For renowned designer Azzedine Alaïa it was a dream to open a store on Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré in Paris. The historic address in the 8th arrondissement known for its array of galleries, luxury boutiques and government buildings, is now home to the third of a trilogy of Alaïa flagship stores in Paris, an embodiment and realisation of Tunisian designer’s dream, and legacy.
The opening, which coincides with Paris Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2025 and the upcoming haute couture week (when it will hold its official opening), follows the renovation of Alaïa’s London flagship which was completed with the opening of a top-floor bookshop and café. The Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré retains the same balance of being both exclusive and inviting: inside you will find the hidden location of Le Café Sant Ambroeus, an outpost of the Milanese restaurant tucked away on the store's mezzanine. Echoing Azzedine Alaïa’s hospitable nature (he was known for hosting impromptu gatherings at his home and atelier on 7 Rue de Moussy) the restaurant welcomes guests for a bite of contemporary dining.
Inside Alaïa's new Paris store and secret restaurant
Much like the restaurant’s sweeping pastry selection – from chocolate and hazelnut sponge cake infused with dark rum syrup, to an airy lemony sponge with a speckled vanilla custard – Alaïa’s new flagship interiors look delectable. The design was approached with a sculptor’s hand and mastered by architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (founders of 2025 Charlotte Perriand Award-winning SANAA), in collaboration with Alaïa’s creative director Pieter Mulier. Offering a symbiotic relationship between art, design, and fashion, like with his other stores, Mulier said he approached the interiors as if furnishing a home.
Details include a metallic curved table by Ron Arad, Philippe Malouin’s ‘Mollo’ armchairs, which are comprised entirely of foam with no hard internal structure, and a series of sculptures by American artist Diamond Stingily. Taken from the body of work Elephant Memory, the blend of hair and steel chains is visually tactile, and unexpected in the gallery-like space.
The ground floor is centred around four transparent tubular rooms, and balances privacy and fluidity. Soft ballet-pink flooring cushions your every step through the space, while pillowy buttercream furnishings are dotted in each corner. The architecture guides visitors to the centrepiece: a cascading staircase that nods to Alaïa’s signature curved and crisp lines, and spirals through the heart of the store, a visually tiered sorbet of creams and blush-pink steps (a similar feature can also be seen in Alaïa’s Bond Street flagship, and is swiftly becoming its architectural trademark).
The soft curvature of the interior space takes its design codes from Alaïa’s body-contouring dresses and architectural approach to construction (Azzedine Alaïa was known as the ‘king of cling’, and Mulier’s own designs continue this fascination with form). Alaïa’s repertoire of colours, particularly nude and blush tones are elegant and ethereal, and seemingly float within the space in a mirage of reflections. The Tunisian designer used to put women at the heart of creation, endlessly seeking the essence of femininity, a key element that Mulier wants to continue. As he previously told Wallpaper*: ‘It’s what I want to keep and protect: Alaïa’s family spirit, which makes the house so special.’
Alaïa's new store is located at 15 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, 75008 Paris, maison-alaia.com
Discover more of the world's best-designed fashion stores
-
Joanna Hogg on her new film for Miu Miu and a lifelong relationship with style: ‘What we wear is very revealing’Casting Miu Miu’s ‘Wander’ handbag in the starring role, director Joanna Hogg’s new short film is the latest chapter of the house’s Women’s Tales series. Ahead of its premiere, Simon Chilvers sits down with Hogg to find out more
-
Zaha Hadid Architects reveals plans for a futuristic project in Shaoxing, ChinaThe cultural and arts centre looks breathtakingly modern, but takes cues from the ancient history of Shaoxing
-
Pantone’s colour of the year on your wrist: discover watches in mocha moussePantone’s mocha mousse is the colour of the year. Here are ten watches in the delectable rich chocolate tone
-
At Arpa Studios, a new chapter begins for perfumer Barnabé FillionFounder of Arpa Studios Barnabé Fillion catches up with Wallpaper* to talk about the latest chapter of his multisensory fragrance brand and research project
-
Trompe l’oeil, transparency, spiralling silhouettes: these looks capture S/S 2025’s definitive trendsFrom baring arms in oversized gilets to defying gravity in strikingly structured dresses, the S/S 2025 collections encapsulated in 12 distinctive looks and accessories
-
Women’s Fashion Week A/W 2025: what to expectAfter some seasons of flux, Women’s Fashion Week A/W 2025 will see a number of designers begin their tenures at the world’s best-known houses – though there are some notable absences too. Here’s what to expect in London, Milan, Paris and New York, which begins today (6 February 2025)
-
The Wallpaper* A/W 2025 menswear trend reportTaking place against the backdrop of an industry in flux, Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss unpacks the trends and takeaways from A/W 2025 menswear month, from a continuing mood of eclecticism to an embrace of the great outdoors
-
The best of Haute Couture Week S/S 2025, from Chanel to ValentinoRepresenting the pinnacle of Parisian fashion and savoir-faire, Haute Couture Week S/S 2025 took place in the French capital this week. Here, Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss picks the highlights
-
Indian artist Rithika Merchant on her fantastical show set for Dior couture: ‘It’s about building a wonderland’Rithika Merchant tells Wallpaper* the story behind her immersive work ‘The Flowers We Grew’, which backdropped Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Alice in Wonderland-inspired S/S 2025 couture show in Paris yesterday (27 January 2025)
-
Inside the kaleidoscopic debut of Issey Miyake’s IM Men in ParisMarking its debut in Paris, Issey Miyake offshoot IM Men stays true to the eponymous founder’s philosophy of ‘a piece of cloth’. Here, its designers tell Wallpaper* the story behind the shape-shifting collection
-
Paris Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2025 highlights: Hermès to LanvinWallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss unpacks the highlights from Paris Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2025, which concluded with Peter Copping’s debut for Lanvin yesterday evening (26 January 2024)
