Located at 11 Rue du Vertbois in Paris’ Marais district, Rupture Store & Café combines a record shop, a café and a bar within a single space. Designed by architect and interior designer Pierre Gonalons, the project interprets the character of the location through materials, colours and lighting, creating an atmosphere inspired by the iconic Parisian venues of the 1960s.
A store inspired by Parisian drugstores
Founded by Alexander Sap, Rupture is both an independent record label and a destination dedicated to music. For the interior design, Pierre Gonalons drew inspiration from the legendary Drugstore Saint-Germain, one of the most iconic multi-purpose venues in 1960s Paris, where a café, restaurant, tobacconist and general store coexisted under one roof.
Rather than recreating this historical model, the project reinterprets its spirit through a contemporary interior where retail and hospitality share the same environment.
Colours, materials and furniture shape the interior
The space follows a longitudinal layout articulated by two square columns that subtly separate the bar counter from the seating area.
Powder pink and blush walls contrast with light-stained parquet flooring, while the ceiling retains its original black faceted glass tiles dating back to the 1930s.
Pink boiserie display units showcase the vinyl records, while red velvet curtains provide privacy from the street. The same fabric upholsters the circular All Around armchairs designed by Pierre Gonalons for Paradisoterrestre, paired with black mirrored tables.
Reflective surfaces, gold accents, circular motifs and a palette of reds and pinks evoke the atmosphere of a disco club, reinterpreted through a refined contemporary aesthetic.
Horo lighting defines the atmosphere
Lighting plays a central role in shaping the atmosphere of Rupture Store & Café.
For the project, Pierre Gonalons selected the Horo collection, designed in 2020 for Masiero. The luminaires feature a circular brushed brass structure combined with a prismatic glass diffuser distinguished by its diamond-cut finish.
The lighting scheme includes three single pendants, one three-light suspension fitted with pink glass diffusers, two wall lights with amber diffusers and a Horo table lamp with a white diffuser positioned on the bar counter. The collection is also available with glass diffusers in different colour finishes.
Vintage details complete the project
Custom-designed furniture is complemented by carefully selected vintage pieces, including Italian 1970s stools featuring metal bases and red velvet seats.
The combination of contemporary furnishings, preserved architectural elements and twentieth-century design references creates an environment where music, retail and hospitality coexist within a single spatial experience.
Photo credit: Stephan Juillard
by AN Shopfitting Magazine no.161 ©