Is this Basel department store renovation already the best fashion retail design of the year?

In Basel, a city synonymous with contemporary art and architecture, retail takes on a unique form. At least, that is the vision of Tutto Bene, the design firm behind the recently completed fashion and private shopping floors at historic department store Globus Basel – a conception of retail which reimagines shopping so radically that it almost transcends it.

These newly renovated spaces are not simply about selling clothes, they are about creating a space where fashion, art and architecture coexist. Here, the aesthetic qualities of fashion seep into their surroundings, fostering an environment that invites contemplation and interaction rather than just consumption.

‘The fact that Basel is known for its art fair was very important to us. [The city] naturally has an audience with a strong affinity to art, as well as design and architecture,’ says Felizia Berchtold, co-founder of Tutto Bene. ‘Plus, the model of the department store has evolved over the last two decades, and actually resembles more the business model of a fair.’ Just as Art Basel cultivates creative exchange and visibility for artists, Globus Basel acts as a dynamic platform for brands.

The design deliberately avoids the usual retail spectacle – the familiar cluttered displays and overstimulation of typical department stores. Instead, Tutto Bene prioritised clarity and functionality, applying principles borrowed from art curation: ‘a timeless background’ and ‘a system of navigation and hierarchy’, as the studio describes. Fashion is presented as something deserving of time and attention, as one might consider a gallery display. ‘The retail language is defined less by recognisable “design gestures” and more by what is deliberately withheld: overt scenography and trend-driven materials,’ says Oskar Kohnen, Berchtold's co-founder.

Display rails, plinths and mirrors are seamlessly integrated into the light-filled architecture, while concrete floors, continuous surfaces and a minimalist material palette evoke a sense of serenity, allowing the products to shine. The design never detracts from the fashion, with perimeter lighting highlighting and anchoring collections, as well as, says Kohnen, ‘[separating] the interior core from the perimeter facade zone’. This is fabricated in Japanese laminated paper mounted on an aluminium frame; the designers say the effect is ‘simple and light, but at the same time monolithic and present’.

A standout feature is the continuous illuminated wall, conceived as a ‘contemporary viaduct’ that orchestrates the rhythm of the fashion floors. This element echoes the repetition and balance of the building’s historic Art Nouveau façade, originally designed in 1904 by Alfred Romang and Wilhelm Bernoulli and later complemented by sleek modern additions from Miller & Maranta. ‘It was a great opportunity to work with the contrast between old and new, public and private, art and fashion,’ says Kohnen.

In contrast to the open, light-filled shopping floors, the private shopping suite offers an intimate, inward-looking experience. ‘Designed as an imaginary collector’s apartment, it is defined by wood panelling, monochrome blue tones and a residential sense of scale,’ explains Berchtold. The mirrored dressing room acts as an optical installation, with ‘cascading mirrors fragmenting and recomposing the space’, while a custom screen-printed artwork by Tutto Bene, inspired by Swiss designer Trix Haussmann, adds an additional layer of graphic sophistication.

The project reflects a broader trend in luxury retail: stores that transcend the mere presentation of wares to create immersive aesthetic worlds. Says Kohnen: ‘Retail becomes an editorial act rather than a merchandising exercise, positioning the store as a place where fashion, objects and architecture are encountered with intention and depth.’

Globus Basel, Marktpl. 2, 4001 Basel, Switzerland.

globus.ch