FEMALE EDGE
Say goodbye to pastels and florals: the new breed of feminine retail interiors is embracing a raw kind of beauty.
The new breed of feminine retail interiors
It wasn’t so long ago that the concept of a feminine aesthetic conjured up images of oversize pastel sofas with perfectly plumped cushions, an abundance of floral patterns, crystal chandeliers and heavy accents of pretty colours. In fact, if you type ‘feminine interiors’ in your search engine, this is what the results will return. While this one-dimensional approach may still work for private spaces, the reality is entirely different for more public areas, like retail. Today’s women are navigating a world full of paradoxes. With traditional gender roles continuing to blur and a heightened sense of awareness of the world around us due to social media, responding to our complex needs and desires and translating them into brands, products and interiors is perhaps more challenging than ever. So how do today’s retail environments go about appealing to women’s multifaceted aspirations? I have noticed an emerging new breed of feminine retail interiors that feel assured, layered, tactile, nurturing and inclusive. These spaces feel familiar, yet they are more than a little unexpected. And while utterly feminine, they deliberately dodge the tired clichés. Much like women today are evolving, the singular image of what feminine interiors look like is also rapidly shifting. Alysi’s fashion boutique, located inside a 17th-century building in Milan’s historic Brera district, was recently transformed by local design agency Studiopepe. Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto, the women heading the multidisciplinary practice, are known for their ability to translate brands into evocative spaces and experiences, and Alysi store is another such example. Their response to Alysi’s design brief is an abstraction of feminine textures, with visual transitions articulated through muted tones and colours. These are offset by geometric shapes and the angular installation of stone. The result is unquestionably feminine, yet cool and contemporary. In the same part of town, womenswear label Forte Forte has unveiled its first boutique — a spatial and emotional extension of the tactile and dreamy values that define the spirit of the brand. A delicate yet powerful aesthetic pervades the interior, executed by brand co-founder Giada Forte and art director Robert Vattilana.
The spatial story unravels behind the white curtain that wraps the front window. Supremely tactile materials deliver a multisensory experience in which travertine is the undisputed hero. Its open-and-closed grain finish is soft and robust in equal measure, becoming the canvas upon which brass clothing racks, like lines drawn freehand in space, gently define the display for the clothing. Meanwhile in Madrid, accessories label Malababa’s flagship store showcases a powerful synergy between art, craftsmanship, design, architecture and femininity. Founders of the brand, Ana Carrasco and Jaime Lara, joined forces with Ciszak Dalmas Studio to materialise a space built the same way their products are — with passion and honesty. Walls, floors and decorative elements were all handmade by local artisans using only natural and sustainable materials. The store is a triumph of raw beauty, sustainability, authenticity and materiality. It is an interior that will only become even more distinct and inimitable with time — the very same qualities any woman can aspire to.