Continuing its European expansion, Aesop has entered the Scandinavian market by opening a signature store in Stockholm. The shop is situated in Norrmalm, the Swedish capital’s leading shopping district and home to a vast array of department stores and boutiques. The interior design is the result of a collab between local architecture practice in Praise of Shadows and Swedish artist Lies-Marie Hoffmann, and features an abundance of wood. And for apparent reasons, as the design is inspired by a quirky blend of author Jun’Ichiro Tanizaki’s philosophy on aesthetics and the cinematography of renowned Nordic directors Ingmar Bergman and Lars von Trier.

The controlled shape of the sales counter, sink and bench, and the material’s uncontrolled structure – all made by Hoffmann of large chunks of elm from nearby woods, and the artist’s preferred material for the past few years – reflect the suppressed strength by social norms and human relations of many of their characters. While the back section of the store and the flooring are also made of wood, it’s offset by polished walls and a ceiling in a soft beige hue. The new Aesop store carries the Australian cosmetics brand’s full range of skin, body and hair care products. To celebrate the opening, Aesop commissioned a short film, shot by photographer Peter Farago and stylist Ingela Klemetz-Farago, which will be shown in-store.

http://superfuture.com/supernews/stockholm-aesop-store-opening-24924