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OBEY Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

Shop in Shop with moiré centrepiece

Paris | FR
2021

For the OBEY clothing brand, with stores and showrooms in Paris, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin, Milan and Biarritz, we designed interiors that match the bold and disruptive brand’s take on street culture: you cannot dictate it, but you can create the environment that will let it happen.

The OBEY Paris flagship store (2018) is where we established the blueprint of this brand, making its values and mission visible in the physical space. Less about the product, more about the culture – this design is all about making room for possibilities.The iconic Parisienne department store Galerie Lafayette Haussmann is where we created a calm off-white canvas for the brand in this ever-changing environment. It is within this environment that we provided artists an opportunity to give back to the community of creatives that OBEY was founded upon and still draws inspiration from.

As a focal point we created a Moiré-effect artwork of the iconic OBEY Giant Eyes right in the middle of the space. For this we collaborated with artist Andries de Marez Oyens and builder Bos + Couvée. The appearance of the  1,4 by 2,2 m moiré of The Giant Face changes in shape and colour, with every step that is made when passing it. It has a calming and serene impact for the visitor travelling within the crowded and chaotic feel of its surroundings.  We search for new subtle ways of asking attention, without being loud or in your face.  

Right in front of the Giant eyes we created a three-legged pedestal made from a steel base with a large handmade ceramic cube on top. By embracing the ceramic’s imperfection, we could form the perfect pedestal for any object put in front of the abstract backdrop. The handcrafted ceramics are made by Amsterdam artist Eva van Essen.

The plinth of both the backdrop and the freestanding clothing rack, elevates the curated collection from its surroundings. The expression of the plinth relates to the typical Parisienne metro-tiles while here we laser cut them in lacquered wood.  In this way we provided an elevated design still making use of simple and affordable materials as glazed ceramics, steel- and woodwork in creme white and a linoleum flooring.

Team

Renée Appelo
Matthew Riches

Photography

Peter Mann