Looking to further expand into the Asian market, Italian luxury brand PAUL & SHARK embarked on a mission to renew its brand image. The first step: launch its Asian flagship store on Canton Road, Hong Kong. This would become the prototype for a new generation of PAUL & SHARK stores. To better understand the personality of the brand, the B+H design team visited the PAUL & SHARK stores and workshops in Milan and Varese, Italy. Working closely with PAUL & SHARK CEO, Andrea Dini, B+H began work on a design that would reflect the fine craftsmanship and innovative spirit of the brand. The iconic design concept of façade and interior of the flagship store was developed under the direction of Managing Principal Susanna Swee and Design Principal Jean Sebastien Bourdages.
Spread across 3,500 square feet, the store adopts classic Italian minimalist elegance blended with contemporary archetypical elements such as steel, wood, glass and leather. Inspired by the rolling waves, the navy blue aluminum sheet patchwork of the façade creates shimmering curves and glittering ripples, emphasizing the PAUL & SHARK logo ahead of the abundance of luxury brands along Canton Road.
The main entrance and windows lead the way through vertical blinds of wood and steel, whose double sides offer visual transparency into the store and flexibility for window setting, along with an LED screen on the side showcasing the latest collection. The arches, clad in glass and eucalyptus wood, optimize the existing retail area and divide the space into sections of display shelves. Eucalyptus shelves and back-lit translucent glass walls offer a clean palette, keeping the focus on the merchandise. The natural and warm ambiance is complemented by a wavy wood feature wall that echoes the exterior blue metal façade.
To further deliver brand consistency, B+H custom designed the clothing hangers and all luxury lounge furniture.
Following this success, the B+H design was applied in PAUL & SHARK stores in Milan, Mexico and Istanbul. B+H recently completed the new stores in Macau and Hong Kong, and is now supervising the Shanghai and Chengdu stores.
