Italy 2018The Forest
We were interested in the way Valextra displays their products individually, bringing attention to each product; as opposed to the usual long shelves with lined up products we find in the usual retail. This brought us to conceive a retail concept where each displayed item would occupy its own space. We had the ambition to have a shop conceived only by the addition of each of the items individual space, and that visitors would roam among them as if walking in a forest. Following this narrative, we formalized these individual spaces for each item as full height raw wooden planks. Essentially these wooden planks are the only elements creating the space.
The choice of wood was evident, since our aim was to create an abstract forest-like kind of experience. We chose for natural wooden planks, keeping their bark and original shape. This establishes a very intense and interesting contrast with the sophisticated simplicity of the Valextra designs. The counters in natural stone appear as mineral objects, like treasures discovered among the trees. The textile used for the furniture brings a feminine touch that recalls the intimacy of a secret boudoir. All these materials aim to create a sense of romantic escapism, a fantasy far from the reality of Milan’s hectic urban life. The scent of the wood that perfumes the whole space is particularly pleasant and charming when one steps into this space. We can suddenly feel a certain comfort leaving behind the chaos of the hectic city.
