Lulu Guinness opens new global flagship

British accessories brand Lulu Guinness has opened its new global flagship in London’s Covent Garden with a store design that is “a true reflection of the British playfulness Lulu Guinness is renowned for”.

Located on King Street, the flagship marks the brand’s next chapter with what it is calling a “re-energised product offering” following the appointment of David Hodgson as creative director and Sandra Mertens-Lustig as chief executive as part of the relaunch of the brand.

The design of the store aims to reach “beyond the traditional retail format” and offers consumers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the brand and its history, whilst also exploring the new Lulu Guinness collections.

Artistic director Lulu Guinness and Hodgson worked in collaboration with renowned interior designer Rachel Chudley to provide a store that was not only an inviting space, but also one that showcased the brands relationship with fashion and art, which Lulu Guinness described as being “integral to the store’s aesthetic”.

This project marks the first foray into retail design for Chudley, with Lulu Guinness stating that she chose the interior designer as she felt her “creative expertise in residential projects positioned her as the ideal designer to create the warm and familiar surroundings at the heart of store concept”.

Lulu Guinness opens new flagship in Covent Garden

To realise this vision, Chudley avoided the use of traditional store fittings and opted for plush, opulent tones, dusty pink walls, Grecian style pearl tiling and jacquard covered furniture.

Key highlights includes the ceiling of ground floor sparkling with more than two hundred floating pearled lights, mimicking the movement of the drifting sea, whilst other more subtle references to surrealism throughout the space are a nod to artists who inspired Lulu Guinness herself.

With art being such an important part of the brand’s personality, visitors to the store will find a revolving art gallery situated in the lower ground space which will house forthcoming collaborations and exclusive events for the brand.

Commenting on her first foray into the world of retail space, Chudley said: “I had great fun looking back through the surreal, whimsical world of Lulu Guinness that I grew up admiring and the wonderful new designs.

“Considering how we could both display and reference this body of work in a room was a wonderful challenge, I wanted the store to come alive with echoes of Lulu’s playful and witty British design.”

Hodgson, added: “I want our customers to be able to experience the world of Lulu Guinness in the most immersive way possible, I want them to walk into our store and feel like they’ve stumbled across a treasure. Visually, the store will be the ultimate representation of the brand and will set the scene for what’s to come.”

To celebrate the King Street opening, Lulu Guinness has designed an exclusive collection including a new store front collectable bag, and coin purses in the brand’s signature colours will be updated with typically London motifs, from the red telephone box to black cabs.

Images: courtesy of Lulu Guinness