AF Vandevorst designers An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx are no strangers to retail, with four guerrilla stores to their name (each riffing on an 'army hospital' aesthetic) unfolding years before a flagship location was even a twinkle in Arickx's eye. The summer of 2014 saw the dream of a permanent bricks-and-mortar boutique become a reality in the heart of Antwerp, with a multi-level shop front that showcases their women's ready-to-wear collections beneath high ceilings, back-dropped by a stark spiral staircase.
Softening the otherwise clinical atmosphere, architect Thomas Van Looij transformed the 130 sq m space with the help of acclaimed museum scenographer Bob Verhelst, whose finishing touches include a Cubist linoleum floor and a matching patchwork wall of blush-coloured leather - the same used in the brand's iconic red cross-marked boots. In an exclusive personalisation service, devotees can opt for that cross (or their initials) to be marked out in a pavé of diamonds on white gold.
ADDRESS
AF Vandevorst
20 Lombardenvest
Antwerp 2000
Belgium
-
Reuters presents the 500 most impactful photographs of the last 40 years in a new book'In the Moment: 40 Years of Reuters Photojournalism,' published by Thames & Hudson', celebrates an era of iconic photography
-
At La Fondation hotel in Paris, minimalism has irresistible warmthOnce a parking lot, this 17th-arrondissement stay now offers rooftop city views, cocooning suites, and interiors by Roman & Williams
-
How LA's Terremoto brings 'historic architecture into its next era through revitalising the landscapes around them'Terremoto, the Los Angeles and San Francisco collective landscape architecture studio, shakes up the industry through openness and design passion
-
AlphaTauri’s Salzburg HQ is a science fiction fantasyBrowse in-store, buy online: the future-focused mentality of AlphaTauri
-
Water inspires Holzweiler’s Snøhetta-designed Oslo flagshipHolzweiler Platz, the new retail destination of fashion brand Holzweiler in Oslo, is designed by architects Snøhetta as a naturalistic space that unites fashion, art and food
-
Manu Atelier's first boutique nods to Le Corbusier in IstanbulThe cult Istanbul-based label introduces bold, sculptural expressionism into this first bricks and mortar store
-
Louis Vuitton's Ginza Namiki flagship evokes a rippling pillar of waterJapanese architect Jun Aoki creates a water-like facade for Louis Vuitton's Ginza Namiki Tokyo flagship
-
Alternative retail websites for fashionable festive giftingLook to luxury etailers Rêve En Vert, APOC Store and Doda the Store, Aspect and Zero-Living for feel-good gifting options that support emerging creatives and artists, and have a sustainability-focused mindset
-
Aspesi’s upcycled shirt is a winter wardrobe stapleThe Italian brand's Shirt-Jacket 13 silhouette is well padded with eco-credentials
-
David Chipperfield designs Furla's new flagship in Milan's historic Piazza DuomoGio Ponti, Vico Magistretti and Achille Castiglione inspire the brand's newest Milan boutique
-
Morocco-based Marrakshi Life combines traditional techniques with a New York aestheticClothing brand Marrakshi Life champions a unisex, hand-tailored line
