieces from emerging talent, at a price point
that ranges from moderate to ultra-high-end. Highlights include a pair
of Ezri Tarazi totem floor lamps, originally commissioned by the Cooper
Hewitt Design Museum, going for $10,000; a delta-shaped '80s-era executive desk by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia for $13,000; a 1960s Otto
Gerdau Italy leather sling chair for $2,800; and neon candle sculptures by
Los Angeles-based artist and designer Dace Sūna for $2,750.
The owners also offer custom-craft furniture and private design services for both residential and commercial projects. There are no regular
hours, but customers get a taste for Love House on Instagram, and are
invited to make an appointment, available seven days a week, to visit the
house of design eye candy.
PHOTO BY JARED HEINRICH AND ARIC YEAKEY

design:retail - November/December 2019

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