The jewelry retail design concept for the Repossi flagship in Place Vendôme organizes the 90 sqm boutique into three distinct spatial typologies: street, gallery and salon.
The project is based on the idea that jewelry is experienced and purchased at different paces—fast, slow and very slow. Each level of the boutique responds to these rhythms, defining a spatial hierarchy aligned with customer behavior.
A retail concept based on different shopping speeds
The ground floor represents the most public dimension of the store, conceived as an extension of the street and designed for a rapid interaction with the brand. The first floor functions as a gallery, where the entire Repossi collection is displayed in a more contemplative setting. The basement, defined as a salon, provides a more intimate environment dedicated to personalized service and a deeper exploration of selected pieces.
Architecture and display as a unified system
The design approach aims to merge architecture and display into a single system, transforming the entire space into a stage for the brand’s collections. This integration is reinforced through the use of unconventional materials that diverge from traditional jewelry store aesthetics.
Special colored mirrors, developed in collaboration with Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis, introduce varying degrees of reflection and chromatic refraction, contributing to a dynamic perception of space.
Materials and spatial continuity
Aluminum cladding—both plain and foam—is used to wrap the staircase volume and extend across the different levels, creating visual continuity throughout the boutique.
The staircase plays a central role within the compact 90 sqm space. It is conceived as the intersection of two vertical systems: a solid excavated volume connecting the ground floor and basement, and a lighter suspended structure linking the ground and first floors. Movement becomes a key architectural element, shaping the spatial experience.
Kinetic display and transformation of space
On the ground floor, the wall is designed as a large rotating Trivision system with three alternating surfaces: a bronze mirror, a traditional mirror and a display unit.
Developed in collaboration with Italian manufacturer Goppion, this kinetic installation operates simultaneously as display and architecture, allowing the space to transform according to different functional needs.
When the jewelry is not exhibited, the ground floor becomes an empty volume. In the dense retail context of Place Vendôme, this concept of “void” represents a radical and strategic interpretation of luxury.
OMA – Office for Metropolitan Architecture
OMA is an international practice operating across architecture, urbanism and research. The studio works beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, engaging with fields such as media, technology, energy and fashion.
Led by partners including Rem Koolhaas and Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, OMA has offices in Rotterdam, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Doha and Dubai, and is responsible for a wide range of cultural and commercial projects worldwide.
Credits
Client Repossi
Location Paris
Area 90 sqm
OMA Partner Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli
OMA Team Antonio Barone, Paul Cournet, Leonardos Katsaros, Francesca Lantieri, Kate Lee, Francesco Moncada, Silvia Sandor
Collaborators
Local Architect DATA Architectes
Structure Engineer Batiserf
MEP Engineer BET Louis Choulet
Wall displays and mechanical displays Goppion
Standing displays Sice-Previt
Mirror design Sabine Marcelis Studio
Photo credit
Cyrille Weiner
Delfino Sisto Legnani
Marco Cappelletti
by AN Shopfitting Magazine no.136 ©