Dezeen Magazine

Walnut table infront of spiral staircase

Bottega Veneta creative director Matthieu Blazy combines glass bricks and walnut for first store

Bottega Veneta's creative director Matthieu Blazy has designed the brand's Avenue Montaigne flagship store in Paris, which is dominated by walnut wood fittings and glass bricks.

The 800-metre-square shop features industrial, square glass blocks integrated into the floors, ceilings and walls, creating a geometric grid which diffuses light throughout the store.

Glass blocks on floors and ceilings
Glass bricks feature on the walls, floors and ceilings of the store

Walnut wood panels frame the textured glass blocks. The same wood was used in transitional spaces for a spiral staircase, curved corridor and for statement details like a display table and wooden columns.

The interior design aims to balance volume and scale throughout the space – from blown-up elements, like the wooden details echoing the woven leather "intrecciato" reminiscent of Bottega Veneta's handbags, to the thousands of glass bricks.

Walnut has been carved to look like Bottega's famous intrecciato woven leather technique
Walnut panelling echoes the brand's famous intrecciato woven leather technique

The store in central Paris is the first designed by Blazy, who has led Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta since 2020.

According to the brand the store's design aims to "celebrate Italian craftsmanship with a modernist sensibility".

Chairs and sofas in the glass brick space
"Woven" leather sofas and chairs are positioned in the space

Within the space, enclaves of soft seating and carpeted dressing rooms create smaller areas, contrasting the wide open stretches of glass brick in the main store.

Sofas and chairs were styled in giant woven leather panels, also echoing the "intrecciato" technique Bottega Veneta is famous for in their handbag design.

Wooden spiral staircase
A spiral staircase leads to a second floor

The woven pattern is echoed in the carving of walnut tables and columns. Wool carpets and mirrored clothes rails complete the interior scheme for the open-plan space.

The front door of the shop features a unique glass handle by the Venice-based Japanese glass artist, Ritsue Mishima.

Exterior of the Bottega flagship store in Paris
The store's entry door features a bespoke glass handle by Ritsue Mishima

Other retail design recently featured on Dezeen includes James Shaw's installation of a jumbo foot in London Camper store and a "sensual" Ferragamo store by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen.

The photography is by François Halard.

More images

handbags on display in Bottega Veneta's Paris store
Glass bricks on floor, ceiling and walls
Walnut table and spiral staircase
The two-storey store features thousands of glass bricks