Celine's new London store
What: The store, at 40 New Bond Street, carries men's and women's wear and is packed with raw, imposing sculptures and luxe materials.
Why it is important: Celine's store is a hybrid space, showcasing contemporary art as well as fashion, and captures the mood of the neighbourhood, which is filled with luxury stores, galleries and glossy jewellers.
The 40 New Bond Street store is also the latest unit to showcase Celine's latest interior concept, which made its debut in 2019 on Madison Avenue and has been rolling out worldwide.
The London store is packed with imposing, and thought-provoking, contemporary sculptures, and in a quirky contrast, houses a 17th-century Flemish portrait in one of the dressing rooms downstairs. The painting shows the image of a young aristocrat, in full armor, with a head full of long, lush curls.
The store showcases the work of some eight artists, all of whom are part of the Celine Art Project, which sees the brand commission or acquire pieces to fill its stores with the idea of creating a salon vibe. The Celine Art Project has around 80 pieces installed in its stores worldwide.
The art in the New Bond Street store is textural, powerful and raw. In some cases it dovetails with the natural wood, stone and metal that make up the store interiors, and in other cases it contrasts sharply with the original neoclassical arches and slim columns of the building.
Slimane chose granite for the walls and shelving, while basaltina, a Roman lava stone, covers some of the floors. Other fixtures, floors and fittings are made from types of marble, reclaimed oak, concrete, polished stainless steel, brass and gold mirror. The shelves, racks and other elements unhook from the walls and appear to float.
The overall space spans 5,016 square feet, with the ground floor dedicated to women's wear and featuring modernist furniture and design pieces from Jean Touret and Verner Panton.