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Architects: AMO
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Benoit Florençon
Text description provided by the architects. Two blocks away from Place Vendôme, Off-White Paris occupies a 19th-century corner building at the intersection of Rue de Castiglione and Rue du Mont Thabor. The space combines Parisian elegance with industrial rawness, rethinking Parisian high-end retail. A courtyard, a gallery, and a market extend over three floors, gradually revealing to the visitor Off-White’s diverse identity.
Under the arches of Rue de Castiglione is the store’s main entrance – a semi-circular vestibule of corrugated glass – which leads to the ground floor’s centerpiece: a reinterpretation of the typical Parisian courtyard, containing the women’s collection. Framed by arches inspired by the street’s portico, the courtyard’s walls and floors are cladded in white travertine. Sober and refined, the courtyard induces a calm and slow shopping experience but can also accommodate dynamic events such as fashion shows.
The entrance on Rue du Mont Thabor leads to what feels like a completely different store. Light blue walls and a black terrazzo floor, filled with AMO-designed freestanding furniture, showcase Off-White’s brand partnerships.
The store’s multifaceted identity is further reinforced by the design of the upper floors. In the intimate atmosphere of the mezzanine, with its low ceiling and small windows, a space inspired by the aesthetics of the gift shop hosts the kids’ and homeware collections, as well as an exhibition wall. On the second floor, for the men’s collection, the high ceiling and large windows facing the city create a luminous, clear space, which can be easily reconfigured for concerts, art shows, and parties. A foldable box finished with Sottsass-red veneer conceals the bar and the back of the house.
The floor accommodates freestanding display elements designed by AMO – metallic clothing racks, wooden tables, and white travertine shelving systems – echoing the Parisian flea market. Contrasting combinations of textures and colors emphasize the store's repertoire of ambiances, creating an abstract reinterpretation of Paris.
