ZARA 6000 [460- 490 Oxford Street, London]

Last week my Spaniard friends and I were invited to the opening party of Zara’s new store, number 6000 of the empire! Wow! It is located in London’s most crowded shopping street, the famous Oxford St. We all know by now that this is Inditex best, and only, publicity: being everywhere, and being in the best spot of that everywhere. The new and super modern Park House building is definitely one of those best spots.

We enjoyed the drinks (champagne and alcohol-free mojitos, which we are still trying to understand…), little sweet snacks, The Kills’ concert and the company’s new flagship concept. 

This new concept is all about simplicity, elegance, functionality and sustainability. It’s simple scheme guides clients through its 2500 square meters of fashion. All three floors have two long corridors that lead you to individual cubicles, where the different collections are displayed. Finishes and materials reflect this new elegant, simple but more luxurious concept.

                             (I loved this high window that allows us to have a peek of Selfridges' great Christmas lighting!)

Zara - Park House is, no doubt, another achievement to the Spanish Company's long list, which you should not hesitate to visit whenever you are in this amazing city. 

LEGHILÀ [261 King's Road, London]

I have walked in front of Leghilà everyday for the past 3 weeks, since I started working in an architecture practice in Chelsea. I was attracted to it from the very first day. I don't know if it was because of the bright colors that shine through its window, that finally wake me up in the mornings... or it's just that these bags are extremely cool!

They just sell bags: neoprene bags! They are washable, practical, bicolor (a.k.a. reversible!) and super stylish.

The store if the perfect example of how your don't need a lot, when what you are presenting is everything. White walls, minimalistic hangers and shelves and the perfect lighting is all you need to highlight the fluor neoprene bags.

I personally love the counter's neoprene lining, which with wood and the metallic little details are the base of the store's design.

I am also amazed by the fact that the place could as well host clothes or even shoes; making it's scheme absolutely versatile and reusable, which will probably be a blessing for future owners who wouldn't have to invest much in readapting it.

Leghilà is definetly an original and a smart brand, that shows how having a clear idea, a good product and picking the right material to develop it are the key to success.

Welcome to London!

 

So, from now on I'll have a Hyde instead of a Central Park, I'll drink nothing but Earl Grey Tea, when I would have eaten a hamburger I guess I'll have a scone and I'll walk around Shoreditch these days that I really miss Williamsbug.

But I will still look for beauty, style and the coolest stores ever.

GUGGENHEIM STORE Window Design [come true]

A while ago I posted my design for the Guggenheim Store Window, based on the coolest children's furniture and toys.

So... here is the final result! My first "build project"! Hope everyone likes it as much as I do, and that they are doing a lot of sales thanks to it. That's in fact what store design is all about, isn't it?

It was actually a lot of fun spending a morning in this little cubicle putting everything together; and I can't wait to be able to repeat such a great experience! 

Come on, Upper East Siders! Stop by the Guggenheim and let's redecorate your kid's room!

NY, I heart U

Zara says "Hello, New York", but tonight I'm saying Goodbye.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

So I was just out with some friends and we kept talking about the fact that it was my "last dinner"; suddenly my friend Tyler said that it sounded as if I were dying. 

Actually, somehow, that´s how leaving New York feels like. Something is definitely dying...

So I guess this is goodbye. NY, I heart U.

Whoa! Nellie! [770 Montauk Highway, Montauk, NY]

Merry Christmas Summer! es el lema de Whoa! Nellie!, la tienda con más encanto de Montauk. Honestamente, no sabría decir nada de su diseño, ya que la tienda es básicamente una aglomeración de productos vintage y reproducciones; pero lo que si me parece interesante es su historia.

 La dueña del local, Ms. Seaton, era una azafata de vuelo que dejó de viajar más o menos alrededor del 11S. Cuando comenzó a pensar a que dedicar su vida a partir de entonces, decidió que la mejor idea era crear esta tienda donde exponer/vender todo lo que había recolectado durante sus muchos viajes.

Ahora sigue viajando para seguir llenando Whoa! Nellie! de los mejores productos, y como ella misma dice: todo el mundo sale del lugar un poco más feliz que cuando entró en él.

Merry Christmas Summer! It is the motto of Whoa! Nellie!, the most charming store in Montauk. Honestly, I don´t know what to say about its design, since the store is basically an agglomeration of vintage products and reproduction; but what I find incredibly interesting is its history.

Its owner, Ms. Seaton, was a flight attendant who stopped traveling around the 9/11. When she began to think what to do thereafter, she decided the best idea was to create this shop where expose/sell all what she had collected during her many trips.

Now she continues traveling to keep filling Whoa! Nellie! with the best products, and as she says: everyone leaves the store happier than they come in.

WOW! They really have a lot of stuff...

a.k.a. music [27 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia]

Philadelphia es una ciudad que cada día acoge a numerosos turistas que quieren visitar el lugar donde ser firmó la declaración de independencia. En medio de ese ambiente histórico se encuentra a.k.a music, una tienda independiente de discos, la más grande e importante de la ciudad.

