glass blocks engulf bottega veneta's avenue montaigne flagship

bottega veneta pairs glass & wood in avenue montaigne store

Coinciding with Paris Fashion Week 2023, Bottega Veneta unveils its new Paris flagship store, the first designed by the brand’s Creative Director Matthieu Blazy. Spanning nearly 800 sqm, the two-story space at 12 Avenue Montaigne combines Italian craftsmanship with a modernist sensibility, taking visitors on an intimate journey into the past, present, and future. As with its other flagships, deep and rich tones pair up with thick and bold shapes, taking over every corner and injecting a sophisticated intimacy into the overall design.

Two essential materials define the space. On the one hand, industrial glass blocks, native to Venice, are integrated into floor, ceiling, and walls, creating a grid geometry and diffuse, homogenous light throughout the store. On the other hand, Italian walnut wood panels frame the blocks and also distinguish the transitional spaces of the stairway and jewelry gallery corridor.

all images courtesy Bottega Veneta

bespoke furniture, curvilinear forms, and soft textures

A play of volume and scale is present throughout the Bottega Veneta flagship at Avenue Montaigne, counterposing its allusions to cosmic exploration with cozy, intimate enclaves. The design centers on a luminous, open-plan retail space interspersed by soft seating areas and flanked by intimate VIP and dressing rooms. In the gently undulating gallery corridor, curvilinear forms and the unifying use of wood create an environment of quiet privacy. Throughout the immersive retail interior, The brand’s inextricable connection to craft finds expression in one-of-a-kind furniture and fixtures, including bespoke wood and glass hanging rails, hand-cast by Venetian artisans. Soft textures are found in leather seating and wool carpets, while modular shelving units build a sense of discovery and play.

the two-storey space combines Italian craftsmanship with a modernist sensibility

Interaction with the vivid design and handmade furniture begins upon entry, where the front door features a unique glass handle by the Venice-based Japanese glass artist Ritsue Mishima. Further brass hooks and handles throughout the store pick up on Matthieu Blazy’s (see more here) Drop motif. In contrast, single Drop elements on store mirrors create rippling reflections suggestive of Venice’s aquatic cityscape. Launched with the complete Winter 2023 collection on September 25, the 12 Avenue Montaigne store will house all Bottega Veneta product categories, as well as a new in-store personalization service for select leather goods.

glass blocks, native to Venice, are integrated into floor, ceiling, and walls