Jacquemus

This is the brand's first flagship outside of its Paris home (Avenue Montaigne), where the store boasts a museum and coffee shop. Here, the store sits on a protected corner plot, spanning two previous stores, and has an 'old world' feel of white-painted wood, large windows that flood the street with light and show the central staircase and clean French stonework. It's the light that draws one in: a warm yet bright light that brings Provence in the summer to New York's Soho in the midst of winter. Founded in 2009, Jacquemus' minimal and restrained aesthetic has found favour with GenZ (as the queues upon opening attest). The vibe of the store is that of a 'home' - albeit that of a very wealthy relative in Connecticut who also keeps houses in Paris and Provence! The founders worked with architectural firm OMA to create a space that is minimal (stone, space, light), warm yet also flawed (the natural grain in the stone and the exposed beams, bricks and floors) - in all a space to linger. The merchandising is sparse but playful, with museum-grade sculptures dotted through the handbags (their famed Rond Carré range) or on shelves. Furniture is collectible and references mid-century design: Jean Royere, Frank Lloyd Wright, photography by Wolfgang Tillmans and Peter Schlesinger; an engraving by Pierre Bonnard... This is either extremely good taste or (perhaps) how it feels to wander through the beach house of your new partner's affluent grand-parents! There is a feel of crossing time and generations in this brand, and there's a fine line between taste and pastiche. However, from the arranged clusters of wheat to the stories the wonderful and welcoming staff will share with you, this store lands on the right side of that line. This is an example of a brand's ethos taking physical form - the plot, the generous size, the "provencal pop" (the brand's term), the calming experience (like having a 20-minute staycation or light therapy session!) all combine to create a brand flagship that is a world away from the international "lift and shift" luxury-airport vernacular.