Sophie Hicks Architects designed every detail down to the perfume stands for the first ever Mugler store to house both fashion and fragrance, and their first store in China. In collaboration with Mugler Creative Director Casey
Cadwallader, Sophie Hicks Architects developed a store concept embodying the energy of the Mugler fashion shows and films – sharp yet fluid, forceful yet gently inviting. The lighting concept evolved to mirror the same principles, and materials were used in innovative ways to offer a new elaboration of the signature Mugler blue.
Arup translated the lighting concept through all aspects of the store design, curating an experience which through the deliberate play of shadow and light reiterates the energy of the brand and of the architecture.
Glowing feature ceilings punctuate the entrance areas, drawing the eye in the context of a busy Retail Mall and guiding visitors to enter the exquisite runway floor space.
Concealed light sources create an almost surreal looking ambiance, lighting the products in the most perfect way while contributing to that sense of wonder and play, as the space appears illuminated by magic. The light feels as if it has been woven into the space, enhancing the products with a distinct ‘Mugler-branded quality of light’.
Fragrance bottles displayed for testing rest on pools of light realised by neatly integrated LED strips, drawing the customer’s attention. In the entrance area, a similar effect is created for the perfume bottle within the large-scale fragrance artwork, by Shanghai-based collective Bloop Bloop.
The wall-mounted fragrance display has been crafted with minimal ambient light and integrated super-thin LED sources so the fragrance bottles glisten, creating a pure and minimalistic aesthetic.
Accessories such as bags and shoes are presented on shelves with integrated linear light sources in addition to overhead focusable concealed light fittings. Viewed from outside, the bags, shoes and fashion appear misty through the smoked glass. Soft light escapes, catching the eye of passersby, drawing them in to explore further.
