SANAA’s Dior Omotesando store receives Peter Marino refit

Related story: Room of One’s Own writing pavilion by Nika Zupanc for Miss DiorThe building is surrounded by transparent glass walls set in front of a translucent wavy acrylic screen, sandwiched between horizontal white bands at unequal heights. Womenswear and perfumes are located on the second floor, beneath an entirely mirrored ceiling that makes the space appear twice as tall. The Omotesando flagship also contains a Dior Homme boutique, which was redesigned last year and showcases the menswear line, accessories and watches. Designed by Pritzker Prize laureates SANAA in 2004, the Dior store is located on Tokyo’s Omotesando   avenue – also home to Herzog de Meuron’s 2003 Prada flagship, Toyo Ito’s 2004 Tod’s store and MVRDV’s 2007 Gyre building among other fashion stores by notable architects. SANAA founders Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, who are also responsible for the Louvre Lens gallery in France, were only tasked with creating the structural skin so Dior could chose its own interior designers. «The boutique embodies a lofty, contemporary atmosphere, while still maintaining the feminine and glamorous aesthetic that reflects the traditional elegance of the house of Dior,» said a statement from the brand. Shoes are presented on shelves that project from textured walls and reflective plinths dotted around the floor, while a curved upholstered seat offers shoppers a place to sit while trying on the footwear. At night, the stacked layers of the 30-metre-tall design glow with different intensities. Other commissions for the store include a metallic seat by designer Johnny Swing and a centrepiece bench by sculptor Terence Main that encircles a bouquet of flowers. French fashion house Dior’s flagship store in Tokyo by Japanese studio SANAA has had its interior overhauled by American architect Peter Marino (+ slideshow).