Philadelphia is a city that every day receives numerous tourists who want to visit the place where the Declaration of independence was signed. In that historic environment you can find a.k.a. music, an independent records store, the largest and most important of the city.

El simple y visualmente atractivo hecho de la acumulación de iguales juega a favor del diseño de la tienda. Si a eso le añades el techo industrial, un suelo desgastado, sencillos expositores metálicos y cajas de cartón acumuladas por las esquinas el resultado es un ambiente aparentemente de lo más descuidado y a la vez interesante (sobretodo cuando empiezas a revolver y encuentras entre sus estanterías discos de gran calidad).

The simple and visually attractive fact of the accumulation of equals works in the store design´s favor. If you add the industrial ceiling, a worn floor, simple metal exhibitors and cardboard boxes accumulated in every corner the result is a seemingly careless and at the same time interesting space (especially when you begin to go through its shelves and find great quality records).

A mi me gusta especialmente el montacargas usado como tablón de anuncios y lugar para depositar revistas y demás panfletos locales, así como los pósters que se encuentran por las paredes y los carteles que informan sobre que tipos e música encontrar en cada zona. No hay duda de que el diseño es fácil y económico pero no por ello deja de ser atractivo.

I particularly like the freight elevator used as a bulletin board and place to deposit magazines and other local pamphlets, as well as the posters that are on the walls and the signs informing about the music types you can find in each area. There is no doubt that the design is easy and cheap but still be attractive.

IVANA HELSINKI [251 Elizabeth Street , New York]

Ivana Helsinki es una de mis firmas nórdicas preferidas desde que la conocí hace años en Hameväki (A Coruña) y hasta el momento siempre le he seguido la pista de una manera u otra... Cuando me mudé a New York me llevé además una gran alegría al saber que abrían un nuevo concept store en Nolita, uno de los barrios más trendys de la ciudad.

Ivana Helsinki is one of my favorite Nordic firms since I met it years ago in Hameväki (A Coruña) and so far I always followed its track one way or another... When I moved to New York it was also a great joy knowing that they just opened a new concept store in Nolita, one of the most trendy neighborhoods in the city.

La tienda, a pesar de no ser de gran tamaño, se compone de distintos espacios y hay un recorrido a seguir. Al entrar llegas a un lugar de carácter antiguo: una mesa de metal, una cómoda de madera, sencillos percheros-tuberías (sin duda es una tendencia firme). El detalle más curioso son unas creaciones de papiroflexia simulando los productos que nos encontraríamos en una carnicería y que se mueven gracias a la corriente que entra directamente por la puerta. Si alguien me pregunta que significa eso, está claro que no tengo ni idea... Pero el movimiento del ficticio muslo de cerdo con la brisa de una calurosa tarde de primavera en la Gran Manzana resultaba de lo más poético...


The store, though not very big, is composed of different spaces and there is a tour to follow. When you enter you get to an old spirit space: a metal table, wood furniture, simple pipe stands (no doubt it's a firm trend). The most curious detail are a few origami creations simulating butcher products, that move with the wind that enters directly through the door. If anyone asks me what does that mean, I have no idea... But the movement of the fictional meat in the breeze on a warm spring afternoon in the Big Apple was absolutely poetic...

La segunda zona es algo así como el espacio party donde estoy segura de que tienen lugar los números eventos que organizan los encargados de esta activa tienda. Luces de discoteca, el equipo de música junto a los vinilos, una mecedora y una práctica mesa con ruedas que permite adaptar su ubicación al evento, son los componentes de esta área.En la mesa, además de tener lugar la actividad del pinchadiscos, se exponen numerosos productos de diseño como libretas, vajillas, mantas y un montón de objetos dedicados a las mascotas.The second area is something like the party space where I am sure that all the events that this active store organizes take place. Disco lights, the music player with the vinyls, a rocking chair and a practical table with wheels that allows to adapt its location according to the event, are the components of this area.In the table, in addition to place the DJ activity, are numerous design products such as notebooks, crockery, blankets and a lot of objects dedicated to pets.

Y finamente, al fondo del local nos espera una zona más hogareña. Un arco de ladrillo visto, estanterías donde se muestra la colección de zapatos, un sofá, lámparas de mesa y una ventana mirador con vistas a un patio dan esta sensación casera. 

En conjunto, en esta interesante tienda se respiran los mismos principios que en las prendas de la firma. Es a su vez elegante, divertida, con cierto aire melancólico, llena de curiosos detalles; y en definitiva, muy agradable de visitar. Tengo claro que le haré numerosas visitas antes de abandonar esta ciudad.

And finally, the back of the premises presents us a more homely area. A brick arch, shelves which show the shoe collection, a sofa, table lamps and a window overlooking a courtyard give this home feeling.

Altogether, this interesting store breathes the same principles as the firm's garments. It's elegant, fun, with a melancholy air, full of curious details; and ultimately, very pleasant to visit. I am aware that I will go visit it many other times before leaving this city.