When a retailer traces its influence back to the 18th Century, a designer knows to include elements that honor tradition. Such was the case when Tomas Frenes, president of Tomas Frenes Design Studio (Miami), created the interior of Creed fragrance company’s only U.S. boutique, which opened in December on Madison Avenue in New York.
Frenes used 1100 square feet of white thassos marble for the flooring, walls, ceiling and shelves. The internally lit marble cashwrap doubles as a display counter and sets the tone for the box-themed space. The classic beauty of the unpolished marble is balanced with more contemporary polished chrome accents while display cases and windows also have a straightforward, box-like look. Frenes says the simplicity of the box-in-a-box design purposefully contradicts the elegance of the bottles.
“It makes the bottles look spectacular,” says Frenes. “You grasp more of each individual piece – the Baroque bottle being so elaborate you put it on a minimal piece and you’re able to appreciate both pieces separately.”
The space is lit almost entirely by LEDs, which provided two benefits: the bright white light complements the marble and the lack of heat from the lamp is ideal for the alcohol-based perfumes. Product is organized by scent or packaging style, the more ornate of which is further accentuated by the minimalist design.
PROJECT SUPPLIERS
RETAILER: Creed, Paris
DESIGN: EZCT Architecture & Design Research, Paris
DESIGN: Tomas Frenes Design Studio, Miami
FIXTURES: Tomas Fremes Design Studio, Miami
FLOORING: Giorgio Viti, LLC., Miami
LIGHTING: Linear Lighting, Miami
Photography: Shahar Azran Photography, New York