Dezeen Magazine

Liberty of London boutique by Pierre Buecler and Jean-Christophe Poggioli

Paris-based architects Pierre Buecler and Jean-Christophe Poggioli designed the interior of the new Liberty of London concept store on Sloane Street, which opened last month.

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The two-storey shop displays accessories, scarves, swimwear and jewellery. Women's collections are on the ground floor and men's upstairs.

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The designers took inspiration from the architecture of the original store and archive of prints, as well as the Orient Express.

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The following information is from Liberty of London:

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LIBERTY OF LONDON UNVIELS NEW BOUTIQUE DESIGN

July 2008 sees the launch of the first Liberty of London concept store dedicated to the brand name and represents the first step in a planned world-wide expansion.

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Conceived by Creative Director Tamara Salman and designed by Paris-based architects Pierre Buecler and Jean-Christophe Poggioli, the two-storey 1,800 sq ft store provides an opulent canvas for the men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, accessories, scarf, swimwear and jewellery lines.

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The ground floor is devoted to the women’s collections and takes its cue from the architecture and heritage of Liberty - evoking a distinct sense of exotic glamour and decadent opulence. Milk walls and gold arches drift through blackened oak and high gloss black furniture which in turn are grounded by a grey stone floor with a hair-line brass inlay of an abstract ‘Ianthe’ signature print.

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Stucco ceilings and walls are intricately carved from moulds of archive prints such as the floral ‘Chrystelle’ design giving the impression of a beautiful celestial garden. Medieval deer and birds adorn walls and appear to peek through the golden arch detailing.

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The centrepiece of the ground floor is an impressive three metre long scarf bar in black gloss petrified oak and glass. Back-lit scarf boxes float above to showcase individual and exclusive designs.

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Paying homage to the Orient Express and the sheer glamour of travel, luggage racks act as product shelves and dressing room interiors echo a train carriage in lush dark purple velvet.

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A dramatic curtain of transparent acrylic spheres, with ‘Ianthe’ highlighted in black, follows the line of a curved sweeping black oak staircase leading to the men’s floor on level one. Shafts of purple light, projected from above, cast a shimmering purple hue after dark.

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Recalling the spirit of the original store, black gloss panelling mimics original wooden panelling. Once again ceilings and walls feature elements of floral mouldings taken from inside the Liberty building, interspersed with a swan and stag’s head – discreetly positioned to provide an element of surprise.

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Flooring and furniture feature the same elements as the ground floor, with display cases styled in black matt oak – as if burnt – with miniature brass feet. Changing rooms follow the Orient Express style with exaggerated train seats and purple velvet décor.

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Lighting is contemporary and in ‘runway tracks’ with 60’s inspired modern circular chandeliers - on both ground and one – acting as the perfect foil to provide an unconventional use of light.

To commemorate the opening of the store, Tamara Salman has designed a limited edition ‘Ianthe’ print white box bag with hand-painted stripe - exclusively available at the Sloane Street boutique.