Printemps New York
Pastel frescoes depicting golden doves, flower-like Murano glass chandeliers and petals carved from wood may sound like the makings of a fantastical, surrealist dreamscape. In fact, they’re elements of French architect Laura Gonzalez’s opulent design for Printemps New York – the legendary Parisian department store’s first stateside concept.
Located at the base of One Wall Street in the Financial District in Manhattan, Printemps is the final, much-anticipated flourish of the landmark Art Deco building, which was recently converted into luxury residences. Occupying 5,000 square metres across two levels, the store celebrates Printemps’ 160-year history through design features that reference the original building’s Haussmannian architecture and Printemps’ Parisian context while paying deference to the company’s bold new locale.
“We have been deeply inspired by the legacy of Printemps – its mosaics, stained glass, patterns and original art – but we are in New York,” says Gonzalez. “This is a new story. It is a city where anything is possible. I don’t think this project could have been born anywhere else because New York is unique. Here, there are no limits.”
The store unfolds as a series of cinematic spaces where every fixture and finish has a story and no detail has been overlooked. On the ground floor, metallic fabrics, Art Deco motifs and mottled-glass brick partition walls commingle with whimsical touches, including fitting rooms that look like mini circus tents and marble floors with polka dot inlays. It’s spirited, edgy and futuristic – a not-unsurprising blend given Gonzalez’s propensity for mixing styles, eras, colours and textures.
Upstairs, the calibre of craft and detail continues, albeit with a notable tempo shift. Timber parquetry and marble floors stretch out underfoot, patterned textiles abound and, above head height, intricate painted landscapes adorn the walls. A series of pavilions akin to rotundas covered with climbing vines command attention, each holding racks of clothing and, in a far corner, oversized Murano glass chandeliers dangle from the ceiling, resembling glistening pink pine trees.
The maximalism doesn’t end there; shoppers can also meander down the Beauty Corridor, a long, narrow room finished in light beige and resin that is dedicated to make-up and skincare products, or explore the decadently dressed Red Room, where golden tones and rouge hues create a forest-like space beneath soaring windows. There are several spots to refuel mid-peruse, including the casual Café Jalu on the ground floor, Salon Vert for oysters and champagne overlooking Broadway, and Maison Passerelle, an American take on a French brasserie.
There’s an infinite amount to see, smell and taste, so much so that one might forget to shop. But to visit Printemps solely for the fashion would be to miss the point. It’s a definitive destination, much like Printemps Haussmann, where crowds have flocked for 160 years to immerse themselves in the department store’s unrivalled curation, heritage, poetry and architecture amid the 9th arrondissement.
Although Gonzalez’s Printemps is a departure design-wise from its iconic older sibling, it has a new kind of resonance. Imaginative, lively and supremely chic, the fit-out ensures a pilgrimage to the Financial District – a neighbourhood on the cusp of a revival – is worth it for sartorialists and interiors lovers alike.
Interior design by Laura Gonzalez.
