Much more than their bigger counterparts, niche brands require a specific exposure in order to thrive. And while an online presence contributes a great deal to this objective, a brick and mortar shop still remains the best tool to create brand awareness and communicate one’s values. And that’s exactly the strategy that L/Uniform has followed. The french accessories brand, known for its contemporary range of a-grade bags, wallets and pouches crafted from durable canvas, has made quite the effort to make a real statement when establishing their very first shop. It has done so with a little help from Masamichi Katayama, the renowned chief designer of Tokyo-based design practice Wonderwall. The store is situated on Rive Gauche, occupying a compact space that’s hardly bigger than a shoe box.
But what it may lack in size, it makes up with a rather fabulous interior design. Conceptualized as a traditional cabinet of curiosities, albeit one captured in distinctly modern materials, it features an abundance of seemingly stacked open boxes left and right. These extend from the ground up, all the way up to the ceiling, where they seemingly evolve into a back-lit grid. the floor is covered in a subtle mosaic of wood that not only creeps up halfway the sales counter, but also extends all the way to the backroom where it pretty much covers all surfaces. this space stocks all the elements that shoppers need to have their new trophy item of choice customized or monogrammed. The new L/Uniform store carries the brand’s full range of products.
Design: Wonderwall
Photography: Roberta Valerio
via Superfuture