Imperial treatment for customers – The traditional store Lodenfrey starts a new chapter in its history with the shoe shop Faye. Both can trace their roots back to the first half of the 19th century; and since September these two traditional establishments have been making history together. The traditional costume and fashion store Lodenfrey has launched FAYE, its new concept for high-quality shoes, in the Hotel zur Post, the historic listed building in the imperial town of Bad Ischl. A unique shoe presentation has been created across 240 m² where once the aristocratic elite stayed – artists and scientists from Emperor Franz Joseph to Arthur Schnitzler and Romy Schneider. It not only preserves the tradition of both establishments, but also translates it into the modern age at the same time. Umdasch Shopfitting was responsible both for the concept and as General Contractor also for its implementation.

Modern language of forms, materiality and colour scheme in harmony with the historic setting
The starting point and at the same time the very heart of the architectural concept is the former dining room of the hotel on the first floor, which has been re-interpreted as a shoe salon. The wall cladding in stucco lustro and the elaborate ceiling with its cassette divisions and medallions, with individual fields displaying arabesques, fanciful animals, fruits and plants, form the reference for the colour concept which runs throughout the room. The warm shades of red, gold and earth tones with nuances of grey extend from the shoe salon into the side room – today the space occupied by the traditional costumes – and down to the ground floor.

Floral elements of the ceiling paintings are repeated on the ground floor as wall and suspended ceiling elements. “Even the choice of materials and forms is inspired by times past. For example, seating elements upholstered in velvet bring the historic space into the modern age”, comments Julia Mitteregger, the ShopConsult expert who was responsible for the entire concept. Sophisticated accessories, like a luggage or serving cart and birdcages for the presentation of individual shoes, can be seen as a gesture of respect towards the birdcatchers of Salzkammergut and complete the harmonious impression.

Atmospheric furnishings which make shoes into highlights
The first glimpse into the shop lures the customer into the imperial and royal era of the oldest hotel in Salzkammergut. The historic marble floor – newly combined with carpets – extends in the centre of the room towards a historical highlight – the marble spiral staircase which undergoes a stylistically appropriate renaissance with its room-high curtain of brass threads. While the understated design of the rear walls and the acrylic shelving focus all the attention on the product, filigree brass-coloured metal frames and furnishings supply further unusual accents within the space.

On the upper floor, which is a listed interior, the Umdasch Store Makers realised cubes backlit with LEDs in the colours of the historic ceiling painting. While old connecting doors have been modified to form furnishing elements and mirrored surfaces, one of the tall windows now serves as a tensioning frame for lighting which lends a modern flair to the atmosphere within the space.

Lighting creates individual lustre for unique glamour
Rounded out by the unique lighting concept, a superlative shopping experience has been created in the former “Hotel zur Post”. By combining the historic chandeliers, unique standard and table lamps and stylish hanging lights the lighting designers among the Umdasch Store Makers have created elegant accents which satisfy entirely the requirements of the exclusive products and advice offered at Faye.

Design and photography: Umdasch Shopfitting