A Showcase of Fashion, Culture and Design

WHEN REIMAGINING THE Longchamp (Paris) flagship in New York, British designer Thomas Heatherwick, the creative visionary behind the Vessel at Hudson Yards and Manhattan’s groundbreaking Little Island, didn’t simply design a store – he designed an experience. Credited with the original store design in 2006, Heatherwick’s redesign of the two-story environment on the corner of Spring and Greene Streets in New York’s SoHo is a clear demonstration that brick-and-mortar provides a much needed tactile and emotional experience way beyond the capabilities of pick-and-click.

More than just a retail establishment, the space is a blend of the label’s high-end product offerings and fine art collection presented in a fully branded environment. The in-store journey begins at the street level, where customers are drawn into the space by an undulating staircase resplendent in Energy Green, the Maison’s signature color. With a limited street-level footprint, the stairway’s wave-like movement, formed with bands of steel and a gleaming glass balustrade, directs visitors to the expansive second level.

Nestled under the staircase and framed by the building’s original exposed brick walls, a nod to SoHo’s industrial heritage, are two visual merchandising installations designed to be rotating opportunities to announce seasonal offerings of luxury items housed on the second level above. This intimate setting is adorned with graffiti by the artist André.

Stepping off the staircase, after a seemingly gentle stroll up a verdant hill, customers are welcomed into a more residential feel, evocative of the trappings of an upscale SoHo loft or a stylish Parisienne hideaway. The tactile experience begins with vibrant green rugs wrapped around the building’s original cast-iron columns as they cascade from the ceiling and spill onto carpeted pads on warm, natural wood floors. The pattern in the rugs creates a visual ripple evocative of the gentle fluidity of a mountain lake.

This page: Warm wood details and nods to 70s aesthetics create a welcoming atmosphere in Longchamp, encouraging guest exploration.

Floor-to-ceiling curved oak wall panels serve as shelving units for the label’s offering of handbags and leather goods, while visual hot spots, including vintage and bespoke furnishings such as a 1970s croissant sofa by Raphaël Raffel and a carved oak sculpture by artist David Nash, add warmth and emotion to a gallery like setting. Longchamp’s cultural immersion continues with artworks from the brand’s private collection, together with newly commissioned pieces, including ceramics and sculptures from artists Dorothée Loriquet, Bobby Silverman and Tanaka Tomomi.

“With this renovation, Thomas Heatherwick has reimagined the very heart of the store and brought new energy to how we think about retail,” says Jean Cassegrain, CEO, Longchamp. “Today, retail is moving away from pure functionality to something more emotional and experiential.”

In a transformative gesture, contrary to the rigidity of a conventional retail layout, an open and fluid floor plan encourages interaction, dialogue and browsing. It’s an invitation for visitors to stay and perhaps pause in an environment that takes them from the hardscrabble streets of New York to the warmth, comfort and elegance of a luxurious Parisienne apartment.

PHOTO GALLERY (20 IMAGES)

PHOTOS: ADRIAN WILSON, NEW YORK