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Inspired by the liberated colour palette of Luis Barragán, Paul Smith’s Los Angeles address is known for its monolithic pink façade which – against the near-perennial blue skies of California – has become one of the city’s most photographed spots (such is its ubiquity as an Instagram backdrop, its comes with its own #pinkwall hashtag).
The store first opened its doors in 2005, and nearly two decades on, the designer has drafted Standard Architecture to give the unique location a ‘facelift’. Reimagining the interior with a carefully curated selection of objects and furniture, the re-do also involves the addition of a new VIP lounge with its own dedicated entranceway. As for what stays the same, fear not, the pink exterior remains.
Colour theory: Paul Smith reopens pink Melrose store
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‘Our inspiration for this redesign came from the experimental architecture that shaped the LA landscape around the middle of the 20th century,’ says Smith. ‘The new shop layout features a comprehensive redesign with multi-purpose, adaptable spaces, sculptural shelving, and a blend of custom and vintage furniture.’
Standard Architecture, meanwhile, said it wanted to make the interior a more ‘cohesive’ experience for customers, one that moves seamlessly between menswear, womenswear and the brand’s homeware offerings. Partition walls, in warm stone-coloured tones, gently divide the space, while amphitheatre-style tiered displays show off the brand’s accessories offering.
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As in all of Smith’s spaces, the designer’s eclectic eye – which often includes icons of design and furniture – defines the objects that populate the interior, here spanning both vintage objects and artworks, as well as custom-made creations. A new ‘sunrise’ version of the Gufram Cactus – an icon of 1970s design – also appears. Smith collaborated with Standard Architecture on all elements of the space.
A vivid use of colour also runs throughout, in typical Paul Smith style – from mosaic artworks to modular shelving stacked high with brightly hued model cars, mobiles and lamps. Together, it is a reinvigorated vision for one of the world’s most memorable stores.
The reinvigorated Paul Smith at 8221 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles is open now.
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