Light and color
After opening the dark brass handle adorning the door of the shop's 10-meter-wide glass facade, visitors soon find themselves immersed in a fabulous rhapsody of colors, materials and shapes, where each space is divided by a playful hanging double-tier shelves presenting Valextra's precious creations. Reminiscent of childhood's swings, the pastel-colored shelves suspended from the tall ceilings create a floating display avenue, lending a museum-like feel to the store. The shelves are made of matte-painted metal, linoleum and framed wood, which enhance the contrast with Valextra's leather bags.
The lofty ceilings are not the only element offering a surprise in the store: the light blue terrazzo resin floor scattered with brightly colored brass inserts and edging recreates the geometric pattern of a mandala (an image of a circle surrounding a square, that represents the universe in the Hindu and Buddhist religions) on the floor. Covered in different hues of light pink marbling, the alternate yellow and light blue accents of the walls resonate in harmony with the surroundings.
Gamper, wearing an indigo blue T-shirt he dyed himself matched with wrinkled pants by Japanese designer Issey Miyake, looked composed as he met with visitors to the store.
This is not the first time that Gamper has worked with the brand. In 2015, he designed a boutique for the Italian luxury house in Milan, where he created bespoke store installations using colorful, custom-made magnets.
For the outside of the store, which currently features huge sculpted glass panels, Gamper says he hopes to be able to replace certain areas of the exterior with softer materials if permitted.
He claims that as a designer, he never tries to follow local tastes blindly to please the market. He thinks that design is a personal process, "I really believe that if you make something that you really like, there's a strength in it."
