Eyewear brand Polette unveils a new showroom in Paris developed in collaboration with Javier Zubiria, founder of Amsterdam-based zU-studio. Located on Rue de Rivoli, between the Louvre and La Samaritaine, the project reinterprets one of the French capital’s most recognisable architectural landmarks through a minimal retail concept.
An inverted tribute to the Louvre Pyramid
The central element of the showroom is a scaled-down inverted reinterpretation of the Louvre Pyramid positioned at the core of the space. The concept reflects the brand’s intention to overturn traditional optical retail conventions through spatial design.
According to Javier Zubiria, the project draws inspiration from a familiar Parisian icon and transforms it into an unexpected architectural gesture connected to Polette’s disruptive identity within the eyewear sector.
Minimal retail design focused on the product
The showroom adopts a restrained and minimal language that emphasises the eyewear collection on display. Glasses are presented on shelving systems reminiscent of bookcases, while white surfaces and clean lines maintain constant visual focus on the products.
Large open windows reinforce the connection between the interior and the urban context, allowing passersby to visually engage with the retail space from the street.
Spatial identity and contemporary optical retail
The project represents a broader shift within contemporary eyewear retail design, where optical spaces increasingly move away from clinical aesthetics in favour of immersive and architecturally recognisable environments.
The showroom combines spatial storytelling, iconic references and minimal interiors to strengthen brand identity while maintaining a clear and accessible customer experience.
Project details
Location Paris
Design Polette Design Team & zU-studio architecture
Photos courtesy Maxim Meignen
by AN Shopfitting Magazine no.169 ©