Balenciaga's New Hamburg Store Proves Less is More
Balenciaga just opened its newest retail location, taking over 540 square meters in Hamburg, Germany.
In keeping with the brand's experiential "Raw Architecture" concept, (recently seen in the brand's Miami Design District store) the new location seemingly represents a renewed focus on design for Balenciaga, shifting its priorities towards architecture and craftsmanship. Posing a reevaluation of luxury retail, the store stands to complement and elevate the existing structures that surround it, and not the other way around.
Arriving across two storeys, the Hamburg location boasts untouched concrete and metal surfaces, accompanied by unfinished and worn aways walls, delicately balanced LED lighting and metal staircases. Products are split simply between mens and women's ready-to-wear, without any distinct areas or seasonal displays, potentially representative of a more timeless future.
Taking cues from the visual identities of construction sites and outdoor metal fixtures, the store features an exposed ventilation system, seemingly water damaged velvet curtains and clinical Aluminium tables, paired with aged cement floors. Juxtaposing the the warehouse-like space with a touch of vibrancy, the store also boasts digital screens, floor-to-ceiling mirrors and underlit shelving.
Adding to the design is a unique installation located on the ground floor, which features the Balenciaga Bench by Tejo Remy for Droog Design. Utilizing vintage and deadstock Balenciaga fabric, Remy's piece creates a functional seating area, in line with the brand's continuing "Art in Stores" project.
Take a look at the new location above.
In other retail news, Aries just opened its first-ever London store in Soho.
