21 January 2025
The Weekly
France

The four monumental glass tubes that dominate the main floor are subtly tinted rose, and the cement floor ultimately yields to pale pink carpeting reminiscent of a blush compact, upon which are placed sensuously swollen armchairs and sofas. The 5,400sq ft (490m2) unit includes a reading area and a café operated by Italian hospitality group Sant Ambroeus. The complete renovation of the building took almost three years. Carefully calibrated lighting, and a circuit of intimate spaces — each of the glass tubes houses a product category — blunts the starkness of the steel shelves, the minimal clothing rails and a Ron Arad table curved like a scythe blade. The brand plans to inaugurate the new Faubourg Saint Honoré store during couture week with a cocktail and an intimate dinner party curated by We Are Ona and Sant Ambroeus. The unit is the brand’s third freestanding location in Paris, a key market for the brand with its mix of stylish locals and a steady flow of tourists and professionals from various creative industries. The new boutique will showcase the brand’s pre-spring collection, dubbed Archetypes chez Alaïa, along with some exceptional and exclusive ready-to-wear pieces and accessories.