The interior design firm Yatofu designs the new flagship store location in Helsinki for the Finnish jewelry brand Kalevala. The space fuses materials including stainless steel and warm wood details for a juxtaposing look complete with sky blue accents. Right in the heart of the city, the store is found on the ground floor of an old building with a mezzanine which also works as a space that hosts private shopping and special events.
The co-founder of Yatofu, Yihan Xiang shared with Dezeen, "When working with a legacy jewellery brand like Kalevala the biggest challenge was finding a way to capture its personality while introducing unexpected, fresh elements. During our research, we discovered that Kalevala has a long tradition of collaborating with artists and pushing the boundaries of jewellery craftsmanship. To reflect this, we developed the concept of 'sensory sculptures'. We wanted visitors to see each piece of jewellery as a miniature sculpture, and the space itself was designed to be both open and intimate – almost gallery-like, inviting people to explore the jewellery through touch and interaction."
Image Credit: Aleksi Tikkala and David Jakob, styling by Piia Emilia.
What's Driving This Trend
- Sensory Retail Spaces
- Designing retail locations as interactive, sensory environments transforms shopping into an experiential activity, offering customers novel ways to engage with products.
- Artistic Store Design
- Integrating art-inspired design elements into retail spaces enhances brand identity and customer experience, promoting artist collaborations and elevating traditional retail aesthetics.
- Juxtaposed Material Use
- Combining contrasting materials like stainless steel and warm wood in interior spaces creates visually striking environments that reflect brand innovation and modern aesthetics.
Who This Affects Most
- Retail Design
- Innovations in store design that emphasize artistic and sensory experiences can redefine consumer engagement and brand loyalty in the retail sector.
- Jewelry
- The jewelry industry can benefit from design strategies that highlight the artistic nature of pieces, enhancing consumer perception as wearable art.
- Event Hosting
- Leveraging retail spaces for private events and intimate shopping experiences opens new avenues for brands to create personalized customer interactions.
